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Green Grass during Utah Drought

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With summer fast approaching, hot dry weather can be a concern for your lawn and its health. Let us at VIRIDIS Lawn Care help you manage your resources to beat the heat this summer and keep your lawn looking its best.  Below are some helpful tips to recognize and treat your lawn’s issues during drought conditions.

One of the most noticeable symptoms of a lawn suffering during a hot dry summer is the color changing from a deep green to a dull greyish or blueish green hue followed by yellow and crispy tan if nothing is done to prevent it.

Another earlier warning sign is when it loses some of its springiness. Footprints and other tracks will remain visibly smashed down rather than bouncing back quickly. This happens as the leaves dry out. They may also roll or twist up. While rolling blades is one of the first signs that your lawn is lacking needed water, it is only noticeable if you actively inspect.

Obviously the best solution to grass drying out would be to water but sometimes water is either not available or under city restrictions. In any case, during extreme temperatures, watering at night or in the very early morning will best utilize this precious resource. Watering during the heat of the day, once the sun is up, will cause a  lot of waste through evaporation which will not only keep your lawn from getting the moisture it needs but also cost more money.

Fertilizer could also help conserve water. Often lawns look yellowish if they aren’t receiving the nutrients they need which could easily be mistaken for not enough water. Ensuring the grass has all the nutrients it needs to grow will enable you to know that your lawn is in need of water not fertilizer.

Mowing habits may also need to change. Keeping grass on the longer side can help shade roots and soil and keep moisture in. Try to keep grass at least 3 ½ inches tall. This will also help your lawn appear greener with the blade covering the thatch and roots.  Allow the clippings to stay on the lawn. This can help fertilize and also helps to shade and mulch around the root system.

Consider changing up your landscaping during droughts to decrease the area requiring water. Using rock, gravel, pavers or other similar options to replace lawn or flower beds can be a big step toward water conservation.

Using these techniques can help keep your landscaping looking good, even during droughts and hot summer weather. Let us as VIRIDIS Lawn Care help you manage your lawn to insure it always looks its best.

Roly Polly in Lawn

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VIRIDIS Lawn Care is here to help you identify nuisances to your home and garden and help you resolve the problem. Below we’ll address a tiny bug that goes by many names including sow bug, roly polly, and pill bug. They are those little bugs that have an armored looking shell and can roll into a tight ball when threatened.

Technically, these aren’t insects but isopods, relatives to crabs and lobsters.  Because of this, they prefer wet or damp climates and can often be found in compost piles. This is actually their preference for food as well but if unavailable, they may begin feeding on flowers. They are helpful to decomposing materials and are generally an ok critter to have around but when they multiply into large colonies, they can cause minor problems around your home. They can feed on seedlings or new root shoots and even lower leaves of grown plants. Any fruits or vegetables on the ground can also attract their attention.

Roly Poly in Utah

They may occasionally be found in the home but can’t cause any structural damage and usually don’t survive long indoors. They are also non-threatening to humans or animals as they don’t sting or bite.

roly poly in lawnWhile they don’t pose any real threat to your landscaping, they can cause minimal damage to some plants. In order to rid yourself of these pests, begin by reducing the areas they prefer to dwell, decaying matter, wet areas, rock gardens, and well shaded areas. Mulch with a coarser material. Trellis any vining plants to keep their fruit and flowers off the ground. Check for and repair any cracks found around your home to prevent them from entering and reduce the water found near entrances.

Often, these bugs are blamed for problems caused by insects who prefer similar climates. When in doubt of the creatures causing your problems, call the professionals at VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake City to help you identify and remove the issue.

 

Why you should Hire a Professional Lawn Care Service in Utah

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Lawn maintenance is time consuming. Many people have busy schedules and other priorities but still desire the beauty of a well-cared for lawn. Others simply don’t enjoy the work or are limited by allergies. Whatever the reason, hiring a professional such as VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake City to care for your lawn may be a great investment. Below we’ll tell you some of the best reasons to hire someone to help you take on your lawn.

