LAWN CARE TIPS

Given good conditions and good management vigorous turf will out grow most other kinds of plants and moderate insect damage.  The following is a list of cultural controls that will help you achieve a healthy, weed and problem free lawn.

POWER RAKING (dethatching)

• Thatch is a layer of undecomposed organic material, grass stems, dead roots, and debris that accumulates at the base of the grass plants faster than it can decompose.  A layer of ½ an inch or more should be removed.  A problem of too much thatch is the grass begins to root in the thatch layer rather than in the soil and becomes more susceptible to diseases, bugs and drought stress. 

CORE AERATION

• Aeration of your lawn is beneficial in many ways.  Core aeration removes plugs every few inches allowing for water, air and fertilizer to get to the grass roots and loosens compacted soil.  Aeration gives the roots more room to grow allowing for their length to increase by as much as 1/3. 

TOPDRESSING

• A layer of soil adds and increases the lawns ability to hold nutrients.  For best results apply a topdressing after dethatching and/or aerating.

OVER SEEDING FOR A THICKER LAWN

• Over seeding your lawn regularly in the spring and/or fall will not only create a thicker healthier lawn but over time will help snuff out weeds.  For best results over seed your lawn after dethatching, aerating and/or adding a topdressing.

MOWING PRACTICES

• Generally speaking mow lawns to a height of about 2 ½ inches (removing about 1/3 of the plant height gives the best results).  Mowing often and correctly is the key to a healthier, thicker, problem free lawn.  Did you know that mulching your grass rather than bagging it is beneficial because it decomposes and feeds the grass (it is not advisable in cool, wet spring conditions when turf is growing rapidly).  Grass clippings do not contribute to thatch as they are mostly made up of water.

WATERING

• Water deeply, but infrequently soaking the root zone.  For best results water in the early morning and avoid waterlogged conditions, which can kill grass roots.

A well-managed lawn is the key to a healthy, weed and problem free lawn. 

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