lawncarebasics

Ete's seen a lot during his decades in the lawn industry, including a whole lot of homeowner mistakes. And they tend to be the same mistakes. Today Ete describes the top 7 things he sees people doing that they shouldn't, and 1 thing they don't do, which they should. Luckily, these are all pretty easy fixes. Want to save money, time, effort, and maybe your pride? Make sure you're not making these oft-repeated lawncare no-nos by listening in to this episode of Eco Lawn Science. 

Do you want to wake up to animals eating your grass and pooping on your lawn? Of course you do. Who doesn't want a chemical-free, non-fossil-fuel-using, lawn mowing, furry, weed control and fertilization service? Companies like Rent A Goat and Real Deal Milk's Lawn Moo-er program can make your dreams come true. Want to know why Google has 200 goats milling about its grassy areas? Live in the UK and want free access to your very own lawn-roaming cow? Curious why Ete's day-dreaming about goats in fire fighter gear? Then this is the episode for you. It's all in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Is the person spraying your lawn licensed? Ask them. By law they should be. Having a license will definitely not ensure that a person is a lawn expert, but it does require at least a minimum understanding of how to treat turf. What does it mean if someone is a licensed Pesticide Applicator ("pesticides" include weed control)? Does it matter? Learn more about licensing in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Testing your soil is a fantastic way to figure out what you need to do to improve your lawn's health. If you've never done a soil test, if it's been a few years, if you have problem areas, Ete highly recommends getting a test done. Check with your local university extension to find out about testing centers in your area and mail off that sample. It's easy, affordable, and a great way see what amendments might be needed to get yourself a healthier, happier lawn. Learn more about the benefits of soil testing in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Lawn service advertisements, like the one Ete discusses today, can promote some serious doubt in your abilities to take on your own lawn. Okay, there may be some teeny-tiny kernels of truth to the dire warnings that your lawn will be hideous and virtually radioactive if you DIY it, but not much. And the truth is, there's nothing you can't learn to do properly on your own. Hear Ete's take on reasons for and against both DIYing your lawn, and hiring a company to do it for you, in this week's episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Prepare yourselves. Just like seemingly everything else, prices for lawn care is going to go up this year. Ete's seeing jumps between 10%-15% over last year's prices. Hear how the current economic climate is affecting the lawn care industry, and what that means for you, in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

The whole concept of home lawns and turfgrass areas is taking quite the beating these days. And there are very real, very legitimate concerns regarding keeping and maintaining a lawn. But lawns are not all bad. In fact, they do have some real benefits. Some are obvious, like aesthetics, but, surprisingly, responsibly-maintained turfgrasses also do some good things for the environment. Check out what's good about lawns in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Want to dig deeper into lawn care? Beyond podcasts, YouTube channels, and Instagram feeds, you'll find fantastic info by cracking into some good, old-fashioned books. This week Ete discusses some of the books he thinks would be most helpful to homeowners who want to learn more about how to care for their lawns. Hear which books made the list, and why, in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Fall is a great time–some say the best time–to do the things that will help rebuild your lawn after summer damage: aerations, overseedings, cleanups, renovations etc. This will set up for a healthy lawn come springtime. Power raking, something that a lot of people don't know about, is a great way to help reinvigorate your lawn. What is powerraking, and how does it help? Does my lawn need to be powerraked? Can I do it myself? Find out in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

