Are Fleas Still Active During The Winter?
Baby, it's cold outside! It's January here in PA, and that means frost on our windshields, dry, chapped hands, and possibly even snow in our driveways. One thing we don't think of this time of year is those irritating fleas. But perhaps we should. Some of those pesky critters may have found their way into your home through the fur of your cuddly best friend. Fleas prefer the warm temperatures, and once inside, the warmth of your home provides them a cozy place to live, survive, and breed. Fleas multiply very quickly. The female flea will drop from the host and immediately lay between 40 - 50 eggs per day. They can lay eggs in your carpet, beds, sofas, and various areas of your house where your pet spends most of their time. 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. This cocoon can last up to a year, waiting for the ideal environment in which to thrive.
Why Are Fleas Such a Bother?
Flea infestations can cause your pet discomfort, scratching, and infections. They can also be harmful to humans.Tapeworms
These nasty creatures make themselves at home in the intestines of dogs, cats, and humans. Pets obtain tapeworms by swallowing infected fleas. Though it is rare, toddlers may become infected by eating an infected flea as well. Thankfully, the tapeworm is treated with medication.Mycoplasma haemofelis
Mycoplasma haemofelis is a parasitic, bacterial disease that is transmitted from fleas to cats. It has been found in rare cases in humans with compromised immune systems. Treatment typically includes the use of antibiotics.Murine Typhus
Murine typhus is rare, but if there is anything we have learned in 2020, it's that things we never thought possible could occur. Rats are the leading carrier of this disease, but cats can also come in contact with infected fleas and carry them onto humans. Humans then get infected through flea bites. Symptoms 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.How Can You Prevent a Flea Infestation?
If you are a pet owner, you can take the necessary steps to protect your home from these unpleasant creatures and minimize your risk of infection. While we highly recommend calling in professionals for flea control, there are a few ways in which you can help to prevent an infestation. They are:- Clean and vacuum the area(s) where your pet spends most of its time including, where it eats, periods of sleep, and hangs out
- Wash everything your pet uses, sleeps, and rests on. This includes beds, blankets, sheets, and toys
- Inspect and treat your pets. Check with your veterinarian on the proper treatment for your pet. Routinely check your pet’s fur for signs of fleas to help prevent future infestations

Protect Your Home Year-Round
At Showcase Lawn Works, we take proactive measures to ensure fleas are never a problem for you. We offer a highly effective barrier spray that kills fleas and ticks on contact. Call 717-354-3226 or contact us online to learn more. For more tips and ideas, check out our other blog postings. On social media? Like us on Facebook and get all our latest deals and other info. Request A Quote
Give Someone You Love the Gift of a Green, A Healthy Lawn
Have an older neighbor who is no longer able to take care of their lawn? Are your parents retired, looking to sit back, relax, and enjoy life? Maybe you are tired of spending the weekends handling lawn care. This year, give someone you love the gift of a green, healthy lawn year-round. A comprehensive lawn care program from Showcase Lawn Works is the perfect holiday gift for anyone. It may even be the ideal gift for you.
Planning for a Better Lawn
Planning is an essential part of maintaining a lawn. Come early spring, a Showcase lawn technician will visit your recipient's property and test their soil to determine the right amount of fertilizer needed to maintain the health of their lawn. We will then come up with a schedule to keep their turf nourished at regular intervals throughout the year. By choosing a lawn care program through Showcase Lawn Works as a holiday gift, your recipient can expect six lawn care treatments starting this spring.Six Perfectly Timed-Applications
One of the benefits of giving or receiving the gift of comprehensive lawn care from Showcase Lawn Works is our perfectly-timed lawn care schedule. Our experts have spent years developing the perfect lawn care schedule to fit the needs of our local climate and your Pennsylvania lawn. Our six-step program is spaced out so that you receive treatment every four to six weeks. Each treatment includes a well-blended mix of micronutrients designed to enrich your lawn's roots and help it to flourish. The treatments also contain pre-emergent to combat the invasion of crabgrass and other broadleaf weeds. In the winter, we use a winterizer to help your lawn prepare for dormancy.Weed Control
Weed control is essential to the health and vitality of any lawn. Protecting a yard from weeds ensures your grass has unlimited access to water, nutrients, sunlight, and space needed to grow. With a lawn care program from Showcase Lawn Works, your loved one's lawn will be protected from broadleaf weeds such as dandelions, violets, clovers, and nutsedge. And we stand by our word. So much so that we offer a weed-free guarantee. If your gift recipient experiences any problems with weeds or is not satisfied with our results, they can give us a call, and we will correct the issue.Don't Stop at Lawn Care
While the gift of lawn care is an excellent choice for the holidays, perhaps your loved ones need something else. Here in Pennsylvania, we often see a ton of snow. Save a friend, family member, or neighbor time and energy this winter and give them peace of mind. With Showcase Lawn Works, they will never have to worry about snow removal again. Listed below are a few other additional services we provide that would make a good holiday gift.
- Aeration and Overseeding
- Tree and Shrub Care
- Lime Application
- Grub Control
- Perimeter Pest Control
- Mosquito, Flea, and Tick Control
- Landscaping
- Snow Removal
Give the Gift of Comprehensive Lawn Care From Show Case Lawn Works
Don't waste time and money on the perfect gift this year. Show someone you really care about them with the gift of comprehensive lawn care or one of the many services listed above. Call Showcase Lawn Works today at 717-354-3226 or request a quote here. Keep up with our top tips and tricks by reading our latest blog postings. And get to know us more intimately by liking us on our Facebook page. Request A Quote
How Your Lawn and Garden Can Benefit From a Soil Test
A soil test is a process by which your soil is tested to see the number of nutrients that exist in the area. The results of the soil sample determine the amount of fertilizer that is recommended. A soil test also measures soil acidity. These analyses indicate whether lime is needed and, if so, how much. Most of us use fertilizers without knowing the content of our soil. Without knowing what nutrients are in available, you could be just wasting your time and money. Performing a soil test can reveal the secrets of your soil so you can take action.


