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Why rain doesn’t solve all your problems!

Over the course of my lengthy lawn care, landscaping, and irrigation career, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard these words, “But it just rained last week. Why does my yard look so dry?”

The answer is simple and if you follow my simple irrigation rules, your lawn will continue to thrive as if it rained three days a week.

Don’t wait too long to water

Your brain is telling you that it just rained and you don’t need to run your irrigation system. Realistically, in just 2-3 days without water, your lawn can begin to show signs of drought stress. This is Florida, and in the summer in Florida, it’s extremely hot. Your lawn will absorb a certain amount of water from rainfall, but the rest will evaporate rapidly during the summer months. This will leave your grass roots thirsty for more.

Signs of drought stress include: grass blades beginning to fold, grass blades beginning to turn purple, and patches of your previously green lawn turning light brown. These are all warning signs that you need to run your irrigation.

Make sure to run your irrigation system

It’s not enough to rely on the rain during the hot summer months. Be attentive to how long it’s been since it rained. Just because it rained last week doesn’t mean your lawn will be properly hydrated for weeks to come! Watch out for dry patches in your lawn. This could be fixed with a simple irrigation system check and adjustment. Follow the simple rule of watering 3 days after it rains, and your issues should quickly dissipate. Ask the experts at Southern Green how you can save water and money with our expert irrigation program.

 

Mosquitoes: Are you protected?

It’s a beautiful summer evening. There’s a slight breeze, the sun is going down, and you’re ready to cook out on your back porch. It’s going to be a wonderful family night. But wait!! You can’t even go outside without being swarmed by mosquitoes! The pesky pests will not only ruin your evening, but can possibly pose a potential threat to you and your family.

The dangers of mosquitoes

According to mosquitoworld.net, mosquito bites can transmit diseases such as: Malaria, Zika Virus, West Nile Virus, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, and Chikungunya. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control report that mosquitoes kill more than a million people per year from Malaria alone. Rates of infection are rapidly increasing, and scientists fear that global warming will translate into tremendous mosquito growth numbers.

Protect your home and family

It’s not enough to just apply bug spray and light citronella candles. They can slow mosquito bites and be mild deterrents, but getting rid of mosquitoes should be your goal. Mosquito treatments from a licensed chemical company can greatly reduce the threat of mosquitoes. These treatments kill a large amount of living mosquitoes as well as egg larvae. Contact the expert technicians at Southern Green today to learn how you can greatly reduce the threat of mosquitoes at and around your home.

Should You Hire a Chemical Lawn Care Company or Do it Yourself?

We’ve all been there. Heading to the store to buy overpriced fertilizer, cramming it in your trunk, then taking precious time out of your day to apply it to your lawn. You hope the results will be good, and even if they are, they don’t last long. So, you head back to the store, looking for a miracle product that will enhance the look of your lawn. Yet, you can only buy products with a small amount of potency due to regulations and guidelines. This is exactly why you need a chemical lawn care company to take care of your lawn.

Trust the experts

There is a reason the license for operating a chemical lawn care company is so hard to get. The state of Florida wants to make sure the license holders are absolute experts in their field. This license ensures that the products applied to your lawn will be correct and applied in the proper manner, as well as ensuring that the products are environmentally friendly. Also, the products used by a licensed chemical lawn care company are more complete and have more potency than the products you, as a consumer, can buy over the counter. These products are applied using the right dosage and at the correct times of the year.

Make life easier

Everyone would love to be able to push the easy button. Well, when it comes to the health of your lawn, you can. By signing up for service with a licensed chemical lawn care company, you no longer have to worry about what products to buy for your lawn and when to apply them. It’s all done for you! It’s a no brainer. For less money than you would spend buying over the counter chemicals with less potency, you can have a licensed company take care of your lawn with the proper chemicals at the proper time. See how our licensed professionals at Southern Green can save you time, money, and hassles today.

Your Lawn and the Human Body

OK, so you’ve signed up for a weed control, insect control, and fertilization program from a licensed chemical lawn care company. You’re optimistic and are looking for great results, hopeful that your lawn and shrubs will remain healthy and green. The main question is: How long should you stay with the service to get the best results possible? The answer is simple…

Stay with the program!

