Lawn Care - Heat Safety Tips

The Oklahoma heat and humidity can be hard on us at times. So when it comes to taking care of weekly residential lawn care chores, what can Tulsa homeowners do to protect themselves from the heat’s ill effects?

Mow early or late. The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) advise residents to limit their outdoor activity to morning or evening hours in the hot days of summer. Often, you’ll see Tulsa homeowners gardening or mowing in the early hours of the day when the temperatures are lowest. In Oklahoma, it can still be pretty hot in the evening, so early mornings are often the best .

Take Breaks Often. Although it may take you a little longer to mow, breaks are so important. Take a 5 minute rest when you stop to drink water. Working with these breaks not only will help you maintain your energy but will also give your mower engine a much needed break.

Hydrate Regularly. It may not be in your best interest to wait until you’re thirsty to drink water, the OSDH reports. They said no matter your activity level, you should drink more fluids during summer, so imagine how much you’ll need to drink doing yard work? Drink water before you start and every 15 minutes while you’re doing lawn work, experts advise. You could also spray yourself with a light mist of water to help you keep from overheating.

It's good to wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothes and a wide-brimmed hat when mowing during the day. Apply a sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher. Also use an insect repellent to keep away mosquitoes. Also wear goggles, gloves, and ear protection. You may at times also consider wearing light long sleeve shirts and long pants to protect yourself from bugs and debris.

“If you experience signs of heat stress such as dizziness, rapid heartbeat, diarrhea, nausea, cramps, throbbing headache, dry skin (no sweating), chest pain, great weakness, mental changes, breathing problems, or vomiting,” contact your health care provider immediately,” the OSDH says.

If you don’t want to have to worry about residential or commercial lawn care in the Tulsa heat this summer, contact Oklahoma Landscape about their regular lawn maintenance programs. We would be glad to help.

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.

Getting Rid of Lawn Pests, Tips from the Tulsa Lawn Experts

Whether its moles, grubs, ants, or other insects, no one likes these unwelcome guest invading their beautiful lawn. These outdoor pests can be very frustrating and wreak havoc on your garden and lawn. So naturally you want to know, What you can do to take back your lawn?

Here are a few things to keep an eye out for and some things you can do about them.

When you start to see tunnels and holes throughout your lawn (it's not bugs bunny), you may have a mole, vole, or shrew problem. Moles can dig 100 feet of tunnels in a day, the National Mole Hunters Association noted, so these little guys can pretty much destroy a lawn.

Moles dig profusely in search of food like grubs and other insects so controlling these as part of your residential lawn care program can greatly help to control moles, easy logic their. Traps are also an effective mole control method. It's easier for moles to dig through your lawn when your lawn is soft and damp, so giving your lawn a deeper watering only once a week may help to stop these pests without causing harm to your lawn.

Grubs are small, white immature beetles that are often found in a “C” shape. These outdoor pests feed on your turf’s roots and will create patches of dead, brown grass that are easily uplifted.

A good residential Tulsa lawn care program can do much to help prevent these pests from taking over. For instance, overseeding your lawn with grass varieties that will thrive in your area will help to keep the lawn strong and hearty to withstand a grub attack. Giving your lawn a deep watering once a week can allow the turf to get enough water while at the same time allowing the soil to dry out enough to deter grubs. Aeration, overseeding, and a good lawn fertilization program can help to lessen problems for your turf.

If underneath a brown patch of turf, you find around eight or more grubs, then a pest control treatment might be best. Depending on the type of grub and pest control treatment, this may be good to do near the start of summer. Talk with the lawn care professionals at Oklahoma Landscape for tips in treating your lawn for grubs and other pests.

Ants are one of the most often noted type of lawn pests. Fire ants are especially bothersome as their bite can leave a painful blister or bump and for some can cause serious injury even death. These aggressive ants build mounds and underground tunnels connecting to one large colony.


There are fire ant baits that can kill the colony queen and ultimately destroying the mounds. There are also pest control treatments that can be used.

Check with your local pest control management or landscaping company on the best pest control treatment to use with these ants, and use caution and good judgment when using any treatment against these aggressive insects.

It’s also been found that ants tend to be found more often on lawns that are not well maintained with areas of high grass, debris, and unkempt shrubbery. So having a consistent lawn care maintenance program for your landscape that keeps your lawn neat and clean can help to control these lawn pests.

For more information on how to prevent or control these outdoor pests, contact the Tulsa lawn care specialists at Oklahoma Landscape.

