- (763) 595-1440
- info@peterdoranlawn.com
- 14360 James Rd, Rogers, MN
PREPARE YOUR LAWN FOR YOUR MEMORIAL DAY BBQ
With Memorial Day coming up, it’s time to start planning for your first outdoor BBQ of the season. You have the grocery list made, the invites sent out, and yet what’s most worrisome is your lawn that’s still shaking off the effects of winter.
Here are just a few things you can do to make sure your lawn is properly prepared for your party this Memorial Day!
Polish your shrubbery and walkways
You don’t want your guests to experience any unkempt sights upon their arrival that your lawn may possess. Grab the pruning shears and start shaping those hedges and larger plants around your property. Then take to de-winterizing your sidewalks, drive way and paths that may be utilized during the party. Be sure to rid them of any leftover salt and if spring has sprung, be sure to pull those incessant weeds growing through the cracks.
Give your lawn a fresh mow and pay attention to edges
Just like a new hair cut before an event, your lawn needs a little trim to prepare as well. Nothing welcomes a guest like a fresh-cut lawn. But don’t let this beautiful sight make you distracted because there are many edges that could use a weed eater. Pay close attention to the borders of your flower beds, the bottoms of fences, and any other boundaries on your property.
Make sure your lawn is green and fully hydrated
Now if your lawn is thirsty and showing signs of dry patches, you won’t be able to combat this overnight, so it’s essential that you start now. Make sure that you’re watering your lawn regularly so that it remains happy and healthy. Learn how much water your lawn should be receiving and schedule your sprinkler accordingly.
Light up your lawn for the festivities
For both party and safety reasons, be sure to implement some form of outdoor lighting on your property when planning the festivities. Whether you cater the lighting to the theme of Memorial Day, or simply install lights to brighten up your pathways, outdoor lighting is key to properly preparing your lawn for an event.
Spring Will Arrive… Eventually
Ok winter, are you done yet? After all it is officially spring and we have already reached 70 degrees once this year. So why are you giving us another 12 inches of snow?
Although we can not predict the winter we do know 1 thing, spring will arrive and when it does you want to make sure your yard is ready for the upcoming year. In this article we are going to take a look at some of the spring services we offer and how they can benefit your lawn throughout 2019.
Spring Lawn Clean Up
Our spring clean up services removes all of the debris left behind from winter. We use Stihl backpack blowers to remove debris that has collected under shrubs and in corners around the outside of your home.
Dethatching
Our commercial lawn mowers are equipped with a dethatching rake on the front that lifts the dead grass from the ground. The lawn mowers are also equipped with a vacuum collection system that bags dead grass for easy disposal. Removing the dead grass from your lawn gives the grass that is alive more room to breathe and reach nutrients in the ground.
Pre-Emergent Fertilizer
Applied early enough in the season, pre-emergent fertilizer will help prevent unwanted weeds like crabgrass and dandelions from growing in your lawn while promoting a healthy start for the year.
With over 25 years of experience, our licensed fertilization technicians can quickly analyze the needs of your lawn to ensure they are applying the right pre-emergent fertilizer.
Gutter Cleaning
It’s important to keep the flow of movement in your gutters. If not properly maintained they can create run off onto your siding, leaving permanent damage or stains on your walls. Your gutters can also become moldy and rotten to the point of detaching completely from your home or business.
Lawn Mowing
Our mowing service includes line trimming, edging and blowing. We trim along the foundation of your home or office, fence lines, trees, flower beds, sidewalks and curbs. Our powerful blowers add the finishing touch by removing debris from the hard surfaces around your home.
Spring 2019 in Minneapolis – Things To Do
Spring has finally sprung and all of the record breaking snow from February has melted away! Temperatures are finally starting to cooperate and that means it’s time to get back out and about and enjoy everything Minneapolis has to offer.
This spring, Minneapolis has quite a few things to offer for all ages. Here is a list of some activities going on that you may want to add to your calendar.
NCAA Final Four
The NCAA men’s final four will be hosted at US Bank stadium this year and there are a bunch of activities associated with it. Not only will the top 4 teams be competing for a national champaionship, the final four also brings The Chainsmokers, the Jonas Brothers and Katy Perry and Zedd to town for some free concerts.
There is also an event for the kids that has them dribbling a basketball throughout downtown Minneapolis and they also have the ability to meet some of the biggest names in the NCAA tournament. If you cant find tickets to the game, you can enjoy watching the teams practice for free!
Get a full list of the daily schedule here.
