Tree and Shrub Care, How to Protect Your Investment.

We always think about making our lawn look beautiful, making it green and free of weeds is the most common request made by potential customers, but what about your Trees and Shrubs? Often overlooked, most are adapted to the region we live in and for the most part seem to manage on their own. However, with closer inspection, you'll find most are under extreme stress from a variety of ailments. Water restrictions place ornamentals under stress yearly, often taking its toll in the hot months, the growth patterns of most trees and shrubs are limited to the amount of water and nutrients they receive. Often the homeowner rarely gives their ornamentals the attention they need, leading to a big decline in growth rates. Disease, Insect damage and inadequate moisture often lead to late or premature budding, early loss of foliage and growth decline. All signs of some type of stress to the plant, most problems go undiagnosed, unnoticed and left to leave their mark on a homeowner’s investment. How do we gain the advantage? We give ornamentals what they need to be healthy, a combination of adequate water, early detection and application. The homeowner needs to make sure adequate irrigation is available to all plant life, making sure their system functions properly. Next, find a good company who can regularly inject nutrients to the root zone and monitor tree and shrub health, identifying any disease or insect damage and treat accordingly. Most lawn care companies have a tree and shrub program, one in conjunction with the lawn. This season, take the time to ask your lawn care professional about tree and shrub applications, a program designed to protect your investment. If you've ever had to replace or purchase new landscape ornamentals you know how expensive replacing them can be. Extremely costly, replacing trees and shrubs is more than most budgets can handle. So, take the time this year to notice your homes most beautiful asset, the landscaping. Protect your investment wisely, call Lawn Tech today and find out how a simple tree and shrub program for a small price can help you save big money in the long run. Call Lawn Tech today @ 972-346-2696 or visit our website at www.lawntech.com

Don't Wait! Hiring a Lawn Service After You Find Problems May Be Too Late.

Late spring or early summer seems to be the time when most homeowners decide it’s time to call a company for service. They've either taken the time to stop and smell the roses, or they've decided that doing applications themselves is more work than first imagined. Typically, as it warms up and the year is in full swing, homeowners have a chance to get out in the yard, relax by the pool or take a stroll around the neighborhood. As they get out in their environment they begin to notice how beautiful everything looks and how ugly. By mid May, weeds are usually taking off "Fast and Furious" they've settled into a routine of sprouting, producing root nodules and spreading seed lets. Before you know it, they've invaded your lawn to the point of being unwanted pests, an unsightly mound staring back at you in stark contrast from your ornamental lawn. Waiting can mean a daunting task for you and any company hired to take on the task. It's never too late to start, after all you have to start sometime, yet, starting late in spring and early summer has given weeds and disease time to take up residence to the point of infestation. The answer is to be pro-active and not re-active. One of the most critical parts of lawn care is pre-emergence, a product systematically applied before weeds germinate. This crucial step is one designed to be applied as the season starts, not as the season has progressed. In order to bring about the best results, target dates prescribed by our industry which afford professionals the best opportunity to rid the yard of weeds must be adhered to. Missing this window of opportunity is big in our industry, without an effectively applied pre-emergent, we know the battle is on and will rage throughout the season if not done properly. Procrastination is common; we all seem to put off today what could be done tomorrow, its human nature. However, if you have a beautiful home and want that "Ornamental Look" we all dream of having, then don't wait! Be pro-active and call Lawn Tech today to set the season off right, after all, we all deserve a beautiful lawn. Call the professionals at Lawn Tech @ 972-346-2696 or click on the title to this post to go straight to our website for a free quote, you'll find it's cheaper than you think.

