Generally speaking, an inch of water will moisten clay soils 4 to 5 inches deep. One inch of water (.5"-1" once or twice a week) in the cooler months is plenty. 1.5 inches of water (.5"-.75" 2-3 times a week) in the summer months is better. Make adjustments for rain or unusually hot weather as needed.
Did you know that healthy grass is 70% to 85% water? To maintain active growth your turf will need .75" to 1.5"of water a week. Too much water and soil may get saturated to the point that roots may not get enough oxygen to grow deeper. Not enough water - especially during the summer months - and everything dries out, causing the grass to brown and go dormant or maybe even die. Watering in the morning is usually the best option. Watering during the day leads to more loss from evaporation. Watering in the evening or at night leaves the grass wet too long and could encourage turf diseases. Water between 4:30 am and 8:30 am when the wind is calm and the air is cool for best results.
Generally speaking, an inch of water will moisten clay soils 4 to 5 inches deep. One inch of water (.5"-1" once or twice a week) in the cooler months is plenty. 1.5 inches of water (.5"-.75" 2-3 times a week) in the summer months is better. Make adjustments for rain or unusually hot weather as needed.
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Cut High - especially bluegrass & fescues - deeper root systems, helps choke out weeds (esp. crabgrass), extra shade holds moisture better. Cut too short and plant will rob nutrients from roots for top growth.
One Third Rule - never cut more than 1/3 or grass blade.More is detrimential to root growth. If grass gets out of hand - cut 1/3 - wait 3 days - cut again. Leave Clippings - grass blades are mostly water, break down quickly and add nutrients back into soil. If you don't fertilize you shouldn't need to bag. Well fertilized, fast growing grass may need to be bagged certain times of the year. Sharpen Blades - Do this regularly and have an extra set. Dull blades rip grass. Grass will grow less evenly and will yellow at ends. This is especially important in dry summer weather.
Spark Plugs - If the mower is hard to(will not) start, change the spark plug. They are cheap to buy, easy to change and fix the problem most of the time.
Oil - change oil mid-season, before the intense heat of summer. Mower will be easier to start and will last longer. Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their needs. ( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet) Seed Rate - new lawn = 8lb/k over seed = 4lb/k Germination - 6 to 14 days Approximate price/k to overseed = $14.27 Approximate price/lb of actual seed = $7.32 General info - Grows in as little as 3 hours of sunlight per day. Content Variety Germination 14.65% Coyote II tall fescue 85% 14.52% Innovator tall fescue 85% 13.75% Fidelity tall fescue 85% 5.8% Wendy jean creeping red fescue 85% 50% Water smart® coating Water smart® coating - grass seed absorbs twice as much water as uncoated seed. This is to help prevent it from drying out in the event that you miss a day of watering. Coyote II - fine textured, dark green color, traffic tolerant, low growth habit, low maintenance, sunny to moderate shade, heat tolerant Innovator - dark green, excellent shade tolerance, heat tolerant, high traffic Fidelity - low growth habit, drought tolerant, full sun to moderate shade, high traffic tolerance Wendy Jean - Fine texture, dense growth, dark green color, good spreading habit Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their needs.
( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet) Seed Rate - new lawn = 8-10lb/k over seed = 4lb/k Germination - 6 to 15 days Approximate price/k to overseed = $6.40 Approximate price/lb of actual seed = $1.62 Content Variety Germination 34.98% Lexington tall turf fescue 85% 33.12% Crossfire II tall turf fescue 85% 31.24% Mustang 4 tall turf fescue 85% Lexington - high traffic, does well in shade, quick spring green up, transition zone, dark green Crossfire II - dark green, drought tolerant, slower growing, heat tolerant Mustang 4 - heat tolerant, does well in lower quality soils, shade tolerant, high traffic, dark green, medium growth Quick tips on lawn grass planting: 1) Cut the grass first - mowing the lawn shorter than normal makes it easier for the seed to get to the soil. Ideally, you want to wait two to three weeks after seeding to mow the lawn again. This allows the new grass time to establish roots 2) Rake bare areas - loosening the top layer of soil makes it easier for new grass to take hold. A very thin layer of soil to cover seed also helps (keeps new seed from drying out). 3) Water - the most important step is to water the lawn. Water two to three times a day until new grass is about an inch tall. you do not need to use a lot of water, just enough to keep the seed moist. 4) Know what type of seed you use - Rye grass usually sprouts in 4 to 9 days. Fescue grass in 7 to 14 days. Bluegrass can take anywhere from 10 to 28 days. This will give you a good indication of how long you will need to water. 5) Starter fertilizer - Phosphorus helps the roots grow and is the most important nutrient in starter fertilizer, so the middle number should be the highest ( ie 5-10-5, 20-24-4). Crabgrass is a warm-season annual that primarily reproduces by seed and is one of the more troublesome lawn weeds to deal with. A single plant can produce thousands of seeds. This seed proliferation makes it difficult to rid a lawn of it.
