GUIDE TO HAVING A GREAT LAWN

Not everyone can afford a lawn care service.  If you care for your own yard, here are some tips from a lawn care professional:

1) Only cut 1/4” to 1/3” of the grass height off in a single cut, because it will allow your lawn to be the healthiest with this technique.

The height in which you cut your lawn will depend on the type of grass you have and how much shading or exposure the lawn has to the sun.  If after you mow, your grass goes from green to brown and dry looking, this is usually a good sign you are cutting too much off or cutting it too low.

2) Only water in the early morning. Set your sprinklers to run from 3AM – 5 AM. If you move sprinklers by hand, do it in the early morning. The sun comes up and drives out the lawn, so you do not have sitting water in your grass for long periods of time. Water lying in the grass through the night can contribute to grass disease and fungi, which may kill your entire lawn.

3) Depending on the soil, it is usually better to water for longer periods of time and fewer times per week. By doing this, you fill the soil’s "reservoir" and let the roots grow deeper to absorb the water as it is used up.    

The opposite applies when the grass is watered shorter periods with more frequent watering. This creates a shallow root system for the grass that is not as healthy and easier to damage.

Sometimes if you live in a rocky area where topsoil has been filled in when landscaping, depending on how thick the layer of topsoil is, will determine how much your soil will hold, no matter how long you water.  You’ll need to access your particular situation. Poor landscaping results in an unattractive lawn for years to come and usually is not an easy fix. It is worth doing it right the first time!

4) Lawn bugs in the mid-western states usually become a problem in the mid to late summer. Common bugs in the west are billbugs and grubs. The larvae hatch and work their way to the surface, and then start feeding on the roots. Eventually, there is no root system left and all the grass dies.  In the south, webworms, chinch bugs, and click beetles can be a problem, especially from watering the lawn at dusk and the water doesn’t dry up before the sun goes down.

If you see a lot of white moths flying over your lawn in the spring, they are adult webworms getting ready to lay their eggs. The webworms chew at the base of the stems of grass until the grass turns yellow and can eventually die. You can see them by pouring soapy water on a spot in your lawn and it will bring them to the surface.

Chinch bugs suck the moisture and sap from grass causing yellow patches that can spread quickly. They quickly move into lawns that are poorly tended and have thatch.  They quickly chew away at the base of the grass causing the grass to die. Your lawn can be destroyed in a very short time, so treatment is needed very quickly.

The click beetle can also be a problem and is found were water is allowed to lie and grass stay moist. They feed on roots and are usually seen in May and June.

5) Aeration is good to do in the Spring and Fall, especially in rocky regions, such as the mid-western states with arid climates.  By aerating, you loosen the compacted soil and allow nutrients and water to penetrate deeper and directly to the roots creating a healthier root system.  This process can also help keep bugs out of your lawn.

In Spring and Fall, the grass roots are growing the most because the temperatures are ideal and there is may be more precipitation. During the summer, lawns go into a survival state and preserve their resources and energy to survive the hot summers.

Follow these simple guidelines and your lawn will look its best.

If you decide you are not up to all of this hard work, hire a professional lawn care company. Make sure it is one that places customer service as their #1 priority.

Contact our lawn care company at cuttersutah.com.

Sylvan Gustin

www.cuttersutah.com 

Betty Gustin