Custom Personalized Lawn Care

What Happens to Your Lawn in the Winter?

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:38:23 GMT

When winter settles in, your lawn can look lifeless, dull, or frozen in time - but a lot more is happening beneath the surface than most homeowners realize. While the top layer of turf goes dormant, the soil, roots, and overall health of your yard continue to change in important ways.

Understanding what actually happens to your lawn during cold weather helps you protect it, prepare for spring, and avoid the costly mistakes many homeowners make when grass appears “dead.”

The team at Custom Lawn Care stresses the importance of year-round care, and winter is one of the most overlooked seasons of all.

Your Grass Goes Dormant - Not Dead

Roots Keep Working Even When You Don’t Notice

One of the biggest misconceptions is that everything stops during winter. In reality, your grass shifts its focus underground. Roots continue to strengthen, repair, and store nutrients - especially in cool-season grasses.

This behind-the-scenes activity is crucial for:

Faster spring green-up
Thicker, denser turf
Stronger resistance to weeds
Better protection from summer heat

Even while your yard looks “quiet,” winter sets the stage for the best results of the coming year.

Snow, Ice, and Salt All Affect Your Lawn

Winter Is the Best Time to Plan Your Spring Strategy

Although you won’t be mowing or watering regularly, winter is the ideal season to plan your next steps. Early sign-ups for spring lawn programs ensure:

You’re first on the treatment schedule
You secure the best pricing and seasonal specials
Pre-emergent applications land exactly when needed
Your lawn enters spring ahead of everyone else’s

Spray My Lawn emphasizes this advantage in their year-round lawn care plans , showing how early enrollment leads to healthier lawns and better results.

Your Yard Still Needs Protection in Winter

Here are a few simple ways to protect your dormant lawn until spring:

Minimize foot traffic to prevent compaction
Avoid piling snow in the same area
Keep walkways shoveled to reduce salt exposure
Clear debris before heavy snow arrives
Schedule late-fall fertilization before dormancy

Winter might be quiet, but it’s not the time to ignore your grass. What you do now has a direct impact on how quickly and cleanly your lawn bounces back in the spring.

Final Thoughts: Winter Isn’t the End - It’s the Reset

What happens to your lawn in winter is less about dying off and more about preparation. Your grass shifts into energy savings mode, your soil adjusts to colder conditions, and your roots quietly rebuild for the season ahead.

If you want a strong, vibrant lawn in the spring, winter is the time to plan - and early sign-up with a professional service gives you access to the essential treatments that set your lawn up for success.

All About Liquid Aeration and Overseeding

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 12:13:42 GMT

A healthy, lush lawn starts with strong roots. Over time, soil becomes compacted and holds back water, air, and nutrients from getting to the grass roots. Custom Personalized Lawn Care offers liquid aeration as a clean, effective solution to restore soil health and promote deep root growth.

Liquid aeration is a game changer in lawn care. It uses a specially formulated solution to soften and loosen soil without leaving messy plugs behind. It is safe, clean, and works well in areas where machines cannot reach, such as steep slopes or yards with underground systems like pet fences or irrigation.

Overseeding is the perfect follow up to aeration. When applied soon after liquid treatment, grass seed has better contact with soil. This improves germination rates, fills in thin areas, and enhances lawn density and resilience. Applying both together creates a powerful one-two punch that helps your lawn grow thicker, greener, and healthier.

Benefits of Liquid Aeration and Overseeding

No messy soil plugs left behind
Safe for underground systems like irrigation and pet fences
Reaches hard-to-access areas
Improves air flow, water absorption, and fertilizer effectiveness
Helps overseeding work more effectively with better seed-to-soil contact

Why Custom Personalized Lawn Care for Aeration and Overseeding?

Our experts have been serving Michigan since 1988 with excellent service and a deep understanding of regional lawn needs. Our certified lawn technicians tailor treatments to your lawn’s unique needs. We offer liquid aeration and overseeding together—often at a discount—to deliver superior results.

When to Schedule Liquid Aeration and Overseeding

Fall is an excellent time for aeration and overseeding in Michigan. The soil remains warm while the air is cooler. These conditions help grass seed germinate more easily and develop strong root systems ahead of winter. Although spring is still a viable option, fall offers the most ideal conditions for success.

Give your lawn the boost it deserves. Contact our team today to schedule liquid aeration and overseeding services and enjoy a thicker, greener lawn all season long.

Late-Summer Crabgrass: Why It Shows Up Along Edges

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 09:43:02 GMT

As August heat lingers, many homeowners notice crabgrass popping up most often along sidewalks, driveways, and curbs. These edge areas are the perfect breeding ground for crabgrass—and there’s a reason behind it.

Why the Edges Are Vulnerable

Concrete absorbs heat all day and releases it back into the surrounding soil, driving temperatures much higher than the rest of your yard. Cool-season grasses don’t handle these hotter, drier spots well—but crabgrass does. By late summer, conditions are just right for it to grow and spread.

What’s Going On With Your Lawn

Spring protection fades: Pre-emergent products applied in spring slowly break down through sunlight, microbial activity, and heat. Around concrete, where the soil can be 10–15°F warmer, this process happens faster, leaving those areas more exposed by late summer.
Stressed turf = open space: Grass near curbs and walkways often weakens in the heat, creating thin spots. Dormant crabgrass seeds lying in the soil for years can then germinate and fill in these gaps.
Spreading risk: Once crabgrass gets established along the edges, it doesn’t stay put—it can move into healthy turf, making it a bigger challenge for next season.

How Custom Personalized Lawn Care Responds

Our late-summer treatments are designed to address these high-stress zones. We target the edges where crabgrass pressure is highest, support your grass during heat stress, and prepare your lawn for a smooth transition into fall growth.

What You Can Do at Home

Water border areas regularly during dry, hot weeks to relieve stress.
Keep mower blades high when trimming near concrete—avoid cutting too short.
Try not to disturb the soil along sidewalks and driveways, since that can bring dormant crabgrass seeds to the surface.

By combining our professional care with these simple practices, you’ll reduce crabgrass pressure now and set your lawn up for healthier, stronger growth next year.

Summer Lawn Fertilization in Michigan: Why It Matters

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 12:20:49 GMT

Summer in Michigan brings sunshine, warm temperatures, and stress for your lawn. Between heat, drought conditions, and increased foot traffic, your grass needs extra support to stay green and healthy. That’s where summer lawn fertilization comes in.

At Custom Personalized Lawn Care, we understand that every lawn in Michigan is unique. That’s why we customize our fertilization programs to fit your yard's specific needs.

Why Summer Fertilization Is So Important

Fertilizing your lawn during the summer helps replenish essential nutrients lost to heat and mowing. It encourages deep root growth, improves color, and helps your grass recover from seasonal wear and tear. Here’s why timely fertilization is critical:

Supports healthy growth during high-stress periods
Improves heat stress resistance , helping your lawn survive dry spells
Boosts turf color and density , making your lawn look lush and vibrant
Fights off weeds and disease by strengthening the grass

Without proper fertilization, your lawn can quickly become thin, discolored, or overrun with weeds.

Summer Fertilization Tips for Michigan Homeowners

If you’re managing lawn care on your own, here are a few tips to help you fertilize effectively this summer:

1. Choose the Right Fertilizer

Use a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer specifically formulated for summer conditions. These products feed your lawn gradually, reducing the risk of burning while promoting strong roots.

Why Choose Custom Personalized Lawn Care?

At Custom Personalized Lawn Care, we take the guesswork out of fertilization. We create personalized lawn care programs for Michigan's special climate. We also adjust them to meet your lawn's specific needs. Here’s how we help:

Seasonally timed applications to keep your lawn healthy year-round
Custom-blended fertilizers for optimal performance in Michigan soils
Local lawn care experts who understand the challenges of Michigan summers
Free evaluations and quotes to help you get started with confidence

Our licensed technicians deliver professional, effective fertilization services to protect and enhance your lawn all summer long.

Ready to Give Your Lawn the Nutrients It Needs?

Don’t let summer stress ruin your lawn’s health and appearance. Let Custom Personalized Lawn Care create a plan that fits your yard and your goals. Contact us today to set up your free lawn analysis. Find out why local homeowners trust Custom to keep their lawns looking great.

Call us or request a free quote online .

Why Choose a Lawn Care Provider over DIY?

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Mon, 19 May 2025 16:12:39 GMT

If you own a home in Michigan and want a green lawn, you may wonder if you should care for it yourself or hire a pro. While DIY lawn care might look cheap at first, it can lead to inconsistent results and extra frustration. That’s where a professional lawn care provider like Custom Personalized Lawn Care comes in.

Here’s why choosing a lawn care expert is the smarter investment:

1. Expert Knowledge of Michigan Lawns

Michigan’s diverse climate and soil types present unique challenges, from snow mold in spring to drought stress in summer.

A professional knows:

The ideal grass types for your region
The correct timing for fertilization, aeration, and weed control
How to treat common pests and diseases specific to Michigan lawns

2. Save Time and Effort

DIY lawn care requires constant attention, trial-and-error treatments, and regular trips to the store. Hiring a professional means:

No guessing which products to buy
No heavy lifting or equipment handling
More free time for you to enjoy your yard

3. Better, Longer-Lasting Results

Professionals use commercial-grade products and equipment, which are more effective than off-the-shelf solutions. You’ll see:

Thicker, greener turf
Fewer weeds and pests
Healthier soil structure over time

4. Tailored Programs to Fit Your Lawn

At Custom Personalized Lawn Care, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. Every lawn is different, and your care program should be too. That’s why we offer:

Soil testing to customize nutrient applications
Adjusted treatments based on sun exposure and turf condition
Annual programs designed for your specific lawn goals

5. Cost-Effective in the Long Run

Many homeowners spend more on DIY fixes, replacing damaged grass, or chasing the “next best” product. A lawn care provider helps prevent these issues from the start.

Your Lawn Deserves Custom Care

With Custom Personalized Lawn Care, you get more than just fertilization and weed control . You’ll get a personalized approach backed by local expertise and proven results. If you have patchy spots, crabgrass, or want a greener yard, our plans can help. We make sure your lawn gets what it needs at the right time.

Ready to stop guessing and start growing? Trust the Michigan lawn care experts at Custom Personalized Lawn Care. Contact us to save time and money!

Everything Your Lawn Needs for Spring

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 12:31:13 GMT

Wanting to take better care of your lawn this year but aren’t sure where to start? We’ve got plenty of lawn care tips to help you understand what your lawn needs and how Custom Personalized Lawn Care can help!

Essential Spring Lawn Care Steps

Lawn Cleanup

As the snow melts, begin your spring lawn care routine with a thorough cleanup. Remove any debris, leaves, or branches that accumulated during the winter. Raking the lawn helps air circulate. It also stops fungal diseases from growing. This ensures a healthier start to the growing season.

Dethatching

Thatch buildup, a layer of dead grass and debris between the soil and the green grass blades, can impede water and nutrient absorption. Early spring is an ideal time to dethatch your lawn, either manually or with a dethatching machine. This process helps improve soil aeration and prepares the ground for new growth.

Aeration

Lawn aeration is a crucial step in promoting healthy root development and enhancing overall turf resilience. Aerating your lawn in the spring helps reduce soil compaction. This allows water, air, and nutrients to reach the roots better. Custom offers both liquid and core aeration and our experts can help you know what your lawn needs.

Overseeding and Reseeding

To refresh your lawn and fill in any bare spots or thin areas, consider overseeding or reseeding in the spring. This will help provide healthy grass all season long. Choose a high-quality grass seed blend that suits Michigan's climate and your specific region. Overseeding promotes a thicker, lusher lawn, while reseeding addresses areas with more extensive damage.

Fertilization

Spring is a key time for fertilization , providing your lawn with the nutrients essential for vigorous growth. Choose a well-balanced fertilizer with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) ratio suited to your grass type. Apply the fertilizer when the grass is actively growing but before the summer heat sets in.

Weed Control

Addressing weeds early in the spring prevents them from establishing a stronghold in your lawn. Apply pre-emergent herbicides to prevent the germination of weed seeds, targeting common Michigan lawn invaders like crabgrass. Spot-treat existing weeds with post-emergent herbicides for targeted control. With Custom Personalized, get a lawn care program that will take care of those weeds and so much more!

Pest Inspection

Spring is an opportune time to inspect your lawn for signs of pests and diseases. Keep an eye out for common Michigan lawn pests such as grubs , chinch bugs, and armyworms. Address pest issues promptly to prevent extensive damage and maintain a thriving lawn.

Call The Experts for Your Lawn

If you’re looking for the best Spring lawn care tips, look no further than Custom Personalized Lawn Care. Let our team take away the hassle of DIY lawn care and ensure you get results. Our certified specialists will examine your lawn to determine the best course of action to help you get a healthy, green lawn all year.

Get your FREE quote today!

Winter Threats To Your Lawn

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 18:09:18 GMT

Types of Winter Pests

With the heat of summer gone and all the critters hibernating, you can rest easy knowing your yard is safe from pests, right? Unfortunately, no. There are several types of winter pests that cause frustration, even in the middle of freezing temperatures. Learn about what they are, how to identify them, and how to treat these problems.

Winterkill

The term “ winterkill ” encompasses several factors that cause the death of turfgrass in the cold months. These factors include disease and extreme temperatures.

Desiccation

Desiccation occurs when there is no snow cover to protect grass from harsh dry winter winds for extended periods. Areas known as “ crown tissues ,” where roots, leaves, and stems are produced, lose moisture, and thus the plant withers and dies. To combat desiccation, you can use fabric layers or windscreens to protect your plants.

Direct Low-Temperature Kill

Normally, plants dehydrate gradually as the temperature changes in late fall early winter. However, if warm weather persists into the fall, the dehydration process is slowed, which ice can form in the delicate crown tissues. While it’s difficult to prevent this type of damage, fertilizing with nitrogen in late fall will help your lawn acclimate quickly to the changing temperatures. Recovery measures and overseeding can help your lawn bounce back once the spring thaw happens.

Snow Mold

This nuisance doesn’t have a tail, wings, or multiple legs like other yard pests you’re familiar with, but it is no less annoying. Snow mold occurs when heavy snowfall covers ground that hasn’t had a deep freeze yet. Because the ground retains some autumn warmth, this creates an environment where fungi can thrive. When the snow melts in spring, or if you experience a warm spell during the winter, you’ll notice fuzzy patches that are pink or grayish. It can almost resemble crop circles in a cord field. Treatment includes thatching, aeration, and fertilizer application. Depending on the extent of the damage, overseeding can be employed to fill in bare or thinning patches.

Voles

Not all animals go dormant in the winter. Voles like to shelter in dead grass and unraked leaves. You’ll know you have these critters by the distinctive bands of dead grass on your lawn. These tunnels just below the surface area for feeding. There are several ways to get rid of voles . Typically, you can bait and trap them as you would mice. However, this method of pest control during winter can be difficult, especially with heavy snow cover. Both poison traps and traditional mouse traps will work. Pro winter pest control tip: keep in mind that both types of traps can be harmful to other wildlife, children, or pets. If you can’t keep dogs and kids out of your yard while the traps are out, it’s better to go with one of the other methods.

If trapping isn’t something you’re prepared to do, or you don’t want to potentially expose children and pets to harm, you can also use rabbit repellant to encourage them to leave and stay away. Another way of repelling voles is to set up a fence around your yard or flower bed if you don’t already have one.

Get Pest Control In Winter With Help from Custom Personalized Lawn Care

Mold or voles, the experts at Custom Personalized Lawn Care will ensure your yard remains intact and ready to shine when spring arrives. We offer various pest control options and lawn care treatments to help your yard recover from mold, fungus, or other problems. Call (800) 570-3313 or contact us online to get take back control of your yard! And for more lawn care tips, be sure to follow our blog and like us on Facebook!

Preparing Your Lawn Equipment For Winter

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 13:57:35 GMT

Winterize Your Lawn Equipment

Old man winter is right around the corner, and the kids will be playing in the snow before you know it. Now is the perfect time to winterize your lawn equipment. This includes your lawnmower, weed whacker, leaf blowers, edgers, shears, and any other tools you have used over the spring and summer. At Custom Personalized Lawn Care, we know that end of season maintenance helps to extend the life of your equipment and tools. Here are a few rules that will make your life easier and your tools last longer.

Winterizing Your Lawn Mower

Let’s face it, there is probably no other lawn equipment used more than the lawnmower. A properly maintained and well-kept lawn mower will last between eight and ten years, maybe even more. The perfect time to inspect, clean, maintain, and winterize your lawnmower is after the first frost or during late fall. In other words, the perfect time is right now. So, how exactly do you winterize your lawnmower? We’ve outlined the steps for you below.

Drain or Stabilize the Fuel

After your final cut of the year, run your mower until the tank is dry. Leftover fuel can cause clogs, corrosion, frozen lines, and various other problems. If you just filled your tank recently and don’t want to waste the gas, you can use a fuel stabilizer. Fuel stabilizers will keep the gas fresh until the spring. They can be found at most hardware and home stores. After adding the stabilizer, run the engine for at least five minutes to be sure it gets into the carburetor.

Inspect the Blades

First, be sure to disconnect your spark plug wire, then carefully remove the blade. Second, check the blade for any cracks. To diffuse a dangerous situation next spring, replace any damaged blades. Lastly, sharpen the blade by removing equal amounts of metal from each side.

Clean the Deck

Keeping the deck clean helps to ensure maximum performance throughout the season. Before winter, it’s even more important because it prevents trapped moisture from causing rust or erosion. To clean the deck, scrape with a brush and putty knife. This will ensure all grass clippings are removed. Once clean, rinse with water.

Drain and Replace Your Lawn Mower’s Oil

You do not want to allow the oil to sit in your lawnmower over winter. It contains moisture and acids that could harm your engine parts. Therefore, before storing your lawnmower for winter, you want to drain and replace the oil for use in the spring.

To do so, you should:

Run the engine to warm the oil first, which will help expel more of the dirty oil and contaminants
Replace with new oil
Follow your owner’s manual when selecting oil

Clean or Replace Air Filter

You will want to clean and inspect the air filter. If your engine uses a paper filter, replace it with a new one. Foam filters can be cleaned with soap and water. Damaged and extremely dirty filters should be replaced.

Inspect All Internal Parts

This includes checking to ensure your spark plugs and belts are working properly. Tighten any belts that need tightened and replace any that look worn or cracked.

Winterize Your Garden Equipment

Because lawn and tree disease spread through the use of contaminated equipment, it’s important to clean and disinfect all your tools regularly. The best way to do this is to make it part of your winterizing routine. Cleaning off the soil, sap, and grass clippings will also help keep your tools functioning properly and efficiently.

To Disinfect

First, use a scrubbing brush and a mixture of one tbsp dish detergent in a gallon bucket of warm water to clean blades. When sufficiently cleaned, rinse them off. Next, you will need to disinfect to ensure all remnants of insects and diseases are thoroughly eliminated. For this, household disinfectants such as isopropyl alcohol and chlorine bleach can be used.

Dry and Store Them

Once your tools are clean, help prevent them from rusting by drying them thoroughly. Use steel wool or emery cloth to rub off any newly formed rust spots.

Finally, it’s time to get out your winter lawn equipment. Prepare for our cold Michigan winter by breaking out the snowblower, shovels, and salt before it happens. Make sure your snowblower is ready and give it a test run to ensure it’s working properly. Put everything in an easy to access spot in your yard or shed.

Need Help With Lawn Maintenance

For all your lawn care needs, why not give the professionals at Custom Personalized Lawn Care a call. We offer everything from lawn care packages that include fertilization and weed control to aeration. We also can help eliminate pests such as mosquitoes, spiders, fleas and ticks, and grubs. Give us a call at 1-800-570-3313 or contact us here. For more tips and ideas, including the creepiest spiders living in Michigan, check out our blog.

Home Maintenance: Protecting Your Home From Fall Pests

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Keep Fall Pests Outside Where They Belong

The end of summer is upon us, and fall is around the corner. Our green landscapes will soon be awash in red, orange, and gold as the forests change with the seasons. The change also triggers insects to alter their daily routine and start looking for a place to spend the winter. You may see this search in action when large amounts of insects congregate on the sunny sides of your home .

When you start to see bugs searching for a place to overwinter, it’s a sign that you should be doing everything you can to make sure that the site is not your home. Here are some tips on how to protect your home from the fall invasion.

Doors are actually easy access points for pests to gain entry into your home. If you don’t have a rubber strip or door sweep along the bottom of your door, it’s probably not sealing correctly. Get down on your hands and knees and check if you can see daylight under your door.

Repair and Replace Screens

Screens are another common point of entry for pests. Over time screens can get weak and brittle, allowing pests to push or chew their way in. So make sure your screens are up to date and free of rips or holes.

Caulk Cracks

Check the caulking around your doors and windows. When caulk gets old, it cracks, making an easy route for pests to enter. Remove the old caulk and replace it with new caulk. Do not caulk over old caulk.

Keep Debris Away From Your Home

Other common places insects like to overwinter in are piles of leaf litter, grass clippings, and firewood. You want to make sure none of these things are within twenty feet of your home. As for the firewood, don’t bring it inside unless you plan to toss it directly into the fire. Setting it near the fire will only warm up the insects inside and set them free in your home.

Insects usually find a spot in nature to overwinter, but your home is much more attractive than a rotten log. If your home is not fully protected, you could be spending the winter with these fall pests .

Stink Bug

When you think of fall pests, the stink bug is probably one of the first that comes to mind. Images of discovering dozens of stinkbugs under your pumpkins and squashes might be all too familiar. When they are killed, they emit a foul odor. To avoid that, use a vacuum to suck them up and then dispose of the bag outside. s

Boxelder Bugs

These long, skinny, black bugs with red racing stripes are another sign of fall. That’s because you hardly, if ever, see them during the summer. That’s because they spend the summer living in box elder trees. They only come down when fall temperatures prompt them to look for a warm place to overwinter. Though they appear dangerous and look like they bite, they are harmless and are only looking for a warm place to spend the winter.

Cluster Flies

Sometimes it seems like flies are coming right out of the walls. How else are there so many of them in your home? Well, these could be cluster flies, which are slightly bigger and slower than the common housefly. They find their way into your home to overwinter but are woken up by the warm temperatures in your home.

Call The Professionals at Custom Personalized

At Custom Personalized , we can protect your home this fall with our perimeter pest control program designed to keep pests like earwigs, spiders, and beetl e outside.

Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.

Top 4 Ways To Protect Your Home From Pests This Winter

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 12:23:00 GMT

Here are the top 4 ways to protect your home from pests this winter. By following these 4 steps, not only will you be protecting your home, but you will also be protecting yourself, your family, and your pets.

#1 – Seal Entry Points

Three of the most common entry points for pests seeking shelter during the winter months are:
The roof – The roof is one of the most common entry points for pests due to the fact that there is more than one way in. When on the roof you’ll want to look for torn vent screens, missing or damaged shingles, and any signs of rotting, as these are indicators of a possible pest infestation.
The foundation – You will want to inspect for cracks, holes, or loose siding in the foundation of your home. Also, inspect any area where tubes, wires, or vents enter your home. If not sealed properly, these are easy access points for pests and critters.
Doors and windows – Similar to the foundation, you will want to inspect your windows and doors to make sure they are properly sealed as well.

#2 – Clean, Organize, and De-Clutter

Clutter provides the perfect place for pests to hide out and call home for the winter months. Also, loose garbage, dirty dishes, and spilled food will attract pests to your home. These are all things pests can’t resist! By cleaning regularly, vacuuming, and keeping all food sealed tight, you are protecting your home (and your common living spaces) clear of pests, all winter long.

A majority of the pests seeking shelter in your home during winter are all looking for the same thing: water. With water, pests are able to stay (hide) in one place for a sustained period of time, they can breed, and they can thrive.

Because of this, reducing, and ultimately removing any accumulation of moisture in your home is essential to keeping pests outside this winter. Check your attic, basement, crawlspace, under sinks, and around drains for any accumulation of moisture. If found, dry up the water and seal any leaks that are present.

#4 – Call The Professionals

The best way to protect your ho me against a possible pest infestation this winter is to call the professionals at Custom Lawn Care . We have perimeter pest control plans that offer complete protection against any and all creepy crawling insects surrounding your home. Give us a call at (810) 736-3214 to hear more about how our professional technicians can create a season-long barrier of protection to help you take back your yard once and for all!

Know the Difference: Crabgrass, Quackgrass, and Tall Fescue

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 20:30:18 GMT

Knowing the Difference Between these Lookalikes is Key to a Successful Treatment.

