Raleigh Lawn Care Guide

When it comes to taking care of your lawn in Raleigh, NC, there’s a whole list of things you need to know. Sure you could just mow it once a month and let the rainfall water it, but you’ll likely end with a yard that’s not a pretty sight. Or, perhaps the lawn care service you ordered isn’t doing a great job. In order to care for your lawn and maintain it as best as possible, you’ll want to follow the following tips as close as you can. Your lawn will thank you.

Mowing Your Lawn in Raleigh

The basics of mowing your lawn are just about the same everywhere. In Raleigh, you’ll want to mow in the late evening because the hot North Carolina sun will stress your grass out during the day. Mowing late in the day will give your lawn a full chance to recover overnight. Though avoid grass cutting a wet lawn in the morning, because it can create ruts in your yard from the mower and is likely to make your grass bleed chlorophyll and stain adjacent sidewalks. It’s easier to injure yourself mowing on wet grass. You should mow your grass anywhere from 2 to 4 times a month unless your specific grass type requires otherwise. Make sure your mower blades are sharp as well, dull blades will rip and tear your grass, making it more vulnerable to insects and disease. If you’re afraid of sharpening your own blades, have a lawn service professional help you out. You’ll want to leave behind some grass clippings every now and again after you’re done lawn mowing. They will decompose quickly into the lawn and fertilize it with precious nitrogen.

Watering Your Lawn in Raleigh

Watering your lawn can be done with a simple garden hose or a sprinkler/irrigation system. You should water it early in the morning or late evening so the midday sun doesn’t dry up all the water before it sinks down to the roots. Raleigh can get pretty hot during the day compared to other places in the US. There are no watering restrictions on Raleigh right now but you should check every now and then to see if any have been placed on your county or region.

Common Lawn Pests in Raleigh

Chinch Bugs – These are one of the most common lawn pests in America, can be easily identified by parting your grass and observing for the white larvae. Dead and yellowed grass is a common symptom of a chinch bug infestation. White Grubs – These can be found underneath the soil and are the offspring of a variety of beetles and other insects. They begin feeding on the roots of your grass when they hatch and can be checked for by lifting up a section of grass to examine for grubs or signs of damage caused by grubs. One good way to check for an infestation of insects of any kind is to mark off a 1 square yard area in your yard, mix 2 fl oz of dishwashing soap inside 4 gallons of water, and spray the marked off area thoroughly. The insects will rise to the surface but will disappear back into the soil after 5 or 10 minutes, so be sure to keep a close eye on the area.

Common Types of Grass in Raleigh

Because Raleigh is located between the Piedmont region and the Coastal Plains region in North Carolina, both warm season and cool season grasses can thrive here. The warm season grasses will go dormant and brown during the winter, however, so they are best supplanted with cool season grasses before winter by using an overseeding technique. It’s useful to know what your grass type is whenever you’re grass cutting.

Warm season grasses:

• Bermudagrass

This grass is dark green and dense, with a high tolerance for heat. It has deep roots and requires a low level of maintenance in order to keep it healthy and free from disease/pests. It requires an inch of watering every 4 to 7 days and is best kept at 1 to 2 inches length.

• Zoysiagrass

This is a light to medium green grass that makes for low maintenance and dense lawn. It’s very well adapted to high temperatures and traffic and needs an inch of extra water every 4 to 7 days. It should be kept at anywhere from ¼ to 1 ½ inches long for best results.

• Centipedegrass

This grass has a medium to dark green color and forms a dense lawn. It can be sensitive to drought but recovers quickly. It has a low traffic tolerance, however, and should be kept at 1 to 2 inches long.

• Augustinegrass

This type of grass has a light to medium green color and grows very quickly. It’s a relatively low maintenance grass which requires half an inch to an inch of water every 3 to 6 days for best results. The recommended height for this grass is 2 to 3 inches long.

Cool Season Grasses:

• Tall Fescue

Tall Fescue is a medium to dark green grass with a very extensive root system. It has good heat tolerance for being a cool season grass and is able to handle a moderate amount of foot traffic. It can turn slightly brown during the summer and needs a half inch to an inch of water at least once a week to thrive. Avoid lawn mowing this grass too often—It’s best kept at 2 to 3 inches.

• Kentucky Bluegrass

This is one of the most common types of grass because of its heat and cold tolerance, as well as its beautiful dense growth and dark green color. It can handle a decent amount of foot traffic and recovers quickly from abuse. It needs a half inch to an inch of water every week to stay lush and healthy. This grass is best kept at 1 ½ to 2 inches in length.

• Perennial Ryegrass

This grass is dark green with a moderately thick density. It needs a solid 2 inches per week of deep watering and can handle a decent level of foot traffic. Ryegrass is best kept at 1 to 2 ½ inches long and had good resistance to most diseases and insects.

