Overseeding: What Is It and Why Should You Do It?

Weller Brothers lawn care professional overseeding a lawn in Sioux Falls, SD

Overseeding: What Is It and Why Should You Do It?

Are bare spots and thinning grass blades taking over your lawn?

Do you fertilize your lawn and seed the soil every spring, but your turf just won’t grow as lush and green as your neighbor’s?

Weller Brothers Landscape Professionals is here to help you understand why overseeding may have failed in the past and how it can help save your lawn this year!

What is Overseeding?

Overseeding is an easy method of planting grass seed that avoids disturbing the soil in your yard.

This method differs from new lawn seeding because overseeding is exactly like it sounds – planting new seed over an existing lawn.

When to Overseed Your Lawn

You should overseed in the fall, typically between late August and early October before the first freeze.

In the Midwest, we recommend that lawns be seeded with cool-season grass that is best acclimated to our temperate climates. The most common grasses used in our area are Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, which are designed to thrive in cooler temperatures.

When planted outside the appropriate season, these grasses will struggle to germinate and grow in the summer heat. This will result in having to re-overseed again in the fall. If you’ve struggled with overseeding before, perhaps this timing was the problem.

Fall is also the time of year when you should aerate your lawn. At Weller Brothers, we always recommend that overseeding be performed alongside aeration in the fall.

Important Factors to Consider When Assessing Your Lawn

If you notice any of the following conditions in your lawn, it is important to consult with a lawn care professional. They will determine if overseeding should take place sooner rather than later.

Thin Grass
Bare Patches
Invasive Weeds
Brittle Grass Blades
Undesirable Grass Types
Spreading Fungal Infections
Pest Damage
Poor Drainage

Lawn in Sioux Falls, SD that has not been properly maintained.

Can You Overseed in the Spring?

You shouldn’t. Here’s why.

Cool-season seeds need cooler temperatures to germinate; warm-season seeds perform best when planted in the warmer weather of late spring or early summer. However, we do not recommend using warm-season grass seeds in the Midwest climate zone, which is why Weller Brothers Landscaping overseeds in the fall.

Springtime is when we begin our fertilizer program, beginning with the pre-emergent. Pre-emergent is an herbicide that produces a protective barrier across the soil surface to prevent weeds from emerging. Pre-emergent is non-selective, which means it will prevent the growth of any non-established vegetation – not just undesirable weeds and grasses.

Spring pre-emergent application is crucial to the health of your lawn, as it is the best method of fighting off weeds before they disrupt new grass growth. Even if pre-emergent is not applied, cool-season grass seeded in spring will develop shallow roots because the conditions are not ideal for growing. This is why we do not recommend overseeding in the spring.

Contact Us For Overseeding in Sioux Falls, Rochester, or Des Moines

As winter approaches, don’t miss out on the benefits you’ll see next spring from overseeding in the fall.

The lawn care professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, Des Moines, IA, and Rochester, MN, have the experience to properly overseed your lawn today.

Lawn Aeration: What, Why, and When

Professional lawn aeration by a lawn care professional

Lawn Aeration: What, Why, and When

Fall is almost here, but that does not mean lawn care should stop! As you create your pre-snow checklist, make sure to add fall lawn aeration to the very top.

Your lawn is a significant investment, and you may be wondering why you should add another service expense when it is about to snow.

Prepping your lawn in the fall ensures that when springtime rolls around you will earn the status of “best lawn on the block” and brag about it at the spring BBQ.

The professionals at Weller Brothers are ready to help you make winter prep a breeze. Learn more about lawn aeration and why it benefits your yard.

What is Lawn Aeration?

Aeration is a process that involves perforating the soil with small holes to allow air, water, and nutrients to penetrate deep into the root zone.

The primary benefit of fall lawn aeration is to improve nutrient absorption into your lawn. Over time due to foot traffic, mowing, or fertilizing machinery, your lawn will become compacted. Fall aeration alleviates soil compaction and breaks down thatch build-up, promoting root growth and overall lawn health.

How Is Lawn Aeration Performed?

