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Historical Summer 2019 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Every homeowner has felt the pressure to have a nice lawn.
The pressure is compounded by the costs of lawn care.
There are financial, labor and environmental costs with having a lawn, like the cost of a 25 pound bag of fertilizer, the time and effort of mowing twice a week, and the fact that the amounts of water used for irrigating lawns is vastly greater than the water used for irrigating any other crop.
Some homeowners have decided to save their money and effort by replacing their lawns with other plantings or hardscape. For those that want to keep a lawn, a few simple practices can reduce the financial, labor and environmental costs. How you mow can help the success of your lawn and save you money and time.
The most important practice is to mow as high as possible. Grass grows in proportion to root depth, so mowing higher lets plants get water and nutrients from deeper in the soil. Lawns mowed shorter are more prone to weeds and diseases.
The best mowing height does differ by grass type. Cool season grasses like fescue or bluegrass can be mowed much higher than warm season grasses like zoysia. Leaving clippings on the lawn after mowing is also good for the lawn. Lawns where clippings are removed require twenty-five percent more fertilizer. Healthy lawns do not have problems with thatch, because the organisms that live there quickly compost the clippings. Taking care with watering is another easy practice that can help keep a lawn healthy, save money and effort and help the environment.
During the hottest periods of the summer, lawns need about an inch of water a week. Common sprinklers will deliver water at the rate of 1 inch in three to four hours. Warm season grasses do not need more, and cool season grasses will be dormant. For them, the water only serves to maintain the root systems. You can test the soil for moisture with a screwdriver.
If it pushes in easily to about six inches, you have watered enough. Early morning is best for watering, because more water is absorbed by the soil.
As the morning progresses, standing water is evaporated, reducing the chances of diseases. Maintaining soil health is another important practice. Synthetic fertilizers may cause peaks and valleys of growth, which stresses plants. Compost and natural organic fertilizers work together with soil organisms to make nutrients available to plants in a more regulated way. Compost and organic fertilizers also help the organisms alive that consume thatch. Soil health is also helped by regular aeration. Many lawns in older neighborhoods become very packed. Adding compost or organic fertilizer after aeration helps cool season grasses recover from the stress of hot summers.
Most importantly for soil health, follow directions for the use of any product. Many common problems may be triggered by excess use of fertilizers and insecticides.
Most insects have a positive effect on lawns, but many insecticides intended for pest insects also hurt beneficial organisms.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, Summer 2019.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2019_06.pdf, printed page(s) 4; PDF page(s) 4.