Allianz Field Opener
If you have take the drive from Minneapolis to St Paul over the past couple of years I bet you have been waiting to get inside Allianz Field. Well, this spring is your chance as the Minnesota United will kick off the inaugural season on April 13th.
Learn more about the home opener and Allianz Field here.
Minnesota Craft Beer Festival
Breweries in Minnesota are some of the best in the nation. On April 13th, the convention center will be hosting the Minnesota Craft Beer Festival. There will be more than 300 beers from 90 plus breweries around the state.
Learn more about the Minnesota Craft Beer Festival here.
Above are just a few of activities happening this spring right here in Minneapolis. There is plenty more to do and you can get a list of even more activities here.
Common Questions About Dethatching Your Lawn
Recently we have been receiving a lot of inquiries about dethatching Dethatching is an important aspect to maintaining a healthy lawn so below we are going to answer the most popular questions consumers have about it.
What Is Dethatching?
Dethatching, also know as power raking, is the process of removing dead grass (aka thatch) from your lawn. This process can be completed using a handheld rake or a special tool that is attached to a lawn mower that works the same way a handheld rake does.
What Does Dethatching Do For Your Lawn?
Dethatching removes the dead blades of grass from your lawn allowing the healthy blades of grass to store nutrients and grow healthy and strong. Dethatching also loosens up the top layer of soil allowing air and moisture to penetrate deeper into the roots of your lawn.
What Is The Difference Between Dethatching and Aeration?
Dethatching removes a dead layer of grass roots that is found between the grass and the top layer of soil. Aerating is the process of punching holes in your lawn to giving water and other nutrients the ability to soak deep down into the roots of your lawn.
Can You Dethatch Your Lawn When It Is Wet?
Dethatching your lawn when it is wet is not recommended because it can cause damage to healthy blades of grass by pulling out their roots. This will ultimately lead to a thinning lawn.
When Is The Best Time To Dethatch Your Lawn?
With most lawns in Minnesota being a cool season turf, it is recommended to dethatch your lawn in the early spring or early fall. Timing is everything, especially in the fall because you need to give your lawn ample amount of time to grow and re-establish its roots before frost begins to form on your lawn.
Conclusion
Dethatching your lawn is an important process to grow a healthy lawn and there is a small window of time when dethatching is in season. At Peter Doran Lawn, our dethatching schedule does fill up fast making it essential to get on our schedule no later than early-October.
If you found this article informational or have any questions about dethatching, please leave a comment below.
Spring Is In The Air & Our Crews Are Hard At Work
Spring has finally arrived just like we told you it would. Now that all the snow has melted it’s time to prepare your lawn for the upcoming season.
With a couple of weeks already in the books this spring, we would like to share a couple of photos with you from some of the lawns that have received our dethatching services.
Besides the nice visual patterns in your lawn, dethatching plays an important role to the longevity and health of your lawn.
Dethatching essentially removes the dead blades of grass from your lawn to keep them from stealing nutrients from the healthy blades of grass. We bag the dead blades of grass and haul them away for you so you have nothing to worry about.
Once dethatching is done, you may want to consider over seeding your lawn. The removal of dead blades of grass from your lawn may leave your lawn not looking as full as it once used to. By applying an application of over seed early in the spring, you give your lawn a chance to grow new blades of grass and return to its fullness as the year wears on.
At Peter Doran Lawn and Landscaping, we provide a wide range of lawn care services throughout the spring, summer and fall. Some of our services, besides the ones mentioned above, include spring clean up, lawn mowing services, fertilizing services, weed control and fall clean up services.
Whether you need professional lawn care service or just don’t have the time to take care of your lawn yourself, request a free estimate or give us a call today and let us tell how our services can make your neighbors envy your lawn.
Checklist for Spring Lawn Care
It’s early spring in Minneapolis and your lawn is just waking up. That yellowish, brownish tinge is starting to turn a fresh, wonderful, and hopeful shade of green. What are the next steps? And what can you do to give your lawn a head-start this spring? Aside from getting back into your mowing routine, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind as a spring lawn care checklist.
1. Rake and Remove all leaves, sticks, and debris. Also, lightly “dethatch” your lawn with a lawn rake; this will help to remove some of the thatch and allow the grass to “breathe” more.
2. Aerate. Aerating a lawn reduces compaction and allows the free movement of air, water, roots, and living organisms–all key components of a healthy soil ecosystem. We tend to think of soil as a solid substance, dirt, but it is more than just that. A good loam soil is comprised of 40 to 60 percent pore space–air and water.
