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Category Archives: Lawn Maintenance

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A Lawn Care Guide to Spotting Symptoms of Declining Grass Health in Rochester, MN

Posted on July 30, 2019 - 3:28 pm by

Keeping a lawn healthy year-round can be a bit of a struggle for Rochester, MN, area homeowners. There are a multitude of factors that go into well-maintained grass and turf, and sometimes long bouts of dry or excessively hot weather can leave your lawn looking wilted or a little worse for the wear. Spotting signs of health trouble for your grass is sometimes straightforward, but getting the treatment you need requires a little bit of know-how and enough concern to request a visit from the lawn care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn.

 

One of the simplest visual indicators of lawn health is tied directly to color. The color of your grass likely goes through a variety of hues throughout the year, but sudden or drastic color shifts may be indicative of an underlying issue. Yellow patches, brown spots, or even unusual grayish hues can all be signs of poor grass health. Even one or two spots that appear dead or dying could be a precursor to a long-lasting, frustrating lawn care conundrum. Having a lawn care expert check out unexpected changes is a great way to prevent a small brown spot from becoming unmanageable.

 

Another indicator of problems that sometimes goes unnoticed is feel. This might be the blades of the grass feeling dry or brittle, certain patches feeling slimy to the touch, or it could be an odd, mushy spot in the soil that is signaling something amiss under the surface. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to go around petting your lawn to check for good grass health, but it also isn’t something to ignore when encountered. Following up on irregularities is a vital tenet of long-lasting lawn care.

 

And finally, a surge of visible insects on your lawn are a pretty obvious sign that you have a pest problem, but it might not always be that clear. Instead of seeing the perpetrators themselves, you might be faced with the results of their attraction to your lawn. Depending on the type of grass you keep and the time of year, the actual culprit can vary, but some of the side effects of a pest problem are fairly consistent: webbing, thin sections, patchy dead spots, and occasionally, chewed-down crowns. Any irregularities that look somewhat gnawed are worth an investigation as pests don’t always tend to stay in one place.

 

Signs of declining grass health can be treated best if they’re caught early. Follow up your Rochester, MN, area lawn care concerns with the experts at Maier Tree and Lawn. Our professionals can be contacted regarding any questions and concerns at (507) 286–8733. Residents can also visit our website here for details on how to schedule a lawn care checkup appointment.

Pests vs Effective Lawn Maintenance in Rochester, MN

Posted on June 12, 2019 - 5:00 pm by

Keeping a healthy lawn in Rochester, MN, takes a fair amount of attention and expertise. It’s not always as simple as misting a little water and leaving your grass to its own devices. Maier Tree and Lawn’s experts remind homeowners that healthy lawns come in contact with a plethora of outside influences whether they arrive via shoes, animals, wind, or other nearby lawns. Sometimes the result is some minor weed growth or physical damage, but in other cases, your healthy lawn might come in contact with a lawn pest. With a little bit of regular lawn maintenance, however, you can keep your lawn happy and in great shape regardless of what sort of pests your grass encounters.

 

There is significant variety in the world of pests. Minnesota alone is home to worms, beetles, grubs, and all manner of troublesome creepy-crawlies that can cause trouble for your turf. For instance, Japanese beetle grubs are one of the many potential pests that may pay you a visit. These pests eat grass down by the roots, preventing new blades from growing and killing healthy grass. They can create extensive brown spots and dead spots over time. Because these visitors can be tiny and hard to spot, you may have to keep your eyes peeled for those signs of damage in order to search them out. Part of your normal lawn maintenance process should include noting troubling spots and paying attention to how and if they degrade further.

 

If you notice discoloration, webbing, dead spots, or visible pest movement in your grass, you may need to consider incorporating pest removal options into your lawn maintenance routine. The nature of pests is that they don’t only cause damage, but also attract other creatures that reside above them on the food chain. Grubs, bugs, and mites attract mammals and birds who may peck or dig them out for food. This can cause additional damage to the root systems due to frequent intrusions and root trauma. Without lawn maintenance, your lawn could be pecked-away little by little.

 

Alternatively, lawn maintenance professionals can also assist you with pest mitigation tools and techniques. If you don’t want to wait until damage becomes apparent, you can request anti-pest lawn treatments from your local lawn maintenance professionals. Regardless of which option you choose, the only wrong choice is to ignore a lawn pest problem until it’s too late to save portions of your previously healthy lawn.

 

If your Rochester, MN, lawn is showing signs of pest problems, contact Maier Tree and Lawn for information on how to treat damaged lawns and fight back against lawn pests. Call us at (507) 286-8733 or by visiting our website here for additional info on our lawn maintenance services today!

How Much Water is Too Much for Spring Lawn Care in Winona, MN?