Fall Pest Prevention For Pennsylvania Homes
You have spent the summer fighting weeds and mosquitoes, but summer is over, and fall pests are a new threat you have to contend with. As the weather cools, insects and rodents will be seeking out warm places to overwinter. Insects and rodents usually find their own places to overwinter in trees, under logs, or underground. However, when there are better options available, such as your cozy home, they will take the opportunity.

- Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink.
- Take out the trash.
- Don’t leave pet food out overnight.
- Put cereals and grains in plastic containers.
- Store fruit in the fridge.

Fall Lawn Care Tips for Your Pennsylvania Lawn
Autumn has just begun here in Pennsylvania and that typically means cooler temperatures and shorter nights. Once the leaves begin to shift and change to their magical colors, that means old man winter is just around the corner. Taking time to get your yard prepared now for the cooler weather will save you time and money next spring. Here’s a list of the top fall lawn care tips to set up your lawn for success and get it ready for the white stuff ahead.
Consistent Lawn Mowing
Here in Pennsylvania, most of our lawns are made up of cool-season grasses. That means your grass will continue to grow up until the first hard freeze of the season. Until that first hard freeze, you will need to continue mowing your lawn. To give your lawn a healthy foundation, try to keep it mowed to a consistent height. Mowing your lawn will also help keep your leaf litter to a minimum. Remember to only mow over your leaves when they’re dry and crunchy. You’ll be creating a nutritious mulch to give back to your lawn.Leaf Clean-Up
Raking, the bane of every homeowner with one too many trees, is everyone’s least favorite fall lawn care chore. Unfortunately, whether you choose to rake, to leaf blow, to mow and bag, or to mulch, the bottom line is: leaf removal is important and beneficial to your lawn. An excess of wet, matted, piles of leaves on your lawn can spell disaster for the grass beneath. From lawn fungus to overwintering pests, there really isn’t a benefit to leaving the leaves for later.
Get Help From the Professionals
Fall lawn care will help create a foundation of health for your lawn while giving it a boost going into the winter. At Showcase Lawn Works, our landscaping services include seasonal cleanup, debris removal, pruning, and mulching. We also provide aeration services in the fall. Contact us online now or give us a call at 717-354-3226. To get to know us on a more personal level, visit our Facebook page. Request A Quote
Grubs; These Tiny Lawn Destroyers Pack a Massive Punch!
It’s summertime in Pennsylvania, and that means longer nights and hotter days. With most concerts, festivals and large events being canceled, now more than ever, your family will be spending more time in your own backyard. But there are tons of things out to destroy your lawn, creating damage that can hinder your outdoor fun and create a nasty eyesore on your lawn. These white ugly, worm-like creatures are called grubs.


