How does the soil temperature affect your landscape? Soil Temperature is the factor that has the strongest impact on plant growth, and its transition into dormancy. Due to different regional climates, soil temperatures will warm and cool as a delayed reaction to the atmospheric temperature. The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the […]
Your Grass In Spring!
Soil Temperature and Your Grass As we’ve seen this spring, air temperature can be very volatile. One day it can be 70 degrees, and the next, 40! March and April in Iowa can be a trial for your lawn and garden. This can be very confusing when it comes to deciding how to care for […]
Stump Removal
Hello Friends! We begin 2021 with conditions outside looking very much like…January! The snow cover can’t stop us though, and we are still keeping busy working around snow events grinding stumps, and pruning trees and shrubs If you need stumps removed, call us at 319-354-3108. Stump Grinding One lingering reminder of 2020 is a […]
The Dirt on Our New Fert
This summer, we are excited to announce a new product that we’ll be using for our Lawn Health Care programs – a product that combines the benefit of soil conditioner, organic filler material, and slow release nitrogen. Healthy lawns start with healthy soils!
Emerald Ash Borer and Your Ash Trees
Emerald Ash Borer was first detected in North America in 2002. Since its accidental introduction from Asia, this invasive pest has killed untold millions of ash trees in forest, riparian, and urban settings. In some forests near the epicenter of the invasion in southeast Michigan, more than 99% of the ash trees with stems greater […]
Moles vs Voles
Each spring, we get several calls about moles and voles and turf damage caused by these pests. While the name ‘mole’ sounds very similar to the name ‘vole’ – the two are quite different animals. Even though both can damage your turf, it is important to understand their differences and the different methods needed to […]
All About Aeration
Lawn aeration involves the removal of small soil plugs or cores out of the lawn. Quality Care provides aeration done with a machine that has hollow tines mounted on a drum. Known as a core aerator, it extracts 1/2 to 3/4 inch diameter cores of soil and deposits them on your lawn. Soil cores are […]
Soil Quality Restoration
Giving Life Back to Your Soil Iowa soils have been significantly altered by tillage for farming and grading practices associated with urban development. Years of tillage and soil erosion has caused the loss of more than half of Iowa’s topsoil. The organic matter content has been reduced from a healthy, sponge-like 10% to less than 2%. Often remaining topsoil is completely […]
The Language of Lawn Care
How many lawn applications do I need per year? Will my application prevent grubs? Should I look for liquid or granular fertilizer? These are just a few of the questions we encounter when the time comes to choose a lawn health care program. So what should you be asking? Lawn Care Programs There are three main components […]
Protection from Pests!
Mosquito Control and Perimeter Pest Control As temperatures become consistently warm, bugs of all kinds become more active. Already you may have seen flies, ladybugs, and spiders in your yard and around buildings. We certainly have! Reduce Mosquito Pressure Are you or your kids outside on warm summer nights? West Nile Virus, spread by mosquitoes, […]