Lawn Care on a Budget

While it would be great to have the staff at Buckingham Palace taking care of our Minneapolis lawn care needs, most of us don't have the luxury of having access to a royal family's bank account. Still, working within a budget doesn't mean the look of your lawn will suffer: you can still have the neighborhood's best looking yard even with a small budget. Just keep in mind the following and you're sure to be able to do a lot with a little.

Mowing

Don't focus on trying to scalp your lawn. Yards that are low mowed are more costly, as they require more water and herbicide. In the summer, mow to a minimum of 2 1/2 inches, and try not to remove more than one-third of grass so as not to stress the lawn. Another tactic to try is to use a mulching mower and instead of discarding grass clippings, leave them on the lawn so nitrogen returns to the soil.

Watering

Your lawn should receive at least one inch of water on a weekly basis. Buy a rain gauge and is it to determine if this is happening naturally. If not, then water in the early morning or evening, so it doesn’t' evaporate.

Core aeration

Soil becomes compacted as the lawn is used over the years. This compaction reduces the soil's oxygen, which can lead to health problems. Compacting issues can be alleviated with core aeration. Do this before applying the last fertilizer of the season. While the immediate results might not be eye pleasing, it will cause your lawn to be healthier next season, with better access to fertilizer, water and oxygen. 

Lawn Care While You're On Vacation

Summer is a great time to take a few days off of work and hit the beach, visit an amusement park, or hop on a plane and check out some other destination. While you can take time off, relax, and enjoy yourself, the sun can't, and it can potentially harm your lawn if you don't take the proper steps to protect it before you head off on vacation.

One of the first things you should do is cut your grass, optimally the day before you leave. This can give you approximately 7 to 10 days without the grass getting too long. In fact, leaving your lawn uncut for an extended period of time (between 1 and 2 weeks) can actually be beneficial when rainfall isn't as heavy during the summer months.

Having your lawn checked for insect activity is also another good step to take. Time spent away can open the door for insects to attack patches of your grass, expanding their territory if left free while you're gone. A good professional lawn check-up can help you diagnose any of these problems and take care of them so you can vacation worry-free.

Looking to improve the look of your lawn and landscape? Get in touch with Minneapolis lawn care provider Advanced Irrigation today by calling (612) 599-8675,

A Few More Sprinkler Tips

One of the myths about an automatic sprinkler system is that it is a “set it and forget it” type of system. While sprinklers can make life easier for you by watering your landscape at predetermined times, you should not just set up your sprinkler system and never touch it again. There are a few tips you should follow to keep things operating optimally.

Check the battery. If your system is automatic, there will likely be a battery that serves as a backup in case there is a power outage. This saves the configuration information so that the system knows when to water. If this battery is dead, your system may not work when it should.

Be aware of water restrictions. Some areas will only let you water a certain amount, or may forbid it entirely if there is a drought situation. You should try to stay up to speed on such restrictions.

Use cycle and soak for very thirsty areas. The cycle and soak method involves running your sprinklers over an area for an extended period of time, and then allowing that water to soak in before running another cycle.

Have a sprinkler system installed on your property today! Call Anoka sprinkler systems company Advanced Irrigation for a FREE irrigation systems quote at (612) 599-8675.

Does Your Home Need a Sprinkler System?

A sprinkler system can help keep your lawn in good condition by providing it with the right amount of hydration, and by doing so on a regular, automatic basis (instead of relying on you to remember). There are some, though, that can benefit from the installation of an irrigation system like sprinklers a great deal. If you fall under one of the following categories, you could probably use a sprinkler system on your property.

You live in a drought-prone area. If rain is something that comes along every once in a while, and you commonly go days at a time without seeing a single drop, your lawn could absolutely benefit from regular watering sessions via a sprinkler system.

You have incredibly thirsty plants. Some shrubs and flowers require a lot more water than others. If you have plants that are constantly sucking down all of the water you’re giving them, they’re probably a lot more thirsty a lot more often than some of your other plants, and regular waterings could do them a lot of good.

You’re interested in doing less work. That’s the beauty of automation, right? With an automatic sprinkler system, you have one less thing on your plate to worry about -- the watering of your lawn and plants. When a sprinkler system is installed on your property, you can utilize that time for other things and still end up with a beautiful looking landscape.

Call Advanced Irrigation to learn more about how Anoka sprinkler systems can help you! (612) 599-8675.

How to Properly Water Your Lawn

One of the big draws to having an irrigation system on your property is that it helps you provide the right amount of water to your lawn without being wasteful and using too much. By following the advice given here, you should be able to keep your lawn in good condition by watering it with the optimal amount of water.

