Minneapolis Lawn Care Blog

1. Spring Maintenance (April)

 a. Spring Clean-Up

• We use Stihl back pack blowers to cleanup leaves and debris from around buildings, under decks, landscape beds, driveways and sidewalks. Our commercial mowers are equipped with vacuum collection systems and a dethatcher rake on the front. The dethatcher tines pick and pull out thatch simultaneously as the mower “vacuums” up the debris into its bagger. This cleans up all the lawn areas leaving you with a clean estate.

b. Dethatching

• We mount a dethatcher to the front of our lawn mower. The dethatcher tines pick and pull out thatch. Simultaneously, the mower “vacuums” up the debris into its bagger. This way the mower blades are engaged. The added bonus of this method is that the lawn also gets cut and bagged.

c. Pre-emergent Fertilization

• Lawn maintenance usually requires attentive weed control. The first application is one of the most effective ways to control weeds by applying pre-emergent herbicide. This is a chemical treatment that prevents unwanted growth from appearing.

d. Spring Gutter Cleaning

• It’s important to keep the flow of movement in your gutters. If not properly maintained, they can create run off onto your siding and leave permanent damage or stains on your walls. Your gutters can also become moldy and rotten to the point of detaching completely from your home or business. We suggest gutter cleaning at least 2x per year, during the spring and fall usually to coordinate with the rainy season and to prevent costly repairs.

e. Core Aeration

• Over time, the surface of your lawn can become tightly compacted and covered with dense thatch. This is a layer of dead stems and roots. When this happens, much of the food and water your lawn needs can’t penetrate the surface. Core Aeration is simply a method of punching holes into the turf to allow moisture, oxygen, and nutrients to penetrate the soil. Aeration reduces soil compaction, enhances thatch breakdown, improves water infiltration and improves response to fertilizer. This service also improves soil composition and maximizes turfgrass rooting. Most importantly, it makes the lawn less susceptible to damage from weeds, insects, drought and disease. Aeration combined with overseeding is an excellent method for an established lawn to relieve compaction and improve its density. We recommend aeration & overseeding/renovation seeding once per season to all established lawns. Peter Doran Lawn & Landscape uses top quality seed that is free of noxious weeds.

f. Overseeding

• IF YOU HAVE NOT OVERSEEDED YOUR LAWN IN THE LAST 4 YEARS, IT NEEDS TO BE MADE AS DENSE AS BRAND NEW SOD! Overseeding is one of the most important lawn care tasks, yet few homeowners ever do it. So, you ask, if I fertilize my lawn properly, why do I need to add new seed, especially if my grass looks pretty good right now? The answer is grass is not immortal. After five or six years, grass plants will slow down their reproduction rates; they get tired just like we do as we age. Thin grass invites weeds. Thicker grass looks professionally maintained and maintains its health. Overseeding is combined with aeration. The aerator puts the holes in the grounds and the overseeding machine drops seeds over the lawn and in the holes as well.

g. Renovation Seeding (Slit Seeding)

• Where lawn quality is unacceptable, renovation seeding may be necessary. Renovation involves planting grass seed into an existing lawn area, often adding new grass varieties to repair damage or increase tolerance to drought, shade, or wear. Renovation is for those who are serious about getting there lawn back under control!

h. Miscellanious Jobs

• Tree trimming
• Garden Tilling