Turf Maintenance

• Turf maintenance includes mowing, watering, fertilizing, aerating, de-thatching, and controlling weeds and pests
• Spring an Fall clean up are an important part of landscape management
• In Spring you should remove sand, gravel and debris (in cold environments), identify winter damage and prune, remove tree wraps, inspect turf areas for winter damage and diseases
• In Fall you should wrap trees and remove leaves
• In Spring and fall you should clean up planting beds, pick up debris, possibly leave leaves for mulching, and prune prennials
• Mowing and watering are the most common and frequently performed turf maintenance tasks
• Mowing is done for appearance, improve tolerance to hear and drought, and to decrease susceptibility to disease
• Cool season grasses should be mowed to a height of 2-3"
• Buffalograss can be mowed to less than 2" or left unmowed
• Bentgrass (often used on golf courses) can be moved to 1/8"
• No more than 1/3 of the grass blade should be mowed at one time
• Adjust mowing based on the growth rates of the grass
• If grass is cut to short it may become stressed
• Continuously cutting grass too short can cause part of the root system to dieback
• Mowing should be done on a regular schedule, about once a week is average
• When mowing make 2 passes the width of the mower around the perimeter of the area and blow the clippings to the side
• When overlapping: 21" mower = 2", walk-behind mower = 4", Riding mower = 8"
• Mow in a direction perpendicular to the direction mowed the previous time
• Dull blades will shred grass instead of cutting it
• To mow: Walk the site before mowing, remove debris before mowing, identify any hazards or obstacles
• When watering consider the type of turf, condition of turf, soil type, weather conditions, slope, type of irrigation system, time of year, cost
• A lawn should receive at least 1" of water per week during the growing season
• Undewrwatering can be detected by seeing a blue-gray tint to the turf
• Overwatering can deprive the roots of oxygen and promote disease
• The best time to water is early in the moring or evening
• Aerating turf helps to reduce soil compaction, improve uptake of oxygen, nutrients, and fertilizers, break down thatch, improve irrigation effectiveness, and create a more favorable root environment
• Aerate in clay soils twice a year, sandy soils once a year, and before fertilizing or reseeding
• Avoid aerating in periods of high heat or during a drought
• Manual and tow-behind aerators are avaliable
• Aerating procedures: water the day before, identify and mark any sprinkler heads, run the creator as if it were a lawnmower, disengage tines before making sharp turns, water extra, reseed or fertilize
• Thatch is te build-up of un-decomposed organic materials which accumulate between the soil surface and the crowns of the grass
• Tatch can be beneficial because if can help insulate the soil surface, retain moisture, and provide a cushioning effect to the grass
• Build-up of extra thatch can prevent water, air, and nutrients from reaching the soil and roots and it can harbor pests and diseases
• De-thatch when soil is no longer visible between grass blades, when turf is dormant
• Avoid de-thatching when the grass has actively started to grow and when grass is under stress
• Tatch can be removed with a leaf rake, garden rake, thatching rake, or power de-thatching
• Overseeding is the practice of seeding grass into an existing lawn
• Overseeding can be done to thicken turf, fill in bare spots, and crowd out weeds or to add seasonal color
• Overseeding can be done in spring and fall
• To overseed select a grass seed or blend that meets your goals, avoid applying herbicides 1-2 months before, mow and aerate turf, apply seed, apply slow-release fertilizer, water well