The Best Maple Trees to Plant in Pennsylvania
The first image that comes to people’s minds when they think of maple trees is delicious, dripping, maple syrup. Here in Pennsylvania, we have a variety of different maple trees that make up our rich and diverse forests. Maples are a favorite among homeowners because of their rapid growth, beautiful shapes, and of course for the cool shade they provide in the hot summers. Here is a list of the best maples to plant in Pennsylvania.Silver Maple
Silver maples are great for showing off your yard. Don’t be fooled by their name. Silver maples aren’t actually silver. The leaves are green but the undersides are white, making it shimmer like silver when the wind blows. Growing to heights of 50 to 75 feet and 45 feet wide, the silver maple is a great shade tree to keep your deck and backyard cool during the heat of the summer. Plant these maples in areas with plenty of direct sunlight and plenty of room to grow. They are not fussy about soil quality and can recover quickly from wind damage.Sugar Maple
If you enjoy syrup on your pancakes in the morning then you have the sugar maple to thank. These gentle giants can make a huge statement in your landscapes. They can soar to 75 feet tall and 50 feet wide. They grow in nice thick, naturally rounded shapes that provide plenty of shade. Sugar maples also make easy climbing trees for adventurous children. In the fall you will thank yourself for planting this tree. Not only can you tap the tree and collect your own maple syrup, but you also get to experience an autumn show of yellows, reds, and burning oranges.
Striped Maples
The striped maple is a much smaller tree that resembles more of a shrub than a tree. It grows between 10 and 25 feet tall and can be identified by the usual three-lobed leaves that are characteristic of maples. Striped Maple bark is green and smooth. It has long white or pale vertical lines running up and down the trunk. As the tree matures, the bark turns reddish-brown with dark lines. While this tree doesn’t cut it as a shade tree, it can be used to attract all sorts of wildlife to your yard, including whitetail deer, moose, and the black-throated blue warbler.Red Maple
Not to be confused for the crimson king, red maples are not actually red at all. They are named for the brilliant shades of red it puts on display in the fall. These trees have smaller leaves but still grow up to 70 feet tall and provide ample shade for any back yard or driveway. Small pink flowers bloom in the spring and attract pollinators from far and wide. Red maples produce large quantities of samaras or “helicopters” which can be a nuisance as they clog gutters and drains but they can also be used to grow new saplings.
Call The Tree Specialists At Showcase Lawn Works
To keep your maples and other trees going strong, call the pros at Showcase Lawn Works From dormant oil sprays to deep root fertilization, our tree care program will ensure your trees will stay healthy and are protected from diseases and pests that carry them. If you want to ensure your Pennsylvania lawn has the best spring possible, then it’s time to invest in our custom lawn care program to ensure your grass gets the care it needs. Give us a call at 800-503-3426 or contact us here for more information. Keep up with our helpful monthly blog for more tips and tricks from the industry experts. Request A Quote
Common Lawn Problems in Pennsylvania
As our grass starts to emerge in the spring, so too does common lawn diseases. Lawn diseases in Pennsylvania can weaken or severely damage your lawn. Spotting the signs of problems early can save your lawn and save you from a lot of expensive repair work. Here is a list of the most common lawn problems in Pennsylvania.
Snow Mold
There's a valid justification for why we urge you to rake your lawn in the fall and prevent snow mold. Snow mold develops under heaps of leaves, snow, and other organic debris. When spring arrives, you'll see a web-like substance on your grass. Fortunately, the condition normally clears up after raking it and letting it dry out.Dollar Spot
When you start to notice batches of small, round, sunken patches of pale-colored grass about the size of a silver dollar start popping up in your lawn, then it is probably a fungus called dollar spot. Usually known for affecting golf courses and recreational turf, dollar spot has become a common lawn problem in Pennsylvania. Dollar spot can affect almost all types of cool and warm-season grasses, including:- Fescue
- Ryegrass
- Bentgrass
- Bluegrass
- Bermudagrass
- Zoysiagrass
Red Thread
Red thread is a foliar disease that usually occurs during the cool, moist conditions of spring and fall. The fungus most commonly affects Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue. Residential lawns, golf course roughs, and athletic fields are common places red thread occurs. Red thread is most common in malnourished turf.Leaf Spot
Symptoms of leaf spot appear as round brown sores on the blades of your grass. If the disease is left untreated, the grass will start to yellow and wilt, resembling drought stress. During the summer, the disease will affect the crowns and roots of grass, destroying large parts of your yard. If you believe leaf spots to be affecting your grass, call the pros at Showcase Lawn Works.
Fusarium Blight
Also known as pink snow mold, fusarium blight is common during hot, humid conditions of summer and late fall when our grass is under drought stress. Fusarium blight appears as light green round patches two to six inches in diameter. This fungus can be reduced by avoiding fertilizing in the fall and continue to mow your grass into the fall.Necrotic Ring Spot
Primarily affecting cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fescues, necrotic ring spot affects the tips and roots of the plant, causing your turf to become vulnerable to other diseases, pests, and invasive weeds. Necrotic ring spots appear as light green or straw-colored patches in your lawn that can be up to a few feet wide.Call The Lawn Care Specialists At Showcase
If you want to ensure your Pennsylvania lawn has the best spring possible, then it’s time to invest in lawn care services near you. Here at Showcase Lawn Works, we have the experience, expertise, and custom lawn care programs to ensure your lawn gets the care it needs. Trust your spring lawn care to the pros at Showcase Lawn Works. Give us a call at 800-503-3426 or contact us here for more information. Keep up with our helpful monthly blog for more tips and tricks from the industry experts. Request A Quote
Beware The Spotted Lanternfly
As we take steps to prepare our yard for spring and protect our plants from pests and disease, we should all be considerate of the fact that there is a new threat out there. This new threat comes from an insect called the spotted lanternfly. The spotted lanternfly was first discovered in the U.S. in 2014 right here in Pennsylvania and has since spread to 26 counties. What Does a Lanternfly Look Like?


