For many Cincinnati suburbanite homeowners, lawn care is a big issue due to their sprawling grassed property size. As winter fades it can become obvious that help is needed, even if a mowing service is already called to action. Irrigation concerns, fertilizing needs, and aeration needs become just as important as keeping up with the fast-growing blades and weeds. As your partner in all things home and garden related, Roofing Annex is On Top Of It All™ with sharing a multitude of lawn care tips to make for a successful green season in Cincinnati.

Spring Lawn Care Checklist

The following lawn care tips should get you up and running:

• Take stock. Take a good look at your lawn as the season changes. Puddles may form where they had not been before. Sprinkler heads that have been quiet for months and are now being called upon. The soil may appear compacted. There are numerous factors to pay attention to that may have bearing on your lawn’s health.
• Tool prep. Check that your lawn mower is working properly. Inspect the blades, fluid level, and the filter. Look over your rake(s), shovels, weed whacker, leaf blower and other equipment to be sure they’re in good condition.
• Stock up. Once the you know what concerns you may have be sure to buy things you may need – such as:
  • Grass seed
  • Weed killer
  • Fertilizer
  • New tools
  • Irrigation Supplies
• Cleanup. Rid your lawn of dead grass, leaves, branches, twigs and any other debris.
• Aerate. If your thatch was heavy or your soil appears to be compact it is time to aerate. Lawn aerator sandals are great for anyone weighing over 150 pounds. Of all of our lawn care tips, aerating tends to be the biggest must for the Cincinnati area.
• Flush away salt deposits. Over the winter many homeowners damage their lawns with salt buildup. This can be fixed with a couple longs sessions of soaking the area to purge the salt from the roots. A sprinkling of fresh soil and fertilizer in these areas is a clever idea if they still look damaged.
• Begin mowing. During the spring, it is wise to cut your lawn just a hair shorter than summer and fall so that fertilizer and new grass seeds can get where they need to. It also helps with aeration, germination, and spotting weeds.
• Giving your grass some fresh nutrients in the spring will keep your lawn going strong through to fall.
• Fall is actually the ideal time to seed a lawn as that is natures intent, but spring is the next best thing. If your lawn wasn’t as lush as you’d have liked it last year, it is a wise choice to sprinkle on a little extra grass seed.

Spring Lawn Care Tips for Dog Owners

Sure, children, foot traffic, and poor irrigation can damage a lawn, but man’s best friend usually takes the prize. However, a lawn and landscaping can also be just as harmful to your pet. Both concerns are real and we have solutions for both.

Unfortunately, some dog breeds have certain behaviors that are downright uncontrollable. Digging can be trained out of some canines but digging/ferreting breeds are near impossible to brainwash. The best suggestion here is to leave a raw dirt area tucked away in some part of your yard that they can access to get out their compulsion with.

Obviously, the number one issue with dogs and lawns are the burn spots left by their urine. Most homeowners don’t know it but there are easy preventative solutions to this that have to do with what your pooch eats or drinks. There are paramagnetic igneous rocks that you can place in your pet’s water bowl that lower the nitrate levels in their urine. There are also soft chews you can feed Fido to curb that yellowing grass via safe amino acids and enzymes. Both are inexpensive and your doggie will love the chews. (These products are our favorite lawn care tips)

For your pup’s safety, we recommend being careful with your lawn care chemicals. Certain pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides are unsafe for animal consumption. Pets should be kept inside after application while the products dry and should be taken to the vet immediately in the instance that they do consume any of these materials. Fertilizer and mulch can both be dangerous to your animals when consumed in large portions. Many pets find organic fertilizer to be delicious. Often filled with blood and bone meal and fish byproducts, organic fertilizers make a tasty snack for dogs but can wreak havoc on their digestive systems. Opt for pet-friendly products instead. Avoid mulch with cocoa as this particular formula smells sweet and contains theobromine, the ingredient found in chocolate that is toxic to dogs.

The best lawn care tips we can give come in the form of recommendations. Here are a few locals to contact for your green grass goals:

• TruGreen utilizes science-based solutions for guaranteed healthy lawns, shrubs, and tress.
• TriState Water Works will get your irrigation maximized like nobody else around.
• Lawn Brother Lawn Care is notoriously efficient and well-priced lawn mowing, blowing, and edging experts.
• Blades to Petals are expert landscape installers, provide amazing maintenance, and do raised bed gardens as well.
• Dunham’s Lawn Care specializes in mowing, trimming, edging, and debris cleanup.
• Liapis Landscape & Design are landscaping experts who also provide mowing services and turf care solutions.
• MD lawn & Property Services is a full-service landscape maintenance and installation company.

Looking for an Exterior Restoration Expert?
Call on Roofing Annex to improve your property – 513.685.9092