Lawn Services

Over time our lawn’s soil can become compacted. Heavy soils such as clay or lawns that experience high foot traffic are more prone to soil compaction. This compaction prevents the movement of air, water and fertilizer down to the roots. This in turn reduces the roots ability to provide nutrients to the rest of the grass plant, resulting in poor plant health.

At Al’s Lawn and Garden we have machines called core aerators which reduce soil compaction. These machines pull a small plug of soil from the lawn allowing your grass to effectively absorb nutrients resulting in vigorous turf growth. These small plugs are generally left on the lawn where they will quickly breakdown and act as a natural topdressing.

Please note: Rolling lawns in the spring can result in soil compaction. Al’s Lawn and Garden does not provide this service for that reason. However if you do have your lawn rolled it is highly recommended to follow up with a core aeration.

What is thatch?

Thatch is a layer of organic matter consisting mostly of dead grass plants and leaves. This thatch lays down horizontally between the grass plant and the soil. Overtime thatch can build up to a point where it no longer allows air, water, and fertilizer to the roots, resulting in poor turf health.

Al’s Lawn and Garden has crews that specialize at reducing your lawns thatch layer. Our dethatchers have sharp knives that vertically cut into this thatch layer. This process brings thatch to the lawn’s surface where it is then raked and disposed of by our crew. This reduction of thatch will allow water, air and fertilizer down to the roots resulting in improved turf health. Dethatching is primarily done in the spring and fall.

Overseeding after dethatching is a common practice, as dethatching encourages good seed to soil contact which is vital for seed germination.

Your lawn’s best defence against weeds and crabgrass is to have a thick full lawn. Weeds and crabgrass like to have elbow room and do not like to be crowded. Therefore a thick lawn discourages these pests by eliminating the space they require to grow.

The most cost effective way to achieve a thick lawn is to have a well balanced fertilization program in place. Our lawn programs provide this balance. We use premium granular fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorous and potash.

These 3 nutrients are essential for optimum turf health and growth. Our applications are done with the proper and correct amount of fertilizer and at the proper time and frequency. This method ensures that your lawn receives the full benefits of a scheduled and well balanced lawn program.

Al\’s Lawn and Garden provides hydro seeding in the Chatham-Kent Area. This service is primarily used when other turf establishment methods such as sod are not cost effective or practical.

Hydroseeding is a planting process that involves a slurry of water, grass seed, fertilizer and processed bales of mulch. This slurry is created and mixed in a tank that is mounted on a truck or trailer and transported to the job site where it is sprayed over the area to be seeded. The fibrous mulch contained in the slurry accelerates the growing process by maintaining moisture around the seeds, thereby increasing germination.

Keep in mind that proper watering of seeded or hydroseeded lawns is vital to the success of seed germination. Please refer to ‘How to Water’ in our FAQ section. More info about seeding a lawn is found in the seed and sod section

In 1981 lawn cutting was one of our primary services. Over the past 34 years our staff have gained valuable experience in enhancing the appeal of your weekly lawn cutting. Our machines are top quality and provide great results. We sharpen our blades daily to give the best quality cut.

We can provide lawn cutting service to all residential, commercial, and industrial properties including luxury townhouse condos, apartment buildings, hospitals, and municipal properties

Our crews are trained, insured, uniformed, and well equipped to provide you with a consistent, efficient, and professional lawn cutting services week after week.

We have full time office staff to quickly respond to any of your questions, and to forward any customers instructions to our radio equipped crews. If you want professional, dependable and hassle free lawn cutting services be sure to contact us.

Al’s Lawn and Garden is built on a solid reputation of providing cost effective and beneficial lawn renovation services in the Chatham Kent area for over 30 years. Over time your lawn will require some help to keep it healthy, vigorous and strong. If your lawn is beginning to look tired and thin, it may be time for a turf renovation or makeover.

Full Renovation

The extent of the renovation will be dependant upon your lawn’s overall condition. If the majority of the lawn is full of weeds and weed grasses, a full renovation may be in order. This type of renovation involves the removal of the existing turf and is then replaced with #1 sod. This type of reno is generally labour intensive. However, the results are satisfaction guaranteed! We can do the front yard, the backyard, or both. Whatever your situation we can get the job done!

