GreenMark’s granular crabgrass control program is guaranteed for 6 months. This early pre-emergent with fertilizer gives us control over a variety of weeds, offering superior results.

If you wonder where the crabgrass in your lawn comes from each year the answer is that it germinates from seed every spring. Crabgrass is a summer annual plant which means it germinates from seed each spring, grows bigger as the weather warms up, produces seed in late summer and is killed by a hard frost in fall. The crabgrass seed that germinates in your lawn this spring was most likely produced late last summer. If you had crabgrass in your lawn last year, it is important that you take steps to control it this year.

The most effective way to control crabgrass is to prevent the crabgrass seed from becoming established in your lawn by applying a preemergent herbicide, commonly referred to as crabgrass preventer. A preemergent herbicide forms a herbicide barrier at the surface of the soil. As a crabgrass seed germinates, the emerging root contacts the herbicide barrier. The preemergent herbicide disrupts normal root growth and the crabgrass seedling soon dies without ever being noticed.

For most preemergent herbicides to be effective they must be applied prior to crabgrass seed germinating. The preemergent herbicide must be present in the soil as the crabgrass seed germinates so the new root will contact the herbicide. Crabgrass seed begins germinating as the soil temperature at a two-inch depth reaches 50° to 55° F for several consecutive days. The date when crabgrass seed germination begins varies depending on geographic location - with crabgrass seed germination beginning in southern locations in late winter or early spring and in northern locations in late spring. Some Crabgrass control formulations, like Green Mark's Formula Spring Fertilizer with Crabgrass preventers, also provide post-emergent control of crabgrass. It will control crabgrass seed as it germinates like other preemergent herbicides plus it will control small crabgrass plants that have germinated and have a leaf or two present at the time it is applied (typically up to four weeks after germination).

The advantage of the Green Mark's Formula Spring Fertilizer with Crabgrass Preventer formulation is that you have greater flexibility on the date when you make the product application. If you miss the date of crabgrass seed germination by up to four weeks, it will still control the tiny crabgrass plants that have already started to grow plus any crabgrass seed that has yet to germinate. The fertilizer component of the product will help the lawn green up, grow and most importantly, will encourage the existing turfgrass plants to fill in thin areas resulting in a thicker, denser stand of turf. The increased turf density will help the turf grass plants crowd out crabgrass.

Fertilization to promote deep green color using balanced complete fertilizer/blanket weed control blended to target all perennial/annual lawn weeds.

At GreenMark Lawn Service, we use only the best quality products on your lawn, combined with an individualized lawn treatment program specialized to meet your needs. Our employees aren't seasonal or transient but here for a career. They take great care and pride in your lawn, working on it year after year, knowing what it needs to be healthy.

Our custom blended, dry fertilizer gives your lawn the nutrients it needs, when it needs it.

We believe in an environmentally sound approach to weed control, target weed control. We don't believe in generic, all over weed control. Our program involves constantly modifying the treatment of your lawn based on what we see is happening.

Our professional care, combined with a friendly, personal approach, will bring out the best in your lawn. Our quality products and lawn service will give your lawn the character to carry through the dryness of summer.
Our program guarantees results.

Follow our simple instructions and a healthy, lush lawn will be yours backed with a money-back guarantee. We specialize in healthy lawns that are bug and pest resistant, lawns that shine green throughout the year, adding a rich gleam to the neighborhood. You'll be proud of your beautiful new lawn. We guarantee it.

GreenMark’s specially formulated organic lawn feed supplies organic nutrients to help combat heat stress. Weed control blended to target the “tough weeds”.

Growing a Lawn

Most things necessary for lawn rehabilitation are also part of seasonal lawn care, except that if you’re rehabilitating a bad lawn you’ll probably need to do more of them more often for a while. A healthy lawn may need aerating only once every two to three years; a badly compacted one probably needs it twice for two years in a row, and at least once the following year.

Most of the heavy rehabilitation work gets done in spring or fall, while during the summer it’s important to keep up a good regime of regular maintenance.

