Basic Program Details

The first step in helping you grow a lawn you love includes a soil test. Your trusted technician will take samples from several areas of your property and send them to a lab for testing.

The results will help us identify if we need to adjust or maintain your lawn’s pH level.

Each year we will conduct a soil test and determine if any changes need to be made to the pH range, nutrient & organic matter content or recommend any nutritional needs.

All results will be shared and explained to you, and we’re always happy to answer any questions!

The optimal pH range for your lawn is in the 6.0-7.0 range. If your lawn’s soil is above or below this range, it will be difficult for your grass to absorb nutrients. Depending on your last soil test results, we will do the following:

* Indicated low pH: We will apply an organic product that will raise the pH level. (A very low pH may take multiple applications over 1 to 2 years to work into the soil and raise the pH.)

* Indicated proper pH range: We will apply a product that will help maintain the current pH level in the soil. (The acid rain on the east coast has the ability to affect pH in the soil)

* Indicated high pH: We will apply a different organic product that will lower the pH level.

Performing an annual soil test on your lawn keeps our soil scientists up to date on your lawn’s soil pH, organic matter, and nutrient conditions.

Pre-emergent is extremely important. This part of your lawn program helps create a barrier to prevent crabgrass germination in your yard.

Each crabgrass plant can produce over 150,000 weed seeds. When the soil temperature and moisture conditions are right, those seeds will germinate and grow out of the ground.

Pre-emergent stops that seed from germinating, so you don’t have weeds growing in the spring and summer.

To help you achieve your lawn dreams, your property will be treated with a second application of pre-emergent weed control. This enhances the protective barrier provided by the first application already absorbed by the soil.

The second application will also inhibit plant growth and prevent pesky weed roots and shoots from growing in your grass.

Your friendly lawn care technician will calculate the correct amount to apply and the proper time to be most effective.

This is a lawn care feature that is pretty exclusive to Blades of Green. Most lawn care companies don’t do this.

In the spring, your property will be treated with a slow-release fertilizer but don’t let the name fool you. A portion of the fertilizer is quick release and the nutrients are immediately available for your lawn to use.

You can trust that your lawn care technician will apply just enough to feed the grass, without over-fertilizing.

The slow-release fertilizer breaks down over a longer period of time, providing the grass with a steady supply of nutrients throughout the spring.

Here are some of the active ingredients:

* Nitrogen – Gives your lawn a boost and encourages it to grow lush, green grass
* Potassium – Helps your grass absorb water and nutrients and produce food. Potassium also strengthens your grass to help it withstand drought, lawn diseases and other lawn stressors.

There is no Phosphorus (we don’t use any lawn care products with Phosphorus in them)

By this time of the year, the weather has warmed up, and summer annual & perennial weeds will be ready to grow. Your knowledgeable lawn technician will help prevent this from happening by applying a weed control formulation designed to target these hardy summer weeds. In the event that weeds are growing in your lawn, your technician will also apply post-emergent weed control to eliminate them.

Your next round of fertilizer was designed to thrive during the summer months. It includes the same benefits as your previous application. For example: * Quick-release nutrients * Slow-release nutrients * Nitrogen * Potassium

This preventative treatment will protect your lawn from damage caused by white grubs. This application is timed to specifically target the summer egg hatch. We are not targeting the grubs that overwintered, they will be emerging as Japanese Beetles, Green June Beetles, etc. These beetles will lay eggs that will hatch and those newly hatched eggs are the grubs we are targeting because they will damage the lawn.

By this point in the year, the summer heat is sizzling! During the day, your hardscapes are like a magnet to the sun. The heat produced in these areas radiates into the lawn, along the edges, and can break down the pre-emergent barrier. To prevent this from happening, we re-apply pre-emergent weed control along all of your hardscape edges. This extra step will enhance the strength of the protective barrier to prevent weeds from producing roots and germinating. This is another treatment that isn't offered by most lawn care companies! Aren't you happy you went with us? We sure are!

To ensure your lawn remains happy and healthy through the long, hot summer months, a biostimulant application is applied to promote microbial activity in the soil. The increased microbial activity allows the grass to absorb nutrients easier as well as promotes photosynthesis to improve turf root and blade growth, which leads to stress tolerance, turf density, and greener color.

Summer is coming to an end (bittersweet, we know!). This round of weed control is formulated to target broadleaf weeds but not have an adverse effect on new seed germination in the event that your lawn will be treated with aeration and overseeding. Notice: After this treatment, you may see some discoloration in your lawn. This is nothing to be concerned about – it's only temporary and should go away in 3-4 weeks as the grass grows and is mowed.

Early fall is here. Similar to your last round of weed control, this application is formulated to target broadleaf weeds but not have an adverse effect on new seed germination, in the event that your lawn will be treated with aeration and overseeding. Notice: After this treatment, you may see some discoloration in your lawn. This is nothing to be concerned about – it's only temporary and should go away in 3-4 weeks as the grass grows and is mowed.

This round of fertilizer is designed to help your lawn transition from the hot summer temperatures to the cooler fall weather. It includes the same benefits as your previous applications. For example: * Quick-release nutrients * Slow-release nutrients * Nitrogen * Potassium

This round of weed control will prevent winter annual weeds. It is applied at a lower rate so it will not harm new seed. Please note: As the weather cools down, weeds are growing at a slower rate. In these conditions, it can take longer for weeds to show signs of distress and die off after application. This seasonal weed control application is another exclusive treatment you wouldn't get with other lawn care companies.

Lyme disease, West Nile, and Zika virus are all diseases that could be lingering in your yard due to mosquitoes, fleas, or ticks. Enjoy your property without the worry of diseases or the annoyance of bug bites.

Brown patch, red thread, and dollar spot are the three most common lawn diseases found throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia. A lawn disease program includes a 6 step process that begins in the spring with a preventative disease control product application. Your knowledgeable lawn care technician will then follow up with additional applications spaced 21 - 28 days apart throughout the summer months.

Nusedge is a perennial weed that has a triangular stem with light green waxy grass-like leaves. It is a nuisance to your lawn due to the fact that it substantially increases every year if left untreated. In fact, a single nutsedge plant has the ability to produce 1,900 plants and 7,000 new tubers in a single growing season! To prevent this pesky weed from taking over your lawn, your knowledgeable lawn care technician will visit your home three times throughout the year to apply treatment specifically formulated to prevent nutsedge germination and growth.

Your lawn has worked hard all year to look its best for you while fighting off weeds, lawn diseases, and pests. Reward it with aeration. This involves removing plugs of soil from the lawn to relieve soil compaction. This helps allow air, water, and nutrients to get down into the root zone where they will benefit the grass most. The removal of the cores loosens the soil, allowing the current turf and the new seed roots more freedom to grow. We double pass aerate your lawn, which provides optimum results and encourages all of those soil plugs to naturally dissolve back into the lawn. This is another service that is unique to Blades of Green.