3. Repair any bare spots by spreading compost or topsoil, and over-seeding with a high-quality grass seed. Making these repairs sooner rather than later will allow you to take advantage of the favorable spring weather. Keep in mind that come summer, it will be nearly impossible to get grass seed to germinate.
4. Repair automatic sprinkler systems. Spring is an ideal time to carefully check all of your irrigation zones, and make any necessary repairs or adjustments. Change the battery on your irrigation clocks–this should be done once per year–and replace any broken lines or broken sprinkler heads. Set your clock, but don’t “set it and forget it.” Your irrigation system will likely need to be adjusted once the summer weather hits.
5. Begin your fertilization program. In Minneapolis, April is a good month to begin fertilizing your lawn. I like to use a slow-release, organic fertilizer so that my lawn is fed over time, and throughout the course of the season, rather than all at once. Look for a fertilizer with a high percentage of “water-insoluble” nitrogen. This will also reduce pollution from runoff, and is better for the environment.
6. Get a soil test. Check with your local cooperative extension service for soil testing. It’s easy and relatively cheap to get a good sense of what your soil needs. A soil test is a great basis for understanding how much, and what type of fertilizer will benefit your lawn most.
7. Sharpen your mower. Keeping a sharp mower blade is essential to creating a clean cut, and sharpening should be done at least once a year.
8. Bag your clippings after your first mowing, and mow it slightly lower than you normally would. Even if you usually mulch your lawn clippings and leave them on your lawn, you should bag them the first time that you mow after winter. This gets rid of any fungi or diseases that may have overwintered on your grass. After this, you can go back to your normal mowing program.
Spring Is Coming… We Promise
It’s the middle of April and winter continues to drag on with another blast of snow in the forecast for this weekend. If you are like us, you are hoping this weekend’s cold, wintry weather is the last of the season because enough is enough already!
Once this winter officially comes to an end, you will finally be able to get out on your lawn and in your gardens to get them ready for the upcoming season. Just imagine, the smell of spring right around the corner with flower blooming and kids finally being able to get outside and play in the yard.
However, if you really want your yard to be safe to play in throughout the year, you should consider completing a few early spring maintenance choirs.
Dethatching
Dethatching will rid your lawn of dead blades of grass which will reduce the chance of disease in your lawn. Dethatching also keeps dead blades of grass from soaking up nutrients that the rest of your lawn needs to grow.
Seeding
Spring is the perfect time to spread new seed throughout your lawn. As your lawn ages and blades of grass die off, new seed will replace the dead seeds and help your lawn keep its thickness and health throughout the year.
By completing the two simple tasks above, your lawn will be off to the healthiest start it has been for many years.
April Lawn Cares Tips For A Beautiful Lawn This Spring
For the most part, the snow is gone and problem spots in your lawn are starting to surface. Right now is the time to start preparing your lawn for the upcoming spring and summer season.
Here are 5 tips that will help you get ahead of lawn care issues that could possibly ruin your lawn.
Dethatch
Dethatching is by far one of the most important tasks you can complete this spring to give your lawn a head start. Thatch is basically grass that has died off during the winter season and anything more than ½ inch of thatch in your lawn will suffocate your grass.
Dethatching is recommended early in the spring because it can be harsh on your lawn and dethatching later in the season can actually have negative effects on your lawn. Therefore, dethatching early in the season gives your lawn ample time to recover properly.
Weed & Feed
Weeding and feeding your lawn in mid to late spring gives way for your lawn to flourish. Weeding can be done by hand pulling the weeds to get the roots or you can spot spray weeds with chemicals. But be careful, over-spraying your lawn with chemicals can cause stress to your lawn during the heat of summer.
Feeding your lawn in spring is done best with a slow-release fertilizer. A slow-release fertilizer will seep deep into your soil as the ground thaws out, providing your lawn with nutrients from top to bottom.
Deal With Bare Spots
As your lawn starts to green, you may notice some bare or dead spots throughout your lawn. If this happens, flush the spot with water, rake out the dead grass, level it out with sand and soil, plant some seed and water it vigorously.
Seed
Just like everything else, individual blades of grass die out and can leave your lawn looking thin. Seeding your lawn early in the spring allows new blades of lawn to replace the dead ones and gives your lawn a thick, lush look and feel.
Watering
Water, water, water, but don’t overdo it! Water is essential to any lawn and the best time to water your lawn is early in the morning.
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