While any weed appearing in an otherwise beautiful lawn is an alarming sight, unwanted grasses are a particular nuisance. Grassy weeds are notoriously hard to eradicate, and many homeowners end up spending a small fortune on DIY methods that just don’t work. One reason for this is that what’s usually identified as crabgrass is just as likely to be quackgrass or tall fescue, neither of which is affected by crabgrass treatments. Learning to spot the differences between these lawn invaders can help you save both time and money.

Crabgrass

One of the most frequently misidentified contenders on our list, crabgrass is an annual weed, several varieties of which are common throughout North America. Spread by seeds that lay dormant until the soil warms, crabgrass thrives in hot sun and poor turf.

Homeowners often begin seeing unwanted grasses in their lawns in early spring and immediately apply any one of the number of crabgrass treatments that show up in garden centers around this time. These early season treatments are bound to fail because what’s actually coming up during this time of year is quackgrass or tall fescue, while crabgrass emerges later in the season.

Known as a summer annual, crabgrass dies off every year.. Tiny new seedlings can appear in Michigan lawns starting in mid to late May, but generally aren’t noticeable until much later, becoming a real eyesore once summer temperatures begin to climb.

Once crabgrass emerges, it can be identified by its color and growth habit. The yellowish green hue of its blades makes crabgrass stand out from surrounding turfgrass and lookalike weeds. Unlike quackgrass and tall fescue, crabgrass has a flat growth habit, spreading outward rather than upward, the better to avoid mower blades. Each plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds that emerge on long, purplish seed heads growing from thick stalks. When pulled, you’ll find that the plant’s roots are fairly shallow and packed together in clumps, unlike the next two nuisance grasses on our list.

Quackgrass

Classified as a noxious weed by the State of Michigan, quackgrass is a fast growing perennial. Often mistaken for its annual lookalike, crabgrass, quackgrass spreads through extensive underground networks of rhizomes as well as seeds.

The easiest way to tell whether you have quack grass or crabgrass is to examine the leaves. Both have wide, grasslike blades, but quackgrass has what’s called a clasping auricle , or a leaf blade that wraps around the stem. In addition, crabgrass tends to flatten itself to the ground, while quackgrass has a more upright growth habit.

A cool season perennial, quackgrass begins to appear in lawns by early spring, its rapid growth quickly making it stand out in the lawn. Left unchecked, it can soon reach heights of up to four feet. Quackgrass spreads swiftly through a system of underground rhizomes growing horizontally under the soil. Rhizomes have sharp, pointed tips that help them cut through even the most tightly compacted soils. As visible growth slows in the heat of summer, these underground runner systems continue to expand and send up new shoots every few inches. Emerging in mid to late summer, seed heads are thin spikes from two to eight inches long, each displaying two rows of seeds. Once temperatures have cooled in the fall, quackgrass will start putting out new shoots , even as other plants begin to die back for the season.

Tall Fescue

Another cool season perennial, tall fescue emerges in early spring in dark green patches that stand out against lawns that haven’t yet greened up. While you’ll see the most vigorous growth in spring and fall, this grassy weed will stay green even through drought conditions and soaring temperatures due to its deep root system.

The blades of tall fescue are rougher to the touch and wider than both crabgrass and quackgrass. Leaves display deep ribs that are visible to the naked eye, with smooth, shiny undersides.

In contrast to the other unwanted grasses on our list, this weed is what’s known as a bunch-type grass, meaning it grows in colonies with well defined borders. This is because unlike quackgrass, tall fescue doesn’t spread through underground rhizomes, but puts out upright shoots known as “tillers” that sprout from the base of each plant, limiting how far a patch can expand. It’s more likely to spread by seed, the seed heads emerging in spring on slender panicles that loosely hold many light brown seeds.

Let Us Handle It

No matter which of the lookalikes invades your yard, Custom Personalized Lawn Care has the answers. Call our Michigan lawn care experts at (800) 570-3313 or get a weed control quote here .

Stay informed by subscribing to our blog and be the first to know about our latest special offers by following us on Facebook and Twitter .

Pest Control Strategy: Keep Your Property Pest Free This Year

Fri, 17 May 2024 20:35:00 GMT

Invasive pests can be a persistent problem for Michigan homeowners. Whether it’s grubs in the grass, buzzing mosquitoes in the lawn, or creepy spiders in the home, nobody wants to share space with pests. Having a 2020 pest control strategy helps ensure your property stays protected from pests all year long.

Get Rid of the Grubs

Grubs are one of the most destructive pests for lawns everywhere. These plump, worm-like larvae are the offspring of June beetles, European chafers, and Japanese beetles. They live under your grass where they feed on the roots. All lawns have some grub activity in them, but when the grub population is too large the damage can be extensive. GrubPro is a service from Custom Personalized Lawn Care that prevents the eggs from these beetles from hatching for one full year. It’s a great way to get control of the grubs in your lawn.

Keep the Mosquitoes Away

Mosquitoes are arguably the worst pests plaguing our lawns. Their annoying persistence can ruin any backyard gathering and send you running for shelter. They’re also dangerous, spreading diseases like West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis at an alarming rate. Including mosquito control in your 2020 pest control strategy is essential.

The Protector Plan here at Custom Personalized provides you with five treatments between April and October. These consistent applications help prevent mosquitoes from taking over your backyard.

Prevent Home Pests With Perimeter Pest Control

Common Interior Pests in Michigan:

Protect Your Family From Fleas and Ticks

Fleas and ticks are some nasty pests. If you’ve been following the news, then you know that tick populations have been exploding across the country. These biting pests cause terrible diseases, like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and babesiosis. Fleas , on the other hand, can hitch a ride into your home on the back of your pet. From there, they can quickly spread throughout your home. Prevention and control are key.

For the best control, check out the PestPro Plan from Custom Personalized Lawn Care. This plan offers five treatments throughout the year to prevent fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and more. New customers receive half off their last treatment and, if you opt to prepay for the package, you’ll receive 10% off.

Let Custom Personalized Lawn Care Help With Your 2020 Pest Control Strategy

You don’t have to try controlling your pests by yourself. The experts at Custom Personalized Lawn Care have a number of pest control services to help with your 2020 pest control strategy. GrubPro , mosquito control, perimeter pest control , and flea & tick control can help keep your property pest-free.

For more information on how we can help you keep your property pest-free in 2020, call us at (800) 570-3313 or request a quote here . For the latest tips on lawn care, pest control, and more, visit our blog . To be the first to know about our current deals and news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter .

Are Mosquitoes More Attracted to You?

Fri, 17 May 2024 16:09:00 GMT

The “Mosquito Magnet Quiz”:

If you answered yes to any of those questions, don’t feel crazy. You may actually be more enticing to these little bloodsuckers than your other human counterparts.

As summer stretches its way into August we start to see more and more mosquitoes each day.
Sometimes it seems like they know exactly where you’re gonna be and when you’re gonna be there just in time to make you their dinner.

Believe it or not, there are actually some things that may make you more qualified than others to become a mosquito magnet.

You exercise

If you find yourself exercising often, you will most likely be more attractive to mosquitoes when you’re around them.

Exercising releases lactic acid into your body, which mosquitoes love (for whatever reason).

Your wardrobe choice

If you wear dark or bright colored clothes, you could be painting a target on your own body for mosquitoes.

Researchers have tested the effects of colors on mosquitoes and found that they tend to gravitate towards bright and dark clothing when compared to light, more natural colors.

You sweat a lot

Everybody sweats, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Some people sweat more than others, and it can even be genetic. Mosquitoes are extremely attracted to sweat and look for those who do find themselves sweating often.

You’re pregnant

If you’re pregnant you might notice an unusual interest from mosquitoes. Pregnant women emit higher levels of CO2 which attracts the bloodsuckers. They often tend to have higher body temperatures on average which is also a trait that could qualify you as a mosquito magnet.

You have type O blood

If you have type O blood, you’re twice as likely to get bitten by mosquitoes than others. Researches have found that type O is mosquitoes favorite blood and type A is their least favorite.

You’ve been drinking

When you drink alcohol, your metabolism starts to speed up. In response to an increased metabolism rate is an increased rate of CO2 emitted. Researches have found that type O is mosquitoes favorite blood and type A is their least favorite.

Your age & size

If you’re a larger person, you most likely have bigger lungs and exhale more CO2 than others. Children are smaller and emit less carbon dioxide than adults and in return, attract fewer mosquitoes overall.

Get Rid of Mosquitoes!

Here in Michigan, we’re no stranger to mosquitoes, we know just how fast they can ruin a party.

For a Limited Time, New Customers as well as Current Lawn Customers get 20% OFF FULL PEST PROGRAM. Prevent mosquitoes, fleas, ticks & perimeter pests on YOUR PROPERTY.

Spring Flea & Tick Control

Fri, 17 May 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Where Do Fleas and Ticks Live?

Since fleas and ticks are so hard to see, many people don’t know where they hide. Fleas and ticks enjoy warm temperatures but prefer to reside in the shady areas of your lawn. These areas can be in the shade of trees, bushes, under decks and porches. They also live in tall grass or other overgrown areas of your yard.

As we mentioned, fleas don’t have a hankering for human blood but prefer the taste of animal blood. This means your outdoor pets. Cats and dogs often explore or nap in these high-risk areas of the yard. After Sparky is loaded up with fleas and ticks, he can carry them into the house like an unsuspecting Trojan dog . Once inside, a female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day for six months in your carpet, beds, and furniture.

Dangers From Fleas & Ticks

Fleas and ticks can drive your pets crazy and can cause rashes on humans. They can also carry diseases which can affect both pets and humans.

Ticks

Fleas

Ways to Prevent Fleas and Ticks

Keep Grass Short

Trim Your Trees and Shrubs

Keep branches from trees and shrubs away from your house. Ticks can live in trees, and if branches are touching, they can use it as a bridge to get into your home. Ticks are attracted to the heat in your home, so make sure you don’t unintentionally invite them in. Make trimming your trees and shrubs part of your spring cleanup .

Block High-Risk Areas

High-risk areas of your yard include under trees, tall grass, and under porches and decks. If you have a pet, these areas could be considered high risk. You can protect your pets and your home by fencing these areas off and preventing your animals from getting into them.

Get Professional Ti ck Control Services

Here at Custom Personalized Lawn Care, we have a 5-step flea and tick control service designed to keep you and your family safe from these dangerous biting insects.

When you call, we will send out one of our trained flea and tick technicians who will inspect your lawn thoroughly for fleas and ticks. Then, they will spray a flea and tick fog that will make these insects think twice before stepping onto your property again.

Give us a call at (800) 570-3313 or request a free estimate . You can also check out our Facebook f or news and deals.

Controlling Mosquitoes in the Summer

Fri, 17 May 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Michigan summers are all about spending time outdoors and enjoying the company of friends and family. However, the ending of our social gatherings is usually determined by annoying mosquitoes who show up to crash the party. Luckily, there are some proactive steps you can take to eliminate and defend yourself from biting mosquitoes.

Clogged gutters are one of the most overlooked breeding sites for mosquitoes. If you don’t clean your gutters regularly, you might be harboring a mosquito nursery above your head and you might not even know it. When gutters get clogged with leaves and other debris it can back up and turn into toughs of standing water. Make sure you clean your gutters out at least once a year to make sure water is draining and nothing is obstructing the downspout.

Eliminate Other Breeding Areas

Female mosquitoes only need a tiny bit of water to lay her eggs in, turning everyday items around your yard into mosquito hatcheries. If you really want to get serious about mosquitoes then you must eliminate all standing water in your yard. Empty water from trash cans, flower pots, toys, lawn furniture, wheelbarrows, old tires, ditches, and birdbaths.

Water features are an important part of your landscape and you may be a bit apprehensive to get rid of it just to cut down on the mosquito population.

However, there is a way you can still enjoy your water features and control mosquitoes at the same time.

Natural Repellants

Natural mosquito repellants are on the rise as people become more aware of the chemicals in traditional mosquito repellants. Some people are allergic to the chemical DEET, used to mask our scents and deter mosquitoes. It turns out that there are natural ways to repel mosquitoes and these methods have been in use for thousands of years.

Natural mosquito-repelling plants include:

Make A Mosquito Trap

A mosquito trap is a fun and effective way to combat the mosquito problem in your yard.

The only i tems you need are:

Begin by cutting the top portion off the two-liter where it starts to curve. Then nest the top half into the bottom half, creating a funnel. In a separate bowl, combine one cup of sugar, one teaspoon of yeast, and one cup of hot water. Pour the mixture through the funnel of the trap so it fills up the bottom half of the two-liter. Set the trap outside near your patio and watch how the mosquitoes will be unable to resist the smell of the fermenting concoction. Once inside they won’t be able to escape.

Call The Professionals at Custom Personalized

At Custom Personalized , we can make your summers easier with our mosquito control program . You can choose from five visits, three visits, or a one-time application for graduations, weddings, or other outdoor events.

We don’t just defend lawns, we make them too with our lawn care program , we protect them too. With our flea and tick program , we can make sure nasty deer ticks don’t threaten your family this summer.

Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.

A Guide To Early Spring Weed Control

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 20:55:00 GMT

Once weeds get a foothold in your lawn, they will steal important nutrients (water and sunlight, mainly) from the grass. This competition for nutrients and space will ultimately leave your grass hungry, weak, and prone to drought and disease. The key to preventing this is by attacking the weeds before they pop up. Here is a guide to early spring weed control, and some tips to help you get a leg up over those pesky weeds this spring:

Timing Is Everything

When the soil temperature has reached 50 degrees or higher, weeds will start germinating. Once the temperature has stayed around the 50-55 degree range for at least one week, weeds will slowly begin to emerge from the soil. In Michigan, this usually occurs around late March or early April. Monitoring your soil temperature will allow you to be prepared to take the proper steps at the proper time to beat the weeds before they have a chance to grow.

Pre-Emergent Herbicide

Applying a Pre-emergent herbicide is a method of preventative weed control that should be performed early into the spring season. It produces a chemical coating that layers the soil, preventing seeds from germinating, and weeds from growing. When it comes to applying pre-emergent herbicides, timing is everything! As mentioned above, you want to wait until the soil temperature has hit at least 50 degrees before applying. But don’t wait too long! Pre-emergent herbicides will not have any effect on weeds after they have begun growing.

Weeds need two things to grow, water and sunlight. When the weather warms up and the grass starts growing, raise your mower height. This will allow the grass to grow tall and strong, blocking the sunlight from getting to the weeds. Also, mowing once a week will also allow you to cut down any weeds that have peeked through the grass. Simply put, the stronger the grass, the harder it is for the weeds. It’s simple, natural weed control!

Call The Experts In Weed Control

If you’re looking for the best in early spring weed control, look no further than Custom Personalized Lawn Care. Our certified specialists will examine your lawn to determine the best course of action to not only eliminate, but also prevent weeds from taking over your lawn.

Through our custom lawn and weed control program , we can help you take control of your yard and deal with those pesky weeds once and for all. Give us a call today at (800) 570-3313 to hear more!

Getting It Right: Overseeding & Spot Seeding in Michigan

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 20:26:12 GMT

Winter is fading and Michigan lawns are coming alive once again. Soon we’ll be working on spring yard cleanup and getting our lawn care routines in place. One of the most important steps toward getting the season underway is taking stock of lawn conditions to identify areas that require spot seeding, or overseeding. Read on to find out when and how to get started.

Identify the Problem

Whether it’s a few bald spots or an entire lawn that’s gone patchy, diagnosing the cause is key. If there are a few random spots, the cause may be grubs or other insects, or even heavy foot traffic. Midwestern lawns are also susceptible to winter salt damage, particularly along walkways. Switching to a lawn-safe deicer, placing landscape fabric along walkway edges in winter, or installing decorative borders are all good options for preventing salt damage. When it comes to foot traffic, consider taking steps to reroute heavily traveled areas by installing pavers, gravel paths, or fencing. If you find the damage is being caused by a pest problem, it’s important to complete treatment before spot seeding, as many pest control measures can damage freshly applied grass seed.

Diagnosing should also be performed if the lawn begins to discolor or look stressed. Compacted soil, poor drainage, a thick thatch barrier , and poor soil nutrition can all be the cause of lawn-wide issues. In addition, older lawns were often planted with grass varieties that were less sturdy and more prone to pests, disease, and age-related fatigue than today’s more resilient options.

When to Start

No one wants to spend the spring looking at a patchy lawn, but along with completing any treatment needed prior to seeding, waiting for the correct weather conditions is essential to ensuring proper growth. Early fall, from around the middle of August through late September, is the ideal time to begin overseeding . Fall’s moisture combined with the end of the worst summer heat create excellent conditions for seed growth. With fewer weeds competing for nutrients and space, soil that’s still warm, and little chance of the sun scorching new growth, spot seeding or overseeding in autumn is the best bet for Michigan lawns.

Not everyone will want to wait for fall to rejuvenate their lawn and that’s ok, because with proper timing spring seeding can also yield good results. Soil temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees (preferably closer to 60) will yield the best germination rates, so some time around Memorial Day is usually a good time to prepare for spot seeding or overseeding.

Getting it Done

Whether you decide to seed in spring or fall, good preparation of the area is a must. A few patches or a whole lawn, whatever the season, the steps are essentially the same.

It’s important to note that weed controls should not be applied immediately after overseeding, as these can also kill or damage grass seeds. It’s best to wait for your new grass to become established before applying weed control. Seed packaging will have specific timeframes, with the general rule being three mowings. Repair no earlier than mid-May, at least 6 weeks from pre-emergent. If you’ve hired lawn care professionals to complete the project, be sure to let them know about any controls you’ve already applied.

For spot seeding, prepare the area by removing any weeds, then break up the surface with a hard rake or similar tool so the seeds will be in contact with soil. This is also a good time to add soil amendments, such as peat moss or a specially formulated starter fertilizer. For small areas, generously hand broadcast seed, aiming for about 20 seeds per square inch, adding some seed to the margins of the spot to ensure the new grass blends in. Press in with the back side of a light rake without tamping too hard.

To prepare a large area or entire lawn for overseeding, the first step is to mow short (about two inches) and remove clippings. Next, examine the thatch and if it’s thicker than ½ to ¾ inch, consider dethatching. If thatch is less than ½ inch, aeration should be your next step, as this will allow grass seed optimal soil contact. After aeration, you’ll need a slice seeder or drop-type seeder and approximately three pounds of seed mix per thousand square feet.

For good germination, newly planted seed must be kept damp, not saturated, and never allowed to dry completely. We recommend watering lightly twice a day for the first four days, then watering deeply every other day for the next five days, and as needed to prevent wilting thereafter.

Custom Lawn Care Has You Covered

Whether you need advice on choosing a seed blend, are ready for aeration, or just don’t know where to start, we can help . Call us at (800) 570-3313 with questions about your seeding project or get a free instant quote for Weed Control & Fertilization here .

To see our lawn care pros in person and stay up to date on our latest deals, follow us on Instagram and Facebook .

Top 4 Common Lawn Weeds in Michigan

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 19:47:45 GMT

Creating a Healthy Lawn Starts with Weed Control

One of the key factors in maintaining a healthy and attractive lawn is weed control, but keeping lawn invaders at bay requires more than occasional digging and spraying. While any weed can become a nuisance, each has a specific growth habit and life cycle requiring a targeted control strategy. Read on to learn more about the appearance and growth habits of some of the most common Michigan lawn weeds.

Dandelion

The best known and toughest contender for lawn space on our list, this perennial member of the daisy family loves the sun, but will thrive under almost any conditions. The name “ dandelion ” comes from the French “dent de lion,” meaning “tooth of the lion,” which is likely a reference to the weed’s familiar jagged, tooth-like leaves.

Although we usually think of dandelions as being spread by seed when their white fluff (known technically as pappus) is carried on the wind (up to five miles from the original plant), they can also reproduce via pieces of their tap root, which can grow up to three feet long. Many people joke that for every dandelion you pull up, three more will appear to replace it. There’s some truth in this old saw, because a single broken or injured dandelion root can produce as many as five new shoots.

Clover

Our next flowering lawn foe comes in various shades of red or white, but no matter the bloom color, all share similar growth characteristics. All clovers produce clusters of three small, rounded leaflets on each stem, though different varieties may have varied leaf markings. A short-lived perennial, clover can spread quickly through both underground runners and seed. Like most lawn weeds, clover will happily grow almost anywhere, but is particularly fond of under watered and lawns that are regularly cut too short.

In addition to being unsightly, this weed can attract other unwelcome visitors to your yard. Clover is actually a legume related to peanuts, beans, and peas, making it a favorite snack of deer, rabbits, squirrels, and other wildlife.

Wild Violets

It’s rare to find a midwestern lawn that hasn’t had a clump of violets pop up at least once. Although generally thought of as flowering in shades of blue-purple, these sturdy perennials can also be found in white or yellow. Wild violets of every color have heart shaped leaves, a low, clumping growth habit, and spread quickly through both seed and networks of underground rhizomes. Violets also have a secret weapon that helps them spread: their seeds are irresistible to ants, who come from far and wide to collect them and carry them away. The ants eat only a small, sugary bump from the seed, known as an elaiosome, and discard the rest allowing it to germinate and produce a new generation of violets.

While violets do prefer shady, damp conditions, they don’t mind sunny areas and can hold up even in times of serious drought that would quickly kill off more desirable plants. Like so many other weeds, wild violets thrive in thinning lawns and poor turf, and are particularly well suited to overly acidic soils.

Creeping Charlie

Also known as ground ivy, creeping Charlie is a member of the mint family. Like its cousins, peppermint and spearmint, this weed spreads aggressively and can quickly overwhelm a lawn as it forms thick, dense mats of tangled foliage. Also in common with its tastier family members, ground ivy emits a powerful odor when cut or pulled up.

Ground ivy is yet another grow-anywhere weed that is especially happy in wet, shady areas, particularly along fence lines. Round leaves with scalloped edges arise on long stolons, or runners, which are specially adapted stems that help the plant cling to the ground. Each leaf node, the point where leaves emerge, can take root and produce a new plant anywhere it touches the soil. Additionally, Creeping Charlie can spread through the seeds that eventually emerge from the tiny purplish flowers that bloom in early spring.

Wild Violet and Creeping Charlie are harder to treat weeds that will require several treatments to get under control.

Professional Weed Control

There’s no need to figure it out on your own because keeping your lawn healthy and weed free is what we do at Custom Personalized Lawn Care . Call our Michigan lawn care pros at (800) 570-3313 or get a weed control quote here .

For more expert lawn care advice on everything from seasonal maintenance to composting and pest control, subscribe to our blog . Also, be sure to check us out on Facebook and Twitter to stay abreast of our latest promotions and special deals.

5 Tips for Overseeding Your Lawn

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:26:00 GMT

Here in Michigan, summer is the season we all look forward to and celebrate to the fullest! But let’s face it, all that summer fun can be TOUGH on lawns! Lawn overseeding is an easy way to help reinvigorate your lawn and is essential for the long-term health of your turf. Combine your overseeding with core aeration and you are setting the stage for a healthy, green and vigorous lawn!

What is Lawn Overseeding?

Overseeding is the process of applying grass seed over an ALREADY established lawn. Over time, grasses naturally thin and die off as well as suffer from the wear and tear of lawn traffic and harsh environmental conditions. Overseeding is so important because it is a means to thicken up turf strands and introduce other cool season grass types in the lawn. Overseeding can:

5 Tips For Lawn Overseeding

1. Overseed in early fall.

For northern lawns in our area, fall is the optimal time to overseed because the soil is still warm, but the air is cooler, providing prime growing conditions. Ideal temperatures are when the soil temperatures are between 50° and 65°F and air temperatures are between 60° and 75°F.

Many homeowners time their overseeding around a lawn aeration because this will provide the optimal conditions for the grass seed to take root and flourish. Seeds grow best when they have high seed-to-soil contact and uncompacted soil, which is best achieved through aeration of your lawn.

2. Mow your lawn short.

Mowing your lawn short and removing the clippings allows the new seed to come into contact with the soil so that it can be exposed to water and sunlight. If you have more than 1/2 to 3/4 inch of thatch, consider using a dethatcher. If under 1/2 an inch of thatch exists, use an aerator. Dethatching or aerating your lawn prior to overseeding allows the seeds to come into direct contact with the soil.

