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Category Archives: Lawn Care Tips

Seeding and overseeding

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Lawn grasses grow old and lose some of their vigor and brightness. No matter how much fertilizer or water these lawns receive, they can continue to look lackluster. Sometimes, patches will die or brown. Often, the overall lawn will simply thin out and weeds will creep in.  Other lawns look great in the cool of spring and fall or in the heat of summer but fail to produce the same beauty during the other seasons.  VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake City has an easy tip to help you repair both of these scenarios if they’re happening to you.

Reseeding or over seeding helps restore new life to an old and tired looking lawn.  It can also introduce new varieties of grass that thrive in different conditions than the current variety growing in your yard. This is only acceptable if over half of the lawn is still living. Beyond that, replanting the lawn is necessary.

Over seeding is simply spreading new grass seed over an existing lawn. Fall is the ideal time for reseeding so long as you spread the seed early enough that it germinates and begins growth before a killing frost. The soil is warm but the air is cool, perfect conditions for new grasses to grow. The seeds are also less prone to being choked out by weeds or already established grasses once the fall air cools.  If frost hits early, spring is the next best time for reseeding. Although the soil is usually cooler, it is a better time than midsummer when the heat makes it difficult for new seedlings to thrive.

 

Before seeding, mow your lawn lower and remove clippings to help the seeds reach the ground more easily and evenly.  Dethatching may also be necessary if it has built up. Aeration can also be helpful to reduce soil compaction and insure the seeds have place to grow. A soil amendment can also be used but be sure to not put more than ¼ inch or it could kill your grass. Soil testing can help determine any additions your soil needs to reach a neutral PH. Soon after seeding, fertilizer can be used to help speed germination.  Ground should be kept moist for 1-2 weeks or until the seeds have grown to 2 inches tall.  This will go against normal watering schedules of deeply and infrequently but only lasts until the seeds are established. Water just to keep the soil moist or you could rot the seeds.

 

This simple tip of over seeding, if done correctly, can add years of beauty and health to your old, tired lawn and help it maintain that beauty throughout all the warm months.

Lawn Diseases

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We all want a lawn that looks cared for. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, our lawns can become overrun with disease.  VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake City wants to help you prevent, recognize and overcome any disease that is putting a damper on your beautiful lawn.

 

Lawn diseases need specific conditions to thrive.  Molds grow well if lawns are over fertilized in the fall. They also multiply where snow is shoveled into large piles during winter. It can cause dead or discolored patches.  Helping snow melt faster by applying ash or graphite and application of a fall fungicide will help prevent mold from taking hold.

Fungi are one of the most common lawn maladies. Mildew also falls within this category as it originates with a fungal infection of the grass. These diseases cause thin grass and dead circles. Sometimes mushrooms can even grow within the grass. Aeration in the early spring, watering deeply and less frequently and keeping mow height between 2.5 and 3 inches will help reduce fungal growth. Also, avoid heavy applications of nitrogen fertilizer in the spring. Instead, spread the fertilizer out through a couple applications.  Fungicides can also be used if fungus has previously been a problem. One of the best ways to help prevent fungi from taking over, as well as insure that your lawn looks as good in the heat of summer as it does in the cool of spring and fall is to have more than one variety of grass seed planted.  Grass types vary on their ability to withstand diseases as well as heat or cold.

As always, avoid seriously stressing grass by over or under watering, mowing too short or scalping slopes, mowing with a dull blade that rips grass rather than cuts cleanly, and using extreme fertilizing methods. This will help insure that these common lawn diseases never have an opportunity to begin growth.  If they have already begun wreaking havoc on your beautiful landscaping, call us to help! You deserve a beautiful healthy lawn. VIRIDIS Lawn Care can help you get there!

Time to get ready for Winter

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Lawns need a little help preparing for winter. Although they are hardy and can usually survive until spring, they will green up much sooner if appropriate steps are taken before fall ends. VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake City wants to make sure you are able to enjoy a lush green lawn as soon as possible when warm weather hits. Here are a few hints to help your lawn survive the winter in the best shape.

Cut back on water usage. The amount of water required to keep a lawn thriving in 90 degree weather is much more than a lawn requires at 60 degrees. Overwatering is not only wasteful but can also facilitate mold or disease growth.

