Landscaping Tips
If you’re thinking about sprucing up your yard here in St. Petersburg, you’ll need to create a landscaping plan that works well in conjunction with Florida’s climate. However, you also want that plan to be economical when you’re buying plants, supplies, and tools. Additionally, you also want that plan to be cost-effective from an energy and watering standpoint as well.
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There are many different types of grass available to home owners and depending on where you live; you have a choice of what type of grass you can plant in your yard. If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, than there are plenty of lawn care companies who are willing to come to your house and plant the different grasses for you.
Lawn care companies know which type and style of grass grows best in which climate and why. If you live in a mostly cold weather climate, in the northern states then choosing something from the fescue family of grasses such as bluegrass, ryegrass and any of the cool season grasses will work best. They can stand up to the colder spring and fall temperatures but don’t do very well in really warm temperatures.
Ryegrass is the most common grass for cool weather climates such as Maine, Minnesota and North Dakota. Originally from Europe, ryegrass grows in tight bunches and comes in two basic forms, perennials and annuals. Perennial ryegrass is more expensive than the annual version because the annual ryegrass only lasts for one season, from fall to late spring. One of the most common uses for the annual ryegrass is for construction companies and landscapers who want to quickly grass over a dirt work area. The perennial ryegrass is used to plant long-term garden style lawns and the benefits are it grows quickly in the cold and lasts for more than one season or cycle.
With the ryegrass, lawn care is a bit difficult because it grows in clumps and patches and you can’t get an even green lawn like you can with crabgrass or Bermuda grass. And in the warmer months, the ryegrass tends to yellow, but recoups its green when the temperature dips back down in September or October. Ryegrass is also good to mix with other grasses such as bluegrass to help maintain a rich, thick lawn during the cold winter months.
Southern climates should choose grasses that are from the warmer climate grasses such as St. Augustine grass, zoysia grass, Buffalo, Bahla grass and Bermuda grass which all flourish in the hot summer weather and fair well in the warmer winter months.
One of the most common warm weather grasses is the zoysia grass. Lawn care is easy with this type of grass. The roots are long and therefore don’t need to be watered as much which saves you money on your water bills; the grass grows slower than others so it needs mowing less often and it grows sideways so it takes over crabgrass and other unwanted weeds in the process of spreading. In addition, it’s naturally resistant to many insects and diseases so you save money on pesticides and lawn care companies. And despite its toughness, it’s a soft grass to the touch. Although, throughout the winter months, zoysia grass becomes a golden brown color and will return to the thick, lush green color in the spring, even in the warmer temperatures.
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Getting the most out of your soil
Having a healthy lawn begins at the soil, so having a healthy soil is the basis for having a healthy lawn. Lawn care services test the soil as a good indicator of the PH levels. This is to make sure your lawn is in good, healthy form. Testing for a PH level of between 6.5 and 7.0 is a good ratio to have. This is because grass likes to be well drained after being hydrated and have only slightly acidic soil. By testing the soil, one can determine if the levels need more acid by adding sulfur or to be more neural by adding more lime.
Lawn care services know that aerating lawns help to allow the grass to ‘breathe’ giving the soil an airy feel to it. Tilling, raking or with a good pair of aerating shoes, one can put air into the soil where it is most needed to help the grass grow strong and healthy. Aerating also helps your lawn with the absorption of fertilizers and water, both needed in the growth process of healthy, green grass. Many do-it-yourselfers don’t aerate their lawns and that’s why they have a dull, brownish colored lawn; the lawn is not getting enough air to the soil so the grass is not getting the nutrients it needs to flourish.
There are two times a year when you should allow a lawn care services to feed your lawn and that is typically spring and fall. They should first aerate the lawn, and then apply a layer of topsoil or compost prior to the final layer which would be the fertilizer. Organic fertilizers are best for your lawn because instead of weakening the grass with counterfeit nutrients and botanicals or toxins, organic fertilizers strengthens the lawn and do not pollute the groundwater. In addition to the organic fertilizers, there are a good number of chemical free pest repellents such as ones that take care of fleas, ticks ants and mosquitoes. Keeping the pests away from the soil and grass is a major concern for many lawn care services because they can ruin a beautiful lawn faster than a drought or too much hydration or a bad PH.
