Tulsa Lawn Care Tips - Getting Ready For Fall

With fall approaching here in Oklahoma, you may be thinking that this year's Tulsa lawn care days are almost over. It may be true that you won’t have to mow the lawn as much now, but there are some necessary fall Tulsa lawn care items you may need to still need to handle to get your lawn prepared for winter.

It's important to take care of your lawn in the fall as it will help to ensure that you'll have a vibrant and healthy lawn in the springtime. Here is a few fall lawn care tips to help you get started.

Lawn Fertilization

Likely the heat of summer has taken a toll on your lawn, so fall is a good time to replenish nutrients in the soil with a slow-release fertilizer. This lawn fertilization in the fall will build the underground root system so that the roots are stronger and the grass recovers faster from drought and heat. This lawn fertilization for your Tulsa lawn will also help the soil to have the nutrients it needs to be strong in the spring. It’s ideal to fertilize your lawn four-to-six weeks before the first frost is due to occur.

Overseeding Tulsa Lawns

Often a lawn can start looking a little thin and worn-out, which can happen because of summer’s heat and just the passing of time. Overseeding in the fall will help it to be lush again. Overseeding or seeding your lawn with a new layer of cool-season grass over existing turf will fill in any thin or bare spots and help your lawn be more resilient to diseases and weeds.

Fall is a great time to overseed your lawn because the soil is still warm enough for the seeds to germinate, and yet the air is cool enough to prevent weeds from cropping up. There are many other reasons why fall is often the best time for overseeding.

 Lawn Aeration

Before overseeding your lawn, you might need to aerate the soil, which involves removing small core patches of dirt, thatch, grass, and if the soil is compacted aerating the lawn will help the soil and roots get more water, oxygen, and nutrients. This will help the roots of the new grass seeds to grow strong and healthy.

Some wonder if they need to rake all the leaves in their yard. Commonly, if the leaf coverage is covering the lawn so much that the grass can’t be seen, then the leaves need to be raked because they can prevent air and sunlight from reaching the grass. Thus, it’s best not to wait until all the leaves have fallen before you begin raking. A light layer of mulched leaves applied later in the season can provide the lawn with nutrients and protect it from colder weather. However, if the mulch is too thick or gets too moist before it decomposes, it can begin to choke out the grass or cause lawn disease.

Watering

Even with the weather getting colder, your Tulsa lawn will still need regular irrigation in the drought conditions. While the ground temperatures are above freezing, lawns can have infrequent, deep watering to help roots grow deep into the soil.

The Tulsa lawn care experts at Oklahoma Landscape can take care of all your fall lawn maintenance needs, giving your lawn the right fertilization at the right time, as well as aerating, and overseeding your lawn so that it will look healthy, beautiful, and ready for the coming spring!

Tulsa Lawn Care - All Stage Weed Control

Every gardener knows just how fast weeds can take over a lawn, stealing water, nutrients, and sunlight from the surrounding grass. So it makes good sense to have an effective Tulsa weed control treatment in place for every stage and season of a weed’s life. With just a few weed control applications throughout the year, your lawn can be healthy and look beautiful and effervescent.

In the early spring, you’ll want to start by controlling broadleaf weeds like dandelions and ragweed as well as annual grassy weeds like crabgrass (all of which will grow rapidly in Oklahoma) by using a pre-emergent weed control herbicide. Use one that is toxic to both types of weeds, broadleaf and grassy weeds. Apply this using a broadcast spreader after you have mowed the lawn a couple times at the beginning of the season. Apply the herbicide also along sidewalks where crabgrass often tends to grow more. This weed control treatment will help to abate these weeds before they even develop and overtake your lawn.

Later in the season, you might still see a few dandelions or crabgrass weeds that don’t want to go. Most of these can quickly be dealt with using a spot-treatment post-emergent weed control herbicide. Concentrated herbicides that you mix with water yourself are commonly a better value. These can be used with a handheld sprayer to spot-treat any weeds or crabgrass. You can find a spot-treatment herbicide that kills both broadleaf weeds and grassy weeds, but you may have to use different weed control spot-treatments for broadleaf and grassy weeds as well. Follow the directions on the package for prepping and when to apply the weed control treatment, usually when temperatures are below 85 degrees F. for a few days.

Interestingly, one of the best ways to keep weeds away doesn’t involve weed control herbicides. Keeping your lawn well-maintained with proper lawn fertilization, irrigation, and mowing will help to crowd out pesky weeds and stop them from overtaking the lawn. Healthy lawns can better defend against weeds so having a good lawn care and maintenance schedule is really key to preventing weeds.

If weeds have already overtaken your lawn late in the season, you may need to spray the entire weedy area with a post-emergent weed control herbicide using a sprayer attached to a hose, getting the weeds wet. You may need to apply a different herbicide for broadleaf and grassy weeds. Again a concentrated post-emergent herbicide that you mix yourself will be a better value. Apply the herbicide on calm days so that the herbicide is not inadvertently carried to other plants and flowers that it could also harm.