When you schedule lawn aeration with Weller Brothers, our team brings a core aerator to your property. This machine has hollow tines that puncture the soil about 2-3 inches deep, removing “plugs” from the lawn every 3 inches.

Then, your soil is left with holes that allow air, water, and nutrients to reach the turf root system more effectively. After the plugs are removed from the soil they can be broken up to decompose, adding nutrients back into your soil. This process promotes healthy grass growth and prepares your lawn for the cold season ahead.

How Does Lawn Aeration Prevent Disease?

Midwest seasons can be unpredictable, meaning that record rainfalls in the spring are possible and will lead to lawn disease if air cannot circulate throughout your lawn. Aeration not only keeps your lawn looking healthy, but it also reduces the risk of disease outbreaks on your lawn.

Lawn disease is never anything that can be predicted, but it can be prevented! It can be caused by a variety of different factors including heavy rainfall, thatch build-up, and lack of nutrients. Red Thread and Blight disease can be easily prevented by several cultural practices.

Promoting good cultural practices such as regular mowing, trimming edges, aeration, and dethatching will minimize the chances of your lawn catching a “summertime sickness”.

When to Aerate Your Lawn

The recommended and best time to aerate your lawn is in the fall when the grass growth is starting to slow in preparation for the winter. Aeration in the fall will help give your lawn a head start on the growing season.

Fall lawn aeration allows for lawn care programs, including fertilizer and weed control, to be able to work more effectively and efficiently. Weller Brothers commonly utilizes a 5-step fertilizer and weed control program. The first step is key to a green and lush lawn, as it includes pre-emergent for crabgrass and granular fertilizer.

Contact Us For Aeration in Sioux Falls or Rochester

As winter approaches, don’t miss out on the benefits of lawn aeration:

Improved drainage in areas prone to standing water
More efficient nutrient absorption by the root system
Reduced thatch later, which impedes water and nutrient absorption
Prevents fungal disease that thrives in moist, compacted conditions

The lawn care professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, Des Moines, IA, and Rochester, MN, have the experience and equipment to properly aerate your lawn this fall.

Rochester Sioux Falls

How to Identify and Prevent Blight Disease In Your Lawn

a Midwest lawn has brown spots from blight disease

How to Identify and Prevent Blight Disease In Your Lawn

We all know what it’s like to feel stressed out. So does your lawn!

When your lawn is stressed, the leaves and blades of grass may turn brown, bleached, or straw-colored. This is a clear symptom of blight disease.

Similar to with Red Thread Disease, your lawn will grow out of blight disease, but it takes practice adjustments and time. The best way to prevent blight is to take preventative measures to keep your lawn stress- and fungus-free.

Why Did My Lawn Get Blight?

Your lawn becomes stressed by several factors, including:

weather and moisture fluctuations
compacted soil
improper mowing or watering practices

When any of these occur, blight disease takes over and you’ll see large, irregular patches of dead or discolored grass in your yard.

While this looks bad, there’s good news – blight primarily affects the leaves but doesn’t damage the roots, so it’s not a serious long-term threat to your lawn.

How Can I Prevent Blight?

The best way to prevent blight disease in your Midwest lawn is to keep it healthy and stress-free. We typically see blight disease appear on lawns that have received poor watering practices, are mowed with dull blades, or have a very thick thatch layer.

So, here are some initial steps you can take to improve your lawn care practices:

Perform deep and infrequent watering vs. frequent and shallow watering. This allows the water to soak further into the soil, encouraging the grass to develop deep roots that can withstand stressful dry periods.
Maintain proper mowing height for the grass type (usually 2-3 inches), which allows the grass to shade the soil and retain moisture.
Sharpen mower blades regularly. This creates clean cuts that heal faster and are less prone to infection.
Perform core aeration in the spring and fall. When soil becomes compacted, it restricts nutrient movement to the roots. This causes stress, making it more susceptible to fungal diseases. Aeration alleviates this compaction.
Perform dethatching/power raking in the spring. Thick thatch layers trap moisture and create a humid environment in your lawn’s soil – a perfect place for fungus! When you remove this excess thatch, air can circulate better near the neal and reduce moisture build-up.

