Our last winter was definitely hard on lawns and green spaces around Calgary. The massive amount of snow led to a lot of mould, which, if not cleared away fast enough, killed the grass. Plenty of people are looking at the long-lasting effects of a bad case of snow mould.
And since winter came on so fast last year – and didn’t give much of a reprieve once it started – many did not have time to perform a proper fall clean-up. The result? Excess thatch, which chokes out new growth and leaves patchy dead spots. Too much thatch (more than one inch of thickness) retains moisture, which then reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the roots of grass. It also harbours pests and bacteria, and can make it hard for fertilizers to be effective.
Regular lawn maintenance services from Mirage Landscaping will bring the best out of your lawn. Healthy grass will often repair itself, however we will take additional measures if requested.
Pet Damage
Another reason your lawn might not be looking quite up to snuff is good, old-fashioned pet damage. Our furry friends spent a long, cold winter doing their business outdoors, and there were no melts to help dilute urine. It’s actually the nitrogen in your dog’s pee that kills the grass, as well as its alkalinity due to their carnivorous diet. In fact, if your dog seems to be causing an awful lot of damage to your lawn, it could be a sign on a health issue. Take your four-legged pal to see the vet if pouring water on the spot after your dog does their business doesn’t seem to help.
How We Will Fix Your Yellow Spots
Here are the steps we take to fix the dead spots in your lawn:
- We’ll use a hard rake to scrape out dead patches to the bare earth underneath.
- Then we’ll spread a layer of high-quality top soil over the bare spots.
- We will mix in a good amount of high-quality grass seed with the top soil, then put down one more layer of seed for good measure.
- New seed needs consistent moisture to grow. It’s best to lightly water newly laid seed several times per day until it starts to germinate. The germination process usually begins one to three weeks after planting.
- Once we treat your lawn we’ll raise our mower blades a bit to protect our work and give your lawn a better chance to protect itself.
For heavily damaged lawns, occasionally it’s a good idea to start over completely by sodding. Sod can get you a more consistent look faster, but it is more expensive and labour-intensive. We can cut out the most beat-up areas to lay down healthy new sod, or even strip your entire lawn down to the dirt and re-sod the whole thing. It all depends on what is the most cost-effective treatment is for long-lasting, hardy results.
Underground Irrigation Helps Keep Grass Healthy
Underground irrigation systems keep your lawn happy and healthy with far less effort, time and money. We have been installing and maintaining underground irrigation systems in Calgary for three generations, and highly recommend them for both commercial and personal properties.
Because of inefficient watering, utility bills in the Calgary area tend to increase substantially in the summer. Nobody wants to waste such a precious resource. A sprinkler system delivers less water more efficiently, meaning your property will look great for less time, effort and cash.
Modern sprinkler systems are installed with sophisticated control units that can be programmed to deliver a set amount of water at a specific time in the ideal amount for the needs of your garden or lawn. Systems can be installed with a number of different zones that use different types of sprinklers to more effectively deliver water. A lawn pop-up sprinkler is lower than a garden sprinkler, as there isn’t need to have water delivered over top of plants and flowers. Garden sprinklers are higher in order to reach areas surrounding shrubs and perennials.
Lawn Maintenance Services by Mirage
Our lawn care and maintenance plans include a spring clean-up including power-raking, aeration and an application of fertilizer. We will clear the winter gravel away, edge and rake tree wells and gardens and remove all litter and debris.
In May, as your yard begins to pick up its growing steam, we will come by every two weeks to mow and trim your yard, plus spray for weeds in the lawn, and pull weeds from your gardens. We can even plant your annuals for you of you like.
Throughout the summer months of June, July, and August we will visit every week to mow and trim your lawn, and will edge your beds when needed. August is also when we will put down a second application of fertilizer, and trim your shrubs.
We are also skilled in landscape design and construction. Have a look at our portfolio to see what we can do!
