The community of Admiral Heights contacted us about updating one of their entrances. The circle pictured below was planted many years ago with nice flowering perennials but has since outgrown itself and reached a height that began blocking drivers' line of sight across the traffic circle.

Original plantings at the entrance.

Everything was taken out and set aside.  But what about all of those nice plants?! Rest assured they were repurposed at several of the neighborhood parks in sensible areas where they could continue to enhance the neighborhood.

Once we had a clean slate to work with, we planted boxwoods and several varieties of native liriope which will fill in and provide low-growing beauty at the entrance for years to come.

The very best time to repair and strengthen your lawns each year is the fall season, and specifically September 1 to October 31.  During those months the weather is cooling from summer and the soil retains more moisture, two conditions that grass seedings appreciate.  Also the major weed surges of summer are waning which makes more room for desired grass roots to grow and spread. 

The basic lawn repair service includes aeration, seeding and fertilizing. This is a routine service for all of our Lawn Care accounts and standard for anybody that is serious about having a great lawn. Aeration loosens the soil and accelerates the growth of the current lawn as well as new seed. Seed will fill in bare and damaged areas while adding new young grass to the entire lawn. Grass, like all living things, has a life span and new seed keeps the lawn young and healthy. It is worth noting that while this is the basic service, doing it correctly is not simple, as the timing, order of operations and amount are all variables that contribute to the final result. 

The other end of the lawn repair spectrum is a full rebuild. There are situations where a lawn needs to start from scratch. Some reasons include extreme weed pressure, very poor soil, or unsustainable terrain structure.  This rebuild process then adds a custom combination of - removing all current weeds and grass, amending the soil for structure and nutrients, smoothing or filling uneven areas. Then aeration, correct seed blends and fertilizer can follow. 

This can be a complicated process for some homeowners.  Knowing what is and what is not needed and then planning and executing the work is where Jon's Lawns of Annapolis excels.

Below is a photo showing the beginning of a rebuild from October 2020. All weeds and grass were killed and removed. Wood chips from stump grinding were removed and top soil was added.  In the photo the lawn had just been aerated and seeded.

You can expect a full lawn to have grown in within 3-4 weeks following a bare dirt rebuild. Here is a picture of the same lawn in August 2021, with proper mowing and irrigation practices in place, our fellow Annapolitan has a wonderful lawn to enjoy.

A little bushy and weedy.
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Don't ignore your lawn in the winter months. Residual leaves will blow over from your neighbor's yard and lay wet and heavy on your grass. Clear these off now so that your grass can breath. Our fescue lawns are green all winter. So keep things clean and enjoy it.

Sometimes your property and landscape hits a growth spurt. We know how to tame the weeds, shrubs, lawn and sharpen it all up.

At this time of year all the leaves and debris can start blurring your vision!

And that's where Jon's Lawns comes in and clears things up.  We can help you end 2019 on a clean note and be ready for 2020!

Delayed because of a busy schedule but back by popular demand, we have put together a collection of before and after pictures from recent clean-up in some of our favorite neighborhoods around Annapolis.  Enjoy!​

BEFORE: The remains of the winter - gumballs, leaves, debris, and last year's liriope growth. Jon's Lawns was called to give the property some TLC and a spring cleaning.

AFTER: Perennial cut-backs, weeding, a full debris clear-out and triple-shredded bark mulch has this property looking ship-shape.

Lawn care does not stop when grass stops growing for the winter. Ornamental grass cut-backs, leaf and debris removals continue throughout the winter months keeping properties looking clean and the dormant grass from becoming smothered.

We care for a broad spectrum of lawns here at Jon's Lawns of Annapolis. When it comes to leaf removal, some lawns are cleared every week during the fall and some just one-time, after every leaf has dropped. The schedules depend on each customer's expectation for the look of their property and their budget. While we would love for all of our customer's lawns to look their best every week we understand that is not always possible during leaf season.

The "one-time final clean-up" in December can leave too many leaves smothering the grass for too long. This can cause unnecessary damage to your grass. Grass needs oxygen and to see the sunlight. What we recommend at a minimum is to do at least one leaf reduction prior to the final clean-up in December. This gives your lawn a chance to breathe even though leaves are still falling.

Satisfied customers are often our best promoters.  Last year we rebuilt a fescue lawn here in Annapolis that was overrun with bermuda grass as documented in Rescue the Fescue from the Bermuda Triangle. That customer now has a pristine lawn and spoke with his neighbor who was having the same problem with bermuda grass. So Jon's Lawns of Annapolis swooped in and rescued another lawn. The entire process from wiping out the bermuda grass to having a mint, new lawn takes about a month and a half from start to finish. Well worth the time and effort to have a lawn you can be proud of for years to come.

When you are preparing to sell your house, be sure that the curb appeal makes a great first impression to potential buyers.  

Bermuda may be a nice place to vacation but bermuda grass is a terrible invader of fescue lawns here in Annapolis. We see bermuda grass spread quickly throughout lawns while pushing out the desireable fescue grass. It will also spread into mulch beds and to the neighbor's lawn. It is invasive and very durable, withstanding the driest and hottest conditions. If bermuda grass is caught early on, Jon's Lawns uses products that can kill the bermuda grass without harming your good grass. However, occasionally we get a new customer where the bermuda grass has gotten out of control and we must resort to the nuclear option and wipe it all out and start over.  Pictured below is such a case. In fall of 2016 bermuda grass had entirely taken over the lower slope of the front yard. And as of today the entire yard is bermuda grass-free and the fescue grass is looking good.

April 1st and it was no April Fool's joke. The Red Sox were in town to play a preseason game against the Nationals at the Navy baseball stadium. While tickets were not on sale to the public, Jon's Lawns of Annapolis got a special ticket hookup. Very cool to see my hometown Sox up close and in Annapolis! 

We welcomed the official first day of spring with a well-deserved mulch installation. All lawns and properties deserve to look there best this spring season and all year long.

An early spring means weeds are out in force. Get a handle on them and get your property looking good again.