Whether you have the time and energy or not, hiring a professional lawn care service can provide a level of expertise that you may not have. Our lawn care experts can identify problems with nutrients, diseases, or infestations of bugs or animals and provide solutions rather than having to guess at the problem or spend many hours in research.  They know how grass grows and how to help it reach its peak performance. While much can be learned online, knowing your lawn is in capable, knowledgeable hands can help you rest easier.

Lawn Care in Utah Hire a ServiceThe quality of lawn care equipment used by professionals far exceeds that of an average homeowner. Owning an aerator, mower, dethatcher, spreader, leaf blower and other equipment necessary for optimal lawn maintenance is out of most homeowners’ practical budget. Hiring a professional can save you money in the cost of this equipment alone.

As mentioned earlier, lawn care is time consuming.  Simply mowing can take an hour or more at least once a week during peak growing season depending on your lawn size and mower type. Other maintenance (fertilizing, aerating, dethatching, pest control, etc.) can quickly add hours of labor and research to your lawn care time. Allowing a professional lawn care service to assist in these tasks can save you countless hours of work that you could spend relaxing or playing.

Lawn care services can also save you the problem of trying to store many different fertilizers or chemicals used for pest control. These can be difficult to store correctly to insure the environment isn’t harmed. They can also take up a lot of space that many families simply don’t have.

While some enjoy and have the time, energy, and resources to take care of their lawn alone, many do not. For those of you looking to share the burden of lawn maintenance, give us a call! At VIRIDIS Lawn Care, we’ll do the work. You relax and enjoy the results.

Types of Lawn Weeds in Utah

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There are several weeds common in Utah that can grow in your lawn, turning your lush turf into troubled territory.  A few include:

  • Black Medic

This weed has long stems with rounded, veined leaves and small clusters of yellow blooms. When mature, it produces black seed pods.

  • Chickweed

Chickweed can be identified by little star shaped flowers, small oval leaves and tall stems.

  • Creeping Bellflower

With pretty, blue or purple star shaped flowers, this weed can appear ornamental. It spreads though a very strong root system.

  • Dandelion

One of the most common weeds, dandelions prefer cooler weather although they produce bright yellow blooms from early spring through late summer. Blooms turn to white fluffy seed heads which scatter in breezes.

  • Dock

This weed can reach as much as 2 – 3 feet high. The leaves are tinted reddish and have crinkly edges.

  • Field Bindweed

One of the most difficult weeds to control, this cool season vine spreads both underground though roots and above ground through seeds. The leaves are rounded and the flowers are somewhat bell shaped and white to pale pink.

  • Foxtail

Foxtail comes in three varieties: red, green and yellow. It prefers warm weather.  It grows in clumps with stems topped in long, fuzzy looking heads.

  • Grape Hyacinth

This ornamental weed dies during summer but resurfaces in the fall. It is extremely hard to control due to spreading though bulb divisions and though seeds.  It is topped with purple, cluster type flowers.

  • Ground Ivy

This cool season vine prefers shade.  Stems root wherever they touch the ground. It produces purple funnel flowers.

  • Henbit

This cold loving weed has square stems with indigo flowers that bloom around the beginning of April.

  • Kochia

The leaves of kochia begin silvery but turn to green with yellow or red as they mature. It adapts to different environments well.

  • Mallow

This resilient weed produces white flowers. They have disk to rounded heart shaped leaves and a very long sturdy root. They spread both through rooting and seeding.

  • Moss

Moss grows best in cool, moist, shady areas. It is best controlled by less frequent watering.

  • Mushrooms

Mushrooms grow in very wet environments and are usually found in shade.

  • Thistle

These are very spiny, prickly weeds that produce large purple flowers. The leaves often have a silver or grey tint.

