What are all these purple weeds growing in your lawn!
The 4 best grasses in Shreveport & Bossier
If you are looking to sod a new lawn, or just looking to determine what grass types are growing in your lawn, this is the guide for you. To start with, the climate in Shreveport Bossier is classified as a warm humid zone which means there are not a whole lot of grasses that can survive here, and even fewer turf grasses. That in mind, here is our 2018 guide to grass in Shreveport Bossier.
1. Bermuda Grass
– Tolerates heat well.
– Low tolerance for shade.
– Grayish green color with purple stems.
– Rough edged blades.
– High traffic tolerance.
2. St. Augustine Grass
– Varies in color from bright light green to dark green.
– Named after St. Augustine Florida and likes similar climates like Louisiana.
– High heat tolerance.
– High shade tolerance.
– Low drought tolerance. Needs to be watered once per week.
– Has a heightened ability to crowd out other weeds in the Lawn.
3. Centipede Grass
– Low traffic tolerance due to slow growth rate.
– Crabapple green color.
– Medium texture.
4. Zoysia Grass
– Fine to medium texture.
– Slow growing, yet resilient in high traffic areas.
– High drought tolerance due to deep root systems.
– Naturally reduces weeds due to its density.
– Not prone to insect or disease problems.
Flower Beds – Weed Control
How do you prevent weeds in your flower beds? Throughout my year of doing landscape work I have found a few of the most effective ways for weed control.
Flower Beds Treatment
The first thing to do is determine the level of weeds within the flower beds, and what time of the year it is. Usually the most effective way to erradicate the weeds is by treatment. I would recomend organic treatment, you can read about that here. Use some form of weed killer to spray in dense weeds and avoid getting any on plant, shrubs, and flowers. This may require 2-3 more treatments to kill everything but it will work. The next step is to remove any debris left by the dead weeds if any.
Now the good news is that the weeds are gone, but the bad news is that they will be back. It will be best to now add some form of pre-emergent control to the flower beds. Pre-emergents such as Preen will prevent weeds from germinating, killing them before you ever see them.
Weed Barrier
Next I would consider what is in the flower bed. Here in Louisiana you have to hit weeds from every angle in order to ensure a clean bed. Do you have weed barrier fabric? This is a neusance for many landscapers because it can be difficult to put down, but in the long run it will help tremendously if dont right. Picture leaving a tarp in your front lawn for a few months what happens? In a short time you will have a dead patch of grass beneath the tarp because you have blocked out the grasses need for the sun.
Note: I would not suggest using newspaper as a weed barrier. While it is sort of organic with recycled paper and ink, it does bio degrade back into the earth in a short time. I have weeded a few beds using this technique and after a few months the weeds grow through the paper and cause a big mess when time to clean up.
Mulch
So now that we have covered the removal of weeds from the bottom, and the treatment of weeds above the weed barrier it is best to protect the soil from the sun even further with mulch. We use premium mulch and lay it thick so that it blocks the sun from getting through to grow weeds. If you do these things you are guarunteed to havbe an easier growing season for the years to come. Weeds are inevitable, but if you stay ahead of them than you win every time!
P.S. When maintaining the landscaping throughout the year it is wise to use a tarp when trimming headges and blow grass clippings away from the flower beds.
Organic Lawn Care – Good or Bad?
I remember reading a story last summer about a pond in the Hamptons that was virtually destroyed by the use of fertilizers. Lawn pros were using chmicals to maintain these so called “Trophy lawns” (Read the article here). What amazed me the most is that this became an environmental disaster, similar to a smaller scale BP spill in the gulf. The small water body used for fishing and swimming was soon completely shut down for recreational use. This all the product of common lawn fertilization. So the wealthy residents of the neighborhood banned together to clean up the water and develop preventative procedures. After several joined and over a million dollars were raised, the group has yet to find a working solution. If there was ever a neighborhood with the disposable income to eliminate this issue this was the one!