If you would rather not have the hassle of applying weed control treatments, the Tulsa weed control experts at Oklahoma Landscape can take care of all your lawn care needs. We offer a custom 6-step Tulsa weed control and fertilization program for your lawn that will keep it lush, vibrant, and weed-free all year. Call us today for more details!

Tulsa Lawn Care - How to Choose the Right Lawn Mower

Some Tulsa landscaping companies like Oklahoma Landscape offer residential lawn care and maintenance, yet some homeowners like to mow their lawns themselves. If this is true in your case, a reliable lawn mower is a necessity. But there are many options when it comes to lawn mowers in Tulsa. Which one is the best? Well, it may depend on your particular lawn, how much time you want to devote to lawn care, and other ecological concerns.

Gas, Electric, or Reel Mowers. Lawn mowers come with a variety of power choices. Manual reel mowers, of course, are great for the environment and are good exercise; however, they don’t cut off as much of the blade (1/8” – 1/4”) in one mowing. Thus, with a reel mower, you will probably have to mow more often. There are several kinds of electric mowers, which can be ideal for smaller yards. Some electric mowers are battery-powered and some come with a cord. Some gas-powered mowers have both an electric start and a pull cord making them easier to start if the battery is charged. However, with a battery-powered or electric start mower, you’ll need to keep track of the charger to make sure you can recharge, and it recharges enough to mow the whole lawn. And of course gas mowers will be more powerful than electric or reel mowers and may be a wiser choice for larger or hillier landscapes.

Bag or Mulch mower. You will also need to consider whether you want to collect your grass in a bag or use a mower that mulches the grass and leaves it. Mulching can help to protect the lawn from heat in the summer, retaining more moisture, and provide the lawn with nutrients. However too much mulch, usually from cutting too much grass at one time, can cause large clumps of mulch to accumulate on the lawn. These large clumps of grass can spread disease and fungus which causes the lawn to have yellow areas. With any mower, it’s best to remove no more than 1/3 of the blade during one mowing. If you choose a bag to collect the grass clippings, a rear bag will be easier to maneuver and mow using.

Size and Landscaping of your Lawn. Do you have a large, medium, or small yard? Are there a number of trees and hills in your landscape? Of course, a riding mower or even lawn tractor would be good if you have a large or maybe even a medium-sized lawn with few trees. But for many medium or small lawns, a self-propelled walk-behind mower works well. These mowers may be front or rear-wheel-drive. Front-wheel-drive mowers are easier for mowing around objects like trees or shrubs, whereas a rear-wheel-drive mowers do better at mowing uphill but are not as nimble around obstacles. A walk-behind push mower with a gas engine will mow down taller grass than electric or reel mowers, but they’ll still need to be pushed, so these may be best for smaller, more flat areas.

Also, when choosing a mower, think about where you will be able to have it maintained. Thus, choosing the right lawn mower for your Tulsa landscape will depend on the amount of time and energy you want to put into your yard as well as the size and topography of the lawn itself.

If you decide mowing isn’t for you or it’s taking up too much of your weekend, the Tulsa lawn care experts at Oklahoma Landscape can take care of all your residential or commercial lawn maintenance.

Lawn Fertilization - Pet Safety Tips

We love our pets! We want them to be able to fully enjoy the grassy space of the outdoors. But at times our Tulsa lawn’s fertilization and weed control needs may require the use chemicals that if ingested can  have serious effects on dogs and cats.

“While small ingestions of fertilizer may only result in mild stomach upset, larger ingestions can result in severe poisoning from the iron, nitrogen, and other chemicals,” The Pet Poison Helpline noted.


It’s very easy for pets to pick up fertilizer on their paws, or body, by rolling around in a lawn, and thereafter quickly ingest the weed control herbicide or fertilizer.

Dr. Petra Volmer, a veterinarian and toxicologist at the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana said in an article about pets and safety around fertilizers stated, “If you find your pet rolling or walking in a recently sprayed area or spray him by accident, immediately wash the substance off with a mild dish soap, such as Dawn, and contact a veterinarian.”

Dr. Volmer  also noted that insecticides like those used in the garden for roses and molluscicides for snails, , are often more toxic to pets than herbicides or fertilizers so it’s good for homeowners to be especially careful when using these around animals.

What can you do to protect your pets when you’re fertilizer or weed control treatment to your Tulsa lawn?

It’s always best to follow the instructions on the manufacturer’s label exactly in how much to put down and when to permit access to lawn again. Applying too much fertilizer may cause the grass to retain the fertilizer residue for an extended period of time.

Carrie Gustavson with the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine stated “…make sure a treated lawn is completely dry after waiting the maximum period recommended on the label. To be extra safe, consider watering down the lawn after application and letting it dry before allowing pets into the area.”

Liquid fertilizers, may be harder to see on the lawn, and to know if they've been absorbed into the soil. Often water will be used along with a liquid fertilizer to help it be absorbed into the soil. You’ll need to keep pets off the lawn until the grass is visibly dry after being watered, an article in the SFGate Home Guide noted.

