Winterizing Your Yard

Let's face it. You can stare at your lawn all you want, but it's not going to winterize itself. Do you really need to do it? Do you really need to rake those leaves and fertilize and pull weeds? You'd rather be inside, watching sports or shopping for the upcoming holidays, but there really is no time like the fall to get your lawn ready for next spring.

Now that your bubble has been burst, where do you start? Start winterizing your lawn by giving it a good mowing and watering. To provide good mulch for your lawn, as well as to save yourself some time picking up leaves, mow the lawn without the bag attachment. This will chop leaves into smaller pieces, which can be left on the surface of the lawn as primo mulch. Worms love the stuff, who will take bits and pieces of the leaves down into the dirt with them before a hard freeze, providing a wealth of nutrients both for lawn roots, and earthworms.

Many people don't realize that natural, organic materials offer lawns the ability to conserve water, offer better drainage and essential minerals and materials that will help to create a greener, healthier lawn come spring.

When it comes to tackling those weeds, fall is the best time to take care of them. Most are in "full bloom", meaning they have grown over the warmer summer months despite your best efforts to stay one step ahead of them. However, in a way, this is a good thing, because now is the best time to spray with weed killers or herbicides. Larger blades or stalks enable more weed killer to absorb down into roots, striking where it counts.

Now that you have the leaves and weeds taken care of, it's time to think about fertilizing. Most people fertilize their lawns twice a year; once in the spring, and once in the fall, before a hard freeze. A good fertilizing in the fall will nourish lawn roots to store extra supplies of foods and nutrients to hold them through the long, cold winter months. Indeed, fertilizing in the fall will not encourage growth during winter months, but will help your lawn to stay greener for a longer period of time.

Now, you don't want to fertilize just any old time. You have to plan it right for optimal benefits. The best time to winterize your lawn is late fall. It is a time when your lawn is still green, but you may not have to mow it any longer as cooler weather sets in. For best results, choose a fertilizer that has the word "winterizer" on the package, or one that is high in nitrogen and potassium, and low in phosphorus.

So hop to it, get the job done, and then you can go inside to enjoy the sports or shop to your heart's content. Better yet, call Brawley’s Landscape and we can do the work for you!!

How Do I Turn My Brown Yard Green?

With the drought in Northern Kentucky there is no doubt that you are dealing with a yard that has turned brown!! With colder weather upon us there is a way to green up your yard in as little as 7-10 days.


The first thing you want to do is aerate your yard or better yet, have someone do it for you. Aerating your yard will loosen compacted soil and will allow fertilizer and water to permeate to the root zone.


The next thing you will want to do is re-seed and fertilize. You can fertilize using chemical or organic fertilizers. A high nitrogen 30-5o is the best. Either one is fine but you might want to go organic as it is safe for children and pet.


Then of course you will need to water your lawn. Be sure not to over water or underwater. With overwatering your yard can get diseases and cause root rot. Underwatering, of course will cause your yard to dry out and die. A handy little trick is to place empty tuna cans around your yard and see how long it takes to fill the cans with 1" of water. This is how long you need to water in a drought condition. Use sprinklers to ensure even distribution. The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning, before the sun comes out or late in the evening just after the sun has set. That way, you'll lose less water to evaporation.


Also make sure that your mower blades are sharp, sharp, sharp and set to your grass height.


Follow these steps and your yard should be back to green in 7-10 days.


If you need any help you can always email us at Brawley's Landscape.

Check out the before and after

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Northern Kentucky - Greater Cincinnati - Sprinkler System

Given the hot weather this year we will now be offering sprinkler system installation.

Brawley's Landscape Website Is Up

We are pleased to announce that our website is now up and running. Check it out!!

Brawley's Landscape Makes A Wish Come True

Back in March of 2007 Brawley's Landscape teamed with Make-A-Wish to help make the wish of an eight year old boy come true. He wanted the "backyard of his dreams", so we built him one. Click here to see the video.

Garden Tips for August - Perennials and Bulbs

• Deep watering is essential during this hot, hot month.
  
• Weed and fertilize as needed.
  
• Cut back unsightly perennial foliage.

Brawley's Landscape, LLC

Just wanted to stop in and let everyone know that my website is almost complete. Please go to my profile and follow the link to my website. Feedback is welcome and encouraged.

Garden Tips for August - Annuals

• Cut back tired annuals and rejuvenate with water-soluble fertilizer.
  
• Weed, water, and fertilize as needed.
  
• Watch for signs of pests and diseases, especially spider mites.
  
• Cut flowers early in the morning.

If you need lawn care or landscaping in Northern Kentucky, please feel free to email

I've been in business for over 10 years, 3 in this area. My business has been built primarily by referrals. There isn't any landscape project I haven't tried. Please email me if there is anything I can help you with. My website is coming soon. Stay tuned.

Landscaping in Northern Kentucky Heat!!!

What do you do when the heat is sweltering? Here are some helpful tips to keep your yard looking pristine. 1) Do not fertilize, this only burns your lawn and defeats the purpose. 2) Do not mow unless you absolutely have too. 3) Water, but only at dusk or early in the morning.

Landscaping Tips For August

August is the best time to divide iris and daylilies. Cut back the foliage to a small fan. Lift the clump and pry apart the rhizomes. Throw away the old center and divide into single or double fan rhizomes. Allow rhizomes to dry at least one hour before replanting. This helps prevent rot. For repeat blooming daylilies, dividing should be done every 3-5 years or blooming will significantly diminish.

Typically August is a drier, hotter month. Continue to check new plantings or plants, which are drought intolerant. To minimize any stress during dry periods, water your trees adequately, mulching can also help moderate your tree's moisture level. Some trees that are more sensitive to drought-stress include; mountain ash, Japanese maple, pagoda dogwood, paper birch and river birch along with lindens can defoliate due to drought stress. Deep watering during periods of extended drought will benefit your tree.

As daylilies finish flowering deadhead spent flower stems. This will encourage repeat bloomers, such as Stella de Oro and Happy Returns, to put out more flowers later in the month.