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Lawn Resources

Lawn Care and Lawn Maintenance: A healthy lawn — free of weeds, pests, and brown patches — does more than just improve the appearance of your home. Of course, the increase in curb appeal results in a higher home value, but more importantly, a beautiful lawn is a place where your family, friends, and pets can enjoy the outdoors—together.

Making It Happen

We have the process of a greener, healthier lawn down to a science. Literally. At Grass Catchers, we don’t take a pesticide-heavy approach, as this method is more of a “quick fix” than a long-term solution (and it’s no friend to the environment). Instead, we’ve figured out all the scientific details (and trust us, there are a lot!), so we can use the right treatments to achieve optimal lawn health, and to show you simple ways to keep your lawn gorgeous in between our visits to your home. We do the hard work for you — you just keep those good things growing.

The Gold Standard for Lawn Health

Taking the time to improve your yard the right way—from the inside out—is the best and most sustainable solution. That’s why we painstakingly employ the most cutting-edge, environmentally-conscious lawn management methods available — IPM (Integrated Pest Management). IPM uses a blend of techniques that prevent pests from making their home in your lawn, and over time, will help it resist weeds naturally. IPM is an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on continuous prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties.

Lawn Care Glossary

Fertilizer

Simply Stated: Our blend of organic, slow-release fertilizer is packed with micronutrients and applied at designated intervals throughout the year to reduce weeds and pests and to increase greener growth.
Scientific Shoptalk: Fertilizer containing primarily nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is applied to the turf soil throughout the year. To reduce the possibility of leaching (which is when chemicals are carried into the water), the nitrogen is derived from a combination of organic and synthetic sources. The soil microbes slowly break down the organic material, and the nitrogen diffuses slowly from the wax-coated fertilizer pearls. The leftover wax is digested by the microbes and improves the soil’s ecosystem.

Core Aeration

Simply Stated: When the soil of your lawn gets too dense and compacted, air and water can’t get where it needs to go, causing your grass to stop growing properly. Aerating your lawn puts well-placed holes in the soil, allowing it to naturally do what it’s supposed to.
Scientific Shoptalk: Aerating the soil removes small cores of soil from the lawn, allowing air, water, and nutrients to penetrate it and increase the movement of oxygen, nutrients, and water. (Source: UC IPM)

Slice Seeding / Slit Seeding

Simply Stated: Using a machine designed for this purpose, we spread new seeds while slicing up dead or damaged grass, which encourages the seeds to grow quickly and properly. This is an effective alternative to replacing grass, because it uses the nutrients that remain to keep the moisture in.
Scientific Shoptalk: A slice seeding machine’s vertical knives slice through the old lawn while planting new seeds in the soil below. Seed is inserted into these slits at the proper depth for perfect seed-to-soil contact, resulting in superior germination.

Over Seeding

Simply Stated: If the damage in your lawn isn’t a candidate for slice seeding, we opt for over seeding, which is both economical and efficient. The seeds are spread over the lawn, where they easily make their homes in bare areas. Or, if aeration has been performed beforehand, the seeds jump right into the holes.
Scientific Shoptalk: In over seeding, the seed is “broadcasted” over the lawn’s empty areas or newly-created aeration holes. This process results in improved germination and survival of the seeds, making your lawn lush and lovely.

Dethatching

Simply Stated: The ground underneath your grass shouldn’t look like a basket. This dead turfgrass tissue residue is known as thatch, which can keep water and nutrients from doing their jobs. That’s why we use a specialized machine to remove thatch, which encourages stronger grass growth.
Scientific Shoptalk: Thatch is the layer of rhizomes, roots, stolons, and living and dead stems, between the green blades of grass and the soil surface. A thin layer of thatch can be beneficial, but thick thatch layers can prevent water, air, and nutrients from penetrating the soil. To prevent the reduced root growth caused by thicker thatch, we will recommend the dethatching service to aid in your lawn’s recovery.

Topdressing

Simply Stated: By applying a thin layer of prepared, organically-derived soil to the surface of the lawn, this treatment adds valuable nutrients and encourages growth for a lawn that’s been under stress from chemicals or extreme weather. (Note that at least 3 weeks of regular watering is critical for the success of a topdressing treatment.)
Scientific Shoptalk: The “living” part of the soil, which is vital for turf health and growth, is found in the soil’s decaying plant matter. Soil microorganism populations damaged by excessive use of chemical pesticides can be inoculated using a topdressing technique, which will aid in reestablishing the ecosystem to a natural order.
*A note about slice seeding and overseeding: Many lawns will need repeated seed applications for the best results (generally every three weeks) until the turf thickens.