If you don’t have the time or desire to follow lawn care practices like proper watering, mowing, aeration, and dethatching, then maybe it’s time to hire a full-service lawn care team like Weller Brothers!

How Do I Treat Blight?

Once you address the stress factors by implementing the above practices, blight disease will likely resolve on its own. We do not recommend treating blight with fungicides but rather by correcting the stress-causing practices.

So, here are your next steps if your lawn has blight disease:

Identify the stress-causing factor(s). Are your mower blades dull? Has it been years since you’ve had aeration and dethatching?
Fix the issue. For example, get new mower blades. Or, schedule aeration and dethatching with Weller Brothers.
Give it time. Once you have addressed the stress factor, your lawn should bounce back to health in 4-6 mowings.

Weller Brothers Is Here to Help

There are many turf diseases to watch out for in the Midwest. If you notice brown or dry spots in your lawn, something’s up.

The best thing to do is contact a turf specialist at Weller Brothers Landscape Professionals so he or she can identify the lawn disease and the proper treatment.

Rochester Sioux Falls

Seeing Pink In Your Lawn? It’s Likely Red Thread Disease

Red Thread Disease appears as pink fuzz in a lawn

Seeing Pink In Your Lawn? It’s Likely Red Thread Disease

Seeing spots?

Are they pink?

And fuzzy?

No, you’re not crazy; you have Red Thread Disease. (Well, your lawn does.)

Red Thread Disease is a fungal disease that affects turfgrass during wet or cool weather. You’ll also see it pop up right after periods of heavy rainfall.

While that cotton-candy look in your lawn might be interesting, you’re probably wondering how to get rid of it.

Is My Lawn Done For?

Great news! Red Thread disease will not kill your lawn and the consequences of the fungus are purely aesthetic. However, it is contagious and will spread by mowing or transferring grass clippings to healthy areas of your lawn.

If you’ve caught a case of the Red, you have a couple of options:

Do nothing. Thankfully, your turf will recover on its own with time. It’ll just be ugly and patchy until then.
Have a turf specialist at Weller Brothers inspect your lawn. There may be issues that necessitate a fungicide treatment to reduce the severity of the disease and promote rapid turf recovery. We’ll have your lawn looking great again in no time!

How Can I Prevent Red Thread Disease?

We’re so glad you asked!

There are several cultural practices you can improve or implement to prevent future visits from this fuzzy fungus friend:

Promote good air circulation with regular mowing, trimming edges, aeration, and dethatching
Always mow your lawn at an appropriate height
Water deeply, but less frequently to avoid a constantly damp environment

Weller Brothers Is Here to Help

We are your turf experts in Rochester, MN, and Sioux Falls, SD. If you’re unsure how to tackle the Red Thread Disease in your lawn, we’d be happy to provide a recommendation and discuss treatment options if necessary.

Rochester Sioux Falls

How Moisture Manager Benefits Your Lawn and Your Water Bill

Did you know that with one or two simple applications, you can reduce your lawn watering by 50%?

Is your irrigation schedule racking up your water bill without creating a green, luscious lawn like you envisioned? You are not alone in the uphill battle of managing the moisture levels of your lawn. The professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, and Rochester, MN have a simple solution — Moisture Manager.

Moisture Manager is a granular application that provides extensive health and aesthetic benefits to your lawn.

No matter the weather, the Weller Brothers Way is to adapt and continue providing our clients with innovative solutions for their lawn health goals. It is time to reclaim the added expense and stress of irrigation and consider Moisture Manager to reduce the need for watering by nearly 50%.

Circle pattern done by Weller Brothers Landscaping in Sioux Falls, SD lawn

Figure 8 pattern completed by Weller Brothers Landscaping in Sioux Falls, SD lawn

Benefits of Moisture Management

1. Control or Eliminate Dry Spots: Moisture Manager is a granular application that can be applied at the same time as a fertilizer and weed control application. The formula is evenly spread throughout the lawn and penetrates the soil near plant roots. The technology within the Moisture Manager ensures that water is evenly absorbed within your soil and held for times of drought.

