In this next in our series of articles on lawn maintenance we're going to continue with chores that should be done around late May or early June.
Around this time of year the weather is warming up and it's hopefully raining regularly. CuT the lawn as needed. Try not to let the grass get higher than 3 inches. Also, do your June feeding. Remember to watch out for broad leafed weeds and apply chemicals as needed.
Around the end of June is the time to start looking for crabgrass again. Even though you have already treated for this you may still get seeds from your neighbor's lawns or even from birds passing by. If the soil of your lawn is very sandy the chemicals will drain more quickly and a second application at this time will help prevent any problems down the road. Crabgrass has a very sneaky way of disguising itself among the regular grass. Then suddenly it rears its ugly head. So it is important to carefully inspect your grass for these pests and get rid of them while they're young.
Keep your mower blade at the same height of around three inches. This keeps the roots shaded and helps protect against draught. This way you can reduce how often you water to about once every ten days. Of course this depends on the weather and how much shade your grass gets. By using a longer blade this allows the plant to give all its energy to the growing of the roots. If the root base is strong this will help prevent weed grasses from growing. This will also minimize the growth of Creeping Charley, Clover and Dandelion. If you're against chemical use remember, a strong healthy lawn reduces the need to use chemicals. With only a few weeds in your lawn you can easily remove them by hand.
Once July hits you'll need to reapply all your crabgrass and weed killers if needed. Around now you can ease up on your cutting as it will probably be very hot with little rain. This is usually the driest time of the year.
Around the end of July apply grub killer if you see any of it on your lawn. If you see any brown patches, dig around the area. Mostly likely you'll find grub there. Dig up small patches. If you see any grub apply chemicals only to that area. Or you can apply a combination of lawn food and grub killer. Make sure you water your lawn well after doing this. This will help carry the chemicals down to where the grubs are hiding.
Also, if you find any leafed weeds apply a good quality leaf weed killer or a combination of weed killer and fertilizer. Don't cut your lawn for about two days after treatment. This will give the weed killer and fertilizer time to work. Cutting the grass is a waste here because it will cut off the leaves to which the chemical is clinging and thus you'll be cutting away your treatment.
In the next article in this series we're going to continue with chores that need to be done in late July and August.
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------------------------------------------------------- Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell |
Recent lawn care information reports that a lot of us might be guilty of over-kill when it comes to tending our family turf. What may be the most effective way to solve problems may not be the best way for the long-term health of our lawns and safety of our families.
For instance, most experts tell us we need to aerate our lawns each spring to control thatch. Thatch is a layer of dead stems and roots that build up under some grasses. The truth is that thatch is a natural part of a lawn and a shallow layer of it (up to ½ inch) even acts as a moisture holding mulch for your turf. That is not always good information, as everything in life it depends on several factor such as soil type and the like. You can tell if your lawn needs thatch control by walking across it. If you find you have too much spring in your step, then check to see how difficult it is to reach the soil under your grass. If you have to dig through a dense mat of thatch to hit pay dirt, then you need to aerate your lawn.
Lawn fertilization is another area of lawn care where it’s easy to give our turf too much of a good thing. Healthy grass sends roots deep into the soil to find the nutrients it needs to grow. When fed from the top, the grass blade grows quickly but root growth is inhibited. This results in a shallow rooted, fast growing lawn that is susceptible to drought, disease, and invasive weeds.
Another reason to grow a deep-rooted lawn is for both weed and pest control. While chemical herbicides and pesticides are effective for controlling invasive plants and insects in the short-term, natural control methods offer better solutions for the long-term health of your lawn. A deep-rooted lawn takes up the space that weed roots would otherwise occupy. Once established, your grass will work hard to maintain its own turf and smother out invaders.
In addition, the soil under your lawn is alive with a community of beneficial microorganisms that work with you to fight disease and both pest and plant invasions. Use of toxic chemicals kills this helpful colony and in addition leaves residues that are a threat to your own health and the health of your family.
Water your lawn deeply and infrequently. Consider rainfall and remember that your lawn needs about one-inch of water per week to thrive. Rather than using a garden hose or light sprinkler system, invest in a soaker hose so that water has the optimum chance to be absorbed into your soil.
Mow your lawn high. Your grass needs to be 2 ½ to 3-inches tall to take advantage of the sun and gather the carbohydrates it needs. Giving your lawn a crew cut is a sure way to make it go bald!
As in many things, less is more. Spend less time in lawn care by tending your turf the natural way. Your result will be more time to enjoy healthy growing, environmentally friendly yard.
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Hans is an enthusiastic gardener, researcher and author of http://www.gardening-guides.com/ and http://www.lawnmower-guide.com/ at these sites you find heaps of information and the solution to most gardening and lawn issues. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_Dekker |