Chemicals and The Lawn Care Industry

The word "Chemical" sometimes has a negative connotation, movies have sensationalized the threat to the average citizen to the point that the very word can conjure up feelings of post apocalyptic horrors. The reality is far from how the movies have conditioned those viewers to believe; after all, just about every household item we use has chemicals in them. Now that doesn’t make them any less harmful, yet we have to be rational as to what classifies an ingredient as a chemical and just how that particular chemical effects our environment. As it turns out most substances labeled as "Chemicals" are found naturally in our environment and in our bodies. For instance, a very common chemical used in lawn care is Sodium Chloride which is found naturally in nature and in the human body. Yet, in large quantities can be harmful. This rational way to look at chemicals is more in keeping with the science of chemicals and less in the over dramatized picture Hollywood has depicted. There are many different families of chemicals and different classifications of chemicals. Some occur naturally in our environment while others are manmade, all typically separated by three main subcategories: Ingredient, Toxicity and Flash point. These three main categories are used to classify a certain chemical for many reasons not just the end user. Manufacturing, Transportation and Application utilize these classifications in order to insure each chemical is used as intended. The Environmental Protection Agency which governs how and when chemicals are used in our environment oversees the regulation, distribution, and application of chemicals in a wide variety of uses. Essentially the "Police" of the chemical world, the EPA have other functions however their main purpose is to protect human health and our environment. Chemicals are just one category the EPA regulates and it’s the most impactful. The EPA's involvement is one that is needed, warranted and underappreciated. In the lawn care industry chemicals are used to control pest. A "Pest" can be anything a homeowner doesn’t want in his or her yard; Weeds, Insects and disease prompt chemical use to obtain ornamental qualities and protect landscape. All regulated by the Department of Agriculture and the EPA. Each lawn care chemical company must go through detailed training yearly, pass a written test and obtain a commercial applicator's license in order to apply controlled use chemical products on someone’s yard. The chemicals used in the lawn care industry are created and chosen for their ability to eliminate "Pest" ironically, making our environment less pest intrusive and more appealing. So how safe are the chemicals used and regulated in our industry? The end user is heavily regulated by licensing agencies like the Department of Agriculture and the EPA, insuring each chemical used, is put out in a manner which causes the least chance of over application and hazard. The chemicals used typically are of low toxicity and application rates are minimized and monitored to try and limit over exposure to the environment. Chemicals like Fertilizer which have components occurring naturally in our environment, are most common, other chemicals man made in origin are used to "kill pests" all heavily regulated and diluted for use. Generally chemicals are safe for the user, our customers and the environment when applied as prescribed. Our industry is heavily regulated to insure each and every user adheres to regulations that keep chemicals from harming our environment. As long as you hire a company which is licensed to apply chemicals, has a professional staff who cares about the customer and follows the laws and regulations under which the license they carry was issued, you can't go wrong. As with any industry, you have companies who try and circumvent the rules, our industry is no different. You can find companies willing to apply chemicals without a license. Eventually, the law will catch up to them; heavy fines and jail time will follow. Finding the right company is the key to proper lawn care, finding a company properly trained and licensed is the answer. Lawn Care has always been a unique way to bring about the most satisfying aspect of any property, a beautiful lawn is a statement of health and tranquility, giving a homeowner a sense of accomplishment, a statement of success and something to be proud of. As we learn more about how chemicals are used in the lawn care industry we find that the toxicity of those chemicals is relatively small, heavily regulated with little to no impact to our environment. When properly applied by an ethical, licensed responsible company, the end result is a beautiful lawn done right. If you’re interested in finding out more how lawn care can be done right, call 972-346-2696 or visit www.lawntech.com

Why Hire A Lawn Service? Why Invest the Money?

We as homeowners are a proud bunch, we take the time, energy and resources to protect our investment, after all, we pay enough for our homes, why not take care of them, right? Part of homeownership is taking responsibility for our surroundings, providing regular maintenance, like; changing the A/C unit filters, cleaning, repairing and general upkeep. Why do we do it? We know that by taking care of our most precious investment insures its longevity, its reliability and its safety. We also have a certain measure of pride associated with how our home looks; "Keeping Up with the Jones's" has long been the attitude with some homeowners who see their house as a statement to success. Now whether or not you feel this way or for that matter agree with this logic, the fact still remains for whatever the reasons, taking care of your home and its surroundings benefit you and your family. Did you know, that according to the National Association of Realtors who surveyed potential home buyers as to what the most important factor which led them to find interest in or buy a certain property was the landscaping? 77% percent out of those surveyed said that landscaping caught their eye and appealed to them foremost. Extremely telling for those of us interested in protecting our most precious investment. How the presentation of our landscaping looks captures the eye, ads to the overall architecture of any building and gives life to an otherwise meaningless structure. A beautifully manicured lawn and landscape can put the cherry on top of a beautifully crafted home, giving off an air of sophistication, peace and tranquility. The richness that a beautiful lawn provides is hard to measure as to the aesthetics and can seal the deal when it comes to selling your home. There are other reasons other than "Keeping Up with the Jones's" for maintaining a beautiful landscape that are not as obvious; One of the main purposes for maintaining your lawn is for erosion purposes, which is vital in this region of unpredictable weather, where heat can cause foundation troubles and torrential rainfall can erode your soil. Furthermore, a well maintained landscape can prevent concrete damage to sidewalks and driveways, and help control pest as well. As a result we not only take pride in our beautiful landscape as it turns out we need it. So we must protect it, provide for it and nurture it, without the upkeep and investment into how our landscape looks, its overall health, we run the risk of losing our investment we worked so hard to obtain. So we have a choice to make as to how we go about protecting our landscape from decline, or worse. We either try to take care of it ourselves or we pay a professional to do it for us. The lawn care industry has over the last few decades changed to adapt to homeowners needs; they've added products, services and made paying for it easier and more affordable than ever. If you’re like most people and don't have the time or the knowledge to take care of your landscape as a professional would, why not hire one? Hiring a lawn service gives the homeowner the best chance at protecting ones investment by allowing a professional to apply the right chemicals at the right time, giving a homeowner the best chance to keep his or her lawn healthy. We've already established the importance to maintaining a beautiful landscape, so why not allow the pro's to reassure you it’s been done right the first time? Take the necessary steps to avoid your landscapes decline and give Lawntech a quick call for a free quote, they've been taking care of lawns for close to thirty years with a long track record of satisfied customers, call them today for a chance to save on this year’s lawn care @ 972-346-2696 or visit them at www.lawntech.com, Lawn Tech, "A Beautiful Lawn is Our Business"