Crabgrass starts to grow in the spring . New plants can continue to germinate until the early fall. From mid-summer to fall, crabgrass produces seed. The crabgrass plants die out in the mid to late fall, leaving lots of seeds to start the cycle again in the spring. So how do you get rid of it? Well timed preemergent herbicides are the most effective way to eradicate this difficult weed. Preemergent herbicides come in either liquid or granular form and are designed to kill seedlings before they emerge. Timing is important in order for them to be successful. Apply a preemergent before germination, but not too far ahead ( a little early is better than late). For crabgrass this is when the soil temperature reaches about 55-60 degrees F. Within a week or so of theses temperatures, crabgrass plants start to grow. Two options for for crabgrass control are Tupersan (siduron) and Dimension (dithiopyr). Dimension is safe to use on most bluegrass ryegrass and tall fescue. Check label first for fine fescues. Tupersan is also safe for similar grasses. Both are good preemergent herbicides and both have some effectiveness as a postemergents. Dimension controls a wider variety of weeds, but Tupersan may be a better pick for newly seeded lawns. • Lawns should be watered after the application of a preemergent herbicide. • While inexpensive weed & feed products may contain preemergents, they are usually in smaller amounts and not very effective • Always follow directions on the label. Apply the recommended amount for the area that you have. Spaced out treatments are much more effective than using too much at once. • If you plan on aerating or dethatching a lawn in the spring, do it before treating for crabgrass. • Mow taller - weeds are much more likely to grow in places where grass is shorter and thinner than in places with taller denser grass. • Overseed thin/bare spots in the fall. The best weed prevention is a thick stand of grass. It leaves no space for the weeds to grow. • Pull larger crabgrass plants by hand - Most postemergent herbicides are ineffective against larger plants. Providing detailed product information for different grass seed products available locally with the hope of making it easier for homeowners to pick a product that best suits their needs.
( /k = for every 1000 square feet of grass area - approximately 30 feet by 33 feet) Seed Rate - new lawn = 8lb/k over seed = 4lb/k Germination - 7 to 21 days Approximate price/k to overseed = $10.56 Approximate price/lb of actual seed = $2.64 Content Variety Germination 32.0% Rebel Sentry tall fescue 80% 22.0% Prospect tall fescue 80% 22.0% Rebel Pro tall fescue 80% 20.0% Forte tall fescue 80% Penkote® - seals each seed to protect against fungus, increasing survival and promoting healthier grass Rebel Sentry - fine texture, dark green, transition zone,very good for high traffic, Prospect - fine textured, drought tolerant, Forte - early spring green & late fall color, dark green, shade tolerant, slower growth, winter hardiness, high traffic, drought tolerant Crape Myrtle is an extremely suitable tree used in most landscapes to beautify the garden. Its botanical name is Lagerstroemia indica, this is a tree which is drought tolerant and can thrive where there is heat and humidity. Crape Myrtle has a lovely green flora in the spring and also has a very fascinating outline when it sheds it leaves during winter with its reddish peeling bark.
Crape Myrtle has outstanding flowers that really beautify the tree during the summer. It should be strategically planted in the landscape to create that breathtaking beauty. Though this tree is planted by various people in their yards, not all of them know how to go about the pruning process. Correct pruning helps the tree to produce flowers earlier than the ones which have not been pruned. Pruning landscape Crape Myrtle trees involves the removal of unwanted branches to enhance the growth of new ones, which then sprout into new blooms. Other parts of the landscape tree which are removed, are the suckers which come from the base of the tree, dead branches, and all those branches growing in awkward areas and distracting the growth of the tree. Before pruning this magnificent tree, it’s good to have an objective as to why this tree is being pruned. One of the most outstanding reasons why this landscape Crape Myrtle is pruned is to maintain well spaced main branches, which have thick barks and also to reduce the center part of the tree to enable sunlight and air to penetrate through without any hindrances. When to prune will vary by location. If for example, one lives in warmer climates, it’s advisable to prune the Crape Myrtle tree a bit earlier at around late winter and early spring. This is because if the pruning is done in the middle of winter the new blooms may sprout and then freeze and die. On the other hand if one live in a cold climate where there is a lot of freezing, the tree should be pruned during late spring and early summer in order to detect he damages caused by the freezing winter temperatures. When appropriate pruning is practiced when this landscape tree is young there will be very minimal maintenance when the tree matures. Deadheading the Crape myrtle is a very important process which is mostly ignored. This process includes pruning of dead old, and withered flowers from a plant as it blooms. Home owners are encouraged to deadhead the crape myrtle tree once the flowers begin to fade to ensure that they bloom for a second time. Deadheading can be done by the use of the forefinger and thumb. However, to carry out the task professionally its recommended to use a pair of clean scissors which is sharp enough not to leave any stubs. The home owner is required to be equipped with all the information on when and which tools to use before, carrying out the actual pruning. The first step to do is to look at the main trunks from the ground up wards and remove any suckers near the base of the tree of those which are germinating from the exposed roots of the tree. After this is done, it’s also very important to trim any growth which might be growing on the many trunks which is at least 4 feet in size. Another part of the landscape tree which needs to be taken care of is the canopy. When the tree is growing it spreads up and forms a canopy at the top. This