Susan’s Lawn Gardens is pleased to feature this article from today’s guest author, MARK FALCO. He is a lawn care expert, so we feel very comfortable recommending his work to our visitors.

Basic Lawn Care – Mowing, Scarifiers, Aeration, and Watering Tips
By Mark Falco

The arrival of summer heralds a time of increased wear and tear for the average garden lawn. Children’s yard games, barbecue parties, outdoor sports and generally more activity in the garden means your lawn is set to come in for something of a beating and without a little TLC is likely to start showing more than a little worse for wear. Stomp all over any living thing and it doesn’t respond too kindly but with a little help, your lawn can remain looking great all through summer and beyond!

Fertiziler

For a lusher, healthier, faster-growing lawn you can’t beat a bit of fertilizer. Test your soil type and choose a fertilizer to compliment this for best results. Most lawns will benefit from around three to four fertilizer applications through the year, with the first around a month before the start of the growinf season to give your grass a kickstart and then up to three more with approximately a two month gap in between applications can give good results. You can either spread the fertilizer by hand if you have a smaller lawn area to cover or use a specialist spreader tool for more even coverage, using a drop spreader for small lawns or a rotary/broadcase spreader for bigger areas.

After fertilizing it is generally a good idea to water-in the fertilizer or plan on adding fertilizer before an expected rainfall unless otherwise stated in the usage instructions. The important thing with fertiliser is to follow the manufacturer guidelines and not be tempted to over-do it. An excessive application of fertiliser is not a good thing and can lead to fungus, over-growth and weakness. Keep to the guidelines and you’ll get that lush, thick green grass you wanted.

Watering

If you live in a hot climate or dry region, and particularly during the summer months then regular watering of your lawn is important. The best time to water a lawn is early in the morning or late in the afternoon to achieve the best results. Avoiding evening watering is advised as soaking grass over night can increase the risk of lawn diseases and mid-day watering when the sun is hottest increases evaporation and water wastage. Excessive watering is also something to avoid and ensure if you use a sprinkler you do actually get out there and move it around rather than allowing large puddles to form whilst other regions of the lawn area remain dry. Too much surface lying water can starve the roots of oxygen and lead to the same symptoms (leaf rolling) as lack of water.

It is important to know when to water rather than just watering because you think a lawn needs watering. There are a few basic tests you can do to know if your lawn needs irrigation. Look for leaf rolling and curling and the slightly blue/purple tinge which comes when grass is being starved of moisture. Also, try the foot print test. Stepping on a healthy lawn should see it spring back into position quickly but if your lawn is slow to react then it’s time to add more water.

Lawn Mowing

The key thing to remember here is that the object of mowing a lawn is lawn “mowing” not lawn “scalping”! To take good care of your lawn you need to make sure you are mowing with sharp lawn mower blades so you cut rather than rip at the grass and ensure you do not set the blades at too low a level as you do not want to cut it back lower than is recommended for your particular species of grass. Cutting too low on a regular basis is the easiest way to do lasting damage to your lawn.

If your lawn has become too overgrown then do two or more passes with your mower rather than trying to take it right down to a desirable length straight away and never cut grass when it is wet. Grass clippings may be left or raked as you please if you do not have a lawn mower with a grass collector. Left clippings do not automatically lead to thatch, this is only occurs when there is too much dead organic matter to be broken down and a few clippings actually add nutrients back into the soil.

Edges are something lawn mowers can not handle but a simple pair of long handled shears will make short work of tidying them up. Strimmers are a simple solution for cutting around obstacles such as trees and immovable garden structures.

Aerating Your Lawn

Grass is a living thing and like all living things it flourishes better when it is able to breath easy and get easy access to food and water. Aeration of your lawn is important as it allows water, oxygen and fertilizer to penetrate more easily through to the roots and improves drainage. If your garden is being regularly used then the ground will begin to suffer from soil compaction. When this happens, drainage is reduced and it becomes more difficult for roots to dig down deeper into the soil. The natural activities of earthworms and other subterranean insects and wildlife help break up the soil but compacted earth can always do with a helping hand.

