Please note - I do not offer one off cuts

Vertical Edging

How does this benefit your lawn? 

In Canada, weed control is definitely more challenging than our neigbours down south. We have very few options for herbicides (Not necessarily a bad thing), so, finding ways to mitigate and prevent the spread & establishment is our main priority. We can't just...spray them down. 

A lof of the issues we have are from weeds like Crabgrass and Dandelions that often grow along the edges, adjacent to types of hardscape. The reason they grow there is because the seeds blow along the hard surface until they meet something that stops them. In this case, that's the turf. They get pushed down into the edge and grow from the heat generated from the hardscape. Often, turf wil also struggle when we get into times of drought because it is being super heated by the hardscape and water will run off the lawn and onto the hardscape, rather than penetrating down into the soil (depending on the grade, obviously!). 

Creating a fine, vertical edge in these situations does a few things. It creates a heat buffer between the turf and hardscape. Oxygen and Water are able to get down into the edge, feeding and cooling the roots. Weed seeds blowing accross will land and start to germinate within the edge... this is a good thing because you're constantly edging it... meaning you're always going to be knocking them down, never allowing them to establish. 

Why Weekly Mowing?

Mowing can be the make or break of a lawn and it plays and integral role in turf health. From inital development in the Spring to helping alleviate Abiotic & Biotic stressors throughout the year and preparing for winter dormancy. Understanding and following proper cultural practices are key. 

Mowing is essential and the sooner you can get out in the Spring, the sooner your lawn will start to thicken up! 

Fun fact, Auxin, a plant produced hormone that controls cell expansion and division is produced primarily in actively growing parts of the plant like the leaves and stem. It effectively prevents growth of lateral buds and branches of the stem by maintaining apical dominance.

By regularly cutting the turf, you remove the primary stem and therefore induce lateral spread which rapidly assists your lawn in thickening up and filling in! Once a week is ideal but if you're trying to get the lawn to thicken up, you certainly won't harm the lawn by mowing every 3-4 days. 

By doing this in Spring - you force the plant to look for nutrients in the soil. This will greatly assist in developing strong roots as the plants reaches out into the soil to find what it needs. When you allow the plant to naturally source what it needs, it will find the correct nutrients in the correct quantities rather than requiring human input which causes forced growth and will stunt development. 

I often use the example of being woken up with a bucket of water, being given a chocolate bar and told to sprint until the sugar runs out. This would be what we commonly do to our lawns when we heavily fertilize early into the season. I'd prefer to be woken up, allowed to actually get some clothes on, have a balanced breakfast and then get on with my day. (I have a 2, 5 and 8 year old... so that's kind of a dream, Ha) but that's the idea!