Heavy rate of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to improve root structure and specifically help grass plants recover/broadleaf weed control and nutsedge control as needed.

Fertilization

Lawns must be properly fertilized to stay the right color, thickness, and health. Also, a well-fed grass recovers more quickly from stress and is more aggressive against weeds. As with all living things, proper nutrition is important to prevent diseases and insects. A fertilization program begins with soil testing, which tells the status of nutrients in your soil. Recommendations then can be made specifically for your lawn.

Liming
When soil tests indicate the need for lime, be sure to follow the recommendations carefully. Two common sources of lime are calcitic lime (ground agricultural lime) and dolomitic lime (dolomite). You can apply lime any time in the year, but you should apply no more than 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet to actively growing turf.

Fertilization for the winter months designed to help your lawn store as much food and water prior to winter dormancy. Guaranteed weed control.Fall  WinterGuard

Benefits

• Kills dandelions and other major lawn weeds.
• Protects and strengthens for a better spring lawn.
• Improves lawn's ability to absorb water and nutrients.

One treatment with no damage, money back guarantee

Preventative Grub Control

Grubs can eat your lawn from the inside out by feeding on the solid root structure of your lawn. Years of careful care can all go to ruin with a grub infestation. Grubs often lay waste to large areas, ruining a substantial amount of green space that can require considerable renovation and restoration. Careful planning in cycle with the seasons, combined with a solid lawn treatment program, can ensure that your lawn will shine and make you proud.

Before your lawn and hard work become a grub’s next lunch, take this important step- call the people who know best. Make a wise investment in professional lawn service. It will give back with a healthy, vibrant lawn you are proud to own at a surprisingly low cost. Operated locally, GreenMark Lawn Service offers affordable rates and a money back guarantee.

A healthy lawn is the best prevention

Your first step in preventative grub control is to keep them out of your lawn in the first place. The first line of defense is to care for your lawn, make it shiny and healthy, strong in natural defenses. A healthy lawn wards off grubs. As a strong immune system keeps us from getting sick, a vibrant green lawn helps to grow its own defenses. Like we take care of our bodies, we must take care of our lawns. Healthy, natural lawn treatment is essential.

Unfortunately, there’s no quick way to detect the presence of grubs at an early stage. When symptoms appear, it’s usually too late- grubs have already infested your lawn beyond a treatable stage. The key to prevention is careful lawn treatment.

Systematically applied mid-summer or early fall, Merit® Grub Control from Bayer is absolutely the best product on the market. Proven to be effective, it kills grubs where they sleep, as soon as they are born. As the newly hatched grubs feed on the applied roots, they eat the Merit® and die- long before they wreak their devastation on your lawn.

To be most effective, you should try to do a good job at predicting when larvae appear. Like keeping an eye on the weather, you should keep an eye on your lawn. Know its cycles and trends. If a small infestation generally shows up in the fall, you can be sure to see them again the following year.

Pay attention to the insects in your yard during the summer. If you notice large populations of Japanese beetles, there’s a good chance you’ll see their grubs hatching later in the summer. Spotting a grub problem before it becomes a problem can save you a lot of money and hassle in the future.

In the case of grubs, there are two ways to approach your problem. First, you can take the preventative approach and maintain your lawn with the necessary Merit® application. The second approach is to care for the damage that’s already been done. Careful lawn treatment can heal your lawn and bring back its shine. Proper lawn service can restore a damaged lawn’s health, bring out its vibrant shine for you to enjoy.

Curing a damaged lawn is the more costly approach to handling your grub problem. The majority of the time, serious grub damage will mean replanting some of your lawn to heal its health.

Proper lawn treatment requires expert care, someone who knows the cures for problems that inevitably present themselves in maintaining a healthy lawn. Call in a local expert, one who is familiar with your lawn’s particular climate and rainfall, before it’s too late. Grubs will kill your lawn.

For more information on how to defeat your grub problem before it begins, please call us. We will be happy to talk to you and answer all your questions. We hope you decide to trust GreenMark Lawn Service to bring great results for you, too. Everyone deserves to enjoy a vibrant, healthy lawn. You can, too.