These chemicals are very seriously harming our environment on a much larger scale than a hampton pond. Could this have been prevented with the use of organic lawn care?
The solution is simple – organic lawn care – using organic naturally found substances to treat your lawn. This may make for a little more work on your part, but in the end you will be doing your part to preserve our planet for generations to come. What on earth is more important than clean drinking water? So how do you even begin taking care of your lawn in a natural, organic manner? It’s fairly straight forward.
Chemical free corn gluten meal
15 years ago an Iowa State University turf grass researcher Dr. Nick Christians accidentally discovered that corn gluten prevented seeds from germinating successfully. Christians had already found that it would be a great lawn fertilizer with an amazing 10% nitrogen content. This product will feed grass to grow healthy and green. Dr. Christian’s discovery meant that along with feeding the good stuff it also eradicates weeds as a pre-emergent. Corn Gluten can kill even clover and dandelion before they germinate.
To get the best results, the user will water the gluten very well and then allow the area to dry out. Any weed seeds that try and germinate will be killed naturally by the gluten. The gluten slowly releases nitrogen to build up the kind of healthy turf that naturally resists weeds.
*Bonus – Ants hate corn gluten meal, it will keep them out of your lawn, and can be used on ant piles.
Natural non-toxic weed killer
I could go an for days about the harmful use of Glyphosate — the chemical used in roundup, and contributing to the use of genetically modified foods into our homes, and causing cancer in those who consume it– but i’ll just stick to talking about the positive side of this. There is a mixture that you can make for 30% of the cost of the cheap weed killer found in stores. all you have to do is mix a gallon of vinegar, a squirt of dawn dish soap, and a 1/2 cup of salt. The vinegar strips the plant, the dawn forms a sticky coat to which the salt sticks to and then bakes it in the sun. this mixture will kill small weeds in a days time and with repeated use will completely eradicate them from the cracks in your sidewalk, or anywhere else that you would like.
These two things can take care of the weeds in your lawn without damaging the planet. I will update this post later, there are so many more ways to incorporate organic lawn care into your outdoor space. If you have any questions, email me at waylon@geauxcuts.com, or comment below. Thanks for Reading.
Quality Landscape Maintenance
Best Quality Landscape Maintenance
From the Shreveport to the Stonewall, wherever your place of residence, properly designed and installed landscaping can be just what your home lacks. Bring out the design elements throughout your property and increase the value of your home. It is common to perform your own gardening, but landscaping can become an advanced craft quite quickly. You may discover that landscape design is a bit more applicable for an expanding interest or hobby, rather than a weekend warrior, or hobbyist to take on.
Preparation and planning are key to a design structure that will complement your home and last for years to come. What kind of plants will be best for your soil? What is the best position to the sun? You will also need to take note of the height at maturity for each plant that you will include in your garden. Always layer your garden placing the shortest in the front working to the taller shrubs in the back. For those new to the field, or considering making landscaping a hobby I would strongly suggest studying Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs while taking on a project. For the best quality landscape maintenance you can always count on Geaux Cuts.
CREATIVE LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Can you imagine a calm summer evening gazing upon the complexity and magnificence of the garden you prepared? Some things to consider while designing a new landscape are lighting, landscaping, and plant color outlays. Well placed lighting can accent a design, but if you have a bad design to start, lighting may accent a more unpleasant look. Hardscaping stones should be considered along borders, and unsightly elements of the design. Color outlays vary depending on the type of planting used. Color should be used only to accent your property. Too much attention to color can take away from the overall look you are striving towards.
Plants
When choosing plants you should consider buying from a local nursery. This is always good for your local economy. Plants that have been nourished in your nearby locality will be more adapt to the environment to which they are permanently housed. Here in northern Louisiana we usually strive for sunny perennial beds with drought-tolerant plants.
