Maintaining the Lawn Applying lime sulfur fertilizer.
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Transcript of Maintaining the Lawn Applying lime sulfur fertilizer.
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
Sulfur• should be used on soils that
are alkaline to adjust the pH
Fertilizer• annual applications of
fertilizer are needed
• Nitrogen leaches through the soil and must be replaced regularly
Fertilizer• Lawns require high N
fertilizer
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
Fertilizer• should be applied with a
spreader just prior to the active growing season
Mowing• two types of mowers;
• reel
• rotary
Mowing• close mowing of 1/2 to 1
inch is done most efficiently with a reel mower
Mowing• most lawns are cut too short
because the homeowner believes that the lawn looks best when short
Mowing• a very short cutting reduces
the leave area of the plant so much that it cannot make enough food
Mowing• Cutting the grass too short
also encourages weed growth
• Cool season grasses should not be cut shorter than 2-3 inches
Mowing• Warm season grasses are cut
1/2 to 11/4 inches depending on the variety
• Warm season grasses grow faster in warm weather
Mowing• Warm season grasses are
better able to compete with weeds.
Mowing• Lawns should be mowed
often enough that no more than 1/3 of the top is removed.
Mowing• mower blades should be kept
sharp at all times so the grass blades are cut not torn off
Mowing• Mulching mowers eliminate
the need to remove clippings from the lawn and reduce fertilizer needs by 50%
Mowing• lawns should be cut so that
they are cut at right angles to the direction of the previous mowing.
Mowing• This eliminates compaction,
gives the lawn a more even appearance and reduces thatch build up
Mowing• Each pass over the lawn should
slightly overlap the previous one
• If lawn is too tall clippings should be collected and removed
Mowing• Heavy build up on the lawn
shades out light and kills the grass.
• Causes a thatch build up that reduces soil aeration
Mowing• damages roots and provides a
breeding place for disease and insects
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.
Growth Regulators• An example is PRIMO
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
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
Watering• A healthy lawn can go
dormant and withstand a great deal of dry weather without being damaged.
Watering• The grass will become green
and actively grow after the next good rain
Problems• Weeds:
• If lawns are heavily infested with weeds, chemical herbicides should be used to eliminate the problem
Weeds• are usually an indication of
poor maintenance practices
• two types of weed killers used on lawns are pre-emergence and post-emergence
Post Emergence• herbicides are applied after
weeds sprout and begin to grow• Many chemicals are selective
and only kill certain types of plants
Selective herbicides• make it possible to select a
chemical that will kill almost everything but the grass
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.
Diseases• Fungus diseases are spread
easily by mowing or simply walking across the infected area especially if the grass is wet
Diseases• for fungal diseases to cause
serious problems, there must be:
• grass plants on which fungus can live
Fungal diseases• fungus spores and a means of
spreading them to the grass
• temperature and moisture conditions favorable to the growth of fungi
Disease prevention• do not over use N
• maintain a pH of 6.0-6.5
• avoid thatch buildup
disease prevention• water only when necessary
and then water deeply
• mow frequently, remove only 1/3 of top growth
Disease Prevention• keep trees pruned to allow
sufficient light for good growth
Insect Control• can cause serious damage to
lawns
• spraying of application of granular insecticide may be necessary
Lawn renovation• Reasons lawns fail
• wrong species or variety of grass
Reasons lawns fail• improper mowing
• cutting to short, not cutting frequently enough
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
Fertilizing• Use slow release, high N
fertilizer according to soil test results
Improper Watering• failure to apply enough water
to soak the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches
• Water one inch per week
Heavy Traffic• plant varieties that are known
for durability such as the tall fescues
Excessive shade• plant shade tolerant grass or
other ground cover
• Improper soil preparation prior to planting
Infestation• of weeds, diseases and or
insects
Thatch• speed thatch rotting by
maintaining a pH of 6.0 -6.5
• remove thatch with a thatching rake or machine
Thatch control• layer of dead stems, leaves
and roots which build up on the soil surface
Thatch control• may prevent water from
penetrating soil
• prevents proper aeration
• provide breeding area for insects and disease
Thatch build up• not adjusting mower blade
properly
• returning clippings to the lawn
• heavy fertilizing
Thatch build up• heavy clay soil
• acidic soil
Compacted soil• most needed lawn
maintenance is aeration
• compaction robs plant roots of oxygen and water
Compacted soil• recommended treatment is
use of a plugger
• pulls out plugs of soil
• leaves holes in lawn for air and water to enter
Weed infestation• when more than one third of
the lawn is dead and large bare spots exist
• May be better to kill the remaining lawn and start over
Weed infestation• Apply “Round up” and re seed
the area
• after grass is killed the entire lawn is dug up and the seedbed reworked and prepared for seeding
Thin lawns• remove thatch
• work up soil
• add seed use a roller to press the seed into the soil
thin lawns• Apply weed killers to control
broadleaf weeds as needed
• fertilize with slow release high N
• mow properly and follow good maintenance practices
Spot seeding• any bare spot that covers a
foot or more should be treated
• follow the same process for seeding a new lawn
Spot patching• remove good sod from
inconspicuous area and patch the weak area by digging up the sod and replacing it with good sod
Spot patching• press the sod into place
• water and fertilize accordingly