3. Choose a diversified seed mix.

Having a balanced mixture of fescue types (~40%), bluegrass types (~40% – 50%) and perennial ryegrass (~10 % – 20%) limits the amount of permanent damage insects, disease and drought stress can inflict throughout the warmer season. For example, one type of grass may be highly affected by drought stress, while another many not. Including different types of seed in your mix minimizes the amount of stress that your lawn is susceptible to from one particular stressor. Think of this as having a diversified investment in your lawn!

4. Follow the correct seeding ratio.

In general, it is recommended to spread at 3 pounds of seed per thousand square feet of lawn when overseeding. It is important to follow these ratios in order to grow healthy young stands of turf. Spreading less than the recommended amount of seed in your lawn can result in open areas of turf that are more susceptible to weeds. Spreading more than the recommended amount of seed can result in stands of turf that contain high numbers of small, young, and immature plants that will take much longer to grow into mature, robust plants that can fight off environment stresses like heat, drought, cold and foot traffic.

If you would like to know how much seed you need for your lawn, we can tell you!

5. Keep your lawn watered.

Newly overseeded lawns need consistent moisture with the goal of encouraging the growth of deep, healthy roots. For the first four days , your goal is to keep the seed and soil moist but not saturated, with frequent light waterings twice a day. For the next 5 days , water more heavily every other day. Finally, water as needed to prevent wilting. This “as-needed” watering approach will encourage the growth of a deep, healthy root system for your newly seeded lawn. The existing grass will help keep the seed in place, shade the soil, and slow evaporation.

Overall, lawn overseeding is an easy way to provide the TLC (Tender Lawn Care) that your lawn needs for long-term health. One thing to keep in mind is thinking about pairing your overseeding process with a fall aeration prior to overseeding. Aerating is the tried and true way of overseeding a Michigan lawn. It primes your lawn for overseeding, allowing the best soil conditions possible for lawn growth. To learn more about our aeration services, click here .

Custom Lawn Care’s Aeration Services

Custom Lawn Care has the largest fleet of Professional Core Aeration equipment in the state. Several different types of equipment allow us to handle any size lawn in an efficient and professional manner. For the best of turf health, consider a core aeration as the perfect service to combine with your plan to overseed your lawn! Contact Custom Personalized Lawn Care TODAY to book your fall core aeration!

Weed Control Tips For Michigan Lawns

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Weeds are strong, stubborn plants that never seem to go away. You pull one and it seems ten more pop up in its place. It’s a never ending struggle if you haven’t taken the proper weed control steps to prevent weeds.

Weeds aren’t just ugly, they can affect crop yields in your garden by competing with your plants for light, water, and nutrients. Weeds grow much quicker than our plants which means they can crowd out plants resulting in stunted growth. Thankfully we have found a few weed control tips for Michigan lawns to help you combat weeds this year.

Pre-Emergent Control

At the end of each year weeds disperse thousands of seeds over a wide area. If you have any weeds in your yard then you have a whole new generation of weeds just waiting for spring to come back. One of the most important steps you can take to prevent weeds in your yard is by using pre-emergent weed control in the early spring. Pre-emergent weed control covers seeds and prevents them from germinating, dealing a huge blow to the weed population in your yard.

Keep Your Grass Healthy

Mulch

Mulch not only makes your trees and beds stand out but it also works as an effective weed barrier. Just a few inches of mulch can block the sun weed seeds need to germinate. You can further boost your protection by first laying down a weed barrier made of fabric or plastic.

Spot Treating

Spot treating weeds is the use of herbicides on visible weeds. Even if you follow proper watering and fertilization methods weed seeds can still sneak their way into your yard from hitching a ride on the wind or through bird droppings. It is essential to target these weeds before they mature. Think of spot treating as playing a game of Whack-A-Mole with weeds. The ultimate goal being to stop the weeds before they get a chance to release their seeds.

Hire The Professionals At Custom

Sometimes battling weeds is just too much work. That’s where the professionals at Custom Lawn Care come in. With our lawn care program we treat for weeds year round while feeding your lawn the nutrients it needs to grow thick and healthy so it can prevent new weeds from growing.

Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.

3 Ways To Protect Your Pets From Fleas This Fall

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 19:51:00 GMT

Did you know that the fall months (September, October, and even November) are some of the most ideal times for fleas? It’s true! These months bring mild temperatures and moisture, both of which create favorable living situations for these pests. That’s why fall flea control is absolutely essential!

But what about when it gets freezing cold? Are the conditions are no longer favorable for the flea? Contrary to popular belief, fleas do not hibernate. Instead, they will be looking for a host to latch onto for the winter months to ensure survival.

Dogs and cats are especially vulnerable as their long winter coats create that ideal living situation. Not to mention, fleas would love a warm, cozy home to hide out during winter.

Thankfully, there are measures you can take to protect your home and your furry friends. Here are 3 ways to protect your home from a flea infestation this season:

Give Your Pet A Flea Preventative

Flea preventatives, like Frontline Plus or NexGard can be very effective when it comes to:

These preventatives utilize a chemical called fipronil, which attacks the nervous system of the fleas, eggs, and larvae. This guarantees elimination and prevention and is effective for 3–4 weeks per treatment.

Keep Your Home Clean, Inside and Outside

Does your dog have a favorite spot on the couch? What about your cat? Maybe it’s under the couch, or in the corner of the basement. Regardless of where your pet’s favorite spot is, it is important to clean and vacuum those common areas on a weekly basis.

A study and experiment done by Ohio State University showed that vacuuming on basic kitchen carpet killed 96/100 fleas and larvae. A similar study was performed by students at Texas A&M. Their study revealed similar results, with a 90% success rate on multiple kinds of carpets, mats, and rugs.

Whether inside or outside your home, one thing is for sure: fleas want to hide. Here are a few things you can do to create an unattractive and uninviting space for fleas:

Call The Professionals At Custom Lawn Care

Don’t let fleas have their way… Give us a call today at 810-736-3214 to learn more about our flea control program , and how we can help you can protect your home from a flea infestation.

Let us help you take back your yard for good!

Lawn Aeration: A Guide to a Healthier Lawn this Fall

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Michigan summers can be tough on our lawns . Soil compaction, drought, and high heat cause stress and damage to even the healthiest of lawns, over time. However, there is a way to restore your grass to the health and beauty that it had at the beginning of the summer: lawn aeration .

Lawn aeration, or core aeration, is the lawn care process of pulling up plugs of soil and redistributing them across the lawn. This process is important to maintaining the health and beauty of your lawn for years to come. But, does your lawn need to be aerated right now? We’ve put together a list of telltale signs that your lawn needs a little help.

Signs that you need to aerate your lawn:

What are the benefits of lawn aeration?

After a while, soil in your lawn becomes compacted and thatch builds up to the point where it can harm your grass. Thatch is a layer of grass clippings and organic matter that form a barrier at the base of your grass. When that layer builds up and is more than one inch thick, then you have a thatch problem. Aerating your lawn can alleviate this problem, among many other benefits.

Some of the benefits of aerating your lawn include:

When is the best time to aerate?

Now that you know what it is, what the benefits are, and what signs to look out for, it’s time to think about when is the best time to aerate a lawn. Aerating a lawn should be done once a year or, at least, once every other year. It should only be done during the growing season for your grass as this will allow your lawn to recover quickly after the service.

Here in Michigan, we have cool-season grasses with a growing season in the spring and fall. This means that here in Michigan, late summer or early fall is the best time to aerate your lawn. A fall core aeration service will help strengthen the roots of your lawn before the frigid Michigan winter rears its head and will also help set your lawn up for success, next spring . Planning ahead is always a good idea , and it’s never too early to start planning for your fall lawn care.

Before you aerate…

Fall is a great time to aerate your lawn, but choosing the time isn’t the only thing to consider when planning this fall lawn care service. Make sure you mark off the areas where your sprinkler heads are and any electric dog fences. This will help your lawn care technicians safely navigate your lawn.

It’s also a good idea to ensure there is enough moisture in the soil before aerating. Watering the lawn a couple of days before will ensure the tines of the aerator machine can safely penetrate the soil.

Call in the professionals

If you want to ensure you have a healthy lawn going into the brutal Michigan winter, then look into aeration services from Custom Personalized Lawn Care. Get golf course-quality turf in your very own backyard.

Give us a call at (800) 570-3313 or contact us here .

Will Core Aeration Give Your Michigan Lawn a Boost?

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Core Aeration - The Lawn Care SECRET WEAPON

It’s fall in Michigan, and time to start thinking about Halloween decorations, costumes, hayrides, (socially distanced of course), carving pumpkins, and fall foliage. But just because the temperatures are cooler and the days shorter doesn’t mean it’s time to neglect your lawn. Fall is the perfect time to assess the damage caused by the stress of summer. It’s also the ideal time to rejuvenate any grass that has been damaged over the last few months. Summer heat, drought, and excessive wear and tear can cause compacted soil on even the most well-maintained lawns. Take a look, does your grass have bare, patchy areas, or look tired or drought-ridden? Read on to learn more about compacted soil and what exactly you can do about it.

Compacted soil is basically a build-up of thatch, which is a layer of grass clippings and organic matter that forms a barrier at the base of your grass. This layer reduces the amount of water, oxygen, and vital nutrients able to reach your grassroots. It also prevents proper drainage. Cutting off this essential supply to your grassroots will cause your turf to become malnourished, dehydrated, and sometimes even over saturated. Weakening over time, it will die.

What Causes Compacted Soil?

It is a result of compacted pores caused by an applied force. This applied force is the result of heavy machinery such as farm tractors, automobiles, and lawnmowers. Excessive foot traffic and overuse from just playing in your backyard during the summer can cause compacted soil. Many of us canceled vacations and trips this year and spent most of our time off enjoying staycations at home and in our backyards. All of this fun, while worth it, may have exhausted your lawn. But never fear, there is a solution. First, let’s discuss how to determine what’s going on with your lawn.

The best way to tell if you have compacted soil is through the age-old screwdriver test. Take a screwdriver or a hard stick you have lying around and jam it into the ground. If it’s dry and does not easily penetrate your dirt, you probably have compacted soil.

Other signs that you have compacted soil include:

Your Lawn Has Compacted Soil. What Do You Do Now?

A process called core aeration can help alleviate thatch and poke holes in your yard to allow water, oxygen, and essential nutrients such as fertilizers back in. Core aeration is basically the process of perforating small holes in your soil and pulling up hundreds of tiny plugs to redistribute the turf across your lawn. This can be done with the use of special boots or with a sharp stick. For much better results, we recommend using a professional company such as the pros at Custom Lawn Care, who specialize in this kind of technique.

When is the Best Time to Aerate Your Lawn?

Aerating a lawn should be done once a year or at least, once every other year. It should only be done during the growing season, as this will allow your lawn to recover quickly after the service. Due to the cool-season grasses, we have here in Michigan, Custom Lawn Care recommends core aeration during the fall. This is because 85% of your grass root growth takes place during this time. Cool, warm temperatures combined with warm soil temperatures make the perfect environment for your lawn’s recovery. You can expect your grass to become more resistant to drought, insects, and lawn disease eight to ten weeks after your core aeration service is performed.

Don’t wait too long! Old man winter is right around the corner, and you want your lawn to be robust and in shape before it arrives. Contact Custom Lawn Care now and get more information on our aeration services . You can reach us by phone at 800-570-3313 or contact us right here online . Learn more about us through our social media accounts and follow us on Facebook and Twitter .

Lawn Renovation: Dealing With Summer Lawn Stress

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 18:49:00 GMT

By the time fall rolls around here in Michigan, it’s not uncommon for our lawns to look a little rough. With the kids out of school and the constant weekend backyard barbecues , our lawns are dealing with a lot of stress. Giving your lawn a boost this fall will ensure it’s healthy next spring. Luckily, here at Custom Personalized Lawn Care, we have the lawn renovation guide that you need.

The first, and most obvious, sources of stress on your lawn this summer is the sun. Heat stress combined with drought conditions can absolutely wreak havoc on your lawn, leaving it susceptible to disease and pests. Signs that your lawn may be suffering from drought include: patches of grass turning brown or the leaves of the trees begin to wilt or curl . You can check if your area is in a drought by checking this drought monitor .

One of the best ways to help a lawn that’s suffering from drought is with proper irrigation . Check that all the zones in your irrigation system are working properly and make adjustments as needed. Keep in mind, the correct amount of water that a lawn needs is about one inch per week.

Water early in the day to allow it to reach deep into the soil it evaporates away. Buy a rain gauge to keep track of how much water your lawn receives from rain. This will help you conserve water and save you from overwatering.

A creative way to help your lawn with moisture retention is to raise your mower deck to its highest setting. Taller grass encourages deeper root growth and makes your yard more drought-tolerant. The tall grass will also shade the soil, aiding in moisture retention. Leaving your grass clippings on the lawn also adds water and nutrients back into your turf.

Soil Compaction & Excess Thatch

By the end of summer, you may see bare patches in your grass and your turf may feel spongy underfoot. If this is the case, then you may have compacted soil, excess thatch, or both. Let’s start with soil compaction.

Soil Compaction

Soil compaction is when the soil in your yard becomes hard and compacted. Compacted soil is typically caused by increased foot and vehicle traffic. It’s worse in the summer because more people spend time out on their lawns playing, entertaining, and mowing. Soil compaction is a big problem by the end of the summer.

Compacted soil makes life difficult for your grass, plants, and trees. The hard soil cuts your grass roots off from water, nutrients, and air. Without these essential components getting down to the root zone, your grass and plants will suffer. When you have soil compaction, the best course of action is core aeration .

Aeration services will pull up plugs of compacted soil and redistribute them across your lawn. This relieves soil compaction and allows grass roots to spread out and grow deeper. Aeration also gives your grass roots easy access to the air, water, and nutrients that they need to thrive. The best time to aerate your Michigan lawn is in the late summer or early fall .

Excess Thatch

Thatch is a layer of organic material and grass clippings that settles at the base of your grass blades. It creates a barrier just above the soil surface. Having a thin layer of about ½ inch is actually beneficial to your grass. Some benefits of a small layer of thatch include: moisture retention, protection from changing temperatures, and some protection from soil compaction.

If you have excess thatch of more than one inch, then your lawn will need some help. Too much thatch causes problems like: nutrients and water not reaching the soil, fertilizers, and pest control not reaching the soil, and more diseases and pests. So, how do you dethatch your lawn?

For a small yard, a thatching rake would work fine. For dethatching larger yards, it’s best to use a power dethatcher or a power rake. Aeration is also a good idea to relieve your lawn of soil compaction and excess thatch at the same time. The best time to dethatch your Michigan yard is in the late summer and early fall .

As we approach the fall, it’s easy to let the weeds get out of control. Broadleaf weeds, like dandelions, white clover, and ground ivy actually thrive this time of year. This means that it’s important to have a broadleaf weed control strategy.

You’re in luck, late summer and fall are the best times to do broadleaf weed control. These pesky weeds begin storing energy in their root systems in the fall, to prepare for the winter. This means that herbicide treatments will be especially effective at this time.

Having a lawn care program that includes a late summer broadleaf weed control will help you a lot this fall. Otherwise, apply your herbicide on a sunny day when there is no rain in the forecast. Spray your weeds and allow the weed killer to dry on the leaves.

Controlling broadleaf weeds is a lawn renovation service that you shouldn’t skip this year. Taking care of the weeds now will remove the competition from your lawn. This allows your grass to grow and store all the nutrients it needs to survive the winter and bounce back next spring .

Summer Lawn Fertilization

Fertilizing your lawn in the summer is very different from fertilizing your lawn in the spring . As we get ready for fall here in Michigan, our fertilizer strategy changes. It’s important to know what to feed your lawn in the different seasons.

A lot of what we do for our lawn depends on the type of grass we have. Here in Michigan, we have cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial rye, and tall fescue. Cool-season grasses go dormant in the summer and winter. Their growing seasons are throughout the spring and fall.

When it comes to feeding your existing lawn, late summer and early fall are the best times to do it. Investing in a lawn care program that includes a fall feeding is an excellent idea. If you do it on your own, use a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer around the middle of September. This allows your grass to store up energy while helping root growth, setting it up for success next year.

Plan ahead with Custom Personalized Lawn Care

Lawn renovation services will give your lawn the boost it needs to survive the Michigan winter and bounce back in the spring. Plan ahead with services like our lawn care program , aeration services , and flea & tick services . Thinking ahead will save you time and money in the long-run.

Get the best lawn on the block! Call us at (800) 570-3313 or request a free quote here .

Summer Drought and Your Lawn

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 14:20:00 GMT

Is your lawn looking like one of the images below?

You’re not alone!

There’s no doubt that we’ve had a hot summer with lots of sunshine and fun! All that summer sunshine has created drought stressed lawns for many of our customers, and our Lawn Technicians are seeing the after effects firsthand out in the field. We are receiving many calls from customers whose lawns became dried out and stressed during the Summer drought we experienced in July. After the recent rainfall, the lawns are beginning to green up and come back to life again! The problem? Many customers are seeing brown spots mixed in with their newly greening lawn and it’s causing them to PANIC!

Am I going to have to re-seed my lawn?

The answer to all of these questions is definitely NO! There are several different reasons you may be seeings these conditions in your lawn right now, and none of them have anything to do with your lawn dying off from the drought, or from Lawn Technicians fertilizing during these times. MSU Extension has a great article going into detail about why you might be seeing these unsightly brown spots: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/is-my-lawn-dead .

Dormant Lawns During Extreme Heat

Lawns have a way of protecting themselves by going dormant during extreme heat. It’s a survival trait that is completely normal and expected during times like this. When things start to green up, other areas in the lawn may be slower to recover due a variety of different reasons. Your lawn is not dead, it’s just taking its time coming back to life!

Causes of Slow Drought Recovery

The Bottom Line: Don’t PANIC!

If you are seeing brown spots or slowly recovering lawns after drought, there is hope! Our Lawn Technicians are always monitoring this for you and can provide solutions if nece ssary. As always, be sure to COMMUNICATE any concerns you have with us. To learn more about our Lawn Care Program, click here!

Our Technical Support Team is available to answer questions at (800) 570-3313.

Or you can click here to contact us about your lawn concerns.

Summer Damage: Nurse Your Lawn Back

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 14:19:00 GMT

If you’re like most Michigan homeowners, you probably spent a lot of time outside enjoying your lawn and gardens this summer. The warm weather brings us all outside for backyard barbecues, parties, and other activities best spent outdoors in the gorgeous Michigan sunshine. The last thing we’re thinking of is fall lawn care.

Recognize The Common Causes Of Summertime Turf Damage:

Like all good things, summer has officially come to a close. With the close of summer comes crisp autumn air, football games, and gorgeous fall foliage. Unfortunately, our lawns have a much harder time transitioning into autumn than we do. After 3+ months of extensive and heavy use, our grass may be showing some severe signs of damage. Even worse, this damage seems only to get worse as the temperatures continue to drop.

Knowing some of the most common causes of summertime yard deterioration can help you identify the problem and nurse your property back to health before (gasp!) the white stuff starts falling. Here are some tips for fall lawn care:

Drought Conditions

Perhaps the biggest contributor to summertime yard damage? The heat. Our Michigan lawns endure extremely high temperatures and drought conditions that can wreak havoc on our grass, burning the blades faster than they can grow. If you’ve noticed large burned spots, use the fall season to water, fertilize, dethatch, and aerate to begin to reverse these signs of damage.

Foot (And Paw) Traffic

High traffic areas on your property are likely to show significant signs of summertime destruction. Over time extra traffic on our grass can result in compacted soil and excessive thatch. These conditions, when left untreated, can prevent the root system from accessing vital nutrients. Combining aeration, dethatching, and overseeding with your fertilization/weed program can circulate water, food, and air to the root system and promote new, healthy growth.

Heavy Outdoor Furniture

Yes, we love busting out our seasonal outdoor furniture sets for entertaining guests, dining with family, or simply lounging in alone. However, our patio fixtures, when placed directly on the lawn, can leave visible damage behind. Once you’ve stored your outdoor furniture away for the season, start a routine of watering and reseeding to help your grass bounce back.

Pet Spots

Humans aren’t the only ones spending ample time outside in the yard throughout the summer. Our pets often get to enjoy extra hours soaking in the sun during the warmer weather. As a result, you may start to notice more dead spots spread out over your lawn than usual. Overseeding and irrigation can both help hydrate these areas and generate green, vibrant grass. To prevent future damage, water your grass in the spots your dog paid extra attention to as soon as possible.

The best way to counteract summertime damage on your Michigan property this fall? Partner with a professional turf care company for your fall lawn care needs. Custom Lawn Care offers a full suite of turf care services to restore your property to its pre-summer luster. Contact us today to hear more.

Summer Lawn Care

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Protect Your Lawn From Summer Heat

Here in Michigan, we still have another couple months of hot dry weather before the cool relief of fall arrives. That means there is still work to do in your yard. If you practice effective summer lawn care practices you can keep your lawn looking green and vibrant through the dog days of summer.

When the weather has been dry for an extended period of time, combined with high temperatures, it can leave your lawn weak and vulnerable to pests and diseases.

Signs that your grass is experiencing drought or heat stress include:

Check For Soil Compaction

Heat stress can also cause your soil to become hard and compacted, leading to a host of other problems. When soils become compacted it makes it difficult for your grass to access water, nutrients, and air. This will contribute to the decline of your grass in the summer. To relive your soil of compaction you may need to aerate your yard.

When grass suffers from heat stress it can open the door for pests and disease to invade. Keeping your grass properly hydrated during this hot stretch of summer is essential to maintaining a beautiful yard. Weeds are hardier than our grass so when our grass starts to show the slightest sign of weakness they will seize the opportunity and take over. By continuing to follow proper irrigation methods your grass will be able to fend for itself and keep pests and weeds at bay.

Raise Your Lawn Mower

A great trick to help your lawn retain water for a longer period of time is to let your grass grow a little longer. Taller grass provides more shade for the soil below and makes your lawn more drought-resistant as a result. Letting your grass get thicker and taller also prevents new weeds from being able to germinate.

Summer Weed Control

In the summer, dandelions and other broadleaf weeds are a menace to yards everywhere. Controlling weeds in the summer will make your life a lot easier next year. Weeds that appear in the summer will go to seed in the fall and spread seeds all over your lawn. Next spring these seeds will germinate and crowd out your grass before it has a chance to green up. By targeting these weeds now with a post-emergent herbicide, you can get a head start on weeds next year.

Summer Lawn Fertilization

Before you start fertilizing your lawn you need to first need to know what type of grass you have. In Michigan, our lawns consist of cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial rye, and tall fescue. Cool-season grasses go dormant in the summer and winter and do their growing in the spring and fall. The best time to fertilize your cool-season grasses is during the late summer and early fall. This allows your grass to store up energy during the winter while promoting root growth.

Call The Professionals at Custom Personalized

At Custom Personalized , w e can turn your lawn into a beautiful lawn with our lawn care program . We have years of experience in the lawn care field and know exactly what a Michigan yard needs to stay healthy and thrive.

Check out our lawn aeration and organic fertilizer programs to make your yard look even better.

Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.

Summer Mosquito Control: Tips for Managing Mosquitos

Fri, 19 May 2023 14:53:00 GMT

As summer approaches, you are probably too preoccupied with defending your garden from pests and controlling weeds to realize that mosquitoes are using your yard as a nursery. That means hundreds, even thousands, of new mosquitos to torment you and your guests this summer. Luckily, controlling mosquitoes is not as time consuming as it seems and it’s definitely worth it. Proper summer mosquito control is much more effective than masking the problem with mosquito sprays and citronella candles.

Check Your Gutters

Gutters can be ideal breeding zones for mosquitos if you haven’t cleaned them out as part of your early spring cleanup . A clogged gutter means standing water, the ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. It doesn’t take much leaves or debris to clog a gutter so take the time to get up on your roof and make sure the water is draining properly. Remember: it takes less than 2 weeks for a new generation of mosquitoes to mature so time is of the essence.

Eliminate All Standing Water

Cleaning out your gutters is part of a larger strategy to eliminate mosquitos. This strategy involves eliminating all standing water in your yard. Mosquitoes need standing water to deposit their eggs and there are plenty of places she can do this if you aren’t vigilant. All you need to do is walk around your yard and look for anything that can retain water. You’ll soon see that a lot of things can hold enough water for mosquitoes to breed, including: buckets, flower pots, tires, toys, bird baths, wheelbarrows, and many others. By eliminating standing water, you are getting rid of potential breeding zones for mosquitoes.

Make A Mosquito Trap

This fun family project is cheap and very effective at controlling mosquitoes. The only items you need are a two-liter bottle, some tape, a cutting tool, yeast, sugar, and water.

