LAWN MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE from dnv.org
SPRING LAWN CARE
A well established healthy lawn requires less water, care, and maintenance during the summer. The following is a list of a few things that you can do now to help ensure that you lawn is healthy and strong all year:
Starting a New Lawn
If you are starting a new lawn it is recommended that you wait until the risk of frost has passed. This is usually in Mid March. It is also important to ensure that there is at least six inches of soil for the lawn to grow its roots. So be sure to till the soil to an even depth to allow for the roots of the grass to develop. Next ensure that the area is level to reduce the possibility of drainage issues in the future. Then you can apply the grass seed or sod to the area and water thoroughly.
If you have an existing lawn you can top dress the lawn by spreading a thin layer (1/4 inch) of top soil and then apply the grass seed on top. Water thoroughly to ensure that the seed germinates.
Watering your Lawn
Adequate watering ensures that your lawn has an established root system to cope with the dry summer months. Be sure to water thoroughly and deeply. Watering restrictions come into affect on June 1st and are in effect until September 30th. Please not that they have changed as of 2013. They are as follows:
Newly planted lawns need special attention. It is best to keep the soil moist for at least 4 to 6 weeks to ensure that your lawn develops an adequate root system. If you are starting a new lawn in the summer be sure to apply for a permit to water outside of the watering restrictions.
Mowing your Lawn
Lawns should be mowed at regular intervals with a sharp mower at the correct height. Lawns should be cut every 7 to 10 days. A rotary mower should to be set at 2 to 3 inches for the season. You lawn mower should be kept sharp at all times. A dull mower tears the grass instead of cutting it, making it more susceptible to diseases. You should use a catcher, or rake the cut grass to remove the cuttings and prevent the build-up of dead grass. If you do not remove the dead grass you should power rake you lawn on a regular basis to remove the layer of dead grass (thatch) that builds up, this is called de-thatching.
Applying Moss Control
Before your moss goes dormant in the summer heat you should take steps to kill and remove the moss in your lawn. To do this apply either a liquid or granular Moss Control to affected areas. Approximately two days later, use a mechanical power rake to remove the dead black moss. The area should then receive a thin layer of soil or sand followed by an application of grass seed to grow where the moss was.
Fertilizing your Lawn
The beauty of your lawn, its resistance to disease, insects, moss and weeds depends largely on how you feed it. With our heavy rains in the coastal area, much of the mineral content (food or fertilizer) of the soil is washed away each year. Every fertilizer shows the percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potash (N.P.K.) For example 12-4-8 is 12% Nitrogen, 4% Phosphorous and 8% Potash.
Nitrogen – gives the green to lawns and is the main food a lawn responds to
Phosphorous – encourages good root growth
Potash – promotes strong healthy stems
Lawns should be fed at regular intervals. We recommend an application of 28-3-8 in early spring. This will feed your lawn for 10 to 12 weeks. For late spring and summer, we recommend 12-4-8. This feeds your lawn for 6 to 8 weeks. Fertilizing should be done when the grass is dry and should then be watered in thoroughly. To ensure an even application, it is best to use a fertilizer spreader.
When you apply fertilizer you should water your lawn to make sure that the fertilizer make it to the soil and does not remain on the leaves where it could burn them.
Applying Lime to Your Lawn
Lime is an important soil conditioner that helps you lawn absorb fertilizer and deter moss from growing. Lime does not kill moss, but does neutralize the pH of the soil making fertilizer applications more effective. To be effective Dolomite Lime should be applied in spring and again in fall.
Top Dressing Your Lawn
After power raking and/or aerating in the spring, your lawn may appear sparse. Top-dressing is a reliable way of rejuvenating it. You can top-dress your lawn with Peat Moss for sandy soils, peat and sand for clay soils, sand if you have wet soil, or top soil. Top-dressing is best done in March or April. After top-dressing you can also apply a thin layer of lawn seed to help fill in the spaces left by the power rake.
FALL LAWN CARE
As Fall brings cooler temperatures your lawn will emerge from its summer dormancy. You should start to notice some new growth and the dead brown grass start to be replaced. It is important to fertilize, water, and mow your lawn properly in the fall.
Fertilizing your Lawn
As your lawn begins to recover from the summer drought be sure to help encourage new growth with a fall fertilizer. Fall is a time when the lawn needs to be given a feeding of fertilizer that has more potash in it. The Evergro Winter Ready (6-3-20) helps to develop a strong healthy lawn for next year. The best time to apply fertilizer to your lawn is when it is raining. If it is not raining when you apply the fertilizer you should set out the sprinkler and water your lawn for one to two hours to ensure that the fertilizer is washed into the soil.
Applying Lime to Your Lawn
In addition to fertilizing fall is also an ideal time to apply lime to your lawn. Lime is essential to balance the Ph in the soil. Lime helps the grass absorb important nutrients. If you have a significant amount of Moss in your lawn the Lime also helps to deter the moss from growing. However it is best to wait until March or April to apply a moss control to kill the moss.
Watering your Lawn
During the fall the west coast generally receives enough rain to provide adequate water for your lawn. In the event of a warm dry fall it may be necessary to water your lawn through September and October.