Tulsa Lawn Care Calendar for Commercial and Residential Lawns

Many Tulsa homeowners anticipate spring and enjoying their outdoor living spaces more. But how do you keep your Tulsa lawn looking great? There are a few simple things you can do during the year to have a healthy and beautiful lawn. Whether for your residential or commercial property, here are some basic Tulsa lawn care tips to keep in mind.

Early Spring

Good preparation will make the lawn mowing and lawn maintenance season much easier. Get organized and ready for spring now by sharpening your mower blade to make sure the mower neatly and cleanly cuts the grass blades to prevent tears in the grass which can harm the turf. Also, give your mower a tune-up service and put fresh gas in the tank, houselogic.com noted.

Rake your lawn to eliminate leaves, debris, and matted grass.

Spring

Get your soil’s pH tested to find out what nutrients the soil in your yard might be lacking.

Aerate your lawn by getting rid of small core patches of soil and dead grass, or thatch, when the soil is somewhat damp. Core aeration permits better drainage and allows more room for oxygen, water, and nutrients to reach deeper into the soil. This, in turn, will aid the roots in growing deeper and fuller in the soil.

Overseed your Tulsa lawn with new cool season varieties that have been known to flourish in our environment to fill in bare or thin spots and help your lawn grow denser. The new grass seed assortments planted will have a higher resistance to disease than those previously in the lawn, creating a vibrant and lush lawn that is more resistant to disease and weeds.

This is a nice time to fertilize your Tulsa lawn and apply a good pre-emergent weed control treatment.

When mowing, cut the grass about 3” high, or cutting no more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time. Mowing the grass at a taller height will help your lawn stay healthier by keeping the soil cooler, prevent weeds from getting sunlight to grow, and prevent scalping of the lawn, which can add significant stress on the grass.

Summer

As grub worms appear and feed on your lawn’s root system, you may need to treat for these and other outdoor pests with beneficial nematodes before they create brown patches all over the lawn.

It’s also suggested to fertilize your lawn again six to eight weeks after the first lawn fertilizer application. Your lawn may also need a post-emergent weed control application.

Enough water is also vital for your lawn. You will need to irrigate your Tulsa lawn if rainfall is below 1 inch a week, which in Oklahoma can be very likely during summer months. Irrigate your lawn with deep and infrequent watering techniques to promote better root growth.

Clean underneath your mower at least once a month to prevent the spread of lawn disease, houselogic.com also noted.

Fall
As the weather gets cooler, it’s again good to aerate, overseed, and fertilize your Tulsa lawn to patch thin spots and help your lawn stay healthy.

Keep your Tulsa lawn free of leaves and debris.

Fertilizing your grass again before winter arrives will help the lawn have nutrients to store over the winter so that it will be healthy and ready for spring.

By following just these few tips, you can have a healthier and more vibrant lawn this summer. The commercial and residential Tulsa lawn care specialists at Oklahoma Landscape can take care of all your lawn maintenance needs as well as lawn fertilization, weed control, aeration, and overseeding.

Commercial Lawn Care Tulsa - Advantages of Professional Lawn Maintenance for your Business

When you approach the door of a business, college campus, retail park, or hospital, what catches your eye? Does the landscaping have a bearing on what you think of the company?

As a business owner, you understand how essential first impressions are, especially for a company. When clients first approach your Tulsa commercial property, the property’s landscaping can have a vivid effect on the image your company portrays. A neat, well-designed, organized landscape gives the impression that the organization also manifests those qualities and as well as caring for the environment. A beautiful, well-kept lawn instils confidence in customers, employees, future residents, or students. Thus, Tulsa commercial lawn maintenance and landscaping can be a crucial part of a company’s corporate identity, effectively conveying the professional brand image you want your company to have. This, in turn, translate into a significant return on investment.

What are some of the advantages of having a professional Tulsa landscaping company manage your commercial lawn care?

Less Stress

Why spend time worrying about the lawn care needs of your company? Lawn care can be very laborious for a business owner, and supervising multiple landscape contractors and handling lawn maintenance dilemmas can be stressful. With one professional landscaping company taking care of all your lawn care needs, you can save time, money, and focus on more important business matters.

With Tulsa commercial lawn maintenance, you’ll know your landscape will be cared for on a consistent basis. Regular care is needed for lawns to maintain their beauty and health. Your staff may not be able to consistently mow or manage your entire landscape. Hiring a professional company dedicated to maintaining the beauty of your landscape will ensure that it’s attended to regularly.