A good lawn care services company can rejuvenate your lawn into a lush, thick and beautiful green lawn everyone in the neighborhood will be jealous of. No more brown spots where grass won’t grow in the shade, or pet urine spots. The lawn care people know what works on these troublesome areas and will use everything in their toolbox of lawn care tricks to make sure your lawn is beautiful and green year round.
When you need a lawn care services company, make sure you find a good one through references. Ask to see some of their work, either in photographs or by driving by lawns they maintain - which is the preferred way to go. If they are a reputable and reliable lawn care service, then they won’t mind allowing you to see their work, in fact, they should be proud of it.
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How to choose a lawn maintenance company while avoiding a costly mistake.
Your home is one of the biggest investments you will ever have and the lawn is part of that investment, you need to take care of it as well as you care for the structure. When you choose a lawn care company, make sure to choose wisely or you may end up with a brown yard and a colony of bugs living near the patio. You need a professional lawn care service and the only way to get one is to ask questions, get references and ask around to your friends and neighbors about their lawns and who they trust.
You need to know what type of lawn services you need or want from a lawn care company. Do you want them to mow and trim or do you want them to trim the hedges every so often as well? What about seasonal pest control and fertilizing and aeration and thatching? These are all things you must ask yourself if your lawn will need and when.
What are the lawn care company’s prices? Comparing prices is a big part of making the decision for which company to choose for your lawn care needs. If you are expecting the most thorough, professional service in town-don’t hire the cheapest company available. No one every bought a new Mercedes for the cost of a Ford.
Also, no reputable company is going to give you an estimate over the phone. They are going to come out and walk around your property to give you a fair price for the work that needs to be done. Ask for prices for seasonal work as well, if there is a discount for signing up to work with them for an entire year verses one or two seasons, such as spring and summer.
A reputable company will offer you before and after photographs of their work. This is one of the best sources of proof you can have. In addition, ask if they have written or published any articles, special reports or books. A published author certainly carries more creditability than a non-name company leaving flyers on the door
The company you choose should also be licensed and insured and don’t be shy about asking for proof. If something happens while they are working on your property, you want to make sure they are responsible for whatever it is that happens.
A few other questions to ask would be about chemical treatments, do they use safe chemical treatments? Are they licensed to spray your yard? Do they give you advanced notice of chemical treatments so you can prepare by keeping pets and children inside. If they use chemical treatments, do they post small yard signs warning people to stay off the grass for a period of time so that the chemical can do its job?
You will have to agree on what maintenance you will be doing and what they will be doing, such as sweeping or blowing the sidewalks or the mowing or trimming near the landscaping. Have a written estimate prepared with every detail spelled out so there are no miscommunications.
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Lawn Cutting in St. Petersburg, Florida
For most of you that live in the St. Petersburg area, it isn’t necessary to expound upon the numerous reasons for living there in the first place. You’re afforded fantastic year-round climate, you’ll eat some of the best seafood anywhere in the United States, there’s all that professional baseball during Spring Training — just to name a few of the many reasons. St. Petersburg is also one of the most beautifully landscaped cities in the US, right down to the many residential areas that the city is comprised of. The greenery and the plant life are second to none.
When it comes to having a nice looking yard, it can be a challenge for a number of reasons as well. The drought issue is the major challenge right now, and in certain areas, people are only allowed to water their lawns once a week. Seeing that this is the case, it is probably a good idea to let the lawn grow a little so that more moisture is held in. Scalping a lawn is never a good idea anyway since this leaves your lawn wide open to pests and weeds. That is especially the case in the Deep South where there are more lawn critters than most other regions in the United States.
Here are 4 helpful tips to cutting your lawn properly, especially for those of you who live in the St. Petersburg area:
Tips #1 - Never, ever mow a wet lawn. It is amazing to see how many people do this. As you mow, you create these massive gobs of grass that clump together and spread fungus. This is especially true in humid climates. Schedule the task more towards evening so the grass has had the entire day to dry out. If you’re on the once-a-week imposed watering plan, mow the yard just before the scheduled watering.