Any of these weeds can invade your grass, turning your turf into a field rather than a lawn. Many of these can also spread to or from your neighbors, creating lawn problems throughout the neighborhood. Allow VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake to come help you control these problem plants and keep your lawn looking its best.

It’s Spring Again, Get your Lawn Care In Utah

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It’s that time of year again! Spring has arrived and that means VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake City is ready to get to work on your lawn. Our services resume in mid-March to help you green up sooner and get a jump start on controlling those weeds.  We offer a variety of services to help you insure your lawn is the best it can be.

Call us today for an assessment of your lawn’s needs. Each lawn is different, with different needs. Our professionals can help you asses which treatments will be the best bring your grass to peak performance.

We offer fertilization throughout the growing season to help your lawn have the nutrients it needs to grow strong and healthy. Knowing your type of grass and soil will assist our professionals in timing and proper application of the fertilization treatments to insure optimal usage and minimal waste.

Brown spots or thin areas? We can help with that too! Whether it’s due to bugs, animals, or disease, we will assess and assist by remedying the problem and giving helpful tips to avoid them in the future.

Our perimeter pest control can help deter pests from ruining your beautiful landscape and destroying your lawn’s health. It can also keep unwanted bugs out of your home and possessions, leaving you will less hassle and more peace of mind.

We will also now be offering aeration. Our aeration service can help your lawn better utilize the water and fertilizer it receives, as well as help air circulation throughout the root system, insuring strong root growth which, in turn, leads to healthy, green grass. Aeration/Overseed is also available in the fall.

Call today to talk with our professionals about your lawn’s needs so we can help you have the landscape you desire.  Remember, with VIRIDIS, we’ll do the work; you relax and enjoy the results.

How to get Rid of Utah Crickets

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Among some of the most devastating creatures to your landscape are crickets, relatives of the grasshopper.  These insects can severely damage grass, trees, flowers, gardens, and crops. VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake can help you control these pests so your lawn and gardens can remain attractive and healthy.

Crickets come in different varieties with the most common in central Utah being the Mormon Cricket. While they are not a true cricket, rather a katydid, they are often thought of as such and categorized with other crickets.

The different types of crickets vary greatly in behavior and appearance as well as the amount of damage they cause. Some such as the Mole Cricket, tunnels underground, destroying turf grass roots while most others live above ground feeding on plant life. Unfortunately, the most common – the Mormon Cricket – is also the most destructive to plant life.

Occasionally, swarms of these insects will form, devastating crops and other plant life. They usually cause the most damage in later summer as they need more food and begin their swarming phase. During heavy outbreak years, they will even feed on each other.

Since Mormon Crickets can’t fly, despite having wings, barriers made of smooth material (to prohibit climbing) that are at least 24 inches high can help keep crickets out of areas.  Loud music will also push crickets away. Fortunately, crows and gulls as well as other animals such as rodents and coyotes will feed on Mormon Crickets. There are also insecticides that can help control cricket populations. Some insecticides can not only kill the insect that initially consumes the poison but also kill any crickets that feed on it. Be sure to always follow insecticide instructions or hire a professional to insure it is applied correctly and effectively. Also, tilling open areas and raking lawns in the fall to kill the eggs that may have been laid over the summer can help control the population near your property.

While they are difficult to control, VIRIDIS Lawn Care’s professionals are eager to help so you can reap the rewards of your efforts on your landscaping.

In 1848, this type of katydid nearly wiped out the crops planted by Mormon farmers trying to settle in Utah. They’ve been called Mormon Crickets ever since. They prefer grasses and sage brush, but will eat a variety of other plants, including wheat and corn. They can be seen at the openings of forests as well in crop fields. While this species eats plant matter, sometimes it resorts to cannibalism when plant food is scarce.
Adults chirp at regular intervals. Females have a curved ovipositor that looks like a tail, or stinger. It is neither. The ovipositor is a tube that pushes into the dirt, allowing females to deposit eggs just under the soil’s surface. The eggs overwinter and small nymphs emerge in the spring, just when plants are starting to grow.