Posted on May 24, 2019 - 12:08 pm by

This spring was the season for flooding in Winona, MN. After significant snow melt and rainfall this spring, plenty of lawns have already seen excess water and even pooling. Unfortunately, for some Winona locals, this has put their grass at something of a disadvantage. If you’ve noticed signs of damage to your healthy grass this spring, the lawn care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn can help you get your lawn back on track for every season.

While watering your lawn regularly is important, too much of a good thing can do significant damage to grass roots and soil. Like any plant, grass needs water and oxygen to survive. If it’s getting plenty of one but not enough of the other, this can lead to significant health issues or even death. Unfortunately, with the excessive melting this year, parts of your lawn may have already been subject to this type of over-watering.

Over-watering otherwise healthy grass can produce very visible problem areas. Puddling, of course, is a sign that too much water has been used. If your lawn looks like a kiddie pool, there’s a good chance those grass roots are at risk. Other signs include dead or brown spots, mold or fungus growth, excess weed growth, or pest problems. Water tends to draw all sorts of life forms that aren’t exactly conducive to healthy grass. If you’re getting constant visitors, you could be fostering an overly damp environment. Consulting a lawn care expert in the event of any of these symptoms is a great way to ensure your lawn doesn’t sustain irreversible damage.

Healthy grass aside, over-watering your lawn can be a major waste of time, water, and money. For homeowners invested in global conservation, reducing lawn watering can be a simple way to cut down on resources without risking the health of your grass or other plants. Even if you don’t live in a drought-prone area, saving water and conserving where you can is always a great way to contribute to a healthy local ecosystem.

The lawn care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn are well versed in treating mistreated lawns. If weather or any other factor has damaged your healthy grass this spring in Winona, MN, contact our experts for assistance. Call today at (507) 454-7000 or visit our website here for more information.

How to Spot Signs of Drought During Your Winona, MN Lawn Care

Posted on September 19, 2018 - 12:07 pm by

Summer lawn care can feel like an uphill battle for states with widely varying temperatures like Minnesota. Winona, MN residents dedicated to lawn care are likely used to fighting back against blistering summers and frigid winters with all the resources at their disposal, but sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re helping or hurting your lawn in adverse weather conditions. The lawn care professionals here with Maier Tree & Lawn can spot healthy grass in every season, and with a careful eye you can learn to judge when your lawn is just playing it safe or when it’s really in danger from the elements.

 

Grass, like any other plant, goes through cycles of growth. There may be times of the year when your grass looks a little duller, feels a bit different, or grows at different rates. But even with minor variations, healthy grass is still usually pretty easy to spot with the naked eye. A vibrant green color, thick coverage, and no obvious signs of discoloration are great starting points for lawn care enthusiasts. But this game of I Spy gets a little tougher in the summer when everything is hotter and drier.

 

When it comes to healthy grass in the summer it can be difficult to differentiate between what is some unavoidable summer wear and tear and what’s an actual risk factor. Large brown spots are an obvious worry, but what about a little yellowness or a few brown patches here and there? If you’re having a tough time visually, don’t be afraid to test the soil by hand. If it feels dry with the grass rooted to it deeply, you may be dealing with drought conditions.

 

The obvious solution would be to water more, but maintaining healthy grass isn’t always that simple. You may need to devise a watering schedule that is more effective based upon the weather, or you may not be watering slowly and deeply enough on a regular basis. Ultimately, if you’ve already increased your watering amounts during your lawn care routine and are still finding trouble spots, it may be a great time to consult a professional.

 

Drought conditions can be a lawn killer in Winona, MN, especially if you don’t treat the symptoms when you see them. If you’re committed to keeping healthy grass and are interested in receiving professional lawn care assistance, call us today at (507) 454-7000 or by visiting our website here.

Predicting your Plant’s Growth with Growing Degree Days in Winona, MN

Posted on June 27, 2018 - 11:13 am by

Winona, MN residents with a ‘green thumb’ are at least somewhat in tune with the growth of their plants year-round. The cyclical nature of familiar plants can be predicted merely with exposure. With a little experience, predicting their next stage of plant growth becomes fairly simple. However, living in a heavily varying climate means that plant growth doesn’t always go as expected. The horticultural experts at Maier Tree and Lawn don’t just understand the natural cycles of your plants, but they also utilize growing degree days in order to schedule and apply care whenever and however it’s most effective. This means happy plants, happy gardeners, and a beautiful looking lawn all throughout the growing season.

Growing degree days are a way to calculate the pace at which your plants will grow. GDDs are calculated using an equation that takes into account average temperatures, predicted temperatures, and the temperatures at which plants are most predisposed towards growth. This means that even if temperatures are different than predicted, or different from previous years, your plants’ growth can still be predicted and thus catered to appropriately.