Think Pre-Emergent as Early Fall Approaches

Pre-emergence critical to a beautiful lawn, must be applied by a certain date to be effective, without pre-emergent’s, your lawn would be riddled with weeds to a point impossible to control. What is a pre-emergent and when should they be applied? A pre-emergent is a class of herbicide designed to create a layer of protection just below the soil surface and remain in the soil to stop new weed seeds from germinating. Herbicides of this nature are designed to be applied in two different ways and some pre-emergent have other benefits as well, depending on the type and brand. Granular and liquid are the two types used in lawn care at different times of the year, some containing post-emergent qualities while others are strictly pre-emergent only. Each having similar benefits when applied at the right time, giving a homeowner the best chance of stopping most weeds from germinating at different times of the year. Spring and fall are times when weeds germinate; some being "Summer Weeds" while other weeds are labeled as "Winter Weeds" Without pre-emergent, the lawn care industry would not be effective enough to stay in business. Pre-emergent’s are crucial and remain the single most important part of lawn care, without the all important spring and fall pre-emergent, weeds are left to grow unimpeded, lawn care companies understand the vital importance of a pre-emergent applied at the right time, and cringe when a customer refuses or postpones a treatment containing one, knowing from experience the all important catalyst to an ornamental yard starts with a correctly applied pre-emergent, when applied at the right time in the right manner most weeds don’t stand a chance of germinating. Take the time to read up on the vital importance of pre-emergent qualities and benefits, begin to understand the vital role pre-emergent plays in the ornamental state of your lawn, realizing the benefits, a homeowner can come to the conclusion that pre-emergence is the answer to a weed free lawn. There relatively easy to apply in granular form with a garden spreader, or a lawn care company can be contracted to apply pre-emergent at the right time to be most effective, leaving it up to the Pro’s so to speak. However, if you want to tackle the chore yourself the following info is vital: In the North Texas region the ideal target window for fall pre-emergent is before Sept 15th for a true pre-emergent with no residual post emergent activity, after Sept 15th you must apply a pre-emergent that contains post emergent activity because some weeds may have already germinated making a pre-emergent without post emergent qualities ineffective. Pay special attention to label instructions or ask your local lawn care professional for help Lawn Tech @ 972-346-2696. Good Luck and may you always have a beautiful lawn.

It's Time To Treat For Grubs

White grubs eat organic matter including the roots of plants. Therefore, damage first appears to be drought stress. Heavily infested turf appears off color, gray-green, and wilts rapidly in the hot sun. Continued feeding will cause the turf to die in large irregular patches. The tunneling of the larvae cause the turf to feel spongy under foot and the turf can often be rolled back like a loose carpet. Once the damage is done, its hard to regain any new turf without sodding or seeding. The best alternative to damage is preventative grub insecticide, however, topical insecticide can be applied once grubs have reached mature stages to kill on contact, preventing any further damage from occurring. Often grubs are found in soft soils or healthy lawns near and around street lamps or outdoor lighting. If you would like to find out how you can prevent grubs from ruining your lawn, call Lawntech or visit our website.