2. Reduce Thatch Build-up: Thatch build-up occurs when lawns are watered too shallow or frequently causes the grassroots to not grow deeply enough within the soil. Moisture Manager promotes deep root growth and can lessen the amount of thatch build-up in your lawn. In addition to applying Moisture Manager during the growing season, aeration in the fall is beneficial to reduce soil compaction promoting growth the next season.

3. Enhance Nutrient Absorption: Well-hydrated lawns can evenly and more efficiently absorb natural nutrients as well as nutrients that are added through fertilizer. Applying fertilizer to your lawn can help it grow well and maintain the ideal look, however, if the soil presents too much or too little moisture, the fertilizer will not be as effective.

4. Protect Against Drought Stress and Disease: Long periods that include a lack of moisture can cause lawns to go into drought stress. This could include browning of the grass or going into a dormancy stage that does not generally take place until the weather begins to cool. Lawn rust is one of the most common forms of lawn disease that develops from a lack of moisture and will show orangish-brown spots that will get larger as the disease progresses.

5. Improve Flood Control: Moisture Manager is not only helpful in a time of drought but also in times of heavy rainfall. Moisture Manager will help your soil evenly retain water deeper within the soil allowing grass roots to grow deeper and stronger rather than shallow and weak creating a thatch layer. When moisture levels are high you may notice that your lawn creates pools of water that eventually evaporate and are not useable to your lawn.

When is the best time to apply Moisture Manager to my lawn?

As if Moisture Manager does not have enough benefits in itself, another benefit is that you cannot go wrong by applying it! Below are a few recommendations from the lawn care professionals:

Springtime — this allows for the moisture manager to penetrate deeply into the soil as spring rain falls and prepare for an unpredictable summer season.
Summer — as we reach the halfway mark of the Midwest lawn care season (July or August), the summer can be harsh on lawns as the rainfall can vary. Ensuring your lawn is being irrigated enough can become costly and ineffective. Moisture Manager in this season will ensure that your watering efforts are being maximized.

How to tell if it is time to apply or reapply Moisture Manager?

On average, Moisture Manager is effective for 90 days after application, meaning that two treatments a summer should be all you need. If the grass is starting to require more frequent irrigation to stay healthy, you will need to reapply.

Contact Us For Moisture Management in Sioux Falls and Rochester

The lawn care professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, and Rochester, MN, have the experience to identify if your lawn could benefit from Moisture Manager services.

Rochester Sioux Falls

Sidewalk Edging: Why Your Lawn Needs It

After sidewalk edging in Sioux Falls, SD

Sidewalk Edging: Why Your Lawn Needs It

Have you ever wondered, “What is sidewalk edging?” or “Do I even need to bother edging my yard?” The professionals with the Weller Brothers team in Sioux Falls, SD, and Rochester, MN are here to defend the hype behind sidewalk edging.

Sidewalk edging is a simple once a year service that makes a huge difference in lawn health and property value!

The Weller Brothers Way is to approach lawn health in a comprehensive, timely, and professional manner. It is time for you to take back control of your sidewalks and learn why sidewalk edging is the solution to your lawn health problems.

Before photo of sidewalk edging in Sioux Falls SD

5 Benefits of Sidewalk Edging

1. Smart Water Management: Midwest rainfall can be unpredictable, so preparing your lawn for heavy rains should be a priority.

Have you noticed that water pools in strange areas after it rains, specifically near your home’s foundation? Sidewalking edging helps you take control of this. Edging will help guide the water away from your house and avoid flooding your favorite landscaping plants. Think of edging like the bumpers found at the bowling alley — keep the water flowing exactly where you want it!

2. Keep the Trespassing Weeds to a Minimum: Edging your lawn is similar to building a fence or putting up a “no trespassing” sign for weeds. The clean line serves as a barrier, making it harder for weeds to trespass onto your property.

Not only does it serve your lawn better, but sidewalk edging can keep the weeds from invading your flower beds, too. It’s a win-win: less weeding, healthier grass, and a sharp-looking lawn. If you are having persistent problems with weeds in your lawn, we have a solution for that too with our fertilizer and weed control program.

3. Top Tier Organization: Lawn edging defines where gardens, walkways, or even your patio begin and end. This is similar to drawing a map of your yard; edging makes everything neat and prevents accidental trampling or mowing of flower beds. Not only will this make your yard look polished, but you will also be able to easily identify where you should mow.

