Our Lawn Care Best Practices: Why We Do What We Do
At Prayers Lawn & Landscape, our goal is a healthy, attractive property—not simply a shorter lawn. These practices explain what customers can expect and how our crews deliver consistent results.
Mowing: Follow the One-Third Rule
For customers: We aim to remove no more than one-third of the grass blade during a single mowing. Cutting too short can scalp and stress the lawn, weaken growth, and create larger amounts of visible grass clippings. Keeping cuts moderate generally produces shorter clippings that settle into the turf and break down naturally, although some clippings may still be visible. Mowing height may vary with grass species and conditions.
For employees: Set mower height for the grass type and growing conditions. Do not intentionally scalp the lawn. Follow the one-third rule when practical; when grass is overgrown, use a staged approach or communicate if additional service is needed. Check for clumps and disperse or remove excessive clippings that would smother the turf.
Edging: Alternate Horizontal and Vertical Each Week
For customers: We alternate our edging approach weekly: horizontal trimming one week and vertical edging the next. This helps maintain a consistently neat appearance without aggressively cutting the same edge every visit.
For employees: During the horizontal week, trim grass overhanging sidewalks, driveways, and borders cleanly. During the vertical week, create a defined upright edge along appropriate hard surfaces. Alternate from week to week, use controlled depth, and avoid digging trenches or damaging turf, landscaping, or hardscapes.
Leaves: Mulch Them Back Into the Lawn When Practical
For customers: We generally recommend mulching fallen leaves into small pieces so they return organic matter and nutrients to the soil. This reduces unnecessary hauling and disposal costs and can help keep yard waste out of landfills. Heavy leaf buildup may still need to be collected to prevent smothering the grass.
For employees: Mulch dry, manageable leaf layers into fine pieces evenly distributed across the turf. Do not leave thick piles or a continuous leaf mat. Collect or relocate excessive leaves as needed, and keep sidewalks, streets, storm drains, and landscaped areas tidy.
Our crews adjust these standards when weather, safety, turf condition, or customer-specific requirements call for a different approach.
Why is a healthy lawn is important? The first thing anyone, a potential buyer, your in-laws, anyone sees is your landscape. Make that impression a good one. A well-established lawn is the best defense against weeds. In the long run, routine maintenance is cheaper than allowing weeds to take over and then have to fix the entire lawn.
Seeding
Which seeds grow best in St. Louis? Both. Although cool season grasses are what most yards consist of. We suggest a warm season grass seed in Spring or early Summer, then over-seeding with a cool season grass in Fall. This can help maintain a green lush lawn year round.
Cool-season grass(Bluegrasses, Bentgrass, Ryegrasses and Fescues) Cool-season grass seed germinates best when soil temperatures are between 50°F and 65°F, which would be daytime air temperatures in the 60°F to 75°F range. As a general rule, plant cool-season grass seed at least 45 days before the estimated date of your first fall frost (call us we will let you know), before soil and air temperatures drop and with it the chance for grass to establish. Your grasses will enjoy a full fall season, plus a second cool, growing season in spring. The second best time to seed cool-season lawn grasses is in the spring, once soil and air temperatures warm back up to their optimal range.
Warm-season grasses(Zoysia, St. Augustine, Bahiagrass and Centipedegrass) Warm-season grasses germinate best when soil temperatures are consistently in the 65°F to 70°F range. Which would be daytime air temperatures near 80°F or more. Planting in late spring and early summer gives warm-season grasses the advantage of warm soil and early seasonal rains, which help keep soil moisture available during germination and establishment. Warm-season grasses planted at least 90 days before the first fall frost have time to root and establish before winter. These high temperature grasses go dormant once temperatures drop near 55°F
What happens after seeding? What does the homeowner need to do? Grass seedlings should emerge within 7 to 21 days when grown under proper conditions. If there has been no significant rainfall then watering is required. After seeding the only thing the homeowner needs to do is make sure the seeds are watered and the top inch of soil stays moist. Typically accomplished with well placed sprinklers watering for about 10 minutes. If planting in later Spring to Summer water in the evening to avoid evaporation, early Spring or Fall water in the morning. It may take another three to four weeks of growth before grass is long enough to mow, we wait till grass is 3 to 4 inches.