Call Us Today to get rid of those pesky crickets.

Benefits of Hiring a Lawn Care Service in Utah

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Besides looking beautiful, there are many reasons to grow a lawn around your home. VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake can teach you how important grass is to the environment and how to insure you reap the benefits rather than the disadvantages of having a lawn surrounding your home.

Often, we hear arguments against having grass including excessive water usage during a drought and chemical or fertilizer runoff pollution without taking into consideration the benefits of having a lawn.

Having a lawn in good condition with a strong, interwoven root system increases soil stability and erosion and decreases water runoff. This can also help prevent dust and other pollutants which in turn can help keep your home cleaner. The thatch layer can also create a barrier to protect the soil from chemicals that might otherwise enter and pollute the ground or nearby water.

Lawns help keep the air surrounding your home cooler which can help cut air conditioning costs during the summer months. They absorb much of the carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere which can help manage climate changes as well as produce oxygen.

A little known or thought of benefit of lawn landscaping is reduction of noise, especially in more populated areas.  Think of it as padding or carpeting for the outdoors.

Another benefit of a lawn around your home is fire protection. Green healthy grass doesn’t burn easily and having it around your home can help prevent the spread of fires and protect your home from damage.

In order to decrease some of the disadvantages of lawn care and reap the many benefits, chose a grass that is suited to your climate and water wisely, during cooler times and for appropriate amounts of time for your grass and soil type. Avoiding over watering can eliminate the runoff pollution and reduce cost of maintaining your lawn which will allow you to enjoy your lawn without worrying about harming the environment or your pocketbook.

VIRIDIS Lawn Care knows that grass plays an important role to the environment and to a family’s wellbeing. We want to ensure that you have the best lawn suitable to your area and situation. Call us today to help you maintain and care for your landscaping so you can reap the benefits of a healthy lawn.

 

Beware of Lawn Care Care Services in Utah that over charge and kill your grass

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Beware of Lawn Care Care Services in Utah that over charge and kill your grass

Not all lawn care companies are the same. And they vary in more than variety of services provided. Some companies provide great service, care about their customers, have reasonable prices, and do a great job. Others overcharge, ignore their customers’ needs, or provide terrible service. No one hires a professional lawn care service hoping to get poor treatment.  VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake City believes in providing the best value lawn care for your money.

Common complaints against other locally based lawn care service companies vary greatly. While some customers complain of other companies’ incompetence in customer care, we pride ourselves on caring about our clients and their happiness. Concerns and complaints are taken seriously and we work to resolve any issues as quickly and fairly as possible.

Where other companies delay or even skip services, we treat your lawn in a timely manner, according to your grass’ individual needs.

Some people complained of other lawn care companies’ inability to treat lawns or pests effectively, and even damaging their landscaping.  Some customers even complained of areas being ignored completely. VIRIDIS Lawn Care guarantees customer satisfaction. We have weed free and pest free guarantees for our full service clients. We work hard to effectively treat your lawn with the attention it requires while listening to your needs and concerns.  We care about our customers’ satisfaction and helping you to beautify your landscaping.

VIRIDIS Lawn Care believes that lawn care should be affordable. We offer discounts for seniors over 60; military, police or fire service person; and for prepaying customers. We offer great treatments for great prices.

Beware of being overcharged by a sub-par company that could damage your landscaping. Instead, call VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake City today for your free estimate or to schedule a treatment for your lawn.

How to Separate Grass from unwanted places

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While we all love our beautiful, green lawns, keeping them where they belong can sometimes be a nuisance. No one wants their grass taking over their flower or vegetable gardens but what can be done to prevent it? VIRIDIS Lawn Care Utah County can help you determine the best way for you to keep your lawn in check so your gardens can flourish, unhindered by grass. Below are a few different ideas on how to separate your landscaping.

