The Top 4 Lawn Care Strategies for Frederick, Maryland Homeowners

When people come to visit the town of Frederick, Maryland, they might relish in the rich Civil War history or the dozens of antique stores that line our streets. Others might come to take advantage of our thriving performing and visual arts scene or the limitless options for outdoor activities from biking and fishing to enjoy the local golf courses or wineries. Whatever the reason for their visit, all visitors are most likely impressed by the rolling hills, rich farmland, and the centuries-old architecture along the Historic National Road.

The 18th and 19th-century homes that line the roadsides of our city are framed by impressive landscaping of perfect lawns. If you live in Frederick and have always wanted to have a lawn as pristine as a golf course, keep reading for the most important, region-specific lawn care strategies to help Frederick homeowners and residents cultivate a picture-perfect lawn.

Tip #1: Choosing The Best Grass in Frederick

The right lawn always begins with the right types of grass. Frederick receives an average of 40.2 inches of rainfall each year, which is just slightly above the national average of 39.2 inches.

Furthermore, the average high temperature of 88 degrees is significantly lower than the hotter temperatures characteristic of our southern neighbors. The relatively mild summer temperatures allow Frederick residents to grow several varieties of grasses, both warm season and cold season grasses, or a mixture of both.

In Frederick, Bermuda grass is the preferred option for homeowners with almost 1/4th of all residents choosing this common, warm-season grass. Bermuda grass thrives in the warmer temperatures during the months of July and August, and also will continue to grow vigorously during extended periods of drought. This grass requires more frequent lawn mowing. Bermuda grass will continue to thrive even if the rainfall in August is under 3 inches.

However, 33 percent of homeowners in this city plant either Tall Fescue or Kentucky bluegrass, which are two of the most popular cool-season grasses for grass cutting and lawns. The fact that the average temperature rarely soars above 90 degrees means that these cool-season grasses are able to survive during the hot seasons of June, July, and August.

If your yard is heavily shaded, either Tall Fescue or Kentucky bluegrass might be the best option for you. If, however, your yard is fully exposed to the sun, you might either opt for Bermuda grass or Zoysia grass. Both of these warm-season varieties will thrive in the hot, scorching sun. Furthermore, these warm-season grasses should also persist in the colder months, and might only suffer minimal browning during January when freezing temperatures are common.

Tip #2: Mowing Properly in Frederick

About three out of every four homeowners in Frederick, Maryland prefer lawn mowing their grass to a height of 2-3 inches. This is probably due to the fact that most homeowners opt for Bermuda grass or other warm-season grasses that tolerate warmer temperatures. Furthermore, 75 percent of lawns receive monthly or bi-monthly mowing, showing that grasses tend to grow slower, especially during the hot and relatively dry summer months. 

If you don’t hire a lawn service professional, we recommend never setting your lawnmower to a setting lower than 3 inches. Furthermore, if your grass is growing slowly, as is common throughout the region, it might be best to avoid a weekly cutting routine. Mowing once every 12-15 days should be fine in the summer, though during the wetter months of spring, or during wet spells in the summer, weekly mowing is certainly fine.

Tip #3: Common Weeds and Lawn Diseases in Frederick

The most common lawn disease to affect homeowners across Maryland is brown patch disease. This common lawn ailment is caused by several different fungal species of Rhizoctonia family. During wet periods of summer, brown patch tends to become more or a problem while drier periods tend to naturally kill off the fungal spores. However, in lawns where evening dew builds up, this minimum amount of moisture is often all the fungus needs to continue to spread.

Brown patch disease is identifiable by the circular, yellow-brown patches of thinned-out grass. On the individual blades of grass, you can expect to find tan, yellowing, or chocolate colored rings. It is most common on lawns with cool-season turfs such as tall fescue and perennial ryegrass. Fortunately, most lawns will naturally recover from brown patch disease with regular fertilization and irrigation. In severe cases, preventative applications of fungicides might be necessary.

