Please read through our customer's most frequently asked questions. For more information, please visit our Estimate page, or feel free to contact us directly 703.859.5814. We look forward to working with you on your next landscaping project!

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Aeration

Lawn aeration is the secret weapon in making your lawn healthy.

Aeration involves making holes in the lawn either by pushing a rod into it or by "coring", extracting a plug of soil. By aerating your lawn you provide the following benefits to your lawn and its root system: Oxygen gets to the roots and the soil allowing it to "breathe". The major benifits are:

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All Natural Lawn Care Program

Getting more green by being more green!

The only way to reduce a dependence on chemical fertilizers is to develop a healthy lawn, which is naturally resistant to weeds, insects and diseases. If you need to fertilize your lawn more than once a year, consider these ways of improving the natural health of your lawn:

Improve the Soil. The first step is to test the soil's pH - it should read between 6.5 and 7.0, which is slightly acidic. Soil that is too acidic will need a sprinkling of lime; sulfur can be added to soil which is not acidic enough. Another solution is to have your soil tested professionally.

Lawns grow best in loamy soils that have a mix of clay, silt and sand. Too much clay in the soil mix, or heavy use, can compact the soil and prevent air and nutrient flow. Compacted soil may need aeration, a process of lifting small plugs of turf to create air spaces in the soil. For best results, rent an aerator or hire a lawn service to do the job - this will remove "finger size" plugs which improves aeration. Aeration is best done before top dressing and fertilizing.

Organic matter, such as compost and grass clippings, will benefit any type of soil; it lightens soil which is heavy in clay, and it builds humus in sandy soils, which helps retain water and nutrients.

Choose a Locally Adapted Grass. Grasses vary in the type of climate they prefer, the amount of water and nutrients required, shade tolerance and the degree of wear they can withstand. Ask your local garden center to recommend grass which is best adapted to your area.

Mow Often, but Not Too Short Giving your lawn a "Marine cut" is not doing it a favor. Surface roots become exposed, the soil dries out faster and surface aeration is reduced. As a general rule, don't cut off more than one-third of the grass at any one time. Most turf grass species are healthiest when kept between 2.5 and 3.5" tall.

Water Deeply but Not Too Often. Thorough watering encourages your lawn to develop deep root systems which make the lawn hardier and more drought-resistant. Let the lawn dry out before re-watering; as a rule of thumb, the color should dull and footprints should stay compressed for more than a few seconds. When watering, put a cup in the sprinkler zone; it should get at least one inch (2.5cm) water. The best time for watering is early morning - less water will be lost to evaporation. Ideally, it's better to water the first half-inch or so, then wait for an hour or two before watering the second half-inch.

Control Thatch Build-Up. Thatch is the accumulation of above-soil runners, propagated by the grass. This layer should be about 1/2" ( 1.25cm) on a healthy lawn, and kept in balance by natural decomposition, earthworms and microorganisms. Too much thatch prevents water and nutrients from reaching the grass roots. You can reduce thatch with a steel rake, or by renting a de-thatcher which does a more thorough job.

Water early in the morning. Much of the water from daytime watering is lost to evaporation. Avoid overwatering - it's more damaging than underwatering.

Leave clippings on the lawn. Sometimes referred to as "grass-cycling", this provides nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, water) equivalent to one application of fertilizer. Clippings do not cause thatch. Mulching mowers are also available which help the clippings hide in the grass. For effective grass cycling, wait until the lawn is 3" tall, then set the mower height to remove 1". The clippings left on the lawn will quickly disappear from view. Of course this technique also saves hauling yard waste to the landfill - some states have banned yard waste from landfills.

Observe the weeds. Dandelions thrive at a pH level of about 7.5, and are a sign to add gardeners sulfur to lower the pH. Clover and medic are sign that your lawn may be nitrogen poor, and needs compost or a nitrogen-weighted fertilizer.

Fertilize once or twice a year. This is sufficient for an attractive lawn.Cool season grasses are semi-dormant in the summer; fertilizing during summer will be ineffective. Fertilizing in early fall promotes vigorous lawn growth the next spring.