Hot, Dry and Under Restrictions

Summer's here and its hot, Texans are used to this weather, right? Not necessarily. Over the last three years we have broken records each of those three years, the most recent being the hottest, driest months on record. Yes, I suppose in this region North Texan's are more apt to handle hot weather than say our northern neighbors, yet as we look at temperatures for the last century, we find we have been hotter consistently and below average rainfall. So if temperatures are high as usual without any rainfall, drought conditions magnify turf problems, without water your investment is wasted. Bermuda for example does have some drought tolerances, consequently, just like the any living plant, Bermuda needs a certain amount of water to stay healthy. The University of Texas A&M experts in regional turf grasses, have some surprising prescriptions for regional turf grass irrigation recommendations, a suggestion far less than one would expect. 1 to 1.5 inches per week, with longer periods of slow watering the better. The pro's who study turf grass management have done their field work, analyzed the data, to formulate suggested weekly watering tables for regional turf grasses, both Bermuda and St. Augustine require only one to two inches weekly to be healthy. Which is a surprisingly low amount, given the time it takes to apply. With this prescription a homeowner can breathe a sigh of relief in times of drought and forced water restrictions. Your irrigation system should be in proper working order, insuring the heads are functioning properly, however, only needing one to two inches weekly should be an easy chore, assuming your system is working as intended. In this time of what seems to be a pattern of drought we're stuck in, take the time to have your system audited, fixed and maintained. Follow the weekly rule of one to two inches per week and your investment should be fine. Rain will eventually fall again, but until it does, you can be comforted in knowing under restrictions you can still have a beautiful lawn. Check out Lawn Tech's answer to watering restrictions, a product called "Moisture Manager" a unique bio-degradable substance which helps maximize your yards water consumption. Visit our website at: www.lawntech.com to read more or call us at 972-346-2696 for more information.

Got Fireants! Try Top Choice

In years past our industry struggled with eliminating fire ants from our environment, we fought the gallant fight, put up resistance at every turn, only to find fire ants back at work in a week or so, tormenting our customers. After many battles our efforts seemed futile until recently, our industry has finally found a product that works as advertised. Top Choice, a broad spectrum insecticide targeted mainly at fire ants works well and is easy to apply. The active ingredient Fibronil seems to work wonders in riding your lawn of the angry little pest and sends them packing. Designed to be broadcasted out by conventional spreader application rates, these tiny granules breakdown with moisture and create a barrier once penetrated is carried on their bodies back to the mound and causes death. Perfect control is obtained because of the inherent nature of fire ants to forage or move locations based on weather patterns, moisture distribution and food sources. As they forage across areas applicated with Top Choice they come in contact with the chemical and the rest is as they say "history" The good folks at Bayer Environmental Sciences have really hit the mark with a wonderful product that works, as long as this product is applied correctly by a licensed applicator, you can't go wrong with investing in a Top Choice application. There is however some small problems when not applied effectively or watered in properly, the biggest being full coverage of all dirt surfaces, any areas missed and ants will reside there. Secondly, this product is a controlled use product and must be applied by professionals, finding the right company with applicators that are diligent with how they apply Top Choice can make a huge difference in total infestation removal. Proper irrigation following recent applications can make the difference in success or failure, without proper watering, Top Choice doesn’t work. If you are interested in a proven product that our industry is proud to apply, please contact Lawn Tech at 972-346-2696 or visit nofireants.com and read more about this outstanding product with a yearlong guarantee from Bayer.

Did You Know? Proper Mowing and Fertilizing Conserves Water?

From the University ot Texas A&M,comes a great article about proper mowing heights, making a point to show you how mowing can help conserve water. The following exerpt is from the Agri-Life Website:

"Mowing grass at the proper height conserves water. Mow, St. Augustine grass and Buffalograss at 3 inches; for Bermudagrass mow at 1 inch; for centipedegrass and Zoysiagrass mow at 2 inches.
Applying fertilizer to the lawn at the proper time and in the proper amount can save time, effort and money through reduced mowing and watering. Fertilizers also can be a major source of pollution of streams and groundwater if excessive amounts are applied."

Read the rest of this article at: earthkind.tamu.edu

What Sets Lawn Tech Apart From the Competition?

