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Chapter 10: General Lawn Care
Maintenance
Two weeks after
Bud and Scott had prepped Bud's lawn by tilling it, sifting
out rocks and dead grass clumps, planting Bermudagrass seed,
and watering it in, the grass was 8 cm (3.125 in.) high. On a
sunny Saturday morning, after he'd mowed his own yard, Scott
walked over and knocked on Bud's door. "Want to borrow my
lawnmower?"
Bud cocked his head to the side. "It's time
to cut it already?"
"Yes. It's been warm in the daytime
and you've been watering it almost every day."
"So I
can borrow your mower?" Bud asked with a grin.
"Until
you buy one of your own, yes," Scott agreed. "But before you
use it, let me give you a few tips about mowing..."
Creating and maintaining a
quality lawn involves more than irrigation, fertilization, and
pesticide applications. A dense, healthy, lush lawn demands
proper mowing techniques, occasional de-thatching, and
aerification in addition to fertilization and pest control.
Knowing when and how to use these cultural practices will help
enable one to have a dense, vigorous turf.
Mowing
 Bad mowing causes more problems on lawns
than any other maintenance practice. Most lawns are mowed too
short, not often enough, and/or with a dull mower
blade.
Mowing height depends on the grass species.
Kentucky bluegrass, or any mix containing Kentucky bluegrass,
should be mowed at 6 to 9 cm (2.375 to 3.50 in.); perennial
ryegrass and fine fescue should be mowed at 5 to 8 cm (2 to
3.125 in.); tall fescue at 7 to 10 cm (2.75 to 3.9375 in.);
and zoysia at 2 to 3 cm (0.75 to 1.1875 in.) Mowing below the
optimum height restricts root growth and increases
susceptibility to damage from insects, disease, drought, and
traffic. Low mowing also favors weed infestations.
Shaded areas should be mowed
1 to 2 cm (0.375 to 0.75 in.) higher than optimum. Mowing
frequency depends on how fast the grass is growing. Some lawns
may need mowing twice a week during spring and fall and only
once every 2 weeks during summer. Mow frequently enough so as
not to remove more than one-third of the leaf blade in a
single mowing. For instance, if you are mowing at 7 cm (2.75
in.,) mow when the grass reaches 10 cm (3.9375 in.)
If the grass has grown too
tall, raise the mowing height and gradually lower it back to
the original height over a few mowings. Avoid mowing during
midday when temperatures are above 32oC (90oF) and the soil is
dry because you may damage the turf. If you must mow during a
hot and dry period, wait until temperatures moderate in the
early morning or late evening. The mower blades must be sharp
and may need sharpening four to six times a year. A sharp
blade results in a cleaner and healthier cut, leaving a more
attractive lawn.
Reel-type mowers often give a
better cut, especially at lower heights, but they are more
difficult to maintain.
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Clipping removal is generally
not recommended on most turfgrass areas. Though once thought
to do so, clippings do not cause thatch. Furthermore,
clippings will recycle valuable nutrients to the soil, thereby
reducing fertilizer requirements. Clippings are not harmful if
your mower spreads them evenly and if they are not thick
enough to shade the grass below.
Mulching mowers are
recommended, but research suggests that mulching mowers
increase clipping breakdown only slightly faster than
conventional side-discharge mowers when used on cool season
turfgrasses. Catching clippings is labor and time intensive
and should only be done if the clippings are used for mulch or
compost. Few, if any, landfills will accept clippings and
other yard waste.
Thatch Control
Thatch is a tightly
intermingled organic layer of dead and living shoots, stems,
and roots that accumulate just above the soil surface. Thatch
accumulation is due to either over-fertilization,
over-watering, and/or soil compaction. A neglected lawn will
never accumulate a thatch layer whereas an intensely managed
lawn will. A small amount of thatch is desirable because it
moderates soil temperature fluctuations and provides a cushion
on the soil surface. Too much thatch interferes with water and
air movement, reduces fertilizer and pesticide response, and
increases disease and insect activity. Eventually, roots may
start growing in the thatch, and since thatch does not hold
much water, the turf then becomes very susceptible to drought
stress.
De-thatching machines are
power rakes with blades that cut through the thatch down to
the soil
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Helpful Hints
Pick up a few extra blades for your mower
and switch them every month or so. This will make
sure your grass is always getting the best cut possible,
and you can just take all of the blades to be sharpened
during the
winter.
| surface. As
the blades revolve, dead and live organic material is torn
loose and brought to the surface. De-thatching machines that
cut with knives or blades are preferred for their
effectiveness. Avoid machines with flexible rake-type tines
and de-thatchers that attach to your rotary mower blade.
De-thatching machines can be rented from rental companies or
de-thatching can be done by a professional lawn care company.
The organic material removed by the de-thatcher must be raked,
removed, and used as a mulch or in a compost pile.
If the thatch layer is 1 cm
(0.375 in.) or more thick, a number of passes in different
directions with the de-thatcher will be necessary. Several
passes will produce large quantities of refuse and the lawn
will look very ragged for some time. Reseeding may be
necessary after de-thatching lawns with 1 cm (0.375 in.) or
more of thatch. Thatch thicker than 2-3 cm (0.8125 to 1.1875
in.) is most easily removed with a sod cutter. A sod cutter
set at the soil surface easily removes the sod in light,
manageable strips.
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The lawn must then be
reestablished. Although reestablishment is hard work, it is
better in the long run. Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue
should be de-thatched in the spring (April) or fall (Sept.)
when it is actively growing and never in the summer.
Zoysiagrass, on the other hand, should be de-thatched in the
summer when it is actively growing. Tall fescue and perennial
ryegrass rarely develop a thatch problem.
Aerification
Aerification is the
mechanical removal of soil cores. Aerification relieves soil
compaction, whic h improves water and air movement in the soil,
increases rooting, and greatly improves turfgrass health.
Additionally, aerification will also reduce thatch.
Aerification is most beneficial in compacted areas such as
sports fields, frequently travelled areas next to sidewalks,
and areas with intense foot or pet traffic.
Aerification is most
beneficial when the largest tines or spoons available are
used, penetration is 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3.125 in.) deep, and when
200 to 400 holes are punched per square meter (3.33 square
feet.) Aerifiers with reciprocating arms are the most
effective, whereas the aerifiers that roll behind garden
tractors are less effective because they do not penetrate deep
enough nor punch enough holes per 0.3 square meters (1 square
foot.)
Most aerifying machines
available at rental agencies may not punch enough holes per
0.3 square meters (1 square foot,) thus multiple passes will
be needed to achieve the 200 to 400 holes/m2 (3.33 ft2.) The
same is often true with aerification services provided by lawn
care operators. Practices such as slicing* or spiking* remove
no soil and are not considered aerification.
Aerification of Kentucky
bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue, and tall fescue
should be done in the fall (Sept.) or spring (April) when the
turf is actively growing.
Zoysiagrass should be
aerified in early-to-mid summer.
Rolling
Rolling is not considered a
necessary turf maintenance practice. Heavy rolling of
saturated or clay soils in the spring will cause soil
compaction and increase soil moisture stress the following
summer. This is why rolling is generally not recommended by
turf specialists. However, rollers do have some usefulness in
turf. Light rolling is effective immediately following seeding
to insure good seed-soil contact.
Rolling can also insure good
sod-soil contact after sodding. Rolling may also help in other
isolated occurrences such as severe mole damage or frost
heaving. Rolling should never be used to correct surface
undulations caused by improper grading. Water-filled rollers
are usually available from rental agencies.
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