Using growing degree days, our experts can determine when and how to best cultivate plant growth and sustain long term health for a variety of plant types. By predicting a plant’s next step, we can step away or give extra care as needed rather than relying solely on guesswork. For some plant life, this can be the difference between thriving and shriveling young.

Along with promoting general plant health, the horticultural experts with Maier Tree and Lawn utilize growing degree days in order to apply insecticides and other preventative measures and treatments. Since insect activity also related to the stage that your plants are currently in, growing degree days allow professionals to apply treatment at the right moment to maximize effectiveness.

If you’re interested in taking advantage of growing degree days in Winona, MN, or are looking for advice on sustaining consistent plant growth on your property, contact the horticultural professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn today at (507) 454-7000 or by visiting our website here for more information.

Landscape Maintenance for Your Ideal Spring Garden in Winona, MN

Posted on April 10, 2018 - 11:34 am by

Spring is coming in Winona, MN, and with it the potential for some serious landscape maintenance on your property. Landscaping in Minnesota can be a lot of fun thanks to the wide variety of flowers, veggies, and other plant life that our hearty soil can support. If your yard has been lacking in years past, the landscape maintenance professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn can help you freshen it up. Sprucing up your garden with a little TLC might be just what you need to put a little pep back into your property.

If this is your first year looking into landscape maintenance for your property, you’ll probably want to do a little research into what exactly your landscape needs. You can work out the finer details out with landscaping professionals when you’re ready, but generally speaking, you should look into appropriate fertilizers, insecticides, and any other supplements that your garden can use to stay healthy and happy.

There’s no set rule on how you go about your landscaping as a homeowner. Some people prefer having their landscape maintenance process be very autonomous, while others like to get down and personal in the dirt. Regardless of your preferred method of gardening and landscaping, consulting an expert team of landscape maintenance professionals can help solidify a long-term care plan for your property. With the assistance of a trained landscaping team you can be as hands-on or hands-off as you like while allowing your garden to flourish.

For Winona, MN residents, the landscaping experts with Maier Tree and Lawn are ready to be a great resource. If you’re interested in performing some much-needed landscape maintenance this spring, we can be reached at (507) 454-7000, or by visiting our website here for more information. There’s still a bit of winter left, so there’s time to research your plants, plan your care, and prepare to have the garden of your dreams.

Identifying Unhealthy Grass Throughout the Lawn Care Process in Rochester, MN

Posted on March 21, 2018 - 2:53 pm by

Keeping healthy grass is one of the best ways to make sure your yard looks its best in Rochester, MN. It’s also particularly impressive in a climate that swings wildly between extreme cold and sweltering heat. The lawn care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn know that healthy grass can mean the difference between a lawn that looks like every other and one that looks exceptional. Keeping your turf health in mind means knowing how to see, touch, and sense trouble in the land of sod. Signs of grass health will vary slightly depending upon the type of grass you’re growing, but there are some universal signs that you can keep an eye out for during your lawn care process.

When it comes to turf health, sometimes all you need are a working pair of eyes to know there’s a problem. For instance, it’s pretty obvious that your grass is trying to tell you something if you notice brown spots, visible dirt, or prominent fungus while performing lawn care. All of these are clear signs that your grass needs a little extra TLC. But they aren’t the only signs.

Like most aspects of lawn care, what you see with the naked eye isn’t always all there is to see. If you’re trying to be thorough about the health of your grass, you may have to get up close and personal to understand whether or not your grass is in jeopardy. Occasionally, problems with grass health can be determined by touch. If your grass is dry or slimy to the touch, you could be dealing with an underlying health issue. During your normal lawn care routines, don’t be afraid to get close and check for inconsistencies.

If you have a feeling that something is off but can’t put your finger on it, more evidence may be hiding under the surface. The lawn care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn can check for thatch build up and test the soil for other issues. If your Rochester, MN lawn is suffering from unhealthy patches, or if you’re concerned about your grass’ health in general, call Maier Tree and Lawn today at (507) 454-7000, or visit our website here for more information. Good turf health is the first step toward maintaining a comfortable, happy lawn for the long term.

What is Snow Mold and What Does it Mean for Your Winona, MN Lawn Care Plan?

Posted on March 8, 2018 - 4:39 pm by

Like most of Minnesota, Winona doesn’t mess around when it comes to getting snow. This is excellent for the winter sports enthusiasts who enjoy the frigid season, but for lawn care enthusiasts, heavy snow can be bad news for their hobbies come spring. The lawn health professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn know that heavy snow can lead to slow lawn growth in spring, and snow mold may be part of the reason why.