Maintenance
Mulch is a common way to keep your flower beds looking sleek and clean while also blocking sunlight to the weeds trying to grow beneath. Mulch is not a fix for every problem that occurs. Your beds must be maintained and weeded as needed. This process will be more common during the first few years after a new installation, and less frequently throughout the subsequent years. When pruning existing landscaping you should always note what times of the year are best for each particular plant. In shreveport, most of the common shrubs such as hollies, boxwoods, and my favorite – loropetalums, can be groomed throughout spring, summer, and most of the fall season (if you are not sure what you have take a picture and send it to me). When pruning shrubs over fresh mulch it is usually a good idea to put a tarp down to catch the clippings.
LANDSCAPING COMPANY SHREVEPORT
There are many things to look for when choosing a quality landscape maintenance company. When looking for a residential or commercial landscape installer, find someone who is reliable and experienced in the field. This is a lasting decision, and usually a reasonable investment for you or your business. Since you are here I would assume that you are considering us, and of course I will vouch that we strive to show the importance of helping families. Whether you are planning on doing a full install, renovation of existing landscaping -whether you plan on pushing through the process on your own, or hiring a contractor – I always have my phone on and you may call me anytime!
For more information about Best Quality Landscape Maintenance, call Geaux Cuts today at 318-415-8300 or click here to make an appointment online!
Waylon Ratcliffe
Owner – Lawn Pro
Leaf Cleanups Spring and Fall
Do you really need to do two big cleanups annually?
It is now the perfect time in Shreveport / Bossier, Louisiana to start leaf cleanups. Geaux Cuts offers plans to take care of your leaves on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. This is the best option for getting your yard clean every year, and in the end it is beneficial to the overall health of your lawn!
We have many different ways to extract leaves, we mulch, bag, and rake depending on the leaf and type of grass underneath. In order to clear out all lawn debris and make your lawn look as if it were spring already. Out guys use high powered blowers and powerful mowers to manipulate these unsightly leaves in the most efficient way possible.
Southern Tradition
The traditional way of cleaning leaves from most peoples lawns was to wait until they stop falling and have them all cleaned up at once. This plan is fine but it has the potential to kill parts of your grass and even landscaping that would have otherwise survived. Another downfall to this method is the price, most lawn pros will charge quite a lot of money in spring to clean huge mounds of leaves when they are starting to get busy cutting yards again.
The holiday season is yet another factor to consider when deciding on how to clean your lawn this fall / winter season. Most people have family coming in for the holidays and they like their lawn looking good, with one of our leaf removal packages you will not have to worry about it, we clean religiously every scheduled customer the week before every major holiday!
Geaux Cuts Lawn and Landscaping
In summary, it is much more beneficial for you, your lawn, and your pocketbook to schedule monthly, weekly, or bi-weekly leaf cleanups now. Just give us a call and kick back, enjoy football season and a warm cozy house and watch your leaves disappear!
If you are more of a do it yourself type of person, here are some more tips on how to properly clean your lawn in spring and fall.
Thank you for reading, until next time!
Waylon Ratcliffe
Owner – Lawn Pro
Mowing – When should you stop?
Winter Mowing In Louisiana
In the southern region of the united states grass typically starts to slow around October then freezing in time by November. The lawns growth pattern will slow as soil and air temperature reduce, but here in Louisiana it slows down and never actually stops growing. Moving towards the autumn season we usually move our mowing from bi-weekly to every 3-4 weeks. In winter we move down to once per month from December to February.
During October we aim to remove the top section of the lawn while mulching any debris that have become present pre-fall. This will keep your yard looking tidy, reducing the amount of buildup from leaves and straw that will suffocate your grass.
It should be taken into consideration that most folks like their property to look good for the holidays, so we usually mow and cleanup the week before Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
The general rule for the last mowing of the season is to wait until the grass slows to beyond a “once per month” cut schedule. Once you determine that your grass has hit a stopping point for the year, cut it around 1/4” shorter than your usual cut height to give the yard room to grow up through the winter. We usually check on each lawn at least once per month to weedeat patches that will occur do to areas that may be more nutritious than others. Our guys will also go over the edging through the winter season to keep things sleek and tidy.
