Spring/Summer 2017

Best Lawn Care Practices: Creating and Maintaining a Beautiful Lawn

Having a beautiful lawn requires paying attention to it. There are some important dynamics that are involved in creating and maintaining a lush, green turf.

Choosing the Right Grass Seed

There is no “right” grass for all lawns. It all depends on your soil, sunlight and priorities. Do you want a lawn that stays green into fall? Or grass that can take a beating from active play? Or a lawn that can survive with less water? Kentucky Bluegrass is popular and durable but doesn’t like shade. Fescue and perennial ryegrass are also common in our area, and are more shade tolerant. Most lawns are planted with a mix of these grasses, and different grasses will dominate different areas of your lawn.

Fertilization

The next step is fertilization. How you nourish your lawn depends a lot upon your “turf philosophy.” A wide range of choices are available, from totally organic to traditional synthetic products — and combinations in between. Whatever your philosophy is on type of care, it’s useful to begin by having your soil tested. The cost is nominal and your arborist can do it for you. Once you have a soil analysis, you can fertilize with the products that are right for your property.

One thing to remember is that organic fertilizers break down slowly and gradually release their nutrients to improve the structure of the soil. This means that it will take longer to see results from organic products compared to traditional methods.

Weed Control

Having a completely weed-free lawn is setting the bar rather high, and will require frequent application of weed control products. There are two major categories of weed control: pre-emergent and post-emergent. The pre-emergent treatments prevent seeds from germinating. This helps control weeds like crabgrass, which begin from seed each year. Post-emergent treatments target broadleaf weeds, such as dandelions, plantain and ground-ivy.

How often you apply weed controls depends upon your philosophy and your budget. Although pre-emergent controls are usually applied in early spring, the post-emergent controls can be applied as you notice the weeds appearing. Almstead technicians typically perform two applications of pre-emergent herbicide in spring, and then follow up with monthly inspections applying post-emergent controls as necessary, based upon your program.

Pest/Disease Control

The healthier your lawn, the more likely it is to resist pests and diseases. Some pests, however, can be hard to avoid—particularly white grubs. Grubs are the larvae of beetles (primarily Japanese beetles and masked chafers) that develop in the ground.

When the population of grubs is significant, you will start seeing brown patches in your lawn — particularly toward late summer. To make matters worse, grubs are a delicacy for some animals, such as skunks and raccoons. Sometimes the problem goes unnoticed until you see holes dug in your turf one morning. Grubs like sunny areas with moisture, and are not often found in shade or in dry lawns. Although mid-summer and fall treatments are sometimes effective, June is the best time to prevent grubs from damaging lawns in our area.

Other insects, such as chinch-bugs, can also be damaging to lawns. When you see yellowing patches, or grass blades that have been notched and nibbled, we try to identify the insect responsible and narrowly target it with the appropriate control.

Some lawns can be more predisposed to lawn diseases than others. However, the best prevention against diseases and pests in lawns is maintaining the health of the lawn. A well-nourished, watered, well-mown lawn becomes a self-sustaining system that is hostile to predators.

If you have any questions about your lawn or would like to schedule a complimentary consultation, please contact your Almstead arborist or your local branch office.