Water your lawn early in the morning. On hot days, water that comes from your sprinkler system can actually evaporate before it ever reaches your grass. By watering your lawn early in the morning, you can ensure that as much of that water reaches your lawn as possible, providing it with the hydration it needs.

Deep watering is best. Water your lawn enough so that the water can sink deeply into the ground and help your lawn’s roots grow. When you water closer to the surface, you actually provide less benefit to the grass and more benefit to weeds and other plants that will cause your grass to grow more slowly.

Don’t water in the rain. One of the big wastes is watering your lawn with a sprinkler system while it’s raining outside. Many sensors have a sensor you can add on that will shut the sprinklers off if it’s raining outside. Look into this, or manually turn the system off yourself if mother nature is already providing your lawn with a drink of water.

Learn more about how to properly care for your lawn by calling Anoka sprinkler system company Advanced Irrigation today! (612) 599-8675.

How to Fix Up Dead Grass

Dead grass can add an unsightly blemish to what might otherwise be a beautiful landscape. A few different issues can contribute to patches of dead grass -- yards frequented by animals, for instance, can have dead grass areas caused by waste. Heavy objects that sit on grass for an extended period of time can also cause grass to die. And then, of course, there are weeds that suck away key nutrients that grass needs to survive.

One of the best ways you can add instant improvement to the look of your landscape is by fixing up dead grass. A method used by quite a few homeowners is patching, which makes use of grass patches to fill in areas of grass that have died. Another way to repair the area is to reseed it with brand new grass. If you opt to take this path, you’ll want to use seeds from the same type of grass that’s already growing in your yard. Before you reseed, use a rake to pull all of the existing dead grass from the area so that your new grass has an easier time growing in.

When your new grass is planted and growing, a great way to keep it well watered and in shape is with an irrigation system. Advanced Irrigation, an Anoka sprinkler system company, can help you install the right kind of system for your yard so that your lawn gets the water it needs to grow and maintain its great look. Call us today to schedule a FREE estimate at (612) 599-8675.

Twin Cites Lawn Care Tips for Spring

Spring arrived late last month, and the weather is just about right for knocking out some landscaping duties on your property. If you're the do-it-yourself type, we have a couple tips for you to help get your spring maintenance started.

DO A LITTLE CLEANING
Your Twin Cities landscape has undoubtedly accumulated some debris over the winter. Leaves, branches, and other items have probably collected and will need to be cleared out before you start anything else. Make this priority number 1; after all, it's not healthy for your lawn to have items sitting on it for an extended period of time.

GET WEEDING & FERTILIZING
Clear out any weeded areas you see present on your landscape, and then fertilize your grass, flowers, shrubs, and other plants. For edible plants that you might plan on eating later, consider a fertilizer that is free of pesticides.

TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM
Make sure all of your sprinklers are working as they should be, that your pump is operating at its capacity and there's no problem with your water source. Test your control device to make sure it still works as it's supposed to.

Advanced Irrigation can help you tackle these tasks if you're not up for it on your own. Complete a free Twin Cities lawn care quote request today, or call us at (612) 599-8675.

Great Retaining Wall Ideas

Retaining walls are walls that are built out of concrete, stone, or some other type of solid material. The purpose of a retaining wall is to hold back and stabilize something that would otherwise move, such as soil. In landscape design, retaining walls are used quite a bit to provide a "layered" look to a landscape.

We've collected some images of retaining walls from the Web, and we'd like to share them here with you. Hopefully they inspire you to come up with some retaining wall designs of your own.



















Advanced Irrigation can also help you design and construct a retaining wall for your landscape. Just call (612) 599-8675 today to schedule your appointment, or complete our online form for a FREE retaining wall estimate.

Dogs Love Sprinklers

Well, most of them do, anyway. On a hot summer day, what's not to love about a stream of cold water? Even if the pressure makes that water a bit harder to subdue than the kind a dog normally finds in a bowl.

A website called Animal's Look has published a collection of images featuring dogs who are either cooling off with, or trying to get a drink from, an ordinary sprinkler system.

Here are a few.











Looking to have a sprinkler system of your own installed? Give Advanced Irrigation a call today at (612) 599-8675.

Spring and Sprinklers in Minneapolis

Before you know it, spring will be upon us, and Minneapolis residents will be turning on their sprinklers and hoses once again. While a hose can do a fine job for most watering purposes, sprinklers allow you to water your lawn and landscape without having to stand around and do it yourself.

Even better, some systems allow you to schedule watering sessions. You could be at work or on vacation, and still take comfort in the fact that your lawn is getting its necessary drink of water. And, because some sprinkler systems only runs for a set period of time, you'll waste less water than you might otherwise with a hose.

Interesting in learning more about Minneapolis sprinklers? Call Advanced Irrigation today at (612) 599-8675, or complete our free sprinkler system estimate form.