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Understanding landscaping services
Before you pay for a service you should understand #1 if you really need it and #2 what it involves. In this section I will explain some of the more common services we provide and why you need them.
Lawn Dethatching
What is lawn dethatching? Detatching a lawn and controlling lawn thatch is one of the most important, and most overlooked, parts of property lawn care. Thatch, simply put, is a layer or dead grass that exists on your lawns surface. It isn't on top of the grass is between the soil level and the beginning of where the grass is. Thatch consists of dead grass, debris and roots that accumulate over a cutting season.
Why have your lawn dethatched? Once you know you have thatch it is important to have it removed. A little thatch is ok for a lawn, but too much can cause a multitude of problems. When thatch becomes too thick on a lawn it prevents the roots and grass from growing right and getting what it needs to nourish itself. Too much thatch can cause the following problems :
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Prevents the lawn from getting proper water absorption as well as fertilizers and insect or disease control you might put down.
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Thatch build up can prevent sunlight from penetrating to soil level and reaching young grass trying to grow. This prevents the lawn from thickening up.
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Too much thatch can contain moisture which in turn increases the potential for lawn disease and fungus
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Too much thatch can contribute to an uneven lawn which in turn can result in scalping while mowing.
What lawn practices contribute to thatch build up? There are some things that homeowners do that actually increase your chances of heavy thatch build up. If you always mow too high, over water your lawn, or fertilize too much those 3 things can contribute to thatch build up.
How is dethatching done and how much does it cost? Here at Schaff Landscaping we use a specially designed machine to dethatch a lawn. It is not done by hand due to the labor instensive process. The machine consists of vertical blades that rotate quickly to slice through the lawn and remove excess thatch. You would be amazed at what comes up after using machine for dethatching. The reason dethatching costs more than aerating and rolling is because it makes a large mess of dead grass. All of which has to be removed from the property. Pricing depends on lot size to be dethatched. On average most average size lots start at $100 and can go up from there. It all depends on size, time to complete the project and removal all the debris left over.
When should I dethatch? Here st Schaff Landscaping we suggest dethatching in the spring. Followed by some sort of overseeding or slit seeding. You can do it in the fall before the growing kicks in again but we like to dethatch in the spring after the soil and grass has been compacted from the winter. This will greatly improve the quality of your lawn growth and thickness all season long.
Lawn Rolling
What is lawn rolling? Lawn rolling is simply a process where a weighted machine or drum is rolled over a lawn in an attempt to press down the surface to make is smooth to walk and mow over. In my personal opinion it is a waste of time and money to pay someone who uses any tow behind smaller rollers. They simply don't work well and your probably wasting you money. The only way to get a real noticable difference is to have a 1 ton+ machine roll over your lawn. Vibratory work well also.
Should I roll my lawn? After winter the lawns are left bumpy to walk over. Weather it be from the snow that sat on it all winter, or moles tunnels it can make mowing and walking over it annoying. If you have a more bumpy surface you can have it rolled. I only suggest rolling if you combine it with a core aeration. Rolling ca actually be bad for the lawn surface by itself because it compacts the soil even worse. The heavy machine presses the dirt down and everything else it rolls over. If you core aerate along with lawn rolling you will get a nice smooth surface and allow water, sun, and fertilizer to still pass into your root system without issue.
How much does rolling cost? Pricing varies by lot size. Most lawns start at $50 and go up from there. Don't forget there is labor involved as far as transporting the machine, unloading it and loading it back onto the trailer. So although someone is just sitting on a machine there are other elements involved in doing it.
Core Aeration
What is core aerating a lawn mean? Core aerating a lawn is the process of perforating the soil in the lawn by poking small holes into the surface. The machine will then pull the dirt plugs which average about 2-4" in depth and deposit them over the lawns surface. These plugs do not harm the lawn at all. The best aerating on a lawn is always done with a "core" aerator. Schaff Landscaping does not suggest paying someone to use one that simply slits the surface, it just doesn't work anywhere near as good as core aerator.
What will core aerating my lawn do for it? By poking holes in the lawn any pulling the dirt plugs the small holes will allow air, water and nutrients to better penetrate the soil and the roots of the grass. This is will promote stronger root growth and allow the roots to grow deeper. The main reason for aerating is to reduce soild compaction, that is why we always suggest aerating after rolling.
When should I core aerate my lawn and how much should it cost? Spring or early fall are the best times to core aerate a lawn. Never do it in the summer. Cost depends on size but on average core aeration at Schaff Landscaping starts at $35 per lawn and goes up from there. We use all Ryan professional equipment.