Proper Mowing and Maintenance for Pennsylvania Lawns This Spring
During the spring, it’s necessary to provide your lawn with proper care and maintenance. This ensures that the grass and greenery continue to grow and stay healthy throughout the growing season. By following proper mowing techniques and best practices for lawn maintenance, you give the lawn a sturdy foundation from which to grow. Here are a few of the best tips for proper mowing and maintenance for your Pennsylvania lawn this spring.Proper Mowing

Mowing Height
The most consistent lawn care task all year is mowing. Without proper mowing, the turf grows out of control, resulting in an ugly and unhealthy lawn. Improper mowing practices lead to pest infestations, lawn diseases, and fungal growth. The first thing to keep in mind is mowing height. The ideal mowing height for your lawn depends on a number of things, including grass type and weather conditions. As your grass grows, it creates more surface area to absorb sunlight and perform photosynthesis. This means that as the grass grows, it’s the ability to generate and store energy increases as well. For fine fescues and Kentucky bluegrass, the ideal mowing height is between 1.5-2 inches while ryegrass and tall fescues need to be cut around 2-3 inches in height. These grasses can’t provide enough energy if they are cut too short, so maintaining an adequate height is essential to the health of the lawn. During the spring, when the weather is wet, and the grass is growing fast, it’s essential to mow frequently. However, during the heat and drought-like conditions of summer, when grass growth slows down, and water retention becomes more important, infrequent mowing and longer grass is a health-boost to the lawn.The One-Third Rule
The most important rule for proper mowing is the one-third rule. The one-third rule means never to cut more than one-third of the entire height of your grass. Cutting anything more than one-third of the blade of grass often results in scalping the lawn. This is extremely damaging to the turf and leaves it vulnerable to pests, weeds, and diseases. Not only that, but the excess clippings quickly smother the grass and create an unhealthy layer of thatch in the lawn.Maintaining Your Equipment
Finally, it’s important to maintain your mowing equipment throughout the year properly. Not only does this protect the grass, but it also protects you by ensuring you are mowing the lawn as efficiently and safely as possible. Dull mower blades are a quick and easy way to damage your grass and encourage diseases, fungi, and the overall decline in lawn health. Keep the mower blades sharp to avoid tearing the blades of grass. Getting a clean and even cut is less stressful to the grass and is much easier to recover from. It’s also important to ensure the mower is properly cleaned. This prevents the spread of diseases and fungi to other parts of the lawn.Spring Lawn Maintenance
Trimming and Pruning Your Trees and Shrubs
The grass isn’t the only thing in your lawn that needs to be properly maintained throughout the spring. Your trees and shrubs could use a little upkeep as well. Before the leaves grow back in, take a look at the overall shape and structure of your trees. Identify any unnecessary, dead, or diseased branches and trim them away. Encourage fast growth for new interior branches by pruning away some of the exterior branches. With proper maintenance, you can create healthy, growing conditions for your ornamental trees and shrubs. The result of proper tree and shrub maintenance is thicker, fuller plants, and a more robust landscape.Sprinkler System Maintenance
Now is the time of year to ensure your sprinkler system is up and running. Winterizing the sprinkler system is an essential part of fall lawn maintenance for Pennsylvania lawns. That means in the spring; we need to start the sprinkler system up again. When starting up your sprinkler system in the spring, it’s important to do it slowly. Go zone by zone and pay careful attention to any inefficiencies or damage done to the lines or sprinkler heads. By doing this early in the spring, you give yourself enough time to make any repairs or adjustments before the heat of summer is upon us.Trust Your Lawn Care to the Experts at Showcase Lawn Works
Proper mowing and maintenance help give the lawn a healthy foundation to grow from, but there’s, even more, you can do to ensure a healthy and beautiful yard this year. With a lawn care program along with tree and shrub care services from Showcase Lawn Works, your lawn will look better than ever. Give your greenery the missing piece it needs by calling the experts at Showcase Lawn Works. Give us a call today at (717) 354-3226 or send us a quick message here. Keep up with all of the latest trends and tips for lawn care, tree care, and pest control by following our blog and be sure to follow us on Facebook for deals and information. Request A Quote