Use a fertilizer with time-released, water insoluble nitrogen. These fertilizers are less likely to burn your lawn with excess nitrogen, and slow-release allows the roots to absorb the nutrients as needed. In most instances, choose fertilizers containing at least 35% - 50% of their nitrogen supply in the "slow-release" form, such as sulfur-coated urea, methylene urea or various natural organic products. With fast-acting fertilizers, some nutrients are washed away with watering or rain, and the wasted fertilizer pollutes ground water supplies.

Keep pesticide/herbicide use to a minimum. Pesticides kill the soil organisms which contribute to a healthy lawn. The sooner you remove harsh chemicals, the faster your soil will recover. Repeated past use of toxic chemicals may have destroyed the microbiotic life that exists in healthy soil; it will take time, at least a season, for the soil to begin to recover. If lawn chemicals are used, clean out pesticide and fertilizer applicators and empty containers on the lawn, where the residue will be utilized. Do not clean out on sidewalks or driveways, or residue will go directly into water supplies

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Disease and Fungus Controls

Prevent those summer lawn diseases and have the best grass in the neighborhood.

Summer is here fullblown! But for many of us it has felt like summer since May. We're dealing with high heat, drought, and humidity; three factors which will adversely affect plant growth. When temperatures rise into the 90's, plant growth slows or even stops. Especially in the cool season turfgrasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial rye, and fescue. It is at this point of slowest growth that lawn diseases can gain a foothold. But what can you do to protect your lawn from these nasty summer diseases? Below is a list of some of the common problems and things that may help:

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Fertilizer

The super vitamin for your lawn!

Fertilizing can be one of the best things you can do for your lawn, but it can also be one of the worst. Today's lawn soil does not contain enough nutrients for healthy growth. Without proper lawn care fertilizer, turf grasses may be less vigorous, and colorful and may not grow as well. Using the correct lawn care fertilizer and herbicide (if necessary) can be crucial. But if you fertilize your yard in hot weather or use the wrong mix of fertilizer, or apply it incorrectly, you may be doing more harm than good. That's why employing a professional for lawn fertilization or a weed control service company can save you money and heartache in the long run. It's important to not just fertilize, but to employ fertilizing lawn care knowledge and best practices for the most effective results.

Fertilizer consists of three primary ingredients: nitrogen, phosphate, and potash, but these are not the only important elements.

Nitrogen is the most important of the three listed above for lawn care fertilizer. Nitrogen is critical for plant proteins, chlorophyll, amino acids, and other parts of your grass. It improves the color and density of your lawn, but it also stimulates top growth. Too much, or too much of the wrong type of nitrogen, and you may suddenly find yourself in the middle of a lawn mowing frenzy. If you're buying your own fertilizer, packages often tend to place a lot of emphasis on the fast growth and deep green color, but this can actually be bad for plant growth and health, stimulating the growth of fungi and taking away from the growth of roots.

With deep lawn fertilization, you'll also need to know the proper amounts and blend of soluble and insoluble nitrogen as well as performing lawn aeration and possibly de-thatching to get the best penetration.

Phosphorus is one of the elements in Phosphate. Phosphorus is a key element in plant nutrition and is essential for turning the sun's energy into plant compounds via photosynthesis. It is also a critical ingredient in grass DNA and RNA. DNA is required for all living things, and RNA is needed to build plant proteins and other compounds needed for the grass to grow. Because runoff may cause heavy algae growth in wetlands, stream, and lakes, since 2004 it has been illegal to apply fertilizer with phosphorus except in certain, tightly defined circumstance.

Potash contains two atoms of Potassium and one of Oxygen. The potassium helps improve heat and cold tolerance, increase drought and disease resistance, and improve root growth.

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Flea and Tick Control

Flea and tick control have you scratching your head?

There are an estimated 1,600 species of fleas. Fleas are blood-sucking insects which cause great pain, discomfort and they are also carriers of disease. Ticks are parasites of warm-blooded animals including humans. Ticks can drain away the vitality and vigor of the animal they attack and they are also known to spread and carry serious diseases. Fleas and ticks can be controlled with proper treatment.