Tip #2 -Adapt your lawn cutting schedule to the growth rate of your lawn. Characteristically, different grasses grow at different and oftentimes flourish in different seasons of the year. There are summer lawns and winter lawns. You may have to mow the lawn twice as often in summer as you do in winter, but you should still schedule cutting your lawn accordingly.
Tip #3 - Watch the cutting height of your lawnmower. The best practice is to cut off the top 1/3 of the grass, so knowing the right height adjustment of your lawnmower is an issue here. If your lawn is 6″ tall and you want it down to 2″, don’t cut off 4″ all at once. Cut off 2″, give the lawn a couple of days to get over “cutting shock”, and then cut off the other 2″.
Tip #4 - Change the pattern of how you cut your lawn. Mowing your lawn the same way every time creates streaks and stripes in it and the result is that your lawn will be ugly. There’s no other way to put it. Mow the lawn in a North-South pattern on the first pass, then an East-West pattern on the next. This way you are sure to avoid matting or trampling it down in the same spots
Grass Clippings-Good or Bad?
There is a myth, widely circulated, that grass clippings are bad for your lawn. The myth is based on the premise that grass clippings increase problems with thatch. That myth is entirely false-grass clippings do not contribute to thatch problems. So, grass clippings are safe, right? The answer is-most of the time.
Before discussing all of the reasons why grass clippings are good for the lawn, there is just one reason why grass clippings could be unhealthy. If you lawn has problems with fungus or disease, you should bag and remove the clippings, because leaving them could perpetuate the disease problems. Otherwise, there are many reasons why you should leave grass clippings on the lawn!
Grass Clippings are Good for the Lawn Because. . .
–The most basic reason why grass clippings are good for the lawn is that they are not bad for the lawn. Therefore, why spend time and energy removing them?
–Grass clippings of 1 inch in length or less serve as a great natural fertilizer. As the clippings break down, they return nutrients and organic matter to the soil.
–Grass clippings dry up and break down quickly, so they are not an unsightly eyesore.
–If you have an overabundance of grass clippings (you have mown the lawn after a big growth spurt), grass clippings make great free mulch, especially around tomato plants. Grass is also a nitrogen-boosting addition to the compost pile.
–Leaving the grass clippings can reduce your trash removal bills because you will not have to pay to have the clippings hauled away. (Many cities do not allow grass clippings as part of waste removal service, and those who do, charge a fee.)
Make the Most of Grass Clippings
To ensure that leaving grass clippings on the lawn does not cause future lawn problems, follow these steps:
–Mow the lawn twice a week during periods of rapid growth. This will ensure that the clippings never get to be too long to cause damage.
–Bag and remove grass clippings if your lawn has major weed or disease problems so that you do not spread the problems.
–If you have an over-abundance of grass clippings, add them to the compost pile.
–Keep your mower blades sharp so that they cut quickly and efficiently-you will spend less time mowing, have finer clippings and you grass will look nicer.
So, the truth about grass clippings is that, in most cases, they are beneficial to the lawn and should be left on the lawn after mowing.
How to Read a Lawn Fertilizer Label
Feeding your lawn is part of maintaining a healthy lawn. To properly feed, you need to know how to decode and interpret a lawn fertilizer label. Applying the right fertilizer in the correct amount will help you grow a beautiful and healthy lawn. If you give your lawn too much of the wrong type of fertilizer (or even too much of the right fertilizer), you risk polluting your water source, and killing your grass!
The Label is the Law
The first thing that commercial growers learn is that they must read the label on any chemical they wish to apply. The label on fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides contains all of the information needed to calculate the proper dose, as well as instructions for protective equipment needed to apply the chemical. Home gardeners also need to read the label. Fertilizers are chemicals, too, and can cause serious damage to plants and people if not handled carefully. This is one instance where you really do need to read the directions! (Sorry guys!)
Information on the Label
The fertilizer label will have information about when to apply the fertilizer, how much to apply per area, what equipment you will need, and how to care for the lawn after applying the fertilizer. The label will also have information about what is contained in the fertilizer. All chemicals have active ingredients and inactive ingredients. The active ingredients are the parts of the chemical that produces an affect. Inactive ingredients do not affect the activity of the chemical, but aid in dispersing it, applying it, or measuring it.
