Water, mow, fertilize, and aerate
are the basics of lawn care. Do each of them the right way for
our area, and you’ll limit weed, disease, and thatch problems.
WATER: Deep watering less often makes healthier lawns than shallow frequent watering. The amounts of water per week suggested for each month are for cool season grasses: Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue. Warm season grasses, like buffalo grass or blue grama, need much less water. Remember that the amounts recommended are rules-of-thumb. The actual amount of water needed depends on how hot and how dry the weather is. Water only when needed. Visual signs are footprints that remain more than a few minutes or a blue-gray tone to Kentucky bluegrass. Or insert a screwdriver about 4 inches into the soil; if it is hard to insert and comes out dry, the lawn needs watering.
| Take Heed Tip #1: Minimize overhead watering of ornamentals and vegetables to prevent bacterial and fungal diseases. |
MOW: Don't mow when the lawn is damp. Keep the blades sharp and set at 2-1/2 to 3 inches high all season. This height reduces the lawn's water needs and promotes a healthy lawn. Mulching mowers are great! Leaving the grass clippings on the lawn returns one to two pounds of nitrogen to the soil in a season, and that reduces the amount of chemical fertilizer that must be applied. Leaving on the clippings does NOT increase thatch build up. Since not more than 1/3 of the grass blades' height should be cut at a time, grass that has been allowed to grow too long will need to be cut once and then again several days later. Tall fescue grows more rapidly than Kentucky bluegrass. It is coarser than bluegrass, so the mower blades require sharpening after four or five mowings.
| Take Heed Tip #2: Do you know that lawn mowers and weed whips cause some of the worst tree problems? Take care when using them to avoid bark damage. |
FERTILIZE: Slow release nitrogen sources, such as sulfur-coated urea or organic based fertilizer, are most effective for early-spring and summer use. The most important fertilization is in the fall BEFORE the lawn loses its green color.
AERATE: Core aeration is one of the best things you can do for your lawn. It allows water and oxygen to penetrate the soil for healthy plant growth. It can also prevent problems such as thatch build up, fungal diseases, and even excessive earthworm mounding. You can hire someone to do it, rent an aeration machine, or in small areas, use a special aerating hand tool. Water deeply the day before aerating for best penetration. Leave the cores on the lawn. They'll usually disintegrate in about two weeks, leaving nutrients to filter back into the soil. Once a year in the spring is usually adequate for a healthy lawn; aerate again in the fall for compacted or unhealthy lawns.
For More Information:
Spring Grass Clippings . . . Recycle
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