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Lawn care calgary

Calgary Lawn Care | 4 Tips That Save Money

Calgary lawn care giving your wallet less time to catch up? If yes, then budget-friendly Calgary lawn care tips are just right for you.

Most of Canada’s residential homes invest on lawns to add aesthetics on an otherwise sloppy front yard. But maintaining bright-green and fully-manicured lawns is no joke; you need time, money, tools and whatnot to make it something worth bragging.

Use of high-maintenance lawns is the best reason why people spend more money on maintenance than they should. Canadian homes, for example, have a natural affinity for Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis)- – a species of fine turf grass widely known to make an excellent ground cover. Sadly, this variety requires more tender loving care – -frequent watering, fertilizing and mowing.

It might not be distressing for now but bear in mind that high-maintenance lawns are often linked to increased water consumption and even to certain forms of air, water and noise pollution.

So what can you do to save money and protect the environment without ruining your lawn’s classic look?

One option is to go for low-maintenance Calgary lawn care.

A CMHC study (1998 and 1999) revealed that Canadian residents who chose low-maintenance lawns over the conventional type spent 50% less fuel, 85% less money, 50 % less time, 100% less water and 100% less pesticides annually.

Without a doubt, it is the frugal man’s way to keep a high-quality lawn.

But how should you get started? Here are some Calgary lawn care tips to make maintenance less troubling for you:

1. Choose the right grass variety.

Kentucky bluegrass is a bit hard to keep so why not give some excellent grass varieties a try?

Zoysia grass, for example, blossoms during the summer season and can survive even with a moderate amount of water. And unlike other species of turf grass, Zoysia grass doesn’t require too much mowing; an advantage especially if you’re saving on maintenance costs for mower and other trimming equipment.

Seed mixes like the No Mow Lawn Mix from Prairie Nursery are also great alternatives though planting them can be a lot more demanding than simply installing sods.

In addition to that, the term “no mow” is actually a misnomer because low-maintenance grasses also require some trimming both when they start to reach 10 centimeters and every month thereafter.

2. Love the endophytes.

Watering is an essential way to nourish your lawn but if the turf grass is withering, it’s either you’re not giving enough or the water supply is overflowing yet, for some reason, can’t reach the root tips.

Perhaps it’s time to seek help from a fungus.

No, I’m not talking about plant scavengers; just the healthy ones. Mycorrhizal fungi, for example, are usually applied before sodding to help the turf grass develop root extensions which can further boost the rate of water absorption.

Another alternative to prevent water wastage is the use of lawn grasses enriched with endophytes. These fungi share something in common with mycorrhizes – they both improve how the grasses in the lawn absorb water and fertilizer. But what makes endophytes special is the fact that they also release bitter alkaloids proven to work as a natural pesticide against bill bugs, webworms and other lawn pests.

3. Add some clovers.

White clovers are not classified as turf grasses yet they make up 15% of most seed mixes.

So how can clovers help in building a lawn that stands out?

Well, aside from being ‘fillers’, they are also scientifically proven to increase nitrogen content of soil. Clovers also require less mowing and usually remain green even during hot seasons.

4. Invest on good drainage.

Most Calgary lawn care services focus more on aesthetics rather than ergonomics.

The need for a precision-quality drainage system, for example, is one of the most overlooked aspects of Calgary lawn care.

A drip drainage system helps to avoid excessive watering that floods driveways and sidewalks. Install this in a low-maintenance lawn and you’ll surely save a serious amount of money usually spent for water and electric bills. Put one or two downspouts and you can say goodbye to wasted water supply.

In a nutshell

In addition to the money- and time-saving Calgary lawn care tips mentioned above, another suggestion is to reduce your lawn’s size.

If your lawn takes too much space or situated in a hidden area outside your house, consider other practical alternatives. You can either reduce the size of the lawn or replace some spots with wildflower prairies or woodland gardens.

Remember, you don’t have to be extravagant!

