Rather Green Turf Care

03/22/2026

According to ChatGPT Tis the season! Can’t wait!!

03/22/2026

I’ve been preaching this for years!!!

Volcano mulching is the most visible tree care mistake in America and the hardest to stop — because every landscaping crew does it, every neighbor copies it, and the mulch companies sell it by the cubic yard to pile up higher.

The cone of mulch banked against a tree trunk is not protecting anything. It is trapping moisture against bark that evolved to stay dry. Tree bark is the tree's skin — it breathes, it sheds water, and it serves as the first defense against pathogens and boring insects. Burying it under six to twelve inches of wet decomposing mulch rots the bark, invites fungal infection into the cambium layer, and creates an entry point for decay that can hollow the trunk from the inside.

The damage happens underground too. Mulch piled against the trunk encourages circling roots that grow around the base instead of spreading outward. Over years, these girdling roots tighten like a belt around the trunk, slowly strangling the tree's own vascular system. By the time symptoms appear above ground — thinning canopy, early leaf drop, bark cracking — the girdling is often too advanced to correct.

The correct mulch application looks underwhelming by comparison. A flat ring of mulch two to four inches deep extending out to the drip line — with a six-inch gap of bare soil around the trunk exposing the root flare — is what every university extension and certified arborist recommends. The root flare is the widening at the base where trunk becomes root. If you cannot see the flare, the tree is buried too deep or mulched too high.

The irony is that mulch itself is excellent for trees. It retains soil moisture, moderates root zone temperature, suppresses w**ds, and adds organic matter as it decomposes. The material is not the problem. The placement is. Three inches of mulch in a wide ring with a clear trunk gap does everything a volcano promises and nothing it threatens.

If your trees currently have mulch volcanoes, pull the mulch back to expose the trunk and root flare. Redistribute it in a flat ring. The bark underneath may already show discoloration, softness, or fungal growth — clearing the mulch now stops the process before it reaches the cambium.

The tree that looks least cared for at the curb is often the healthiest one on the block

03/18/2026

Same lawn. Same area. Right side recovered by RGTC!

The photo on the left is where this yard started. The photo on the right is what it looks like after a proper lawn treatment program.

This isn’t luck — it’s timing, consistency, and using the right products at the right time.

We’re seeing a lot of lawns around the Rockwall area right now starting to look like the “before.”

The good news is — it doesn’t have to stay that way.

We’re scheduling new lawns now for spring.

👉 https://RatherGreenTurfCare.com

– Chris Rather
Rather Green Turf Care
Turf Science for Better Lawns

03/06/2026

With the rain moving through Rockwall this weekend, lawns around the area are about to wake up quickly.

A lot of homeowners will start noticing w**ds showing up soon after.

If you'd like help getting ahead of the coming w**d storm, we'd love to put our skill and knowledge to work for you.

Rather Green Turf Care – Turf Science for Better Lawns

– Chris Rather
Rather Green Turf Care

03/01/2026

Early spring in North Texas means Bermuda is still dormant… but w**ds aren’t. What you do in the next few weeks determines what your lawn looks like in May. If you’d like help getting ahead of it, get started at RatherGreenTurfCare.com.

👉 Request your free quote here: https://RatherGreenTurfCare.com

02/21/2026

Some lawn treatment companies talk about creating golf course conditions.

We live it.

For over 40 years, we’ve managed high-level turf at some of Texas’ finest courses — making real agronomic decisions every single day.

That turf science now serves residential lawns right here at home.

Turf Science for Lawns.

RatherGreenTurfCare.com

02/14/2026

Rather Green Turf Care is out there now applying spring pre-emergents—protecting and preparing Rockwall and surrounding area lawns for a healthy spring transition.

Give us a call at 972-649-9912 or go to rathergreenturfcare.com and request a quote for one of our programs now.

02/14/2026

Rather Green Turf Care is out there now applying spring pre-emergents—protecting and preparing Rockwall and surrounding area lawns for a healthy spring transition. Give us a call at 972-649-9912 or go to rathergreenturfcare.com and request a quote for one of our programs now.

02/10/2026

SPRING LAWN SEASON IS NOISY

As spring approaches, you’ll probably start seeing a lot of lawn care ads promising fast fixes and big discounts.

Just a reminder from our side: healthy lawns aren’t built with one treatment or one product. They’re built over time, with proper timing and consistent visits.

At Rather Green Turf Care, we focus on long-term turf health through program-based lawn care guided by turf science and seasonal conditions.

We’re getting ready for the season and look forward to helping homeowners who want their lawn managed the right way.

01/25/2026

Same team. Same service. New name.

Fairway Lawns of Texas is now Rather Green Turf Care.

We’re continuing the same science-based lawn fertilization & w**d control — just under a new name and look.

If 2026 is the year you’re ready to turn your lawn around, we’d love to help you do just that.

🌐 rathergreenturfcare.com

04/15/2025

W**d season is upon us!🌾

Do you need someone you can trust to get rid of those pesty w**ds? Fairway Lawns of Texas agronomist Chris Rather has just what you need! Call 972-649-9912 or click the link below to see how our FLT team can help!

✅ 30+ years knowledge & experience
✅ Residential & commercial properties
✅ FREE quotes & consultations
✅ Fertilizer, w**d control, ant & grub treatments
✅ 50% off your 1st treatment when you sign up for our annual treatment program
✅ Customizable packages

www.fairwaylawnsoftexas.com ‼️
Fairway Lawns of Texas