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Our educational tips and advice for your lawn and landscape!
Your sprinkler system is an intricate network of valves, pipes, fittings, and other crucial parts. When not prepared properly for the cold winter, the icy weather can cause serious damage to the entire system. Water that is not blown out of your sprinkler system can cause your pipes, sprinkler heads, and manifold to crack and burst, resulting in very costly repairs and replacement.
Winterization is critical for keeping your irrigation system safe throughout the cold months of the year. If you live in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding areas, here is why it is crucial to winterize your sprinkler system before the freeze sets in.
After using your irrigation system, water remains inside your pipes. If you fail to blow out your pipes, then any remaining water in them will freeze. With no room for the freezing water to expand, your pipes will crack and burst in large sections. Frozen pipes are very costly and difficult to repair or replace because they are entirely underground. Fixing broken irrigation pipes requires digging and repiping the entire system. The key to avoiding this damage and a costly repair is to drain as much water from the lines as possible before they freeze and burst.
Water can, and often does, get trapped inside the sprinkler heads themselves. When this water freezes it expands and the...
When winter weather hits and the snow begins to fall, it can present a very pretty picture—until you realize you have to now walk outside to your car and try not to slip or fall on icy sidewalks, walkways, or driveways.
There are many reasons to consider scheduling snow removal services for your home in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and surrounding central Iowa areas. Safety is a big one, but there are others as well.
In our area of central Iowa, we can see snowfall for almost half of the year, starting in November and ending sometime around April. That means there will be many mornings where you walk out to see snowy or icy walkways at your home. Scheduling routine snow removal services means that you don’t have to worry about potential obstacles in getting to your car in the morning before heading to work.
It also means there’s less danger of you being exposed to the cold weather. When you’re outside in the cold for long periods of time, only using a shovel to clear your walkways, driveways, and more, then you have a danger of developing hypothermia.
According to the National Safety Council, snow removal and snow shoveling account for thousands of injuries and around 100 deaths each year. When people who are not used to the physical toll of shoveling snow get out ...
Fertilization is very important to a strong, healthy lawn. While most people focus on fertilizing their lawn in the spring and summer, many are surprised to learn that fall is actually the best and most important time of year to fertilize your lawn.
Fall fertilizer treatments strengthen your lawn’s foundation by providing it with fuel to survive the cold winter months. This boost in nutrition helps sustain your lawn and encourages faster recovery after dormancy. Here is how fall fertilizer treatments benefit your lawn in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding areas.
Fall is the by far the most important time of year to fertilize your lawn. Fertilizing in spring and summer promotes growth and renewal, but fall fertilization provides your lawn with all the nutrients it needs to survive the winter. Along with cooler temperatures, autumn brings more moisture which is needed for optimum nutrient absorption. More nutrient absorption is paramount to sustaining your lawn throughout the winter and ensuring it has the energy reserves needed to return strong and vibrant in the spring.
Fall fertilizer, also known as winterizer, does not encourage growth like its spring and summer counterparts, but rather provides food for your lawn’s dormancy cycle. Winterizer provides food and nutrients for your lawn so ...
Many homeowners enjoy the look of fall leaves decorating their lawn. Warm autumn colors add to the ambiance and help get everyone in the mood for the season. While these leaves may be beautiful and seem harmless on your lawn, they actually pose serious dangers to your lawn and all who walk across it.
Allowing a blanket of leaves to accumulate on your lawn kills your grass, promotes diseases, and houses dangerous pests. Here are three reasons why leaves need to be removed from your lawn in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding areas.
Your lawn needs access to sunlight, water, air, and nutrients to grow strong and healthy. When you allow leaves to accumulate on top of your lawn, this thick blanket suffocates your lawn and blocks sunlight, water, and air from reaching through. Without proper sunlight, your grass can’t go through photosynthesis and absorb nutrients from your soil. Removing leaves and keeping your yard clear of debris and clutter will ensure your lawn has access to all the nutrition it needs to stay strong and healthy.
Leaf clutter can pose serious health problems for your lawn, plants, and your loved ones. Damp, rotting leaves create a wet blanket that traps moisture underneath, creating the perfect environment for fungi and mold to cultivate. Mold is not only harmful to your lawn and landscape but is also a hazard to...
Routine lawn care is the key to a healthy, beautiful lawn. Certain services, such as aeration and overseeding, are highly beneficial and when applied during the fall, help prepare your lawn for the upcoming winter months. Aeration provides grass roots with greater access to nutrients they need to last the winter and grow strong and healthy when the spring returns.
Here is why your lawn needs aeration and overseeding in the fall in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding areas.
Aerating and overseeding your lawn in the fall promotes its health and prepares it for the upcoming winter months. In order for your lawn to survive the harsh winter and return full and strong in the spring, it needs to be at its best, and aeration and overseeding ensure your lawn has the necessary nutrients and seeds needed to do just that.
Over time your soil becomes compacted due to foot traffic and weather, inhibiting the flow of nutrients to your lawn’s roots. When your grass doesn’t get the nutrients it needs to grow strong and healthy, it weakens and becomes more susceptible to pests, diseases, and the harsh winter weather. A healthy lawn can withstand the cold and elements much better than a weak, nutrient-deficient lawn. Provided with proper aeration and overseeding, your lawn will return in the spring thick, green, and healthy.
