Most Common Problems in Desert Lawns

Living in the hot, hot desert, it seems like a miracle if our lawns are green and flowers are blooming. Of course, it really isn’t that hard to keep your Las Vegas landscaping healthy. It just takes some extra care and watering. As attendant as you may be to your lawn, there are a plethora of problems that can arise and destroy all the work you’ve accomplished. So, your trusted landscapers have compiled a list of problems in order from least to most common with simple solutions.

Insect Infestation

Pesky insects such as larvae, chinch bugs and leafhoppers like to feed on grass. This results in discoloration and bald spots in our lawn. These infestations usually occur if the lawn is over watered. It seems odd to think that plants in a desert can be over watered, but it is a true fact. A simple solution to this problem is to water your lawn appropriately. This means not watering between the hours of 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. Also be aware of the weather forecast during the summer. If the summer rains are approaching, turn off your sprinkler system.

Mineralized Soil

When your lawn starts appearing pale and your efforts to fertilize it aren’t working, you can attribute it to the excessive amounts of alkaline in the soil. Common human activities can cause this. Things like changing a car’s oil, painting or dumping out solvents into the lawn will cause this. Also, shallow watering too frequently will wash away all the nutrients and cause minerals to build up. In order to stop this problem, you’ll need to invest in organic fertilizers. If you have trouble determining which ones are right, contact our Las Vegas landscaping services.

Soil Compaction

Your landscape will appear thin and patchy. You’ll notice some areas look under watered while others look over watered. This is caused by a buildup of dead grass and foot traffic. It will cause the soil to compact which will kill the grass. We recommend that you dethatch your lawn in the fall once every two years. This can be done using a rake or attaching a blade to your lawn mower. This will remove all the excess dead grass and restore its health. Also, try to avoid walking along the grass as often as possible to extend its life.

Inadequate Sprinkler Coverage

This will be visibly obvious if you have both green and brown patches of grass in your lawn. Your sprinklers could be failing to cover the entire landscape for one of the following reasons:

• Clogged sprinkler nozzle
• Broken pipe underground
• Improper spacing between nozzles
• Different nozzle heads
• Nozzle heads turn the wrong way
• Nozzle heads are loose

Hire a trusted Las Vegas landscaping service to inspect your sprinkler system to determine the problem. Consider Showcase Land Care. They offer awesome discounts for new customers. For more information about a Las Vegas landscaping service you can count on, contact 702.531.6789.