4. Pest Protection: A similar reason to water management, edging will create a mini-wall that helps deter pesky pests from your landscape beds, garden, and patio. As a bonus, a clean edge makes it easier to spot pests and damage so you can take action immediately.

5. Property Value: Property value is important to any homeowner. Whether you are looking to sell or reappraise the value after the hard work of making your house a home, edging could help. Sidewalk edging is a simple way to make your lawn look like a well-maintained and high-quality property. Clean lines always impress potential buyers and boost your curb appeal.

When is the best time to edge my lawn?

While there is not a set date that you must edge your lawn, it is a task that you’ll want to tackle a few times a year and it will depend on different factors.

Springtime: This provides optimal moisture in the soil while your grass is actively growing. Performing edging in the spring sets your lawn up for success throughout the growing season.
Summer: As we reach the halfway mark of the Midwest lawn care season (July or August), the summer provides a great opportunity to reclaim overgrown edges and manicure your lawn for the rest of the season.
Concurrent with each mowing: this ensures that your lawn edges stay well-manicured and benefit your property all season long.

How to tell if it is time for sidewalk edging?

The key to edging is to do it before your yard begins to resemble an overgrown jungle. Below are a few ways to spot if it is time for sidewalk edging:

The grass is overgrown on your sidewalks, driveway, or flower beds. Overgrowth is the number one sign that you should edge your lawn.
Frequently mowing — if you are mowing your lawn frequently or battling fast-growing grass, you will likely need to edge more often to keep your lawn edges sharp.
Soil conditions and crumbling soil can lead to uneven grass growth, which will result in more frequent edging.

Contact Us For Edging in Sioux Falls and Rochester

The lawn care professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, and Rochester, MN, have the experience and equipment to properly edge your lawn this summer.

Rochester Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls, SD, Turf Disease Spreading with Keloland News

Ryan Myott of Weller Brothers Landscaping in Sioux Falls, SD discussing red thread disease on Keloland news

Ryan Myott Discusses Red Thread Disease Keloland news

Sioux Falls residents may notice tannish-pink spots on their lawn after record breaking rain fall.

On July 2, 2024, Keloland News in Sioux Falls, SD, caught up with Weller Brothers Lawn and Tree Health Expert Ryan Myott to learn more about a quickly spreading lawn disease known as Red Thread.

Sioux Falls

Top 5 Pests in Sioux Falls, SD – Here’s How to Prevent Them

Pests bring a significant threat to the health and curb appeal of your home. Insects and rodents are capable of causing extensive damage to your property, so high-quality pest control and prevention is vital to maintain the health of your trees, plants, and lawn.

Ryan Myott at Weller Brothers says that there are a handful of common pests that South Dakota homeowners should watch out for in the spring.

“At Weller Brothers, we know that it’s easiest to prevent pest problems rather than treating them reactively,” Ryan says.

The Weller Brothers Way is to approach pest prevention with effective applications that are safe for both our team and your home.

5 Common Pests in Sioux Falls Homes

1. Grubs and billbugs: These insects feed on the roots of turf grasses, causing discolored patches in your lawn. In addition to destroying the look of your lawn, they attract animals like skunks and raccoons that can carry rabies.

2. Rodents: A rodent problem of any severity is more than a minor inconvenience, and can become a large problem if not effectively controlled. Once rodents find a home in your existing landscaping, they may try to go inside your home to escape the midwestern outdoor elements.

Voles are one of the most common rodents that we remove in Sioux Falls, SD. You can spot a vole infestation by identifying runways and borrows throughout your lawn.

3. Japanese beetles: This beetle emerges in late June or early July and damages the leaves and flowers of woody or ornamental plants. The Japanese beetle eats at the tissue between leaf veins and reduces the amount of food a plant can produce, which over time kills the plant, leaving them “skeletonized.” It’s important to prevent Japanese beetle infestation early on as they will also attract other forms of beetles to feed on any food sources that they find.