As far as weeds go, chickweed and henbit are common lawn invaders. In the colder months, you might expect to find Shepherd’s Purse and Bittercress in your lawn, both of which are aggressive and can withstand freezing temperatures. If your lawn shows particularly severe symptoms, contact a lawn service professional for help.

Tip #4: Watering/Irrigation Routines

Lastly, establishing a regular lawn watering or irrigation routine is necessary to make sure that your turf gets an adequate amount of water. Quality irrigation techniques will help your lawn grow and naturally prevent the appearance of common lawn diseases and weeds. In most cases, a thriving, well-watered lawn will grow thick enough to discourage and outcompete weeds while also being resilient enough to get rid of the worse effects associated with brown patch disease.

In Frederick, Maryland, your lawn will need an average of 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. The best way to gauge the natural irrigation provided by rainfall is through purchasing a rain gauge to place somewhere around your property. If you notice that your lawn is receiving significantly less than the recommended amount of water, you can begin to irrigate with simple sprinkler systems. Make sure to irrigate during the evening and night as this reduces the amount of water loss through evaporation. In periods of drought, watering 2-3 times per week for a maximum of 30 minutes should give your yard plenty of moisture to encourage healthy turf growth.

Obtaining a perfect lawn is certainly possible in Frederick, Maryland. A relatively, benign climate with mild summer temperatures and average precipitation throughout the year presents an opportunity to grow several types of grass. Following the four lawn care strategies outlined above will allow your home to have a lawn that is on par with those historic mansions that tourists to our city flock to see.

Tip #5: Use Plants Native to the Frederick Area for Easy Maintenance

Using native plants is recommended as they are easier to maintain, are better adapted to the climate, and require less water.

Here are a few plants that are both native to and common to see in the Frederick, MD area:

1) Wild Bergamot

2) Butterfly Milkweed

3) White Ash

4) Sycamore

5) Willow Oak

6) Fringetree

7) Black Willow

8) Black Chokeberry

9) Virginia Willow

10) Shooting Star

Hiring a Frederick Lawn Care Company

DIY lawn care in Frederick can be burdensome—there’s a multitude of tasks to handle. The thought of waking up early to mow or doing so after you return from work may feel too large of a hassle. That’s why many Frederick residents instead choose the next best option: hiring a lawn service professional.

Professional lawn care services are more than just a lawn mowing service. They offer crucial lawn treatment services, such as pest control, aeration, weed removal, and fertilization. It’s also smart in general to have an expert evaluate how much lawn maintenance your property needs.

Top Lawn Care Companies in Frederick

As a result, you may be wondering: where to find a Frederick lawn care service near me? Since the search for a top-rated lawn care service is challenging, we offer a list below that ranks the best Frederick lawn care services based on our analysis of online customer satisfaction. WikiLawn.com is in no way affiliated with these, nor have we used them.

Not everyone wants a chemical based lawn care solution, and Lyndel of Eco-Lawn System understands that. Eco-Lawn System has been delivering an environmentally friendly lawn care solution to Frederick, MD for years now. Best of all he knows just what it takes to make your lawn all it can be. For eco-friendly lawn care all year round, call Lyndel at Eco-Lawn System.

Water gardens are perhaps the most overlooked feature of a landscape. Here’s the deal, they don’t have to be large or expensive either. Creative Landscapes and Water Gardens offers the homeowners of Frederick a variety of unique and creative lawn care features, including water gardens. If you want to spice up your landscape with some unique features, look no further than the crew at Creative Landscapes.

Your lawn is a work of art, and no one in Frederick understands that more than the team at Land Decor INC. Todd’s team goes above and beyond your standard lawn care services by offering unique lawn features and designs. They have creations for all budgets. So if you want to add a little something to your lawn, call Todd at Land Decor and see what he has to offer.

Michael and the crew at Camden Yard Care are well known throughout the Frederick community for exceptional lawn care. Camden Yard Care offers everything from long term, full-service lawn maintenance packages, to one-time debris cleanups after those rare hard winds. There is no property too big or small for the crew at Camden Yard Care, so be sure to give them a shout if your lawn isn’t up to par.