Best lawn care pros near Gideon, MO

Yes, it's perfectly safe and environmentally sound to mulch leaves with a lawn mower, provided that the layer of leaves isn't too thick and the leaves are dry and crispy. Too many wet leaves get sticky and will clog the mower. Thick layers of leaves can suffocate the lawn after the leaves have been mulched, so the layer should be no more than six inches thick.

The growth of tall fescue grass often causes clumps of grass in your lawn. Avoid pulling up the clumps, as it won’t effectively remove them. Instead, dig out clumps and their roots when you notice them early in the growing season. Herbicides can also treat grass clumps, but they can also affect other plants you might not want to kill, so use them sparingly and always follow manufacturer instructions.

Bermuda grass is one of the fastest-growing warm-season grasses because of its system of aboveground stems (stolons) and below-ground stems (rhizomes). Adequate water and sunlight in a warmer climate will nurture the spread of Bermuda grass. This rapid growth rate makes Bermuda grass resilient and effective at choking weeds. However, this aggressive advancement can also make the grass difficult to contain and control.

To prepare your lawn for core aeration, water it the day before you aerate. (Alternatively, you can wait until it rains and aerate the following day.) Aerating after watering or a rainy day will make the process easier since you can penetrate moist soil better than dry soil. You should also flag your sprinklers so that you don’t accidentally hit them while aerating. If you have a lot of thatch buildup in your yard, you might need to dethatch your lawn before aerating as well.