Mowing your Lawn
Lawns should be mowed at regular intervals. However, lawns grow more slowly during the fall months. This reduces the frequency with which you have to cut it. For best results your lawn should be cut every 10 to 14 days. A rotary mower should to be set at a height of 2 to 3 inches for the season. Your lawn mower should be kept sharp at all times. A dull mower tears the grass instead of cutting it, making it more susceptible to diseases.
You should use a grass catcher, or rake the cut grass to remove the cuttings and prevent the build-up of dead grass. If you do not remove the dead grass you should power rake your lawn on a regular basis to remove the layer of dead grass (thatch) that builds up, this is called power raking or de-thatching.
Applying Moss Control
Spring is the best time to apply Moss Control. However if moss has taken hold of your lawn you might want to consider a fall application of the Moss Control to reduce the problem for the winter. Moss usually goes dormant over the summer but as we start to receive cooler weather and rain in the fall the moss in your lawn may rejuvenate and need to be controlled. It is more important to add lime to your lawn to balance the pH to deter the moss from growing over the winter.
Tips for Starting a New Lawn
Fall is an excellent time to start a new lawn from seed or to over-seed your existing lawn to fill in the spaces. You need to apply the grass seed at least six weeks prior to the first frosts, which normally arrive in mid November. So it is best to start your new lawn before the first week of October.
To over-seed your existing lawn first spread some fresh topsoil. You should mix a Turf Starter fertilizer (15-30-10) with the soil while you spread it. The fertilizer helps to promote development of strong healthy roots.
Make sure that you spread the soil evenly and level it to ensure even growth. Then apply lawn seed and lightly rake the seed into the soil. To ensure that the lawn seed germinates best keep the new lawn moist for at least four to six weeks. You should not fertilize the new lawn until after it has been mowed at least twice.
SUMMER LAWN CARE
During the summer months your lawn goes dormant. Before the heat of the summer starts be sure that you lawn has been adequately fertilized. One last treatment of the Spring and Summer Lawn Fertilizer (28-3-8) or the Premium Lawn Fertilizer (12-4-8) is all that you lawn will need until you apply Fall Fertilizer (6-3-20) in late September or October.
Watering your Lawn
When watering your lawn it is best to water early in the morning to minimize evaporation loss. This saturates the soil more thoroughly and provides better absorption of the water. Watering your lawn less frequently but more thoroughly encourages deeper roots that can withstand drought.
Newly planted lawns need special attention. It is best to keep the soil moist for at least 4 to 6 weeks after you apply grass seed to ensure that your lawn develops an adequate root system. If you are starting a new lawn in the summer be sure to apply for a permit to water outside of the watering restrictions.
If you have applied fertilizer or lime to your lawn it is best if you water the lawn to ensure that the fertilizer is washed off the blades of the grass to prevent burning. Watering also helps the fertilizer reach the roots faster.
Mowing your Lawn
Lawns should be mowed at regular intervals. For best results your lawn should be cut every 7 to 10 days. A rotary mower should to be set at a height of 2 to 3 inches for the season. Your lawn mower should be kept sharp at all times. A dull mower tears the grass instead of cutting it, making it more susceptible to diseases.
You should use a catcher, or rake the cut grass to remove the cuttings and prevent the build-up of dead grass. If you do not remove the dead grass you should power rake your lawn on a regular basis to remove the layer of dead grass (thatch) that builds up, this is called power raking or de-thatching.
Fertilizing your Lawn
If you have not fertilized your lawn do it now before the heat of summer comes. Once the summer gets too hot it is not recommended that you fertilize until fall when we have cooler temperatures again. You should ensure that your lawn is fertilized before the end of June.
The beauty of your lawn, its resistance to disease, insects, moss and weeds depends largely on how healthy it is. With our heavy rains in the coastal area, much of the mineral content (food or fertilizer) of the soil is washed away each year. Every fertilizer shows the percentage of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potash (N.P.K.) For example 12-4-8 is 12% Nitrogen, 4% Phosphorous and 8% Potash.
Nitrogen – gives lawn its green and is the main food a lawn needs
Phosphorous – encourages good root growth
Potash – promotes strong healthy stems
Lawns should be fed at regular intervals. Fertilizing should be done when the grass is dry and should then be watered in thoroughly. To ensure an even application, it is best to use a fertilizer spreader. We carry several fertilizers that can help you invigorate your lawn:
12-4-8 is an ideal fertilizer to promote a flush of new growth in your lawn. An application will last for 6 to 8 weeks. So applying in May will require only one more application in July.
28-3-8 gives your lawn a jump start promoting an abundance of new growth. One application will last 10 to 12 weeks ensuring that you will not have to fertilize again for the rest of the summer. Ensure that the blades on your lawnmower are sharp as you will need to cut your lawn every week with this fertilizer.
6-2-3 is an Organic lawn fertilizer that provides a balance of nutrients that you lawn needs. If you wish to keep your lawn healthy using an organic fertilizer this is the best choice for you.
Starting a new Lawn
Summer is not a good time to start a new lawn. It is best to wait until fall when the cool fall weather and rains provide enough moisture for the lawn to grow better.