Category Archives: Lawn Care Tips

Winona, MN is known for its lush greenery and beautiful bluffs, but maintaining these natural landscapes can be a challenge, especially if you’re contending with pests. Lawn care comes with pest management, and with Maier Tree and Lawn at your disposal, you can manage pests in your plants and allow your gardens and grass to flourish in peace. You don’t have to be a professional forester to know the struggles of pest management.

Minnesotans have plenty of pests and bugs to deal with right on their own lawns.

A wide variety of beetles, worms, moths, and grubs are all native residents of our state, and with them come nests, webs, and infestations. Sometimes these visitors are just passing through, but if and when they settle in to stay, you may find yourself dealing with unexpected damage to your lawn.

Different pests have different ways to cause harm to your lawn care process.

Some pests feed on the roots of the grass, causing damage that can lead to brown patches and even death. Others create nests and webs that cover the surface of your plants. And then there are those ever-hungry types that unceasingly munch on leaves and cause significant leaf and plant damage.

Many pests can be controlled and mitigated by using proper lawn care practices.

Just as the type of damage can vary, so does the treatment. Some pest management is best done with preventative care, but other infestations may require comprehensive pesticide applications. It can be difficult to diagnose pest damage without expertise. Relying on the lawn care professionals at Maier Tree and Lawn can help you narrow down the culprits and devise a integrated pest management plan that best suits your lawn.

It’s important to remember that, when it comes to lawn care, you can do everything right and still end up with a pest problem. Even if you’re looking for pests and maintaining proper lawn care practices, such as watering, fertilization, and mowing, you can still end up struggling with insect problems. A tailored integrated pest management plan may be just what you need to rid your property of troublesome insects.

Winona, MN residents in need of pest removal or lawn care support can contact Maier Tree and Lawn today at (507) 454-7000 or visit our website here for more information. If you’re noticing the signs of a pest problem, call today and start your lawn recovery.

 

Getting your lawn back up to speed after a lingering winter can take a little extra TLC for Rochester, MN, homeowners. Once the last of the ice melts, taking stock of your soil’s condition and making a game plan can help your grass bounce back faster and your spring growth really flourish. Maier Tree and Lawn provides comprehensive lawn care and specialized soil support such as aeration services. If your soil suffered this winter, we can help.

Aeration

Aeration is a conceptually simple process: by removing precise plugs of soil across the surface of a lawn, additional space is made for the passage of water and nutrients. Compacted soil can be pressed together so tightly that it prevents essential nourishment to reach the roots of your grass and other growths. This can be especially problematic after a long, dry winter. Heavy ice and snow pressing down on the surface of your lawn, mixed with foot traffic and salt, is a dangerous risk to healthy soil.

Lawn Care

Lawn care processes such as aeration give your property the flexibility to effectively self-manage itself. Though aeration can certainly be accompanied by additional lawn care such as fertilizing and extra watering, the aeration process alone can minimize a wide variety of soil-related ailments. It’s a powerful tool in the arsenal of any lawn care enthusiast.

Following the winter melt, be sure to check your soil for signs of compaction. Is it hard to the touch? Is grass struggling to grow? Does water pool on top instead of sink down? If you’re noticing any or all of these symptoms it can be helpful to consult with a lawn care expert about your options. It’s very possible that aeration is the solution you’re looking for.

Rochester, MN, area property owners can reach out to Maier Tree and Lawn at (507) 286–8733 or visit our website here to learn more about aeration and post-winter lawn care. Our professional support team can help make a basic care plan or a targeted recovery plan for your property. Call today to find out more!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn is an awkward time for lawn care in Rochester, MN because, historically, it’s a fleeting season. Depending upon the weather trends, autumn may feel as though it only lasts two weeks before winter begins to descend on the state. However, the grass care experts at Maier Tree and Lawn would like to remind homeowners that a lot of good can be done for your grass during autumn, and missing out on this window may leave your lawn a little worse for wear come spring.

Proper lawn care is equally important throughout every season

First and foremost, it’s important to keep up your normal lawn care routines. The U of M Extension has a lawn care calendar that explains the seasonal plant growth cycle and when best to perform specific types of lawn care tasks. Unless it’s snowing in earnest and you can’t see your grass, continuing to mow, water, and even fertilize your lawn is essential before a freeze. Fall is difficult to predict in terms of temperature and precipitation, so if you forgo care entirely, you may end up with grass struggling to thrive before the snow comes.

Rake and remove leaves from your lawn to help keep it healthy

Along with basic care, it’s also important to deal with leaf disposal before it’s too late. Raking is great, but be sure to dispose of the piles before snow covers them. Mowing over leaves is an excellent option as well, if you have a mower that can handle the volume. But no matter how you dispose of the leaves, be sure that you’re not leaving large piles on the surface of your grass. Over the course of the winter, this can lead to fungus growth, snow mold, and all sorts of grass care trouble.

