Early Spring Grass & Lawn Care Tips to Improve Your Yard

Garden City, Utah resident mowing their lawn - Rentokil

It’s finally that time of the year here in Utah – the snow is beginning to melt, the trees are filling with blossoming buds, and the sun is sticking around a bit longer every day. While spring is a welcome sight, it also means that you need to start preparing your yard for the rising temperatures. We’ve helped many homeowners maintain beautiful yards here at Rentokil, so we’d like to share some simple tips that will help you keep a clean and healthy lawn on your own.

Spring Yard Clean Up

Keeping your yard neat and tidy not only improves its appearance, it also renders your lawn less susceptible to unnecessary damage and decay. Here are 3 steps you can take to set up your yard for a healthy spring:

  1. Clear off any twigs and debris that the winter season swept your way. Leaving any unwanted foliage on your lawn will stifle its growth. Grab a rake or a leaf blower and get to work!
  2. Mow your lawn early and often – your grass will grow thicker and healthier. You should mow your lawn once every five or six days during the spring for the best results.
  3. Keep your trees trimmed. You may not realize a branch is dead until you take a closer look! Any dead branches should be removed to avoid them breaking and causing damage to your yard or property. This will also promote your trees’ growth.

Extra Lawn Care Measures

After taking care of the previous steps, you can take more focused measures to ensure a beautiful yard once spring has set in. If you’re noticing any gaps in your grass, make sure to reseed your lawn before you apply any pre-emergents or fertilizers. You want to ensure that the new grass seeds have a fair chance to develop before adding any chemical agents to the mix.

That being said, the moisture that comes with the spring season aids the function of additional growth-promoting agents. Once your lawn is evenly seeded, fertilize your lawn, and apply a pre-emergent that will stop crabgrass and other unwanted growth. 

Spring normally will bring a decent amount of moisture with it. This is a great time to fertilize your lawn and also apply a pre-emergent that will be helpful in keeping the crabgrass out of your lawn. Six weeks after the first application, you will want to reapply, and also introduce a broadleaf weed killer to take care of any other unsightly weeds.

The onset of spring is also the perfect time to pay some attention to your flower beds. Pick a heavy mulch and replace your old mulch from last year. Hardwood bark mulches that have been dyed brown are a reliable choice for long-lasting results.

Professional Lawn Experts

Getting your lawn and yard ready for spring and summer is a tall task. If you would rather leave it up to the experts, contact our lawn care professionals at Rentokil for an estimate. We have helped many Utah homeowners bring the yard that they envisioned to live, and we would love to do the same for you!

How to Prevent Summer Lawn Pests

Grubs are a common summer lawn pest in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho. Learn more from RentokilKeeping a lawn alive and healthy is hard enough. When you have a lawn pest problem, it can be even harder. Unfortunately, summertime in Utah is a haven for lawn pests, many of which hatch in the late summer and remain active through the fall months. Lawn insects can threaten the health of your roots, damaging existing turf and preventing new growth. A single insect can make a big impact, making it important to learn how to prevent summer lawn pests. The lawn experts at Rentokil are here to share their top tips for keeping lawn pests away for good.

Most Common Summer Lawn Pests

There are several pests that cause the biggest headaches for residents every summer. These include:

  1. Chinch bugs. These pesky insects cause iregula patches of brown in turf when they suck juice from your grass. They love the heat and attack areas in full-sun
  2. Caterpillars. Certain species feed on the actual blades of grass and can quickly eat away at large patched of grass entirely.
  3. Grubs. These immature beetles live under the soil and feed on grass roots. They typically hatch in the late summer.
  4. Fleas & ticks. Although these don’t damage your lawn, they will happily reside in areas in your yard during the summer, endangering your family and pets.

What Can You Do to Prevent Them?

Some of the signs that you have lawn pest damage is brown spots or dying patches. Even wilted blades and bite marks could be signs of a bigger lawn insect problem. To prevent full-blown infestations, it’s important to keep a close watch on your lawn during the summer. Damage can be done before you really notice it, making it essential to keep an eye out. As soon as you notice possible lawn pest activity, it’s best to contact a professional lawn care company. Trying to get rid of them on your own with pesticides can further damage your lawn.

Year-Round Lawn Insect Prevention

The team at Rentokil has a unique understanding of the summer lawn pests in our area. Because these insects can pose such a big threat to the health and longevity of your turf, it’s important to enlist our help to control any infestations as well as keep future pests away. Contact our lawn care experts today to learn more about how we can help prevent summer lawn pests.

5 Tips for the Best Spring Lawn

Mowing your spring lawn ensures it stays healthy and green in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho all year long. Learn more from Rentokil!

It’s springtime here in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho, making it the ideal time to get your lawn looking its best for the months ahead. Easier said than done, right? Especially after a harsh winter, it can be difficult to bring your lawn back to life. To achieve that beautiful green spring lawn that will be the envy of your neighbors, it’s important to create a routine and stick with it. The lawn care professionals at Rentokil are here to share five expert tips for getting that beautiful spring lawn that will last all year long.