If you have a heavy infestation of fleas and/or ticks, ridding your pets and property of these irritating insects is a little more complex than a treatment of your lawn. With heavy infestation, it is recommended that on the same day your lawn is treated initially, you should also have your pets sprayed, dusted or dipped as well as have your house treated indoors.

We offer an outdoor flea and tick control treatment. For best results, two treatments spaced two or four weeks apart are recommended.

We are trained and licensed to apply outdoor flea and tick control products. Contact us today for additional information.

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Grub Control

Grub Control in Your Lawn and Garden.

Insect control in lawns and gardens requires expansive knowledge and experience dealing with common lawn insects and grubs that cause significant damage to your turf. A lawn care specialist has the expertise necessary to help you develop an insect control program that addresses your personal preferences and integrates carefully timed and targeted insect control treatments.

White grubs and chinch bugs create the most problems for your turfgrass. In the northeastern United States , white grubs are the most widespread and destructive pests and often require grub control services. They damage turf by chewing off its roots close to the soil surface. The hairy chinch bug is also prevalent in the northeast. Chinch bugs use piercing mouth parts to suck sap and inject toxins into the crowns and stems of grass plants. They attack a variety of grasses including Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescues, perennial ryegrass, bentgrass, and zoysia.

Contact us today for a complimentary consultation from our fully trained and certified professionals for insect control, grub control, lawn care and complete lawn and garden services

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Insect Control

Total Lawn Insect Control.

Lawn damaging insects can be divided into two groups:

Surface Feeding Insects
Surface feeding insects damage turf by chewing the blades or extracting plant juice.

These insects hide in the grass and burrow into thatch and debris above the soil. This often makes them difficult to locate.

Sub-Surface Insects
Sub-surface insects, such as grubs, feed below ground on the grass roots. This feeding causes extensive damage to lawns.

Our Total Lawn Insect Control takes care of both types of insect problems and prevents infestation that could require extensive renovation or costly reseeding of your lawn.

Contact us today and keep your lawn healthy this season.

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Landscape Lighting

Light up your life with our low-voltage landscape lighting

At Lake Braddock, we have worked with Landscape architects, designers, landscapers and homeowners for years - providing fast and affordable low-voltage landscape lighting solutions to some of the areas most beautiful homes.

CREATE THE RIGHT MOOD
Illuminate your property for all to see with brilliant low-voltage landscape lighting. The right outdoor lighting design will create the mood you desire - from soft and soothing to exciting and dramatic.

INCREASE SAFETY & SECURITY
Illuminate your steps, paths and entrances. Strategically placed outdoor lighting will increase nighttime visibility and will discourage unwanted visitors.

FAST & AFFORDABLE
Low-voltage lighting offers fast and clean installation and is cost efficient. Solid warranties protect your investment. Enhancing your home's exterior will cost less than you might expect.

Schedule A Free Landscape Lighting Design Estimate Today. Contact us!

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Lawn Renovating

This year, make your lawn and landscape the best it can be.

For lawns in trouble with drought, insects, weeds, or other lawn-care nightmares, now is the time to make plans for renovating your tired or damaged lawn and give it the help your lawn might need.

Fall is the best season for lawn renovation because weather conditions are favorable and weed competition is less of a problem than in spring. Fall renovation also allows the lawn time to get better established during the fall and winter months before next summer's heat arrives.

Who Needs Renovation?
If your lawn has any of the following conditions, renovation will give it a new lease on life: a large part of the lawn appears dead or very thin, the lawn is soft and spongy when walking across it, it responds poorly to regular watering and fertilizer applications, or broad-leaved weeds (like dandelion, plantain, and knotweed) or grassy weeds (like crabgrass) have choked out a lot of your good grass.

Sound familiar? If so, it's time to plan a lawn revival. Contact us; we'll be happy to help you decide which renovation system will work best for you.

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Lime

Creating optimal living conditions for your lawn!

Lime is applied to the soil of your lawn to increase the soil pH. Soil pH, a measure of the soil's acidity or alkalinity, can directly influence the vigor and quality of your home lawn. Here in the humid, eastern United States, rainfall often exceeds 20 inches per year, leaching basic or alkaline-forming ions such as calcium and magnesium from the soil. This results in an acid soil condition which restricts the growth of turf. The optimum pH level for turf is in the 6.0 - 6.5 range.