You've hired a lawn company to treat your lawns. Ever wonder which brands they use? Where do professionals get their products? Today Ete talks about two of the companies he gets his products from, Huma Gro and Greene County Fertilizer Co. (he is not a sponsor of either company and gets nothing for endorsing them. He honestly just likes them). He'll even tell you the names of some of his favorite products. Hear all about what ferts the pros use  and more on this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Dry, hot, and everything seemed to be on fire. May we never again see a lawn season like the summer of 2021 (probably wishful thinking). Ete, our host as well as the owner of a lawn fertilization company, checks back in to tell us how he fared through this insane summer.  Terrible heat, little snow pack from the previous winter, no rain, and (necessary) water restrictions meant a real battle just to keep lawns alive. How did it go from a pro's perspective? Find out in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Oh the heat. Even with A/C we're all feeling it big time, so how do you think your lawn feels? Besides the obvious (PROPER IRRIGATION!) what does your lawn need? It's not more nitrogen. Nitrogen is essential at the right times and it brings on that green color pop, but hot, hot summer is definitely the time to back off.  So is your lawn craving right now? What can you do for your lawn if you're in a water restricted area? Could your dry spots be caused by something besides the heat? Ete's got answers. Check out this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Welcome to May in Utah. Some lawns are a little behind waking up this year, but for those who’s lawns are out of dormancy, it’s definitely time to start some lawn care. Getting your lawn in tip top shape right now will help your lawn ride out the harsh summer. What should you be focusing on to help your lawn get healthy this spring? What should you be sure to avoid doing? How can you help through this drought? Find out in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Do you fight with your lawn way too much? Do you deal with the same dead spots, fungi, insects, in the exact same places year after year? Whether it's from constant irrigation problems, lack of sun, soil issues, or any of a host of other potential problems that keep turf from thriving, the truth is that ripping out grass in some areas might be your wisest move. That may sound like a total bummer, but it's actually an opportunity to save precious resources, be creative, and spend your summers enjoying, rather than battling your lawn.

It happens every year. Warmer temps and winter fatigue combine to get everyone stoked about their lawns. Let's get those half dormant lawns green, green, green ASAP! Bring on the nitrogen! If dog spots are a lovely dark green, just add nitrogen to get the rest of the lawn to match! Chill out everyone. Dumping high N fertilizer on your lawn is a bad move. Want to find out why that is and when exactly you should start fertilizing? Check out this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

As the soil temperature warms up, weeds will start popping up like crazy–on your lawn, and in your flowerbeds. One day you'll see none. The next day it's an outbreak. If you're looking to suppress some of those irritating weeds and keep them from showing up in your flower/mulch beds, you might consider using a pre-emergent.  Some people choose not to use them, but pre-emergents can significantly decrease the work you have to do in your beds throughout the season. Now is the time to get them down. Hear more about how to use pre-emergents in your mulched beds in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

After a long winter’s nap, the grass is finally waking up here in Utah! It’s likely that your lawn won’t be fully out of dormancy quite yet, but it’s nearly there. What should you do when to give your lawn the best care you can as it emerges from its sleep? How do you handle typical issues that become apparent this time of year, like pink snow mold? What fertilizer should you use? Hear what Ete has to say about this topic in the episode of Eco Lawn Science.

Ete's been all over this winter: NY NJ, VA, FL, TX, which means he's seen both cold season (used a lot in the north) and warm season grasses (used in the south). Each type of grass has its own needs. Today Ete goes over some things that you can do to prepare for the spring for both kinds of grass. In the north, it's time to think about how you're removing your snow, and maybe taking soil samples. In the south, it's almost go time for pre-emergents. Wherever you are, let's get ready for spring in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.

You know how you can't remember what you had for lunch yesterday? Well, there's about a 99.9% chance that you won't remember a thing about your 2020 lawn season by next year. Did you have any fungal or insect issues? How did you feel about your lawn service–did you want to change up your plan, were there services you want to add next year, did you want to get a different lawn company? How often and how long were you watering when you got your best results? Which areas tend to get brown, during the summer? Ete recommends that you actually take the time to write it all down now. Yes, it's a pain, but you will thank yourself next year. If you're a lawn company, do the same. Take stock now. What did you want to change for next year? Don't get caught mid-season 2021 thinking, "Oh yeah, I meant to do that this year."

Here we are in November. Your lawn's been through a lot and you want to help it out as much as possible. The foundation of a good, healthy lawn is good, healthy soil. Build and balance your soil, build a healthy lawn. One way to help balance and increase the health of your soil is top-dressing. What is that? Generally speaking, top-dressing is a mixture of goodness for your soil, typically some blend of sand, peat, loam, compost, etc. What you need in the blend depends on your soil's specific needs. Top-dressing (the verb) is to put down a thin layer of that mixture over your lawn. This helps develop your soil and can help even out those lumpy areas in your lawn. Top-dressing is a great way to get your lawn in better shape. Learn more about how to top-dress in this episode of Eco Lawn Science.