ABC Blog

Using Compost to Maximize Your Soil’s Potential

compost tips san antonio

Gardens and lawns need a variety of nutrients, but it’s not just a question of adding fertilizer. To maintain healthy plants, you also need to make sure there’s enough organic matter in the soil. This organic matter breaks down into a substance called humus which helps to maintain soil moisture and feed the tiny organisms that plants need to grow.

Adding compost to your soil is just what the doctor ordered for your landscape.

Below we’ll look at what compost is, why it’s important, and how you can use it to increase organic matter in the soil for the happiest plants on the block.

What is compost?

Compost is made up of decomposed materials such as leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen scraps. Insects and tiny microorganisms help to break it down, and the resulting mixture is chock full of the nutrients plants need to survive.

When added to the garden or lawn, compost restores life … Read Full Post »

When to Fertilize Your Lawn for the Greenest Grass

buying a new home in Texas

Imagine yourself as a newly-minted homeowner. You’ve recently purchased and moved into a beautiful home with a well-established lawn.

As part of your home maintenance schedule, you start to think about how to maintain this lovely lawn – mowing, watering, weeding and fertilizing all come to mind. Each of these tasks seems pretty straightforward, especially mowing and watering which happen on an as-needed basis.

But what about fertilization? When is that supposed to happen for best results?

How do you know when to fertilize your lawn?

Fertilizing seems like an easy task in and of itself. You may remember watching a parent or neighbor spreading those little white fertilizer pellets on lawns in your neighborhood.

What you may not remember about that process is when it happens and why. There are several factors you should consider before deciding when to fertilize your lawn. Here are a handful of factors you might want to consider.

Learn about … Read Full Post »

When Dallas Yards Get Hungry

Enhancing your property with proper fertilization techniques

Although Dallas definitely stays warmer year-round than states in the northern half of the country, it’s still imperative to consider your property’s lawn care needs for the spring, summer and fall. After all, fertilizing strategies change with the weather, and you also need to aerify warm season turfgrasses during the spring and summer months. Taking the time to create the proper strategy will help ensure a lush lawn.

Fertilization Schedule for Southern Grasses

It’s common for Dallas-area residents to have Southern grasses such as Zoysia, Bermuda and St. Augustine on their property. All of these grasses require granular slow-release fertilization four times a year to help them look their best. This requires a proper schedule so that you don’t end up overwhelming your yard or inadvertently causing some damage. You should have the first fertilization applied between late February and early March, and follow it up … Read Full Post »

A Healthy Lawn Needs Good Soil

Although it may seem like some people just have green thumbs that let them create flourishing lawns and gardens, this superstition couldn’t be farther from the truth. In reality, your lawn’s health is entirely dependent on the quality of the soil beneath.

Just like your home needs a good foundation, your grass, veggie gardens and decorative plants must have good earth if they’re to grow strong. Here are a few tips on demystifying your quest for healthier home landscaping by creating better soil.

The Fertilizer Misconception

Many homeowners labor under the mistaken impression that they can simply dump fertilizer on the ground every season and sit back while their plants take it all in. While this approach is well intentioned, it’s sorely misguided.

Fertilizers work by providing plants with vital nutrients, but you can definitely overfeed your lawn. Although your grass won’t start to pack on pounds like a person might if they ate … Read Full Post »

Green Grass Needs More Than Water

What’s that subtle sound? It’s your grass begging for a little TLC. While it’s true that frequent watering will keep your lawn healthy in the blistering San Antonio heat, watering restrictions are definitely a consideration. Not to mention, your lawn needs and deserves so much more than water in order to remain healthy.

Green with Envy

Your neighbors will talk about your lawn—it’s just a fact of life. Give them something to talk about with a luscious lawn that makes them want to kick off their shoes and walk barefoot right up to your front door to ask you what your secret is.

Caring for Your Lawn

➢ Fertilize on Schedule

Proper fertilization is key, but it must be done at the right times of year and with the right blend for your type of grass. For example, a fertilizer formulated for Bermuda grass would kill St. Augustine. It’s important to know exactly which breed … Read Full Post »