Lime is applied to soil, including that of home lawns, for the purpose of increasing the pH of the soil. Soil pH, a measure of the soil's acidity or alkalinity, governs the availability of many soil nutrients and 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 Virginia home lawns, a soil pH of between 6.0 - 7.0 (slightly acidic) is ideal.

Several factors are responsible for 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 lime to neutralize the acidic condition and 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.

It should be noted that an excessively high (alkaline) soil pH (greater than 8.01 is just as undesirable as a low pH. When the pH exceeds 8.0, such nutrients as nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, manganese, boron, copper, and zinc become less available for use by the turfgrass plants in the lawn. The result may be a less vigorous, unhealthy lawn. Over-application of liming products may cause the development of alkaline soil conditions.

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Mulch

Enhancing the beauty and health of your lawn & garden!

Another way to enhance the beauty of a home is getting those flower beds looking neat and tidy. Spring through early summer is the time to get those flower beds mulched. We provide this service to all customers both residential and commercial. By mulching flower beds it helps retain moisture for shrubs and flowers by assisting in keeping the roots moist during the hot summer months. Our landscape maintenance crews will come in and edge all the beds. This gives them a nice defined look and also helps keep the mulch in the beds when excessive rain can sometimes wash mulch away.

After the edge is complete a layer of mulch is placed in the beds usually ranging from 2"- 4". This is important because if you put to little on it will decompose early and your beds will be dirt again. You put to much on its not good for the trunks of the shrubs or trees.

Once the mulch is down your beds look like they belong in a magazine or even long wood gardens.

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Overseeding

Giving grass the advantage in numbers.

Many lawn problems originate from underlying heavy clay, compacted soils, and/or poorly drained soils that may need to be corrected.

Perhaps the soil is in good shape but you've noticed lawn problems that are perhaps due to pests, extreme weather conditions, or neglected management.

Improved mowing, fertilizing, and watering may be all that's required for acceptable lawn quality in some cases. In other cases more drastic solutions may be required.

Once the problem has been identified, the renovation process may begin. Think of renovation as fitting one of three levels: overseeding with little additional work; significant work, but allowing existing grass to remain; or completely removing the existing lawn and starting over.

The decision of which level to choose depends on how bad the lawn looks and what caused the problem. For example, if the lawn is just a little thin, overseeding with a quality lawn seed and putting your lawn on a regular fertilization program may be the answer. Seed can be broadcast over thin lawn areas, but the rate of germination drops considerably unless extensive preparation steps are taken. For good germination there needs to be a good soil-to-seed contact. Rake away any dead grass or debris. Dethatchers or vertical mowers can also be used to tear out excess debris prior to overseeding.

The other less extreme method is the use of a slit-seeder. This is actually an ideal way to overseed lawns. In addition, slit-seeding could also be done directly through grass and/or weeds killed with the nonselective herbicide glyphosate (Roundup). All of these types of overseeding procedures do not require additional soil modification.

Slit-seeders are useful for lawn renovation projects. Slit-seeders combine vertical mowing with seeding. As the machine goes across the lawn, it opens the soil and deposits seed directly into the soil opening. Most slit-seeders have a roller that helps firm the soil after seeding. Seed is metered at a predetermined rate; it's suggested to apply half the desired seeding rate in one direction and the other half on a second pass perpendicular to the first.

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Pre-emergent Crabgrass Control

Give your lawn a fighting chance.

Crabgrass is an annual weed that invades home lawns and gardens. It germinates when soil temperatures reach about 60F and air temperatures stay above 65F for at least five consecutive days. Crabgrass usually establishes itself in mid to late spring. There are two types of crabgrass, namely, large and smooth crabgrass. Both types are yellow-green in colour and have wide leaf blades that taper to a point at the end. Crabgrass plants produce finger-like purple seed heads when mature. Seeds are produced over winter in the soil and germinate the following spring.

