Below are a series of Questions and Answers on Lawn Care
Question Of Feeding
Question: Do I HAVE to fertilize my lawn?
Answer: It does seem foolish. Like Dennis the Menace put it, watching his father mow the lawn:
“He puts stuff on it to make it grow, then won’t let it.” But if you want the grass to put out new leaves—stay green and growing—you need to supply extra nutrients.
Question: Can I fertilize it too much?
Answer: Yes, but you’re not likely to.
Turf professionals generally advocate keeping plenty of all the needed elements in the soil, such as:
- phosphorus
- potassium
- calcium
- magnesium
- sulfur
- iron, etc.
And then adjusting the amount of nitrogen supplied to produce the greenness and growth you want.
Question: I’ve heard of fertilizers that are “slow-release,” “non-burning,” and the like. Is there anything to this?
Answer: Assuredly. The nitrogen in them, or some of it, comes as ureaform, which is slowly released and non-burning.
You can buy straight ureaform (38-0-0) under a variety of names.
You can also buy mixed fertilizers with over half of the nitrogen as ureaform.
Question: Why not put on just nitrogen alone?
Answer: Maybe you could get away with this for short intervals, but a safe program is using nitrogen twice a year plus phosphorus and potash once a year.
Question: What’s the easiest way for home lawns men to accomplish this?
Answer: Use balanced lawn fertilizers.
These products contain different percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash—listed on the bag in that order.
Some good formulas for lawns are:
- 10-3-7
- 12-4-8
- 12-0-6
- 14-7-7
- 10-8-8
- 20-5-5
- 22-0-9
You see, they all contain more nitrogen than phosphorus or potassium.
Question: What’s an ideal fertilizing program for bluegrass?
Answer: Apply one of these balanced fertilizers in late spring, late summer, and late fall at your preferred growth rate:
- light, ½ pound actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet each feeding
- medium 1 pound
- heavy 2 pounds
If you choose the heavy rate, use organic or slow-release nitrogen sources.
Question: Is it true that Merion bluegrass needs more feeding than other bluegrass?
Answer: Yes, as much as it responds to more nitrogen than common bluegrass will tolerate.
I suggest 4 pounds actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, per year, in divided applications.
Question: Should seeding or fertilizing come first?
Answer: It seldom matters.
Question: What causes the yellow strips I’ve seen in fertilized lawns?
Answer: These are probably skipped areas.
Broadcasting type spreaders might help you avoid this, and they’re becoming more popular in homeowner sizes.
Or else use markers to keep track of where you’ve already been with your regular spreader.
Question: Could I use lawn fertilizer on my shrubs, trees, or flowers?
Answer: Yes, if you don’t use too much. Because lawn fertilizer often has a 2:1:1 ratio (like 12-6-6, for instance), it’s heavy on nitrogen and might promote more leafy growth than you want.
Question: Will root-feeding my trees—putting fertilizer in holes drilled in the lawn—injure the grass?
Answer: Not at all. The best time for this is late fall or early spring.
Make holes 2’ feet apart, 16” inches deep, and put a half cup of fertilizer in each.
Grass will make extra growth around the holes.
Kinds Of Grass
Question: What’s the best grass seed for me? I’m a complete beginner.
Answer: Get a medium-priced mixture of species with more than 25% percent bluegrass (you can tell by reading the label).
Avoid mixes containing coarse-leaf fescues (Alta, K-31), and avoid bargain mixtures because they usually contain little if any bluegrass.
Question: What do you think of bentgrass for a lawn?
Answer: I think it’s only for enthusiasts who can give it extra effort to maintain good quality.
Question: How late in spring can I seed a lawn?
Answer: Early planting is encouraged, but if late planting is necessary, consider mulching and provide a way to keep the seed moist until it comes up.
Actually, you CAN plant anytime.
Question: When is the best time to seed red fescue?
Answer: Fall. It often develops severe leafspot in early summer.
If fall planted, it should be well started before this happens.
Question: Can I overseed my Merion bluegrass with Newport to get better rust resistance?
Answer: Yes, and it will also give more fall vigor.
I suggest doing this in late August, at a rate of a pound per 1,000 square feet.
Then sweep, rake, spike, topdress, hose-down seed, or any way to get it down into the soil and keep it moist.
How About Zoysia?
Question: How about zoysia? Where might it be used?
Answer: It’s best in sunny, open locations and regions where the weather warms up early in spring to green up this grass.
Question: Which is best for planting zoysia —plugs or sprigs?
Answer: Sprigs may die if not carefully watered for 3 weeks after planting.
Plugs tolerate more abuse but start slower.
Question: How much feeding does zoysia need?
Answer: It responds to ample nitrogen. Use 3 to 4 pounds actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year.
Sometimes a light foliar spray of iron sulfate will make it greener, especially on alkaline soils.
How About Crabgrass?
Question: I’m confused about crabgrass preventers. How do I choose wisely?
Answer: It’s a complicated subject.
There are now 9 compounds being marketed to prevent crabgrass seeds from sprouting.
I’m providing a chart that shows them, how much of each to use and other comments.
If applied uniformly at the right rate and time, any of these will work.
Question: Are they safe to use?
Answer: Yes, but I’d suggest changing clothes and bathing immediately after you use them.
If children or pets use the treated area, rinse the chemical into the soil with the hose and let the grass dry.
Other Weeds To Kill
Question: How do I get rid of the dandelions?
Answer: Treat early with 2, 4-D.
Question: Is there a selective weed killer that will remove coarse-leaf grasses from my lawn—probably tall fescues?
Answer: No such selective killer is available. I suggest using a shovel or knife to chop vertically into the crowns and weaken them.
Questions On Mowing
Question: What’s the best height to cut my lawn?
Answer: We generally suggest mowing 2” inches high.
Question: What kind of mower should I use? Rotary? Reel?
Answer: Reels do the most uniform cutting, but rotaries are preferred for ordinary lawn use or rough areas.
Question: Does close mowing hurt the bluegrass lawn?
Answer: Yes. It reduces the rooting depth and rhizome vigor, encourages weeds, increases drouth damage.
Question: How can I tell if my reel mower is adjusted right?
Answer: Move the reel slowly and watch to see if grass blades are pinched but stay above the bed-knife.
If so, tighten until the bed knife is clean after each cut.
Question: Do I have to sweep up cuttings each time I mow?
Answer: Only if they make a thick accumulation or spoil the looks.
Other Lawn Care
Question: I have a good lawn, but it always looks quite brown in early spring. What will help it?
Answer: Consider using a vertical mower to comb and thin the old matted grass.
Some landscape tool stores and rental places have them. Or try close mowing, sweeping, then mowing again to let green leaves show earlier.
Question: Are diseases something to worry about in average bluegrass lawns?
Answer: Only when severe cases build up because of weather conditions.
If you’re an enthusiast, you’ll probably want to treat with a turf fungicide as soon as disease threatens, or even before it appears.
Ordinary good management usually prevents severe plant losses in a lawn.