In conclusion,
there is not a set day for the last mowing of the season, but better yet a time period that will help you get a jump on next season. Lawn care is based on variable dates and time frames, and it is never the same for each year that passes. If you time things just right you could have a great looking yard with little effort. Now its time to talk about leaves, and fall cleanups on the next blog! Please like and share our tips and tricks on facebook, google, and twitter!
Click here for another article regarding the last mowing of the season!
Waylon Ratcliffe
Owner – Lawn Pro
Lawn Tricks for Halloween 2016
Lawn tricks for Haloween
Halloween is steadily approaching, it will bring happy trick or treaters through your lawn and flower beds, premature leaves that want to decorate your driveway, and a flood of holidays that will occupy your interests and time for the next few months. What better time to buckle down even more on your yard to finish out the growing season? I’d like to offer a few lawn tricks for your lawn and garden to keep in mind while summer ends and we move into the cooler fall weather.
1. Keep Mowing
Even though your grass growth is slowing this is a great time to keep cutting your grass to ensure further health of your lawn. Regular mowing will help eliminate weeds and unwanted growth in the yard, by keeping it cut you will smoother the bad stuff with the good healthy turf.
2. Aerate
as the autumn begins this is an excellent time to aerate your lawn. aerators will pull plugs of soil from your lawn, increasing oxygen and nutrients path to the roots of your grass. This will jump start your lawn for next year, and give you a head start on a truly healthy lawn.
3. Fertilize
Most people believe that you should fertilize your lawn in the spring, but any expert will tell you that it is much better
to fertilize in the fall. You should wait until mid to late fall to apply your fertilizer, this will allow your grass roots
and rhizomes to grow deeper while storing up nutrients for the upcoming grow season.
4. Pre-Emergents
Have you seen prominence of dandelion, crabgrass, clover, or other weeds in your lawn this summer? This is a step that could completely eliminate your issues with such weeds. Using pre emergents late october to mid november will begin the eradication of weeds in your lawn. Pre-emergents will kill the weeds before they have a chance to begin growth, so come spring you can begin a post emergent regimen to catch anything left and by next summer you will have a flawless, lush, green lawn.
Geaux Cuts Landscaping offers lawn mowing and all sorts of trimming to Shreveport / Bossier, Louisiana. We do not currently provide aeration
Waylon Ratcliffe
Owner – Lawn Pro
Monthly Lawn Care Packages
“Per cut” payment is a thing of the past.
Are you paying a fortune for lawn care in this summer? I’ve been there! It seems like everything costs more in the summer from electric and gas due to the Louisiana heat, to your fuel bill to take a vacation and get away from the Louisiana heat! Well we’d like to take a stand against summer costs with you and help lower the cost to mow your lawn with our monthly lawn care packages.
Most lawn companies charge you a variable rate based on the work to be performed, this in turn makes your bill skyrocket in the summer when there is more work to be done. Here at Geaux Cuts we offer a fixed rate monthly lawn care plan that will divide all of your costs between a 12 month period overall lowering and averaging your payments!
So its just that simple. Its like financing your lawn care with absolutely no interest!
Add ons!
We even let you add on bigger jobs such as power washing, and Holiday Lighting so that you don’t have to pay a huge amount upfront especially during the holidays!
If you ask me there is no other way to do this, and it helps my company get through the winter and averages out your bills! You may be hesitant to sign up on an extended plan so just try out our regular per cut service. If you like us then consider going to a monthly plan!
email us:
info@geauxcuts.com
or call today:
318-415-8300
Waylon Ratcliffe
Owner – Lawn Pro
Weekly or Bi-Weekly Mowing
