Repairing Winter Lawn Damage

Reseed problem areas to help your lawn bounce back from winter damage

As the blanket of snow covering your yard melts each spring, it can reveal many surprises. Toys that didn't make it inside, hoses left to fend for themselves, and invariably, winter lawn damage from snow plows. Depending on the scope of the damage, there are two common ways to tackle the problem:

Patching with Sod

Sod is a good way to patch small areas of your lawn quickly and effectively.

Use a sharp spade to cut a square shape in the lawn around the damaged spot. Holding the spade horizontally, cut the damaged sod out, taking about 3/4" of soil with it. Lay the cut-out portion on the new sod and using the cut-out as a template, make cuts around the edges into the new sod.

Rough up the soil in the damaged spot with a rake or cultivator and lay the patch in place. Press it down firmly to establish good contact with the soil and water it daily in dry weather for the first couple of weeks until the roots have grown into the native soil. Gently lift a corner to test. If you meet resistance, the sod has established.

Reseeding Dead Spots

Damaged spots can also be patched by reseeding them. Rough up the soil in the damaged area to remove dead grass and expose fresh soil. Scatter lawn seed, sprinkle on some starter fertilizer, press the seed into the soil, and keep it damp until the seeds sprout. This may take up to a month in cool weather.

Reseeding can be made easier by purchasing a patching mix of grass seed, fertilizer and mulch such as a Grass Repair Kit from ENCAP. Just spread it on the dead spot and water daily until it germinates.

If you have any questions, our gardening professionals would be happy to help you out.

The Value of Curb Appeal

Plan Before You Plant will help you visualize your new landscape before breaking ground

Landscaping adds real value to your home by improving "curb appeal" - that important first impression that visitors (and maybe potential buyers) take away with them.

According to the Gallup Organization, landscaping can add 7 to 15 percent to a home's value.

You can also consider new landscaping a home improvement. Money Magazine says that landscaping can bring a recovery value of 100 to 200 percent at selling time.

In addition to a financial windfall, properly designed landscaping can also provide practical low cost solutions for a number of site problems. Plants prevent erosion, block the wind, provide shade, reduce noise and increase privacy.

A landscape's value, where real estate prices are concerned, is directly related to size and permanence. A mature tree can have an appraised value of $1,000 - $10,000 according to the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers.

Trees add the most value followed by flowering shrubs. A good strategy is to plant a combination of trees, shrubs, and perennials. As trees and shrubs mature, remove the perennials. Be judicial in your plant placement though and consider how large your trees and shrubs will be in 10 years.

If you'd like help designing your landscape, Estabrook's now offers Plan Before You Plant, landscape design assistance for the homeowner. Visit us this Saturday, April 28th and speak with our designer, Meredith Kennedy, from 12pm - 3pm and she can answer all your questions!