Some Surprising Differences You May Not Know About Lawn Tech Versus Our Competition:


Five Treatment Program (Chemically Responsible)
Free Service Calls
24hr Courtesy Call before Treatments
Only the Best Products Used
No Contract to Sign
In Business since 1985
Recipient of Several Honorable Awards (Angies List Super Service Award)
Dedicated Experienced Staff
A Loyal Customer Base


Letter to Our Customers,

This year we are well aware of a more than average abundance of weeds, this is typical during years of drought or abnormally warm temperatures, causing weeds to germinate and seasonal grasses to begin transitioning.
Pre-emergent’s applied in the early fall of last year have shown to be less effective than in years past, the weather pattern over the last year has made weeds pop up quicker and in more abundance.
Lawn Tech has since 1985, used five timed treatments throughout the scheduled lawn season, while other companies use up to twelve yearly we stick to only five, the practice of using only five well timed treatments helps limit over application of chemicals, and helps our environment.
Lawn Tech practices “Integrated Pest Management” a term coined by the industry to mean you only apply enough chemicals to be effective. This practice helps limit the amount of chemicals in your family’s environment, your children’s environment, and our drinking water.
Limiting our applications to five seasonal treatments can leave your yard vulnerable in the warm winter months especially if we have drought conditions. We could extend our five treatment program to include the winter months, but at what price? Other companies seem to abandon the ethical practice of being chemically conscious and add as many treatments as they feel necessary to make a profit.
Since 1985 we have tried to give our customers good value, free service calls and great customer service without adding winter treatments. In past years our fall pre-emergent was enough to carry our customers until we could service their property that next February.
This year the drought has caused more weeds than usual, however, without abandoning our five treatment program as discussed, we have every intention of resuming your applications as soon as possible. We are now actively servicing our customers with the first treatment of the year and without fail we will be at your property within weeks, if problems arise during the course of the season, please take advantage of our free service call program within thirty days of your most recent application.
Lawn Tech is very thankful for all our customers and we appreciate your understanding our need to limit the amount of chemicals we put in your environment by adhering to our five treatment program. Once again thank you for being a valued customer and we look forward to making your yard look beautiful.


Please Visit Our Website at: www.lawntech.com

Helping You Save Money with "Moisture Manager"

Drought Season is coming up soon and water restrictions may be set higher, so what can you do about it? Most homeowners want to protect their investment and enjoy having a beautiful lawn, realizing that water is the vital ingredient needed, worry sets in as homeowners face spring time temperatures.
With tougher restrictions looming in our future, there may be an answer to our problems. Moisture manager is a new product created by Ecologel Solutions, designed to make the most of water already available in your soil.
Moisture manager is a chemical known as a "Humectants" designed to be sprayed onto your lawn and watered into the soil, once down into the root zone, moisture manager captures moisture vapor before it evaporates back into the atmosphere, converting it back to liquid water and passing it on to your plants roots.
Considered as a "Professional Root Zone Moisture Manager" this chemical works when water restrictions limit the amount of water you can dump on your lawn. This gives homeowners a slight advantage to tougher restrictions and helps keep lawns greener longer despite watering practices.
Learn more about Moisture Managers Hydretain today at www.savingtheworldswater.com, and visit www.lawntech.com were we can apply moisture manager for you within three to five days, giving you the best advantage in drought conditions. Find out the benefits and read more about this amazing product sweeping the industry. A biodegradable technology that conserves water, saves you money, increases the efficiency of fertilizer and pesticides, by reducing runoff.

Watering Your Lawn Under Restrictions? Education Is The Answer!

Most customers understand in order to have a healthy lawn, water plays a vital role, under stage restrictions, homeowners fear the worst as spring is around the corner.

The key word to drought stage restrictions is "education" Learning how much water your lawn needs to be healthy, what alternatives if any, are on the market to help maximize water intake and proper irrigation auditing.
Education starts with the homeowner, taking the time to read up on water conservation, understanding restrictions, undertanding your irrigation system and following up with available alternatives.
From a business standpoint, we as commercial applicators have a role as well in water conservation, irrigation audits, alternative product awareness and education to the consumer.
Each of us have a responsibility to ourselves, the consumer and our environment to properly educate one another as to the "ins and outs" of water restrictions, conservation and proper irrigation management.
Perhaps the biggest concern amoung those in an industry such as ours, is to have consumers being irresponsible with water, in this day and age we have the ethical resposibility as a society to be conscious of our environment and educate ourselves to those aspects of conservation which pose the greatest risk to our existence.
Taking this into question, Lawn Tech has other alternatives to over-watering and stage restrictions to include:

Proper Irrigation Audits
Water Management Techniques
Erosion Practices
Proper drainage Techniques
Chemical Applications to improve water absorption "Humectants"
Consumer Education

