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EARLY SPRING GUIDELINES FOR GROWING A HEALTHY LAWN
This week is a good time to think about your lawn. Notice I said "think" about your lawn, not "do" your lawn. I've you're reading this in mid April, it's likely still too early to walk on your lawn, mow your lawn or fertilize your lawn.
Walking on your lawn in early spring when the ground is soft and moist can compact the soil so grass roots are robbed of oxygen. Test your lawn - if your feet sink in even a little, try to stay off it for a couple of extra days.
If your lawn is to wet to walk on, it's definitely too wet to rake. Raking turf that's too wet will pull up roots and do more damage than good.
Don't be too eager to fertilize your lawn. Grass should be allowed to come out of dormancy slowly. Early in the growing season, grass is involved in the activity of reproduction, not growth. Fertilizing during April or early May can actually stress your grass and encourage more vigorous growth of weeds. Best advice for getting an early spring start on lawncare is to fertilize and rake it in the fall, and let it care for itself in the spring (a lot of good that advice does you now, you're probably thinking...).
A general thumbrule for fertilizing turf grass is to apply two-thirds of the year's fertilizer from mid-August to early November, and the other one-third between mid-May to mid-June.
Many lawn lovers like to combine crabgrass control and fertilizing into one operation. Best timing for crabgrass control is when forsythia begins to drop its flowers and before just before lilacs begin to bloom - usually May 15-20.
Unlike quack grass and some other pesky lawn "enemies," crabgrass is an annual. It sprouts and grows each year from seed. The crabgrass chemical you apply kills crabgrass as it germinates and should be applied several weeks ahead of germination, which begins in late May or early June.
If you are intending to sow grass seed to establish a new lawn or fill in bare spots in an existing lawn, early spring is an excellent time for this activity. Newly seeded areas need to be kept moist until grass seed germinates. Water the seeded area two or three times a day until seed germinates. You can cover the surface area lightly with straw to keep the soil surface moist. After seedlings appear, begin watering less frequently but for longer periods until grass is well established.
When you enter the garden center to purchase grass seed, don't just grab the first container of seed you see on the shelf. Consider the location where you intend to seed, and purchase the right seed based on these situations:
FULL SUN: For high-management/high-wear areas, look for a blend containing 50-75% improved Kentucky bluegrass and 25-50% improved perennial ryegrass. For low-management/low-wear locations, use a blend of 60-75% Kentucky bluegrass (mixture of common and improved), 25-40% fine-leaf fescue and 5-15% improved perennial ryegrass.
FILTERED SHADE: Look for a blend containing 50-60% fine-leaf fescue, 40-50% Kentucky bluegrass, and 5-10% improved perennial ryegrass.
HEAVY SHADE: Choose either a blend containing 80-85% fine-leaf fescue and 15-20% Kentucky bluegrass or a blend of 80-85% fine-leaf fescue + 5-10% Poa trivialis + 5-10% Kentucky bluegrass. Another option for heavily shaded areas is to plant perennial groundcover plants such as pachysandra, vinca minor, ajuga or hosta.
PLAY/ATHLETIC AREAS: Plant a blend of 50% Kentucky bluegrass and 50% perennial ryegrass.
Finally, if you routinely rake up and bag your grass clippings after mowing, consider scattering the clippings on your lawn. New lawnmowers do an outstanding job of fine cutting and distributing mown grass. These grass clippings can add up to 1 pound of nitrogen (one-third of your lawn's annual requirement) per year to your lawn...and it's free fertilizer!
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PUTTING DOWN ROOTS:
A Delightful Blend of
Gardening Wisdom, Wit
and Whimsy
$10 + $2 for shipping
by Cliff Johnson |
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