Each season your lawn requires different care.
Your new lawn requires specialized care throughout the year to stay healthy and green. After decades of sod and lawn sales Greenfields Turf, Inc. has designed the following lawn care guide by season.
SUMMER
(May – Aug)
Mowing:
- Mow lawn on a weekly Schedule and never mow more than 1/3 of grass blade length.
- Keep mower blade sharpen.
Fertilizer:
- Apply a balanced fertilizer lower in nitrogen for the Fall (Turf Supreme 16-6-8).
Aeration:
When you aerate a lawn, you make hole in the soil which produces several things:
- Oxygen can reach turf roots and soil.
- Fertilizer and nutrients can enter the soil.
- Water soaks more efficiently.
- Compacted soil is loosened.
Watering:
Decreasing your watering schedule will be necessary as the temperatures start to cool down to the 75 to 80-degree mark.
- Continue to Deep Water during the fall season.
- Water in early morning only (2am – 8am). This will help reduce the amount of waterevaporation and lawn diseases.
- Water in early morning only (2am – 8am). This will help reduce the amount of water evaporation and lawn diseases.
- Fall watering (Sept/Oct) is approximately 1 to 2 days per week for about 20 to 25 minutes then temperatures drop down to 75 to 80 degrees. Water should penetrate 4 to 6 inches deep
FALL
(Sept – Oct)
Mowing:
- Mow lawn on a weekly schedule and never mow more than 1/3 of grass blade length.
- Mowing height in the summer should be raised approximately 1 inch to reduce added stress to your Lawn.
- Keep mower blade sharpen.
Fertilizer:
- Use a slow release balanced fertilizer higher in nitrogen (Super Turf 25-5-5).
Watering:
Additional watering is needed when temperatures are 90 degrees and higher.
- Continue to Deep Water during the summertime.
- Water in early morning only (2am – 8am). This will help reduce the amount of water evaporation and lawn diseases.
- Deeper watering and less frequent watering will encourage deeper roots in the lawn.
- Summer watering (May / Aug) is approximately 2 to 3 days per week for about 20 to 25 minutes. Water should penetrate 4 to 6 inches deep.
WINTER
(Nov – Feb)
Mowing:
- Mowing schedule will start to slow down as the grass growth will start slowing down.
- Mow when your lawn gets between ¾ inch to 1 ½ inches taller than the normal mowing height.
Fertilizer:
- Apply a balanced fertilizer moderate in nitrogen for Winter only if needed (Nitra King 19-4-4). If the ground temperature is below 50 degrees during the winter months fertilizing does not benefit the lawn and only promotes diseases.
Watering:
- Once the winter rains begin you can shut down your sprinkler system.
- If it doesn’t rain for 2 to 3 weeks you need to give your lawn a watering and continue watering once every 2 to 3 weeks until the next rain.
SPRING
(Mar – Apr)
Mowing:
- Mowing your lawn on a regular basis is very important. Coming out of winter your lawn is semi-dormant waiting for springtime warmth to begin its growing pattern once again.
- Be sure that you are mowing your lawn at its proper height.
– Enduro Dwarf Fescue: 2 inches to 3 inches
– Blueridge 80/20 or Blueridge 50/50: 1 ½ inches to 2 ½ inches
– 100% Ryegrass: ½ inch to 1 ½ inches - Never mow more than one-third the height of the grass blade at a time. If the grass is cut too short, it can cause stress on the lawn and weaken it.
- Be sure to keep your mower blade sharp. (Sharpen at least once a year)
Aeration:
When you aerate a lawn, you make many small holes in the soil which help promote several things:
- Oxygen can reach turf roots and soil.
- Fertilizer and nutrients can enter the soil easier.
- Water soaks in more efficiently.
- Compacted soil is loosened.
Fertilizer:
- Apply a balanced fertilizer lower in nitrogen for Spring (Turf Supreme 16-6-8).
- Spring is a good time to apply a pre-emergent for weed control. This will stop most weed seeds from germinating in the spring and summer (Dimension 270 G).
- If weeds are present in the Spring a blend of balanced fertilizer and broad-leaf weed killer may also be applied (Turf Supreme with Trimec 16-6-8).
Watering:
Check sprinkler system for proper operation.
- Clean sprinkler heads and nozzles and check for proper coverage.
- Water in early morning only (2am – 8am). This will help reduce the amount of water evaporation and lawn diseases.
- Deeper watering and less frequent watering will encourage deeper roots in the lawn. If grass feel deprived of water its roots will begin to grow deeper. This helps grass to withstand droughts and summer heat.
- Spring watering Schedule (Mar / April) is approximately 1 to 2 days per week for about 20 to 25 minutes. Water should penetrate 4 to 6 inches deep.
Special Lawn Care Tips to Remember
Watering:
- Deep watering 2 to 3 times per week is better than more frequent, light watering because:
- Less water is used.
- Promotes a deeper, stronger root system.
- Discourages weeds and disease.
- If your grass is stressed due to lack of water it will change from a fresh deep green color to a dull blue-gray color.
- Watering in early morning is best, between 3am and 9am. Why?
- Less wind.
- Less water evaporation.
- Less disease problems.
Mowing:
- Keep your mower blade sharp, because a dull blade frays grass tips, making the lawn look brown. Frayed grass tips also weakens the grass.
- Always pick-up your clippings each time you mow, clippings left on the lawn can lead to “thatch” build-up depriving the lawn from oxygen, water penetration and leading to disease problems.
- Never mow off more than 1/3 of grass blade at any one time.
Fertilizer:
- Minimize fertilization during high temperatures 90 degrees and above. Fertilizing in extreme heat can burn lawns and promote diseases.
- If the ground temperature is below 50 degrees during the winter months fertilizing does not benefit the lawn and only promotes diseases.
