When your beautiful green lawn becomes invaded by weeds, we understand how frustrating it can be. Being able to identify the weeds is the first step to determining what to do about them. We’ve compiled a list of the most common lawn and garden invaders, and how to get rid of them. 

Common Types of Weeds

 

• Dandelions- Yes, you read that right! Dandelions are not a flower; they’re a weed! Dandelion is a broadleaf perennial, disguised by bright yellow flowers and large, flat rosettes of leaves rising from a tall taproot. They commonly favor thin turf.

• Crabgrass is an annual with branching stems, coarse, blue-green and purple leaf blades, and are smooth or hairy depending on the species. There are flower heads with fingerlike spikes. 

• Ground Ivy– This weed is another broadleaf perennial with square stems and bright green rounded leaves with scalloped edges. Ground Ivy reproduces by seed and creeping stems that root as they touch the ground. This type of week prefers damp soil and shade. 
• White Clover– White Clover is another broadleaf perennial that used to be included in grass seed mixes before it was recognized as a weed. Like any clover, it’s known by three-lobed leaves with a white crescent-shaped band. White Clover prefers and thrives in sparse, undernourished turf with excessive moisture. 

How to Get Rid of Them

Crowd Out Weeds

Most weeds are opportunists and will grow wherever they find space that will allow them to grow. However, most weeds won’t stand a chance in healthy grass. A sensible lawn care plan will help stop weed problems before they have a chance to start. So remember, healthy, full grass means little to no weeds. 

Fertilize Enough, But Not Too Much

Too little fertilizer will lead to sparse lawn that competes with weeds, and too much fertilizer will promote and nurture certain weed growth. Strike the perfect balance of fertilizer by following the application rates on the bags of fertilizer. Also, use fertilizers with a high percentage of controlled-release nitrogen that provide a slow, steady nutrient supply. The frequency and timing of your fertilizing effort is crucial to lawn health, and therefore weed growth. Make sure to keep up with your fertilizing schedule based on your location and the seasons. Some areas may only need to be fertilized twice a year, while others may need more. 

Water Grass Infrequently and Deeply

Frequent, light watering causes shallow roots and helps annual weeds germinate. Instead, provide your lawn with infrequent, deep watering. Typically, lawns need one inch of water per week. This will help promote healthy grass and exterminate any chances weeds may form. 

Mow Higher

Mowing too low on your lawn causes short, weak grass. It weakens the turf by reducing the ability of a grass leaf to produce nutrients. It also lets light hit the soil surface, which promotes weed growth. 

Hand Weed

Keeping a healthy lawn can help prevent weeds, but for the weeds that have already grown, hand-weeding is the best defense for small yards. This method is the most effective on broadleaf weeds; pulling them when they’re young before they flower and seed is the best way to keep them from spreading. This is easiest when the soil is damp. Once the weed is out, promptly reseed the area, or the weed will regrow in its place.

 

One of the jobs that many homeowner’s dread is watering their lawn and plants during the hot summer months. It’s a time-consuming process that may be costing you much more than you realize! In addition to wasting money from your wallet, manually watering your lawn and plants is wasting one of earth’s precious natural resources. 

Lowering Your Water Bill

It’s no secret that you see a hike in your water bill costs during the seasons when you water your lawn and plants. Of course, there’s no way to get rid of that increase completely, but a sprinkler system could help lower it! One of the biggest mistakes made during manual watering is assuming that the entire lawn needs to same amount. Realistically, some parts of your yard need only a fraction of the water that other parts require. Sprinkler systems are able to give your lawn only the amount of water that it needs. This works to lower your water bill in a dramatic way overtime.

Saving More Than Just Money

As your water bill is lowered, so is your environmental impact. Saving water is something that we all should try to do. Sure, turning the water off while you brush your teeth can help, but not overwatering your lawn will have a much bigger impact! In addition to your environmental savings, you’ll be saving time. Manually watering your lawn each day can become very time consuming, especially for those of you with a bigger lawn. Sprinkler systems can be set on an auto-timer that turns them on at the same time each day. They’ll turn off when they’re done and you can have the peace of mind knowing that your lawn is watered rather your home to do it or not! Most sprinkler systems can be installed into your lawn and flower beds without disrupting what’s already there. It’s a quick and easy process that will begin saving you money right away! 