1. Pick the Best Grass

There are many types of grass to choose from, so how do you pick the right one? There are pros and cons to each one, and a lawn care expert can typically help you decide which is best for your unique property. Whether St. Augustine grass is your top choice because of its high tolerance and attractive dark green blades or you’re considering Bermuda for its resistance to foot traffic and drought, the right grass can ensure a beautiful spring lawn.

2. Fertilize You Lawn Properly

Everyone knows that fertilizers help maintain the nutritional balance of your lawn and encourage growth. It’s easy to see why people are intimidated by fertilizer, especially because improper use can lead to a ruined lawn. Always use fertilizers sparingly and follow your local fertilizer ordinance guidelines, as some types of fertilizer are banned during the summer months. The team at Rentokil offers custom lawn fertilizers that are unique to our region!

3. Implement Weed Control When Necessary

Weeds can be detrimental to any yard because of how aggressive they are. This dreaded lawn problem often comes about as a result of over-watering, insect infestations, heavy foot traffic, and more. Because we deal with so many different types of weeds in our area, it’s recommended to enlist professional help to identify and treat specific weeds. We offer noxious weed and pasture weed control, flowerbed weed control, as well as bare ground weed control!

4. Learn How to Mow Your Lawn

Mowing your lawn too short will weaken the root system and quickly welcome weeds. Your grass should never be mowed more than ⅓ of its leaf surface, and, on average, a lawn should be mowed about once a week. Ensure your mower has sharp blades to get the most out of your work and to ensure your lawn stays green.

5. Create a Good Watering Schedule

Bottom line: only water your lawn when needed! For a healthy, green lawn, you only need to water once every three or four days. Equip your sprinkler system with the right technology, including watering timers, meters, and moisture sensors. This will help keep your water usage in check and also keep your lawn healthy. Too much water this time of year can quickly expose your lawn to disease and insects.

Year-Round Lawn Care

With so many steps involved in lawn care, it’s easy to understand why many people get overwhelmed. For 20 years, we have been your local lawn care experts, and we can ensure your spring lawn looks its best all year long. Contact our lawn care specialists today to learn how we can get you the green grass you’ve always dreamed of!

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Annual Lawn Feeding Program & Seasonal Fertilization Schedule Tips in Garden City, UT

Seasonal Fertilization Schedule Tips at Rentokil in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho

To many folks, having a lush green, soft lawn for the pets and kids to play on is an important part of their landscape and even their home. Keeping it healthy, weed-free, well-watered, and rich with nutrients is essential to having a great lawn to show off to the world. Where quite a few homeowners fall short, is fertilizing care and treatments. Wrong application and timing of fertilizer could be what’s making the grass appear patchy and off. We at Rentokil would like to take the time in giving you tips on fertilizing your lawn.

Annual Lawn Feeding Program & Quarterly Fertilization Schedule

A healthy root system to your lawn can help resist intense heat, cold, droughts as well as the abuse of mowing, foot traffic, and other forms. To best get your lawn’s root healthy and strengthened is to feed it. Annual feeding is a well-practiced habit in caring for your lawn, but performing the fertilization maintenance four times a year is optimal for achieving a healthy, green, and lush lawn.

Best Time to Fertilize Lawn; After Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall Seasons

– Early Spring Lawn Fertilizer: Late February to early April is perfect for the lawn’s breakfast. Lawns that are dormant in the winter wake in early spring needing nutrients to get energized. The spring fertilization will give the roots an early jump on strengthening just before the intense growing season commences. The first time your lawn needs mowing is an excellent guideline as to when the first of the year’s fertilizing treatment should be done.
– Late Spring Lawn Fertilizer: Late April through early June is the next fertilizing treatment. The stored energy is nearly depleted about this time and the lawn is looking for sustenance. Supplying some well-earned feeding is fitting for this task. This is the time of year where the broadleaf weeds are active. In your fertilizing treatment, combine it with an appropriate weed control aid.
– Summer Lawn Fertilizer: The third treatment is ideal through late June and mid-September. Though summers are encouraging your grass to grow, it is also taking additional abuse from insect activity, additional foot traffic, heat, and in some circumstances drought conditions. Fertilizing the lawn in the summer can offer it additional strength and protection as it takes on the added stress. Excessive insect activity in your grass should also be treated.
– Fall Lawn Fertilizer: Lastly, from Late September to mid-November the final lawn fertilization treatment should be given. With cool nights and warm days, sufficient rain, and even morning dew; fall is actually the best time of year grass can grow. To recover from the intense summer wear, the lawn is looking for more nutrients to regain its strength and get rejuvenated and revitalized. Many experts agree that fall is the most important fertilizing treatment. Just before falling into winter dormancy, apply your fertilizer to help it absorb and store the energy it needs. Roots will strengthen and their nitrogen levels will be increased and come the spring your lawn will continue to thrive.

Lawn Fertilization Services

Rentokil experts can properly treat your lawn and take on the burden you do not have time for. With our regular lawn fertilizing treatments, weed control, and insect control services, we can ensure you have a healthy-looking lawn all year long. Call us today to get started!

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