Letter

Fall  2018

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BEWARE OF THE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY!

Many

Man

After keeping up with gardens and landscaping all summer, we'd all like to take a break from those outdoor chores and responsibilities. Those cozy afternoons in the family room are certainly enticing but you'll feel even better when you invest in the time it takes to bite the bullet and implement a good fall leaf clean-up. You'll feel better when it's over but your lawn and property will reap the biggest benefits.

     There are two obvious choices when it comes to doing your fall laf clean-up: do it yourself or hire a professional. Wetter Landscaping provides this service and we take great pains to make sure we do it for you as efficiently as possible to keep costs down. We'll provide a free estimate based on your property and nature of the clean-up.

     Many people don't realize that a fall leaf cleanup isn't necessarily a once-a-season task.  It depends on the length of the fall season and the degree of neat and tidy you want on your property. Adjoining property owners may not have a similar philosophy as yours and their leaves can end up on your property adding to the job.

     The good news is that do-it-yourself leaf removal doesn't have to be a blister-inducing, exhausting project. With the right tools, leaves can be gone with plenty of time left to enjoy your weekend.

Doing it yourself? Tips for making it easier

     Come this time of year, drop your lawnmower settings down as low as they'll go without scalping the turf. Short grass gives leaves less to get caught on as they drift around the neighborhood. It also means the mower will vaporize any leaves that have already fallen.

     You can also purchase a mulching mower—the kind without a bag that pulverizes clippings and drops them back into the turf to feed it. If you're going to use a leaf blower stay away from the wimpy types that can barely blow out a birthday candle. The typical plug-in version usually isn't powerful enough to do the job efficiently. Invest a few extra bucks and get one that can handle the job properly.

     Use a large tarp to move large leaf piles to either the curb for pick-up or the woods. Even better are leaf haulers which usually have sidewalls to keep the leaves corralled. They are not expensive and can save a lot of aggravation.

     If you must pack your leaves into brown paper bags for municipal curb pickup, check out the Leaf Chute ($9 at Lowe's or Home Depot). It's a low-tech, three-sided plastic tube that props open the empty bag and has a wide mouth for easy loading. Once the bag is full enough to stand on its own, remove the chute and pack in as many more leaves as you can stamp down.

     We all think about just letting nature take its course when it comes to fall leaf cleanup. Before choosing to just let things take care of themselves, remember that excess leaves on the lawn blocks sunlight and reduces water evaporation, which can cause fungus, mold and disease. If leaves get too thick, they can cause stress to a lawn and require re-seeding or even worse for your lawn, Wet, decomposing leaves can also be a breeding ground for mosquitoes so weigh the risks before choosing to cross a fall leaf cleanup off your list.

     Cleaning up your fall leaves can be a relatively simple project when you choose to work smarter, not harder.

Wetter Landscaping

has been busy control

spraying this potentially

serious issue for our customers.

If you think you might be affected, call us immediately to discuss our remedial program and inspection procedures.

The commonwealth of Pennsylvania has an insect problem that's reaching crisis levels. Its name is the spotted lanternfly and if you're seeing strange damage to your trees, you might be at risk. In February 2018, the USDA officially declared war on the spotted lanternfly, giving Pennsylvania $17.5 million to fight the invasive species.The spotted lanternfly is about an inch long, boasting peacock-like spotted outer wings and jarringly bright, red and black inner wings. Despite those showy appendages, it’s not good at flying and instead prefers to hop. Native to Vietnam, China, and India, it has become a major invasive species in the two places it has managed to travel to: South Korea and Pennsylvania.

egg sacs

Aeration is a pretty big deal in the lawn-care world, and you probably have seen the after-effects, even if you did not realize that it was called aeration. Aeration is the process through which air is circulated through, mixed with or dissolved in a liquid or a substance.

The technical definition is a bit complicated, so to simplify with respect to lawn care: aeration is the process through which soil is either pounded down with spikes, or removed as core samples. In both cases the effect is the same, i.e., pockets appear where air can enter the soil more easily. Experts recommend aerating twice a year, once in spring (March-May), and once in fall (August-November). If you missed the first season, then don't stress! Just make sure to get the fall aeration done to ensure a healthy lawn throughout the winter.

The benefits of aeration compared to the time and money you may invest to accomplish the task are overwhelming. Aeration offers some of the most easily recognizable, and quickest results of any lawn maintenance operation. and below is a list of just seven of the benefits of aeration:

     1.     Water and Fertilizer can be used more efficiently by your lawn

     2.     Thatch will be minimized

     3.     Grass roots can grow deeper and healthier

     4.     Soil compaction is reduced

     5.     Improved lawn health

     6.     Improved lawn appearance

     7.     Ability of lawn to withstand more activity

Year-Long Beauty

Items 2 and 7 on the list, cannot be overstated enough. Thatch is a layer of dead, mostly plant tissue that protects lawns by regulating temperature. Too much thatch however, can limit soil oxygenation and watering effectiveness! Giving your lawn a good once-over with a rake can prevent some of the negative side-effects of thatch, but to truly make sure your lawn is great, aeration is necessary. Number 7 is especially important for people who like to gather outside. Anyone who has ever had a bonfire, or a party outdoors, knows that the lawn looks beaten down the next day. Aeration prevents soil from compacting under heavy strain, and also allows your grass to return more quickly to its natural state, minimizing the chance for damage.

Aeration and Grass Growth

“So what does this mean for grass growth?” You might ask. The answer is two-fold. When aeration is performed alone, the existing grass gains deeper roots, but this can lead to spotty grass due to over-competition for nutrients. To truly capitalize on your newly aerated lawn, over-seeding must be performed, and now is the perfect time to do it! Over-seeding is the process in which more grass seed than needed is laid down to increase the chance of seed germination. The whole process takes about 8-10 weeks, hence why we recommend doing it now, and almost always leads to a healthier and denser lawn. Putting down lots of grass seed also ensures that your existing grass does not grow its roots too long, which is also why we recommend performing over-seeding as soon as possible after aeration.

We hope that this summary has been helpful. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an aeration and seeding, or any other lawn care service, call us during business hours. Wetter's team of trained professionals will ensure that your lawn is healthy, happy and beautiful.