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Summer Lawn Update
How to Mow Properly
Proper mowing will have a tremendous effect on the
appearance of your lawn. The height that you mow your grass and how often you mow it are
important factors to consider. For the best appearance, turf should be maintained at its
proper height. The chart below will give you information on proper mowing heights for your
type of grass. Notice that the heights vary substantially. For example, bermuda grass can
be mowed anywhere from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches tall (Turf in shaded areas should be mowed higher for better results).
A good rule to follow is: The lower the mowing height, the more often you should mow. The
fairways and greens on golf courses are very short, but they are mowed every three days or
even more frequently. They have also been topdressed with sand and are smooth enough to
allow for a low mowing height.
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 Mower Damage |
As a general
rule, turf should be mowed often enough so that you are not removing more than 1/4 to 1/3
of the plant material. Example: If you are keeping your bermuda grass at 1" it will
need to be mowed at or before it reaches 1 1/2". Removal of too much of the grass
blades causes browning and can shock the turf. The most damaging mowing practice is a sudden reduction in mowing height. This will upset the balance between the grass leaves and roots. It will also give the lawn a brown scalped appearance and usually injures the turf. The more often you mow the lawn, the better it will look. |
| Mowing damage is often mistaken for a fungus or disease, but it is really
just the removal of all the color from your lawn. Remember that the only green parts of a
bermuda or zoysia grass plant are the leaves. Mowing every 2 weeks will almost certainly
remove all the leaf material, leaving only the brown stalks. Your lawn then has to use
stored nutrients in order to repair the damage. This depletes stored soil nutrients and
leads to poor color and density even in the non-damaged areas. Thin turf is an
open invitation for weeds. Vigorously growing lawns should be mowed every 5-7 days during the summer in order to avoid the discoloration of your lawn from mower damage. |
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| During
stressful periods, such as drought or severe heat, it is a good idea to raise the cutting
height slightly. Fescue lawns should be mowed at the highest setting possible during the
summer in order to reduce the stress on the turf. In less harsh conditions, lower the
height gradually back to the recommended height. |
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How to Water Properly
You may be running up a substantial water bill and still not be giving your lawn the water it needs at the right time and right amounts.
First
let’s discuss the time frame for proper watering. Water the lawn at a time when the
water has the best chance to soak deeply into the soil. Avoid watering during the hot
times of the day. The best time to water is in the early morning hours (between 2AM and 6
AM) when the dew has already set. The grass is already wet during this time, so you are
not extending the time that the surface of the ground is wet. This is important because
during the day excessive surface moisture leads to fungus activity and heat scorch. If you
do not have an in-ground automatic irrigation system, you can purchase a battery-operated
timer at your local lawn and garden store that attaches to your spigot. You can program
this timer to water your lawn at whatever time you desire. It will shut off when you want
it to, and all you have to do is move the hose and sprinkler for the next section of lawn
on the next available watering day. The entire lawn does not have to be watered at once.
Now let’s discuss the frequency of watering and the amount of water you should apply. DO NOT WATER LIGHTLY EVERY DAY! Apply 1-1 1/2 inches of water to each section of your lawn twice per week during periods when we do not receive equivalent rainfall. The amount of time needed to apply this much water depends directly on your water pressure. Put a rain gauge or a tuna can in the path of the sprinkler and see how long it takes to apply the correct amount. This may change from zone to zone depending on the size of the area being watered. You may find that the water begins to run off and not soak in well before you have applied 1-1 1/2 inches. If this is the case, simply stop watering and resume the process after the water has had a chance to soak in to the soil.
PROTECT
YOUR LAWN
from
disease and drought stress
Your turf is at the mercy of Mother Nature at this time of year. We unfortunately have no control over when it rains, how much it rains, how often, or how hot it gets during the summer. Disease, heat stress, and drought stress are all common problems that many lawns encounter this time of year. One of the most important things you can do to help your grass to protect itself from these problems is to mow often and with a sharp mower blade.
The
general rule to follow when mowing is called the 1/3 mowing rule. This simply means
to mow the lawn often enough so not more than 1/3 of the grass blades are being removed at
one time. An example of the 1/3 rule for bermuda being mowed at 1 ½” would be to mow
before the grass reaches 2” tall. A similar example for a fescue lawn being kept at
3” would be to mow it before it reaches 4” tall. You may need to mow the lawn more than once per week in order
to subscribe to the 1/3 mowing rule.
Consistent mowing at the proper height reduces the stress inflicted on your grass, and it
allows the grass to better cope with unfavorable conditions.
Mowing with a dull blade can be extremely harmful to your lawn even if you are mowing it often enough. A dull mower blade rips the grass tips rather than cutting them, and this allows much of the water normally held within the leaf blades to escape. Lawns mowed with a dull blade are much more susceptible to drought and heat stress. The stress induced also weakens the immune systems of the grass and negatively affects its ability to naturally fight fungus and disease.
Brown Patch Fungus
Afternoon and evening rainfall, mowing with a dull blade, infrequent
mowing while not bagging clippings, and hot humid weather are all things that can cause
fungus activity on your lawn. Some varieties of turfgrasses are simply more susceptible to
fungus activity than others, and they tend to have fungus problems even under proper care.
Some fungi merely cause aesthetic problems to the turf. Others, however, will cause
irreparable damage and death to your lawn.
Unfortunately, there is no way to rid the environment of these airborne fungi. If warm humid conditions are present, there is always the chance that disease can affect your lawn no matter how well it is being maintained. Application of fungicides will effectively kill active fungus feeding on your grass. But the fungicide will only last 10-30 days, depending on which fungicide is used. If favorable conditions remain beyond that 10-30 day period, more of these microscopic fungus spores will simply replace the ones that were killed, and damage will resume to your turf unless the fungicide is re-applied.
Brown Patch fungus in fescue lawns is one of the diseases that can rapidly kill the turf unless it is treated with a fungicide. Brown patch is characterized by the development of irregular, circular areas a few inches to several feet in diameter. These areas will usually appear as brownish to grayish patches. This fungus can spread rapidly throughout the lawn. Be sure to contact our office if you see any signs of the disease.
Dollar Spot Fungus
| Dollar spot appears in bermuda and zoysia lawns as round, brown to straw-colored areas from one to several inches in diameter. It starts out about the size of a silver dollar, thus the name "dollar" spot. Low soil moisture, heat stress from walkways and driveways, poor mowing practices(infrequent mowing or mowing with a dull blade), compact soil and weak root systems all enhance dollar spot activity. Fungicides can be purchased to relieve the symptoms of dollar spot, but the fungicides do not really correct the problems that cause it. Core aerating the lawn will relieve soil compaction and allow the roots to grow deeper and stronger. Proper mowing and watering, in addition to extra fertilization will help to significantly reduce the re-occurrence of dollar spot. |  |