N-P-K What?
For most lawn fertilizers, the prominent piece of information on the label is the ratio of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K). You might see a fertilizer that is 30-30-30 or 10-10-10. Those two fertilizers would have the same ratio of each nutrient. A fertilizer that is 5-10-5, or 20-40-20 has twice as much Phosphorous as Nitrogen and Potassium.
Depending upon the time of year you are applying fertilizer, results from your soil test, and your species of grass, you will need to select fertilizers with different ratios. A soil test will tell you if you have enough Phosphorous and Potassium. Soil tests cannot test for Nitrogen because it moves quickly in the soil, and the readings change from day to day.
Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium all help plants grow by performing different functions in plants. That is why depending on the grass species, time of year and soil test results, you will need fertilizers with varying ratios.
Slow or Fast Fertilizer
The lawn fertilizer label will tell whether the fertilizer is a slow-release or quick release fertilizer. Many fertilizers contain some slow release nitrogen and some quick release nitrogen along with the other nutrients. Slow-release fertilizers are less likely to do damage to the lawn if they are applied incorrectly.
Amount of Fertilizer Needed
Fertilizer labels will also tell you how much fertilizer to apply to your lawn. When fertilizing in the fall for optimum root growth, you will apply more fertilizer than in the spring or summer. The fall fertilizer application allows plants to grow healthy root systems and prepare for spring growth. Summer requires less fertilizer, and applying too much can burn the plants.
Understanding how to read a fertilizer label will save you time and money, and will help you grow a lush, green lawn.
Lawn Watering Basics-Short and Sweet
Watering the lawn is the most important aspect of lawn care. Using proper watering techniques ensures healthy, stress-free lawns that better resist pests and diseases. Lawn watering techniques also help homeowners save money and water while maintaining a beautiful and healthy lawn.
1) Water early in the morning or in the evening
Watering with irrigation systems and sprinklers is great for achieving uniform coverage. However, on hot, sunny or windy days, much water can be lost to evaporation. Watering just before the sun comes up or just after it goes down allows the water to get to the plant roots, but dry off of the plant leaves so that fungal and bacterial diseases do not spread.
2) Check your irrigation settings
A beautiful and uniform lawn is achieved by watering grass evenly. Check to see if you are achieving uniform watering coverage by setting straight-sided pans around your yard and running your irrigation system for a specific amount of time. Cut off the system and measure the amount of water in each pan. If there is more water in one pan than another, you will need to adjust your settings.
3) Water according to grass species needs
Different species of grass require different amounts of water. Bermuda and Zoysia grass need less water than St.Augustine and Centipede grasses. Water according to grass need, rather than a generic watering schedule.
4) Water differently for grass in sun and grass in shade
Grass of any species will need more water if it is in the sun and less if it grows in the shade. Adjust irrigation heads accordingly. You will use less water and prevent pest and disease spread.
5) Water in the morning to prevent spread of fungal disease
Grass needs air-circulation. If your grass grows in an area where air circulation is poor, be certain to water in the morning so that the grass blades have time to dry out. Additionally, consider introducing a fan to circulate air and prevent disease spread.
6) Test your water pH
The water pH can affect your grass health. Home pH testing kits are available at the local hardware store. Get one, and test your water. If your water is acidic or alkaline, you may need to add soil amendments to keep a healthy lawn. It is easier to amend the soil than it is to change your water source’s pH level.
7) Water deeply and infrequently
This is the most often repeated phrase for plant watering techniques. It applies to lawns as well as trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Watering deeply and infrequently promotes deep, healthy root growth, which allows the plant to stay vigorous even in times of drought. Give your grass one inch of water every three or four days to maintain adequate root growth.
These basic lawn watering techniques will help you keep your lawn healthy and happy.
Seven Lawn Care Fundamentals for Success
Lush, green lawns are the pride and joy of many a homeowner. Beautiful, well cared-for lawns also serve as backdrops for family recreation, picnics, cook-outs, parties and summer fun.
To achieve a perfectly healthy and green lawn this summer, follow these seven tips for lawn care success.
