Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Pink Snow Mold


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Snow Mold Closeup

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Reviews are "IN"


The internet is changing the way we do business.
One way to help us be found more easily on search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing and others is to have positive reviews
We strive for the utmost in customer service and appreciate your views of our efforts to please you. Your lawn is important to you and our services are structured to maintain your grass so it will be the most attractive that it can be.
Thank You

Please do an online review at:

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Chickweed in Bloom

Finding common chickweed in bloom. Along the side of a house. Not a sunny area, but a warm micro-climate between 2 houses.
Chickweeds like damp, moist conditions. This area was quite damp, a lot of bentgrass growing here. Both bentgrass and chickweed like more moisture than some other plants
.
If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:





or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)

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Beautiful Sunbathing Babe

This weeks warm spring like weather brought out the blankets onto the sunny spots in the lawn. What a lovely sight.
If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:




or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)

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Moss Patch



Moss can  be a visual distraction in lawns and grass. Although at this time of year, it may be the greenest part of your lawn.
More moss info at http://www.hamiltonturfking.ca/lawn-library/18-moss-

If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:



or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)

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Dandee-lion in Wait

The warm sunny days this week also are getting the dandelion milk warmed up. The leaves of the offending feline are readying themselves to jump into action.

Whilst the sunshine lingers, the sap flows upwards. Blooms lay ready to dot the lawns with their own special editions of golden petals.

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

It's Beginning to Look like Irish Spring

Yesterday, I talked about patches of lawns that were itching to start growing.
Here's a patch that (even though the the photo doesn't do it justice) is not only itching, it's growing. It's got its own patch of global warming micro-climate. 
Up against a south facing brick wall. And a 3 storey brick wall. So all the sunshine and warm weather gets bounced back and accumulates in the soil. I suppose some heat escapes from the building itself as well.
As the soil starts to warm up, the grass starts to get active. The turf closest to the building is the tallest, because it has started to grow the most. (also because it is quack grass rather than Kentucky bluegrass)

South facing lawns will green up faster than north facing lawns. (all other factors being equal of course.) 
I did drive past a north facing lawn that was greener than the south facing lawns on the opposite side. But the lawns on the  opposite side were city boulevards that are not generally well kept or nourished.

The north facing lawn was on a well groomed, well landscaped yard. Unfortunately, I was unable to take a photo for you.


If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:




or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)

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Monday, March 15, 2010

Early Spring or Global Warming?

All that rain. . . . What happened to April Showers? This is only the first half of March. Is this a harbinger of an early spring? Or is this a symptom of Climate Change and Global Warming.

This weekend saw a March record for rainfall broken here in Hamilton. 150 people called City Hall to report flooded basements. Some homeowners reported 36 inches of water in their homes.

I'm sorry for all those who are suffering due to the intense rain and to the wandering water drops, but I'm just glad that all that rain came as rain and not as snow. That would have been a huge blizzard of shoveling. And it would have put spring on the back burner for a week or two.

The lawns are glad. Here and there, one can see signs (not of green, yet) but some kind of activity. I swear the grass in not the same colour it used to be a few weeks, maybe even days ago. Any bit of warmth, and the turf will start to send some of that warmth up from the soil and into the roots and up into the blades. "Hang on," spring is around the corner.

It's trying its best to be green by St. Patrick's Day for a change. Now, that may be old hat to some parts south of here, but a green lawn on March 17 is not a common site in this neck of the woods. Not even if you give it a lot of green beer to drink.

Here at Turf King Lawn Care, we're trying our best to be Green, too. New products, new applications, new methods, new ideas . .  . all part of the process to make your lawn "greener and green." Or you could also say "green and greener", which is slightly different from "greener and greener."



If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:




or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)

If you would like more information, please Contact us

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Copyright 2010 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

FERTILIZER AN INTEGRAL PART OF ‘HOLISTIC’ LAWN CARE



FERTILIZER AN INTEGRAL PART OF ‘HOLISTIC’ LAWN CARE

There is a growing movement among turf care professionals that stresses the necessity of providing ideal growing and maintenance conditions.  This promotes healthy strong growth rather than treating problems that occur due to stressed or poorly maintained lawns.

By fertilizing your lawn regularly, you are providing the turf roots with a continual supply of essential nutrients necessary for healthy plant growth.  Research has proven that healthy lawns are better able to fight off insect and disease infestation, as well as out-compete weeds.