Start by using the cutting tool to cut the top off the two-liter and place it upside down inside the bottom half of the bottle. Use the tape to secure the two halves together. This will be how the mosquitoes enter the trap.

Next, mix one cup of sugar, one teaspoon of yeast, and one cup of hot water. Pour the mixture through the top of the trap so it fills up the bottom half of the two-liter.

That’s it! Set them outside during your next cookout and watch how the mosquitos will be more attracted to the bait in the trap than to you. They will be able to enter the trap but not be able to escape. It’s perfect for that camping trip in the woods.

Maintain Your Swimming Pool

Most swimming pools contain enough chlorine to kill any eggs that mosquitos lay, but if you are not on top of your pool maintenance your pool can turn into a breeding ground, a very big one. Be sure to keep your pool covered if you are not using it and make sure to add chemicals regularly to keep it clean. Keeping your pool clean is an essential part of your summer mosquito control routine.

Use Bug Lights

Enjoy your back porch or deck this summer without being bothered by annoying mosquitoes and other insects by installing a few bug lights. These aren’t the mosquito zappers that kill mosquitoes; these special lights give off a yellow light that is not attractive to mosquitoes or other insects. These lights may not repel mosquitoes but it doesn’t attract them to you like traditional bulbs do.

Hire The Professionals

Of course, nothing works better than professional mosquito control from Custom Personalized Lawn Care . We have several different programs to help defend your yard and make sure your special events go off without a mosquito invasion.

Our packages include:

Call (800) 570-3313 or contact us on our website.

The TRUTH About Moles and Grubs!

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Fri, 12 May 2023 20:36:29 GMT

Ok folks….every year we get a flood of phone calls from homeowners who have moles on their property and think that it MUST be due to a grub problem. NOTHING could be further from the truth! It’s been an old wives tale passed down for decades that moles are attracted to a property by grubs and that applying grub control will get rid of moles. Unfortunately, this is just NOT the case! So it’s time to put the myths, the mysteries, and the misconceptions about moles to rest once and for all and STOP blaming grubs for your mole issue. They actually have very little to do with each other!

OUR PROFESSIONAL HISTORY WITH MOLE CONTROL

For about 10 years beginning back in the mid-90s, Custom used to offer Mole Control services to customers. At that time we were licensed to utilize a restricted-use product called Phostoxin which was a tablet that we tossed into mole tunnels which dissolved into a gas and fumigated the mole tunnels. The product was a dream come true UNLESS you failed to stay at least 10 feet from the foundation of a home. Well, long story short, someone didn’t stay 10 feet away and all of a sudden we were no longer able to provide Mole Control for our customers. Anywho, our experience with mole control is the reason we became so knowledgeable about these little pests because we needed to understand their habits in order to become experts in controlling them. So we went to our local library to do some research the old fashioned way…..by reading books and encyclopedias!!! We know…..ancient times that are RARELY talked about anymore!

THINK LIKE A MOLE WITH THESE 7 FUN FACTS

The ONLY tried and true method of eliminating moles is by trapping them. In order to be successful at this, you need to start thinking like a mole with these seven fun facts:

Moles mainly eat earthworms. You’ve been taught to believe that they eat grubs (and they do find them to be a tasty treat) but 90% of a mole’s diet comes from earthworms. Yes, they will eat grubs if they come across one, but they are NOT attracted to a property because there are grubs in that property. Applying grub control will do absolutely nothing to get rid of your mole problem. Mind blowing, we know!!
Moles are migratory. They prefer about 1 acre of turf because they nest in one area and feed in a totally different area which are often quite a distance from each other. They can burrow up to 60 ft in an hour and burn so many calories doing so that they are always searching for food.
Moles are territorial. Each mole likes its own acre of turf and if a mole encounters another in a tunnel, they will hiss at each other to encourage them to move along.
Moles go inactive in March and April. They breed and have babies during this time and then reemerge in April and May with 3-5 babies in tow making it seem like there are moles EVERYWHERE. This is when you will see the most damage from moles because (see Fun Fact #3 above) moles are territorial and the baby moles are now on a mission to find their OWN acre of turf to nest and feed in. The fact that they go inactive in early Spring helped fuel many of the old wives tales about controlling moles with grub control because homeowners would have it applied in the spring and then the moles would suddenly be “gone” when in fact they were simply inactive due to the breeding process.
Moles are nocturnal. They are most active at night and this plays a big part in tracking their activity and trapping them.
Moles have very poor eyesight but an EXCELLENT sense of smell. Again, this plays into the best ways to control moles that we’ll get into later.
Moles don’t have any awareness of boundaries or property lines . SHOCKING, we know! The fact that your neighbor does or doesn’t have moles has NOTHING to do with moles on your property so just carry on with your own business and leave your neighbor out of it!

GET TO KNOW YOUR MOLE AND TRACK ITS ACTIVITY

Now that you know the basic behaviors of moles, it’s time to turn you into a Pro Status Mole Hunter. The first requirement to utilizing your new Pro Status involves observing your mole’s behavior based on the facts we provided you above.

STEP #1: Collapse All Tunnels . Grab your favorite Soda Pop AT DUSK and walk down ALL tunnels that you find in your lawn. If you have a million tunnels and feel like it’s going to take you all night, just take an old tire and roll it along the tunnels OR hop on your lawn mower and start rollin’ away! Either way, ALL tunnels need to be flattened out.

STEP #2: Go To Bed! Moles are nocturnal (see Fun Fact #5 above) and evidence of their activity won’t be visible until the next morning.

STEP #3: Identify Highway Tunnels. The next morning when you get up, look and see which tunnels are pushed back up. Do this 2 or 3 nights in a row….you’ll find a pattern. Moles nest in the same place generally speaking for a significant amount of time. They'll go back to their nest each night but the next day they usually have a couple of highway tunnels that will pop back up that take them back to their feeding zone because (see Fact #2 above) they don’t feed in the same area where they nest. Once you identify these highway tunnels that keep popping up over those couple of days, you know which tunnels to target with your mechanical traps.

TRAP YOUR MOLE WITH THESE
PRO STATUS TECHNIQUES

So there’s two ways to get rid of moles. One is best suited to 12 year old kids who love the thrill of the hunt and any chance to play with water, and the other method is the “Pro Status” method. If you’re looking to keep your kid busy and entertained you can always go with the trusty method of taking a hose, flooding the mole tunnels with water, and being ready with a pitchfork when your mole surfaces from its tunnel. For those of you wanting to go Pro Status, follow the steps below:

STEP #1: Purchase mechanical traps. These are standard variety spring-loaded mechanical traps with a spear in them and can be found at your local hardware store.

STEP #2: Do NOT fall for the old wives tale of putting Juicy Fruit in your trap! Moles have an excellent sense of smell. They DON’T want anything to do with your silly bubble gum (or anything else you put in their trap)! Moles are just NOT that dumb and will simply go around your gum and make new tunnels while you’re sitting there scratching your head about why you can’t trap your mole! We beg you…..be SMARTER than the mole!

STEP #3: Get rid of your trap’s mechanical and human smells . As stated in bullet point #6 above, moles have terrible eyesight but an excellent sense of smell. Because of this it’s important to wash off ALL of the mechanical oil and human scent before placing the trap. Take the trap outside and roll it around in the dirt and gravel, take the shine off of it, get your odor off of it, and use RUBBER GLOVES to handle it, because otherwise they WILL smell your scent on it when you place it into the tunnel. So the more you can make it look and smell like their natural environment with a little dirt on it and no shine, the less concerned they will be with it and THAT’S the key to trapping them!

So now you FINALLY know the truth about moles, grubs, and mole control! We wish you luck in hunting your moles and ask you to PLEASE share your newfound knowledge for the greater good of ending the myth that grubs are attracting moles to properties and causing the downfall of lawns everywhere!!!

4 Ways To Protect Your Lawn From Grubs This Spring

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 02:15:00 GMT

Springtime in Michigan is simply one of the best times of the year. The grass is growing, the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and you have already begun preparing your lawn for the warm weather. When it comes to getting your lawn in tip-top shape for spring, you’re going to want to watch out for one of the most common, problem-causing lawn pests… Grubs.

Grubs are beetle larvae that hatch in the fall and lie dormant in the winter. Once spring arrives they awake and begin feeding in high volumes throughout the spring and summer months, so protecting your lawn is a must. Here are 4 ways to protect your lawn from grubs this spring.

Identify Early And Act Accordingly

By educating yourself on what grubs and grub damage looks like, you can catch them early and prevent them from causing further damage to your lawn. Grubs are white, c-shaped beetle larvae that rarely grow to be more than an inch in length. They have a brown head and six distinct legs, which aid in identification.

Grubs feast on your lawn’s root systems, and their feeding will often result in the grass becoming separated from the root. This results in small portions of your yard turning from green, to yellow, to brown, and ultimately resulting in the grass dying. If you can easily remove the grass from the soil, the grubs likely ate through the roots, and you’re going to want to get a preventative measure in place as soon as possible.

Perform Weekly Monitoring

You can monitor your lawn for grubs in the spring by cutting and pulling back small portions (2-3 feet) of your grass. Once you’ve pulled the grass back, count how many grubs are present per square foot.

As a general rule of thumb, if there are less than 5 grubs per square foot, preventative measures are not required. However, you will want to begin monitoring more than once per week in the case that more grubs show up. Anything more than 5 will be stressful for your lawn, and you’re going to want to act fast to prevent further damage.

Natural Grub Preventatives

There are three natural methods to deal with a grub infestation. They are:

Contact The Professionals

The best way to protect your lawn from grubs all year long is to contact the professionals in grub control at Custom Personalized Lawn Care . With our GrubPro Control program , we guarantee one full year of protection and prevention from the eggs of June Beetles, European Chafer, and Japenese Beetle from hatching in your lawn.
Protect your lawn today and contact us here or give us a call at (800) 570-3313. We can help, satisfaction guaranteed!

Spring Maintenance: How to Achieve a Healthy Michigan Lawn

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 19:57:00 GMT

Here in Michigan, it’s a constant battle against the forces of nature to keep your lawn looking its best. Pests, weeds, and other factors are constantly at work trying to destroy your lawn. This spring, take proactive measures against these forces and take back control of your yard. Follow these spring lawn maintenance tips to help you make your Michigan lawn a healthy and vibrant lawn.

Grub Control

Weed Control

Weed control is one of the most important factors in spring lawn maintenance and achieving a beautiful yard. Nobody wants to look at a bunch of ugly crabgrass in their yard, including you.

Thankfully, there are preventative steps you can take to drastically reduce the amount of weeds in your yard and control weeds year round.

Pre-emergent control: Applied in the spring, pre-emergent herbicides work by forming a protective barrier over your yard that prevents weed seeds from germinating.

Spot Spray: As the seasons progress, keep weeds under control by targeting them with herbicide sprays.

Keep Your Grass Healthy: By following the above steps and in combination with proper fertilization and watering practices, your grass will become thick and healthy. The thick grass will prevent sunlight from reaching dormant seeds in your soil and will not germinate.

Of course, when you order lawn service from Custom Personalized Lawn Care we provide all three services at an unbeatable price.

Fertilizer

Keeping your grass healthy is key to effective weed control. The best time to fertilize is when temperature reach at least 50 degrees. Using a slow-release fertilizer will give your grass a steady amount of nutrients over a long period of time. At Custom Personalized Lawn Care, we offer fertilizer treatments combined with weed control to increase the health and defense of your lawn. Our experts take in factors like shade, climate, and soil composition to design a personalized fertilization schedule to feed your lawn throughout the year.

Perimeter Pest Control

There’s nothing worse than walking into your kitchen and finding a trail of ants leading right into your pantry. No matter how hard you try to seal your house there are still too many tiny spaces that insects can squeeze through. With perimeter pest control from Custom Personalized Lawn Care we can prevent insects from invading your home. Our technicians will apply a liquid coating of chemicals around the foundation of your house to keep out ants, beetles, spiders, and other insects.

Mosquito Control

If you are trying to throw the perfect wedding or backyard graduation party, the last thing you want is a bunch of mosquitos scaring your guests off. Mosquitos aren’t just annoying, they can also carry dangerous diseases. With our mosquito control program we can treat your yard year-round for mosquitos or call us for a one-time application before your big outdoor event.

Need help with your spring lawn maintenance? Call Custom Personalized Lawn Care

Take control of your yard this year with lawn care from Custom Personalized Lawn Care . We can help you achieve a weed-free, bug-free yard that you’ll be able to enjoy all summer.
Call (810) 736-3214 or leave a message on our site.

Benefits of Organic Lawn Fertilizer

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 11:13:00 GMT

The Difference Between Traditional Synthetic Fertilizers and Organic Lawn Fertilizers

Synthetic lawn fertilizers contain chemicals that are manufactured and contain one or more combinations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, also known as N-P-K . These are the nutrients necessary for plant growth.

How Do Organic Fertilizers Work?

Organic lawn fertilizers work by breaking down and releasing nutrients. As they do, they add microorganisms into your soil as they decompose. This ultimately builds the quality and textures of your soil, contributing to your grass’s health. They also improve the soil’s water retention.

What Are the Benefits of Using Organic Lawn Fertilizer Plant Damage

Since their nutrients are ready to use when immediately mixed into the soil, some synthetic fertilizers may cause plant damage to the leaves and roots. Organic fertilizers release their nutrients into the ground much slower, making it less likely that you will overfeed or burn your plants. This is because organic fertilizers must be broken down first by the soil’s bacteria and fungi into smaller forms that plants can absorb. It also means that unlike chemical fertilizers, they are not easily washed away in a rainstorm or during irrigation season.

Safer for the Environment

Anything that is sprayed on your lawn will automatically make it into our stormwater system, or even groundwater that feeds wells. Up to 60 percent of the nitrogen in commercial fertilizers ends up being washed away. Organic fertilizers do not run off as easily and almost always only have biodegradable elements .

Safety

Long-Term Benefits to the Soil

Synthetic fertilizers are produced with the sole purpose of helping the growth of your grass and plants. As a result, while they contain a better balance of all the major nutrients a plant needs, they also contain harmful chemicals that can cause acidity in the soil. On the other hand, because organic lawn fertilizers need microbes to work on them to release their nutrients, they end up energizing the growth of microorganisms and ensuring the long-term fertility of your soil. Healthier soil equals a healthier lawn. A healthier lawn requires less water, weed control, and overall fertilizer.

Custom Personalized Lawn Care’s Organic Lawn Fertilizer

Custom Personalized Lawn Care is one of Michigan’s top organic lawn treatment companies. We offer an organic fertilization program made from natural protein sources that allow for the slow release of nutrients into your soil.

If you are looking to increase the health, density, and thickness of your lawn, our organic lawn fertilizer service is an excellent choice. Contact us now to learn more .

How To Get a Greener, Healthier Lawn in Michigan

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 19:39:00 GMT

Now that the new year is finally here, it’s time to set your goals for the upcoming season. One of the top goals this year should be to focus on your lawn. Getting a greener, healthier lawn is easier than you might think. Here are a few of the top tips to help make your lawn healthier and more beautiful this year.

Protect Your Lawn with GrubPro Control

Common Signs of a Grub Infestation

Not only do grubs damage the roots of your grass, but the predators that eat grubs will cause a lot of damage too. Skunks, moles, and birds will often tear up a grub infested lawn in search of a tasty treat. The best way to control grubs is with a well-timed preventative. GrubPro Control , from Custom Personalized Lawn Care, is a granular treatment for grubs. It is applied between June and August and is guaranteed to work for one full year.

Boost Your Lawn with a Lawn Care Program

Investing in a lawn care program is one of the best things you can do for your lawn. A lawn care program from Custom Personalized Lawn Care is sure to give your lawn everything it needs to grow strong and stay healthy.

Tough Weed Control for Tough Weeds

Controlling the weeds in your yard is one of the best ways to get a healthier lawn. Weeds compete with the grass in your yard as they grow. They grow much faster than grass does, quickly crowding out your turf. As weeds horde the sunlight, nutrients, and water that your grass needs, the turf health suffers. Tough weed control is essential to give your lawn the best shot at a healthy year.

Common Weeds in Michigan Lawns

A weed control and fertilization treatment plan from Custom Personalized Lawn Care is everything you need. Depending on which plan you choose, you’ll be getting 3, 5, or 7 treatments per year. With pre-emergent applications in the spring , post-emergent in the summer, and broadleaf weed control in the fall, your lawn will have protection from weeds all year long.

Proper Lawn Fertilization

Making sure your grass is properly fertilized is another important way to get a healthier lawn. In order for your grass to stay healthy, it needs to be fed the right nutrients. Getting your lawn on a consistent fertilization schedule will help you start to see results quickly.

Because grass has different needs depending on the season, it’s important to apply the right fertilizer at the right time. Your grass will need different nutrients in the spring , summer , and fall . With the LawnPro program from Custom Personalized Lawn Care, you can rest easy knowing that your lawn is getting exactly what it needs. Our 7 unique applications throughout the year are designed to give your lawn exactly what it needs. With a professional lawn care program, you won’t have to guess which fertilizers to use or when to apply them.

Core Aeration: A Lawn’s Best Friend

The final service to invest in to get a healthier lawn in 2020 is core aeration. Aerating your lawn once a year is a great way to rejuvenate your grass after a year of heavy use. This service alleviates soil compaction, reduces thatch buildup, and gives your grass roots easier access to nutrients and water.

Core aeration works by removing small cores of compacted soil from your lawn and redistributing them across the surface. On the surface, the cores break down, giving your lawn a little boost of nutrients and helping your microbe activity. In the end, your grass roots will have more space to grow and easier access to water and nutrients. As a result, your lawn will become stronger and healthier. Because our Michigan lawns are made up of cool-season grasses, the best time to perform core aeration is in the late summer or early fall.

Get a Healthier Lawn with the Help of Custom Personalized Lawn Care

Now is the best time to start preparing your lawn care plan for the year. If you want to get a healthier lawn, then it’s time to call Custom Personalized Lawn Care . Our LawnPro lawn care program offers 7 treatments throughout the year. You’ll also be able to get 50% off your GrubPro Control application and your core aeration service if you sign up.

To find out how we can get started, give us a call at (800) 570-3313 or contact us here . If you’re looking for tips on lawn care, weed control, pest control, or more, then check out our blog . Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on our latest offerings and deals.

4 Ways Grubs Ruin Your Lawn

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 15:00:00 GMT

You might not realize you have a grub control problem until it’s too late. These silent killers bring a whole slew of problems from ruined grass to other pests that enjoy dining on grubs. Keep reading to learn about the damage grubs can wreak and what you can do about it.

1. They Attract Critters

You probably don’t consider grubs a tasty treat, but many animals and birds do! When they detect your lawn is rife with grubs, they’ll turn your beautiful grass into a patchy, torn up wasteland. Possums, raccoons, skunks, and other creatures have no qualms about tearing up the turf to get to grubs beneath the surface. Birds will also poke around your lawn and while they may not create as much of a nuisance as four-legged creatures, they can leave droppings behind and ruin the view. When you look out your window, you want to see a lush green lawn – not dozens of birds swarming like an Alfred Hitchcock film.

2. There’s More Than One Kind of Grub

Unfortunately, there isn’t one type of insect that likes to mess with your lawn. Both June bugs and Japanese Beetles love to lay their eggs on your lawn. Once they hatch, both insects are considered “grubs.” In late spring, when they reach the adult stage, they’ll lay eggs and the infestation will continue to get out of control.

3. Grubs Cause Root Damage

There is nothing grubs love more than munching on the roots of your lawn. This causes grass to wilt and turn a nasty brown color, creating unsightly dead patches in your lawn.

4. Grubs Create Loose, Uneven Turf

Because grubs chow down on roots, the grass loses its ability to cling to the earth beneath it. Consequently, if you suspect you have grubs, the damaged areas may be so loose that you can easily peel back the turf like a sod roll. If you’re able to do this, it could be due to grub damage. You may even be able to see the culprits when you roll the turf.

What is Grub Control?

Grubs are present on every lawn. It’s unavoidable. Problems arise when they become too numerous, and the lawn cannot recover quickly enough to replace the grass the grubs have eaten. Applying grub control in lawns interrupts the cycle of hatching larvae that ruin your grass.

When Should Grub Control Be Applied?

It depends on what time of help your lawn needs. If you’re laying down grub control as a preventative measure, it’s best to do it in early summer. If you’re trying to control an active problem, a rescue treatment should be applied in August. Applying grub control in the fall can stop eggs from hatching and thus reproducing come spring. Ask your lawn care professional which time of year is best for your lawn’s needs.

Call the Professionals at Custom Personalized Lawn Care

Get ahead of grubs before they destroy your yard. The professionals at Custom Personalized Lawn Care are experts at grub control and will tailor your pest control treatment to your lawn’s specific needs. We guarantee our GrubPro treatment fo r one full year! Call us today at (800) 570-3313 or leave a message on our site. Interested in other aspects of lawn care? Follow our blog to learn more!

Spring Fertilizer: Why, When, What, And How?

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 13:49:00 GMT

Why Do I Need Spring Fertilizer?

Three reasons why spring fertilization is so important are:

Fertilizing too early in the spring is essentially useless. If the ground is still frozen (or thawing), the fertilizer will not penetrate the soil, and it won’t reach the roots. As a general rule of thumb, you want to wait until the temperature reaches at least 50 degrees. When the grass starts growing, and the flowers start blooming, it’s prime time to apply that spring fertilizer.

What Is The Best Type Of Fertilizer To Use In The Spring?

A slow-release fertilizer that is high in nitrogen is going to be the best type to use in the spring. This will allow your grass to receive a steady amount of nutrients over an extended period of time. The nitrogen will aid in the photosynthesis process, resulting in healthy and thick grass. Beware: the more nitrogen there is in the fertilizer, the quicker the grass will grow, and the more often you will need to mow!

How To Fertilize This Spring

The best way to fertilize this spring is to call the professionals at Custom Personalized Lawn Care ! Our fertilization treatments include a balanced, slow-release fertilizer that provides your grass with the nutrients it needs at the time they are needed. Our spring treatment focuses on winter recovery and spring green up!

If you’re striving for that perfect lawn that you will LOVE, give us a call today at (800) 570-3313. Our team of professionals has the knowledge and experience needed to serve all your lawn and landscape needs, all year long!

Top Tips to Prepare for Spring Lawn Care in Michigan

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 20:49:00 GMT

With spring just around the corner, now is the best time to start preparing for spring lawn care. Getting ahead of the common issues facing Michigan lawns in the spring gives your lawn the best chance at a healthy start to the year. Here are a few of the best tips to help you prepare for spring lawn care this year.

Tidy Up the Yard

It’s no secret that Michigan winters can be brutal. This year has been no different. We’ve had everything from rainstorms and 50 degree days to bitterly cold ice storms and out-of-the-blue blizzards. By the time spring arrives, your lawn needs to be tidied up . Once the snow melts, rake up everything that you find on the grass and remove it. Leaves, sticks, twigs, and any other lawn debris makes your grass more vulnerable to diseases , pests , fungus , and other damage. Clean off your lawn to allow your grass a stress-free start to the spring.

Weed-Free Spring

Common Spring Weeds in Michigan:

Keep Your Grass Hydrated

After the snow melts and the grass starts growing again, it’s going to need consistent watering . An essential step when preparing for spring lawn care is to come up with a watering strategy. If you have an irrigation system, then schedule your spring start-up service before the rush. This way, you’ll be able to provide your lawn with a consistent schedule right away. Only water the grass in the early morning so the lawn can dry off during the day. If you water too late, then the grass stays wet throughout the night. This is the perfect recipe for lawn fungus , diseases, pests , and stress .

Spring Mosquito Prevention

Keep Your Grass Healthy with Lawn Care Services

The experts here at Custom Personalized Lawn Care understand the terrible stress that our Michigan lawns go through every year. Our lawn care programs are designed to meet the specific needs of your Michigan lawn. Offering protection from weeds, diseases, pests , and stress throughout the year . Preparing for spring lawn care is as easy as giving us a call at Custom Personalized Lawn Care.

Start treating your lawn the way it deserves by calling us at (800) 570-3313 or request an easy quote here . If you want to be among the first to know about our current deals and promotions, then follow us on Facebook and Twitter . Check out the Custom Personalized blog for the latest tips on weed control, pest prevention, aeration, and more!