Landscape Design

A landscaping company can give your lawn the professional appearance you want your company to showcase. Landscaping experts can design a functional and aesthetically-engaging outdoor space for your business, homeowner’s association, campus, retail park, outdoor sports facility, office park, golf club, or apartment property. And these landscape design professionals can keep your landscape looking fresh and new, giving you ideas on how to effectively update your landscape in the most cost-effective way. Tulsa lawn care professionals understand how to get the most from your landscape and bring out its full beauty and potential with innovative landscaping techniques.

Skilled Lawn Care

Keeping a landscape healthy and beauty involves more than mowing it regularly. To have a vibrant, healthy lawn, you would need to help the lawn have all the nutrients it needs and be able to detect any potential problems.

Professional Tulsa lawn care experts have the in-depth knowledge and skills needed to promote the long-term health of your landscape, including fertilization and weed control programs, tree and shrub care, lawn aeration, overseeding, and prevent and treat insect disease. Knowing how to effectively treat the overall health of your lawn will help it to thrive, and in the end, save you money by preventing costly problems.

Equipment Savings

Buying enough lawn care equipment to adequately take care of an entire commercial property can be quite expensive. And maintaining that equipment over the years can only add to that expense. Prevent the added worry, stress, and costs of having to buy your own equipment by hiring professional lawn maintenance. Leave the responsibility and expense of having the right lawn care tools, fertilizers, and equipment to the lawn care professionals.

Business owners, property managers, schools, healthcare facilities, and other organizations can all benefit greatly from the positive first impression a well-designed and manicured landscape can have on customers.

Tips to Keeping Your Tulsa Home Safe While Traveling

Are you going out of town this holiday season? Many Tulsa homeowners may be planning to travel to visit family or friends this time of year, but before you go, there are a few simple things you can do to keep your Tulsa home safe while you’re away.

The objective is to not give the appearance that you’re gone. Thus, while you may have a home security system, you can also do little things to make your home less appealing to burglars.

1. Keep up the lawn care. – Interestingly, having regular Tulsa lawn maintenance and landscaping will help your home look like you never left. We’ve all seen houses where the lawn is not mowed, and we may think that there’s either no one living there or they’re on vacation. Thus, when you’re gone, keeping your lawn mowed, your leaves raked, and your snow shoveled will give the appearance that you’re home while also making your property tidier and much nicer to come home to.
2. Keep trees and shrubs trimmed. – Burglars love things to hide behind, so an overgrown tree or shrub next to a window creates the perfect hiding spot. Thus, try to keep windows and doors visible by regularly trimming trees, shrubs, and hedges.
3. Put your lights on timers. – Programming your interior lights to turn on and off using a timer is another good way to make your home look like everything’s normal. Having your home lights come on for a few hours in the evening will keep up the appearance of a normal routine. Motion sensor lights for your outdoor landscape can also help deter thieves.
4. Stop your mail and newspapers. – Having a pile of mail or periodicals by your door is of course going to make your home look vacant. You can put your mail on hold at the post office for up to 30 days. Have your newspaper put on hold as well. But there may still be other packages that are delivered to your home, so have a neighbor or friend stop by regularly while you’re gone to pick these up.
5. Hire a house sitter. – The simplest way to give the appearance that your home isn’t vacant is to have a friend or neighbor stay there while you’re on vacation. If you have pets, a pet sitter can also be useful, not only in taking care of your pets while you’re gone, but also by checking on your house.
6. Tell a trusted neighbor you’ll be gone. – If you don’t have a house or pet sitter staying, let a trusted neighbor or two know when you’ll be gone and ask them to stop by periodically to check on your home and pick up any flyers or items left at your home. You may even leave a copy of your house key with them for emergencies. They may also be able to pull your garbage or recycling receptacles out on trash day to make everything look normal.
7. Unplug electronics. – Turning off and unplugging electronics and appliances like your home computer, television, coffee pot and even your garage door can save you money, prevent a house fire, and, by turning off your garage door, prevent thieves from breaking in.
8. Keep valuables away from windows. – Make sure your big screen television or computer isn’t plainly visible from outside your home. You may want to walk around your house to see what is visible from outside.
9. Make sure everything is locked. – In the hustle and bustle of vacation packing, you may forget to lock all the windows and doors. Make sure every entrance to your home is secure, including sliding glass doors to your patio. You can help secure these further by placing dowel rods or poles in the slats when you leave.  Advertise and activate your home security and surveillance system. Walter T. Shaw, a former master thief, told MSN Money that alarm system warning signs and decals should be placed in the backyard where thieves are most likely to case out and try to break-in your home. These warning signs can prevent thieves from thinking your home is an easy target.
10. Be careful about what you share. – While today’s world shares everything online, sharing when you will be on vacation may not be the best thing to post on Facebook. Thieves can check up on you on social media platforms and may easily be able to find out when you will be gone just from what you post. Shaw also noted that many people often casually talk about their vacation plans with people they come across at the grocery store or mechanic shop. Be careful about what sensitive information you share online as well as what you share with strangers or people you may not know well.