Aerating your lawn is one of the best things you can do to help it through winter. It decreases compaction and provides a protective top dressing for the lawn if the plugs are left to decompose. Air, light, fertilizer and water are all able to filter to the roots which increases their growth and ability to store up for winter.

Leaving grass just a bit longer in the fall will also help stimulate root growth.  However, for the final mowing, mow at or just shorter than regular mow height and leave the clippings on the lawn as extra protection for the crowns from the coming frosts. This will also provide fertilization as the clippings decompose over the winter.

In order to help fix dead or thin areas, fertilizer should be applied at this time of year. A slow release fertilizer high in nitrogen will provide nutrients that will allow the lawn to recover from the heat of summer and grow stronger roots to help it last through winter better. Reseeding may also be necessary for some bare areas and fall is a great time to do this but it needs to be done so the seeds have time to germinate. Early fall seeding allows the seeds to begin growing without freezing first.

We want you to have the healthiest lawn you can. Call us today to let us help you prepare your landscaping for winter.

Unwanted Grass in your Lawn

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Green, lush grass is the goal of any lawn.  Unfortunately, sometimes different varieties of grasses crop up in our turf that cause uneven patches of density or color.  Here at VIRIDIS Lawn Care we want to help you identify and manage these unwanted grasses so you can improve your lawn’s appearance, texture and health.

A few of the common unwanted grasses include:

  • Annual Bluegrass

This is a cool season grass that produces seed heads. It thrives in shady, moist areas. The leaves are coarser than most lawn grasses.

  • Barnyard Grass

This maroon tinted grass prefers warm weather and moisture.  Its seed head divides into several segments.

  • Bentgrass

This perennial grass prefers cool weather.  It sends out runners much like strawberry plants. Keeping lawn mowed too closely can allow bentgrass to dominate. It appears fluffy and fine compared to more desirable lawn grasses.

  • Bermuda Grass

Considered a noxious weed in most Utah counties, this grass spreads though runners and its root system. It prefers warmer weather and produces a seed head with a branching pattern.

  • Crabgrass

This warm weather weed roots easily. It has many long thin segments on its seed head.

  • Quackgrass

This broad-leafed grass prefers cool weather and spreads through underground roots.

  • Tall Fescue

Fescue prefers cooler seasons. Its leaves have fibrous veins which show when cut. They can be up to half an inch wide with ribbed tops and shiny underneaths. Bottoms of the plant can appear maroon in color.

Different options are available for removing these unwanted weeds. Often herbicides can assist but you must be very careful about applying them as they can also kill wanted grass in the lawn.  Digging or pulling to remove unwanted grass is an option but is more labor intense and will leave a bare spot that will need to be reseeded.

The best method of control for all of these weeds is having a healthy, thick lawn so seeds don’t have a chance to germinate.  Mow height is key. Between 2  ½ – 3 inches will help keep unwanted seeds from receiving the sunlight they need to germinate. Irrigation is also important. Watering deeply and less frequently will cause difficulty for shallow rooted grasses to grow.  Also, be sure to seed bare areas quickly.

 

Sod Web Worm

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Order / Family: Lepidoptera / Pyralidae

Visual signs of damage

Signs of damage will appear as thinning yellow areas, sometimes starting as small palm sized spots that will grow together although sometimes may begin by covering a larger area. It would be noticed as stunted growth, turning to the appearance of brown, drought stressed turf and then it will die off. Sometimes the pest can be visible if you lift up the damaged turf exposing the soil underneath.

Damage occurs as the larvae of the sod web worm feeds on the outside of the grass blade at the base. This causes and interruption in the ability for the plant to take up water and nutrients therefore causing drought conditions for the turf even though there may be plenty of moisture in the soil. Overwatering will not cure this problem.

Pest Description

The adult sod web worm is a small moth about ¾-1 inch long. It can be gray, white or tan in appearance and it folds its wings back on its own body appearing long and narrow. You may notice them flying around erratically as you mow or walk around on the lawn. Their lifespan is anywhere from six to eight weeks from egg to adult, creating up to 3 generations per year. They are active more at night fluttering around the lawn dropping on average 60 eggs per night. The eggs are dropped at random all through the turf area falling down into the thatch where they hatch and then begin tunneling and feeding.