When you invest your money and time into your lawn and landscape, it’s important to do everything you can to keep that investment well-maintained. Mowing your lawn and trimming your landscape is part of keeping it maintained and offers several benefits.
Routine mowing and trimming keep your lawn and landscape looking nice, keeps it healthy, and helps save you time and money by preventing issues later on. Here are some reasons why you need to keep your lawn mowed and landscape trimmed in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding central Iowa areas.
A beautiful landscape and lawn adds curb appeal and increases your home’s property, but only if it’s healthy and well-maintained. Regular maintenance such as trimming and mowing keeps your lawn and landscape looking nice and healthy. Even if you don’t have any plans to sell your home, your lawn and landscape (particularly your front yard) is the first thing visitors notice. A home with a messy, unkempt lawn or landscape detracts from your home’s curb appeal and value. Routine trimming keeps your plants at a manageable size and provides beautiful accenting without detracting from your home’s appeal.
A mowed lawn keeps your yard level and prevents overgrown grass and weeds from taking over the rest of your landscape and creating an unattractive mess.
Regular mowing and trimming keep your lawn ...
In order to have healthy, productive plants, you must start with fertile, healthy soil. Good soil retains water, releases nutrients for plants and grass, and drains well. Your garden’s soil must contain adequate nutrients, optimum pH, and organic matter to be healthy and fertile. Oftentimes guessing means too little or too much fertilizer, resulting in unhealthy plants and threatening water sources.
A soil test is necessary for determining what exactly is in your soil, and aids lawn care companies in tailoring their lawn care services to better match the exact needs of your plants. Here are some reasons we recommend soil testing for homes in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding central Iowa areas.
Soil tests provide a detailed analysis of your soil’s pH and the most important nutrients needed for soil: phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese, and iron. A soil test will tell you what nutrients your lawn and plants need to grow, and will recommend the type and amount of fertilizer to add to your soil.
For a soil test, several collections of soil are taken from approximately six inches deep, and from several different spots on your lawn. These soil samples can then be tested at home, by a professional like A+ Lawn & Landscape, or taken to a laboratory for further analysis.
Knowing your...
Custom outdoor lighting is a great way to enhance the beauty of your home. Adding tasteful lighting to landscape beds, walkways, driveways, and other areas of your property highlights your home's best features while adding extra safety and security by illuminating dark areas of your property.
Here are some ways custom outdoor lighting can enhance your home in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding areas.
A home with proper outdoor lighting is much more than just a beautiful sight to behold in a neighborhood. Proper outdoor lighting can increase the value of your home and add functionality. On average, custom landscape lighting can increase your home's value by 20 percent. If you install energy-efficient LED bulbs, this lighting can save you even more money.
Adding a to a home's curb appeal always increases the property's value, and the same is true for custom landscape lighting. Outdoor lighting enhances your home by highlighting the decor and other areas of interest while complementing its style. Fixtures and lighting are available in many styles and finishes to enhance the look and feel of your outdoor living areas.
Outdoor lighting adds functionality to your outdoor living areas. Without proper lighting, certain areas inside your home become less functional, and the same is true for outdoor living spaces. Without light, these areas become...
Seasonal cleanups, typically performed in spring and fall, can benefit your residential or commercial property in numerous ways including appearance, plant health, and more.
Here are some ways a cleanup can help your central Iowa yard in places such as Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and the surrounding areas.
When leaves and other debris are left to sit on top of your grass, it means that your lawn does not have enough of an opportunity to get the nutrients it needs to grow correctly. It takes a lot of time and money invested to get your lawn looking lush, full, and green. You don't want to lose that investment by letting yard debris stay put and choke out the grass underneath it.
Removing that debris gives the lawn a chance to breathe and absorb the proper amount of light and water it needs.
Removing leaves from your yard is important for a number of reasons. When leaves stay on your yard, they can accumulate and create a haven for yard pests. Those leaves can also end up blocking light, air, and water from reaching the soil below. When this happens, it can kill the grass underneath.
Fall cleanups should be done sometime before the end of November to ensure all the leaves have been removed from your yard before winter weather hits.
During the summer months, we like to enjoy our front and back yards as much as possible. But the constant presence of common, annoying pests such as mosquitoes can make that difficult. Keeping these pests at bay is important for a number of reasons.
Here is why you should consider using a mosquito control program for your home in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and other central Iowa areas.
Mosquito bites alone are painful and itchy, but those bites can come with further complications that can lead to a hefty medical bill. Mosquito control for your property is necessary in order to mitigate the risks that come from mosquito bites. These pests can transmit diseases such as West Nile Virus, Zika virus, and encephalitis.
West Nile Virus may not become severe when it is contracted, but in severe cases, symptoms such as headaches, seizures, and tremors can happen. Encephalitis is also rare but symptoms include fever, drowsiness, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, and more. Zika virus is mild in most people, but if a pregnant woman were to catch it, it could greatly affect the growing fetus and cause birth defects.
There are some areas where mosquitoes are known to breed and then multiply, and there are plenty of those areas in your central Iowa yard. One of the most common places to find mosquitoes is in...