Note: Keep in mind if you decide to go with a full renovation now would be a time to consider the installation of a convenient underground lawn sprinkler system. Dragging hoses and leaving the sprinkler left on can be a thing of the past. Call the office today to recieve a quote on a trouble and hassle free automatic sprinkler system.

Looking to add instant curb appeal to your property? Tired of looking at that weed infested lawn? It may be time to invest in a beautiful, thick and green, lush sodded lawn.

Sod continues to be a solid investment and provides instant results which add up to complete customer satisfaction. Whether it’s a residential or commercial property, the experts at Al’s Lawn and Garden can provide you with lawn sodding services. Our crews take the time to properly grade and prepare your site for correct drainage and optimum sod results. We always use the best #1 sod available which is guaranteed to enhance any outdoor space.

Should I Seed or Should I Sod? That is the Question

At Al’s Lawn and Garden we prefer to over-seed a lawn when our goal is to rejuvenate an existing lawn. This service can be cost effective and practical and provides beneficial results in these situations.

If we are installing a new lawn we prefer to sod the lawn because it produces consistent results.

Although seeding a new lawn is initially less expensive it unfortunately and rarely provides satisfactory results.

This has not always been the case. Whenever you seed a new lawn you will get weeds, from one degree to another, even if you did everything right. Weed seeds are simply everywhere, and will germinate faster than grass seeds. Years ago, when this occurred, you would allow the weeds and the lawn to germinate and grow together. After the area had been cut a few times you could then simply apply a weed control which would kill the weeds and allow the turf to get the upper hand. However this process is no longer available due to the Ontario wide ban of cosmetic pesticides. This being said there are situations where seeding will still be the most cost effective way to establish a lawn, particularly in larger settings where sod costs would initially be too expensive.

We can and will continue to provide seeding services to our customers. However, we feel it is our obligation to inform our customers the pros and cons of seeding and how the Ontario pesticide ban has negatively affected the success of turf establishment when using grass seed.

Note: Seeding in the fall rather then spring usually provides slightly better results because there is less competition from weeds and crabgrass. We also provide a hydroseeding service in the Chatham Kent area which is a method used for seeding lawns and promotes quick grass seed germination.

For more information, please refer to our hydroseeding area.

Watering your lawn is essential for optimum turf health. Al’s Lawn and Garden can design and install a lawn sprinkler systems which will efficiently and economically water your lawn for years of dependable and trouble free service. We offer spring start ups and mid season check ups to make any adjustments or repairs necessary to ensure your system is running properly.

We also provide a winterization service commonly known as a “blow out” which removes water from your sprinkler system using a high volume industrial air compressor. This economical service will prevent damage from water left to freeze in the sprinkler system’s pipes, heads and other and valves to eliminate costly and unnecessary repairs.

All our systems come with an automated controller to start and stop your system any time you wish. Put the frustration of dragging heavy and kinked garden hoses back into the shed. Let an automated sprinkler system give your lawn the water it needs to be the greenest lawn on the block.

Weed Management

The best way to have a weed free lawn is to have a consistent and well balanced fertilizer program in place. This will promote a thick lawn which in turn prevents weed establishment. Our lawn programs include fertilizer applications which will encourage and maintain a thick lawn. For more info visit our lawncare programs section.

Fiesta, which is a post emergent liquid weed control, can also be used to help control and suppress many of the common broad-leaf weeds found in lawns. Our lawn programs combine fertilizer applications with Fiesta applications which give you the best weed control methods available in Ontario.

Insect Control

White grubs, Chinch bugs, and bill bugs are some of the more common lawn insects which can cause significant turf damage if left unnoticed. If you observe dry or sunken patches in your lawn that do not respond to frequent deep waterings, your lawn may be suffering from an insect infestation. If this is the case promptly contact one of our turf specialists to discuss your lawn, and Al’s Lawn and Garden will provide options to prevent further damage.