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Mowing

Lawns should be regularly mowed at a 3 to 31⁄2 inch height for optimal health during the growing season. Keeping your mower blades sharp is also important, as dull blades can result in undue stress on the plants. Dull blades will leave a white, frayed tip on the grass blades. Also, follow the 1⁄3 rule by not cutting more than a third of the grass blades off at a time. This can put the plants into shock, making them more susceptible to damages from other stressors.

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Watering

Lawns need 1 to 11⁄2 inches of water per week, including rainfall. An ideal schedule provides a deep soak only a couple times per week. You should provide your turf with a half inch of water 2-3x per week, allowing drying time in between and accounting for any rain. You can place a rain gauge, empty tuna can, or standard size coffee cup under the sprinkler to time how long it takes to get to a half inch. Irrigation systems should be checked in each zone where the zones overlap. The whole lawn does not need to be done all at once – you can split sections across multiple days to better fit your schedule. Watering should be done between 5-10am. If you must water in the evening, be sure there is an hour of daylight left to evaporate surface moisture.

Sloped areas can be tricky to water. If you notice water pooling at the bottom of a slope, you may need to
implement a cycle and soak. Once you calculate the duration needed to provide enough water to the area, divide it into smaller segments and allow for breaks in between each segment.

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Aeration

Aerating is one of the best things that you can do for your lawn. Soils in our area tend to be clay-based
which are much more prone to compaction. As the soil compacts, there is less oxygen and water available in the soil for the turf roots to utilize and the turf begins to suffocate. The root system continues to weaken which gives pests the upper hand while the plants struggle to survive on their own. Regularly aerating (at least once per year) is critical for turf health. Liquid or mechanical? They’re each have their advantages:

Liquid

Breaks apart compacted soil particles and creates microscopic channels, improving permeability for air, water, and nutrients
Includes extra nutrients, biostimulants, and chelators to improve soil structure and microbial activity, and nutrient uptake
More surface area actually gets aerated more uniformly
Product can be watered in deeper than tines of the core aerator can reach
No need to mark sprinkler heads or underground fences
No muddy soil cores left behind

Mechanical

Physically opens large holes to allow air and water into the root zone
Relieves heavier compaction than a liquid aeration
Slowly reduces thatch buildups
Improves seed-to-soil contact which increases germination rates when done prior to overseeding
Allows better incorporation of soil amendments like gypsum or compost
Splits rhizomes, forcing them to divide and multiply
Critical for post-establishment care of sod

Regardless of the method, the benefits of aerating cannot be overstated. Soil is the growing medium for the grass; if it is not healthy, the grass will not be healthy. In most cases, we would recommend regular liquid aerations and incorporating a core aeration (with overseeding) every 3-5 years. This should keep compaction levels optimal, allowing for deeper and denser root growth and an overall thicker, healthier lawn.

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