FERTILIZE
pH, measure:(helps resistance to disease)
Additives: Garden Lime, granule or salt, other
side
Frequency: See Schedule
Apply lawn fertilizers on a schedule.
Fertilize 2 or three times/year - Use Fall fertilizer in fall, etc.
Types:
"Slow-release" fertilizers
Feeding the grass in March (zone 9b) with a product that also contains a preemergent to suppress crabgrass.
May with another lawn fertilizer that "kills two birds with one stone." In this case, that other "bird" I'm after is broad-leaved weeds, so I need a product that contains a postemergent herbicide designed to kill them
Ironite capsules
WATERING
Frequency: 2-3 times a week so goes deeper (eople tend to overwater lawns),
When: Water in daylight or early morning, less fungus
Winter: Water during day, or turn off during
rainy season
Amount: turf grasses 3/4 to 1 inch of water per week, focusing on the root zone to provide proper and thorough hydration. Footprints remaining in grass after it's been tread upon and a deep darkening in color signify that the lawn requires watering. Douse lawns early in the morning to avoid the water evaporating in the midday sun, though in particularly hot climates, watering in the mid-evening is best. Ehow.
GRASS GREENER
Brown grass
Sharpen lawnmower, less brown tips
Summer, cut it higher
Cut only a third of the height every week or so
Ironite capsules
Height, cut
lawn grass at a height of 2 1/2"-3".
"Mow when your grass is dry and 3 to 3-1/2 inches tall. Never cut it shorter then 2 to 2-1/2 inches or remove more than one third of the leaf surface at any one mowing."
Dethatch - Remove any dead turfgrass or stems, leaves, roots (ok to leave mulch from cuttint if no more than 1/3 height of grass is cut)
Aereate lawns before apply preemergent herbicides
WEED/CRABGRASS CONTROL
Practice effective weed control, so it doesn't get bad.
Fertilize and grow lawn better: it covers better and leaves less opportunity for weeds.
Aereate lawns before applying preemergent herbicides.
Apply preemergent herbicide when soil reached 55 degrees (2 - 3 inches down)
Dimension (active ingredient, dithiopyr)
Water afterwards
Crabgrass
From mid-summer to fall, seeds are produced,
Hand-pulling small patches of crabgrass before it goes to seed
Control crab grass early on!
See instructions relative to weed control
