It’s that time of year where your lawn is a healthy winner or suffering a dreadful summer. Lawn care starts with discipline, introducing the right nutrients at the right time. Whether you have St Augustine or Bermuda, here are a few tips for Southern Lawns (framework can also be helpful for other lawns).
Tip #1
If your grass looks yellow, then the most common culprit is lack of water. With a hot summer, drought can shock grass into dormancy. I have quite a few patches like this. Even with an automatic sprinkler system, the heads can miss the target area for a variety of reasons (wind).
Soaking the area for a few minutes for a couple days typically solves the problem. It’s recommended to irrigate grass only when needed and to a depth of 4 to 6 inches (translates to 1 inch of irrigation water per week). How do you measure an inch? Place a rain gauge or a can of tuna (which has a height of 1 in) under your sprinkler system. Once it reaches an inch – that’s how long your system should be left on for (on average: 30 minutes depending on flow rate).
Of course the choice will always pit against an expensive water bill versus a green lawn.
Even with water, if your lawn is still yellow in the peak of August, you might need to apply a tiny bit of iron for green up. I like to use Ironite.
Tip #2
If your grass is brown (or has gray-ish spots), then you might have fungus. In my experience, I have seen this more with St. Augustine. Three possible reasons:
- watering your lawn at night, perhaps from a timed sprinkler
- a poor drainage area where water cannot escape
- over-fertilization
For immediate relief, switch watering to early mornings. If the issue persists, you may need bring out the big guns and apply a fungicide like Heritage G.
If a routine fertilization schedule is followed with a slow release formula for the summer months, then there’s no need to throw down additional fertilizer. I’ve seen many folks out with their spreaders week after week, but this can stress the lawn and damage it long-term.
Tip #3
If weeds have conquered your lawn, then lawn maintenance should be revaluated. The best, natural way to tackle weed is to ensure a properly growing, healthy lawn that can outgrow weed, cover the soil, and prevent sprouting. If there are just a few weeds, spot treating with weed killer (or concentrated vinegar) should do the trick.
A longer term solution requires proper application of a pre-emergent herbicide like Barricade that complements your fertilization schedule. At a basic level, mow your grass at the right height (usually 1/3 of the grass blade). Though a workout, a push reel mower is suggested for Bermuda to prevent aggressive cutting.
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