Central Park

central-by-grandcanyon-freedotfr

Key Takeaways

Central Park insights:

• Vast Landscape: Encompasses 843 acres with diverse amenities like softball fields, lakes, and a zoo.
• Extensive Flora: Home to 24,000 trees and extensive lawns, primarily Kentucky Blue Grass.
• Conservation Efforts: Maintained by the Central Park Conservancy with a $34 million annual budget.

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I had the pleasure to check out and explore Central Park for the first time. In the heart of New York City lies ones of the largest and most spectacular city parks in the United States. The park consists of 843 acres which includes several softball fields, open meadows, bridges, carousels, lakes, ponds, zoo, etc. The park consists of 24,000 trees and 843 acres of land and water that is all maintained by the Central Park Conservancy. Central Park has a $34 million dollar annual budget and was established as a National Historical Landmark in 1962. The list could go on and on about this place and all I have to say is don't miss the opportunity to visit central park while in Manhattan. While at the park I had a unique opportunity to take a quick video to share what I had experienced in the short time I was able to explore. Since Central Park consists of 250 acres of lawn I found it appropriate to find out about some facts of the lawn by calling the Central Park Conservancy while I was was there. Although New York is on the east coast, they are also considered to be a cool climate region like Reno, NV. After talking with the staff from the Central Park Conservancy I found out that the parks lawns are predominantly Kentucky Blue Grass like we have in Reno due to their similar year round climate. According to a study in 2008, the park uses approximately 5.28 million gallons of water a year to water all the lawns in Central Park. If you have a chance to go to New York City, plan on spending a full relaxing day to explore this amazing area and don't rush to take in the amazing scenery and lakes this place has to offer.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGvPye5cqUU[/youtube]

Fall Fertilizer Helps Spring Growth

fall fertilizer

Key Takeaways

Fall fertilizer promotes spring growth:

• Root Strengthening: Fall fertilizing is crucial for root fortification, setting the stage for robust spring growth.
• Early Green-Up: Lawns treated with fall fertilizer green up more quickly and vigorously in spring.
• Visual Benefits: Despite dormant periods, fall fertilization results in noticeable visual improvements when the growing season begins.

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Now that the grass is growing it is obvious to see what lawns were taken care of during the off season. What does this mean? There are some lawns that just green up right away and others that take weeks to even show signs that the turf is still alive. So what is secret? Fertilizer! Many people like to skip the final application of fertilizer in the fall because they know that their lawn will go dormant shortly after, so why fertilize if there is no visual benefits? The reason fall fertilizing is very important is because it helps strengthen the roots and will prepare the lawn for the next spring.

Below is a quick video of one of our customers who has the greenest lawn in the neighborhood. Fred has appropriately fertilized which has encouraged his lawn to spring up quickly and look amazing this early in the season.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMHppHg7jpo[/youtube]

Reno Lawn Dethatching

Key Takeaways

Reno lawn dethatching promotes:

• Healthier Lawns: Dethatching encourages a lush, green lawn by removing excess thatch that blocks water, oxygen, and nutrients from reaching the roots.
• Effective Maintenance: A small amount of thatch is beneficial for moisture retention and protection against the sun, but too much can harm your lawn.
• Optimal Timing: Mid to late spring is the best period for dethatching in cool climates to allow quick lawn recovery.

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If anyone that has not heard of de-thatching or your lawn guy just tells you to get it done yearly, there are some basic ways you can check to see if your lawn needs to be de-thatched before you go spending a lot of money to have it done. Although de-thatching a lawn can be done by a hand de-thatching rake, I would never recommended doing this unless you want to have an aching back after wasting a day. The most prominent way lawn care services de-thatch is by using a motorized de-thatcher also called a power rake. Obviously the ultimate goal for de-thatching is to provide you with a more healthy, lush, and green lawn. So how do I know if my lawn needs De-Thatching?

The most effective way to see if your lawn has excessive thatch is to take a shovel and cut out a small 6"x6" square of turf and examine if the area between the root system and the blades of grass. If this area has over a 1/2" of brown matted build up of thatch as shown in the picture, than it is time to de-thatch your lawn. A small amount of thatch is actually good for the lawn which help retain water and protect your grass from the harsh summer sun. If the build up is too much than it will prevent water, oxygen, and nutrients from getting to the roots. The best time to have de-thatching done for our cool climate is during mid to late spring when the lawn is actively growing and can quickly recover from the stress of de-thatching. More tips can be found once you determine if your lawn needs to be de-thatched.

