Maintaining the Lawn Maintaining the Lawn Applying lime

Maintaining the Lawn

Maintaining the Lawn • Applying lime • sulfur • fertilizer

Lime • Should be applied when necessary to keep the p. H between 6. 0 and 6. 5 • Late fall and winter are the best times to apply lime

Lime • moves through the soil slowly at a rate of about 1/2 to 1 inch per year

Sulfur • should be used on soils that are alkaline to adjust the p. H

Fertilizer • annual applications of fertilizer are needed • Nitrogen leaches through the soil and must be replaced regularly

Fertilizer • Lawns require high N fertilizer

Nitrogen • can be applied in an organic form which acts as a slow release nutrient that does not burn the grass and supplies N over a longer period of time

Fertilizer • should be applied with a spreader just prior to the active growing season

Mowing • two types of mowers; • reel • rotary

Mowing • close mowing of 1/2 to 1 inch is done most efficiently with a reel mower

Mowing • most lawns are cut too short because the homeowner believes that the lawn looks best when short

Mowing • a very short cutting reduces the leave area of the plant so much that it cannot make enough food

Mowing • Cutting the grass too short also encourages weed growth • Cool season grasses should not be cut shorter than 2 -3 inches

Mowing • Warm season grasses are cut 1/2 to 11/4 inches depending on the variety • Warm season grasses grow faster in warm weather

Mowing • Warm season grasses are better able to compete with weeds.

Mowing • Lawns should be mowed often enough that no more than 1/3 of the top is removed.

Mowing • mower blades should be kept sharp at all times so the grass blades are cut not torn off

Mowing • Mulching mowers eliminate the need to remove clippings from the lawn and reduce fertilizer needs by 50%

Mowing • lawns should be cut so that they are cut at right angles to the direction of the previous mowing.

Mowing • This eliminates compaction, gives the lawn a more even appearance and reduces thatch build up

Mowing • Each pass over the lawn should slightly overlap the previous one • If lawn is too tall clippings should be collected and removed

Mowing • Heavy build up on the lawn shades out light and kills the grass. • Causes a thatch build up that reduces soil aeration

Mowing • damages roots and provides a breeding place for disease and insects

Growth Regulators • Can be applied by spraying on the lawn which will slow the growth of the grass and reduce the number of times the lawn must be mowed.

Growth Regulators • An example is PRIMO

Watering • At least one inch of water should be applied in each application • one inch of water is equivalent to 1/2 gallon per square foot

Watering • Applying less than one inch does more harm than good. • Watering shallowly, the plants root system is not forced to grow deeply into the soil

Watering • A healthy lawn can go dormant and withstand a great deal of dry weather without being damaged.

Watering • The grass will become green and actively grow after the next good rain

Problems • Weeds: • If lawns are heavily infested with weeds, chemical herbicides should be used to eliminate the problem

Weeds • are usually an indication of poor maintenance practices • two types of weed killers used on lawns are preemergence and postemergence

Post Emergence • herbicides are applied after weeds sprout and begin to grow • Many chemicals are selective and only kill certain types of plants

Selective herbicides • make it possible to select a chemical that will kill almost everything but the grass

Diseases • most turf diseases are caused by fungi - parasitic plants • Fungi live in and on dead grass and in the soil where they attack the grass and rob the soil of nutrients.

Diseases • Fungus diseases are spread easily by mowing or simply walking across the infected area especially if the grass is wet

Diseases • for fungal diseases to cause serious problems, there must be: • grass plants on which fungus can live

Fungal diseases • fungus spores and a means of spreading them to the grass • temperature and moisture conditions favorable to the growth of fungi

Disease prevention • do not over use N • maintain a p. H of 6. 0 -6. 5 • avoid thatch buildup

disease prevention • water only when necessary and then water deeply • mow frequently, remove only 1/3 of top growth

Disease Prevention • keep trees pruned to allow sufficient light for good growth

Insect Control • can cause serious damage to lawns • spraying of application of granular insecticide may be necessary

Lawn renovation • Reasons lawns fail • wrong species or variety of grass

Reasons lawns fail • improper mowing • cutting to short, not cutting frequently enough

Improper fertilizing • applying fertilizer too late in the spring for cool season grasses. • Apply a few weeks before the grass begins its active growing stage

Fertilizing • Use slow release, high N fertilizer according to soil test results

Improper Watering • failure to apply enough water to soak the soil to a depth of 4 -6 inches • Water one inch per week

Heavy Traffic • plant varieties that are known for durability such as the tall fescues

Excessive shade • plant shade tolerant grass or other ground cover • Improper soil preparation prior to planting

Infestation • of weeds, diseases and or insects

Thatch • speed thatch rotting by maintaining a p. H of 6. 0 -6. 5 • remove thatch with a thatching rake or machine

Thatch control • layer of dead stems, leaves and roots which build up on the soil surface

Thatch control • may prevent water from penetrating soil • prevents proper aeration • provide breeding area for insects and disease

Thatch build up • not adjusting mower blade properly • returning clippings to the lawn • heavy fertilizing

Thatch build up • heavy clay soil • acidic soil

Compacted soil • most needed lawn maintenance is aeration • compaction robs plant roots of oxygen and water

Compacted soil • recommended treatment is use of a plugger • pulls out plugs of soil • leaves holes in lawn for air and water to enter

Weed infestation • when more than one third of the lawn is dead and large bare spots exist • May be better to kill the remaining lawn and start over

Weed infestation • Apply “Round up” and re seed the area • after grass is killed the entire lawn is dug up and the seedbed reworked and prepared for seeding

Thin lawns • remove thatch • work up soil • add seed use a roller to press the seed into the soil

thin lawns • Apply weed killers to control broadleaf weeds as needed • fertilize with slow release high N • mow properly and follow good maintenance practices

Spot seeding • any bare spot that covers a foot or more should be treated • follow the same process for seeding a new lawn

Spot patching • remove good sod from inconspicuous area and patch the weak area by digging up the sod and replacing it with good sod

Spot patching • press the sod into place • water and fertilize accordingly