A professional power rake is part of Mirage Landscaping’s regular spring clean-up services for our residential and commercial landscape maintenance clients. Other landscaping companies often eliminate this step altogether, usually because they don’t have the right equipment, but we at Mirage know that a spring power rake is essential for getting your lawn started off on a healthy growing season.
The primary objective of raking your lawn is to get rid of thatch. Thatch is made up of stems, roots and dead plant material, creating a subsurface layer that can help protect your lawn. More than a half an inch thickness of thatch is detrimental to your lawn, though. Too much thatch prevents water from reaching the roots of your grass, blocks airflow, inhibits nutrient penetration, and stops seeds and fertilizer from getting down to the soil. Your lawn won’t be able to withstand hot and dry summers and your grass will grow in uneven patches. Thatch is also the perfect breeding ground for diseases and pests.
Removing excess thatch is one of the most effective ways to revive a lawn that’s looking tired and worn-down after the long winter months. A good power rake provides:
- Your roots access to water and sunlight
- Better ability for fertilizer to get where it needs to be
- Disease and pest control
- A smooth and even grass surface
- Healthy growth
Power raking should be done by professionals. A power rake is a powerful tool that uses a heavy-duty blade and a series of rotating flails to cut and lift thatch, and must be done properly so as not to harm the lawn. Inexperienced users of a power rake can easily scalp a lawn, tearing out more than just thatch, leaving behind large bare spots that will need topsoil and need. Only professional landscapers should use these heavy-duty tools.
Fertilizer next to assure more healthy growth
After a power rake is the ideal time for the first application of fertilizer for the season. Fertilizing your lawn during the spring can pay off in a big way when the hot weather hits. Four essential benefits will keep your grass full and healthy:
- The addition of essential nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen
- A boost to your lawn’s natural resistance to weeds and pests
- Strengthening of root structures
- The creation of optimal growing conditions
Reliable landscape maintenance is key
Our landscape professionals at Mirage are dedicated to providing regular, reliable service. You won’t ever wonder when the lawn will be mowed again, because we adhere to a strict schedule.
In May we start out with bi-weekly mowing, but usually by the end of the month we will start coming by every week when the grass really starts growing. In addition to regular visits for mowing, including litter removal and clearing of grass clippings, we also:
- Spray for dandelions on lawn areas
- Prep garden areas for seasonal flowers
- Weed gardens every two weeks
Grass grows rapidly throughout the months of June and July, especially with regular watering. For these two months we provide these specialized landscaping services:
- Weekly lawn mowing and trimming
- Weekly weeding of garden areas
- Removal of litter from lawn and garden areas
- Clearing of lawn clippings from entrances and sidewalks
- Edging and trimming of tree wells and garden areas
As the summer begins to wind down in August, we are still hard at work.
- Weekly mowing and trimming lawn areas
- Edging of garden areas and tree wells
- Weekly weeding of garden areas
- Litter removal from lawns and gardens
- Clearing of lawn clippings from entrances and sidewalks
- Second application of fertilizer
- Trimming of all shrubs
When September arrives, we will slow down the frequency of trimming and mowing to bi-weekly and continue to keep your property neat and tidy with regular maintenance.
Residential and commercial professional landscaping from Mirage
Mirage Landscaping provides year-round landscape maintenance and construction services in southeast Calgary. Contact us for a free quote for your outdoor project.