Winter Kill: Most Common Forms of Winter Lawn Damage

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 15:36:00 GMT

Michigan winters are tough on lawns. In the spring, when the snow finally melts, you may be facing a pretty dire situation. Winter kill is the irreversible damage done to lawns by various forms of winter lawn damage. As a result, large patches of grass die, requiring extensive repairs. Here are a few of the most common causes of winter kill in Michigan.

Vole Damage

Luckily, vole damage is often reversed on its own as grass spreads into the affected area. You can dissuade voles from making a meal out of your lawn by mowing your lawn shorter than usual at the end of the fall. It’s also a good idea to remove any grass clippings and lawn debris before the snow comes. This eliminates their habitat and makes it difficult for them to hide from predators.

Snow Mold

Another common cause of winter kill is snow mold . Snow mold is a lawn fungus that grows and spreads on wet, matted grass under the snow. You won’t be able to see the full scope of damage until the snow melts in the spring. Symptoms of snow mold include small patches of water-soaked turf covered in pink, gray, or white mold. The extent of damage and recovery outlook depends on which type of snow mold is affecting the lawn. The two types are gray snow mold and pink snow mold, with the pink snow mold being the more destructive of the two.

When it comes to snow mold control, prevention is the best bet. In the late fall, rake up leaves and any lawn debris before the snow starts to fly. Avoid using fertilizers that are heavy in nitrogen in the late fall as excess nitrogen will feed the fungus. Continue mowing your lawn until the grass stops growing and keep it short at the end of the fall to prevent matting under the snow. Finally, invest in a fall aeration service to loosen up compacted soil, reduce thatch, and encourage better air circulation.

Winter Desiccation

One of the worst causes of winter kill is winter desiccation. This terrible winter lawn damage happens when grass is exposed to the dry, frigid winds of winter for an extended period of time. The winter winds pull moisture out of the grass blades, causing them to dry out. With the soil frozen, the grass is unable to replenish the moisture that is lost, resulting in the death of the grass.

Winter desiccation is difficult to prevent. Using a windscreen to protect exposed areas of grass is an option. In the end, you may just need to assess the damage at the end of the season and put together a plan to restore the dead grass.

Crown Hydration

This is the worst form of winter lawn damage and one of the main causes of winter kill. Crown hydration can absolutely wreak havoc on a lawn, killing off large swathes of grass. This type of winter lawn damage occurs when temperatures fluctuate from warm to freezing, usually near the end of the winter. As the temperatures warm up, grass begins to wake up and start taking in water. When the temperatures quickly drop back down to freezing the water freezes in the crown, crystallizes, and bursts. This causes the death of the crown and the grass.

Unfortunately, crown hydration can’t really be prevented. The only way to reduce the likelihood of crown hydration, or any other form of winter kill, is by properly caring for the lawn throughout the year. Keep the lawn healthy and it will be more resilient during the winter.

Custom Personalized Lawn Care Can Help

Winter kill is a devastating problem for lawns all over Michigan. Whether it’s lawn damage from voles, snow mold, winter desiccation, or crown hydration, the results are all the same: a damaged, unhealthy lawn. Luckily, Custom Personalized Lawn Care can help keep the lawn healthy throughout the year, building its resistance to winter lawn damage . Invest in a yearly lawn care program to help protect your lawn. A lawn care program even makes a great holiday gift !

Call us at (800) 570-3313 or request a quote here . Check out our comprehensive blog to learn the best tips and tricks in lawn care, tree and shrub care, pest control, and more. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with our latest deals and news.

Snow Mold: Identifying, Treating, and Preventing This Cold Weather Fungus

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 21:49:00 GMT

With winter upon us and spring just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about the lawn again. In the late winter and early spring, as snow begins to melt, it’s not uncommon to find spots of snow mold throughout the lawn. Knowing how to identify, treat, and prevent snow mold in your lawn is essential to give your grass a healthy start to the growing season . Here are a few snow mold tips to keep your lawn healthy.

How Do I Identify Snow Mold?

Gray Snow Mold (Typhula Blight)

If you have to choose between the two types of snow mold, gray snow mold is the one you want. Gray snow mold is far less threatening to your grass. This type of mold forms as circular patches of straw-colored or gray grass. The patches of gray snow mold are typically between 6 – 12 inches in diameter but can get as large as 24 inches. You’ll see gray mycelium around the border of the affected turf.

Pink Snow Mold (Microdochium Patch)

Pink snow mold is a whole different story. This voracious fungus can cause damage to grass roots and the crown, effectively killing off your turf . Pink snow mold appears as circular patches of red, brown, or copper-colored matted-down grass. Under the snow, the patches can be as large as 24 inches in diameter, but they are typically between 1 – 8 inches. Pink snow mold can be identified by the pink mycelium that forms around the edge of the affected turf.

How Do I Treat Snow Mold?

One of the most important snow mold tips is to remember that this is a fungus. As a fungus, snow mold relies on moisture and the right temperatures to continue growing, thriving, and spreading. For gray snow mold, treatment is fairly easy. Use a rake to aerate the area of affected turf. This loosens up the matted-down grass and allows air to get in and dry out the fungus. Some of your blades of grass may be damaged, but the mold will quickly dry up and disappear, allowing new grass to grow in its place.

Pink snow mold, on the other hand, is a little tougher than gray snow mold. It’s a good idea to aerate the affected grass with a rake and to allow the grass to dry out, but you may need to rely on fungicide applications to truly eliminate the mold.

How Do I Prevent Snow Mold?

As with most lawn problems, the best way to control snow mold is by preventing it altogether. Preventing snow mold requires consistent lawn care throughout the year to help produce the healthiest turf possible. A thick, healthy lawn is far less likely to develop lawn diseases, pests, and fungus, like snow mold.

In the fall , it’s important to stop using nitrogen-rich fertilizer towards the end of the season as this will cause your grass to continue growing and can feed the fungus. It’s also important to mow your lawn one last time before the first snow or frost because long grass becomes matted much easier and this creates the perfect environment for snow mold. Make sure you get rid of any piles of leaves or lawn debris before the snow hits too, as this is the perfect starting place for snow mold.

Custom Personalized Lawn Care Can Help With Your Snow Mo ld Problem

Here at Custom Personalized Lawn Care , we know how difficult it can be to keep your lawn healthy and beautiful all year. Snow mold in the late winter and early spring can be a real pain to you and your lawn. These snow mold tips can help you get the upper hand, but it’s best to trust the experts. Luckily, our lawn care program provides the treatment and monitoring needed to keep snow mold and other diseases and pests from harming your lawn.

To protect your lawn from snow mold, call us at (800) 570-3313 or request a free estimate here . Make sure you follow us on Twitter and Facebook so you can be the first to hear about our incredible deals and check out our blog for the latest tips and tricks.

Winter Landscaping Tips: Dealing With Road Salt

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 14:18:00 GMT

It looks like winter has finally arrived for good here in Michigan. That means the snow plows and salt trucks will be out in full force to make sure the roads are safe for drivers. But did you know the salt used to melt ice can also be a hazard to your plants?

You might not even realize it but when the snow plows come down your road they sling salt and snow several feet off the road. If you have any trees or shrubs that border the road they are in constant danger from salt leaching into the soil.

Yes, even the salt you put down on your driveways and walkways can also have a detrimental effect on neighboring plants and shrubs. So before you go slinging salt take some precautions to make sure your plants are protected.

When the plows come down your road they fling snow far away from the road. If you have evergreens or shrubs they may get covered in salty snow or brine. This becomes worse as the snow melts and the roads turn muddy. Any car that passes by can splash salt on your trees.

While the ground is frozen you don’t have to worry but when the temperatures rise and the ground thaws the salt can soak into the ground and get into the roots of your trees.

Protect Your Plants

Putting down barriers around the trunks of your trees can prevent brine water from soaking into the ground. Usually made of plastic or burlap, they can be found at most hardware stores. Place firmly around the root zone and secure with rocks or stakes.

In the spring, remove the barriers and sweep/rake the area thoroughly just in case.

If you fear that your efforts were not enough and salt may have gotten into the soil then bring out a hose and water the plants for a few hours. This will help wash away the salt that has seeped into the soil. This method should be repeated for a couple of days to be sure all the salt is gone.

Get a Head Start

When winter has released its grip on Michigan it’s time to start thinking about your lawn care schedule. Get a head start on your neighbors this year by getting quality lawn care from Custom Lawncare . Call and get an appointment scheduled at (800) 570-3313 or leave us a message on our website.

Do I Need To Aerate My Lawn?

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 17:37:00 GMT

The simple answer to this question is YES ! Besides watering, aeration is THE MOST BENEFICIAL SERVICE you can provide your lawn. Ever wonder how golf courses achieve beautiful turf results even in the harshest of conditions? One of the main reasons is that they REGULARLY AERATE the turf! Compare the upkeep of your lawn with going to the dentist or taking care of a car. Throughout the year there are certain upkeep requirements that are necessary to maintain the overall health of your lawn. Similar to oil changes for cars, or regular cleaning of your teeth, aerating your lawn should ALWAYS be a staple in every homeowner’s lawn care program.

How does aeration help my lawn?

The ULTIMATE factor in turf health is a deep, healthy root system. The deeper the grass roots, the healthier and greener your lawn will be. Every season gravity, water, and other pressures such as traffic on the lawn naturally compact, or compress the soil. When the soil in your lawn becomes compacted, it begins to strangle the root system to the point that it is unable to develop the long, healthy roots that are essential in achieving a lush green lawn. The aeration process helps loosen compacted soil and allows vital air, water, and nutrients to better reach the root system. Simply speaking, aeration gives your soil and grass root system room to BREATHE AND THRIVE !

How do you aerate a lawn?

During the aeration process, our Professional Lawn Technician will use an aeration machine to remove plugs of soil from your lawn. The plugs that are removed by the aerator measure approximately 2 – 3 inches long, and are about the diameter of a quarter. On average, 10 plugs per square foot of lawn are removed during the aeration process. Those plugs are left on the lawn to reabsorb into the soil through watering, mowing and natural use of the lawn.

What are some signs my lawn needs aeration?

What are the benefits to lawn aeration?

While the main goal of aeration is to reduce soil compaction and allow for the thickening of the lawn’s root system, there are many additional benefits to aeration:

How OFTEN should I aerate my lawn and WHEN is the best time of year to aerate?

The general rule of thumb is to perform an aeration ONCE ANNUALLY for our Michigan grasses. Annual aeration helps create a strong immune system for your lawn to defend against harsh summer weather, disease, and insect activity. If for some reason an aeration cannot be performed annually, the longest your lawn should go without an aeration is once every other year.

The most ideal time of year to perform an aeration is DURING THE FALL because that is when 85% of root growth takes place . Also, cool warm temperatures combined with warm soil temperatures are the perfect combination to allow the lawn to recover easily from the aeration process.

What else do I need to know about lawn aeration?

Compacted soil comes with a long list of negative side effects that can be amplified during stressful Michigan summers. Give your lawn the TLC (Tender Lawn Care) it needs to thrive and become the lush green lawn you want it to be with our yearly Fall Core Aeration service ! Contact us for a FREE 2-Minute Estimate from Custom Personalized Lawn Care!

If You Have Pets, Do You Still Need Flea Spray in the Winter?

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 16:27:00 GMT

Halloween has passed, November is here, and we’ve already had our first light snowfall. Soon we will be decorating Christmas trees and singing jovial holiday carols. So, why in the world would still need to worry about fleas? Haven’t we already had a frost? The truth is, while a flea’s ideal temperature is between 70 and 85 degrees, fleas have probably already found their way into your home. The warmth of your home and the comfort of your best friend’s fur make the perfect environment for a flea’s survival and breeding. In fact, fall is the time you will experience an influx of insects . Here are a few fall flea control tips to protect your home, your pets, and your family.

How Fleas Get Into the Home

Fleas, like ticks, are parasites, and they like to hitch-hike on the backs of dogs, cats, and other mammals. Fleas average between 1/6 to 1/8 of an inch. They are capable of leaping vertically up to seven inches with a distance of more than a foot. Once they have found their host, otherwise known as your unsuspecting pet, they survive by feeding off their blood.

Once they find a pet to latch onto, they will hold on as long as possible. Female fleas will start laying eggs within 24 to 36 hours, laying up to 50 eggs per day for up to three months. They like to lay eggs anywhere your pet hangs out, including on your carpet, inside sofas, chairs, and on bedsheets.

After the eggs hatch, they feed on digested blood left behind by adult fleas. In about one or two weeks, the larvae spin a cocoon. The cocoon lies in wait for up to a year, waiting for spring to come.

Are Fleas Dangerous?

There are two other diseases that both pets and humans can get from fleas, murine typhus, and Mycoplasma haemofelis.

Murine Typhus

Murine typhus , while not very common, is an infection. Rats are its leading carrier, but cats, however, can contract murine typhus as well. Humans can get infected through flea bites. Symptoms of typhus include headache, fever, nausea, body aches, and a rash on arms and legs. Treatment includes antibiotics, but it’s crucial to catch right away as a delay in treatment can lead to a more serious illness.

Mycoplasma haemofelis

Mycoplasma haemofelis is a parasitic, bacterial disease that is transmitted from fleas to cats. Though it is rare, there have been cases where humans with compromised immune systems have been infected. Treatment for both cats and humans includes antibiotics.

How to Prevent and Control Fleas

Aside from calling in the professionals at Custom Personalized Lawn Care, there are a few fall flea control tips to help create a less welcoming environment and combat the infestation of fleas. These are:

Custom Personalized Lawn Care’s fall flea control options will protect your pets and loved ones from the annoyance of fleas. Call us at 800-570-3313 or send us a message now. Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook and Twitter for the latest tips, news, and deals.

Top 5 Practices to Support Your Lawn Care Program

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Thu, 05 May 2022 12:39:39 GMT

Cultural Lawn Care Practices

Maintaining a beautiful lawn starts with establishing healthy habits. These regular tasks, known as cultural practices, are the foundation of good lawn care. Take note of the following tips, incorporate them into your lawn care routine, and you’ll be well on your way to a lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood.

Setting Your Blades

Mowing is the first task that comes to mind when most of us think of lawn care. It seems straightforward, but improper mowing can cause a number of issues over time.

The key to good mowing is setting the correct mower height. Some believe shorter is better, mostly in order to increase time between mowings, but the opposite is true. For almost all Michigan grass varieties, the correct mowing height is 3.5 to 4 inches. Mowing grass at this length shades soil and prevents weed growth, as well as preventing heat and drought damage. Cutting more than the top third of the grass at any time can result in discoloration and weakened growth due to limited photosynthesis.

In addition, keeping mower blades properly sharpened is a must. The general rule is to sharpen once at the beginning of the season and once in the middle. Mowing with dull blades can crush and injure grass, which can invite insects and disease, and eventually cause widespread turf discoloration.

Keep It Fed

A healthy lawn is a well fed lawn. Creating a thick, dense lawn is the best way to defend against weeds and disease. This starts with implementing a regular fertilization schedule.

Unless your lawn care team has indicated otherwise, a standard balanced lawn fertilizer is best. For Michigan lawns, this means a 20-0-10 fertilizer. These numbers refer to nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In our part of the Midwest, most lawns have a naturally high phosphorus level, so it’s important to be sure your fertilizer’s middle number is relatively low. It’s also wise to avoid “triple” fertilizers that have the same numbers for all three elements.

Proper Watering

There’s a lot of conflicting information on lawn watering out there, so homeowners can easily end up over or under watering based on unclear or incorrect information. Fortunately, the basics are easy to remember.

As a rule, 1 to 1.5 inches of water a week is a good goal, whether in the form of rain or irrigation . Deeper, less frequent watering is the best way to achieve a beautiful lawn, as more frequent, shallow watering can result in a weakened root system and poor growth. In spring and fall, twice weekly watering is usually sufficient, while the heat of summer may require an additional watering. Early morning watering is best throughout the season because afternoon watering can result in quick evaporation and leaf burn, while evening watering leaves grass wet long enough to invite fungus and other diseases.

Patch It Up

Bare or damaged spots in your lawn are prime real estate for weeds. Left unrepaired, the spots will continue to grow and weeds can end up overrunning a large area.

The first step is to identify the cause of bare patches . Possibilities include heavy foot traffic, salt burn, grubs, pet damage, or chemical burn. Once you’ve taken steps to address the underlying issue, spot repair is pretty straightforward (note: for larger areas, consult your lawn care team ). After that, simply rake away any debris or dead grass, break up the soil to a depth of several inches, then rake the surface level. Next, apply new seed, making sure to seed into the surrounding grass to ensure well blended edges. Finally, water well and be sure to keep evenly moist until well established. Weed and carbgrass control products will inhibit seed germination so it is important to communicate with your lawn care team about the timing of your seeding. Wait at least four to six weeks before applying weed or crabgrass control to the newly planted area.

Call For Backup

Diagnosing issues and creating and maintaining a lawn care schedule can be a daunting task for a busy homeowner, so partnering with an experienced lawn care team is a smart move. From fertilization to insect control and aeration, we’ve got you covered. Our professionals can analyze your lawn and create a custom program that will help you achieve the lawn of your dreams.

Put our decades of knowledge to work for you. Call us today at (800) 570-3313 or use our convenient online form to request an instant quote. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more helpful tips and all of our latest promotions.

How to Identify and Treat Snow Mold on your Lawn

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 13:53:02 GMT

Managing Snow Mold

Each year we look forward to the time when spring has sprung and it’s finally time to get outside and enjoy our yards again. Once the snow has melted, homeowners expect to see their lawns spring back to life, but here in Michigan the damage caused by snow mold can really put a damper on your lawn care plans. Below you’ll find tips for identifying and managing the two types of snow mold.

Snow Mold Symptoms

Every variety of cool season turfgrass grown in our region is susceptible to snow mold, with bentgrasses tending to show more damage than coarse grasses such as the fescues. While these molds can survive a variety of extreme temperatures and weather conditions, wet winters with snowfall on unfrozen ground create the perfect environment for infestation.

The first signs of the disease appear when temperatures are consistently around 40 degrees, showing up as wet, irregular circular patches of gray, pink, or white measuring from anywhere from an inch or two, to up to three feet in diameter. As the ground dries out, the patches turn brown, orange or black, and take on a matted appearance, with some spots growing together and merging into even larger patches.

Pink vs Gray Snow Mold

While both varieties of snow mold cause unsightly patches in your lawn, as well as triggering allergy symptoms in susceptible people, each is caused by a different fungus that results in different patterns of damage and requires its own targeted treatment strategy. Most commonly found in Michigan lawns is gray snow mold (Typhula blight, or snow scald). As the snow melts, roughly circular spots of varying sizes appear in affected lawns. The grass within the spots appears dead or matted, with grayish white fuzz either covering the entire patch or circling its borders. As time passes, the mold changes color, becoming dark gray or black. While gray snow mold does kill grass blades, grass roots remain largely unaffected, making it the easier of the two to treat.

Our second variety is pink snow mold, also known as fusarium patch or microdochium patch. In common with its gray cousin, pink snow mold appears in lawns as wet, matted spots as the snow melts. These spots often have more regular borders than those of gray snow mold, and sport pinkish fuzz early in the season. The infected areas eventually turn yellow, orange, or reddish as the soil begins to dry, and at this point may begin to expand in size. This variety is the more troublesome of the two because it kills grass roots as well as blades, so affected areas will need to be removed and reseeded.

Snow Mold Treatment

Once you’ve figured out which variety of snow mold is attacking your Michigan lawn you can decide on the best course of treatment.

If you find you’re dealing with gray snow mold, simply rake through affected areas to break up matting and improve air flow. Don’t be tempted to apply fungicides because once gray mold patches are visible the damage is already done and fungicides at this point can do more harm than good. Once the ground has warmed and dried, your grass may bounce back without further treatment, though scarring from the infestation can last until midsummer.

For pink snow mold, rake the dead grass away from the area, aerate, and reseed, since the roots of your grass have likely been affected. For areas that have been badly affected, resodding may be necessary. A spring application of fungicide may also be helpful, but only if you’ ve positively identified the area as having pink snow mold.

Snow Mold Prevention

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so focus on forming good lawn maintenance habits that will decrease the likelihood of snow mold formation.

Proper drainage is key, so fill in low or depressed areas with topsoil. Likewise, thick thatch is an invitation to snow mold, so if you find your thatch is more than about a half inch thick, try using a power rake or vertical mower to reduce it. To promote good air circulation, consider pruning or removing any dense or overgrown shrubs bordering your lawn.

As winter approaches, cut your lawn one final time and be sure to bag the clippings to avoid leaving the ground damp enough to invite mold. This is also a good time to apply a preventive fungicide. If you’re following a fertilizer program, stop applying fertilizer at least six weeks before your first expected snow.

Above all, don’t allow leaf or snow piles to accumulate because trapping excess moisture for long periods creates the perfect conditions for snow mold . Rake and bag or compost leaves, and once snow arrives, shovel or blow snow into small banks, rather than large piles that won’t melt quickly.

Call Custom Lawn Care

When snow molds rear their ugly heads, Custom Personalized Lawn Care can help. Call our Michigan lawn care professionals at (800) 570-3313 or get a quote for aeration and other lawn maintenance services here.

Remember to subscribe to our blog for more lawn care tips and stay up to date on our latest promotions by following us on Facebook and Twitter.

Why Lawn Care Makes the Ideal Christmas Gift

brad@spraymylawn.com (Brad Diffin) — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 20:04:29 GMT

Gift of Lawn Care

Are you worried about shopping at the crowded malls this Christmas?

Are you worried you won’t find a good gift for that difficult-to-shop-for family member?

This year, consider this Christmas gift idea: a customized lawn care program. It may not be a conventional present, but it’s something that your loved one will enjoy year-round, saves them time and money, and is a great way to show how much you care.

It’s Multiple Gifts In One

When you gift someone a lawn care program, it’s not only a one-time lawn mowing or fertilizer treatment. You’re giving them a beautiful garden all year long. When the summer weather gets blisteringly hot or the winter winds begin to howl, the last thing anyone wants to do is work outside. That’s why a custom lawn care program is the best Christmas gift of 2020!

Give Them More Leisure Time

Besides exposing someone to less-than-ideal weather, yard work can be very time-consuming, especially if you have a large yard. In fact, if you total the average amount of time it takes you to mow the lawn every year, you’ll average about 48 days of your life spent on that task. And that’s not including aeration, overseeding, watering, or anything else that goes into a good lawn care regimen. By gifting someone a lawn care program, they can spend evenings and weekends doing something they love.

Their Lawn’s In Good Hands

More goes into a healthy lawn than mowing once a week. You must consider the soil’s pH balance, pest infestations, watering, aeration, and more. Many people would like to invest more into their lawn but don’t have the time. In this situation, they may look for the quick-fixes when there’s an issue. For instance, a thinning lawn needs more fertilizer. While this may be true in some cases, a thin lawn could also signify that soil is too acidic. Hiring a professional allows your gift recipient to get a thorough understanding of what’s happening beneath the soil. When spring arrives, they’ll enjoy a greener, more vibrant lawn! Plus, when the lawn care professional visits your gift recipient, your loved one will have the chance to discuss any specific concerns about the health of their lawn, flower beds, pest control, or anything else they’ve been putting off.

Give Their Property Value a Boost

You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but this is not the case when it comes to real estate. Having an appealing front yard can increase property value by as much as 7%. If your gift recipient is planning to move soon, you’re doing them a huge favor! If they’re planning on staying in their home forever, well, then they’ll enjoy it even more.

End Your Christmas Shopping – Call Custom Personalized Lawn Care

Our expert technicians will assess your gift recipient’s yard or trees and craft a customized plan based on the seasons’ needs. From aeration to fertilization, their lawn or trees will look beautiful! Call 800-570-3313 or contact us online to get started! For more landscaping tips and ideas, be sure to follow our blog and like us on Facebook!

Five Scary Spiders That Will Have Your Skin Crawling

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 11:00:00 GMT

Types of Spiders

It’s almost Halloween in Michigan, and what can be more terrifying than a hair-raising, creepy spider. We have tons of different spiders crawling around Michigan, but fortunately, only two of them are dangerous to humans. Learn more about the five most disturbing looking spiders we have here in Michigan, including two that are venomous, the black widow and the brown recluse. Then, call Custom Lawn Care and learn how we can provide spider control with our perimeter pest control, so you don’t have to be frightened anymore.