1) Water deeply and infrequently.
Watering deeply and thoroughly encourages grass to grow deep roots. This practice especially helps during periods of drought. Warm-season grasses need about one inch of water to thoroughly water twelve inches of soil. Giving your lawn one inch of water every three days is better for the lawn than watering for a few minutes every day.
2) Test your irrigation system.
To ensure that you are watering your lawn with the proper amount, test your irrigation system. Collect five straight-sided pans, such as cake pans or casserole dishes and set them around your lawn. Turn on your irrigation system and note the amount of time it takes for one inch of water to accumulate in the pan. Check to see that each pan receives around the same amount of water. You might need to adjust the amount or distance for sprinkler heads.
3) Never remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade when mowing.
Removing more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time causes the grass plant stress. Removing too much of the blade can result in a burned look for the lawn, because the grass plants will struggle to produce enough food for themselves with the decreased surface area.
4) Keep mower blades sharp.
Using a sharp mower blade helps the appearance of the lawn. Sharp blades provide cleaner cuts. They also allow the grass blade to recover from mowing more quickly.
5) Apply fertilizer at the correct rate and time.
Fertilizer helps a lawn stay healthy and green. It is important to apply fertilizer at the right time for the best results. Granular fertilizer needs to be watered in, so it is best to plant if a light rain is forecasted or if you have irrigation. Never apply fertilizer before heavy storms because it will run off, and not sink into the ground. That will cause two things-pollution of waterways, and a big loss of money for you, because you will have to re-buy and re-apply.
Before applying any fertilizer or soil amendments, have a soil test run to determine the needs of your grass. Also look up the proper fertilizer amounts and applications for the grass species you grow.
6) Check for insect and fungal pests frequently.
When you are in your lawn, enjoying it, take a few moments every week to walk around and look at it. If you see large brown circles, or dry areas, you probably have a problem. Fungal diseases tend to cause large circles called brownouts, while you can trace insect paths by the lines of dead grass left as they travel under the soil. If you cannot identify your lawn problem, consult your lawn care professional or cooperative extension office for help.
7) Maintain your grass at the highest acceptable height for the grass species in your lawn.
The longer the grass blade, the deeper the roots on the plant. Deeper roots help grasses survive drought and resist pests and diseases. Keeping your grass at a taller height does not mean that you will need to mow less frequently, it just means that you will give your lawn a better chance to be healthy and vigorous.
Basic lawn care fundamentals are easy to master.
Follow the seven tips for successful lawn care and your lawn will stay beautiful and green all summer!
Discover The Benefits Of Aerating Your Lawn.
Lawn aerating is another great lawn mystery, after the thatch question. Everyone aerates their lawn, but why? And when is the best time to aerate? How deep should you go? Is a core aerator or a punch aerator better? Do I need to break up the soil cores? How do I do that?
Why Aerate the Lawn?
Aerating the lawn accomplishes many things beyond strewing the lawn with soil plugs. Aerating helps loosen lawns that have been compacted from lots of foot traffic. (Golf courses aerate their greens for this reason.) Aerating is a great way to add organic matter to soils that are primarily heavy clay. The aerating opens spaces in the yard to which compost or loamy topsoil can be added. Improving the soil improves grass growth, which makes the lawn healthier!
Aerating is also one way to rid your lawn of thatch problems. De-thatching with verti-cutters is stressful for the grass. Aerating also helps lawns recover from thatch problems, but in a less stressful way for the plants.
When is the Best time to Aerate the Lawn?
You can aerate the lawn almost any time that the ground is not frozen. Depending upon your soil type and grass type, you will need to aerate at different times, and different amounts of time. Sandy soils need to be aerated about once a year, because they do not compact as quickly and easily as soils with heavy clay content. Lawns composed of sarm-season grasses should be aerated at the beginning of spring, as they are emerging from dormancy, because that is when their root systems are most actively growing, and can recover from aeration. Cool seasons benefit most from aeration in the early fall.
In warm climates where grasses are overseeded for the cool season, the lawn should be aerated just before overseeding. The aeration process will allow seed, water and fertilizer to soak into the lawn for best results.