If you are debating between having your lawn aerated or de-thatched this season, take the quick five minutes to do this test and see if you have an above average thatch layer. Both aerating and de-thatching can be done at the same time and most lawn care companies in Reno like ours, offer more affordable packages if you choose to do both. I have found a good de-thatching video if you want a better idea of how it works.

Lawn Aeration in Reno

Aerator Picture

Key Takeaways

Lawn aeration benefits:

• Enhanced root growth: Aeration allows more oxygen, nutrients, and water to reach the roots, encouraging healthier, thicker lawns.
• Optimal timing: In Reno's cooler climate, aeration should occur in spring and early fall, avoiding the stressful summer period.
• Aeration methods: Options include professional services or DIY with rented equipment, emphasizing preparation like watering and marking sprinklers.

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As we approach closer and closer to the time of activating our waters and thinking about mowing the grass it is very important in Reno to aerate your lawn at least once a year, if not more. Reno is known for it hard compact soil which can cause very thinned out grass over time if you do not aerate. Lawn aeration removes cores of soil from your turf which then allows more oxygen, nutrients, and water to penetrate to the roots of your grass. The soften soil allows the roots to grow more rapidly which results in a much more think healthier lawn.

When Should I Aerate in Reno?

Since  Reno is actually known as a cooler climate, hence our dormant winters, lawn aeration should be done before the major growth seasons. This would primarily include aerating your lawn in the spring before the major lawn growth occurs and after the summer growth towards early fall. Although lawn aeration is extremely helpful for your lawn, it is also stressful on the turf so try to avoid aerating during summer.

why_aerate_photo

Whats the best way to go about aerating my lawn?

There are a couple of options for this, and if you are not the do it yourself type of person than just call one of your local lawn professionals and they can take care of it with probably a minimum charge of $40-$60 for lawns with less than 2,500 square feet. If you like to do it yourself, I would recommend asking your neighbors if they would like their lawn aerated and see if they would be interested in chipping in some money to rent an aerator which normally run about $75.00 a day. This is a great way to serve your neighbors and get some major kudos. There are also hand core aeration tools that are significantly cheaper, but also comes with the price tag with some back breaking labor, so I don't even recommend that.

A few Suggestions

Whether your are going to aerate yourself or pay someone to do it, make sure you water your lawn thoroughly the night before to allow the soil to soften up. This will allow the aerators to do their job properly and remove cores 1"-2" instead of just bouncing along the dry soil and hardly remove anything. Mark your sprinklers with flags or just put large rocks over them for protection while aerating, to prevent breaking any sprinkler heads. Finally, make sure the highly traffic areas get a little extra attention from the aeration because theses areas are probably really compacted.

If you have any other questions on lawn aeration in Reno, even if you don't plan on using our service, feel free to send me an email and I would be more than happy to answer questions you might have.

Reno Climate Tips

Map of Growing Conditions

Key Takeaways

Reno's climate challenges:

• Unique Climate: Reno's "Purple Zone" climate is tough on grass, featuring cool winters, hot summers, and high winds.
• Grass Selection: Native and drought-tolerant grasses like Buffalo grass and Blue Grama are ideal for local conditions.
• Seasonal Planting: Cool-season grasses are best planted in late spring or early fall, while warm-season grasses thrive when planted in late spring to early summer.

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Reno is located in the “Purple Zone” and is considered to be in the Western Region of the US. While many of us love the climate we live in, it is not ideal for grass. We are known for our cool winters, hot summers, high winds, and relatively dry climates. Cool-Season grasses are commonly found in this area. Due to the dry conditions, grasses that handle drought and extreme weather fluctuations are ideal. However, with proper watering techniques, a few cool & warm season grasses can grow if properly maintained. Mowing typically lasts from early spring through late fall, with watering required for many non-drought tolerant grasses, and during hot summer months. Planting of cool-season grasses is common during late spring and early fall months. Conversely, warm-season grasses tend to plant best during the late-spring and early summer months. Grasses commonly found here: Native Grasses (Buffalo grass, Blue Grama, and Wheatgrasses), Fescues, Kentucky Bluegrass, Zoysia, and Bermuda. Interested in professional lawn care? Call Cory's Lawn Service at (775)-868-0123 to get set up today!