The larvae of the sod web worm color will vary depending on the species. They may be green, brown, gray, light tan with spots and possibly hair. The larvae are roughly ¾ of an inch in length.

Treatment

I’d like to tell you that a healthy turf will keep these pests out of your yard but unfortunately they do not discriminate between healthy and unhealthy lawns. A healthy lawn will definitely be able to sustain a larger amount of sod web worms as opposed to a lawn that is currently stressed and unhealthy. Keeping your lawn well watered and providing a stable and balanced nutrition plan will help combat the problem before it starts. Pest control in Salt Lake City Utah can be tricky. Prevention is a much better approach than curative.

If the infestation reaches a point where it overwhelms the turf and signs of damage begin to show then a curative treatment may be necessary. There are products available through hardware stores, and nurseries that may help. Your local lawn care professional can also help with proper diagnosis and provide treatment options that will ease your mind and restore your lawn to its proper form.

Common Lawn Pests in Salt Lake City Area

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VIRIDIS Lawn Care of Salt Lake can help you protect your lawn from common destructive insects. A few lawn pest in the Salt Lake City area include:

  • White Grubs

White grubs are the larva of beetles. They eat grass roots which cause yellowing and wilting early on and escalate to brown patches by late summer. The lawn may also be lifted easily due to being un-rooted. They are most easily controlled if treatment begins in late spring before the eggs have a chance to hatch.

  • Billbugs

Billbugs, or Weevils, eat the upper root and crown of the grass which can cause the lawn to appear under watered. The earlier treatment begins the better as they get more difficult to exterminate the older they get. Grass infested with billbugs will develop small dead patches and can be easily pulled up. A sawdust-like substance can also be found in the lawn. Treatment for billbugs should be done while they are young larvae, either spring or late summer dependent on the species.

  • Sod Webworms

The sod webworm is the most widely known of Utah lawn pests. They are an immature moth in the caterpillar stage. They feed mostly on the grass above ground, leaving the roots intact. This can cause grass thinning that increases to small brown patches or, in severe cases, large effected areas. For best control, treat in later summer. Well fertilized and watered lawns can outgrow their damage.

  • Subterranean Sod Webworm

The subterranean sod webworm, also known as the cranberry girdler varies from the sod webworm in that it lives lower in the lawn, feeding on roots. This insect is more difficult to control than many of the other pests. Lawns infested with this insect will exhibit dead, brown patches that increase as the summer continues from damaged root systems.  Treatment should occur during summer to early fall.

Prevention

Good maintenance is the best way to protect your lawn against these common pests. Main ways you can do this include:

  • Mowing

Mow often! Optimal mow height should fall between 2 – 3 ½ inches, never removing over a third of the blade. This encourages roots to grow and increases the strength of your lawn.

  • Fertilizing

Nitrogen is the most important lawn fertilizer. It can help grass recover from winter or other stressors, damage and insect infestations. Fertilizer should be applied in multiple applications for best results.

  • Aerating

Aeration should occur in spring, and occasionally in fall also. This will increase air flow to roots, decrease compacted areas, and help with nutrient absorbing abilities.

  • Watering

Don’t water in the spring until necessary. This will increase root growth. Don’t over or under water. Overwatering can increase your lawn’s susceptibility to disease but not watering enough can open it up to insects. Cut back on water in the spring and fall when temperatures don’t cause as much drying or evaporation.

  • Seeding

Seeding in the fall can help repair damaged areas in your lawn. Cooler temperatures can help seeds germinate.

 

Common Pests in Your Lawn

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If your household is suffering from a dead lawn with brown lawn spots, there are a couple possibilities that this could be causing this problem. The first problem could be that your lawn isn’t being properly irrigated, which could be leaving your grass dry and dead. This problem can usually be fixed rather easily by installing a sprinkler system, and your lawn will be back to normal in no time. If your lawn is already receiving proper irrigation, than the problem is most likely coming from pests that are inhabiting your lawn or another form of lawn disease such as fairy ring. These pests eat your grass and leave dead areas that kill off the live grass around them. Pests can be difficult to get rid of, since they lay eggs underneath the ground and new pests rise up above the ground after you have treated your lawn. In order to fully restore your lawn from one of these two conditions, it is important to call lawn care Salt Lake City, Utah before the problem becomes too large.