The Black Widow

Probably the most well-known and most feared spider is the black widow. Most people know the black widow by its iconic red hourglass under its abdomen. They are the deadliest spider with venom 15 more times worse than that of a rattlesnake . Bites can produce muscle aches, nausea, and a paralysis of the diaphragm that can make breathing difficult. But don’t worry. Humans aren’t really part of the black widow’s diet. They spin their messy webs to capture mostly flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars. The bristles on their hind-legs are used to cover their prey with silk once it has been trapped. The Black Widow gets its name because during mating season, it will often kill its mate and eat it. This small tidbit of information will make for an excellent dinner conversation for a first date!

Another spider known for its bite is the brown recluse. These spiders are brown and identified by the black mark on their abdomen that looks like a violin. Their natural habitat is outside in gardens. In the winter, however, they like to hide in the darkest areas of your home such as the basement, attic, garages, trash cans and attics. Though they aren’t usually aggressive, they will bite if they feel threatened. The infamous bite of a brown recluse can cause skin cells to die in the area surrounding the spider bite , known as necrosis. This can lead to infection and, in rare cases, death. If you are bitten by a brown recluse or a black widow, seek medical attention immediately.

Hairy Wolf Spider

The wolf spider is one of the most intimidating spiders because of its hairy nature. It is often mistaken for the tarantula , but unlike the tarantula, it’s venom is not dangerous to humans. The wolf spider is quite large, and they are usually brown and black with grey coatings. They have outlandish looking eyes with four small eyes on the bottom row, two bigger eyes straight above, and still two bigger eyes on top of their head. They receive their name because instead of constructing a web to capture their prey, they hunt their game on the move, like wolves. Some live in burrows and pounce on their prey when they crawl past the opening. In the home, they are most likely to be found in basements, crawlspaces, and near doors and windows. Despite its quirky appearance, there is no need to worry. While wolf spiders will bite if threatened, fortunately, their bite is not dangerous to humans or pets.

Fishing Spider

Fishing spiders are similar to wolf spiders in size, shape, and color. They also do not spin webs to catch their predators. Instead, they get their name because they typically live near water and are capable of skimming over water in pursuit of small fish and other aquatic insects. When threatened, they can dive underwater and wait for the threat to pass. Despite this, they can also live in wooded and forested areas and have been found to invade basements, kitchens, and bedrooms.

Jumping Spider

These furry creatures are commonly mistaken for the black widow spider, due to their compact black bodies with relatively short legs. Jumping spiders range in size from one-eighth of an inch to three-fourths of an inch. They are typically covered with dense hair or scales that are brightly colored. These athletic beings, however, can also be brown, tan, or gray in color. They have excellent daytime vision and can detect and react to a movement that occurs up to a foot and half distance. This may be due to the odd layout of their eyes. With eight eyes in three rows, the front row has four eyes and one huge pair right in the middle. The jumping spider is most commonly seen scouring walls and windowsills. Their bite is not venomous.

Protect Your Home From These Creepy Invaders With Custom Lawn Care

The only two spiders listed above that are dangerous for humans are the black widow and brown recluse. Fortunately, spotting them in Michigan is rare. Spiders, however, can be creepy. Custom Lawn Care offers a Mosquito Control Plus Perimeter Pest Control Program that will protect your home from the invasion of spiders and other crawling insects. In the fall, it prevents critters from entering your home and making it there own throughout the winter. Call Custom Lawn Care now at 1-800-570-3313 to learn more about this program or contact us online . For more fascinating facts, tips, and ideas, check out our other blog articles .

Composting Tips for Your Michigan Backyard

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 11:00:00 GMT

Backyard Composting Tips

If you have the room, composting is a great way to reduce the amount of waste your produce while making your very own fertilizer to give back to the Earth. It’s fun, it’s easy, and the best part is it’s cheap. All you need is your green waste and a place to store it.

A compost bin can be as simple as a trash can with holes drilled in it or you can buy pre-made ones at your local hardware store. No matter how much you spend, they essentially work the same. You place green waste and other organic matter into the bin and let nature take its course. This method is great for both urban and rural areas.

Open-Air Composting

A more suitable option for those of us that live on farms or have acreage to accommodate it is open-air composting. Open-air composting is faster than using a bin. All you need to do is designate an area and construct a three-sided box out of wood or plastic. Open-air composting can accommodate a larger amount of waste and make the whole process much faster, which means you can use the rich fertilizer much sooner. On the other side, open-air compost piles can stink, and the odor may be too much to bear. This method is not recommended for people living in urban settings.

If you really want to get into composting, then choose the three-bin method .

This method uses three separate bins for a composting system that is more effective and efficient than any other form. The process begins in the first bin, where fresh materials are placed. After a few weeks, the first bin’s compost is transferred to the second bin to decompose further. New compost is then placed in the first bin. After a few more weeks, the process continues by placing bin two’s contents into container three, where it will decompose into usable fertilizer. This method allows you to create your own organic fertilizer faster by now, allowing it to build up into a large heap. The only downside is that this method requires a lot of work on your part.

Get The Right Balance

To get the most out of your compost, you need to have the right balance of carbon, nitrogen, and water. These elements are found in what are called green materials and brown materials.

Green Materials

Green materials are rich in nitrogen and water.

Brown Materials

Brown materials such as those on the list below contribute carbon to the compost and help absorb excess water.

Things You Can Compost

To get your compost pile started, you need to add compostable items. We’ve made a detailed list of the best things to add to your compost bin to help you out.

Organic Lawn Matter

This includes leaves, which are rich in carbon and nitrogen-rich grass clippings. Other items such as straw, hay, and sawdust are also suitable for composting.

Food Scraps

Items such as apple cores, banana and orange peels, melon rinds, coffee grounds, and eggshells are all compostable.

Dead Plants

An excellent source of compost material is your garden. You can add all your leafy plants to your compost bin and return them to the Earth at the end of the year. Plants like tomatoes, eggplants, cabbage, lettuce stalks, pumpkin vines, and kale can be added to your compost bin. However, plants like sunflowers or Brussel sprouts with thicker stems should not be added, and neither should disease or moldy plants.

What You Can’t Compost

Before you go crazy tossing in everything in sight into your compost bin there are some things you should not compost .

Call The Professionals at Custom Personalized

At Custom Personalized , we offer an organic fertilizer program to give your yard all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and green all year long.

Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our organic fertilizer program or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.

Irrigation: How to Water Your Yard

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 14:01:00 GMT

When is the Best Time to Water Your Lawn?

Your grass needs to be watered two to three days a week to keep it green and healthy. The best time to water is in the morning before the hottest part of the day to prevent most water from evaporating before it can soak into the soil. If you water in the evening, the water doesn’t have enough time to evaporate before the night’s cooler temperatures arrive.

How To Water Shady Lawns?

As you might expect, grass in the shade doesn’t need as much water as the rest of the lawn. In fact, during dry spells, you can see what parts of the grass are protected by shade because it is still green. Grass directly under the tree, however, may require more watering because it faces competition from the tree. Water deeply to encourage deep root growth.

What Type of Sprinklers Work Best?

Not all types of sprinklers are the same, and they are designed to achieve certain results in different parts of your lawn.

Watering Hills and Slopes

Watering hills and slopes can be tricky. For hilly landscapes where water risks running downhill before being absorbed into the soil, try wetting the area for shorter periods of time. Come back to apply another round of water to the slope after it has dried.

Soak Your Soil

When you water your lawn, you need to make sure that your grass is getting enough water. Properly irrigated soil needs to be soaked down at least six inches. This is deep enough for the roots to soak up the water and encourage root growth to help your grass out during dry spells. As an added precaution, try raising your lawnmower blades an inch or two. Taller grass will prevent evaporation, keep the soil moist longer, and prevent weeds from taking over.

Call The Lawn Care Pos at Custom Personalized

At Custom Lawn Care , we have been providing our community with exceptional lawn care services since 1988. Our lawn care program is designed to meet your lawn’s needs and is guaranteed to keep your grass green and healthy year-round.

Give us a call at (800) 570-3313 or request a free estimate . Be sure to check out our monthly blog for more interesting lawn care tips and tricks.

Most Dangerous Pests In Michigan

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 11:26:00 GMT

The Brown Recluse

Traditionally believed to only reside in its native southern and central U.S. habitat, the brown recluse has been occasionally spotted in Michigan homes. From 2011 to 2017, there have been reports of six cases of brown recluse spiders. The most recent being in nearby Davison, in Genesee County where it was found in an unheated garage. Throwing the idea that they cannot survive Michigan winters out the window.

Brown recluse spiders can be identified by the violin-shaped marking on their abdomen. They are shy creatures, hence their name, and are rarely seen by humans. They hide during the day and only venture out at night in search of food. They aren’t particularly aggressive, but they will attack if threatened. The bite of a brown recluse is one of the most dangerous in the world. Venom has the unique ability to kill skin cells in the affected area, which is not only extremely painful but can also lead to infection and, in rare cases, death.

The Black Widow

The black widow spider is probably the most well-known venomous spider in the world. Just the image of its infamous red hourglass marking is enough to evoke fear in most people. The black widow is not as aggressive as tall tales make them out to be. They are shy, like the brown recluse, and only feed at night. As long as you don’t bother it, it won’t bother you. But sometimes humans and black widows cross paths, such as when they make their nests in our homes. A black widow bite should be taken very seriously as it’s one of the most potent in the world. The venom of these spiders attacks the nervous system and can cause:

The blacklegged tick or “deer tick” as it’s commonly referred to in Michigan are small brown ticks with black legs. They wait in tall grass for animals such as deer and pets, but they prefer the taste of human blood. They prefer the taste of human blood. Deer ticks are the number one carriers of Lyme disease in the northern United States. They pick up the disease from feeding on deer. When they jump onto a human host, they can transmit the disease into our bloodstream. Lyme disease is no joke. It can cause headaches, fevers, fatigue, and a rash called erythema migrans. Be watchful of pets and children as they play outdoors this summer. There have been warnings that this summer could be a particularly bad tick season .

Call The Professionals at Custom Personalized

At Custom Personalized , we don’t just make beautiful lawns with our lawn care program , we protect them too. With our flea and tick program , we can make sure nasty deer ticks don’t threaten your family this summer.

Looking to keep unwanted pests out of your home? Our Mosquito Control Program includes perimeter pest control

When you sign up, you will get:

Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.

Interesting Facts About Cockroaches

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 20:30:00 GMT

Crazy But True Facts About Cockroaches

The nightmare of any homeowner, just the name “cockroach” is enough to instill fear in us. Cockroaches are just one of many spring pests emerging and in search of food and shelter. But cockroaches are not like other insects. They are smart, fast, and have adapted in ways that no other creature on the planet has. So sit back and learn a few crazy facts about cockroaches.

Part of the reason cockroaches have been able to adapt so well is that they have had much more time on this planet than most other species. Three hundred and eighty million years, to be exact. Over the millennia, cockroaches have been able to adapt to many changes in the food chain and the climate, which is why they have become famously hard to kill.

Cockroaches Can Fit in Tiny Spaces

They don’t look like it, but cockroaches are extremely flexible. They can spread their legs and flatten their exoskeletons to limbo their way through tiny gaps and spaces a quarter of their size.

Of the four thousand different species of cockroaches in the world, only ten of them live near humans. Cockroaches can be found on all continents except Antarctica and come in many sizes. The smallest cockroach is only ½ inch while the largest is 4 inches with an 8-inch wingspan. Don’t worry. It only lives in South America.

Roaches Can Stay Fertile

One of the most fascinating adaptations roaches have made is the ability of the female to store sperm indefinitely. A female cockroach needs to mate just once, and she can fertilize all of her eggs for the rest of her life. Good for the female, bad for the male.

Cockroaches Can Survive Without Eating for a Long Time

Cockroaches are cold-blooded insects, which means they don’t need to eat as much as warm-blooded animals. In fact, roaches can live up to an entire month without food. After that, they will turn into cannibals and feed on each other in order to ensure the survival of the species.

Roaches Can Live Without Their Head

Cockroaches have adapted to many things, but one of their strongest attributes is being able to live without their head for weeks. This is because their control centers are not in their brain, and they have an open circulatory system where they breathe through small holes in each segment of their body. During which, a headless female can still lay her eggs and ensure the next generation. The only reason the roach dies without its head is because of dehydration.

Now that you know how cockroaches are some of the most adaptable creatures on the planet, you can understand why controlling cockroaches is so difficult. The best way to keep roaches out of your home is to make it unattractive by storing food in sealed containers, sweep the floor in the kitchen regularly, and take out the garbage regularly. Be sure to check and seal all cracks and holes in and around your home, including around utilities and pipes. Keep your basements, attics, and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.

Call The Professionals at Custom Personalized

Even though cockroaches are fascinating, they can still pose a health threat to you and your family in the form of allergies and asthma. If cockroaches have made their way into your home, call the professionals at Custom Personalized . We don’t just create beautiful lawns with our lawn care program , we protect them too. With our perimeter pest control program , we can make sure cockroaches, and many other pests steer clear from your home.

Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.

Keep Deer Out of Your Gardens With These Tips

Mon, 25 May 2020 11:00:00 GMT

It’s about that time of year when Michiganders start planning their gardens. Soon we will be on our hands and knees planting vegetables that we hope to harvest in the fall. That is if the deer don’t harvest them before you do. Here in Michigan, we are known for our deer population. As their numbers grow, competition for food increases. When deer wander into your yard, the buffet that is your garden might be too hard to resist.

Deer Resistant Plants

It seems like deer will eat anything in their path. However, there are certain types of vegetation that deer don’t find quite as tasty . Just like insect-repelling plants , planting these amongst your vulnerable plants could protect them from hungry deer. Some common deer-resistant plants are:

Keep Fruit Trees Close to the House

In the spring, all of our plants are at their most vulnerable stage. This is especially true for fruit trees. In the spring, does and fawns are on the move looking for food, and they love the sweet taste of fruits and berries. To keep deer from munching on your valuable fruit trees, plant them closer to your house. Deer are more reluctant to come near your home.

Wind Chimes

We all know how skittish deer can be. They will perk their heads up at the slightest noise. So it makes sense that a wind chime could work well at preventing curious deer from getting too close to your garden. Wind chimes are a great temporary relief of deer. However, deer are smart and will quickly learn that the noises pose no threat to them. Therefore, you shouldn’t rely on wind chimes alone to protect your plants, but it could be used in combination with other methods.

Maintain Your Landscape

If you want to keep deer out of your yard, then you don’t want to have any densely wooded areas or tall grass where they can bed down. This may not be an option for some homeowners in Michigan, but making slight changes like mowing the grass down a bit could deter deer from entering your property.

A Fence

An Alternate Food Source

Another method is to distract deer away from your garden by giving them something easier. This could be a salt lick, apples, carrots, or corn kernels. Many gardening and outdoor stores sell bags of vegetables specifically for feeding deer .

Use a Radio

Many gardeners use a radio to deter hungry deer. All you need is a battery-powered portable radio and something to cover it with to protect it from rain and dew. A laundry basket works well. Set the station to whatever you like, but most gardeners say talk radio or a sports network work best. Deer will hear the voices and think someone is nearby and move away.

Protect Your Yard From Pests

There are other dangers to your plants besides deer. At Custom Personalized Lawn Care , we can’t control deer, but we can protect your yard from annoying insects and weeds .

Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.

What’s Destroying My Lawn: A Guide to Spring Pests

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 18:54:00 GMT

While we start preparing our yards for spring and getting our gardens and flower beds ready for planting, pests are also planning a silent invasion. Here at Custom Lawn Care we have over 30 years of experience dealing lawn diseases and pest infestations . We know how much damage pests can cost homeowners if action isn’t taken in time. That’s why we want to save you time and money by providing you a list of the most common pests that damage Michigan lawns.

The Grub/June Bug

Moles

Moles and grubs go hand in hand. If you have a grub problem then hungry moles can’t be too far behind. Moles aren’t shy about inviting themselves over. As they feed, they tunnel under the surface of the soil, disturbing the roots of your grass. When they breach they pile large mounds of dirt onto the top of your lawn which can kill your grass and be a hazard to your lawn mower. Sure, you can set mole traps but the only sure-fire way to be rid of moles is to eliminate their food source. Moles aren’t the only animals that feed on grubs. Racoons, skunks, and birds can also tear up your yard looking for these tasty worms.

Chinch Bugs

Do you have dead patches of grass that won’t come back after you water and water? This could be an indication of chinch bug damage. Chinch bugs are tiny insects that feed on the blades of your grass. After they are done sucking the nutrients out of one blade they move on to the next. In their path they leave dead and dying blades of grass that appear as circles in your yard. As they feed the circles get bigger and bigger, causing even more damage.

Sod Webworms

Sod webworms are the larvae stage of grey lawn moths. They cause damage to lawns by feeding on and cutting down blades of grass and hiding them in their web-like burrows. Grass damaged by webworms may look like grub damage. However, grubs attack the grass roots and damaged turf can easily be pulled up while webworms attack the tops of grass.

Hire The Professionals At Custom

B attling weeds isn 't the only thing affecting the health of your lawn . That’s where the professionals at Custom Lawn Care come in. O u r Grub Control Program is applied once per season and is GUARANTEED for ONE FULL YEAR to prevent a new hatch of Grubs.

Call (800) 570-3313 today and ask about our or leave a message on our site. Follow our blog for more helpful lawn care tips.

Spring Pest Control: Protect Your Home From Infestation

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 02:45:00 GMT

Spring is an extremely active time for pests here in Michigan. As the temperatures rise and the grass and trees start to wake up, pests begin waking up too. Unfortunately for us, our homes are the perfect place for these waking pests. With more than enough food and water along with protection from the elements, it’s no wonder pests love to invade. To protect your home from an early infestation, here are a few Michigan spring pest control tips.

Get Familiar With the Enemy

Common Spring Pests Invading Michigan Homes:

Prevent Pests With Spring Cleaning

Every spring, it’s a good idea to do a little deep-cleaning around the house. It’s great to do after being cooped up for the whole winter and it’s a great way to prevent a pest infestation. In the spring, when pests become active again, they are all in the search for three specific things: food, water, and safety. Our homes are perfect for them.

Spring cleaning is a good way to eliminate the pests’ easy sources of food and water, making your home inhospitable to them. Make sure to quickly clean up any crumbs and spills around the home and properly seal your food. Check for leaky pipes around your home and eliminate excess moisture in the attic or basement with a dehumidifier.

Best Places to Clean This Spring:

Seal Your Home

The last step in spring pest control is to seal your home off. This is best done in the early spring to prevent the early risers from gaining early access to your home. First, check the doors and windows , sealing any gaps and cracks that you find. Make sure to check for damage to your screens as well, a common entrance for annoying mosquitoes . Next, check the exterior of your home for vulnerabilities. Look for more gaps and cracks in the roof, siding, and foundation of your home.

Once you’ve dealt with the structural maintenance, you can focus on your perimeter. Leaves piled up against the foundation or sunken areas by the side of the house can quickly turn into a hotspot for pests. Eliminate the leaves and improve the drainage around your home. Keep your shrubs, bushes, and trees trimmed back away from the house. Pests, like fleas and ticks , love to use unkempt branches as their own personal highways to our homes.

Protect Your Property With Pest Control Services From Custom Personalized Lawn Care

Protect your Michigan home from marauding pests with spring pest control services from Custom Personalized Lawn Care . Our protector plan is a pest control program that includes perimeter pest control and mosquito control throughout the lawn, we even have a flea & tick program for even more protection. Don’t let pests invade your home, trust your pest control to the experts at Custom Personalized Lawn Care.

To get started on your spring pest control, call us at (800) 570-3313 or request a quick quote h ere. For more tips on pest control, lawn care, and more, check out our blog . Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook so you can keep up with the latest news and deals.

Naturally Repel Michigan Pests With These Plants

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 21:12:00 GMT

With spring being just around the corner here in Michigan and most of us confined to our homes in the midst of a pandemic, it’s a great time to start planning out your spring planting plan. Spring is an excellent time to plant. Whether it be trees, gardens, grass, or ornamentals, spring is definitely the season of planting here in Michigan. This year, try strategically planting a few pest-repelling plants around your Michigan lawn.

Basil

Chives

Chives are very easy to grow and their strong scent sends many pests running for the hills. Garden and lawn pests like Japanese beetles and carrot root flies can’t stand the smell of chives, avoiding it at all costs. Planting chives around the garden is an excellent, natural pest-repellent to help protect your vegetables and flowers.

Garlic

Garlic is a strong contender for the smelliest plant in the garden. Just like most people can’t stand garlic-breath, most pests can’t stand it either. Growing garlic around your garden is a great way to protect your crop from a variety of garden pests . This includes: Japanese beetles , carrot root flies, aphids, and root maggots.

Lavender

Mint

Another fragrant herb on our list of best pest-repelling plants is mint. This wonderfully fresh smelling plant is a nightmare for pests. Spiders, mosquitoes , and ants are just a few of the bugs that are affected by mint. The trouble with mint is that if you aren’t keeping it under control, it will take over your garden. Mint is best planted in window planters, containers, or flower pots, then you can place these around your lawn or near the entrances to your home.

Citronella grass

Citronella candles are some of the hottest selling items during the spring, summer, and fall. A few of these placed around the deck or patio can help keep some mosquitoes away, but they just don’t last. Why don’t you try growing it ? In a planter or a container of some kind, plant your citronella grass. Because it’s a grass, the citronella grows fast. Place these containers around the deck and patio, or even around your doors and windows , for some extra defense. You can also snip off the leaves and smash them up to release the mosquito-repelling oil for a stronger effect.

Chrysanthemums

Finally, the queen of the pest-repelling plants is the lovely chrysanthemum. This incredible bush has beautiful blossoms that attract all kinds of beneficial pollinators while it repels invasive and destructive pests. The chrysanthemum’s pest-repelling power isn’t a secret either. Chemicals and oils from chrysanthemums have been used in popular insect repellents for years now. Plant a few of these beautiful bushes around your property to boost your home’s curb appeal while keeping the pests away.

Support Your Pest-Repelling Plants With Pest Control Services From Custom Personalized Lawn Care

If you want to give your beautiful and fragrant pest-repelling plants some support, then it’s time to invest in pest control services near you. Here at Custom Personalized Lawn Care , we have the expertise and the comprehensive services you need to keep pests away. Pest control services like GrubPro control , mosquito & perimeter pest control , and flea & tick control program s keep your family and your lawn protected all year.

Don’t wait for the pests to overrun your lawn and garden, call us now at (800) 570-3313 or request a quote here . Don’t forget to head over to our blog for fun tips on pest control, lawn care, and more. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to be the first to know about our current offerings.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Giving the Gift of a Mosquito and Pest-Free Year

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 10:30:00 GMT

If you’re still looking for that perfect gift to give someone you love, Custom Personalized Lawn Care has the answer. Giving the gift of a greener lawn is one great option, but why stop there? Give the gift of a mosquito and pest-free year with services from Custom Personalized. If you or someone you know is looking to keep their property free of biting mosquitoes and creepy crawlies, then this is one of the best holiday gift ideas.

Secure Your Spot in the Schedule

Spring is going to be a busy time for pests. Overwintering mosquito eggs will hatch as soon as the temperatures are warm enough and before you know it, everyone will have a mosquito infestation. This means people are going to be calling for mosquito and pest control services. Securing a spot in the schedule before the spring rush makes this one of the best holiday gift ideas. You’ll also be able to secure other essential lawn care and pest control services.

Additional Servic es to Help Plan Ahead:

Keep Ahead of the Mosquitoes and Pests

Consistent Pest Control

Another reason why pest control is one of the best holiday gift ideas of 2019, is that you’ll be getting consistent pest control throughout the year. The Protector Plan includes 5 treatments between April and October to ensure your lawn is consistently protected from the threats of mosquitoes and crawling pests. It even provides protection for your home when fall pests begin looking for a warm place to overwinter.

Call the Professionals

Give the wonderful gift of a mosquito and pest-free year by contacting the professionals at Custom Personalized Lawn Care . With our Protector Plan , you’ll be ensuring someone you love is protected from biting mosquitoes and creepy crawlies all year long. Not looking for pest control? Try out our 5 Treatment LawnPro Plan and give the gift of a lush, healthy lawn.

Custom Personalized Lawn Care is full of great holiday gift ideas. Give us a call for more information at (800) 570-3313 or request an estimate here . Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest holiday deals and news. You can also get the inside scoop to the top tricks and tips from the pros over at our blog .

The Perfect Holiday Gift: Giving the Gift of a Green and Healthy Lawn

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 15:20:00 GMT

Well, the holidays are upon us and it’s time to go shopping for gifts. What better gift than the gift of a greener lawn. It’s the perfect gift for someone who’s been having with their lawn maintenance, whether it be due to lack of time, poor health, or older age. Maybe it even sounds like a great gift for you. Here are a few reasons why lawn care is the perfect holiday gift for you or for someone you love.

