First off – congratulations! Buying a new home is an exciting yet overwhelming process; with a lot to think about. As you settle in to your brand new digs, you’ll eventually have to start thinking about the outside space that surrounds you. Your garden and lawn are the first step in creating an outdoor oasis for you and your family. As first time lawn owners, we are here to tell you exactly how to take care of your lawn so you can host all the parties, barbecues and play dates you want! Step 1: Invest in a Lawn Mower! Cutting your lawn is the first thing you should tackle; typically we suggest mowing around once a week through the season. Sometimes – when the sun and rain are out, you may have to be cutting twice a week to ensure you aren’t causing stress to the blades. You want the mower to be set at a height that only takes around 1/3 of the blade off; this means setting it around 1-2 inches high. Mowing your lawn is an easy way to keep your yard neat and tidy as the season goes on. Step 2: Understand how to Water A lot of times, the rain we get here in the GTA isn’t enough to keep your lawn lush and green all season long. You should try to water the property around 2-3 times a week for at least 40 minutes to ensure that the roots are getting thoroughly soaked. It’s better to water less often for longer! It also helps to water in the cooler time of day, usually in the early morning or later evening. This ensures that the water doesn’t evaporate before doing its job. You can think of your lawn like any typically plant, it needs lots of sun and lots of water! Many issues that come up through the season can be remedied by proper hydration. Step 3: Ensure your Lawn is getting Fed Fertilizer is to the lawn as food is to humans! Your lawn needs food to properly grow all season long. Our slow release fertilizer program is the perfect answer to this step; it ensures you are getting the proper nutrients for your grass and an expert technician on your property every 4-6 weeks through the year. Lawns can take a beating through the summer months, so ensuring that someone is keeping an eye on it will put you at ease. Our slow release fertilizers are specially tailored for each time of the year they are put down, with special additives to help the lawn when it needs it most. Step 4: Additional Considerations Once you have covered the basics, you can start addressing more specific issues that come up as the season’s progress. We will be back next time covering the services we recommend and what the benefits of them are. It will answer the burning questions like “what even is aeration?” and “why are dandelions so annoying?”
These abnormal weather patterns have stressed out lawns to the max. Insect feeding, weeds and drought are all sources of stress that your lawn has most likely faced this year. It's important to use the last few weeks of fall to prepare the lawn for what will most likely be another unpredictable Toronto winter. Following these steps will ensure your Toronto lawn is healthy and ahead of the game in the spring! 1. Clear the debris and thoroughly rake out any leaves, thatch and damaged grass. This will give your lawn more access to oxygen and sunlight, as well as decrease the chance of developing winter disease. 2. Raise your mowing height slightly and continue mowing regularly until growth has halted. Raising the lawn mower height will promote deeper roots and increase your lawns winter hardiness. If the lawn is left too long, it can become matted beneath the snow and diseases such as pink and grey snow mould have an easier time developing. We want to stay away from these! 3. Apply a late season fertilizer. The best time for this application is usually mid-October to early November depending on the weather Toronto is experiencing. Roughly 1 lb of nitrogen per 1000 square feet is the recommended rate! This application will increase the lawn's tolerance to freezing during the colder temperatures we are sure to experience. It will also help in greening up your lawn quicker and earlier in the spring. By following these simple but important steps, you will give your lawn a fighting chance against winter and be the envy of your neighbours come spring time. For more information, contact us at Frechette Lawncare to book your 2019 program!