Late Spring Lawn Treatment
Additional information listed below will assist you in managing disease and environmental damage to your lawn.
- Mowing is a critical aspect of maintenance for the control of disease. Every time you mow, your turf is injured. This injury causes stress, coupled with extreme environmental conditions, often triggers brown spots and disease in turf. The objective is to minimize injury by doing the following:
1) Frequency – the more often you mow, the less is cut off the plant, lessening injury. May and June cool season grasses grow rapidly. Mowing should occur every 4 to 6 days, never more then 7 days. July and August growth slows down and mowing should occur every 5 to 7 days, never more than 9 days.
2) Height — more foliage on the plant, less stress. May through September, I urge all customers with cool season grasses to mow their lawn on the top mower setting.
3) Blade — the sharper your mower blade, the less injury to your turf. A good rule to follow – a blade should be sharpened every 8 to 12 hours of use. Buying several extra blades for your mower is a way to make this job easier.
- Watering is also critical. Please follow the watering schedule provided. In addition to this schedule, time of day is important. All watering should be completed before 10:00 am – cool season turf remaining wet longer than 10 hours is subject to disease. Allowing the foliage of turf a chance to dry daily is the most important cultural practice for disease control.