Take the time to visit our website or call Lawn Tech for applications that can help conserve water such as "Humectants", irrigation auditing, and water management techniques, we would be glad to show you how to have a beautiful lawn during drought conditions, please visit: www.lawntech.com or call 972-346-2696 we would be glad to assist you. Also you can click on the title of this blog entry to be taken to the Texas State Watering Website. or copy and paste the following website: http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/conservation/municipal/

Lawn Tech is Making Headlines

Lawn Tech is very proud to be the recipient of the 2011 Angie's List Super Service Award! This prestigous award was given to the top five percent of companies that have shown to be outstanding in the area of customer service and positive feedback.
We are honored to have recieved this award and take our customer service responsibility seriously, awards help us realize that our efforts are being noticed and appreciated. Angie's List has become the leading business forum for potential clients to communicate and make judgement on whether or not to do business with us, this award which is the highest compliment a company can receive, is an honor we are very proud of.
We thank Angie's List for this award and appreciate our customer's for taking the time to praise us for our outstanding customer service, we thank you for your business.
Please take the time to visit angie's list today and see why Lawn Tech is the 2011 Super Service Award Winner. www.angieslist.com

Decorated Families Program

Christmas Decor every year participates in the "Decorated Families Program" Each year a family is chosen in our local community in which one or both of the parents are presently serving overseas in the military, or has paid the ultimate price for our country in combat.
A portion of our profits go to help decorate a soldiers home for the holidays, giving back to those who protect our freedom. This small gesture takes place yearly in which we go out to their house and decorate for free, the fascia, roof line and trees are trimmed with lights to try and bring joy to an otherwise difficult time.
CDI is proud to be a part of something we feel spreads goodwill in the community, helps families recognize those who sacrifice so much during the holiday season and bring cheer to families with those serving overseas. Take time to appreciate those serving our country this holiday season and join Christmas Decor in our appreciation of our military.

Make this Holiday Happy and Profitable

We all love to see Christmas lights on our house, where we shop and in our places of business. The festive attitude brings about a cheery mood everyone seems to love. Making this holiday special means lighting up your environment. Doing so can be costly and problematic, hiring a company with no proven experience or track record of good service can be a holiday nightmare.
Most customers would admit to some negative experience hiring a Christmas light contractor to install custom lighting, the nature of the industry lends to some "fly by night" installers. Everyone knows someone; a painter, landscaper, mowing company, the boy next door, you name it, anyone and everyone can install Christmas lights professionally, right?
Wrong! Christmas lighting can be difficult, not to mention down right dangerous! In order to install Christmas lighting properly, correctly, within proper safety standards, and look classy and professional, training and proper supplies must be considered. Just a few problems installers face include:

1. Working in high places, (Risk of fall, injury or death)
2. Performing work in awkward places, (roof pitch, steeples, gables)
3. The right Equipment for the job, (extension ladder, wire tools)
4. Working in inclement weather, (slipping, falling, sliding)
5. Being electrocuted, (plugs, outlets, frayed wire, ground plugs)
6. Tripping or fall hazard, (unstable roof, ladder, ground clutter)

Despite all the hidden concerns, installing Christmas lights doesn't have to be hazardous, with the right company trained to install lighting professionally, following a safety first mentality, insured and bonded to be on your property or roof, can give the customer peace of mind. No matter if you are a business owner or homeowner, hiring a company with a proven track record for safety and professionalism is the answer. Taking all the risk out of installing and keeping your holidays a special memorable occasion is the best way to enjoy your holiday season.


The Christmas Decor Difference:

The Christmas Decor network has over 375 locations within our family of contractors, we specialize in holiday decor projects designed specifically for each customer, giving them a unique holiday lighting package exclusive to there neighborhood. Christmas Decor has specialized training, attention to detail and the best holiday decorating products available on the market today. Our crews will handle your holiday decorating needs promptly, professionally and above all safely. Click on the website below to find out more information about your local installer, find out why over 50,000 clients yearly rely on CDI to install their lights, Commercial or Residential Christmas Decor is your premiere holiday lighting installer.

