What is a weed? Broadly speaking a weed is any plant growing where it is not wanted. Usually this means a plant that is invasive, or harbours pests or diseases that are harmful to desirable plants. Weeds are not a total curse as some attract beneficial insects (milkweed attracts monarch butterflies), some add organic matter to the soil and those with deep roots break up compacted soil while others are harvested for food (dandelion for salad greens). Weeds prefer poor nutrient-deficient soil usually. Stinging nettle is an exception and grows in nutrient rich soil. Germination
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Weed management is a process of eliminating weeds in your lawn through a combination of weed control methods, awareness of growing conditions, and building a healthy, thick lawn. To get rid of weeds you need to care for and manage your lawn correctly.
Read more →A: Yes, fall fertilization is vital. Healthy soil provides nourishment to grow healthy grass. The soil itself needs to replenish its nutrients so it can continue to keep your lawn healthy. Keeping your soil healthy with the addition of the necessary nutritional elements is called fertilization. All fertilizers provide three main nutrients for the grass, which are listed by percentage weight on fertilizer packages. These are: nitrogen (N) which is necessary for stem and leaf growth; phosphorous (P) which promotes root, fruit and flower growth; and potassium (K) which assists other nutrients to function well
Read more →A: Lawn programs recognize that water is a valuable and scarce resource, especially in summer. Naturally cared for lawns have reduced watering requirements because: grass cared for naturally is cut longer to encourage deeper roots and improve the grass’ ability to access water. grass in a natural lawn is a blend of grass species including types requiring less water. mulched clippings, which are 90% water themselves, have been left on the lawn to cool the crowns of the grass, provide nitrogen and help conserve moisture. When it is necessary to water your lawn, ensure that
Read more →Harmony Gardens Landscaping offers complete basic soil testing for their lawn and flowerbed customers. We test pH (acidity/alkalinity), N (nitrogen), P (phosphorous), K (potassium) to individualize lawn and flowerbed care programs to meet specific needs. We also offer just pH testing to assess acidity and alkalinity of soil to determine if there is a need to adjust. This can be very important in weed control as well as grass health. All plants need food nutrients for healthy growth. Nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium play a vital role in plant growth just as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and
Read more →A: Healthy soil provides nourishment to grow healthy grass. The soil itself needs to replenish its nutrients so it can continue to keep your lawn healthy. Keeping your soil healthy with the addition of the necessary nutritional elements is called fertilization. All fertilizers provide three main nutrients for the grass, which are listed by percentage weight on fertilizer packages. These are: nitrogen (N) which is necessary for stem and leaf growth; phosphorous (P) which promotes root, fruit and flower growth; and potassium (K) which assists other nutrients to function well within the plant. The ratio
Read more →A: Healthy soil provides the water, air and nutrients needed to grow healthy plants. All soils can be improved with the addition of certain materials, a process that is often referred to as “amending” the soil. A soil amendment is different than a fertilizer as it changes the structure of the soil and possibly its pH, but may or may not add to its nutrient content. Fertilizers add to nutrient content. Soil structure is an important part of healthy soil as it influences water flow, nutrient uptake and air flow all of which are necessary
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