Crabgrass normally invades lawns that are thin, weak and undernourished. Crabgrass is rarely present in lawns that are properly fertilized, watered and mowed correctly at a height of at least 5-6cm (2-2.5 inches).

Early spring lawns can appear straw-coloured and dead. If the grass seems very dense and matted, you can help by giving the lawn a good, vigorous raking. Remove the piles of material and add them to your compost pile. This raking opens up the turf to allow light, water and fertilizer penetration. It stimulates the grass plant and makes the lawn look much better. If your lawn is very sparse and you have had a serious problem with crabgrass in previous years, you may wish to apply a crabgrass control. Crabgrass control is best performed in the spring in an effort to stop crabgrass plants from germinating and growing. After a crabgrass control has been applied, the soil surface should not be disturbed. Raking or digging may reduce the effectiveness of the crabgrass control material.

IS IT CRABGRASS?
It is not uncommon for our customers to call us in the early spring to help them get rid of that *!#@* Crabgrass in their lawn. If the weed grass is present in early spring, the problem is likely not Crabgrass but instead a perennial weed grass such as Quackgrass. Quackgrass is extremely vigorous, and is taller, faster growing and lighter green than desirable lawn grasses. Quackgrass has a broad grass blade and a tough, wiry network of underground stems. It is useless to treat Quackgrass with a "Crabgrass control product". Crabgrass control materials are only effective against crabgrass and other annual grass type weeds.

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Sod Work

A hassle free instant most beautiful lawn on the block.

It's the eternal decision when shopping around for lawn grass. Is it better to use seed to plant a lawn or is sodding worth the investment? Here's a little cheat sheet to take with you when shopping around for lawn planting supplies.

Lawn Seeding Advantages
Seeding your lawn grass has two big advantages: price and variety.
Seed is a lot cheaper than buying sod. But that price difference can quickly even out over time. If the seeding doesn't go so well, you will have to invest in fertilizer, pesticide and other lawn care aids to get the seed growing properly, which, of course, costs money.

Lawn Sodding Advantages
With sod, your lawn, is immediately a lawn. The immediate gratification of having a lawn as soon as you lay it is worth a lot of money to some.
There isn't a mud problem. Seeds take weeks to resemble a lawn and hold down your garden dirt.
The greatest weapon against weeds and decay is a dense, healthy lawn. With sod you immediately start with the best weapon. Weeds will have a hard time getting established against plentiful turf.

Lawn Seeding Disadvantages
Time is your greatest drawback. You have to wait for the lawn to emerge, which leaves more time for weeds to emerge, and more time for mud to keep on getting on your shoes and into your living room.
Also, timing is a problem. The window of opportunity to plant a lawn with seed is limited. In most areas, seeding is limited to late summer and fall, when the cold isn't a factor and when competition from weeds is less intense.

Lawn Sodding Disadvantages
Price is the biggest sodding disadvantage. The initial investment is well above that of seeding and can drive you to seeding.
The other disadvantage is variety. Only certain varieties of lawn grass are offered as sod or turf. Seeding options are wide, while the sod available in your area garden centers can be limited to one or two grass types.

How ever you choose to go we are here for you! Contact us anytime for a quote.

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Weed Control

Control the unwelcome lawn invaders.

Weeds are definitely unsightly, but they are also harmful to your yard because they compete with grass and other plants for moisture, nutrients, light and space.

To control broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, clover and thistle, apply a post-emergence herbicide, which is absorbed into the leaves and is circulated down into the root system. However, this doesn’t prevent the seeds from germinating and re-infesting a lawn.

Proper fertilization, mowing and irrigation encourage grass to grow-in quickly and prevent weed growth. Lawn Doctor can help you develop a total weed treatment and prevention solution.

Crabgrass is a grassy weed, best controlled in the spring, before the weeds germinate. Germination occurs when the soil is above 65 degrees (also the time when forsythias and lilacs bloom).

While hot dry weather encourages crabgrass, a well-maintained lawn that is properly fertilized, watered and mowed rarely has crabgrass.

We can provide you with a Pre-emergent Weed Control treatment to prevent weeds like crabgrass from showing up in your lawn.

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