When NOT to Aerate the Lawn
Aerating, for all of its benefits, is also stressful for grass plants. Grasses that spread by elongated stems along the ground are chopped into many pieces during aerating and have to recover. For this reason, it is not a good idea to aerate during periods of excessively hot, dry weather, because the lawn will not recover quickly.
Additionally, if your lawn has multiple weed problems, aerating should be left until the weed problems are solved. The process of punching holes into the ground and drawing up cores of soil can spread weed problems rather than eliminate them. If the weed problem is caused by soil compaction, however, first you need to address the soil compaction problem and then the weed problem.
What type of Aerating Is Best?
For aerating to be most effective, holes created by the aerator need to reach at least 3-4 inches into the soil. “Self aerating shoes” sold by various hardware stores might be fun to wear, but the do not really work. The best type of aerating is punch-core aerating by hydraulic aerators. These are aerators that punch into the soil and draw out a core of soil. That type of aerating is best completed by a lawn care professional, as they will have the right type of equipment. For the best aerating results, water your lawn before and after aerating. That will help loosen the soil slightly beforehand, and break up the cores after. For soils needing an addition of organic matter, immediately apply a layer of a compost/topsoil blend to the top of the grass and rake it in.
Aerating, when completed at the right time and with proper equipment can help your lawn stay healthy and vibrant.
How to correctly set the mower height for Healthy Lawn.
Everybody knows somebody who joyfully mows his lawn down to a mere ½ inch and keeps it that way. Unless his yard is composed of golf-course green-worthy Bermuda grass, he is making a big mistake-one that you can avoid! Mowing height has a lot to do with overall lawn health. Leave you grass too high, and risk putting undue stress on it when you mow it. Leave the grass too short, and weed and insect problems attack in full force. Mowing height does matter.
Why Mowing Height Affects Grass Health
Mowing height affects grass health in several ways. Lawns are composed of thousands of interconnected plants. Most lawn grasses are plants with stems running across the ground, and leaves growing upwards. Mowing grass too short can actually kill the plant by chewing up the grass stem-from which the nice, leafy, green lawn sprouts. Mowing grass too short also deprives grass of the leaves that produce food for the plant, allowing it grow and stay vigorous.
The 1/3 Rule
Whenever you mow your grass, you never want to remove any more than 1/3 of the blade at a time. Removing more of the blade will put stress on the plant, and cause the root system to recede in the soil. Grass root length and depth is directly related to the top height of the plant. If you remove more than 1/3 of the grass leaf, the plant cannot produce enough food to support the root system, and it will start to shrink. That, in turn, will make the lawn less healthy, overall, and will open the door to pest and disease problems. It is better to keep the grass at a relatively constant height-never letting it get too tall or too short.
Mowing Height and Pests and Diseases
Depending upon the species of grass in your yard, there is an optimum constant height for the plant. Overall, maintaining the proper height helps control weeds. Grass at the right height will “shade out” weed seeds that need sunlight to sprout. Mowing too short allows sunlight to hit the surface of the soil, and gives free reign to weed seeds.
Below are some typical healthy mowing heights for grasses as reported by the Better Lawn and Turf Institute:
- Bluegrass: 2 inches
- Perennial ryegrass: 2 inches
- Tall fescue: 2 inches
- Fine fescue: 2 inches
- St. Augustine: 2 inches
- Buffalograss: 2 inches
- Bermuda: 1.5 inches
- Zoysia: 1.5 inches
- Centipede: 1.5 inches
Summer Lawn Care
Proper summer lawn care means the difference between a lovely lawn for activities or nightmares with pest and disease problems. Follow these tips for a super summer lawn:
· Get a soil test. Before summer is too long in the tooth, get a soil test. Your lawn care provider can provide this, or you can collect a sample and send it to your cooperative extension agency. The soil test will let you know if you need to adjust the pH level of your soil and the amount of nutrients you will need to apply.
· Water your lawn a couple of times a week, but water thoroughly. You will most likely need to give your lawn 1-2 inches of water during each watering. This amount and frequency will help promote healthy root growth.