White Grubs

If your lawn becomes seriously damaged by white grubs, you can roll patches of your lawn back like a carpet. After hatching from eggs in about 10 days, the tiny grubs start feeding immediately on your lawn, damaging your grass with dead, tan patches, killing the roots and the turf in their wake. Most injury will occur during the fall, grubs feed near the surface of your lawn, damaging whole areas of its beauty with patches of dead grass.

Female adult beetles deposit their eggs in the moistness of your soil. The eggs need ample moisture to promote hatching.

When the soil temperatures drop in the fall, the grubs move down 6 to 12 inches in the soil where they spend the winter. But their devastation is far from over. In April, they move back up the roots of your lawn and continue feeding on your grass. In late May and June, they change to the pupal stage. They emerge as adult beetles in late June, increasing in numbers until they peak in July.

White grubs can damage the lush quality of your lawn, creating tan patches of dead grass that is often spongy to walk on. They can ruin the quality of a lawn treatment if not dealt with quickly. As they continue to lay eggs and be pests year after year, white grubs can be a perpetual problem if not dealt with correctly through a quality lawn service. Call your GreenMark Lawn Service representative to guard against infestations that can ruin your lawn.

One treatment per season, guaranteed year-around

Fleas

Fleas thrive in warm or humid weather and can lay up to 50 eggs each day. Their bites leave nasty sores. Some people develop rashes when bit by fleas. Fleas usually just spread misery to infested households. If conditions are right, they can live up to two years, and their eggs and larvae can hide out in bedding, clothes, and tiny cracks in the house.

Adult fleas are no larger than 1/8 inch long. They are reddish-brown, wingless insects that are laterally compressed, so they look as if they are walking on edge. They have piercing-sucking mouthparts which they use to obtain blood meals from their hosts.
Fleas on the lawn

Your lawn can harbor a significant number of fleas which can hitch a ride on your pet. One of the first signs your pet has fleas is "flea dirt" - black flea droppings left on your pet's coat. See your vet for proper treatment. Even if your pet avoids an infestation, he or she could still track the insects into your home.

If your pets have fleas and/or ticks, you have no doubt gone to great lengths to treat them and to control the fleas and ticks. You have probably vacuumed the house and car from top to bottom, and washed everything in sight in your efforts to get rid of these pesky blood sucking parasites. But there is yet another step you will need to take to make sure all your efforts are worthwhile.

Many people forget that their pets also spend time outside in the yard. If your dog or cat spends a lot of time outdoors, this will be where the majority of the flea population is also living. Even if you have treated your pet for the fleas, the problem may persist because the fleas still have a proximal advantage to your home. And remember, fleas can live on your blood, too, not just your pet’s. So, along with the inside of the house, you will need to give the yard some attention in order to bring an infestation under control.

Aeration and Seeding—Just like on golf courses

Core aeration increases the penetration of air, water and nutrients into the roots of your lawn, stimulating new root development, inviting a thicker turf. Core aeration encourages your lawn’s appetite, leading to a robust and healthy lawn. By opening up passage ways of water and air to the root system, core aeration enables your lawn to get the nutrients and water that it needs to stay healthy throughout the growing season. It’s an essential part of any lawn treatment, ensuring a beautiful lawn that the entire neighborhood can enjoy.

Not only will core aeration bring out the essential beauty in your lawn, it’s good at relieving diseases too. Core aeration affects the soil compaction by increasing the decomposition of thatch, reducing habitats for insects and diseases. It works by removing cores of soil and thatch, allowing your lawn to better breathe and absorb the water it needs to be healthy. This encourages conditions that favor microorganisms that can naturally breakdown accumulated thatch.

Core aeration is an ideal method in preparing your lawn for overseeding. Your grass can tire from years of wear, so overseeding becomes necessary to keep your lawn young and healthy. By opening the soil through core aeration, you give new grass a chance to seed and grow, keeping your lawn fresh and green throughout the year. Opening small holes in the soil, core aeration breaks up your soil, increasing its circulation as it grows healthy and thrives.

