Most homeowners know what services are necessary for good Westport lawn care: proper mowing, aeration, overseeding, adequate hydration and fertilizer. Aeration is one of the most beneficial Westport lawn care services, especially if you live in an area that experiences episodes of little to no rainfall. Aerating your Westport lawn will allow the water from your irrigation system to reach the grass roots directly and be immediately absorbed. However, even though aeration ensures that your Westport lawn and soil are manipulated, you should go one step further and also have your soil periodically tested by a Westport lawn care professional.

A soil test is a fairly simple procedure and many Westport lawn care companies offer the service for free in conjunction with their Westport lawn care programs. The Westport lawn care technician will take a small soil sample and have it sent to a lab. A qualified soil expert will examine the sample and look at the pH level (acidity); the presence or absence of such macronutrients as phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen; the presence or absence of such micronutrients as iron, calcium, zinc, boron, manganese, copper and other nutrients that deter weed growth and enhance the Westport lawn’s resistance to insect and disease infestations; the soil type, which can help your Westport lawn care technician create a preventative plan to reduce the incidence of compaction; and levels of decomposed plant material, also known as thatch.

Once the results are back, your Westport lawn care specialists can consult with you on what the best plan of action is regarding your Westport lawn care regimen. To schedule a soil analysis, call your local Westport lawn care company today.

Ants can be a frustrating problem when it comes to them invading your home. Ants can smell food from many miles away, so if there are any crumbs, food left out or spills, ants will find a way into your home to clean up after you. You can always rely on baits, but if you have children or pets in the home, here are a few natural remedies that are effective but safe for the entire household.

Grits. Yep, that’s right. Use more food to get rid of ants by using quick grits. The end result for the ants isn’t pleasant, as the grits expand in their stomachs and cause the ants to die. You can sprinkle the grits in any area where you have notice ants and voila! They will be gone.

Boric acid. Boric acid can is effective, but Westport pest control specialists warn that you should be careful not to inhale the fumes from the acid as it can cause breathing problems. The toxicity is low to humans, but if you have asthma or other breathing complications, you may want to try one of the other methods. Janitorial experts recommend mixing two parts of something sweet with one part boric acid.

Lemons. Make a concoction of half lemon juice and half water in a spray bottle. Spray around areas where ants frequent, and as well as areas where they may gain entrance to your home such as windows, doors, etc.

Spices. Pest control experts say there are a wide variety of spices that can be used to eliminate ants; however, you have to strategically make a line of the spice that will make it hard for the ants to travel around. Peppermint oil, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cinnamon can all be used to get rid of your ant problem.

Pest control authorities say all these remedies will be effective, but the best way to keep ants out is by cleaning up crumbs and spills as soon as possible and not leaving food out.

Lawn care involves many steps, but perhaps none is as important as proper hydration. After all, a Westport lawn cannot grow without water. Adequately hydrating your Westport lawn is not an exact science, but it is close. The best plan is to install a sprinkler system that ensures your Westport lawn is watered every day at the same time. Sprinkler systems with a timer are even more ideal, but you still have several options there. Lawn care specialists highly recommend pulsating sprinklers for the best results.

Pulsating sprinkler systems spray water into the air and allow the water to fall back down to the ground in a fine mist. There are five different types of pulsating sprinklers: impulse, traveling, stationary, oscillating and rotary. Impulse sprinklers are the top choice of Westport lawn care professionals who need to water a larger area such as an entire landscape or vast Westport lawn.

It is important to know if you have high or low water pressure, as that also factors in to which type of pulsating sprinkler you choose for your Westport lawn care needs. If you have low water pressure, an H-base is a better choice than a spike-based sprinkler which is better suited for high pressure.

Pulsating sprinklers have the benefit of being designed with gusty winds in mind, as well as low-hanging trees or tall shrubs. The height of the water spray can be adjusted accordingly and since the water is typically sprayed close to the ground, its spray is unaffected by the wind.

If you think a pulsating sprinkler may be beneficial to your Westport lawn, contact your local Westport lawn care company. Many Westport lawn care providers also install irrigation systems, especially since proper hydration makes their job that much easier!

Pest control professionals often find that when they’re called out to a job where the homeowner is complaining of excess bugs, the simple is actually quite simple: be mindful of your garbage can.