Other practices to encourage healthy growth include using correct watering practices, timing mowing properly so not too much grass is removed at one time and aerating lawns annually to restore compacted soil.





If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:



or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)

If you would like more information, please Contact us

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Copyright 2010 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Turf Treatment Calendar for Nematodes

Nematode Treatments work best when applied at the proper time. Also use the correct species of nematodes for the right pest.





If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:







or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)



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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

TURF KING TECHNICIANS ATTEND LAWN SEMINAR


Published on Monday, March 08, 2010  http://bit.ly/dAQjS9


Six members of Turf King -Hamilton staff recently attended the 2010 IPM Symposium. This year’s session was the 45th annual IPM Symposium. The focus this year was: "Successful Plant Health Care: Roots of Success."
The Symposium is structured to provide information and updates of interest to lawn care professionals. The IPM Symposium is a service of Landscape Ontario- Horticultural Trades Association.

The topics included “Innovative Products in the Pipeline” by Pamela Charbonneau, Turfgrass Specialist, OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs). Ms. Charbonneau reviewed various new products and innovations that currently being researched and may soon be available.

The firm's owner, Gerry Okimi, encourages his lawn technicians to stay abreast of current practices and emerging technologies. By being aware of changes and improvements in the lawn industry, "our technicians are well informed and better prepared to meet the various challenges and lawn problems. They can provide better service and helpful information to our valued lawn customers."










If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:









or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)



If you would like more information, please Contact us



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Copyright 2010 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Vole Damage even with the lack of Snow

I thought that this year would be one where the voles would not do too much damage to the lawns. We have had a minimal amount of snowfall this winter. Voles (or really field mice) often like to build runways and nests under piles of snow. The snow protects them from predators. I haven't talked to any voles (at least recently), but I imagine that for a vole, the snow pile or snow drift acts as a sort of a dome. It protects them, yet allows light in. Normally, the voles will be found in the fields or under some shrubs where they have protection.

When there are piles of snow, it allows them to spread out into areas that they normally cannot access safely.

But even though we did not have a lot of snow, we did get one heavy snowfall. It was enough to pile up along our privacy fence. Lo and behold when the snow melted, the evidence was there. The little creatures had spent enough time to make some trails and tunnels in the lawn.

What can be done with vole trails? The damage done by voles is usually just on the surface. They take grass blades to fashion nests. The trails are stripped of the grass and create ugly patches in the lawn.
Generally, I recommend a small bag or two of topsoil and a few handfuls of grass seed. Most often the damage will go away and not be noticeable once the grass starts to grow. In some cases, a small portion will not recover without the help of some soil and grass seed. Just to be safe, adding some soil and grass seed will speed up the process.




____________________________________________________________________________
Lawn Care for the well informed.




If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:

or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
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FERTILIZER FACTS


FERTILIZER FACTSPrintE-mail
FERTILIZER FACTS
No matter what the source of fertilizer – be it natural, ‘organic’, synthetic, mineral, or processed – the nutrients and their resulting benefit to the plants are all the same.
Following are the three key ingredients in fertilizer formulations.  These major elements are needed by all plants for healthy growth.
Nitrogen:  produces green top growth, aids the ability to recover from damage and stress (heat, cold, drought).
Phosphorous:  promotes good root growth and is a vital ingredient in the plant’s metabolic process.  It is also necessary for seed development.
Potassium:  essential for the growth and development of the plant cells.  Also promotes increased tolerance to foot traffic.
The next three nutrients are known as minor elements and are needed in minute quantities.  But their presence is essential for vital plant functions.
Calcium is a structural element that is also necessary for cell division and plant growth.  Lawns that are calcium deficient are susceptible to disease.
Magnesium is an essential element in the photosynthetic process that allows green leaves to turn carbon dioxide and sunlight into sugar and oxygen.
Sulfur is needed to help plant utilize nitrogen.  It also functions to increase the cold tolerance of lawns.  A lack of sulfur results in stunted growth and may increase the occurrence of fungal disease.
Regular proper feedings can ensure that your lawn has all the nutrients it needs. Soil Testing may also be a means of determining soil nutrient levels and possible deficiencies.
Lawn Care for the well informed.



If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:

or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
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Monday, March 1, 2010

Valpak Coupon



Call now to enroll in a Turf King Lawn Care program for 2010. Plus earn AIR MILES (R) reward miles.



If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:

or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
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