Leaf removal is an important task for maintaining a healthy lawn throughout the fall and winter months. When leaves are left to pile up on your grass, they can block sunlight from reaching the soil, leading to weak grass growth and the potential for mold or fungus. Wet, decaying leaves can also smother the grass, causing patches of bare spots or even killing the turf over time. Regularly removing fallen leaves helps ensure that your lawn gets the air, light, and nutrients it needs to thrive, especially as it prepares for the colder months ahead.

When it comes to leaf removal, there are a few easy and efficient ways to get the job done. One of the most effective methods is using a lawn mower with a bag attachment or a mulching blade, which not only gathers leaves but also shreds them into small pieces. These tiny bits can be left on the lawn as natural mulch, enriching the soil as they decompose. If you prefer to rake, make sure to do it on a dry day to avoid wet leaves sticking together, which can make the task harder. For larger yards, a leaf blower or a vacuum can speed up the process and make it less physically demanding. Whichever method you choose, aim to remove leaves regularly during the fall to keep your lawn looking great and in good health - ready for next spring!

Fall Seeding Instructions

September and October are the best month to overseed our lawns. Here are the steps to overseed your entire lawn:

• Thoroughly rake and remove any dead or matted grasses
• Prepare any bare areas with fresh topsoil, compost, or a manure mix
• For extra soil preparation, Lawn Cure can come out prior to your seeding and add our Premium Soil Enhancer to prepare the lawn perfectly for seeding. The cost will be the same as your regular lawn application. Just call/text us to add this on.
• Using a spreader, overseed the lawn with a top-quality turf-type tall fescue grass seed. No Rye Grass, Bluegrass, Red Creeping Fescue, Ky 31. READ THE LABEL CAREFULLY! When in doubt, we offer premium seed for sale at $2.75/lb. Be sure your spreader is calibrated to broadcast approximately 6-8 lbs. of seed/1,000 sq ft. If you are unsure of the amount needed, let us know and we will help you.
• Water your new seed each day until germination, then you can back off the watering once you see the baby grass coming up. After germination, continue to water it a few days a week.
• Do NOT add straw - it is simply not necessary and it can cause winter wheat (an ugly weed) to come up next spring.

If your lawn has bare or dead spots and you just want to fill these areas in, follow these steps:

• Thoroughly rake through your bare spots and/or matted grasses and turn over the dirt to loosen the soil in those select areas you are wanting to add grass seed - a garden weasel is a great tool for this job.

• It is beneficial to then add some fresh top soil to these bare spots to help enrich the soil. This is not required, but it makes your spot seeding much more
  successful as your seed will germinate well in soil that is abundant in microbes.
• Add some Turf-type Tall Fescue seed to your bare spots. Use your garden weasel or rake to work the seed down into the soil.
• Water your new seed every day until germination, then you can back off the watering once you see the baby grass coming up. But still water it a few days a
  week.
• Do NOT add straw - it is simply not necessary and it can cause winter wheat (an ugly weed) to come up in the spot next spring.

Please be sure to let your lawn company know if you plan to or have seeded so they can adjust your fall applications to best support your new seed!

Lawn Cure's Healthy Grow soil enhancement program is an excellent addition and a perfect complement to our regular lawn care services. Here’s why!

Achieving a beautiful lawn starts with the right foundation—high-quality soil. However, enhancing your lawn’s soil can be challenging, especially since many lawns in our area lack nutrient-rich topsoil. This is particularly common in newer home sites, where the valuable topsoil may have been removed or eroded during construction.

Lawn Cure offers a Foliar-Pak program designed to enhance your soil naturally and organically by providing the essential nutrients needed for healthier turf and plants. Our "Healthy Grow" Soil Enhancement Program is a 3-application treatment that complements your existing lawn care routine and actually improves soil quality. The benefits include:

• Increased nutrient uptake by the turf
• Stimulated microbial activity
• Enhanced water-holding capacity of the turf
• Promoted natural tolerance to stress, pests, and disease

Lawns treated regularly with our Healthy Grow Program experience fantastic results. Don't miss out on the benefits—add this to your regular lawn care schedule today for a healthier, more vibrant lawn!

Taking care of your lawn and garden during our super hot summer days can be a bit tricky, but following a few tips, your plants and grass will stay happy and healthy!

First, let's talk about watering our thirsty turf. Giving your lawn a nice, deep drink, but not too often, is key – 4-5x’s/week. It's best to run your irrigations/sprinklers early in the morning when the sun isn’t too strong, so the water doesn’t just disappear into thin air. Try to avoid night watering as that can lead to dreaded fungus!!

Second, your grass loves a good trim, but not too short. Keeping your lawn mower on a higher setting lets the grass grow longer, which helps shade the soil and keep everything nice and hydrated.

What about your landscaping? Adding a cozy blanket of mulch around your plants can help keep the soil moist and the roots cool, like a little sunhat for your plants! Water your landscape plants roughly 2x’s/week in intense summer heat and periods of little to no rainfall. Enjoy your summer!

Summertime has arrived and with it the onset of hot, summer days. It's time to put our lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems to work! This raises the following important questions.... When do I water? How much do I water? What if I don't water? Let's review the answers below:

When is the best time to water my lawn?

MORNING!! (Approximately 5-9 a.m.) Morning is the best time to water for maximum benefit. The soil will become nicely saturated with morning watering, but the turf blade will be allowed to dry more quickly, helping to prevent lawn disease. Watering in the evening is not recommended as it will keep the grass blade wet overnight, causing a major breeding ground for fungi.

How much water should I apply?

Water deeply and infrequently, with the goal of adding 1-inch of water to the lawn at each session. This should be done 2-3 times/week, more if we are in drought conditions. Water pressure and irrigation heads may alter water output, so set out a shallow bucket (or a tuna can works great for this!) while watering the first few times and allow an inch of water to collect. Note the time the sprinkler/irrigation was running in order to accumulate the inch of water and then you will know for a certainty how long to let your sprinklers/irrigation system run at each session.

What will happen if I decide not to water my lawn and my area is in a drought?

If we experience drought conditions and you choose not to irrigate, the turf will go dormant to protect the root system of the plant. The grass will green right back up with adequate water following a mild to moderate drought BUT if our area experiences an extended drought, some areas of the turf may be thinned or even completely die off if the lawn does not receive water. If this occurs, plan to seed (and water!) in the fall.

Remember, investing a little extra in watering your lawn during the summer is far more cost-effective than reseeding and watering a new lawn in the fall!!