Additional Services

Additional Services from Yorktowne Lawns in York, PA

Core Aeration ....

What is Core Aeration??? Technically speaking, aeration is a naturally occurring process of air exchange between the soil and its surrounding atmosphere. Practically speaking, aeration is the process of mechanically removing small plugs of thatch and soil from the lawn to improve natural soil aeration. It's commonly called "core aeration" in the lawn service industry, and you may have heard of it as soil cultivation (coring, spiking, & slicing). Most homeowners simply call it aeration.
Aeration benefits include:
1. Aeration reduces soil compaction. Just as you wouldn't try to plant a flower in concrete... a rock hard soil bed is not conducive to a great lawn either! Loose soil allows grass roots to plunge deeper into the soil to find vital water resources in times of stress.
2. Aeration reduces thatch. Thatch is made up of grass stems and roots that accumulate faster than they breakdown. Excessive thatch creates an environment that is favorable to pests and diseases.
3. Aeration allows access to the root zone. By penetrating the soil, you're allowing moisture, air, & food to the root zone where nutrients are absorbed.
4. Aeration enhances seed germination. Seeds germinate easily in aerator holes as the holes provide them a place to hide.
5. Overseeding introduces new grass seed to fill in bare or thin areas as well as thickening existing turf. Over time, grass plants reach their peak and need to be replaced. Different factors contribute to the breakdown of the grass including foot traffic, heat, lack of water, environmental conditions, pet waste, etc...
6. Overseeding builds resistance to disease. By incorporating different blends of grass seed, you reduce your risk to diseases that can wipe out the entire lawn.
7. Aeration and overseeding will help to reduce weeds. Opportunistic weeds germinate in areas where they can be successful. Crabgrass grows in thin areas, nutsedge pops up in thin/low spots, and broadleaf weeds spread where there is little desirable grass. The best defense is to have a thick lawn.
8. Aeration and overseeding will immediately improve your lawn's current appearance. If your lawn was attacked by fungus, insects, or animals this year, a core aeration and overseeding will help. You'll be able to see seed germination in 7-10 days with a little rain or watering.

Overseeding ...

Overseeding is the planting of grass seed directly into existing turf, without tearing up the turf, or the soil. It's an easy way to fill in bare spots, improve the density of turf, establish improved grass varieties and enhance your lawns color. If a lawn looks old, or just "worn out," if it needs growing amounts of water and fertilizer to thrive, or is disease or insect prone, it's a perfect candidate for overseeding.
Many older lawns were established with common type turf grasses not suited for the needs of today's homeowner. They're often more disease and insect prone, requiring more water and fertilizers. Overseeding newer turfgrass varieties into an older lawn can better withstand insects, disease, drought, shady conditions and heavy foot traffic. The investment in overseeding pays off by reducing the amount of fertilizers, pesticides and water being used. Most importantly, the lawn stays greener and looks healthier and thicker.
Yorktowne Lawns Inc overseeds with only premium blends of highly rated seed varieties. We commonly do our overseeding in conjuction with our core or slice aeration service. You can find out more about the coring process by clicking on the core aeration tab on the previous screen.

Lime Applications ....

Lawns like a balanced soil pH, and lime is one of the best things to add to your lawn. As grass grows, it pulls minerals from the soil and the soil becomes acidic (aka "sour soil") resulting in excessive weeds, moss and bare spots. By adding lime to your soil, it will raise soil pH and help correct acidic soil - creating a proper environment for growth. Lime can be applied anytime of the year, but we suggest Spring and Fall.

Preventative Grub Control ....

Damaging white grubs are the larvae of Japanese and masked chafer beetles. In June they lay their eggs preferably in well maintained lawns because it gives their eggs the best chance for survival. Then in mid to late Summer the eggs will hatch and the larvae will feed between right below the surface of the lawn severing the root system from the top growth.
The best way to protect your lawn is to treat for grubs preventatively because they can and will do extensive damage to your lawn before you even know you have a problem. The best time to treat your lawn for grubs is early summer, during our # 2 lawn service of our lawn care program.

Wild Violet Control

“Roses are red, violets are blue”? Even if the old poem doesn’t make much sense when looking at the purplish color of violets, one thing is certain. If you have violets all over your lawn, you’re more likely to be “blue”. Wild violets are a persistent perennial weed that property owners can encounter in their lawn. It only takes a few years before this troublesome weed can take over areas of lawns, choking out the grass.
Violets not only spread by seed, but they multiply easily underground. Their root system spreads out to birth new plants through rhizomes. That’s why digging them out is rarely effective. Severing these root parts often promotes more growth as this giant organism tries to stay alive and regrow. To make matters worse, wild violets have a thick, waxy coating on their heart-shaped leaves. This makes applying most herbicides problematic as most materials are not able to thoroughly penetrate leaves, and merely bead off.
Controlling wild violets in a lawn can be a difficult challenge. Violets are best controlled in the spring & fall, when their leaves are most vulnerable and easier to penetrate. It is possible to get rid of violets if you are more persistent than they are.
If you’re interested in finding out more about how we can provide the necessary weed control treatments, fertilizers, aeration, and seeding you need to win your violet war, call us today !
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