Fall is also an excellent time to seed your lawn

One lawn care tip that is great to remember for autumn is that seeding your lawn is very effective at this time of year. The actual mechanics of dormant seeding or seeding in general vary depending upon why you decide to seed, but the grass care professionals at Maier Tree and Lawn can help you determine what process and timing is right for your lawn. Fall seeding is a great way to stimulate new growth after winter and can make a major difference in the health and aesthetic of your lawn for the coming year.

Grass care doesn’t have to take over your life in the fall, but spending a little extra time figuring out how to prime your property for a healthy future is always a great move. If you’re interested in lawn care or seasonal grass care, contact Maier Tree and Lawn today at (507) 286–8733 or visit our website here. Rochester, MN residents can make an appointment or request a consultation year-round.

 

Maier Tree and Lawn understands that you may be a little bit overzealous about your lawn care as the snow begins to melt in Rochester, MN. But timing your care to properly bolster your lawn growth may take a bit of patience. Your lawn may not yet be ready for in-depth care following the first melt of the season. But if you’re aiming to prepare your property for a productive spring, you can take some steps to ensure that you get the most out of your early springtime lawn maintenance. Maier Tree and Lawn recommends starting with a few simple steps to perk up your lawn without overwhelming it.

Lawn Care Steps

Step 1. 

First and foremost, it’s good to wait until you’re confident that re-freezing isn’t in the immediate future before you start considering watering and mowing. If the thaw isn’t complete, you may just be introducing more freezable water into the root systems of your grass, or you may risk tearing up frozen parts of your lawn with a mower. Not only do these strategies cause external and internal damage to your property, they can also significantly set back growth. Instead, let the thaw continue naturally to give your lawn a chance to shake off the last of winter on its own before you intervene.

Step 2.

If you’re feeling antsy waiting for the last of the snow to melt away, you can take some time to clear any leftover debris from the surface of your lawn that may have been buried under the winter snow. This could include piles of leaves, large sticks or bark, animal debris, and beyond. During this process, check for evidence of snow mold or unusual weed growth that may have started to sprout during the winter. Taking note of problem areas in your lawn can help reduce the potential damage throughout the spring and give you some direction when your lawn care begins in earnest.

Step 3.

Finally, don’t be afraid to pull some weeds once the ground is soft enough. Depending on the state of your lawn, you can use weed pulling as an excuse to get a closer look at the grass and soil to see if you may want to incorporate fertilizer into your spring lawn care routine. If the ground is still too hard to penetrate, give it a little time before breaking through the icy soil. If you’re not sure how soon after a melt is too soon, our lawn maintenance experts can help.

Following the First Melt

If you’re struggling to start your spring lawn care following the first melt, Maier Tree and Lawn is here to lend our expertise. We can address any problem areas you spot or create a post-winter lawn maintenance plan that will encourage growth without jeopardizing the health of your grasses and gardens. If you’re interested in post-winter lawn maintenance, or need lawn care support for your Rochester, MN, property, contact Maier Tree and Lawn today at (507) 286–8733 or visit our website here for more information.

 

 

When there is still ice and snow on the ground, it may feel too early to start thinking about the state of your lawn. But even if your grass is out of sight, lawn care doesn’t have to be out of mind. As spring approaches in Rochester, MN, it may be time to start planning what care your yard will need once the big melt begins. At Maier Tree and Lawn, we support year-round lawn care by working with homeowners to make comprehensive care plans that are catered perfectly to your property. This may mean everything from aeration or fungal treatments after winter to soil care advice to help your spring growth flourish once the weather begins to shift in earnest.

Lawn Care in early Spring

If you’re the type of homeowner who revels in a beautiful lawn, the growth period after winter may feel a bit grueling, especially if your grass sustained any type of damage over the winter months. While lawns are mostly dormant during the cold months in Minnesota, they still need a little extra TLC once spring arrives. This is especially true if you’re noticing spots beneath the melt that don’t look entirely normal.

Fungus

During and immediately after winter, the following is possible: Fungus can grow on the surface of your grass; lack of nutrients can lead to slow grass growth; pests can eat away or stomp down your greens; and the soil on your property can emerge dry, and compacted as the temperatures rise. While some of these conditions can be mitigated by pre-winter care, you may still find yourself needing to provide some extra soil care or other lawn care supplements in order to get your property back up to speed.

Comprehensive Lawn Care

At Maier Tree and Lawn, we provide comprehensive lawn care support that can help right the wrongs that winter may have inflicted on your property. With remedies such as fertilization, antifungals, aeration, and other types of soil care and nutrient bolstering, we can pep up your lawn and ensure that the ills of winter becomes a distant memory rather than a current affliction.

For all of your soil care or comprehensive lawn care support, Maier Tree and Lawn can help. Rochester, MN, residents can reach out today at (507) 286-8733, or visit our website here for more information on our lawn treatments and post-winter care plans.

Grass comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, and with each individual species, you’ll find yourself contending with different care patterns and results. For Rochester, MN, property owners, selecting the right type of grass for your lawn may make a major difference in the overall health and appearance of your yard. Maier Tree and Lawn can help you make an educated decision about what species will make your yard “pop” without breaking the bank or your back. Whether you’re aiming for easy upkeep or luscious looks, we can find the right turf options for you.