· Mow the lawn regularly. If you let your grass grow to five inches and then cut it back to one inch, you will stress out the grass. It is best to maintain your lawn at a height where you can mow and remove only 1/3 of the grass blade at a time.
· Aerate high-traffic areas once a month. Low-traffic areas can be aerated in late summer, only. Aerating the lawn helps promote root growth by alleviating compaction problems. The soil will spread out to fill in the holes created by the aerator, which allows more pores in the soil for water and air movement.
· Use a mulching mower so that grass clippings break down into the soil. Grass clippings do not contribute to thatch problems, as many people assume. Grass clippings help provide natural nutrients to your grass and aid in water retention.
· Check for fungal problems. Fungal problems in grass develop most often during humid conditions, which allow fungus to spread. Your lawn might have a fungal problem if there are large brown patches around the lawn.
· Fertilize appropriately. Summer fertilizing is not as important as fall fertilizing, but most lawns will require at least one application of fertilizer. Choose a fertilizer that has some nitrogen in controlled-release form so that you do not burn your lawn. Also, a controlled-release fertilizer will deliver a steady stream of nutrients to the grass plants as they need it.
· Measure and deal with lawn thatch. Lawn thatch is a layer of living and dead material between the grass blade and the root system. A large buildup of thatch creates a warm, cozy environment for pests and diseases to grow. More than ½ an inch of thatch is not good for the lawn. The best method to rid a lawn of thatch during the summer is to aerate and top-dress with soil.
How to Deal with Weed Problems in Lawns
For homeowners, weed problems in lawns can be a nightmare. In warm climates, where it is not an easy option to dig up the lawn and start over, rapid weed growth is as scary as a Japanese beetle outbreak in a rose garden. Luckily, if you have some areas of healthy grass in between the weed-stricken areas, there is hope of a healthy lawn without starting over.
Lawn Rescue 101: Step One: Make Existing Grass Happy
Before you begin killing the weeds, you need to focus on making your existing grass plants as happy as possible. Begin a regimen of mowing to the proper height, watering deeply and infrequently, and applying fertilizer in the right amounts at the right time.
Step Two: Kill the Weeds
There are many ways to kill weeds. You can dig up and remove the weeds entirely. You can spray the weeds with a systemic herbicide. (That is a herbicide that the plant takes in through leaves or roots. The herbicide then acts from the inside-out to kill the plant.)
Regardless of your selected method, you need to be certain that you remove the weed entirely. If you dig up the weed, you need to dig up the entire weed-not just remove the top. If you kill the weed, you need to kill it top-to bottom. Weeds are weeds because they are great at recovering from anything and everything and surviving harsh conditions.
Step Three: Support New Grass Growth
Depending upon the type of grass you grow, you can sometimes over-seed with the same species to fill in dead areas. For grass that spreads by runners, you will need to fill in with “plugs” or tiny plant sections, or just encourage growth of your existing grass.
Step Four: Examine and Amend the Soil
Once you have eradicated the weeds and boosted the health of the existing grass, you can aerate and make soil amendments. Some weed problems are caused by soil that is inhospitable to grass growth. If your soil contains too much sand or too much clay, you need to add organic matter. The best way to do that is to core-aerate and top-dress with a compost/topsoil blend. You need to wait until your lawn has recovered from the weed control measures to do this because aerating is stressful for the grass.
Step Five: Maintain Healthy Lawn Care Practices
Once you have rid your lawn of the weed problems, the best way to keep weeds from re-establishing is to keep your lawn healthy and happy. Water your lawn properly-that will keep your grass from becoming stressed or dying, making room for weeds. Mow the lawn to the correct height so that the grass shades out potential weed seeds, keeping them from sprouting. Feed your lawn the correct amounts at the correct times. Too much fertilizer is not a good thing, and can actually make your lawn less healthy, opening the door to weed growth.
Why Sharp Mower Blades Keep Lawns Healthy
One aspect of lawn care that is sometimes ignored by homeowners is keeping the lawnmower well-tuned and the blades sharp. Rotary mowers are the most common types of mowers used by homeowners. While most responsible homeowners take their mowers for a tune up at the beginning of the season, and some take the mower for a tune up at the end of the season, many do not do anything in-between. To keep your lawn healthy, conserve resources and maintain the beautiful green carpet look, you need to keep your mower blades sharp.