Get Ahead of the Rush

By the time spring rolls around, everyone is going to be rushing to sign up for their yearly lawn care program. With this gift, you can get ahead of the rush and secure your spot for your choice of services.

Get On a Lawn Fertilization Schedule

Here at Custom Personalized Lawn Care, our 5 Treatment LawnPro Plan with GrubPro Control is the best lawn care program on the block. It’s a complete 5 treatment program with perfectly timed applications of fertilizer, crabgrass control, and monitoring for pests and disease. If you order it now, we’ll include a free mosquito and pest control treatment for your yard.

Beat the Weeds

One of the biggest perks of this gift is getting ahead of the weeds. Too many people wait too long to start treating for weeds. Hitting the lawn with a pre-emergent spray in the early spring will neutralize any weed seeds before they can even sprout. This gives the grass unlimited access to all the nutrients, sunlight, and water they can get. Before long, the grass will be lush, green, and weed-free.

The LawnPro Plan here at Custom Personalized Lawn Care is an excellent gift because it includes an early and late spring treatment with season-long crabgrass control. We’ll help beat the weeds and feed the grass.

The Great Deals

To top it all off, the gift of lawn care from Custom Personalized is that there’s a great deal. Right now you can get the 5 Treatment Lawn Pro Plan that includes GrubPro Control and receive a free Mosquito & Pest Control treatment for your own property. With 50% off the first and last treatment and 50% off the GrubPro Control, it won’t break the bank and you’ll see the benefits all year long.

Make the Call

Giving the gift of a greener lawn from Custom Personalized Lawn Care is the perfect gift for the holidays. By getting ahead of the rush, getting on a fertilization schedule, and getting early and consistent weed control, you’ll be getting the gift that keeps giving. Not to mention the great deal!

Call us for more information at (800) 570-3313 or request an estimate here .

Fall Tick Control: Keep These Biting Pests Away

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 18:50:00 GMT

Fall here in Michigan is full of colorful leaves, apple cider, pumpkin pie, and ticks. Yes, ticks. If you haven’t seen the news lately, 2019 has been a busy year for disease-carrying pests like mosquitoes and ticks . Just because the temperatures are dropping, doesn’t mean the threat is over. In fact, fall is a very active time for adult ticks. Here are a few fall tick control tips to keep you safe from these dangerous pests.

The Dangers of Ticks

Common Ticks in Michigan and the Diseases They Transmit:

Each year, the number of tick-borne disease infections continues to rise. More people are being infected, in more places, than ever before. New, potentially devastating, diseases are being discovered every year, making tick control essential.

Fall Tick Prevention

The best fall tick control comes down to tick prevention. We’ve put together a few pro-tips to help you turn your lawn into a tick-free zone to help keep you and your family safe.

Clean Up the Leaves

Keep Your Lawn Mowed

Ticks love tall grass. That’s where they hang out, waiting for their next meal to brush by. One way to reduce the population of ticks in and around your lawn is by keeping your lawn mowed. It’s also a good idea to clear out any thick brush around the edge of your lawn.

Trim Trees and Shrubs Away From Your Home

If you notice some of the branches of your trees and shrubs are close to or touching the side of your house, then it’s time to trim them. Ticks will often hang out in trees. If the branches are close to the side of your house, then they’ll travel down the branches to get closer to the heat of your home. The closer they are to your home, the worse the situation is. Trim your trees and shrubs back away from your house and you’ll prevent ticks and many other pests from finding a way into your home.

Move Play Structures

Keeping the kids safe should be priority number one. If you have play structures, swing sets, or toys in your backyard, then make sure they’re far from any tall brush or trees. Keeping these play areas away from the edge of your property is the best way to reduce the possibility of a potential run-in with a dangerous tick.

Prepare Yourself

If you’re working out in your yard or anywhere that ticks may be lurking, then it’s best to be overprepared. Wear light-colored clothing that covers as much of your body as possible. The light-color makes it easy to see any ticks that may be trying to hitch a ride. It’s also a good idea to tuck your pants into your socks. You won’t be setting any fashion trends, but you also won’t be getting bitten by ticks. Finally, wear bug spray, preferably something with 20-30% DEET, on any exposed skin.

Check Yourself and Remove Ticks Immediately

Any time you come in from a walk, hike, or from working outside, make sure you check yourself for ticks. If you do happen to find one has bitten you, remove it immediately. Use a pair of tweezers, or a tick remover, and grip the head of the tick as close to your skin as possible. Make sure you pull slowly. It takes at least 24 hours for a blacklegged tick to transmit Lyme disease, so if you remove the tick immediately, you are far less likely to contract this dangerous disease.

Never use a match. This old method of removing ticks is actually much worse for you. It causes the tick to regurgitate into you, which can spread any disease that they may be infected with.

Get Professional Tick Control Services

These fall tick control tips will help you make a tick-safe zone in your backyard, but the best way to eliminate ticks from your property is with tick control services. Here at Custom Personalized Lawn Care , we have a 5-step flea and tick control service designed to keep you and your family safe from these dangerous biting pests.

Give us a call at (800) 570-3313 or request a free estimate here . You can also check out our Facebook for news and deals.

Fall Lawn Care Tips to Get Ready for the Winter Ahead

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 17:55:00 GMT

Winter is knocking at our doorstep, which means it’s time to prepare our lawns for the rough season ahead. Fall lawn preparation is a way to help your grass prepare itself for dormancy and it’ll set your lawn up for success next spring. Fall lawn preparation now will mean a strong, healthy foundation for your yard next year. Here are a few fall lawn preparation tips to get your lawn ready for winter.

Leaf Cleanup

One of the best ways to clean up the leaves in your yard is as easy as mowing the lawn. Mulching the leaves is an easy and beneficial way of removing leaf litter. Not only will you be cleaning up your yard, you’ll also be feeding your lawn.

Make sure you wait until the leaves on your lawn are dry and flaky, then go ahead and mow right over them, leaving the leaves where they lie. The little bits of leaves will fall down to the soil where they’ll break down, distributing beneficial nutrients back into the soil. These added nutrients are absorbed right into the grass roots as your grass enters its high-absorption mode this fall.

Fall Broadleaf Weed Control

Another great way to set your lawn up for success this fall is with broadleaf weed control. Broadleaf weeds enter a second bloom in the fall as they prepare to drop their seeds to overwinter until sprouting again next spring.

Fall is a great time to do broadleaf weed control because, just like your grass, these weeds are entering a high-absorption mode too. They are quickly drawing nutrients into their roots in preparation for dropping their seeds. This means that any broadleaf weed control that is applied to these weeds will be quickly absorbed into the entire plant, resulting in a complete dying of the weed.

Common Broadleaf Weeds to Watch for in Michigan

Post-emergent broadleaf weed control is an important fall lawn care task. It’ll clear out any lingering weeds, allowing your grass unlimited access to the nutrients, sunlight, and water it needs to thrive. This service will also make spring weed control that much easier.

Don’t Stop Mowing

Fall is the growing season for the cool-season grasses that make up our Michigan lawns. That means, unfortunately, you still have to mow your lawn. The grass here will continue to grow until our first hard freeze. A hard freeze is when the air temperature outside reaches 28 degrees Fahrenheit and lasts for more than a couple hours. Last year, our first hard freeze last year occurred on October 18th. That means it’s coming soon!

Give your lawn a couple more good mows before the growing season is over. Consistent mowing at the right height, around the two highest settings, will boost the health of your lawn. The taller, thicker grass will make it more difficult for weeds to take root in your lawn, meaning your grass gets all the sunlight and nutrients it needs.

Gutter Maintenance

In the fall, gutters become clogged with leaves, sticks, and other materials, resulting in water being backed up. This collection of standing water and organic material is the perfect environment for mosquitoes. In the fall, the last generation of mosquitoes seeks out a place to lay their last clutch of eggs. These eggs will overwinter where they are, hatching again in the spring when the temperatures rise again. Your gutters could be full of overwintering mosquito eggs and larvae.

If that wasn’t enough of a reason for you, then consider this; all of that backed up water will freeze this winter. Ice in your gutters can be pretty heavy and with all the snow we’re bound to be getting, it’s just a matter of time before the heavy gutters are yanked from the side of your house. Nobody wants to be repairing gutters in the middle of winter. Clean your gutters out this fall, it’ll save you time, money, and bug bites.

Fall Pest Prevention

While we’re taking care of potential future mosquito swarms, let’s take care of the pests we’re currently dealing with. Fall pests are desperately looking for a warm place to make their winter home. Unfortunately for you, it could be your home. Cooler temperatures drive pests to the safety and warmth of our homes every fall. Around this time, it’s common to see great hordes of insects clinging to the sides of buildings or around doors and window screens, looking for a way in.

Common Fall Pests in Michigan

Luckily, there are some easy ways to prevent these fall pests from getting inside. Start by checking around the exterior of your home. Look for cracks or holes around your foundation and repair any that you find. Next, check your doors and windows for any weak points. Damaged screens and gaps around the doors and windows are a favorite access point for these opportunistic pests. Finally, invest in a perimeter pest control program for the best results.

Get Help From the Pros at Custom Personalized Lawn Care

Fall lawn preparation is a great way to set your lawn up for success next year. You’ll be creating a foundation of strong health that will be easy to build upon and simple to maintain, but you don’t have to do it alone. Here at Custom Personalized Lawn Care , we have the lawn care programs , mosquito and pest control solutions , and the experts necessary to take your lawn to the next level.

Call us today at (800) 570-3313 or request a free quote here . Don’t forget to check our Facebook for the latest news and updates.

Protect Your Home From Fall Invaders

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 11:30:00 GMT

When the cool temperatures arrive we all breathe a collective sigh of relief thinking that the arrival of fall means the end of annoying outdoor pests. While it’s true that pests tend to become less active in the fall but before they disappear completely for the winter they will be on the hunt for warm overwintering locations and that place just might be inside your home. In fact, fall is the time that you will experience the most indoor insects. These fall pest control tips should help you out.

Asian Lady Beetle

Don’t mistake this beetle for its brighter, less annoying cousin, the ladybug. The multicolored Asian lady beetle is one of many types of insects that like to congregate in sunny areas when fall arrives. They can usually be seen on the sunny sides of buildings and houses searching for a crack or gap big enough to allow them into your home.

These bugs look scary and intimidating and when you see a bunch of them inside your home it’s enough to check your family into a hotel, but despite their creepy appearance stink bugs are harmless. They don’t bite or sting but they do stink when they are killed. The best way to get rid of them is to shoo them out of windows or suck them up with a vacuum cleaner.

Box Elder Bugs

During the spring and summer, box elder bugs can be found in box elder trees where they feed on the leaves of the plant. They generally go unnoticed until fall arrives and they are spotted on the insides of windows and door walls. They are easily identifiable by their black slender bodies and red edges. The sheer number of these bugs trying to squeeze into your home make fall pest control a must.

Cluster Flies

Cluster flies are particularly annoying in the fall and winter. Just when you think the cold has killed off all flying insects you start to see these ugly insects crawling on your windows. Where did they come from? If you don’t know what these flies are they can drive you nuts searching for how they are getting in or the dead animal or rotting sandwich that is causing them to breed in such numbers. But the truth is that cluster flies are not getting in or reproducing in your walls. The truth is that they got in earlier and went into hibernation mode, but the warm temperatures in your house have caused their instincts to kick in and think that spring has arrived.

Insects aren’t the only pests looking for a warm place to overwinter. Mice, rats, and squirrels will also be on the hunt for a warm place to snuggle up. Unlike insects, these pests can cause a lot of damage inside your house. Rodents inside your home like to chew up boxes, clothing, and other soft materials to make nests and they don’t care where they get the materials. To keep these pests out of your house start by inspecting your roof. Check for:

Protect your home from fall pests by checking your foundations for cracks and gaps where mice and rats could squeeze through. Another fall pest control technique is to keep all food stored in plastic containers to make your home more unattractive.

Hire the Professionals

Encountering insects outside is one thing but spotting dozens of them in your kitchen is another. For comprehensive pest control , call the pros at Custom Personalized Lawn Care . We have several different programs to help defend your home and yard.

Call (800) 570-3313 or contact us on our website.

End Of Summer Lawn Care

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 20:52:00 GMT

Here we go again. It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were coming out of another long winter and getting ready for spring lawn care . Once again, the days are getting shorter and temperatures are taking a dip signaling the onset of fall, but before we start preparing for winter, it’s time for some end of summer lawn care.

Sharpen Your Blades

After mowing all summer your lawnmower blades naturally become dull. When your blades are dull they don’t cut your grass as well and instead rip or tear the grass giving them jagged edges that turn brown and ugly. Now is a great time to get those blades sharpened so they are ready to go to work in the spring. Check out how to sharpen lawn mower blades here .

Change Up Your Mowing Schedule

Near the end of summer, you should change your mowing habits so that you are mowing earlier or later than usual. This will help protect your freshly cut grass from the intense sun during noon. Keep your blade height at three or four inches to promote deep root growth for the fall. Keeping grass longer will also help prevent water loss and make it more resistant to drought.

Mulch and Compost

Stop bagging your grass clippings in the fall. Instead, let the clippings settle in the lawn to act as a mulch. The fresh clippings will help retain more moisture in the fall. You could also place clippings in your compost pile to use in the spring as fresh compost for the gardens and flower beds.

Know How and When to water

You might not have to water your lawn as much as you did in the summer but even though your grass has slowed down it is still growing and still needs about an inch of water per week in order to stay healthy. As with summer irrigation you want to water your lawn early in the morning before the sun is at its highest to prevent evaporation. Be sure to water deep enough to promote deep root growth which is vital for your grass to make it through the winter.

Temperatures may be dropping at night but we still have many hot days ahead of us before it officially feels like fall and that means bugs and diseases are still something to worry about. Chinch bugs, mosquitoes, and other garden pests are still active and feeding on your lawn so stay alert.

Aerate Your Lawn

As your grass starts to slow down and the growing season comes to an end it’s time to consider aerating your lawn to alleviate the stresses it experienced in the summer. Aeration helps restore your lawns natural beauty by loosening up thatch and compacted soil so nutrients, air, and water can flow back into the roots of your grass.

Hire the Professionals

If you need help with your end of summer lawn care then hire the pros at Custom Personalized Lawn Care . We provide a wide range of services from pest control to lawn aeration so you can rest easy knowing that your yard is in good hands.

Call (800) 570-3313 or contact us on our website.

The Right Way to Water Your Yard

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 14:08:00 GMT

With the wet spring we had this year, you might not have needed to water your yard very much. But now, as we enter the hottest months of the year, we are experiencing those summer dry spells. It only takes a few hot days to turn your lush, green lawn into a yellow, pokey lawn. Keeping with a regular watering schedule is important to get your yard through the summer without suffering any damage. As with all things, there is a right and a wrong way to do things. We are going to show you the right way to water your yard this summer with these proper irrigation techniques.

When Should You Water Your Lawn?

This is the most common question homeowners have when watering their lawns. Your grass needs to be watered at least every 2-3 days for it to stay healthy and strong. The best way to ensure your grass is getting an adequate amount of water is to water it in the morning before the hottest part of the day. This is because if you water in the afternoon most of the water will be lost to evaporation. If you water in the evening, the water doesn’t have enough time to evaporate before the cool temperatures arrive, potentially leading to fungus and mold. Morning waterings give the right amount of water and give the grass enough time to dry out before nightfall.

Get on a Watering Schedule

Consistency is key to proper irrigation and maintaining a lush and healthy lawn. Most soil types will dry up every 3-7 days but, depending on your soil type, you might need to water more or less frequently. Just be careful; overwatering can lead to diseases and mold growth and if you have hard or clay soils you could be creating a mosquito breeding ground . With careful observation, you should be able to determine how often you need to water. Write it down and stick with it!

You might think a sprinkler is a sprinkler but certain types are more ideal than others. If you have an underground sprinkler system on a timer then skip to the next tip otherwise, keep reading. The best type of sprinkler to use on your yard is a pulsating sprinkler as opposed to an oscillating sprinkler. Oscillating sprinklers don’t give you as much uniform coverage as a pulsating sprinkler. Even the slightest breeze can blow the water where you don’t want it, unevenly distributing the water.

Soak Your Soil

It’s not enough to turn the sprinkler on every other day for ten minutes. For proper irrigation, your soil needs to be soaked at least six inches. This encourages deep root growth which will come in handy during those long dry spells we often experience in late July and August. As an added guard against drought, raise your lawnmower an inch or two; this will help your grass store more water and keep the soil cool and moist longer. The shade from the thicker grass will also help prevent weeds .

To test whether your soil is getting soaked enough just stick a screwdriver into the soil six inches. If it’s watered properly, the screwdriver should easily slide into the hilt. If it’s difficult to push in and you notice water is not soaking in, then your soil might require aeration .

Need Help With Your Yard Work?

At Custom Lawn Care , we have been providing our community with exceptional lawn care services since 1988. We handle everything from lawn care to pest control .

Call (800) 570-3313 or contact us on our website.

Poisonous Plants Lurking in Michigan

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 20:16:00 GMT

Summertime in Michigan is filled with camping trips up north, hiking, kayaking, and just enjoying the great outdoors. But lurking just off the beaten path are a number of poisonous plants that can ruin your camping trip if you don’t know how to identify them.

Here in Michigan poison ivy is the most common type of dangerous plant. It’s often the first concern for campers and hikers, but not everyone can tell poison ivy apart from the other common vines that grow in the woods.

Poison ivy is a very common weed in Michigan and can grow almost anywhere, including on the trees in your yard. The slightest brushing against this plant can cause you to break out into a serious allergic reaction of painful itchy bumps. You can also get it from clothes, pets, or basically anything that has come into contact with it.

Poison ivy contains a chemical called urushiol that causes reactions in over 80% of the population. This stuff is nasty and is why you should be able to identify poison ivy before you go out into the woods. Luckily, poison ivy is very easy to identify. All you need to remember is “leaves of three”. If it has three leaves, DON’T TOUCH IT!

Poison Oak

Poison oak is basically the same plant as poison ivy but looks slightly different. Where poison ivy has smooth clusters of three leaves poison oak has jagged-looking clusters of three leaves. But if you remember to stay away from anything with three leaves then you will be able to avoid this nasty plant as well. The leaves can appear green in the spring, yellow in the summer, and yellow to brown in the fall.

Poison Sumac

This poisonous plant grows as a deciduous tree or shrub in swamps and wetlands. It’s not as common as its cousins poison ivy and poison oak, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less dangerous. Poison sumac is a master of disguise because it looks like other types of harmless trees and it’s easy to overlook.

Characteristics of poison sumac include:

Poison sumac contains the same chemical that causes bad allergic reactions and is one of the poisonous plants to avoid here in Michigan. The slightest touch can ruin your day… or week.

A newer, less well-known poisonous plant in Michigan is pokeweed . These large poisonous plants grow naturally on the east coast but have found a new home in the midwest. This weed is not trying to fool anyone; it’s large green leaves, incredibly fast growth, and enormous height and width (six feet) give it away.

It can grow almost anywhere including gardens, fencerows, and flower pots. If it’s not controlled when it’s small it can quickly grow a deep taproot that is extremely difficult to remove. If you chop it down you’ll notice new shoots growing back as quickly as the next day.

In the summer it produces beautiful clusters of tiny white flowers that attract pollinators . In the fall the flowers turn into dark berries that are loved by birds. For mammals, however, it can cause diarrhea, stomach pain, muscle spasms, vomiting, convulsions, and even death if enough are eaten. This plant poses a serious threat to livestock and curious children.

Michigan’s Lawn Care Experts

At Custom Personalized Lawn Care , we have been providing our community with exceptional lawn care services since 1988. We handle everything from lawn care to pest control .

Call us at (800) 570-3313 or contact us on our website.

How to Attract Pollinators to Your Yard

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 08:30:00 GMT

Pollinators are a vital link in our ecosystem. Without them, there would be no more flowers or vegetables. Unfortunately, people underestimate their importance and the impact that pollinators have on our planet. Luckily, most gardeners know how important they are and openly invite butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds into their yards. But how do you attract them? We have come up with a list of tips to help you attract pollinators to your yard so these beneficial creatures can brighten up your garden.

Plant the Right Flowers

This is the most obvious and natural way to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Some flowers are more attractive than others. Make sure you choose flowers that are rich in nectar and pollen such as blooming annuals, perennials, and certain shrubs. If you are looking to help the butterfly population, then plant some milkweed, fennel, and dill for butterfly larvae to feed on.

There is nothing more special than watching a hummingbird hovering in front of your window. Hummingbird feeders and nectar can be bought at any hardware or garden shop. You can also make your own nectar at home. Just bring four cups of water to a boil, add one cup of sugar, remove from heat, and store in the refrigerator.

A Place to Live

Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds need shelter too. While hummingbirds make their nests in trees and bushes, butterflies and bees prefer overgrown areas in fencerows. Remember, a rotting tree or pile of leaves can be home to an entire ecosystem of insects. If having an overgrown part of your yard is not an option you can still enjoy butterflies by putting up butterfly houses around your garden. Make sure the hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies have a place to stay if you want to attract pollinators to your garden.

Provide Water

Pollinating flowers all day is thirsty work. To keep butterflies and hummingbirds around you need to satisfy all their needs. One of those needs is water. You can help them out by installing a pond, rain garden, or even a birdbath where they can get a drink of water without leaving your yard.

Keeping a couple of bee hives in your backyard won’t just benefit you but also the ecosystem. Bees are on the decline from industrial pesticides and human fear, but their importance to nature is immeasurable. Beekeeping is an interesting hobby and not only do you get your flowers pollinated quickly but you also can enjoy fresh homemade honey made from your own flowers.

Hire the Professionals

Not all insects in your yard are beautiful and harmless. Encountering them outside is one thing but encountering them in your kitchen is another. For comprehensive mosquito and pest control call the pros at Custom Lawn Care . We have several different programs to help defend your yard and make sure your special events go off without a hitch. Call (800) 570-3313 or contact us on our website.

Common Garden Pests In Michigan

Thu, 16 May 2019 15:06:00 GMT

It’s almost time to start planting that garden. It’s an exciting time for any gardener, but there is danger lurking around the corner. Garden pests are laying in wait for your new plants to start to grow. That’s when they’ll come out in full force, hungry from a winter’s sleep. By being vigilant and taking preventative action you can stop these pests from wreaking havoc on your garden.

Aphids

Aphids can come in many colors and many species but they all do damage to your garden plants. They feed by using their piercing mouthparts to suck out juices and sap from plants. They usually feed in groups on new plant growth or undersides of leaves and cause stem tips, new leaves, and buds to turn black and die. An aphid infestation can be exacerbated by over fertilization with nitrogen.

Crops Affected:

Roses, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, carrot crowns, geraniums, cabbage, kale.

How To Control Aphids: Aphids can be sprayed off with a garden hose where they are vulnerable to spiders and ants. You can also plant flowering herbs to attract wasps that prey on aphids.

Corn Earworms

As their name suggests, corn earworms feed on the tender ears of fresh corn. These worms pose the biggest threat to sweet corn in our area because once they are inside the ear they are impossible to remove.

The worms begin by attacking corn silk, where the moth deposits its eggs. After the eggs hatch the new caterpillars follow the silk down into the ear. The silk is often destroyed before pollination resulting in deformed or moldy ears.

How To Control Corn Earworms: Controlling corn earworms is a difficult task that requires year-round vigilance. There are a number of chemical sprays that can be used on the worms in all stages of life but this only works for one season. Cultural practices, including planting different varieties of corn, can help reduce the damage done by these worms.

Colorado Potato Beetles

Potato beetles are oval shaped, ⅜ inch long, and have a yellow shell with 10 narrow black stripes. In the spring the females lay clutches of eggs on the undersides of leaves. One female can lay up to 350 eggs in her lifetime.

When the larvae hatch they are red with black heads and have two rows of black spots on each side of their body. The larvae feed for 10-30 days on plant vegetation before reaching adulthood. The adults will continue to feed until they mate and lay eggs. There can be several generations of potato beetle every year.

How To Control Colorado Potato Beetles: Cover potato plants with a floating row cover to prevent potato beetles from reaching the plants. Handpick adults and larvae and drop them into a cup of soapy water.

Cucumber Beetle

Cucumber beetles are a quarter inch long yellow-green with three black stripes. They can cause serious damage to crops like cucumbers, watermelons, and cantaloupe. These beetles don’t just feed on these plants, they can also cause bacterial wilt.