Grass For Your Climate

Healthy grass is only possible if you’re growing a grass species that is well suited to its environment. If a species isn’t naturally strong enough to survive Minnesota’s harsh climate, for instance, no amount of lawn care or maintenance will encourage it to grow to any significant length. Rather than going with your gut on what type of grass to request, it’s helpful to have a baseline understanding of the available options, especially if you’re hoping for a certain hue, texture, or care method.

Different Types of Grass

With each species comes a certain set of characteristics that make the grass susceptible to certain conditions and sustainable in different climates. Some common types of grass in Minnesota include Kentucky bluegrass, fine and tall fescues, and rye grass. Depending on the type of seeding that your lawn has undergone, you may have a mix of varieties in order to facilitate healthy and even growth. Each species comes with slightly different aesthetics, texture, and vulnerabilities.

Healthy Grass Needs

For instance, while Kentucky bluegrass is a particularly popular choice, it may not be the hardiest or most sustainable option for your needs. Fine fescue, however, is easy to care for and has the ability to live through drought with minimal maintenance, which makes it a great choice for property owners looking for hands-off lawn options. But depending on your lawn and your location, the exact combination of ideal species may vary.

No matter what grass species you’re looking to cultivate on your property, we at Maier Tree and Lawn can help. If you’re on the hunt for lawn care assistance or are interested in promoting healthy grass growth for your lawn, our professionals are here to lend support. Maier Tree and Lawn can support both long-time Rochester, MN, residents and newcomers with seeding, lawn care assistance, and an avenue to long-lasting, healthy grass. Call us now at (507) 286–8733 or visit our website here for more information.

Maintaining a healthy ecosystem on your Rochester, MN, property requires a healthy foundation. Effective plant healthcare is only possible when the conditions of your yard are suited to consistent growth, and without proper soil care, those vital conditions become much more difficult to realize. The plant healthcare experts at Maier Tree and Lawn have the tools and knowledge to help your plants thrive year-round with in-depth soil assessments and treatments.

Great soil is truly the foundation of every great lawn and healthy plant. Indeed, the quality and health of just about everything growing on your property relies on the proper care of your soil. Soil care may feel secondary to other types of plant healthcare, but if your soil is inadequately cared for, your plants will have a much more difficult time putting down sturdy roots. If the soil is packed too tightly, devoid of essential nutrients, or otherwise unsuited to the plants you want to grow, you’ll likely run into gardening difficulties.

Healthy soil is earth that provides the necessary groundwork for the growth of all of your plants. Depending on the type of property you’re managing, the components of its ground may change based on the time of year, the types of plants you’re trying to grow, and how the soil was treated in the past. All these factors mean that proper soil care varies from yard to yard. Ultimately, proper soil care ensures that the plant healthcare process is never impeded by unseen factors below the surface.

Plant healthcare means adjusting your care to the needs of the plants in question. A professional consultation to develop a soil care plan my include lawn aeration, tree root enhancement, and/or soil amendment and is the first step in providing your landscape with solutions to growing in the urban environment.

If you’re struggling with building a strong foundation for your Rochester, MN, lawn and plants, Maier Tree and Lawn can help. For soil care assistance, consultations, and maintenance plans, call us today at (507) 286–8733 or contact us online for more information.

The common conception of what types of plants fall into the “weed” category varies from region to region and from lawn to lawn, but even while the categories are inconsistent, the reaction is universal: Ultimately, weeds are undesirable plants that are interfering with your lawn care and need to be eradicated. For many Winona, MN, residents, these natural visitors can range from simply being irritating to becoming outright invasive and damaging to your lawn. Practicing effective weed control is a necessary part of any comprehensive lawn care routine, and Maier Tree and Lawn’s weed control experts can help. 

Weeds need a certain amount of nutrients in order to thrive as well as viable conditions in which to grow. This means that without weed control, weeds will draw nutrients away from desirable turf and grass, and then potentially spread and overtake a lawn. Some common Minnesota weeds like crabgrass are fast growing and stubborn, which can be tough to manage without the help of lawn care experts.

Weeds may also be a sign of an inadequate lawn care routine. Weeds are largely opportunistic: If there’s room to grow, then they will. Keeping a lawn weed-free means keeping your turf healthy, your fertilizer consistent, and your watering regular. As soon as the health of your turf begins to diminish from a lack of consistent care, weeds take the opportunity to put down roots.

Weeds may be an inevitable part of lawn care, but the long-term impact they have on your lawn varies, depending heavily on weed control and careful intervention. Proper weed control takes more than a one-time treatment; it requires continual lawn upkeep and lawn care. With professional aeration, fertilizing, and seeding, you can create an environment in which your turf will thrive and any weeds will fail.

If your Winona, MN, area lawn could use some expert weed control, contact Maier Tree and Lawn Today at (507) 454-7000 or visit our website for more information.