Basic lawn aeration is very simple to achieve with the help of a simple garden fork. Just drive the fork into the earth at regular intervals to do the job. For bigger garden areas or for more effective aeration you can buy or hire specialised lawn aeration tools which are basically spiked or bladed rollers either motorised or hand driven.

An aerator should be used in the autumn months to loosen compact soil after its summer beating.

Dethatching and Scarification

Scarifying or raking your lawn to remove dead and decaying matter which may choke and hinder water and nutrients reaching the soil is an essential part of a good spring and autumn lawn maintenance routine. Raking removes thatch, the accumulation of dead and decaying organic matter like leaves and old grass clippings from around the base of the grass stems. This scarification improves drainage and enables increased amounts of water and air to penetrate down to the roots as well as reducing the chances of lawn disease occuring. Before detatching a lawn you should ensure there is no moss growing there as this process will only help spread the moss around. Kill the moss first with a specialised moss killer found at good garden centers and then scarify the lawn. Scarifying a lawn may be performed manually by raking whilst for larger lawns it might be recommended to use a power lawn scarifier machine which can be hired or bought for the purpose.

Removing Worm Casts

Worms are the gardener’s best friend…unless your lawn is your pride and joy. Worm casts are those unsightly piles of mud which appear on the surface of your lawn and left to their own devices may encourage moss and weed growth. Removal is simple during dry weather, just wait until they are dry and brush or rake them away but during prolonged wet periods you may just have to put up with them. Use of acidic fertilizers may discourage worms from coming to the surface but for most gardeners just consider worms are your friend, they help aerate the soil and drag organic matter from the soil surface into their burrows thus making the soil a richer growing environment.

Article copyright Mark Falco, webmaster of ukgardeningsupplies.co.uk where you can find lawn care and gardening equipment including lawn mowers, lawn scarifiers, garden tools and lawn care accessories available for UK delivery.

Reproduction of this article is permitted so long as this resource box is included, it remains unchanged and all links remain active and clickable.

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Do you have a “Saturday” morning lawn care and maintenance routine? Is it absolutely necessary… will your lawn die if you don’t? Certainly not… at least not right away.

Perhaps more so in Nature than in human experience, consistency is a life-factor. Even from a purely practical standpoint, a consistent lawn care and maintenance program saves money and helps build equity in your home.

An established, well maintained lawn garden adds considerable value to your home.

A typical “Saturday” lawn care schedule…

Of course, “Saturday” is optional… pick any day. Just be consistent.

Mow the lawn as early as you can get yourself out of bed, BUT not so early as to offend your neighbors.

Edge the lawn where needed and sweep porches, sidewalks, and driveway. If you insist on using a leaf blower instead of a broom, PLEASE don’t rev the motor. The constant vroom, vroom, vroom when a more constant vroom will do the same thing, seems to be a point of contention with most neighbors.

Water the lawn. If it’s mid-day or later, wait until the next morning. Watering soon after mowing gets water into the root system quickly, but your lawn needs most of the day to breathe.

An alternative… If you’re not a morning person, or your neighbors object to morning noise, a successful option is to mow in the late afternoon, and then water deeply early the next morning.

In amongst all the spring, summer, and fall “Saturdays”, include the following ones for specialized, seasonal lawn care and maintenance.

A “Saturday” in early Spring…

30 days before the growing season starts:

Mow the lawn… Set the mower blades to a bare 2″ height for this first mowing.

Apply a fertilizer… Use a fertilizer that targets above-ground growth… high in Nitrogen and Potassium.

Water deeply… Apply an optimum 1″ of water, using a rain gauge or an empty tuna can to measure.

A “Saturday” in mid Spring…

When northern lawns achieve a ground temperature of 50F, or 70F for southern lawns:

Mow the lawn… Set the mower blades at a 2.5″ to 3.5″ height for this mowing.

