Get the Mowing Height Right
for the Right Time of Year. There's more to mowing than just cutting
the grass every saturday. One of the most fundamental steps to a perfect
lawn is getting the mowing height right for your type of lawn and for
the season. Most grasses do best with a length of 2 - 3". This
applies for spring and early fall. In the summer, if possible, set it
even higher. Never go below the minimum recommended height except for
the last mowing of the season which should be around 1.5" for most
turf grasses. Height is important because the grass uses the extra length
to absorb the sunshine it needs to grow and develop into a healthy plant.
Never remove more than 1/3 at any one mowing. This may mean you'll have
to mow more often during prime growing times (usually spring and early
fall). Leave the clippings on the lawn after you mow. This not only
save time and energy, but the clippings decompose and add vital nutrients
back into the soil.
Use a Sharp Blade
The type of mower doesn't matter, but the blade's condition does. A
dull blade tears at the grass. Take a close look at a grass blade a
few days after mowing. If the blade is dull you'll notice a jagged brown
line across the tip of the cut grass. This is a good indication that
your blade needs sharpening. Professional mowers sharpen their blades
about every 8 hours of use. For most homeowners, once a month is recommended.
The jagged edges caused by a dull mower blade make it more difficult
for the grass to fight off pests and disease.Annual
Lawn Mower Tune-Ups
According to Briggs & Stratton, nearly 70% of Americans say they
are willing to do more to help the environment, but not knowing what
to do is among the top obstacles to their taking action, according to
a recent survey conducted by Briggs & Stratton Corporation, the
world's largest maker of gasoline-powered engines for outdoor power
equipment.
In response to this survey, Briggs & Stratton developed a lawn mower
tune-up campaign. They determined that a gasoline powered lawn mower
can reduce its emissions by as much as 50 percent over an untuned engine.
Not only that, but it can also save fuel and prolong the life of the
mower—all with a simple lawn mower tune-up each spring.
• Avoid throwing grass clippings into the street and driveway
where they can be washed into the sewer system. After mowing, clean
up driveway and walkways.
• Mow your lawn in a different direction with each mowing, especially
with lawns of shorter grass types. Altering the direction ensures a
more even cut since grass blades will grow more erect and less likely
to develop into a set pattern.
• In the spring, don't use that old gas unless you properly used
a fuel stabilizer, it can cause a number of problems. Better to use
fresh gasoline to begin the new mowing season.
Watering
Over watering your lawn causes more damage than a
lack of water. That's
because most turf grasses can handle dry spells, but not flooding. Most
grasses require 1 - 1.5" of water per week. This is enough water
to moisten the soil to 4 - 6" below the surface for clay soils
and 8 - 10" for sandy soils. Don't guess at how much water your
lawn is getting. For measuring Mother Nature's contribution, invest
in a rain gauge. If at the end of the week she's contributed enough,
hold off adding more. If she comes up short, you'll want to add some
supplemental watering. Again, measure how much water your sprinkler
is putting down. You'll have to follow local regulations when there
are watering bans, but just remember that less water is acceptable and
grass is a very resilient plant. When the rains do return your lawn
will come back with a little encouragement on your part.
Watering Efficiently
A healthy lawn makes a very good filter for
absorbing many things that can
be washed into our streams. The ideal lawn is one that will grow best
in your environment without lots of supplemental watering. We have all
probably read about people living in desert areas in the country trying
to grow lawns that require almost daily watering just to survive the
summer heat. This is extremely foolish and short-sighted. Turf grasses
were never intended to be grown everywhere. That being said, there are
parts of the country where various turf grasses are well suited without
the need for daily watering. In many places, grass can be grown without
any supplemental watering, or only very minor supplemental watering.
The following information is specifically intended for those areas.
How Much Water Does a Lawn Need
In general, turf grasses need about 3/4" — 1" of water
per week to maintain green color and active growth. However, during
certain times during the summer when high temperatures are the norm,
you should allow lawns to naturally slow down in growth during those
extreme conditions. You may let the lawn go
almost completely dormant in hot weather. Many factors such as the soil
and
weather all have a role in the lawn's water needs. Here are a few
guidelines to follow:
Decide Before Hand
Decide before summer heat and drought conditions
arrive, to either water
lawns consistently as needed throughout the season, or let lawns go
dormant as conditions turn hot and dry. Do not rotate back and forth.
In other words, don't let the grass turn totally brown, then apply enough
water to green it up, then let the grass go dormant again. Breaking
the lawns dormancy actually drains large amounts of food reserves from
the plant.
When is it Time to Water
The first few warm days of summer does not automatically mean to water
lawns. In fact, allowing lawns to start to go under mild drought stress
actually
increases rooting.
Watch for foot printing, or footprints remaining on the lawn after walking
across
it (instead of leaf blades bouncing back up). Grasses also tend to turn
darker in color as they go under drought stress. Sampling the root zone
soil could
be another option.
Water as Infrequently as Possible
Thoroughly water when you do water so moisture soaks down to the roots.
Exceptions to this general rule would be for newly seeded lawns where
the surface needs to stay moist, newly sodded lawns that have not yet
rooted into the soil, or when summer patch disease is a problem (see
Lawn Diseases). Otherwise, avoid frequent waterings that promote shallower
root systems
and weeds (e.g., crabgrass).