• Fine Fescue

This grass has a very fine texture and a deep green color. It handles traffic extremely well but will not recover very well from severe injury. It needs an inch of water 1 or 2 times per week for optimal health and is best kept at 1 – 2 ½ inches long, though it can be kept much longer for an authentic “meadow” look.

Common Weeds and Lawn Diseases in Raleigh

Though all of the grasses mentioned above are decently resistant to weeds and diseases, there are some you should still watch out for. Here is a link to a long list of weeds you might find in your lawn or your garden in Raleigh, NC. Some of the most common lawn diseases in Raleigh are things like ground pearl, brown patch, dollar spot, and large patch disease If you suspect you have any of the above diseases or weed infestations, your best option might be to call in a lawn service professional to handle the problem.

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Hiring a Raleigh Lawn Care Company

Raleigh weather is dry, and rain is infrequent. Caring for a lawn under this weather is challenging. You have to force yourself to either wake up early in the morning to water, before the sun radiates too much heat, or do so after work when the sun is down. Many Raleigh residents don’t put up with this, which is why a popular choice has been hiring a lawn service professional. Beyond just grass cutting, professional lawn care services offer important lawn treatment services that range from pest control and weed removal to aeration and fertilization. It’s also wise in general to have an expert evaluate how much lawn maintenance your property needs. Additionally, there are several good tips to keep in mind when choosing a lawn care service in Raleigh. The first one is to hire an actual lawn service professional, not your neighbor’s teenage son or someone who only provides a truck and a mower. Although hiring amateurs may seem smart and stingy, their lack of expertise will result in a neglected and unprepared lawn in the long-term, such as failing to identify diseases and pests early. The second tip is to hire a fully-insured lawn service professional. This will free you from any anxiety in case a pro causes property damage. Finally, you should consider organizing your neighbors together and request a bulk discount from a lawn care company. Landscapers will likely offer lower prices if several jobs can be finished with just one trip to a neighborhood because they generate more profit from the time saved on their schedules. Furthermore, landscapers are held to greater accountability for their work quality since you and your neighbors will be able to compare lawns afterward.

Top 5 Lawn Care Companies in Raleigh

Now you might wonder: where to find a Raleigh lawn care service near me? Since finding a top-rated lawn mowing service can be challenging, we offer a list below that ranks the best Raleigh lawn care services based on our review of online customer satisfaction. WikiLawn.com is in no way affiliated with these, nor have we used them ourselves.

Grass too tall? Weeds in the garden? We all get behind on our lawn care sometimes. That is why we turn to professionals like those at Kuglin Lawn Service. There are a lot of lawn care services in Raleigh, but few are professionals like the folks at Kuglin Lawn Service.

If you are looking to establish a quality lawn in central North Carolina, then you need to look no further than Quality Lawn. The name says it all. TJ has the talent, and the crew to get your lawn in shape, no matter its current condition. Why not give him a ring today, and turn your mediocre lawn into a Quality Lawn.  

Strong winds and storms sometimes make a mess of our lawns and gardens. If you have at least one tree in the lawn you can almost guarantee there will be some downed branches after the big storm. Not to fret, the folks at Do and Friday Junk Removal have you covered. Whether you need the garage cleared out, or those dead branches removed from the lawn, with Daniel and his crew you are in good hands. 

Your lawn is a reflection of you and your home. When your lawn is out of order, it can make your house look the same, no matter how well your house was built. With Reflective Landscaping, you can design a garden that is suited to who you are. From planning to implementation and maintenance, Chris’s team at Reflective Landscaping will keep things on track, and get them where they need to be. 

T&L Solutions offers a number of service packages to make your home and garden shine. From installations to maintenance you can look to Andrew to get the job done right. Reach out today for a consultation, and get a handle on your lawn care needs. It’s time to enjoy your property again!  

Jones Lawn & Care is well known throughout the capital region for their incredible lawn care and gardening services. Looking for some new garden installations? Or maybe you want to install a new walkway? Perhaps Both? One thing is for sure, Jones Lawn & Care is a name you can trust. 

Bix Lawn Mowing is a unique lawn care service, which is well known throughout the capital region. They are known for their reliable, professional level of lawn care. If you want the lawn mowed, without all the fuss call Jake. Guaranteed to satisfy, Bix Lawn Mowing will not let you down. 

Some of us are ok with a mediocre garden, but that is not what Antonyo at Fruitful is all about. Antonyo likes his gardens to be unique, and a reflection of his hard work. So if you want gardens and landscapes which are a notch above the rest, Fruitful is the best. 

Troy has an instinct when it comes to landscape design, and that is why he runs the crew at Creative Instincts. Whether you simply want your current garden installations maintained, or need a professional design plan drafted, Troy is your man. He has a lot of experience in landscape design and service. If you need a professional installation in Raleigh, Creative Instincts is a sure choice.