Since most problems with grass getting into gardens is due to the nature of grass spreading underground, using raised beds for flower or vegetable gardening can easily reduce or eliminate grass in these gardens. Elevating them off the ground or laying a protective covering down before filling with mulch and dirt can keep the grass from entering your garden.

Use an edging material such as steel, fiberglass, vinyl or plastic that is made specifically for keeping grass out. Many are not tall enough to entirely keep grass from growing underneath but can definitely slow and reduce the grass that reaches your garden. Install this material properly, making sure to dig deeply enough to set it in nearly its full height. Leave some above the ground or the grass may grow right over it. Ideally, it should be set at least 4 inches underground with a minimum of 1 inch left above ground. This can be covered with rock, brick, or most anything else to add a more finished or decorative look but by themselves, these more attractive materials are insufficient to keep grass in check.

Another alternative involves trenching. One method of trenching, referred to as the “English border,” creates a barrier that is more attractive than other trenching methods. Simply dig along the border between your grass and bed, creating a straight cut on the lawn side and throw the dirt up onto the bed, causing it to slope downward to the bottom of the trench.  This “gap” is easily maintained, looks crisp, and best of all, prohibits grass and weed growth.

A similar approach involves digging a larger trench, about 6 inches deep and 4 inches wide. Then fill the gap with shredded newspaper mixed with water. You should force in as much as possible. Weeds and grass will be unable to grow through this for up to a year. It can be covered with mulch or rocks, etc. in order to improve the appearance. This alternative is also environmentally friendly as newspaper decomposes whereas similar edging method materials are often made of plastics. It, however, will need redone every spring.

Keeping a separation between lawn and garden can improve your landscape’s appearance and your flower and vegetable’s health. Keeping the grass where it belongs will insure you can have all the enjoyment from your home you desire.

Lawn Care Utah County – Get rid of Grasshoppers

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Among some of the most devastating creatures to your beautiful landscape are grasshoppers.  These small insects can damage and even destroy grass, trees, and flowers. VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Utah County can help you control these pests so your lawn and gardens can remain attractive and healthy. Below is information on grasshoppers that can help you identify if they are causing problems around your home.grasshopper

Aptly named for their powerful hind legs, grasshoppers range in color from green to brown to yellow. The adults have wings as well and are around 2 inches long although they can be larger or smaller depending on the variety. Grasshoppers generally prefer drier climates. Their population fluctuates year to year depending on the weather patterns with every few years being “outbreak years” with extremely large numbers. They usually cause the most damage in later summer as they have matured and need more food or are drawn to new areas as crops ripen. During heavy outbreak years, they will even feed on many other objects besides landscaping such as fabric window screens, paint, and wooden handles or posts. They often make their homes in unkempt areas of weeds and tall grass which can actually help prevent them from taking over a well maintained landscape area.

leaves grasshopperThe damage they cause to plants is typically noticeable. Holes in leaves of flowers or trees is the easiest to spot. They also feed on grass but it can be harder it notice the holes on grass blades than on the broader leaves of other plants.

Poultry is one of the most effective natural solutions to a grasshopper problem; however raising chickens or turkeys isn’t feasible for many people. Instead, there are insecticides that can help control grasshopper populations. Using insecticides on adult grasshoppers can often fail. They are more resilient as adults. Applying these chemicals during their younger stages (mid June) will prove much more effective. This can help eliminate many grasshoppers before they become a problem. Be sure to always follow insecticide instructions or hire a professional to help insure it is applied correctly and effectively. Also, keeping your lawn free of weeds and tilling open areas in the fall to kill the eggs that may have been laid over the summer can help control the grasshopper population on your property.

While they are difficult to control, grasshoppers are easy to identify as problem causers which can help you get a jump start on removing them from around your home and garden. VIRIDIS Lawn Care’s professionals are eager to help so you can reap the rewards of your efforts on your landscaping.

Call VIRIDIS the Utah County Lawn Care Professionals Today!