With granular fertilizers broadcasted across the lawn it can more easily be noticed that the fertilizer pellets have dissolved and been absorbed into the soil after a watering of the lawn. Generally, you can allow your pets back onto the lawn 24 hours from when you last saw any granules on the grass blades.

You may want to wait at least 48 hours after the fertilizer application before you allow your pets back onto the lawn, to be on the safe side.

“Consulting a professional landscaper for custom fertilizing instructions is the best way to stay safe if you are unsure of the application amount,” the SFGate Home Guide noted.

Oklahoma Landscape, Tulsa lawn care and landscaping company, can take care of all your lawn fertilization and weed control needs so that your lawn not only stays beautiful but is also safe for your pets.

Tips on How to Maintain a Great Lawn During a Drought

According to a statement by National Weather Service in Tulsa, even with the recent rainfall in Tulsa, drought conditions still exist. In fact, severe drought still plagues much of the Tulsa area making it hard on lawns. How can you keep your lawn healthy without overwatering and deal with the drought? How can your Tulsa irrigation company help out?

Overall Lawn Care. We might start by mentioning, a good overall lawn care program will help to keep your grass healthy and better able to absorb water efficiently so having a regular Tulsa lawn care program with proper weed control and fertilization will help it be more resilient in the drought.

Deeper Watering.  In general, your lawn needs about an inch of water each week. Often this is best accomplished in two increments during the week. A deeper watering just a couple times a week will be better for the root system than shallow waterings throughout the week, depending on your type of grass. You can measure the amount of water with a rain gauge.

Selecting the Right Time to Water. The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning.  Irrigating before the heat of the day sets in will prevent the water from evaporating too rapidly. Watering at night may cause the reverse effect…water may not be absorbed quickly enough, causing the standing water to be a fertile ground for weeds, diseases, fungus, and pests to take over.

Mowing Correctly. When mowing, try to cut no more than one third of the grass’ height. Mowing too short can put significant stress on the turf. Leaving the grass at a higher level will help the grass stay strong, protecting the roots from drying out. Also you can leave the grass clippings on the lawn to also help the turf retain moisture, conserving water.
 
Smart Sprinklers. Tulsa irrigation company Oklahoma Landscape also offers smart irrigation controllers that can automatically adjust to your lawn’s irrigation needs. These smart controllers can reduce your lawn’s water consumption by a third or more.

Oklahoma Landscape can also prevent overwatering and help conserve water by conducting a thorough audit of your Tulsa sprinkler system to correct any issues such as nozzle problems, poor head spacing, and upgrade controllers. This can help you to save water and have a healthier lawn overall during drought conditions.

One Key to a Vibrant Lawn - Tulsa Sprinkler Systems

Of course, we all want a green, vibrant lawn for the summer. How can you attain lawn excellence in the Oklahoma heat? One key step to having a great lawn is an effective Tulsa sprinkler system.

First, why do you need an automatic sprinkler system for your lawn? Well, there are many benefits…

As opposed to a hose-end water sprinkler, an automatic sprinkler system alleviates the hassle of moving the sprinkler to various areas and timing how long you’ve watered. You can simply set a schedule for when and how much to water in each lawn care zone.

The control you have with an automatic sprinkler system helps you save water and thus save money. Smart irrigation controllers can automatically determine the proper amount of water needed with the help of ET weather sensors and adjust daily run times for specific areas of the lawn, reducing water usage by one third or more. ET weather sensors measure evapotranspiration rates of the lawn. They transmit on-site weather conditions from your lawn to the controller, which then changes the amount of water applied to the lawn. Different areas of the lawn can be separated into different zones with their own watering schedules. With these precise systems, you can reduce as much as half of your lawn water consumption while preventing either under or over-watering of your lawn.

Because of recurrent droughts in the state, water conservation has become an even greater concern in recent years. With these automatic sprinkler systems in Tulsa, you can easily comply with any water restrictions in the city or neighborhood. The system can be simply programmed to adapt to all these changing factors.

With zones of your lawn receiving individual watering schedules, your lawn can be much healthier and more vibrant. Individualizing irrigation to the needs of each precise area can help each area be considerably healthier. Shrubs, trees, flowerbeds, and different areas of the lawn with different moisture needs will receive just the amount of water they need. Again, this not only helps your lawn look great but also reduces lawn care costs.

While an unobserved leak in a hose-end sprinkler can be costly and harm your turf from overwatering, professional irrigation systems in Tulsa allow the irrigation company to quickly detect and resolve any irrigation issues with remote diagnostics. A professional system means you also have a professional team of Tulsa lawn care and irrigation specialists to assist you in knowing the best irrigation practices for your particular lawn and someone to check and sustain your system, keeping it at its optimal performance.

An automatic sprinkler system gives you a nice amount of advantages over manual sprinklers while saving you money, time, and frustration. Call Oklahoma Landscape for more information on the best sprinkler system for your Tulsa lawn.