Lawn Care Services in South Buckingham & Middlesex

Throughout South Buckinghamshire and Middlesex there is a variety of underlying soil conditions. The aspect and elevation, and the amount of shade affecting each garden is also variable.

This is why we provide a free 14 point lawn analysis survey to identify specific factors affecting your lawn, and give advice and recommendations tailored to your circumstances.

Bespoke Services include:

Aeration

‘Compaction’ occurs in all lawns due to walking, mowing etc.   Aeration is a process of punching deep holes in the lawn to relieve compaction and helps;

• Aids grass root growth deeper into soil (healthier plants)
• Allows oxygen, nutrients and water to enter rootzone (grass takes these in through roots)
• Improves surface drainage (helping control moss)
• All lawns will benefit greatly from regular aeration.

Scarification

‘Thatch’ is a layer of fibrous organic matter that lays on the surface of the soil around the grass stems, (it is made up of moss, dead weeds, grass clippings etc.).

Heavy thatch reduces moisture penetration through to the soil, encourages moss, and weakens the grass plants. Scarifying the lawn when necessary will reduce that! Scarifying the lawn when necessary will reduce that and moss (which should be treated first). The grass will improve as moisture and nutrients will then percolate into the rootzone.

Fertilisation

Grass plants need a mixture of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium (NPK) and trace elements in order to thrive. The problem is that they need different ratios of each at different times on the year. Also, being relatively short rooted, these nutrients gradually percolate down through the soil and out of reach. So, repeat applications of controlled release fertilisers maximise the benefit to the plants health and appearance.

Weed Treatments

As you can’t prevent windblown (and bird deposited) seeds of broad leafed weeds from damaging your lawns appearance over time, treatments will need to be applied to kill these invaders. No ‘selective’ treatment will kill all weeds, and some need repeated applications to control.

Moss Control

The mosses that flourish in lawns spore twice a year (these are microscopic, and come from everywhere)! Therefore we always talk of controlling moss as a war, not just a battle. But using a combination of strategies can dramatically reduce moss and help keep it suppressed.

Disease Control

Diseases that affect lawn turf are often dependent on weather conditions. The key is correct identification of the particular disease so that the appropriate treatment can be applied at an early stage. Legally these remedies can only be carried out by a licenced professional (all TRUGREEN Technicians have the relevant licences).

Pest Control

Lawn pests that feed on grass roots, such as leather jackets (crane fly larvae “Daddy Long Legs”) and Chafer Grubs (of the Chafer Beetle), need to be treated urgently; otherwise, other predators such as birds and badgers can do much more damage to the lawn as they try to feed on the infestation.

Re-Seeding / Turfing

Some remedial work on lawns will result in sparse or bare patches. We can seed or turf these areas as required, and will always select the most appropriate blend of grass types for each situation.

Specialist Treatments

We offer other ‘specialist’ treatments, such as ‘Growth Regulation’, and ‘Wetting Agents’ which we are happy to discuss and put forward where relevant

Frequently Asked Questions

Here at TruGreen South Bucks / Middlesex we aim to answer as many of your questions from the condition of your lawn, to simple advice regarding caring for your lawn. We feel that it is important that we share with our clients the frequently asked questions that we handle on a regular basis.

Are your lawn care treatments harmful to children and pets?
A. Our lawn care treatments are not harmful and perfectly safe for children and pets. However, we do recommend for both children and pets to stay off the lawn for a couple of hours after the treatment has been applied to allow it to dry.

I don’t have moss in my lawn, do I need to scarify it?
A. Quite possibly yes. Scarification isn’t only for removing moss. Like any other plants, the older they get the more stems they get. As the grass plant gets older these stems begin to form a thick thatch on the surface of the soil. This prevents moisture and nutrients getting through to the grass roots. This is where scarification is of benefit, clearing out the thatch and opening up the channels again.

Do I need to water my lawn?
A. Yes, you will need to water your lawn as your lawn is a plant, and requires feeding. You should give your lawn around 3-4 cm of water per week.

Can I walk on my lawn after it has been treated?
A. Yes, unless it has had a specialist treatment. I will be sure to let you know if this is the case and how long you should stay off the lawn for.

Do I need to be in when you come?
A. No, I will always give you prior notice of when I shall be coming to treat your lawn so you are aware of when I will be visiting. If you want to be in when I attend and the proposed date is not convenient I will happily change the appointment to a more suitable date.

Do I need to sign up to an annual treatment plan?
A. No, I am happy to complete a one of treatment where required however I do recommend putting a treatment plan in place to ensure your lawn is kept in the best possible condition and health.

