Maintaining the Lawn

1. Maintaining the Lawn Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Office June, 2002

2. Maintaining the Lawn • Applying lime • sulfur • fertilizer

3. Lime • Should be applied when necessary to keep the pH between 6.0 and 6.5 • Late fall and winter are the best times to apply lime

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

5. Sulfur • should be used on soils that are alkaline to adjust the pH

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

7. Fertilizer • Lawns require high N fertilizer

8. 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

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

10. Mowing • two types of mowers; • reel • rotary

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

25. 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.

26. Growth Regulators • An example is PRIMO

27. 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

28. 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

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

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

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

32. Weeds • are usually an indication of poor maintenance practices • two types of weed killers used on lawns are pre-emergence and post-emergence

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

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

35. 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.

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

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

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

39. Disease prevention • do not over use N • maintain a pH of 6.0-6.5 • avoid thatch buildup

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

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

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

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

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

45. 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

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

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

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

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

50. Infestation • of weeds, diseases and or insects