Calgary lawn care with man in hammock

The Lazy Man’s Guide to Organic Lawn Care

Your lovely lawn deserves more than just a bunch of chemical trash. So does Mother Nature.

But here’s some good news: Chemical fertilizers or pesticides are not the be-all, end-all of lawn maintenance.

So what’s up with people who keep on throwing damaging stuff on their green front yard? Well, it’s either they associate “organic” with “time-consuming” or they just don’t care at all.

One thing is for sure: there is a major shift that will highly impact the way you care for your lawn. The trend today is beginning to favour organic over artificial when it comes to plant cultivation. Not just because chemicals are bad for the environment but also because they’re simply not good enough.

In other words, ORGANIC is now the name of the game.

It’s about the “WHY?”

ORGANIC is not about the issues you encounter when caring for your lawn; rather, it’s about the reason why those issues exist in the first place.

For example, if your lawn is infested by weeds, a wiser approach is to ask yourself “WHY?”….Why do weeds started to sprout? Why do weeds are dominating my lawn? Is it because the grasses are too short or because they’re too tall?

Once you get an answer for this question, you are now ready to arm yourself with the weapons to beat the prime suspect.

And what are the weapons, you may ask? Here’s the master list:

The 4 Rules of Organic Lawn Care.

Mow high.

Always keep the grass height to a minimum of 3 inches. Your goal here is to make the turf grass taller than weeds so the latter will be deprived of sunlight and eventually wither on their own.

Sunlight is a necessary component of photosynthesis (the process used by plants to make their own food) so if you let weeds rob the sunlight from the grasses by cutting the turf shorter, your lawn will be a perfect spot for a massive weed invasion.

Leave the clippings.

Leave the grass debris behind and you’ll be able to provide the turf grass a natural source of nourishment.

Say no to chemical fertilizers.

Chemical fertilizers that are commercially sold are made from salts while microorganisms that cultivate your lawn are all salt-haters. Now, throw some chemical fertilizers to these important soil components and you’ll deprive the turf grasses an opportunity to bloom with vitality.

Know the pH.

Checking for the soil pH can give you an edge in your battle against weeds and scavengers. But here’s a caveat: Avoid buying kits on your local stores because more often than not, they only give inaccurate results.

Try to approach an expert and always remember that grass loves a pH of 6.5. Add sulphur if it’s above 7 and add lime if it’s below 6.

Never let weeds and dandelions (thrive in soil with a pH of 7.5) overpower your grass by keeping yourself proactive all the time.

Going organic is about simplifying how you deal with the problems you face in lawn maintenance. It won’t be as complicated as you think as long as you know the right information from the right people with the right ORGANIC expertise.

Go natural and you’ll get a lawn that rocks.

Client Testimonials

We appreciate the way your crew has always treated us. We have recommended you to all our neighbours. 
G. Wildfong
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“Excellent Workmanship”

I have had work done by Five Star and found the quality of the workmanship excellent and the work was done in a professional and friendly manner.

ANN MARGRET
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The best lawn we’ve ever had since using your services! 
P. Calverley
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This is the first year that I have used Five Star Landscaping for my lawn care.   I have found that they’ve lived up to their name being Five Star. They exceeded my expectations above and beyond.  I just had my fall cleanup done and an accident happened where the back of the blower burnt a hole in … Read more
Diana Colling
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Good personal service. Take time to explain how to solve any problems. Honest and reliable. 
J & S Stevens
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Five Star Landscaping has been providing snow removal services for our residential property the past two winters.  Although we have been south most of the time, our kids stop by every week and have noted the driveway and front walk/deck area are always clear.  When we were home for most of the pas… Read more
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Convenience, great service, knowledgeable staff.
Mary & Dick
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Polite and courteous service. The results are excellent overall. 
E. Holden
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Reliable, stands behind service and product used. Lots of knowledge and experience.
John & Alice
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Thanks for the great service over the years! 
J. Kelsall
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Five Star Landscaping is well established and reliable company that has been servicing residential and commercial clients in the Calgary area since 1997.

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