To have the best vacation this year, make sure your home is secure and still gives the appearance that you’re home even if you’re far away.

Tulsa Weed Control - Oklahoma Landscape - 6-Step Weed Control and Fertilization Program

Weed Control in Tulsa involves more than just weeds; it encompasses the entire lawn care program for your landscape. To effectively control weeds, your lawn must have the nutrients it needs to thrive so that weeds do not take over.  Thus, a good weed control company must be a good turf care company, especially in Tulsa where the change in weather can weaken a lawn. Oklahoma Landscape offers complete turf care services including lawn fertilization, weed control, overseeding, aeration, and complete lawn maintenance for both commercial and residential customers.

Our 6-step weed control and fertilization program is customized to your lawn, building stronger roots and healthier soil. Using a pre- and post-emergent weed control system helps keep your lawn virtually weed-free and easier to maintain. Custom turf care in Tulsa helps lawns resist disease and weeds that could easily overtake a landscape. We started in 1985 with a love of landscaping, so we’re determined to protect your lawn, giving it the proactive care it needs, while giving you the quality, dependable service you deserve.

The Tulsa weed control specialists at Oklahoma Landscape provide full-service weed control and lawn fertilization for your entire landscape, keeping your lawn lush and green year-round. Adequate lawn care is vital for your Tulsa lawn to remain healthy. Our 6-step weed control and fertilization can keep your lawn vibrant and practically weed-free.  Weeds are more likely to overtake a lawn that is not well-fertilized. With the often intense Tulsa summer heat, your lawn can easily lose its deep green color. As your local weed control experts, we will create a custom treatment plan for your specific property’s weed control and fertilization needs.

Tulsa weed control means caring for all of your lawn’s needs, including its shrubs and ornamentals. These beautiful accents to your Tulsa landscape need meticulous care and attention to thrive. As a full-service lawn care company, Oklahoma Landscape will keep your shrubs and ornamentals looking their best with our custom 6-step shrub and ornamental care program. This care program, customized to your greenery’s specific needs, includes insect and disease protection, dormant oil treatments, and deep root feeding. We will maintain a watchful eye on your shrubs’ and ornamentals’ health, continually protecting them from damaging insects and disease. With our complete lawn care program, your lawn will quickly become the pride of your Tulsa neighborhood.

Visit http://www.oklahomalandscape.com for more lawn care and landscaping information or call 918-299-LAWN.

 

Weed Control Tulsa - Creating Perfect Lawns

Has your Tulsa lawn become overrun with weeds? Would you like to not have to mow as often? With our custom pre-emergent and post-emergent Tulsa weed control system, your lawn can be virtually weed-free, requiring less time and attention to maintain. In addition, a well-fertilized lawn can help your soil stay healthier, building stronger roots that allow your lawn to flourish. A healthy, lush lawn will need less maintenance and is more impervious to weeds and disease.

Call us today at 918.299.LAWN or visit http://oklahomalandscape.com/index.php/turfcare/weed-control.

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Tulsa Lawn Care Specialists - Weed Control, Fertilization, Maintenance

Tulsa's Oklahoma Landscape is now offering lawn care and lawn maintenance services for residential and commercial properties in the Tulsa area. An Oklahoma Landscape specialist can inspect your landscape and determine the best program of lawn care to keep it green and healthy. We offer fertilization, overseeding, ornamental and shrub care, aeration, outdoor pest control, weed control, and comprehensive lawn maintenance services. Let Oklahoma landscape treat your lawn with our 6-step process this year.

As your Tulsa lawn care company, Oklahoma Landscape offers complete lawn maintenance so that the last thing you have to worry about is your landscape. Our courteous, uniformed lawn care specialists always give you service you can trust and expert and timely lawn care so that your lawn stays looking green and well cared for. With our complete lawn maintenance program, we care for everything relating to maintaining a manicured landscape including mowing, edging, weeding, trash pick-up, and more. Whether for your business or your home, we can take care of everything relating to your landscape and keep it looking beautiful and hassle-free so all you have to do is enjoy your landscape and 'find yourself outside.'

Call us at 918.296.9679 or visit http://www.oklahomalandscape.com .