Basic Lawn Care - Cool Season Grass

[OldGlory]

Hi here is an attempt to give a general guide for Lawn Care 101 (Andy feel free to delete or edit as you see fit)

The calendar references are based on my seasonal needs in Northeastern MA Zone 7. Adjust to your area accordingly.

Basic Lawn Care – Cool Season Grass

Water deeply and infrequently = 1 inch of water a week all at one time. Do not water lightly every day or every other day. Can measure using tuna cans placed around the lawn. Time how long it takes to fill them up. That is how long you water once a week. Best time of day is early morning.

New lawns, renovations, over seeds, and sod will need water more frequently. Especially during the hottest weeks of the summer.

Grass Height - Cut Grass higher than you think. Maintain at 3-3.5 inches.

Mulch grass clippings into lawn. In the fall mulch leaves into lawn.

April –
Crabgrass Pre-emergent without Fertilizer – Look for Forsythia starting to bloom as a rough guide as to when to apply. Follow directions on the bag.
http://www.scotts.com/smg/goprod/halts- ... /prod90026

Mid to Late May
Apply Fertilizer
http://www.scotts.com/smg/goprod/turf-b ... prod100050

June
Apply Milorgranite –Monthly June-September (can be applied every two weeks)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milorganite- ... ilorganite

June – July
Start looking for Broadleaf Weeds – (For best results follow the Triangle approach http://aroundtheyard.com/articles/161-weed- ... oachq.html)

Basic approach - Hand pull; spot treat; or spray the entire lawn

Spot Spray - Re-apply in 10-14 days if needed http://www.acehardware.com/product/inde ... a_20986338

To Blanket Spray Entire Lawn - Re-apply in 10-14 days if needed
http://www.acehardware.com/product/inde ... 15.1305671

Late August - September
Apply Fertilizer
http://www.scotts.com/smg/goprod/turf-b ... prod100050

November
Use a high Nitrogen fertilizer as a late Fall Winterizer - This will help green up the lawn in early Spring
http://www.lowes.com/pd/Scotts-5-000-sq ... dd184b7187


Options:
Grub Control – If needed
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/how_to_cho ... _your_lawn

Early Spring - Calcitic Lyme - Jonathan Green 11347 Mag-I-Cal Calcium Fertilizer
http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Green-11 ... B004JJILOA

[ken-n-nancy]

I like the idea of putting together a "consensus recommendation" for basic lawn care on cool season grasses.

I applaud you for taking the first step in putting this out there. I have a few specific things I'd probably recommend slightly differently, but I don't have time to post those right now. (I'll probably add it within the next couple days.)

One "calendar-related" thing to note: even among cool season lawns, there are timing (month) differences between folks in different areas of North America (and definitely when considering our Australian members!). The right calendar for Massachusetts isn't quite the same as the one for Northern Maine (although maybe close enough). However, cool season lawns in central Canada (we've got at least one of those on the forum) and North Carolina have seasonal timings that differ from each other by at least 6-8 weeks. (North Carolina in March is like May in Edmonton, Alberta; with a similar seasonal shift in the fall (Alberta September = North Carolina November?).

[1977212]

We could just apply milorganite every month or as budget allows and add a "crabgrass preventer" in the spring from a big box store. If you have a thick enough lawn it should keep most weeds at bay.

[bauer time]

You forgot applying a shot of high N fertilizer once top growth has ceased in late fall/early winter.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[OldGlory]

You forgot applying a shot of high N fertilizer once top growth has ceased in late fall/early winter.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Since this is a basic Program I thought that worrying about top growth and the pause may be beyond Lawn Care 101. But your point is well taken you could just apply a high N fertilizer in November.

[northeastlawn]

On the watering frequency; age of the lawn kind of matters.

My sisters recent spring reno probably can't survive on 1" once a week this summer.

Even my 1 year lawn will struggle in August on just 1" once a week.

Also you can't add up 5 days of shallow rain at 0.2" to be the same as 1" of watering non stop. The 1" of uninterrupted rain will get much deeper into the roots than a few days of shallow rain for older lawns.

Plus there is the whole thing of watering only when the grass shows you it needs it, which I still dont think i can tell.

you might want to research the watering part some more.

[bauer time]

You forgot applying a shot of high N fertilizer once top growth has ceased in late fall/early winter.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Since this is a basic Program I thought that worrying about top growth and the pause may be beyond Lawn Care 101. But your point is well taken you could just apply a high N fertilizer in November.

I'm with you, but the only reason I bring up the winterizer application is ideally it removes the need for a synthetic high N spring fertilization.

Joe Homeowner could then start getting away from the 4 Step program (Step 1 and 2 include lots of N in early spring) and shifting to a pre-M without nitrogen.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[bpgreen]

You forgot applying a shot of high N fertilizer once top growth has ceased in late fall/early winter.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Since this is a basic Program I thought that worrying about top growth and the pause may be beyond Lawn Care 101. But your point is well taken you could just apply a high N fertilizer in November.

Where I live, the lawn is often covered in snow in November. Waiting for top growth to stop is better than watching the calendar. And I don't consider that to be advanced. If you don't have to mow any more, top growth has speed.

[OldGlory]

On the watering frequency; age of the lawn kind of matters.

My sisters recent spring reno probably can't survive on 1" once a week this summer.

Even my 1 year lawn will struggle in August on just 1" once a week.