http://www.christmasdecor.net/

Thinking Pre-emergent as Early Fall Approaches

Pre-emergence critical to a beautiful lawn, must be applied by a certain date to be effective, without pre-emergents, lawns would be riddled with weeds to a point that they would be impossible to control. What is a pre-emergent and when should they be applied?
A pre-emergent is a class of herbicide designed to create a layer of protection just below the soil surface to stop new weed seeds from germinating. Herbicides of this nature are designed to be applied in two different ways and some pre-emergents have other benefits as well, depending on the type and brand.
Granular and liquid are the two types used in lawn care at different times of the year, some containing post-emergent qualities while others are strictly pre-emergent only. Each having similar benefits when applied at the right time, stopping most weeds from germinating.
Spring and fall are times when weeds germinate, some being "Summer Weeds" while other weeds are labeled as "Winter Weeds" pre-emergents are designed to curb the amount of weeds germinating in spring and fall, when applied at the right time, pre-emergents are a valuable part of lawn care. Without them, the industry would not be effective enough to stay in business.
Most consumers view the growth of weeds in a singular mindset, in other words; they imagine weeds germinating in the spring only, just as the flowers bloom or the trees bud, they assume weeds start just as spring arrives. Well they are only half right, some germinate in the spring while others germinate in the fall.
Winter weeds which germinate in the fall, can be more unsettling than spring weeds to most homeowners, most native grasses in this area go dormant in the winter leaving weeds to flourish in a bright kaleidoscope of colors, annoying as they may be to the observer they are most unpleasant to the consumer.
Pre-emergents are the answer and fifty-percent of the battle for a weed free yard, without the all important spring and fall pre-emergent, weeds are left to grow unimpeded, lawn care companies understand the vital importance of a pre-emergent applied at the right time, and cringe when a customer refuses a treatment containing one, knowing from experience the all important catalyst to an ornamental yard starts with correctly applied pre-emergent, without spring and fall pre-emergent applied, our job is near impossible.
Take the time to read up on the How, When, Where and Why of pre-emergent qualities and benefits, begin to understand the vital role pre-emergent plays in the ornamental state of your lawn, realizing the benefits, a consumer can only come to the conclusion that pre-emergence is the answer to a weed free lawn, let a professional apply the right pre-emergent at the right time, giving you the best over all weed control possible. That's what we do at Lawn Tech, we apply the right product at the right time, Fall pre-emergent is just around the corner, if applied at the right time, you will see less weeds, give us a call and set up the most important of all treatments, "The Fall Pre-Emergent" 972-346-2696

Ornamental Lawns, Drought and Water Restrictions

Having an ornamental lawn in this region can be a daunting task, most homeowners throw their hands up in disgust as their yard seems to relent under the pressure of the oppressing heat, county water restrictions, drought conditions, and the instinct to constantly apply water takes a toll on most homeowners.
Professional experience is more of a rational way to approach lawn care in this region, understanding how and when to water, what chemicals to apply and at what rate, can make the reality of the North Texas region more tolerable. Water restrictions are what they are, most cities across North Texas start water restrictions around this time every year, however, if you water the right suggested way, your yard should remain healthy.
Watering results can be different for every lawn, depending on several factors; slope or grade, type of soil and type of irrigation system. Yet water restrictions should not mean the end of a beautiful lawn. The University of Texas A&M, the foremost experts in native Texas soils and turf grasses, gives the following watering prescription year round, despite restrictions.
Texas A&M recommendation: "Water turf grasses once a week, insuring a long slow soak similar to a rain event, 1/2 to 1 inch of irrigated water in the north Texas region, this practice is better than several times weekly or 1/16 to 1/4 inch."(twdb2008)
This recommendation fits all water restrictions, usually under restrictions you can water at least once a week. So, according to the experts, your yard should not be damaged by lack of water, the method in which you apply water is the only change. Of coarse, watering more often for longer periods of time would be ideal to encourage a healthier lawn, however, its not needed, if your system is audited and puts out the right amount weekly, then one day is sufficient.
Lawn Tech can help you apply the right chemicals at the right time, limiting burn and helping you to target summer pest which can add to your problems, have your irrigation system audited, water once weekly as prescribed and your troubles should fade away, Call Lawn Tech today for help with your lawn, after all "A Beautiful Lawn Is Our Business" 972-346-2696

What Can You Do To Stop Unwanted Pest From Entering Your Home?