consists of dead branches as well as branches which are growing towards the center of the tree. It’s advisable to always prune the branches without leaving any stubs and also clear the branches which cross one another. Lastly if, the home owner wants to have a thick canopy with two times growth and many blooms, he is required to prune the stems about 6” to 12” from the main branch, if this is done correctly the stem should regenerate two new stems from the old stem, and this is a sure way of ensuring that many flowers are produced and also that the tree has a thick canopy. Flowering pears ( pyrus calleryana) are very fast growing trees used in many residential landscapes. They have showy white flowers that bloom early in the Spring before leaves appear. their pyramidal teardrop shape makes them easy to identify and they do well in the dense clay soil that is common in our area. Many varieties exist and a few are covered below. Aristocrat Pear - zone5-9 - One of the larger varieties of pear that grows as wide as it does tall (25'-50') . Trunk and branches grow thicker & tree is not as susceptible to wind damage as Bradford. Purple/red leaves in the fall. Bradford Pear - zone 5-9 - Cheapest and easiest to find of the pears & can grow to 40'. Sensitive to wind damage. After a certain age they tend to fall apart under the weight of ice from winter storms. Red purple or yellow in the fall. There are too many other readily available and better varieties to recommend this one. Cleveland Select - 5-9 - A smaller pear tree (20' - 30') that tends to have more flowers than other varieties. Grows tighter and narrower than most ( to 15' width). Also has the advantage of bearing no fruit. Red and purple fall foliage. Our favorite among the pear trees. Jack Pear - (Jaczam) - One of the smallest varieties. Dwarf Jack trees grow only to about 15' tall and is known for its improved disease resistance. Crimson red fall foliage. Redspire Pear - 5-9 - Similar to Bradford in height (35' +), but grows in a narrower more defined shape. Larger flowers than other pears. Leaves have a slight red tinge to them - yellow and orange fall colors. Autumn Blaze Pear - 4-9 - Distinguishable from other pears by its round spreading growth and may get as tall as 30' . Known mostly for its brilliant red fall color. It is the most cold weather tolerant of the callery pears and is much less prone to breakage & damage from winter storms.
Mowing has a major impact on lawn appearance and health, yet is often overlooked in terms of importance. Homeowners need to follow a few simple guidelines to assure lawns are being mowed properly.
The most frequent mistake is mowing lawns shorter than they should be cut. For most lawns, keeping the mowing height between three and 3.5 inches is ideal - mow a little taller during the heat of summer. Lawns mowed at higher heights tend to have deeper roots, less weed problems, and have a much healthier and greener look. Mowing too close invites problems such as weed invasions. Simply raising the mowing height can have a major impact on the quality of many home lawns. Mowing at a lower height when grass is growing quickly is fine, but the height should be raised as growth slows or stress increases, Shady lawns should be mowed a little higher as well.. Yards should be cut according to the growth rate of the grass. Do trim more than one-third of the leaves of the grass in any one cutting. Mowing as the lawn needs it is essential. In the spring, this will likely mean more than once a week. It is never advisable to mow when the grass is wet. Another issue related to mowing is whether clippings should be collected. As long as the lawn is mowed on an as needed basis and the one-third rule is followed, clippings will readily filter back down into the lawn, and need not to be collected. The clippings readily decompose (they contain 75 - 80 percent water) and do not cause thatch. Clippings also recycle nutrients, in particular nitrogen, so less fertilizer is needed. The newer mulching mowers create even finer clippings, recycling the nutrients more often as the smaller clippings decay faster. Mulching mowers do not perform at peak efficiency if the lawn is too tall (removing more than one-third of the grass blade) or if the lawn is wet. Another critical area overlooked by homeowners is maintaining a sharp mower blade. A sharp mower blade will cut the grass blade cleanly. This gives the lawn an even appearance and reduces disease from damage caused by a dull mower blade. Mow in the direction that is safest. Periodically change directions if desired, although mowing the same direction each time should not be a problem on taller turf typical of home lawns. The first and last mowing of the year can be slightly shorter, not so short that you scalp the lawn. Scalping in spring and allowing the grass to remain excessively high at the end of fall encourages weed and disease problems
Mow taller - 3 inch height at the very least. How you mow has more impact on the lawn than any other maintenance activity. Taller grass tends to develop a better root system, does a better job of retaining water, and weathers the heat better.
Watering - Early morning watering is a good idea but more so in the heat of summer. Watering during the day will lead to more evaporation loss and moisture from watering in the evening (especially when it is humid) leaves turf more susceptible to fungus & disease. Fertilizing - Dry weather, extreme heat, and too much fertilizer are a bad combination and can burn up your lawn.A small dose of quick release nitrogen is a good idea If the lawn is watered regularly or rain is expected in the next day or so. This should be applied at about 1/4 or 1/3 the recommended rate on the label. This is an inexpensive way to green up a lawn in 2 to 3 days. The downside is that this will only last for 2 or 3 weeks. Seeding, Aerating, Thatch control - are all beneficial to turf but should be done later in the year. Seed needs lower temperatures & more water and is difficult to get started in the heat of summer. Aeration and thatch removal should be done when turf is not already stressed by the weather. Optimal time for these activities is mid/late August to early/mid November depending on weather conditions. |
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