4. Spiders, flees, ticks, and chiggers: Insects of any kind not only cause a major disturbance in enjoying your outdoor area, but they also can be carried into your home. To ensure the safety of your family, including furry friends, it’s best to prevent insects, rather than having to treat and remove them after they have already taken over your outdoor space.

5. Emerald Ash Borer: This destructive insect is prominent in Sioux Falls and continues spread to surrounding communities. It causes canopy thinning and cracks in the bark of Ash trees, causing them to become weakened and a safety hazard to surrounding homes.

The city of Sioux Falls, SD requires that you treat all Ash trees every two years or removed from the property. If you live within the quarantine area, ash trees, ash brush, or logs are permitted to be removed from the area to avoid further spread. Trees with EAB can’t be saved without extremely early detection. To save yourself from losing your ash trees and property value, the best option here is to prevent it.

What Should You Do Now?

If you notice signs of pests or insects, you need to seek a professional pest control service. The Weller Brothers team in Sioux Falls, SD, is ready to promptly complete an inspection to accurately identify the specific pest and develop an expert plan for treatment and future prevention.

Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls, SD, Rain delays with Keloland News

Phil Nystrom of Weller Brothers speaks about the rain delays in Summer of 2024

Phil Nystrom Discusses rain delays on Keloland news

Many Sioux Falls residents have noticed lawn, tree, or landscaping service delays due to increased rain and standing water.

On June 21, 2024, Keloland News in Sioux Falls, SD, caught up with Weller Brothers Lead Arborist Phil Nystrom to talk about what clients can expect with the rain we have received and how we can combat standing water in the lawn.

Sioux Falls

A Spring Surprise: Vole Damage

We currently offer vole and pest control services at our Sioux Falls, SD, location only.

Voles are small rodents that can cause a big problem. If you have ever experienced voles, you have more than likely experienced the “vole runways” that they create in your yard. They can often be seen once all of the snow from the winter season melts in the spring.

The runways that voles form in your yard can damage the roots of grass, young trees, and other plants, making it difficult for them to grow. Not to mention the Voles travel pathway does not add to your home’s curb appeal.

The professionals at Weller Brothers are ready to develop a foolproof plan to safely remove the vole population that has taken refuge in your yard.

Vole Prevention

The best way to prevent a vole infestation is to make your yard less attractive to them. Nesting sites for voles are typically at the base of trees or shrubs, in mulch or in-ground cover. These sites can be removed by trimming back vegetation and removing mulch and ground cover.

Voles often search for areas that have food sources, such as nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Remove these food sources by cleaning up fallen fruit and debris from your yard regularly

Finally, keep vole populations low by regularly mowing your lawn, and removing weeds and brush from your property.

Damage Repair

If you were not able to prevent vole damage, there are several different ways that you can work on bringing your yard back to life.

How to Repair Damage

Spring Power Raking: A spring power rake will remove any dead debris and thatch from your lawn and improve the drainage to make it easier for new grass to grow.
Reseed: Occasionally, after vole damage, you may need to reseed bare patches of grass; this seed will eventually fill in the bare spots and make the damage unnoticeable.
Apply a Fertilizer Program: A fertilizer program is a crucial part of growing a luscious and healthy lawn, especially after vole damage. Weller Brothers always recommends a minimum of 5-step fertilizer and weed control program.
Fall Aeration: Near the fall season, hopefully, your lawn has recovered from the vole damage; however, if it has not, the best way to jump-start growth the following spring is to aerate your lawn. Aeration helps the grassroots expand and strengthen themselves before winter, when the voles are most likely to strike again.

Vole Control

Once you have prevented and repaired the vole infestation, the next step is to get rid of the voles for good. Weller Brothers offers a variety of different pest control options in Sioux Falls, SD, and voles just happens to be one of them.

Weller Brothers recommends using bait station traps to trap and remove voles from your property. While removing the voles from your property, you will want to set the traps in an area that is frequently trafficked by the voles and check the traps often to clear out the traps and replace the bait.

Contact Us For Vole Control in Sioux Falls

The lawn care professionals at Weller Brothers in Sioux Falls, SD, have the experience and equipment to properly and safely manage your vole infestation at your property.

Sioux Falls