Even if your garbage can in under a sink or somewhere else that isn’t out in the open, bugs can find a way in because the odors are still being emitted. Pest control experts recommend never throwing any organic material into the waste bin. If you are not able to dispose of the material outside, place the food in a sealable plastic bag (such as a freezer bag) and then dispose of it. Even better, you can place these materials in a plastic bag and add them to your compost pile later on. If you choose this option, however, make sure your compost pile is far away from your home and cover the food scraps with leaves or dirt to prevent attracting unwanted animals.

Make sure you change your garbage bag often. Do not simply empty the contents and leave the bag inside the can. Replace the bag with a new one that will not have food particles on it that will further attract bugs.

Pest control experts also recommend cleaning out your garbage can with bleach from time to time. If the bag has leaked or a piece of food missed the bag and went down the side, the odors are still present and can send out an inviting signal to Westport pests.

Pest control against bugs can be as simple as making that extra effort to be choosy about what garbage goes into your garbage can.

Mowing might seem like the simplest of Westport lawn care tasks, but it is actually quite important to know how to properly mow your Westport lawn to ensure the best results. Over-mowing or mowing at the wrong times or height can have detrimental effects on your Westport lawn. Here are some Westport lawn care tips on proper mowing procedures.

Most Westport lawns are dormant during the winter months, so once spring rolls around, it is time to drag the mower out and get back into the routine. But when you should begin mowing? Lawn care technicians recommend keeping the mower stored away until the ground is thoroughly thawed. Once the ground is soft, that means that grass is growing and mowing it will not cause any damage to the crowns or the shoots.

Most people know that allowing the excess clippings to remain on the Westport lawn is beneficial because as the clippings deteriorate, they become natural fertilizer for the soil below. However, for the first few cuts, attach the bag and gather the clippings. Allow your Westport lawn to grow and breathe without the weight of clippings on top of it.

Lawn care professionals recommend mowing your Westport lawn at a slightly shorter height than you may typically have your mower set. If you normally mow at three inches, take it down to two. This will allow your Westport lawn better stimulation to get the season started off right.

If you have any questions about spring mowing, contact your local Westport lawn care professionals.

As the cooler temperatures arrive and you’ll soon be exchanging your leaf rake for snow shovel, consider a few simple leaf raking tips that will help winterize your Westport lawn while increasing your chances for a better spring green-up.

How well you maintain the leaves in your Westport lawn is a large indicator for how healthy and prepared your Westport lawn will be for next season. When neglected, leaves can suffocate and rob turf of sunlight, water and other essential nutrients. For every leaf that lies on top of your turf, multiple blades of grass beneath it run the risk of browning or even worse, developing patches of mold or fungus depending on how low temperatures drop in your area.

Depending on your yard, raking once a week should be sufficient in at least warding off fungus and disease from developing in your Westport lawn. If you do step up to twice a week, try to keep it to a light raking as it will be gentler on your Westport lawn. Raking is a natural form of dethatching but a little layer of thatch build up is actually healthy for your turf. Just be sure the second raking doesn’t over do it.

If you want to save time and utilize leaves for compost, a mulching mower is a smart investment. A mulching mower can be very beneficial to your Westport lawn as it will chop up and shred leaves to easily decompose in the soil. This granulizes leaves into a natural fertilizer to be absorbed into your Westport lawn.

Check back next week for more information about the absorbing of nutrients in your Westport lawn.

You have been noticing that your Westport lawn is not growing as fast as it should or perhaps it just does not appear as vibrant as it used to look. You may want to call your Westport lawn care company and ask them to perform a soil analysis. There could be several explanations as to why your Westport lawn isn’t thriving, but one reason may be that the pH level of your soil is not where it should be. If that is the case, your Westport lawn care specialists will more than likely suggest lime applications to correct the acidity level. However, wood ashes are an alternative to lime applications that with continual use can have the same level of effectiveness as lime.
The reason wood ashes are used to correct the pH level of soil is because the ashes contain small quantities of boron, potassium, phosphate and other elements pertinent to increasing the soil’s pH level. If you do decide to use wood ashes, you need to be vigilant about using them often and having your soil’s acidity tested annually. Wood ashes are particularly effective in sandy soils. Lawn care experts recommend spreading a thin layer of the ashes over the soil in the winter, then mixing the ashes in with the soil again in the spring. Be aware of what other plants the ashes come into contact with, as they can cause damage to plant roots or seedlings that are in a state of germination.
If you aren’t sure about how much to use or how to correctly apply the wood ashes, call your Westport lawn care professional.