 

Common Pests

 

There are plenty of different types of pests that can be contributing to your dead lawn problem and creating the brown lawn areas. The first type of pest to check for is called a Chinch Bug. The Chinch Bug is a small, wingless, bright red bug when it is born, and turns black as it gets older. Chinch Bugs are shaped like a flattened black and white capsule and grows wings as it ages.

 

The second type of pest to check for is called a White Grub. As the name suggests, it is a small insect that is white in color and has many tiny legs on its underside. White Grubs are very detrimental to the health of your lawn, and if you are infested with them, it is important to get the problem taken care of very quickly.

 

The third type of bug to look for is called a Japanese Beetles. These bugs look quite a bit like lady-bugs, but are completely brown in color. Japanese Beetles eat your lawn and lay eggs that suck the nutrients from the grass stems.

 

If you have been infested by one of these pests, the time to call lawn care Salt Lake City, Utah is now. The professionals will be out to treat your lawn before the infestation spreads, saving your lawn from further harm and allowing it to flourish.

Winterize Tips

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There is no such thing as fashionably late when it comes to your lawn. Just like other things in your home, your lawn also needs proper care. Here are a few tips for Winter Lawn Care in Salt Lake City Utah.  These tips and tricks will help ensure that your lawn stays healthy during the winter months and comes back healthy and strong in the spring.

VIRIDIS Lawn Care in Salt Lake City, Utah offers a wide variety of gardening care for many lawn owners in Utah. Moreover, they also offer lots of tips for caring your lawn. They can also provide lawn winterize tips for the benefit of their clients. Watering, proper mow height, aeration, over-seeding and nutrition are important factors and elements that determine how beautiful and lush your law can be. Here are some of these important tips for gardening care of your lawn for winter season that the Lawn Care Salt Lake City, Utah provides.

  • WATERING

It is necessary to continue watering your lawn through the fall season. Culinary water has an advantage here as it can be run through fall. Typically, secondary irrigation often gets turned off too early, which can cause drought stress to your lawn, trees, and shrubs before going dormant. You also need to drain your sprinkler lines fully before they actually freeze or use an air compress for blowing them off.

  • MOW HIEGHT

Yes, mow height is essential. Lawns that are long can be a habitat for pests like mold, voles and other diseases as well. Cutting your lawn to short robs the roots of much needed nutrition before dormancy and allows the roots to be exposed to the harsh winter condition that can damage and kill the root system. The type of grass determines the perfect height. Most of the grasses found in Northern Utah are a rye, fescue, and a blue grass blend. The optimal hiehgt keeps it long enough to protect and retain moisture yet short enough to stand upright. The typical height of your lawn should be at 2.5-3 inches.

  • AERATION

Aeration assists to break up compacted soils by creating soil cores and redistributing the soil across the lawn. It also breaks up the thatch layer that in turn enables oxygen nutrition and water penetrate down below it. The holes are left from the removal allow nutrition oxygen and water to enter directly to the roots.

  • OVERSEEDING

New seeds can be spread over the existing lawn using a seed rower or right after aeration. It helps by filling in weak spots that are commonly subject to pests and weeds. You can use a similar blend of grass you currently have or introduce some new grass types as well.

  • NUTRITION

Fall feeding is arguably the most significant feeding of the year. Although the leafy portion of your lawn is now dormant, its roots are still growing and. You should use a fertilizer that’s high in potassium and phosphorous and low in nitrogen. Feed anytime in the fall season, September through November.

VIRIDIS Lawn Care Specialist, Serving Salt Lake City, Utah

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Is your lawn, the lawn all the neighbors talk about? Is it good talk or bad? Do you hear comments like, how do you get your lawn to look like that, I feel like I’m looking at a painting!…Or do visitors need a machete and safari guide just to find your front door, or tiptoe to your house in fear that a wild beast may come running out of the mangled forest that should be your lawn?

Throwing some fertilizer on your lawn may not sound very hard, but it’s trickier than you may think.  Different types of grass need different kinds of fertilizer and depending on the condition of your lawn, depends on the type of treatment your lawn should receive.