Sharp Mower Blades Conserve Gasoline
At a time when mowing your lawn can cost as much as a trip to the grocery store, in terms of gas use, any gas-saving measures are good for the homeowner. Sharp mower blades are more efficient, and slice through grass blades without as much work. A study conducted by the University of Nebraska found that keeping mower blades sharp helped homeowners use 22% less fuel per mowing session. That figure, by itself is enough to encourage mower blade maintenance.
Sharp Mower Blades Maintain a Clean Green Look
Dull mower blades rip and tear grass leaves rather than cutting them. That ripping action is what causes the faint white sheen across the lawn. A ragged cut heals less neatly. The shredded ends of the grass plant die and turn white, which gives the lawn an unhealthy pallor. Keeping mower blades sharp helps the mower slice the blades cleanly, allowing them to heal quickly at the ends. There have been some varieties of turf developed that do not need mowing; however, the clean, green look that most lawn-owners covet is achieved by continual grass growth. Lawns that do not require mowing will begin to appear ratty over time-especially if they see a lot of foot traffic.
Frequency of Mower Blade Sharpening
Mower blades need to be sharpened after about fifteen mowing sessions for an average lot size. That works out to about once or twice a summer if you mow the lawn once a week. If you mow your lawn when it is wet, the blade will dull much more quickly. You can sharpen the blade yourself, or take it to your local repair shop for sharpening. Rotary mower blades should be sharpened to have a 40 degree angle, evenly sharpened along the entire blade. If you are inexperienced, or do not have the proper equipment, it is best to visit the local repair shop so that you do not end up cutting your lawn unevenly.
Spending the time to correctly sharpen the mower blade is worth the investment. You will save fuel, and consequently money, over the summer. Your lawn will also keep a healthy, green look throughout the growing season.
What is Lawn Thatch?
Lawn thatch is the great mystery of the lawn. Some lawns have thatch problems, while others do not. Some areas of the lawn can have more thatch than others. What is it? How does it form? Is it harmful? How do you get rid of it? Do you need to get rid of lawn thatch?
What is Lawn Thatch?
Lawn thatch is a layer of living and dead plant materials between the growing stem portion and root portion of the grass plant. Lawn thatch up to ½ inch in depth is not a problem for most lawns. Once thatch accumulates to greater levels, it must be controlled. Otherwise, grass will send roots into the thatch layer instead of the soil, which will cause the grass to dry out and die.
Lawn Thatch Myths
Lawn thatch is not caused by leaving lawn clippings on the lawn after mowing. Leaving lawn clippings on the lawn is actually beneficial to lawns because returning the clippings to the lawn returns nutrients to the lawn.
De-thatching is best done in the spring or the fall because de-thatching techniques disrupt roots to the point where recovery is difficult during the hot summer.
What Causes Thatch?
As noted earlier, lawn thatch is not caused by leaving grass clippings on the lawn. Thatch can be caused by a variety of conditions. Thatch can form on highly compacted soil, and in cool, wet environments. Thatch can be caused by grass that is allowed to grow too high, as the lower parts of the plants will die. Over-fertilized lawns build up thick thatch layers. A high soil pH can also cause excessive thatch buildup.
How to Eliminate Thatch
When thatch levels are over ½ inch, it is time to take action. During the summer, the best way to remove thatch is to aerate and top-dress. Your lawn care professional can do this for you. Aerating will reduce compaction problems. Top-dressing with soil will add organic matter back into the lawn and help with root growth and moisture retention. In the fall, thatch rakes and vertical thatch cutters can be used.
Why Remove Thatch?
Removing thatch is important to keep a healthy lawn. Thatch is detrimental for a number of reasons, if allowed to build up. As earlier stated, thick thatch layers can cause roots to grow into the thatch layer instead of the soil. Thatch does not hold moisture, so eventually the lawn will die. Thatch provides an idea place for pests and diseases to grow and thrive, another good reason to remove it. Lastly, thatch buildup makes lawn maintenance more costly because you have to use more water and fertilizer to achieve desired results.
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