WHAT IF IT RAINS AFTER A LAWN APPLICATION HAS BEEN APPLIED?
Rain will not interfere with the effectiveness of fertilizer. In fact, fertilizer needs moisture in the form of dew, rainfall or irrigation to release and become available for the plants to utilize. Herbicide – or weed control– generally needs 24 hours to be completely absorbed by the weeds. However, satisfactory control of weeds can sometimes be achieved in as little as one hour of dry time before rain or irrigation occurs.
HOW LONG SHOULD I STAY OFF THE LAWN AFTER A TREATMENT?
With a pesticide application you should stay off treated areas for 24 hours.
HOW LONG SHOULD PETS STAY OFF THE LAWN AFTER A TREATMENT?
Pets should remain off treated areas of the lawn for 24 hours.
MOWING– HOW OFTEN AND HOW HIGH?
You should mow often enough that you do not remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade per mowing. This will vary depending on irrigation and time of year. Do not mow short. Cool season grasses such as Kentucky Bluegrass should be mowed no lower than 3 inches. As long as you are mowing regularly, a lawn mowed at 3 inches or higher will have less weeds, require less watering and have a thicker, greener appearance.
SHOULD I BAG GRASS CLIPPINGS?
Avoid bagging the grass clippings unless the clippings are leaving clumps on the lawn. Grass clippings do not cause thatch build-up and are beneficial to the grass plants by recycling important nutrients. Thatch is caused by excessive build-up of fibrous root material.
HOW OFTEN AND HOW MUCH SHOULD I WATER?
The amount of water needed depends on the types of grasses that comprise your lawn, but generally, cool season grasses require 1 1/2 inches of water a week to remain actively growing during hot dry weather. If you wish to conserve water and allow the turf to go dormant, a minimum of 1/2 inch of water every 3 weeks is needed. When you irrigate your lawn do not water lightly. Thoroughly saturate the soil with each watering as light watering encourages shallow rooting and may not even be absorbed by the grass roots before it has evaporated. The best time to water your lawn is in the morning, however, if you water infrequently, watering in the evening will not encourage disease development.
WHAT GOOD DOES AN AERATION DO?
Core aerating reduces soil compaction, encourages deeper root penetration into the soil and increases the movement of water, oxygen and nutrients to the root zone of grass plants. Core aeration also aids in the seeding of lawns by allowing greater seed and soil contact. The best times to core aerate are the spring and fall.
WHEN SHOULD I SEED MY LAWN?
The best time of the year to seed is early fall. Warm soil conditions combined with cooler air temperatures are ideal for seed germination. Successful seeding can also be achieved in the spring but regular irrigation may be needed as the young grass plants may not be established enough to withstand the heat and stresses of the summer.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I SHOULD GET A GRUB OR CHINCH BUG PREVENTATIVE?
If your lawn has had grub and/or chinch bug infestations in the past and conditions are favorable for the development of pest populations you should probably consider having a preventative applied.
WHY DO I NEED 6 LAWN APPLICATIONS?
Each application is designed to meet the specific needs of your lawn at that time in the growing season. Proper timing is critical for the control of many types of weeds, diseases and insects as they are active at different times of the year.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT MOLES?
There are many traps, baits and poisons for sale at home and garden centers and most are effective. “Lawn rolling” over mole tunnels may discourages them. Applying an insecticide to kill white grubs and other insects they feed upon reduces their food supply and encourages them to relocate.
HOW CAN I CONTROL ANTS?
There are many traps, baits and poisons for sale at home and garden centers and most are effective. If you can find the nest or colony drenching it with an insecticide or boiling water will eliminate it, however, you must make sure to kill the queen or the nest will not be destroyed. An all natural control is applying borax to the nest.