Most homes eventually are invaded by one pest or the other, be it from ants, spiders, scorpions, crickets, all types of invading pest can plaque the average home, ex specially in the region we live in. Most pest are seeking three things, shelter, water and food. We know its almost impossible to rid our environment of the three things pest need. So what do we do?
There are many ways to eliminate pest, but some are not as effective as others, the most proven way to eliminate the nasty critters is to treat the inside and outside perimeters of your home. This process can be done by professionals in a way that minimizes chemical residue and limits drift. Chemicals for this purpose are usually chosen by industry for there low toxic levels and are usually considered safe to apply in and around your environment, once the chemical dries, the pest cannot cross the barrier without dying.
Lawn Tech, offers some special programs offering discounts for perimeter pest control and we are the best at providing good coverage in an effective manner, taking care of the outside of your home is best left to us, we have been offering perimeter pest control for years and specialize in spraying the perimeter of your foundation to ensure that stubborn pests are driven away.
Protect your environment today by calling the professionals at Lawn Tech and rid your home of nasty vermin up to no good. 972-346-2696 or go to our website at www.lawntech.com

Water is Key!

The previous post gives homeowners insight to proper irrigation, most follow the basic procedures laid out by us and others in the industry, applying those watering procedures helps, nevertheless, we still find customers who do not water enough, this is a problem with our industry. I will list some comments we hear regularly:

"My system is set and I water regularly, there is no way I don't water enough!"

We get this comment all the time, only to audit the system, finding very little pressure at some heads and more at others, when measuring water output their system output falls short of weekly needs, some heads pointing opposite of target area and while others don't cover at all, the wrong head for the job or pop ups where there should be rotors and vice-versa. Also, most customers will water 10-15 minutes each zone twice weekly, in reality this is just not enough water when it gets hot.

"I water till I see run-off so I know my yard gets watered enough."

This comment is perplexing to me, run-off can start the minute you water, ground so hard water beads up and rushes to the path of least resistance. Just because you see run-off does not mean you have watered enough, reality is, you will see a ton of run-off when watering properly.

"I water my yard myself so I know its watered properly!"

You can water your yard yourself and do an adequate job, however, the odds are you will either not water enough, water one area heavy and not the other, or tire of moving a manual sprinkler throughout the yard. This may be a true statement,but can you really keep this process up?

"I water every other day, water is not the issue with my lawn!"

So often we hear customers say this, yet when we survey the yard, we can barely get the soil probe into the ground, hard as a brick, yet we can go to a different part of the yard, say the back and soft as pie, so why is this? Could be so many reasons, soil not as good in that area, sprinkler head doesn't put out as much, homeowner sees his system come on as he's leaving for work and assumes his yard is being water properly. All the while the rotor is not covering the area of his yard which illicit the most complaints.

"Its been raining, So I know my yard has been watered."

This example is very common, yes it may have rained, even if you keep a rain gauge in your garden and you know its rained two inches, how long does that rain last? Is that enough for a month? Rain is great but just because it rained one day last week, that's not enough to sustain a healthy lawn.


The comments above are merely examples to express to those who read this, your watering methods may not be as good as you perceive them to be, this is no hack on you personally, just part of customer service and helping to educate those who care about their lawn. All to often we investigate why a yard looks bad and 7 times out of 10, its a watering issue. Please consult this blog for additional information like the previous mentioned post or the Texas A&M watering guidelines PDF located on the sidebar of this blog, or call LawnTech if you have any questions @ 972-346-2696

Why a Flea and Tick Spray?

Fleas and Ticks are common in our region during the humid to hot months of the year, although they can be around much of the year, you may tend to see them more as the end of spring approaches or at the start of summer.
Understanding how best to handle these pest can be no easy chore, fleas and ticks are blood feeding insects, known to invade the common house pet, livestock or native animals. They can carry disease and left untreated can pose a huge threat to your pets. Fleas and ticks go about their life cycle trying to find a host, not typically feeding on humans, however, they can bite and cause rashes, another reason to effectively treat them.
During the day one flea can bite your pet more than 400 times and lay hundreds of eggs, they eat three times their body weight in one day, their saliva can cause skin problems for pets and ticks can carry a whole host of deadly diseases. So when and how do you effectively rid your environment of these pest?
From now till the fall, a common insecticide application outdoors can be the first step, spraying your yard, surrounding shrub areas, and foundation is a good start, in conjunction with this application the homeowner should treat their pets and indoors as well, giving the little vermin no place to reside.
Then approximately 7-10days later apply the same process again to kill any eggs or hatch lings left over. This process seems to help eradicate fleas and ticks, with the combination of outside and inside insecticide treatment, treating your pets with either a collar, flea dip or other applied medications can finally rid your home environment. Call Lawn Tech today to have us professionally apply flea and tick spray, we will work with you to come back and follow-up with second application, helping you effectively kill your flea and tick problem.
visit us today at www.lawntech.com


*Click on the title of this posting to find out more about fleas and ticks.