If we haven’t managed to answer all of your lawn care questions, please do not hesitate to give us a call on 0845 634 5045 or send us an email at southbucks@trugreen.org.uk

Seasonal Advice

You too can have a perfect lawn with these tips from the TruGreen experts. Here’s what you need to do to your lawn and when in each season.

Spring

Spring lawn alert

Moss is something that every lawn will have to deal with at some point. Moss will manifest itself and choke out healthy grasses, as well as starving the grass plant of the all-important nutrients applied through fertiliser. There are various reasons for the build-up of moss in a lawn, but very damp and shaded areas are at most risk and combined with limited hours of daylight and increased rainfall during the winter months, the ideal conditions are produced for moss to develop and take over the lawn.

The application of a quality commercial product, based on sulphate of iron, followed by a programme of scarification will keep the moss at bay and allow for the grasses to grow and thicken. Scarification will also reduce the thatch layer which if left to build-up will become an ideal growing medium for mosses, and it is additionally important to introduce aeration in improving drainage, along with the application of a balanced fertiliser in achieving a strong and healthy lawn.

TruGreen tips to achieving a great lawn!

Moss treatment using Ferrous Sulphate

Scarification to remove mosses and thatch

Aeration to improve drainage and fertiliser efficiency

Balanced of fertiliser to allow for healthy grass growth

Summer

Don’t allow Red Thread to ruin your lawn

Red Thread is one of the most common turf diseases found in the UK, resulting in irregular red patches on the lawn. It can occur at any time of year, but more commonly during the summer months and will favour damp, shady, poorly aerated and compacted soils that are lacking in nitrogen. Red Thread will not generally kill the grass plant, but does give an unsightly appearance to the leaf, spoiling the appearance of the lawn.

Dependent upon the severity of the red thread the damage can be treated by applying a high nitrogen fertiliser or more commonly by the use of a contact fungicide.

TruGreen tips to achieving a great lawn this summer!

Apply the correct fertiliser in managing warm weather conditions

Maintain the grass height between 25-30mm

Apply a fungicide at the first signs of disease

Apply irrigation when necessary during the cooler part of the day to prevent evaporation.

Autumn

Good lawn care in Autumn will leave your lawn better prepared for the Winter.

When maintaining lawn quality and health, it is crucial to apply the correct autumn fertiliser. Controlling the level of potassium will raise the turf’s tolerance to disease, wear and soft growth as well as helping it to withstand low temperature during the winter months.

Additional benefits of our controlled release autumn fertilisers include the retention of colour and a healthy root structure, important factors if the lawn is to survive possible frost and snow.

Prepare your lawn for winter

All lawns benefit from having any remaining thatch that has accumulated over the summer months removed before the onset of winter, and it is equally important to maintain drainage if moss is to be controlled.

Maximise your lawn’s ability to overcome the winter by speaking with your local TruGreen operator about the level of scarification and aeration that may be required. Combining these mechanical services with an autumn fertiliser will allow for a more healthy lawn come the end of the winter.

Winter

As snow mould occurs under a blanket of snow it is often not until the snow has melted and winter is over that you may know if you have been affected or not. The disease manifests itself as a white or pink patch where the lawn has literally gone mouldy. Prevention is key with this particular lawn disease and there are several factors to take into consideration which may affect its likelihood:

Shade and high moisture, accompanied by cool temperatures.

Inadequate circulation of air above the lawn.

Rapid, forced and weak growth of grass in autumn.

Alkaline soil pH, between 7 and 14.

Weak turf, perhaps due to wear or irregular mowing.

Blunt mower blades causing a poor cut.

Compacted soil and poor drainage.

If you feel your lawn may be susceptible to any of these conditions, then an outbreak can be reduced by a number of means, including the following:

Regular aeration and scarification.

Regular mowing.

Alternating the direction of the cut helps the grass to stand upright and will help air move between the plants.

Lowering nitrogen applications at the end of the summer / early autumn period.

The most enthusiastic gardeners can play a role by removing dew with a rake in the mornings.

Lost? Let us take care of your lawn whilst you sit back and watch the transformation. Call us on 0845 634 5045 for more information today!

Areas We Cover

Our services are available to Residential and Commercial clients throughout the local South Bucks areas including: High Wycombe, Flackwell Heath, Penn and Tylers Green, Amersham, Little Chalfont, Chalfont St Giles, Chalfont St Peter, Beaconsfield, Gerrards  Cross and Denham.   We also cover Uxbridge, Ickenham and surrounding areas extending into Middlesex.