HAMMERSTONE LAWN CARE, INC.
813 FALCON ROAD* LILLINGTON, NC 27546* 919-662-0747* 800-756-5296
A SHORT NOTE ON THE EARLY SPRING APPLICATION
FROM HAMMERSTONE TO OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS
The Early Spring Application is the first application scheduled for this year. It is the safest and most effective combination of fertilizer and pre-emergent control for annual weeds and crabgrass in established turf on the market today. Put down at this time, we will have optimum weed control for the summer months to come, as well as, a promotion of premium growth and color in the lawn throughout the spring.
We are very excited about the year ahead of us. We will be using innovated products and ideas to insure that each lawn we service in 1999 has the opportunity to develop to it's full potential. It is the goal of Hammerstone to give you the best service that money can buy, and to give you this service at a level that other companies can only dream of. We are the best at what we do, Lawns!
This is evident with our use of safer, more expensive, and more sophisticated products than any other lawn care company in this area. Also, we are the only company in this area using a line of homogeneous products throughout the year. These products are a result of extensive university research on turf in a variety of soil conditions. The reasons for superior results from homogeneous products can be seen in the individual granules of fertilizer. Unlike blended fertilizer granules, homogeneous granules contain the same amount of nitrogen, phosphorous. potash, and secondary and trace elements that turf require. Which means the grass plant only needs to come in contact with only one granule for a complete and balanced feeding.
What's more, the homogeneous product is formulated with methylene urea, which enables the fertilizer to build up a nutrient residue in the soil. This is why our lawns begin to look better year after year, given good topsoil, weather, and healthy cultural practices.
There are many factors which contribute to the attractive appearance of a lawn, especially in these times of changing technology. Our program alone will not be enough to insure that this happens. However, with your help we are very confident that we can reach a common goal working together with our customers as a team. After all, we both have a vested interest in seeing these goals accomplished.
Here are a few ways that you the homeowner can help us the Turfgrass Specialist work toward a common goal of premium turf:
1. Maintain cool season grasses (fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass, etc.) at a height of 4 - 6 inches. Never, not even once, scalp these grasses, since it could lead to irreversible, and devastating consequences. If you have to modify your lawn mower or even buy a new one then you must do it. Cool season grasses will not survive our summers at a height 2 - 3 inches, remember, root growth is proportional to top growth. The correct mowing height is the key to a healthy extensive root system. So get out the measuring tape and make sure you're doing your part. the correct procedure for mowing is to let the grass reach a height of six inches, then cut it back to four inches. Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf structure with one mowing. Also, keep your blades sharpened to insure a clean cut and not a tearing of the grass blades. This will give the lawn a neater appearance after each mowing.
2. Leave grass clippings on the lawn, if possible. Remember, grass clippings are 90% water and 10% natural organic fertilizers. This practice will benefit your lawn over a period of several years. We at Hammerstone have seen it happen. It is okay to occasionally bag the clippings when the lawn gets out of hand, but even then it would be better to leave them down. If this happens, you may want to leave the clippings down and come back the next day and mow them again once they have dried out some. It should also be noted that grass clippings do not contribute to the build up of thatch. Thatch is a build up or over concentration of the root system near or at the soil surface, and it is associated with improper nitrogen fertilization. So, just do it, and leave the clippings down. You will not regret it!
As a good rule of thumb, for this area, do not try to seed fescue in the spring of the year. The growing season for young grass is to short to establish a very vigorous root system before the hot dry summer arrives, and you may loose most or all of spring planted cool season grasses. Don't do it! If asked, we will discourage you from seeding this spring, but if you insist, ask for our suggestions.
Rainfall following this application is not detrimental since this application depends on soil moisture to activate. Therefore, a good rain following the application actually helps the lawn. if it doesn't rain don't worry, the dew in the morning is enough to activate this application.
The Early Spring application contains a crabgrass and broadleaf weed preventer. To insure maximum effectiveness, please do not disturb the soil through any cultural practices such as aerification or thatching. These practices are best beneficial if done in the fall. It's okay to rake the lawn. It is okay to mow the lawn as soon as you would like, since this is product is a granular formulation and will not be picked up by the mower.
Since this application does contain a pre-emergent weed control, you should use caution not to ingest the individual granules. Once it has rained, or you have watered the lawn, the granules will dissolve and move into the soil where they will do their job. In the absence of rain, the dew will usually dissolve the product in a few days. ft's okay to walk on the lawn, but don't lay in it until it has been watered in. Once watered, the lawn can once again be used as you wish. Remember, use common sense!
What about the grub problem? The grubs eat the roots of the grass plants causing all kinds of problems. The grass can eventually die if the grub population isn't brought under control. Even worse is when the moles invade the lawn in search of the grubs and they plow the lawn up. Call us for a grub application, if this is a problem. The cost is the same as your regular application.
Our door tag is our bill, payment terms are net 30. Please guarantee us payment since we guarantee our service. We are a small growing company that takes pride in our service, please help us to continue to grow by keeping up a good cash flow. See you in the spring unless you have a question or a problem.
Please, call us if you have any questions or concerns about your lawn. Our office hours are Monday thru Friday, 8am - 4pm. Carla Pace, our office manager, will be happy to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have.
Call: (919-662-0747 or 1-800-756-5296)
Sincerely yours,
Wayne Farrar, President
Hammerstone Lawn Care, Inc.