Contact Berardi Irrigation

After just a few months of enjoying a lower water bill, you’ll see just how worthy of an investment the sprinkler system was! Anything you save after that is extra money in your pocket to spend on improving your flowerbeds or other areas of the home! Scheduling a free consultation and estimate is the best time to ask any questions you may have and get a better understanding of how the process works. 

When trying to get your lawn ready for the summer, sprinkler complications can present a real problem. Any sort of issue with the head, nozzle, etc., will prohibit you from watering your lawn properly. These issues should be fixed immediately, and likely the only thing holding you back is simply not knowing how to repair your sprinkler. Luckily, figuring out what’s wrong typically isn’t hard, and we have five simple solutions.

Water is Emitted in Numerous Locations Simultaneously

A certain level of water has to be emitted out of one valve in order for the others to stay shut. Different sprinklers need different amounts per minute. A low flow could be due to a defective diaphragm, clogged filter or impeller, or degraded water meters. Examine your sprinkler for the former two yourself, and then get into touch with your city’s water department for aid concerning the water meter.

Defective Heads

Anything can run over the heads of your sprinkler and cause them to malfunction. If their movement has become compromised, all you have to do is locate the right sprinkler head to go with your irrigation head. A suitable nozzle allows for precise, uniform spraying, and fortunately, there’s a large variety at your disposal.

Clogged Nozzles

The most obvious indicator or water blockage is if the head stays low and doesn’t give off anything. Different particles can easily gather in the filters since the sprinkler is outside and subject to all kinds of debris. Unclogging a filter requires your water being switched off, the riser being lifted, the nozzle taken out, and the filter being cleansed accordingly.

“Chattering” Post-Installation of the Pump

The length of the wire between the controller and start relay needs to be swapped to prevent further chattering. It probably needs to be longer, so a larger transformer may also be required to prevent the issue. Consider messaging a professional in your city to pinpoint the conflict and offer assistance for resolving it.

The Pump Suddenly Begins Making Noise

If you’ve always had a silent pump, then any noise during spraying indicates that its time for a replacement. The relay has stopped working properly. The relay works based on magnetic forces so a malfunction means its touch locations have began combining chemically with oxygen. This renders it inefficient and emits an audible noise like a buzz. Large levels of water vapor or salt speed up this degradation, making for a notably reduced lifespan. So if you want to fix your beloved sprinkler, then you need to replace the relay.

Contact Berardi Irrigation

If you need assistance diagnosing any of your sprinkler’s malfunctions this season, don’t hesitate to call in the experts! Berardi Irrigation will take care of the issue quickly and efficiently, ensuring that it is working properly without any damage. Fill out an online form or give us a call at 781-828-2029!

 

Living in New England, we know that with each season comes different responsibilities for taking care of your yard. If you use an irrigation system on your lawn, you probably turned it off and winterized it for the season sometime around late November. But now that the snow and cold weather is (hopefully) behind us, you’re probably wondering, what’s the next step? When is an appropriate time to turn the irrigation system back on and start the process towards a green lawn? Here are a few tips to properly turn your system back on.

Check for Frozen Lawn

The best way to tell if its an appropriate time to turn your sprinkler back on, is if the ground is completely thawed. Although a few nice 50 degree days might be enough to melt the piles of snow on the surface, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the ground isn’t still partially frozen. Theoretically, you should be able to dig into the soil about one foot to determine if it’s ready. If you give this a try and realize that you get stopped by frozen ground about halfway down, wait another week or two to try. The worst thing you can do is rush it; Starting your system to early could cause broken water lines if the ground is cold enough.

Inspect Sprinkler Valves

Before turning on the sprinkler, you should check each sprinkler valve to ensure that there are no leaks or damage. You should also take a look at the sprinkler head. If you do find damage, you can buy a new head to replace it. However, more extensive damage might require a repair project where you’d want to hire a professional to ensure the job gets done right.

Turn on Water Slowly

When you’re ready to turn your system on this spring, it’s important to remember that the water needs to be turned on slowly. If it’s done too quickly it can cause a water hammer, which is a high-pressure surge of water, potentially causing a sprinkler head to pop off or fittings to burst. The valves need time to adapt to the pressure, which is why turning on water slowly is crucial.

Contact Berardi Irrigation

If you need assistance turning on your irrigation system this spring, call the experts to ensure it is done properly. Berardi Irrigation serves clients in Canton, Braintree, Hingham, and beyond. Fill out an online contact form or give us a call today at 781-828-2029!