Snow mold is a type of fungal growth that can occur under heavy blankets of snow. Though it isn’t necessarily devastating in most cases, it can still negatively impact your overall lawn health. Lawn care hobbyists who are gunning for an early spring may be disappointed to find it lurking under the fading slush, and may also be confused about where it came from.

Though it doesn’t grow every year on every lawn, it’s more likely for snow mold to form when the snow falls early and hard. Snow mold forms when mold spores under the snow grow into a mature fungus. Heavy snow creates a tight-packed environment on the surface of your lawn that can trap moisture and dead leaves, feeding the fungus until it begins to spread. Once the snow melts, it remains on the surface and can become a thorn in the side of homeowners who pay close attention to signs of comprehensive lawn health.

Snow mold can make your lawn green at different rates and create an unattractive, patchy appearance. For lawn care enthusiasts who enjoy good looking, healthy turf, this can be frustrating. Your yard’s long-term lawn health may also be impacted, as in severe cases snow mold can kill grass down to the root. Some light raking may be enough to disperse the mold, but if you’re unsure as to how to proceed, consult with our lawn health professionals.

If you’ve noticed snow mold appearing on the surface of your Winona, MN lawn or have had similar lawn health issues, contact our lawn care specialists with Maier Tree and Lawn today. We can be reached at (507) 454-7000 or by visiting our website here for more information.

Post-Winter Lawn Fungus Control in Winona, MN

Posted on January 5, 2018 - 2:41 pm by

There’s plenty to consider when you’re venturing into the wide world of lawn care in Winona, MN. When and how much to water, how and why to fertilize, and what signs to look for when you’re trying to judge if your lawn is healthy are some topics that only scratch the surface of proper, long-term lawn care. The professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn want you to feel comfortable judging for yourself when your lawn needs a little help, but knowing the signs of common issues like lawn fungus is the first important step in the long journey towards being an annual lawn care master.

The term “lawn fungus” covers more ground than just referencing the occasional mushroom. Fungal lawn diseases can take the form of brown spots, slimy patches, powdery substances, and more. Identifying the specific type of lawn fungus you’re dealing with can require the consultation of a professional lawn care specialist, or at the very least, a good amount of grass-specific research. The causes can also vary widely; over-watering, under-watering, poor mowing techniques, and unlucky weather conditions cover a small portion of the potential triggers. Plus, it’s good for Minnesota lawn care enthusiasts to know that snow is also a potential trigger.

During the winter your grass may be dormant, but the snow that rests on top of it can still impact its awakening in the spring. Depending upon how much snow falls and how compacted it becomes, it may foster the perfect environment for lawn fungus to grow. This is especially true if leaves were not raked before snowfall began, as the extra layer of leaves can provide nutrition and breeding grounds for several types of lawn fungus. Though you can take some steps to prevent this, even raking and avoiding compressing the snow may not be foolproof.

Thanks to the wide variety of existing lawn fungi, the types of treatments are just as varied. If you see signs of lawn fungus on your Winona, MN, lawn come spring, contact the lawn care professionals with Maier Tree and Lawn. Any signs of browning, discoloration, or other oddities should be checked before they’re allowed to spread to other parts of the lawn, even if it turns out to be a fungal red-herring. We can be reached at (507) 454-7000 or by visiting our website here for more information.

Weeds and Woes in Rochester, MN

Posted on December 19, 2016 - 2:48 pm by

Autumn in Rochester, MN, is a great time of year for outdoor entertaining. It’s cool enough to run around without overheating, the bugs are finally buzzing off, and the scenery is that perfect mix of autumn colors and early sunsets. You may prefer to spend your evenings outside around the fire pit with a beer and a blanket, or perhaps devote an afternoon to a game of flag football with the family. Regardless of your inclinations, the one thing that can always put a damper on a romp in the yard is overgrown, overwhelming weeds. Maier Tree and Lawn has the tools to assist you with your weed problems so you can get back to your regularly scheduled fall relaxation.

 

Weeds come in many shapes and sizes, but at their core they’re classified apart from other plants because of their detrimental characteristics. They may hurt the plants around them, be ugly to look at, or might just hurt you if you step on them. If you’re trying to foster a healthy, comfortable lawn that’s perfect for entertaining, it’s time to consider some serious weed removal.

 

It might feel wrong to worry about weed control when winter here, but planning now will help you prepare for spring. One of the great secrets of effective lawn care is that you should keep it in mind however you can, year-round, even if snow is on the ground.

 

Weed control can keep your lawn looking neat and tidy while simultaneously fostering stronger overall lawn health. If your lawn has trouble with weeds and it’s impacting your autumn plans, contact the weed control experts at Maier Tree and Lawn. We can be reached at (507) 286-7000, or by visiting our website here for more information. Don’t let a scruffy lawn prevent you from enjoying the beauty of autumn in Rochester, MN.

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