Spring or fall are the best times of year for core aeration, when the lawn is still actively growing and the soil’s still moist. Your GreenMark Lawn Service Representative can discuss an ideal time to schedule core aeration for your lawn. Call us today. We’ll be happy to help you choose the time that is optimal for your lawn, enabling your lawn.

Rejuvenate Your Grass by Overseeding.

Overseeding is as simple as it sounds, yet it can mean the difference between dry, crabby grass and a vibrant lawn. Too many homeowners overlook the importance of overseeding in healthy lawn treatment. Without new seed to rejuvenate your lawn, your grass will grow old, tired and thin, causing weeds and turf to ravage your lawn.

The older your grass is, the slower it reproduces itself. Overseeding makes your lawn grow thicker and healthier, choking out weeds and diseased grass with new seed. Overseeding is an essential part of any effective lawn service. Enjoy a fresh lawn by seeding frequently.

Overseeding with special pest resistant grass varieties can restore lawns thinned and weakened from a hot summer or drought. The thousands of holes in your lawn from core aeration are ideal seedbeds and protect the grass seed germination, ensuring survival.

The GreenMark Lawn Service custom seed mix offers your lawn improved varieties, giving your lawn the recuperation it needs. These grasses enhance insect and disease resistance, defending your lawn against pests.

Overseeding is a simple but important part of any effective lawn treatment program. Our custom seed mixes will give your lawn a rich thickness, the perfect blend of variety and freshness your lawn deserves. Let our local, professional lawn service help you decide which grasses are right for you.

Help sweeten your soil and balance your pH

Nearly every homeowner is aware of the importance of applying lime to the home lawn. However, few probably have a complete understanding of why liming can be an important aspect of the home lawn care program, how to determine if liming is needed, and how one should go about applying lime to the lawn.

Why Do Home Lawns Need Lime?

Lime is applied to the soil of home lawns to increase the soil pH. Soil pH, a measure of the soil's acidity or alkalinity, can directly influence the vigor and quality of the home lawn. When the pH is below 7.0, the soil is said to be acidic; when above 7.0, it is alkaline. For turfgrasses used in Ohio home lawns, a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 (slightly acidic) is ideal.

Several factors cause the formation of acidic soil conditions. One primary cause is the leaching of base nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium from the soil. This occurs more frequently in areas of heavy rainfall or on heavily-irrigated turfs. A second cause is the use of acidifying nitrogen fertilizers. Most of the fertilizers applied to lawns have the potential to cause acidic conditions. However, the extent to which fertilizer application will affect soil pH is dependent on a number of factors, including: type of nitrogen applied, amount applied, types of other nutrients present in the fertilizer, soil type, and irrigation frequency. Other factors which may act to reduce soil pH are decomposition of soil organic matter and irrigation with acidic water.

When the soil pH drops below 6.0, a number of nutrients necessary for proper growth become less available for use by the turfgrass plant. These include the following: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, magnesium, and molybdenum. As these nutrients become less available, the lawn's color, vigor, and ability to resist (or recover from) heat, drought, or traffic stress will be reduced. Applications of enough lime to raise the soil pH above 6.0 can increase the availability of these nutrients, thus making it easier to maintain the quality and vigor of the lawn.

One time perimeter spray around eves, gutters and foundation.

Benefits of Exterior Pest Control (EPC)

Homeowners who want peace of mind of an insect-free home see the value in having annual exterior pest control treatments. How can exterior pest control help your home be free from common insects and bugs this summer?

First, know if the pests in your home are part of an EPC program. Common insects, such as ants, spiders, and beetles, can be eliminated through correct application of seasonal spraying. A qualified technician knows where these bugs lurk and live, and also knows the right chemicals to use.

Next, understand that some insects need extra work to eliminate them properly. Bed bugs, roaches, termites and carpenter ants are insects that aren’t covered by seasonal EPC guarantees, but additional spray applications can handle these pests.

Finally, commit to a long-term solution. Quality External Pest Control programs include staggered applications throughout the season, which affect the breeding stages of each type of insect as well as the seasonal arrival of certain insects.