Just like you, your lawn and shrubs are living organisms. And just like you, living organisms need consistent care, nutrients, and attention.

Let’s compare the human body to your lawn. Imagine starting a healthy diet and you say you’re going to stick with your diet so you can be healthy. You start your diet and the first 2 months give great results. You’ve lost some weight, you have more energy, you’re sleeping better, and you feel great. You’re putting the proper nutrients in your body, you’re adequately hydrating by drinking plenty of water, and all this is due to you staying with your program. BUT, after 2 months, you decide that you can take a break from the diet. You stop taking in the necessary nutrients, you stop drinking plenty of water, and you stop staying with the program. What happens?! The weight comes back on and you become unhealthy again. And worse, you have to start all over to get the desired results!

The same is true for your lawn! This living organism needs proper nutrients, water, and attention. And it can’t be ‘start, stop, and start again’ like a bad diet. It must be consistent and constant, just like the health of your human body.

Don’t quit

A healthy lifestyle provides numerous benefits to the human body and needs to be steady and consistent. The longer you provide essential nutrients and water to your body, the better your body will be. This same concept applies to your lawn. Don’t stop giving your lawn the nutrients (fertilization), weed and insect control, and hydration (watering with your irrigation system) it needs. It can’t be sporadic, or your lawn will suffer the same as you would. We recommend staying on a chemical lawn care program for a minimum of at least 1 year. Treat your lawn as you would treat your body. The longer you take care of it, the better results you will have. Ask the experts at Southern Green USA how you can get those healthy lawn results you want.

Watering your lawn in the winter? Here’s why it’s a must!

You’ve taken the proper steps during the spring and summer months to make sure your lawn and landscape are properly watered. You ran your irrigation system three times a week for seven months and now you’re ready to give those sprinkler heads a break. BUT, WAIT!! You can give your irrigation system a little break, but don’t put it to sleep.

Winter lawns still need water

Your grass may look dead, but it’s not. It’s just dormant due to the colder weather. Even though your lawn doesn’t look thirsty, the roots are still alive and well, and still need water to stay healthy. Turf root health is essential for proper grass growth in the spring and summer months. According to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), you shouldn’t change the amount of water applied each time you water your lawn but should change the frequency based on season.

So, how often should you water your lawn in the winter?

Licensed Irrigation Contractor, Alan Helquist, says, “Even though you may want to save money in the winter and think your lawn doesn’t need water, it’s essential to maintain a steady irrigation program during the colder months.” Helquist goes on to say that you need to water your lawn at least 1 day a week for 45 minutes per zone during the fall and winter months.

“Keeping those turf roots strong, watered, and healthy during the winter will produce tremendous results in the spring. Not watering during the winter to save a couple of bucks will cost you hundreds to thousands in sod replacement in the long run,” says Helquist.

The answer is simple. Make sure you still water your lawn during the cooler and colder months to keep it healthy for the spring and summer. All it takes is 1 day a week! Contact the expert irrigation technicians at Southern Green today and see how they can help you with your irrigation system.

Southern Green supports Kaye’s Kids

At Southern Green, giving back has always been a priority. In over 18 years of business, they have donated thousands of dollars to local and national charities. Along with many other charities, there is one they support year after year.

Started by Mark Kaye, a Jacksonville radio show host, Kaye’s Kids gifts iPads to children in the Jacksonville area suffering from life-threatening illnesses. In December of 2014, Mark and his wife, Pam, partnered with Dreams Come True to start the initiative Kaye’s Kids.

Southern Green owners, Eric Drake and Brad Stowell, took immediate notice of the good that Mark was doing and wanted to know how to help. So, they jumped right in. Over the last 2 years, Southern Green has purchased over 20 iPads for children. These iPads help to brighten the day for children whose days can be very dreary.

Recently, Southern Green supported Mark and Kaye’s Kids once again by purchasing a table at Mark’s charity poker tournament. The tournament alone raised over $15,000 for Kaye’s Kids and Southern Green was a huge part of that success.

“Being able to help Kaye’s Kids and these children is very important to us. To see them smile and know we are helping them in any way means everything,” says owner Eric Drake.

Often, there is more to a business than just day to day operations. And with Southern Green, there is so much more than meets the eye. At Southern Green, giving back to those in need is at the core of their belief system. Eric and Brad instilled this in the heart of the company since day one, and by giving back, continue to make the world a better place.