Roll an aerator over the entire lawn… You can rent or purchase aerators, and they are quite reasonably priced.

Re-seed or re-sod… Identify any problem areas in your lawn, and apply grass seed or sod. (This is similar to spot-treating clothing.)

Water deeply… Apply an optimum 1″ of water, using a rain gauge or an empty tuna can to measure.

A “Saturday” in late Spring…

60 days after the first application of fertilizer:

Mow the lawn… Set the mower blades at a 2.5″ to 3.5″ height.

Apply a fertilizer… Use one that targets above-ground growth… high in Nitrogen and Potassium.

Water deeply… Apply an optimum 1″ of water, using a rain gauge or an empty tuna can to measure.

A “Saturday” in mid Summer…

120 days after the first application of fertilizer:

Mow the lawn… Set the mower blades at 2.5″ to 3.5″ height.

Apply a fertilizer… Again, use one that targets above-ground growth… high in Nitrogen and Potassium.

Water… As above, unless the fertilizer instructions advise otherwise.

A “Saturday” in early Fall…

180 days after the first application of fertilizer:

Mow the lawn… This time, set the mower blades at a mere 2″ height.

Apply a fertilizer… This time, use one that targets below-ground growth… high in Phosphorus with a bit of Potassium for cold weather resistance.

Water… As above, unless the fertilizer instructions advise otherwise.

Depending on where you live, you may need to include a few “Saturdays” during the winter months for deep watering. This is especially true if your grass variety does not go dormant.

There you have it… Just 5 days of simple lawn care and maintenance chores spread over 8 months will keep your lawn in top condition!

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.

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If the soil has lots of earthworms, then your lawn is healthy and vibrant.

If there are very few earthworms, it means one of two things… Either your soil is so nutrient poor that earthworms can’t survive, or pesticides have killed most of them.

Practicing natural, organic gardening lawn care can alleviate both of these problems. If you want a healthy green lawn that is earthworm-friendly, just follow these easy organic gardening lawn care basics:

Monitor the soil’s pH factor…

The whole focus of natural lawn care is soil health… starting with the soil’s pH. The perfect pH for lawn soil is between 6.5 and 7.0. This makes it slightly acidic. After conditioning the soil with natural, organic compost, check its pH. If the soil is not acidic enough, add sulfur. If it’s too acidic, add lime.

Soil testing is simple enough to do by yourself. All you need is one of the pH tester packs available at local nurseries or lawn care stores… costing about $40 to $60. Or, you could have the soil tested professionally.

Select a locally adapted grass variety…

Grasses vary in their climate preferences, drought tolerances, nutrient requirements, shade tolerances, and usage tolerances. Choose a grass variety that bests suits your locality and your individual needs from one of the following two types:

Cool season grass… These grasses were developed specifically for northern climates, and are usually planted in early fall, or in the spring when soil temperatures reach 50F.

Warm season grass… These grasses were developed for southern climates exclusively, and require soil temperatures of 70F. They are NOT winter hardy in the north.

Since the earthworms in your locality are already acclimated to local varieties, it only makes sense to select these grass varieties… or at least varieties developed to survive in your climate.

If you need help, ask your local garden center or county agricultural extension to recommend a grass variety that has adapted the best to your area.

Mow long…

Here’s a natural lawn care tip… most turf grass species are at their healthiest when kept between 2.5″ and 3.5″ tall. You may have to mow a bit more often (depending on the weather), but the result is a healthier (read that as less expensive) lawn.

If you cut any shorter than 2.5″, surface roots may be exposed, dry out, and die. Your lawn will not be able to retain moisture… you will have to water more often.

And, earthworms will not have the nutrients they need to benefit your lawn. So… mow long and save money!

Water deep…

Thorough, deep watering encourages deep root systems, which strengthen your lawn’s drought tolerance. Still, it is just as important to let it dry out between waterings.

