AERATION
What is lawn aeration?
Aeration is the process of mechanically removing small plugs of thatch and soil from the lawn to improve soil intake of air, water, and nutrients.
Aeration is the process of mechanically removing small plugs of thatch and soil from the lawn to improve soil intake of air, water, and nutrients.
What are the benefits of lawn aeration?
Lawn aeration helps the turf's health and vigor, and it reduces maintenance requirements. The following are other benefits of lawn aeration:
• Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere.
• Enhanced soil water uptake.
• Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
• Reduced water runoff and puddling.
• Improved turf grass rooting.
• Reduced soil compaction.
• Enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.
• Improved resiliency and cushioning.
• Enhanced thatch breakdown.
• Thicker root system.
Lawn aeration helps the turf's health and vigor, and it reduces maintenance requirements. The following are other benefits of lawn aeration:
• Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere.
• Enhanced soil water uptake.
• Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
• Reduced water runoff and puddling.
• Improved turf grass rooting.
• Reduced soil compaction.
• Enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.
• Improved resiliency and cushioning.
• Enhanced thatch breakdown.
• Thicker root system.
MULCHING
Mulches are materials placed over the soil surface to maintain moisture and improve soil conditions. Mulching is one of the most beneficial things a home owner can do for the health of a tree and plants. Mulch can reduce water loss from the soil, minimize weed competition, and improve soil structure. Properly applied, mulch can give landscapes a handsome, well-groomed appearance. Mulch must be applied properly; if it is too deep or if the wrong material is used, it can actually cause significant harm to trees and other landscape plants.
Benefits of Proper Mulching
- Helps maintain soil moisture. Evaporation is reduced, and the need for watering can be minimized.
- Helps control weeds. A 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch will reduce the germination and growth of weeds.
- Mulch serves as nature’s insulating blanket. Mulch keeps soils warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
- Many types of mulch can improve soil aeration, structure (aggregation of soil particles), and drainage over time.
- Some mulches can improve soil fertility.
- A layer of mulch can inhibit certain plant diseases.
- Mulching around trees helps facilitate maintenance and can reduce the likelihood of damage from “weed whackers” or the dreaded “lawn mower blight.”
- Mulch can give planting beds a uniform, well-cared-for look.
GRASS MOWING
Improper mowing causes more problems on lawns than any other maintenance practice. Most lawns are mowed too short, not often enough, and/or with a dull mower blade. Mowing height depends on the grass species. Mowing below the optimum height restricts root growth and increases susceptibility to damage from insects, disease, drought, and traffic. Low mowing also favors weed infestations. Shaded areas should be mowed 0.5 to 1.0 inch higher than optimum.
Mowing frequency depends on how fast the grass is growing. Some lawns may need mowing twice a week during spring and fall and only once every 2 weeks during summer. Mow frequently enough so as not to remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade a single mowing. For instance, if you are mowing at 3 inches, mow when the grass reaches 4 inches. If the grass has grown too tall, raise the mowing height and gradually lower it back to the original height over a few mowings. Avoid mowing during midday when temperatures are above 90 deg. and the soil is dry because you may damage the turf. If you must mow during a hot and dry period, wait until temperatures moderate in the early morning or late evening.
The mower blades must be sharp and may need sharpening four to six times a year. A sharp blade results in a cleaner and healthier cut, leaving a more attractive lawn. Reel-type mowers often give a better cut, especially at lower heights, but they are more difficult to maintain.
Clipping removal is generally not recommended on most turfgrass areas. Though once thought, clippings do not cause thatch. Furthermore, returning clippings will recycle valuable nutrients to the soil thereby reducing fertilizer requirements. Clippings are not harmful if your mower spreads them evenly and if they are not thick enough to shade the grass below. Mulching mowers are recommended, but research suggests that mulching mowers increase clipping breakdown only slightly faster than conventional side-discharge mowers. Catching clippings is labor and time intensive and should only be done if the clippings are used for mulch or compost. Few, if any, landfills will accept clippings and other yard waste.
INSTALL & REPAIR SPRINKLERS
Watering Basics
Improper watering is the culprit behind many lawn problems, especially in the South where healthy grass depends almost entirely on how you water. Too little can encourage crabgrass and other weeds that thrive in dry soil. Too much can invite diseases and is wasteful, especially where water is scarce.
Hint
Before planting grass, we add compost or other soil amendment to the soil to improve its ability to hold water.
How much water
Most lawn grasses need roughly 2 inch of water per week through the growing season. Also remember that any lawn needs more water after a hot, dry week than it will after a cool, humid week.
Cut your grass higher during hot spells. Taller grass shoots provide better shade for the soil beneath and require less water. Taller grass also has longer roots which can absorb more water deeper in the ground.
Rain gauges are the most precise way to see how much water your lawn is getting. Place them where they’re exposed to both sprinklers and rainfall. Use several gauges around each sprinkler, then run the sprinklers for 10 minutes. If the water in the gauges measures one-quarter inch, for example, it will take 40 minutes to apply 1 inch of water. You can also measure how quickly your sprinklers apply water by setting empty soup cans around them and then measuring the water inside the cans.
In rainy areas, have a portable sprinkler and hose in case of drought. Use a timer (about $25) or automatic shutoff to manage watering efficiently. For drier climes, you’ll save time and money with an automated underground sprinkler. Maximize these systems’ efficiency by using moisture and rain sensors to override an automated program.
Avoid waste by keeping water off sidewalks, driveways, and other non-lawn areas. Use sprinklers that apply water no faster than the soil can absorb it. Different soils absorb water at different rates; sandy soils absorb it quickly, clay soils slowly. You’ll know it’s time to stop when water runs off the lawn. Choose sprinklers or sprinkler heads that are matched to your soil.
Hint
If your sprinklers apply water too fast, water only to the point of runoff and then stop. Wait about 20 minutes before turning the sprinklers on again.
How often to water
Water only when you must and then water thoroughly. Roots will grow only as deep as the soil is moist, and deep roots make grass hardier and more resilient. Deep but infrequent watering also discourages pests and disease by letting the lawn dry thoroughly between watering's. That works out to once or twice weekly through the growing season where grass requires watering.
Dial in extra water if you see signs of drought. Persistent footprints are the major one for all regions, indicating that grass blades are losing resilience. Most lawns also have one area that dries out first. Watch that area closely, using it as an indicator for the entire lawn.
Why morning is best
Use sprinklers in the early morning when there’s less wind to blow the water and less sunlight to evaporate it. Morning watering also discourages pests and disease by giving the lawn the rest of the day to dry.
Water sensors can improve the efficiency of in-ground sprinkler systems. The EPA's WaterSense program includes more than 300 certified landscape professionals nationwide who can design efficient irrigation systems or perform efficiency audits on existing systems.