Maintaining a Beautiful Lawn

Lawn Care TampaWe all strive to have a beautiful lawn, but the reality is some lawns need more care than others. If you are the type of person who wants a lush, green lawn, then you are going to have to do a lot more work than someone who just wants to be a good neighbor with a decent landscape.

One grass is not the same as another grass, so it’s crucial that you make sure you are choosing a grass with a level of maintenance that you can keep up with. Something you should consider is how often you need to fertilize and water your lawn. The more you have to do it, the more you have to mow it and perform pest control. Those with low-level maintenance grass will only have to mow when necessary, as well as fertilize it just two or three times a year. On the other hand, people with high-maintenance grass will have to frequently fertilize the lawn, mow often, and worry about insect and disease problems.

Whether you have a lawn that needs a lot of maintenance or just a bit, Southern Green is ready to assist you. We provide lawn care in Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, and South Florida cities.

Establishment Methods for Your Lawn

Orlando Lawn CareBuilding the perfect lawn does not have to be complicated. Any homeowner can take care of their landscape by choosing the proper establishment method when developing or updating their lawn. As a Florida resident, you have to follow different rules and use grass that people in other states cannot follow.

When it comes to local turfgrass species, selections like St. Augustinegrass can only be established with sod, sprigs, or plugs, as seeds are not available or cannot germinate properly. If the grass can be established by seed, then the grass has to produce enough seeds that it can accurately establish itself. Bahiagrass, centipedegrass, and bermudagrass can be efficiently established by seeds. Before you select seeds or vegetative methods, you should consider the amount of time you have to devote to the process.

The team at Southern Green can help you keep your lawn looking fabulous once it has been fully established. Through our Jacksonville, Tampa, and Orlando lawn care services, our team does what we can to keep weeds and pests out, as well as makes sure everything looks magnificent all year long. Contact us today at (866) 767-0772 to inquire about our services and make an appointment today. Our team is happy to give you advice on the best establishment methods for your landscape.

Mowing Frequency and Your Lawn

Lawn Care Orlando FLAs we have said before, good mowing habits are the cornerstone to a beautiful lawn. If you do not mow your landscape correctly, you will most certainly have to deal with issues related to pests, weeds, and grass diseases that you would not have otherwise. After making sure you have set your lawn mower at the proper height, you need to make sure you are mowing at the appropriate frequency.

The first step to figuring out how frequently you should mow your lawn is reading about the typical maintenance levels. Bahiagrass and carpetgrass have low maintenance levels, so you will not have to mow as often as zoysiagrass or bermudagrass. Most homeowners have lawns with St. Augustinegrass, which has a medium maintenance level. You also need to take fertilization and irrigation into consideration as well. Grasses that are adequately watered and fertilized may not need to be mowed as often. After mowing, you can leave your clippings on the lawn to keep it healthy.

Keeping your lawn looking perfect all year long starts with services from the crew at Southern Green. We provide exceptional lawn care in Orlando, FL, in addition to Tampa, Jacksonville, and South Florida cities. From simple weed control assistance to fire ant pest control, we are prepared to help you improve your landscape.

Choosing the Right Mowing Height for Your Lawn

Lawn Care Jacksonville FLGrowing and maintaining the perfect lawn starts with proper care habits. After choosing the right grass for your area, it is vital that you keep up with regular maintenance. This includes making sure that you mow your lawn at the proper height.

Before you look into the correct mowing height for your grass, you need to consider the type of turfgrass. For example, St. Augustinegrass needs to be mowed at a height of 2.5 to 4 inches, while bermudagrass needs to be at a height of only 0.5 to 1.5 inches. If you mow the turf to a level below the recommended level, you will scalp your grass. Scalping leaves it susceptible to weed, disease, and insect problems.  For greener grass with a better root system, you can mow at a higher height. Mowing at a higher height allows for better drought tolerance and more photosynthesis.

For quality lawn care in Jacksonville, FL, as well as Tampa, Orlando, and South Florida, you can trust the dedicated crew at Southern Green. We have years of experience working on landscapes all across our great state and are ready to come to your home to provide you with fertilization, lawn pest control, and other custom care services.