If the grass color becomes dull or footprints stay compressed for more than 5 seconds, then it’s time to water. Better yet, follow a regular watering schedule of around 1″ per week… that’s watering 1″, once a week. Make sure to deduct any rainfall during the week from this 1″ requirement. (The weekly watering will be for the balance remaining after any rainfall.)

Here’s an easy way measure 1″ of watering…  Just put a rain gauge or empty tuna or cat food can on your lawn each time you water it. When the needed amount of water has accumulated in the gauge or the can, then you can be sure the lawn has received the required weekly one inch of water.

Practicing organic gardening lawn care and maintenance will reduce your dependence on earthworm-killing chemical fertilizers and pest controls.

Natural, organic gardening lawn care produces a healthy lawn that is naturally resistant to weeds, insects, and diseases… and full of those wonderfully wiggly earthworms!

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.

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It’s never too early to start Spring lawn care and maintenance. So what if it’s raining cats and dogs or there’s a howling blizzard outside.

Tools need sharpening and equipment needs… something. Besides, you have high hopes that Spring is right around the corner. Ah, beautiful spring bulbs, plum blossoms, and flowering dogwood. You can already see it… by heaven, you can smell it!

Well, almost.

But right now, it’s time to revive your trusty old Spring lawn maintenance tips clipboard. Don’t forget the new seed company calendar, and your old-fashioned number 2 pencil… well sharpened (or are you a whittler). Anyway, pull a stool up to the work bench, and let’s get started.

Tip #1 – Fertilize your lawn…

The general rule of thumb (make that “green” thumb) for a lawn care fertilizing schedule is:

Apply fertilizer 4 times per season
First application should be 30 days before the growing season starts
Space the remaining 3 applications 60 days apart

This will span Spring, Summer, and early Fall. Remember to use a formula suited to the time of year. For example, Spring lawns require fast above-ground growth, but Fall lawns require strong root growth to survive the Winter.

Tip #2 – Aerate the soil under your lawn…

Before this can be done, northern lawns need to achieve a ground temperature of 50F, while southern lawn ground temperatures can be 70F. Remember, grass varieties developed specifically for your location wake up when Nature does its thing… so be patient.Watch the weather channel, or another source for this vital information, and mark your calendar for this first major Spring lawn care chore. Referring to the previous 1-3 years’ calendars is often helpful for “guess-time-ating”.

Tip #3 – Revive trouble spots in your lawn…

There may be worn areas from the previous year, or patches that didn’t survive the winter.Decide whether to seed or sod these spots, and give them special attention until they’re well on their way. It’s worth the extra lawn care and maintenance because healthy lawns discourage weeds and other pests.

Tip #4 – Water your lawn and save money…

wateringYes, you read that right. Proper lawn care watering promotes a healthy lawn and ecosystem. From your wallet’s point of view, the lawn you don’t have to remove and replace means money in the bank. As does the effect of a cool lawn on air conditioning bills.

Keep in mind also that aerating your lawn early in the Spring guarantees improved drainage.

Root growth is encouraged by this deep watering… which translates into your lawn being able to survive on 1 inch of water per week, even in drought conditions.

Another neat benefit is water no longer runs off your lawn and into the street. Of course your streets won’t be as clean, but your wallet will certainly be happier!

Tip #5 – Mow your lawn the RIGHT way…

Interestingly, mowing is the most misunderstood and probably the most incorrectly performed part of lawn care and maintenance.

The ideal lawn height is 2.5″ to 3.5″… any shorter and you risk sun scald and a solid growth spurt of weeds!

Taller grass looks and feels better, is healthier, develops strong roots, and combats weeds quite effectively.

Well, your new lawn maintenance calendar should be pretty well filled up by now… fertilizing, aerating, reviving, watering, and mowing are all scheduled.

Meanwhile, since you’re waiting for the snow to melt or the rain to stop, there’s always tools and equipment to work on…

Somehow, right now lawn care and maintenance doesn’t seem like a chore. Those flowering dogwood blossoms falling onto a newly mowed, green lawn will be worth it!

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.

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