No, I’m not talking about
which swimming suit to wear to the beach, but more like: weeds, insect and
fungus activity. The most misunderstood concept in lawn care is thinking that chemicals are the answer to these
common lawn problems. The fact is, it is our cultural practices that can control most of these problems.
Mowing height (3.5 inches on cool season lawns minimum), proper watering,
correct fertility and soil nutrients are the keys. When you are doing or have
done these 4 cultural practices correctly, you will use very little herbicides,
insecticides or fungicides. Here is how it is supposed to work:
Mowing properly: Mowing cool season lawns under 3.5 inches is almost a
guarantee that weeds, fungus and insects will have a very negative effect on
your lawn. There is a direct correlation to mowing height and depth of roots
(higher the mowing the deeper the roots). There is a further correlation to
root depth and drought, insect and disease resistance (the deeper the roots the
hardier the plants that withstand drought, insect and disease pressures).
Mowing short will only bring unwanted weeds and unhealthy plants. I can’t
stress enough how important mowing height on cool season lawns is. If you mow
short…expect problems!
Watering cool season lawns: Infrequent, deep watering is best all summer. I like
to suggest you water for 20-45 minutes two days in a row and then take two days
off and only repeat as needed. That length of time is only a suggestion and
should be taken with a huge grain of salt. Sprinkler systems water pressure,
age of heads, slope of lawns etc. all play a part in how much one can water
without causing puddles or losing water to the gutter. Trial and error are in
order to find the right mix of time and days needed to keep the lawn healthy. I
water to prevent death, not dormancy. My cool season lawn looks its worse in
July and August (nothing “cool” about the weather in the summer), but it bounces
right back in September once the “cool weather” returns…hence the name…”cool season
grass”. Makes sense doesn’t it?
Summer fertilization plan: use as many 100% organic products as you can! These
products (regardless of their source, human, chicken or plant products) are
usually 100% Slow Release. That makes “burning” the lawn darn near impossible.
When you use organic based fertilizers you are helping the soil. When you help
the soil, you but can’t help but to have a healthier lawn. When the base is
right…it’s going to be right (unless you scalp it!). Spread rate should be
around 10# per 1000 ft. sq. and if you have a dog…it will look at you funny
after you apply. It’s the SAFEST application you’ll make all year! Do it 6
weeks apart asap and you’ll be very happy with the results!
Soil nutrients role: Testing your soil is the one of the easiest and
cheapest ways to insure that your fertilizers are working properly! Test cost
around $30.00 and can be brought to us here or mailed from your home? We all
spend hundreds and maybe thousands on our lawns and landscapes, but we won’t
spend $30.00 on a soil test? Doesn’t make sense to me. New homes, problem lawns
or just plain old reassurance…do a soil test today and know what you are doing
is working for you!
I want to wish you all a safe
summer. We are going to a wedding in Peoria in
August and Atlanta
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