The most common mistake is when people treat grass the same way they would a plant or a tree. There are many plants and trees that can get a perfect balance of nutrients from one or two applications of a combination of minerals.   However, grass needs to be treated every 4 weeks, to lower the risk of disease and bug infestation.  Grass also needs a steady supply of nitrates to thrive, and it must be replenished regularly.

A lawn care specialist is trained to know the best treatment for your lawn, at VIRIDIS, we know every lawn is different and requires its own treatment plan.

Fields of green are our specialty. We take great pride in the great relationship we have with lawns. We like them and they like us. Just like you need a good pediatrician for your child, you need a good lawn care provider to care for your lawn. Sure you could do it yourself, if you wanted to take the time to specialize in the science of turf grass, or you could hire VIRIDIS to care for your lawn Whether you need Lawn Care in Salt Lake City or another area in Utah, We’ll do the work; you relax and enjoy the results.

VIRIDIS Lawn Care provides Fertilization (nutrition), Weed Control, Disease and Fungal Control, Lawn Insect Control (both above and below the ground), and Perimeter Pest control. These applications are administered at either regular intervals to maintain adequate nutritional levels or are precisely timed to cure any issues as quickly as possible with the least impact on the environment.

Like I said before, lawns are what we do. We can correctly identify the problems areas and provide the necessary treatments to get your lawn back to its prime. Call us, we’d love to help!

Begin today

801.367.9961

VIRIDIS Lawn Care is now serving Salt Lake City, Utah and surrounding areas.

Don’t Hire Lawn Care in Utah Until You Read This!

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Hey there! VIRIDIS Lawn and Pest here, giving out a few tips to keep your lawn green, some money left in your wallet, and your summer hassle free.

Beware of lawn care services in the Salt Lake City, and in the Utah area that kill your lawn, with their fertilizer treatment.

They killed my lawn…they just kept trying to sell me stuff I didn’t need…They left my gate open…
They only sprayed water…They spread the fertilizer uneven and now my lawn looks terrible…
The technician looks like an escaped convict.

by VIRIDIS Clients

These are just several of the complaints we hear from customers that have used a cut rate competitor.

I think it’s safe to say that there are a lot of lawn care companies out there, with the above complaints.  This is something that you don’t want in a lawn care company. You called them because you are looking for answers to a specific problem. You are asking an ‘expert’ for assistance to an issue that you are having and expect a solution. Whether you are calling because you aren’t sure how to fix it, don’t have the time to fix it, or would like it taken care of professionally, you should be able to expect quality results. Is it too much to ask?…Absolutely Not!

Here are a few questions you should ask before; you consider hiring a company that does lawn care in Utah or the Salt Lake City Area.

  1. What do you expect from a lawn care service?
  2. What kind of Chemicals do they use on your grass? Are they safe for kids and plants?
  3. How knowledgeable is the lawn care specialist about lawns?  Can he are she answer your questions about proper lawn care?
  4. Is the lawn care affordable?
  5. Do they offer pest control in addition to lawn care?
  6. What kind of results can you expect?
  7. Do they do unnecessary treatments to your lawn?

If it sounds too good to be true it probably is! Great advice you probably heard from your parents right? This rings true in the lawn care industry as well. There is no magical potion that exists that will give you the perfect lawn overnight. A lush, healthy, beautifully green lawn comes from a consistent care program, proper mowing habits, and watering correctly. This approach takes time, time that you may or may not have. Or, time you would rather spend doing the things, that you enjoy.

VIRIDIS Lawn Care has a professional team that offers quality work.   The fertilizers we use on your grass is safe for kids, pets and plants.  Each of our team is trained in proper lawn care, they can answer any questions you may have, and they will also go the extra mile the extra mile and help you discover some things you can do for your lawn in-between treatments.

VIRIDIS Lawn Care is here to help. We promise to give you the best possible service, personal attention, and give your lawn only the treatments necessary. Give us a call today and we will get you taken care of in a personalized manner. The longer you wait to use VIRIDIS as your lawn care provider the longer you are going to be frustrated. We’ll do the work; you relax and enjoy the results! Here at VIRIDIS, lawns are our business and our passion.

Let VIRIDIS be your Families answer to lawn care!

Begin today

801.367.9961