Also you can't add up 5 days of shallow rain at 0.2" to be the same as 1" of watering non stop. The 1" of uninterrupted rain will get much deeper into the roots than a few days of shallow rain for older lawns.

Plus there is the whole thing of watering only when the grass shows you it needs it, which I still dont think i can tell.

you might want to research the watering part some more.

Points well taken. I did state it should not be done in separate waterings. I made it more clear that it should all be done at one time.

[mtroberts20]

I am having a hard time figuring out best practices with regards to fertilization. It seems like everything I read from extension articles and even NTEP recommends around 3-4 lbs N/1000 sq ft, and do not apply in spring because it leads to shoot growth at the expense of root growth. For instance, Milorganite website recommends applying Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, which will end up being right around 3 lbs/1000 of nitrogen for the year.

However, on this site I read Many posts where people are putting Much more N than that, including the original post of this thread recommending Milo every two weeks for four months (6 lbs N/1000 during hottest part of summer??!). Is there something I am misinterpreting here? How much N is appropriate and what timing?

[bernstem]

A basic lawn care program would be 1lb in the late spring and 3 1lb applications in the fall. If you are farther south, you may want to skip the spring nitrogen.

The last nitrogen app of the year should be when the grass has stopped growing, but it hasn't gotten too cold. The last application should have a high percentage of fast release nitrogen.

Leave the biweekly milorganite for when you want to kick it to the next level and have everything else in line.




Sent from my iOS device using the Yard Help App

[BoatDrinksQ5]

Most Extensions/Articles on the web are referencing 3-4lbs N in an effort to give grass what it needs... like a regular balanced diet. It gets it looking decent and surviving. Trying to minimize inputs due to cost, mowing, time behind fert-spreader, and possible mis-use/run-off (probably other reasons ?).

However once you get in the 5-7+ range... you are giving it a high amount of food, hopefully nutritious and with the right nutrients (think athlete bulk up...). With organics/Milo it can help build up a soil food supply. Frequent (even if lighter) applications helps reduce highs and lows in plant growth/vigor.

Highly recommend looking what you have done in the past.... tracking it going forward.... and any changes to would be best to be done slowly, seeing how things go/react.

[bernstem]

Grass height depends on type of grass, climate and personal preference. In general, Kentucky Bluegrass likes 2-4 inches. Tall Fescue likes a touch higher 3-5 inches. Most people will cut on the short side for the first cut of the season to get rid of winter killed turf and clean up the lawn. You generally want to cut higher in the summer to help the turf tolerate the heat. For a typical Bluegrass lawn in Florida (are you sure you have Bluegrass?), you might cut at 2-2.5 inches in the spring to clean up the turf, then let it grow to 3-3.5 inches while the temps are mild and then move up to 4 inches (or more) when it gets hot.

edit: It looks a bit strange now, but this was originally referencing a deleted post.

[ENVY23]

It's spam bernstem. Both of his posts are plugging his site, so I assume he's trying to sell ATY members on his services.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[bernstem]

It's spam bernstem. Both of his posts are plugging his site, so I assume he's trying to sell ATY members on his services.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Yup, it has been dealt with.

[stez09]

June – July
Start looking for Broadleaf Weeds – (For best results follow the Triangle approach http://aroundtheyard.com/articles/161-weed- ... oachq.html)

Basic approach - Hand pull; spot treat; or spray the entire lawn

Spot Spray - Re-apply in 10-14 days if needed http://www.acehardware.com/product/inde ... a_20986338

To Blanket Spray Entire Lawn - Re-apply in 10-14 days if needed
http://www.acehardware.com/product/inde ... 15.1305671

I've been trying to eliminate the weeds in my yard this year and stopped spraying a few weeks back because the triangle approach suggested not spraying after Memorial Day, however, you suggest spraying in June/July. I live in Southern NH, and we've been having some hot weather with no rain for a few weeks so do you think I still have time to zap the rest of the weeds? Should I wait until the Fall for the weather to cool down so I don't stress the grass when I spray?

[andy10917]

All plants (grasses and weeds) go to "survival mode" or even dormancy from later June to mid-August. The metabolism of weeds becomes slow enough that weed killers don't work that well. and may stress the grasses around the weeds.

[TimmyG]

Although certain C4 (summer) annuals like spurge and purslane really kick into high gear around here in this dry heat. I try to stay on top of them with triclopyr throughout the summer. Accurate spot spraying avoids unnecessary turf damage, and fortunately most of those types of weeds grow along the edges and in hardscapes, far less so in an established turf stand. In sparse turf, however, spurge, crabgrass, etc. can wreak havoc if left unchecked.

I would never broadcast spray any herbicide during the summer months, not that I would any other time of year, either.

[stez09]

I have a lot of clover and chickweed throughout the grass and can't wait to eliminate it. I'm having a hard time holding off on spraying until the fall but I'm trying to stick to the triangle approach.

[OldGlory]

My opinion was that if you are providing sufficient irrigation to grow grass the weeds will also be growing. In my back lawn I have very little broadleaf weeds (POA is a different issue). I used the triangle approach to get most of them under control and Dimension as a Pre-em. I get some clover and plantain (very very few plantain) and I generally spot treat or pull them.

Last year I had so little clover I just ignored it. It blended in fine. That was a mistake because now the patches are twice as big. I'll spot treat with CCO.