Most people have heard of the West Nile Virus (WNV), but may not know exactly what it is, how it is transmitted, what the symptoms are and who is more at-risk.

West Nile Virus is found in the majority of temperate areas of North America and mostly affects birds. WNV is transmitted from bird to bird by infected mosquitoes; however, mosquitoes can also infect humans through their bites. Pest control specialists say although you should take being infected by WNV seriously, only one percent of those individuals who have been infected will incur severe symptoms.

Most cases of WVN occur in the late summer months and early fall. Pest control experts say those infected will likely experience a fever, skin irritations, swollen lymph glands, headaches and body aches. More severe cases will suffer from a high fever, neck stiffness, tremors, confusion, a dazed state, convulsions and possibly paralysis.

Most people will only experience mild symptoms, but individuals with a weakened immune system, people over the age of 50 and infants are more likely to suffer from severe symptoms because of the inability of their immune system to fight off the infection. Regardless of your age or the state of your immune system, if you have been bitten by a mosquito and begin to feel any of these symptoms, you should call your doctor immediately.

Unfortunately there is no vaccine against West Nile Virus. Most infected individuals will have to be hospitalized until the infection subsides. To avoid possible infection, contact your local Westport pest control company to find out how you can protect your property against mosquitoes.

When your Westport lawn needs fertilized, the best solution is to contact your local Westport lawn care company and have the professionals attend to the task. However, if you’re one of those do-it-yourselfers, then there is some research to be done on the subject. Not all fertilizers are the same, so you should decide which fertilizer is right for your Westport lawn, how much should be applied, when it should be applied, as well as what to do to ensure the application is successful. If you’re using granule fertilizer, you will want to look into purchasing a spreader to disseminate the fertilizer evenly.
There are generally two types of spreaders: drop spreaders and broadcast spreaders. Broadcast spreaders are particularly advantageous for those who have a large Westport lawn to cover. However, if the area you’re fertilizing is small, a drop spreader might be more ideal.
Whereas broadcast spreaders fling the fertilizer in every direction, drop spreaders are more focused, releasing the fertilizer directly underneath the device through the hopper. This means you have to make certain you have covered that area thoroughly, or else you could have some areas of your Westport lawn growing wildly while other sections barely look alive. Another downfall to using a drop spreader is the risk of over-fertilizing your Westport lawn; applying fertilizer is a very delicate balance and if you apply too much fertilizer, you run the risk of frying your Westport lawn.
If this sounds like too much of a hassle or you’re not particularly good at staying within the lines, your best option is to contact your local professional Westport lawn care company and leave the fertilizing to them. Sometimes having a beautiful, successful Westport lawn means leaving it up to the pros!

Anyone who wants a beautiful, successful landscape knows that Connecticut pest control is an important aspect in maintaining and promoting optimal health. You’ve utilized the best Connecticut pesticides to protect your plants from destructive bugs and other Connecticut pest control options to eliminate nuisance Connecticut pests such as rabbits, moles and voles. But no matter how much time and energy you put into producing a flawless landscape, it seems the deer are always getting the best of you and helping themselves to your hard work. The trick may be to find the right plants that will prove to be an unsatisfying meal. Here are some evergreen plants that Connecticut pest control specialists say work wonders against deer invasions.

Blue Rug Juniper Plants

Blue rug juniper plants are a favorite among homeowners for several reasons, one being their ability to deter deer. This beautiful silvery-blue foliage provides a distinctive look on one’s landscape, in addition to being maintenance-free. Pest control technicians recommend surrounding your garden plants with blue rug juniper plants to essentially build a groundcover fortress that is guaranteed to keep deer at bay.

English Boxwood Shrubs

These distinctive shrubs are excellent for lining garden pathways or even providing a lined barrier around your plants that deer tend to nosh on and thereby destroy. Like the groundcover mentioned above, boxwood shrubs require dry soil and do best in an area with partial shade, although they can exist in areas with a greater amount of sunlight exposure. Pest control specialists say the tightly compacted light-green leaves of the boxwood shrubs are not a favorite among deer and will survive any late-night inquiries as to what’s on the garden menu. By surrounding your landscape with English boxwood shrubs, you can give your garden plants a better chance of survival.

Blue Star Juniper

Blue star junipers are another way to delicately and inconspicuously repel deer from your landscape. Pest control agents say these needled evergreens are not coveted by deer and if grown on the outer edges of your landscape, should be an adequate deterrent.

For more information on these and other plants that are known to repel deer, call your local Connecticut pest control company.