Lawn Maintenance

There are 8 major components to lawn maintenance:

1. Watering
2. Mowing
3. Fertilizing
4. Aerating
5. De-thatching
6. Weeding
7. Pest control
8. Fighting disease

The general rule is to water heavily, when the lawn really needs it, rather than watering lightly more frequently. If you water lightly, the water won’t make it down into the soil so it won’t do much good. You should water enough to soak 6 to 8 inches deep, encouraging the roots to grow deep into the ground. The general rule is to water until there is about 1 inch of water over the ground surface. Water as soon as the grass starts to dry out. Its color will change from green to bluish grey and it will lose some of its bounce. If the grass doesn’t spring back a few seconds after you step on it, it needs water. The best time to water is in the early morning; the water won’t evaporate as easily as in the afternoon and it will cool the lawn down as temperatures start to climb.

Mowing reduces the workload on a grass plant’s root system. A large culm above-ground requires more water and nutrients from underground. It’s easier for the roots to provide for the plant if the culm is smaller. Mowing also encourages the grass plant to expand. When the blades cut down the leaves, the plant has to grow new leaves to absorb sunlight. This helps build a thicker, heavier lawn, which is more resistant to weeds and disease.

The rule of thumb is never cut off more than a third of the grass plant at once. It’s bad for the plant to lose a lot of its photosynthesizing ability suddenly. One common mowing mistake is cutting the grass too short. It’s best to cut centipede 1” to 2” tall, St. Augustine 3” to 4” tall, Bermuda and Zoysia 0.75” to 2” tall. The shade will help cool the soil. Sharpen your mower blade a couple times a year to ensure a healthy, clean cut.

Fertilizing adds nutrients to the soil so that the soil can provide nutrients to the grass. If you mow regularly, your grass will grow very quickly, which means it needs more nutrients than an average plant. The most effective way to fertilize is to spread slow-acting commercial granular fertilizer once or twice a year. Unlike water-soluble spray fertilizer, which acts on the leaves directly, granular fertilizer releases nutrients gradually over several months.

There are three major elements:
N - P - K

1. Nitrogen (N)
2. Phosphorus (P)
3. Potassium (K)

Nitrogen (N) is the most important element you can add to your lawn for it is the element needed to make the grass grow and get its green color. It also helps to create thickness, shoot density, and sturdy growth to help fight off weeds and pests. You will commonly see an increase in nitrogen during the early growing season

Phosphorus (P) is used primarily to encourage strong grass root growth and establishment. You will commonly see an increase in phosphorus during time of new planting and renewing old lawns.

Potassium (K) is used to enhance your lawn’s resistance to disease, drought, wear, and cold weather. You will commonly see an increase in potassium during fall and winter fertilizations and times of new planting and renewing old lawns.

When soil gets compacted from foot traffic, mowing, and the like, oxygen can’t reach the microbes that break down organic matter to enrich the soil. To keep your lawn healthy, it’s a good idea to aerate it periodically to open up the compacted soil.

Manual and power core aerators remove narrow sections of soil to form shallow holes. Air, water, and organic materials spread into the ground through the holes, revitalizing the soil.

In any lawn, thatch materials collect around the base of the grass plants. Thatch is not made up of mowed grass clippings, as is commonly believed. Clippings usually break down in a week or so. Thatch is actually made up of culms and crowns that have died naturally.

A small amount of thatch helps conserve water in soil by blocking evaporation, but heavy thatch build-up (more than a quarter-inch thick) keeps air and water from ever reaching the soil. If there’s too much thatch on your lawn, rake it up or rent a power de-thatcher. Power de-thatchers are NOT recommended for use on Centipede or St. Augustine grasses.

Weeding is an ongoing process, but it shouldn’t take much time once you establish a healthy lawn. Grass, especially modern mixtures, is extremely competitive and will crowd out most weed itself. If a lot of weeds do pop up, take it as a sign that your grass is weaker than it should be. This could mean your soil is deficient or water-logged, or it could mean you’re cutting the grass too short. Weeds will pop up in a healthy lawn, of course. For the most part, this isn’t anything to worry about. Almost all lawns have weeds and they don’t do much harm in small numbers. Simply pull up any weeds that detract from the lawn’s appearance. If you have a larger weed problem, use an herbicide, but use caution. Make sure it is safe for your lawn.

Pest control is similar to weed control. If you have a healthy, thriving lawn, you shouldn’t have to worry about it. Bugs will make their home in your lawn, but they won’t be able to damage the grass much. From time to time; however, bugs may destroy some of your grass.

Diseased lawns are usually caused by fungi feeding on the grass plants. Healthy grass stands up to fungus very well, but it develops disease now and then. Fight persistent or widespread fungi with a fungicide.