The bacteria that causes bacterial wilt lives in the stomach of some of the cucumber beetles. When they emerge to feed in the spring, they spread the bacterium through their excrement or from their mouthparts. Once inside, the bacteria multiplies quickly. This produces blockages that cause the leaves to wilt and die. As beetles are attracted to the plant, they unwittingly pick up the bacteria and transfer it to other plants. There is nothing to be done to save a plant infected with bacterial wilt. Early preventative measures are essential to stopping the spread of bacterial wilt.

How To Control Cucumber Beetles: Cover plants with a row cover and remove it when plants flower.

Customizable Solutions From Custom Lawn Care

At Custom Personalized Lawn Care we have over 30 years of experience dealing with the problems that homeowners face. With our 7-step lawn care program, we can turn your yard into the yard you’ve always dreamed of.
Call (810) 736-3214 and ask about our perimeter pest control program . You can also leave a comment or r equest more information on our website.

Spring Cleaning Checklist

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 18:04:00 GMT

Spring is finally here fellow gardeners! It’s time to shed our winter coats and get back outside to do what we love to do. At first glance, your spring maintenance checklist might seem daunting. Where do you start? After the long and stormy winter, your yard might have taken a beating so your to-do list might be a lot longer than usual. Luckily we’ve thrown together some tips to get you started on your spring cleaning checklist and help you get your yard back into shape.

Rake and Clean Up

Time To Prune Your Trees and Shrubs

Be sure to pay some attention to your trees and shrubs. Pruning dead or unsightly branches can boost the appearance of your trees and the curb appeal of your yard. Trimming lower branches before the leaves start to form redirects nutrients to the rest of the tree so that it can get an extra boost in growth.

Prevent Mosquito Infestations

You can spend a lot of money on bug sprays, repellants, citronella candles, torches, and other products that claim to repel mosquitos or… you can take the proactive step of eliminating all the standing water in your yard. Take a stroll around your yard after it rains and you’ll be surprised at how many things can collect water and therefore are a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This includes tires, pots, lawn furniture, or children’s toys. Of course, there are reasons to keep standing water such as in a birdbath, rain barrel, or animal waterer. For these, you can purchase a mosquito dunk. These dissolvable pellets kill mosquito larvae and can be found at most hardware stores and are safe for plants and animals.

Over time our soil gets compacted from foot traffic and thatch buildup. When your soil is compacted, water, oxygen, and fertilizers can’t penetrate the soil and will just run off. When this happens, it’s time to aerate. Aerating your yard can revitalize your grass and encourage rapid growth by allowing air, water, and nutrients back into the roots. At Custom Personalized we offer a core aeration program guaranteed to make your lawn look better than you’ve ever seen it.

Plant Grass

When the snow melts and your grass begins to green up after the long winter, you may notice that your yard is sparse in areas or even dead. To fix this you’ll have to reseed, but before you start throwing money at any old grass seed it’s important to know the difference between cool-season and warm-season grasses. Professional landscapers use a strategic combination of both to create rich and vibrant yards that last long into the cold season where other lawns don’t.

Hire a Lawn Care Service

Take a break this year from all the back-breaking work that goes into yard maintenance by ordering professional lawn care services from Custom Personalized . Just call us at (810) 736-3214 or leave a message on our site.

2019 Lansing Home and Garden Show

Mon, 04 Mar 2019 19:13:00 GMT

Join us for the latest in lawn care

The strongest Home & Garden show in the Mid-Michigan area will be filling the MSU Pavilion on the campus of Michigan State University March 14th – 17th. Incredible gardens, extensive landscaping projects, a Standard Flower Show and four free seminar stages surround hundreds of exhibits featuring construction, remodeling, kitchens & baths, retail garden centers, pools and spas and home services.

Stop by our booth

One of the most exciting parts of this trade show is that it marks the start of spring, when everyone begins to plan for the annual green up of their lawn. We’ll be ready to talk all things lawn care as we offer up more than 30 years worth of experience and knowledge in the lawn care industry. As the largest family-owned lawn care company in Michigan, we especially love opportunities like this to meet face to face with local families and invite them to become a part of the Custom Lawn Care Family. We are proud of the fact that we are locally based and that your investment in your lawn are program will stay local here in Michigan. Stop by our newly revamped booth to meet our team and enter to win a FREE 5 Treatment Protector Plan of Mosquito Control Plus Perimeter Pest Control! Nothing is more exciting than a beautifully vibrant lawn as well as a pest free yard!!

Don’t miss your chance to visit

Show Dates & Hours:

Thursday, March 14th: 3pm – 9pm

Friday, March 15th: 12pm – 9pm

Saturday, March 16th: 10am – 9pm

Sunday, March 17th: 10am – 5pm

February Flea Control: Now Is The Best Time To Fight Back!

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 13:38:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered what happens to fleas in the winter? Do they die? Do they hibernate? Do they overwinter? Well, there is no stage in the life of a flea where it can survive the freezing cold temperatures, and they don’t hibernate. As opportunists, fleas get aggressive when the weather gets cold as they need to find a host to ensure survival through the winter months.

Your pet, and subsequently your home provides the fleas with everything they need for survival (warmth, shelter, and food), which means they are especially vulnerable this time of year. Once fleas are inside your home they will wreak havoc, and spread at a rapid pace. The good news is that February is the best time to fight back, and here are some of the reasons why!

The Fleas Development Process Is Significantly Slower

If you have a flea infestation in your home, chances are less than 10% of those fleas are adults. The majority will be eggs, larva, and pupae, which are much easier to deal with and are less of a threat to your family and pets.

Fleas Are Less Active

Under ideal conditions, the female flea can lay up to 50 eggs in one sitting. Because meals inside your home are more difficult to come by fleas are less active, meaning there are fewer eggs being deposited into your furniture, carpet, bedding, etc… Also, under ideal conditions, the eggs that are laid will hatch within 32-64 hours. Inside your home this process will take much longer, giving you more time to clean, vacuum, and wash any of the areas where fleas are present.

You Have Home Field Advantage

What’s Next?

While deep-cleaning areas your pets frequent, washing bed sheets, blankets, and pillowcases, and vacuuming your carpet and rugs are all effective methods of eliminating pests …

The best way to protect your home, your family, and your pets from fleas this winter is to call the experts at Custom Personalized Lawn Care. Contact us t oday at (800) 570-3313 to hear more about Our Flea Control Treatment Plan and how we can help you protect your yard, your home, and your loved ones from fleas all-year-round!

5 Trees That Will Brighten Up Your Winter Landscape

Thu, 07 Feb 2019 14:22:00 GMT

To a Michigander, our natural resources are a source of pride. Our trees and forests are visited annually by out-of-staters trying to glimpse the fall colors. We try to recreate that beauty in our own yards by planting beautiful native trees. But when winter comes and those trees lose their leaves it can leave your yard looking rather drab.

Brighten your winter landscape up a bit and stand out from the rest of the yards in your neighborhood by planting some trees with color.

Crabapples are familiar trees in Michigan and are definitely an eye-catcher in the winter. If it’s bright colors you’re looking for then look no further than the crabapple. It may be overlooked in the summer but in the winter it shines. Its bright red and orange fruit cling on to the tree throughout the winter months making it the perfect winter tree. The tasty fruit also attracts overwintering birds.

Quaking Aspen

The quaking aspen made the list due to its white bark that really compliments a winter landscape. The beauty of the quaking aspen actually begins in the fall when its leaves turn a brilliant gold color and appear to “quake” in the wind.

Blue Spruce

The blue spruce has been a favorite of Michigan homeowners for generations for use as a barrier or just to “spruce” up your yard. In the winter, when all of their competition is leafless, the blue spruce steals the show. No longer casually looked-over, the blue spruce dominates winter landscapes and is a great addition to any winter landscape.

Winterberry Holly

It’s hard to find color in winter when everything seems lifeless but you can add some with the winterberry holly. You’ll be glad you did because this tree produces bright red berries that stick around all winter and provide food for birds and deer. Plant a few of them around your yard and you’ll have visitors outside your window every morning.

Coral bark maple trees can be enjoyed year-round. In the spring its leaves are a bright green color. Then in the summer, the leaves turn a deep lush green. In the fall is when the real show begins as its leaves put on a display of orange and gold. But then something different happens. As it loses its leaves its bark begins to turn red. The colder it gets the redder the bark becomes. Add this tree to your landscape to add some contrast to your other winter trees.

Start planning your next year’s winter landscape and start thinking about this year’s spring landscape. Get quality lawn care from Custom Personalized and take it easy this year. Call us at (800) 570-3313 or leave us a message on our site.

Give the Green Gift of Lawn Care!

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 15:22:00 GMT

Custom Lawn Care’s Guide to Perfect Holiday Gift Ideas

There are less than 2 weeks left until Christmas and many of us are still struggling to look for those special holiday gift ideas for someone on our list. Don’t settle for that last minute bargain bin junk. Give someone you love the gift of peace of mind and a year-round beautiful yard.

It’s the perfect gift for new homeowners who have no idea what they are doing, old homeowners who have no idea what they are doing, or maybe you just know someone who needs a little help with their yard.

Check out these holiday gift ideas from Custom Lawn Care and give the gift that keeps on giving: A healthy lawn.

Mosquito Control Plus Perimeter Pest Control

Let’s face it, you can only enjoy your backyard if mosquitos let you. You can buy sprays, candles or other crazy home remedies to ward off these annoying pests but they always seem to find that one spot of exposed skin.

And what about inside? Do you or someone you know have a bug problem? Do you find yourself a hunting down bugs in your home like an insecticidal maniac? If you have a mosquito problem outside or a bug problem inside then we have the perfect holiday gift ideas for you. Check out our Mosquito control plus perimeter pest control program.

At Custom Lawn Care we offer a 5 step, year-round mosquito control program. The best part: it comes with our perimeter pest control program, FREE, to give you and your family peace of mind next year.

We come armed with commercial grade fumigation backpacks and target all the areas in your yard that mosquitos love to hang out. Unlike sprays, candles, and DIY repellants our stuff kills mosquitoes and their larvae. We will make visits throughout the year from spring until fall to make sure your yard can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

Give the gift of a pest and mosquito-free home and yard with our mosquito control plus perimeter pest control program. Prevent mosquitos, earwigs, spiders, beetles, and other insects from making their way into your home or ruining your backyard barbeques. This holiday gift keeps getting better: we offer 10% off all prepays made by January 10, 2019!

Flea And Tick Control

It may be too cold for fleas to live outside but your home is the perfect temperature for the ones that have been brought in by pets. Fleas are brought into your home by dogs and cats in the fall where they hatch and can quickly become a problem. Flea eggs on dogs or cats can fall off into your carpet or on your furniture where they can hatch at a later date. The best way to get rid of fleas is to prevent them from getting into your house in the first place.

Spare your loved ones from the annoying task of DIY pest control. There’s so many different pesticides and application methods that if you choose the wrong one it can cause real harm to your plants or even you and your pets.

Once fleas have gotten into your home it can be a long and tough battle to get rid of them. At Custom Lawn Care, we have a great gift idea for you. We provide a 5 step comprehensive flea and tick control program that will keep your house pest free year-round.

New customers get half-off their last treatment signing up for all 5 treatments. Give the gift of a pest free home this season for the ones you love.

Grub Control

Grubs are the number 1 cause of lawn problems in Michigan. They kill the roots of your grass leaving you with brown patches all over your yard. Not to mention they also attract moles that can do even more damage to your landscape. Get a head start next year with our GrubPro treatment that prevents the hatching of eggs from:

Fertilize That Lawn & Control Those Weeds

It takes time, patience, and know-how to properly fertilize a yard. Here at Custom Lawn Care our trained professionals know when to apply fertilizer and how to treat and how to kill treat for weeds. They will even set you up with a fertilization schedule!

Crabgrass, thistles, and dandelions, oh my! The seeds of these nuisances are already sown in your yard ready to spring up and take over your lawn when winter thaws. Don’t procrastinate, nip weeds in the bud next spring by scheduling our 7 step lawn program. We will spray your lawn first thing in the spring to prevent weeds from growing and continue with targeted spot treatments throughout the year. Now that’s a great holiday gift idea!

Don’t hassle with heavy, smelly bags of store-bought fertilizer. Stop guessing what balance of Nitrogen to phosphorus ratio your yard requires. With our lawn fertilization program, you will get targeted, seasonal fertilizer year round to make your grass the envy of the neighborhood. Don’t wait, call us today and we will be out there first thing in the spring to give your yard an early advantage.

Winter Maintenance: Keeping Your Lawn Healthy

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 14:05:00 GMT

It’s been a cold and wet fall this year and for a lot of us in Michigan, it meant more raking than usual. On top of that, we had an earlier than usual snow that caused many people to not rake as much as they had wanted. But this week we saw a brief return of warmer temperatures giving us one more chance to get out there and finish raking and doing whatever we need to do to get our lawns ready for winter.

Lay Down More Mulch

If you have more leaves to rake then you have more mulch at your disposal. Ride over them a few times with the lawn mower to chew them up into a fine mulch you can spread around your trees and perennials.

Prepare Your Garden For Next Year

An empty garden is a great place to dump your leaves. Spread them out, mix them up, till them into the soil. It’s a great way to put nutrients and moisture into your soil. If you plan on starting a new garden or just expanding on your existing one, try layering cardboard, leaves, and grass clippings. By the time spring arrives, you will have a ready-to-plant garden without all the hard work of ripping up sod.

Spread Grass Seed

Add some green to your lawn mixing cool-season grasses into your existing lawn. This will give your yard a green and fuller look well into fall and early in the spring.

Prepare For The Snow Plows

If you use salt on your walkways, driveways, or have plants near the road make sure they are protected from salt. Salt sucks up moisture and can burn your plants so apply carefully. Whether you plow your snow yourself or have someone else do it make sure that snow is not piled up on fragile plants and bushes. Always pile snow at low points in your yard or driveway.

Spread Some Winter Fertilizer

Using an a ppropriate fertilizer can make all the difference to your yard in the spring. At Custom Lawn Care , we provide a 7 step lawn care program that includes yearlong fertilization and weed prevention.

Call Custom Lawn Care today at one of our three convenient locations or leave us a message and we will get back to you.

4 Tips For A Tick-Free Home This Winter in Michigan

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 21:35:00 GMT

Michigan winters are tough. We get tons of snow, freezing rain, ice, cold temperatures, and… Ticks? Yes, ticks. There are over 20 known tick species in Michigan, and they don’t die off in the wintertime. Instead, ticks have two options when the weather gets cold: lay dormant, or (ideally) find a warm-blooded host to latch onto. This means your family and pets are at risk of a tick bite, which could ultimately lead to a tick infestation in your home.

Thankfully there are measures you can take to protect your home, your loved ones, and your pets from ticks. Follow these 4 tips to keep those nasty pests OUT!

Ticks prefer to hide out in natural wooded areas where there are lots of trees, leaves, tall grass, and cover. The most common ticks found in these areas in Michigan are:

It is critical in these months to constantly check yourself, and your pets for ticks. Especially when you go outside (even if it’s just in your front yard!) Ticks prefer to hide out in dark, moist places, so make sure you check under armpits, and between the creases in your knees and elbows. For your pets, make sure you thoroughly check their coat. There are even tools you can purchase that helps reveal the ticks when inspecting your dog or cat.

Tip #2: Protect Your Skin

While it is important to be aware of common tick areas, you don’t have to completely avoid them. After all, late fall/early winter hikes on a sunny day are wonderful! However, it is important to take measures to protect yourself from a potential tick bite. Here are some ways to do that:

This one is for the cats and dogs, as they are unable to protect themselves with clothing as we can. Instead, a tick preventative can take on that role and keep those pests off your pets, and away from your home!

Most of these preventatives will eliminate ticks on contact, and will put a stop to any future infestations. This is accomplished by utilizing two chemicals: fipronil, which attacks the ticks nervous system, and methoprene, which prevents ticks from growing and doing any future damage.

Tip #4: Call The Professionals

At Custom Lawn Care our tick control program will help create a safe, tick-free home for you and your loved ones this winter. Our 5-step tick service will create a barrier of protection around your home, which will keep the ticks right where they belong… Outside.

Give us a call today at 800-570-3313 to hear more about this program, and how we can help you take back your yard once and for all!

3 Winter Lawn Care Tips: Michigan Edition

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 20:19:00 GMT

Do A Full Fall Cleanup

This includes: Raking leaves and dead grass, cleaning gutters, trimming trees and shrubs, clearing lawn debris, and weeding. Here are the reasons why a fall cleanup is important:

Stay Off Your Lawn After A Frost

F rost is a coating of ice that forms in humid air, usually on cold winter nights. When frosts occur, the moisture that moves through your grass freezes, but the frost generally stays above ground (so the root systems are not affected). However, if you consistently walk on your lawn post-frost you are at risk of breaking the grass blades. Which can cause cellular damage in the root systems and brown patches in the springtime. Avoid this by staying off your lawn post-frost, and make sure others do the same.

Be Aware Of Possible Damages Caused By Snow Removal

These damages can be caused by:

You have invested your hard earned time and money into your lawn this year. Don’t let the harsh Michigan weather have its way. Instead, give us a call at 800-570-3313 . We have a customized lawn care program designed with your lawn in mind. Our trained professionals will take your lawn through a step-by-step yearlong program to guarantee the best results. Contact us today for more information!

4 Last Minute Tips for Lawn Winterization

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 16:27:00 GMT

Here in the Midwest, we know that once November rolls around, winter weather could be here any time. With the cool season grasses typically found up here in the mitten, it’s important to winterize. Unfortunately, our fall has been a wet and windy one. That means that winterization efforts may have been delayed. With winter at our doorsteps, here are some last minute lawn winterization tips!

Pre-Winter Fertilizer

Michigan is notorious for its unapologetic and seemingly endless winters. The freezing temperatures and heavy snow can be extremely stressful for our lawns. Don’t worry, there’s a way to help: pre-winter fertilizer.

Using a pre-winter fertilizer at the end of the fall is probably the best thing you can do for your lawn all year. Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fine and tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass beef up during fall. They soak up nutrients, strengthen their root systems, and grow to prepare for the winter. Pre-winter fertilizers help your lawn out by giving it the nutrients it needs, specifically potassium. Potassium will help to make your lawn resistant to the cold and stresses of Michigan’s unforgiving winter. Not only will your lawn be healthier this winter, but it’ll also store these nutrients and be ready come spring!

Aerate

Another great way to get your lawn ready for the winter is aeration. Basically, aeration is the process of poking holes or pulling up plugs of soil from your lawn. Usually by this time of year the soil of our lawn is pretty compacted. If you aerate your lawn it’ll loosen up your soil, allowing air, water, and nutrients to get to the roots. When used with a pre-winter fertilizer, lawn aeration can be a real game changer.

What About the Leaves?

Let’s face it, nobody likes raking leaves. It’s an endless job and one that (unless your trees miraculously stop growing) gets more difficult every year. However, eliminating leaf debris is an absolute must if you want a healthy lawn in the spring.

The fall this year has been an especially wet one, making it difficult for homeowners to get out and rake those leaves. By now there are plenty of lawns with a vast yellow and brown blanket of leaves covering their grass. The grass beneath this leafy layer is absolutely begging for help! The leaves trap moisture while blocking sunlight and air from getting down to the grass. If left all winter, you may have a wicked snow mold problem when the snow melts this spring.

Ready, Set, Mow!

Don’t put that lawn mower away just yet. End of the year mowing is a great way to get your lawn ready for the dormant winter months. Not only that, it will help keep the pests away as the temperatures continue to drop. Insects and mice tend to look for tall grass to nest in for the winter. As the temperatures drop, those pests in your scruffy lawn will get closer and closer to your house. Before you know it, you have a pest problem in your home! Mow your lawn this fall and make your lawn unappealing to pests. A good rule of thumb is to cut your lawn a ½ inch shorter than you normally would in the summer.

Call the Professionals

There’s still time t o get your lawn ready for winter! Custom Lawn Care has pre-winter fertilization treatments and an aeration service that will help you get your lawn ready for the winter months ahead. Contact us now or call (800) 570-3313 for more information.

Custom Personalized Lawn Care

What Happens to Your Lawn in the Winter?

Your Grass Goes Dormant - Not Dead

Roots Keep Working Even When You Don’t Notice

Snow, Ice, and Salt All Affect Your Lawn

Winter Is the Best Time to Plan Your Spring Strategy

Your Yard Still Needs Protection in Winter

All About Liquid Aeration and Overseeding

Benefits of Liquid Aeration and Overseeding

Why Custom Personalized Lawn Care for Aeration and Overseeding?

When to Schedule Liquid Aeration and Overseeding

Late-Summer Crabgrass: Why It Shows Up Along Edges

Why the Edges Are Vulnerable

What’s Going On With Your Lawn

How Custom Personalized Lawn Care Responds

Summer Lawn Fertilization in Michigan: Why It Matters

Why Summer Fertilization Is So Important

Summer Fertilization Tips for Michigan Homeowners

Why Choose Custom Personalized Lawn Care?

Why Choose a Lawn Care Provider over DIY?

Here’s why choosing a lawn care expert is the smarter investment:

1. Expert Knowledge of Michigan Lawns

2. Save Time and Effort

3. Better, Longer-Lasting Results

4. Tailored Programs to Fit Your Lawn

5. Cost-Effective in the Long Run

Your Lawn Deserves Custom Care

Everything Your Lawn Needs for Spring

Essential Spring Lawn Care Steps

Lawn Cleanup

Dethatching

Aeration

Overseeding and Reseeding

Fertilization

Weed Control

Pest Inspection

Call The Experts for Your Lawn

Get your FREE quote today!

Winter Threats To Your Lawn

Types of Winter Pests

Winterkill

Desiccation

Direct Low-Temperature Kill

Snow Mold

Voles

Get Pest Control In Winter With Help from Custom Personalized Lawn Care

Preparing Your Lawn Equipment For Winter

Winterize Your Lawn Equipment

Winterizing Your Lawn Mower

Drain or Stabilize the Fuel

Inspect the Blades

Clean the Deck

Drain and Replace Your Lawn Mower’s Oil

To do so, you should:

Clean or Replace Air Filter

Inspect All Internal Parts

Winterize Your Garden Equipment

To Disinfect

Dry and Store Them

Need Help With Lawn Maintenance

Home Maintenance: Protecting Your Home From Fall Pests

Keep Fall Pests Outside Where They Belong

Repair and Replace Screens

Caulk Cracks

Keep Debris Away From Your Home

Call The Professionals at Custom Personalized

Top 4 Ways To Protect Your Home From Pests This Winter

﻿ #1 – Seal Entry Points

﻿ #2 – Clean, Organize, and De-Clutter

﻿ #4 – Call The Professionals

Know the Difference: Crabgrass, Quackgrass, and Tall Fescue

Knowing the Difference Between these Lookalikes is Key to a Successful Treatment.

Crabgrass

Quackgrass

Tall Fescue

Let Us Handle It

Pest Control Strategy: Keep Your Property Pest Free This Year

﻿ Get Rid of the Grubs

﻿ Keep the Mosquitoes Away

﻿ Prevent Home Pests With Perimeter Pest Control

#1 – Seal Entry Points

#2 – Clean, Organize, and De-Clutter

#4 – Call The Professionals

Get Rid of the Grubs

Keep the Mosquitoes Away

Prevent Home Pests With Perimeter Pest Control

Common Interior Pests in Michigan:

Protect Your Family From Fleas and Ticks

Let Custom Personalized Lawn Care Help With Your 2020 Pest Control Strategy

You exercise

Your wardrobe choice

You sweat a lot

You have type O blood

Your age & size

Get Rid of Mosquitoes!

Fleas

Ways to Prevent Fleas and Ticks

Trim Your Trees and Shrubs

Block High-Risk Areas

Get Professional Ti ck Control Services

Eliminate Other Breeding Areas

However, there is a way you can still enjoy your water features and control mosquitoes at the same time.

Natural Repellants

Natural mosquito-repelling plants include:

Make A Mosquito Trap

The only i tems you need are:

Call The Professionals at Custom Personalized

Dandelion

What is Lawn Overseeding?

5 Tips For Lawn Overseeding

1. Overseed in early fall.

2. Mow your lawn short.

3. Choose a diversified seed mix.

4. Follow the correct seeding ratio.

Custom Lawn Care’s Aeration Services

Pre-Emergent Control

Keep Your Grass Healthy

Mulch

Spot Treating

Hire The Professionals At Custom