Seasonal Lawn Care Tips
By Clint Herbert on April 16, 2012
Spring Lawn and Landscape Tips
Courtesy of Professional Grounds, Inc.
Caring for your lawn and landscape plants can be a challenging task but there are a few simple products you can use and steps you should take to make your lawn and landscape perform well with little effort. Below are some suggestions that we suggest to keep you lawn and landscape looking their best. As always, when using any specific product always read and follow all label directions and remember to measure your lawn prior to applications of any products. REMEMBER: Applying too much of a particular product can be harmful to your lawn.
Also, it is a good idea to perform a soil test. You can contact the local county extension service for information. Based off the soil test results they will identify any nutrient deficiencies and/or pH imbalance and make specific suggestions for your lawn. If you pH is too low for example the plant may not get enough nutrients. You can apply lime any time of year should the soil test dictate.
Spring Lawn Care Tips
It has been a very unusually warm winter so there are an abundance of winter annuals weeds that thrived this winter. Most of these weeds are flowering now and will be completing their life cycle in the very near future and will die. Additionally, you can anticipate seeing quite a number of early germinating perennial weeds such as clover and dandelion. In order to control these weeds it is best to apply a broadleaf weed control. Rather than using a granular product it is easier and more effective to purchase a premixed product from your local garden center that attaches to your hose. These hose end products are very simple to apply and very effective. Someone in the lawn and garden section could help you choose which product you need.
*Important-Do not spray these products on ornamental plants (plants, bushes, trees etc.) as it will hurt or kill them.
In early to mid Spring you also want to apply a standard “weed and feed” product you can get from you local garden center. Look for a product that provides fertilizer (N-P-K) as well as a preemergent herbicide for summer grassy annuals (crabgrass and goosegrass). Some of these products also have postemergent weed controls built into them and must be applied when you have a heavy dew or when the grass is wet. The broadleaf weed controls stick to the leaves of the emerged weeds and kill them. We have found that you get better results using a liquid broadleaf weed control as mentioned above.
If you have thin/weak areas you can do some spring seeding but it is often best to wait until early fall to seed because it is difficult for immature seedling root systems to make in through the hot, dry summer. You can always water small areas but fall is usually a better time to seed. If you did do any spring seeding it needs to be done ASAP and delay putting a preemergent crabgrass control down as it will prevent your grass seed from germinating. When purchasing seed, always purchase high quality seed and avoid the very inexpensive seed as it is usually poor grass types that will cause more problems in the long run. Avoid seed with annual ryegrass. In this area “Turftype Tall Fescue” is the grass of choice.
***Always follow label directions when applying any control products.
Flower Beds and Shrubs
Again, it has been a very warm winter so many flower beds are quite weedy. Early spring is the ideal time to perform a spring clean-up of your property and add mulch to your landscape beds. Perennials should be cut back as appropriate for species. You should cut Liriope and ornamental grasses and other any perennials back in late Winter/early Spring. Prior to mulching spend some time weeding your flower beds.
Following that you should mulch your flower beds and tree rings with an aged shredded mulch. Again, this can be purchased from your local garden center and is available in bags. Since it comes in bags it’s very easy for homeowners to transport and not nearly as messy as bulk mulch. When spreading the mulch be certain not to over mulch. An thickness of 1.5” of mulch throughout your flower beds is plenty.
Consider applying an application of dormant oil to your ornamental plant material in mid to late March. Dormant oil can be purchased from you local garden center and is a non-toxic material that smothers overwintering insects, eggs, and larvae. Be sure to follow directions on the label. Again, because the winter has been so mild insects are going to be a potentially large problem this year.
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Spring Home/Yard Maintenance Advisory
By Clint Herbert on April 15, 2012
Dear Lorton Valley Homeowner,
Spring has finally sprung! With the great weather coming early into view, now is the time to focus on preparing the outside of our homes for the summer season and bringing them back into compliance with the Association regulations and guidelines. Over the course of the next few weeks you should be taking the extra time to inspect the exterior of your home to ensure everything is in good shape. Listed below are just a few items of community concern that we recommend you pay close attention to and fix as necessary:
-All wood and trim (doors, porch, deck, facia, shutters, etc.) should be inspected for cracks, bubbles, fading, etc. If present, these items MUST be corrected.
-Rain gutters should be cleaned and repaired as necessary. Gutter spikes MUST be hammered back into the trim and frame board.
-All decks and fences should be inspected for weathering (e.g., deck floor or fencing is gray in color) this must be corrected by power washing and resealing. Replace broken and warped boards as required.
-Lawns, no matter how small, must consist of grass (bare earth, weeds, clover, etc., are not acceptable). Fertilizing and frequent, consistent watering is necessary to maintain green grass growth. Lawns with weed infestation must be remedied by eradicating the weeds, reseeding or resodding. No exceptions.
- Flower gardens must be properly mulched (minimum of 3 inches of mulch required). Gardens experiencing frequent rain runoff require the installation of garden boxes or border of appropriate height (minimum 6 inches) necessary to hold the soil, mulch, and plants. NOTE: Garden boxes/borders must be of the same material and style. Multiple styles/materials are not acceptable.
-Trees and shrubbery MUST be trimmed/pruned to the appropriate height. Shrubbery cannot exceed 36" in height. Tree branches MUST be pruned to a minimum of 4 ft from ground level.
-Many homes are experiencing the presence of Mold on their vinyl siding and gutters. It is usually black or green in color. It is unsightly and will eventually damage your siding and brick work. This MUST be power washed off and frequently monitored to maintain control.
These are just a few items of interest that demand your attention. As a homeowner in Lorton Valley it is your duty to maintain your home at its highest level. All necessary work is to be concluded by 30 June 2012. HOA management will continue inspections for these specific items through the Spring and Summer months to ensure compliance with applicable HOA regulations and guidelines. You may find the regulations and guidelines on our new website at: www.lortonvalley.com.
Please contact Mr. Randy Kline, onsite Manager at: rkline@armstrong.net or 703-966-7716 for additional information or assistance.
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Community Policy - Leash Law and Cleaning-up of Pet Waste
By Clint Herbert on February 1, 2012
If you are a dog owner and you or your children walk your pet around the neighborhood, you are reminded that ALL dogs MUST be on a leash, no exceptions. You are also reminded that you MUST clean-up after your pet no matter where it does its business, even if you simply allow your pet to defecate in your yard! We continue to experience too many instances of residents ignoring this simple but vitally important community rule.
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