WATERING

It may seem elementary, but proper watering technique is essential to a healthy, attractive lawn. Occasional light rains or short downpours are not enough to ensure that your soil has been sufficiently soaked.

How do I know if my lawn needs water?

The most accurate way to determine whether your lawn needs water is to use a knife to cut a wedge of soil (through the turf) about four inches deep, and feel the soil. Ideally, it should be moist – neither powder dry nor soggy and wet.

How often should I water my lawn in the spring?

Water your lawn as needed to keep the soil moist to a two-inch depth. You can measure this by inserting a nail or screwdriver into the soil. It will easily penetrate soil where it remains moist.

Should I water my trees, shrubs and other landscape plants in the fall?

If the soil is dry, it is beneficial to water trees and shrubs in the fall. Many plants continue to grow new roots in the fall, even though they may have lost their leaves. Watering evergreen plants in the fall and winter is especially important if the weather has been dry and/or windy. Plants that have low soil moisture throughout the fall period may suffer more winter-related damage. Maintain adequate amounts of soil moisture until the ground freezes.

What causes stress damage?

Inadequate watering will result in a thinner lawn with poor color that is more susceptible to insects and disease. If the grass is actually in drought stress, broadleaf weeds and weedy grasses may outgrow the turf and create an uneven appearance. Grass plants that are in drought stress are also easily damaged by foot traffic and mowing. The grass is not growing, so it has less moisture to protect the cellular structure from collapse and permanent damage. Even mowing the grass high just to cut off tail weeds can result in lawn damage.

How do I give my lawn a good soaking?

The typical turfgrass plant consists of 70 percent water. When grasses lose more water through the leaves than they pick up through the root system, the plants become stressed. Deep soaking encourages development of a deep root system, which promotes a healthier turf. An excess amount of water will run off, but the goal is a good soaking.

How do I water an established lawn?

•  Established lawns should be watered deeply, but infrequently. Deep watering once a week encourages deeper rooting, while frequent, shallow watering produces a limited root system.

•  When watering, make sure you moisten the top three to four inches of soil, which covers the root zone.

•  Although watering frequency depends on the type of grass, your soil and the weather, most grasses require about one inch of water each week for healthy growth.

•  The best time to water is in the morning. This conserves water that would evaporate if you were to later in the day, but also allows time for the grass to dry before evening. Grass that remains wet for long periods of time can promote disease development.

•  If you're using a movable sprinkler, let it run in one spot just until water begins to run off the surface, then move it to different areas of the lawn.

•  Monitor your underground irrigation or sprinkler system to ensure that you moisten the lawn's entire root zone without over water any sections.

•  Time how long it takes to get 1” of water into a soup can, divide that in half. That is how long you water 2 times per week. Do this for each zone.

•  Water the lawn once grass begins to discolor and wilt. If you can't keep the grass green, water the lawn with at least one-half inch of water every 7-14 days, which will keep the plants alive even if they are dormant.

•  Once a lawn has turned brown and lost all color during drought dormancy, it will take several weeks of steady watering to spur re-growth from the crown area of the plants.

How do I know my lawn has been fertilized?

After application of fertilizer is applied the technician will leave a flag to let the customer know we were there.

Is the Fertilizer granular or a spray?

The fertilizer that is applied to your lawn is a granular fertilizer.

MOWING

Often delegated to the nearest teenager looking for extra cash, mowing might seem to be a necessary and goof-proof chore. But when you see the difference between a well-mowed lawn and one that's mowing challenged, it makes sense to give your lawn the best possible trim.

A properly mowed lawn grows thicker and has deeper roots, which makes it more durable and better equips it to combat weeds, insects and diseases. Mowing mistakes can show up in discolored grass tips, brown spots and even damage to the lawn.

Scalping

Avoid letting grass grow tall and then removing more than 1/3 of the leaf blade. This approach is “scalping” and can damage the lawn. Mowing the grass extremely low can also damage the lawn by cutting into the crowns of the plants.

Sharp blades

Make sure your mower blades are sharp to cut cleanly. Dull blades can shred grass and cause discoloration at the tips. Frayed grass blades lose too much moisture to rapid evaporation. Sharpen the blades of rotary mowers several times each growing season.

Damaged grass

Raise the mower height a notch or two when mowing a lawn that's recovering from drought, insect damage or disease.

Grass clippings

Recycle grass clippings on your lawn to reduce water loss, lower soil temperatures and return nutrients to the soil. Save the trouble of bagging and keep clippings out of our already-clogged landfills. In fact, many communities will not accept grass clippings in household trash. Furthermore, if the lawn is mowed frequently, clippings degrade very quickly and do not contribute to thatch build-up.

Wet or wilted grass

Avoid cutting wet grass, which can cause clippings to clump together and smother your lawn, creating brown spots. Especially during the hot part of the day, cutting wilted grass can also cause severe damage to your lawn.

How low to mow

Select the proper mowing height for your lawn. Measure the grass plants after mowing a very small area, then adjust your mower as necessary. Always mow your lawn at the recommended cutting height.

Ryegrass, bluegrass, fine fescue 2.5 to 4.0

Tall fescues 2.5 to 4.0

Know when to mow

The best guide on mowing frequency is the growth of your grass; plan on cutting off less than 1/3 of the grass blade in one mowing.

So you miss a mowing

During periods of rapid growth, lawns may require mowing as frequently as every three to four days. Of course, sometimes we just don't get around to mowing as often as we'd like. In these situations, when your grass has grown too high, reset your mower to its highest cutting level. 2 or 3 days later, reset the mower to cut at the normal height, and mow your grass again. The best lawns are mowed every 3-4 days.

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