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Maintaining the Lawn

Maintaining the Lawn. Maintaining the Lawn. Applying lime sulfur fertilizer. 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. Lime. moves through the soil slowly at a rate of about 1/2 to 1 inch per year.

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Maintaining the Lawn

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  1. Maintaining the Lawn

  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

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