Lawn Maintenance
Maintaining a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood may seem like a daunting task. However, you don’t need to waste your weekends trying to accomplish this. If your goal is a lush lawn, it can be achieved by following a few simple steps.
Cut high and regularly
Cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue perform best at a mowing height of 3 inches or more. Additionally, grass should never have more than 1/3 rd of the blade height removed in order to maintain a healthy stand.
Say no to the Bag!
Bagging your grass clippings requires extra work collecting and disposing of the material. If you leave the clippings, you’ll be returning valuable nutrients back into the soil. Mulching mowers are great at hiding these clippings.
Fertilize in the fall
A fall application promotes healthy turf while not increasing the amount of mowing needed. If you want to encourage a darker green in late spring, mid-May is a great time to apply as well. Avoid heavy fertilization applications mid-summer, as you do not want to encourage growth to a lawn already suffering from stress.
Irrigate
Water only as needed, when the lawn starts showing signs of stress. Indicators can be green color fading to a bluish grey. Early summer may need one irrigation per week whereas as peak season could be as much as 2-3 times per week
Control those dandelions.
To treat for dandelions, application of a post-emergent herbicide applied in mid-October is required. Dandelions are a bi-annual weed; they start germinating mid-season, go dormant over winter, and then die in the spring when they transition to seed. Applications in spring are treating a plant that is already on its way out. Therefore the preferred treatment timing for this weed is in the fall.
Control crabgrass.
If you have a lawn with crabgrass, you’ll need to apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent the crabgrass seeds from germinating. A good rule of thumb for our area is to have pre-emergent applications completed by April 1st .
If you are considering hiring a lawn care professional there are a few quick things you should consider before making the jump. Check the reputation; ask neighbors and request references. Google reviews can provide a great snapshot of what their customers think about them. Ask about licenses. The state of Indiana requires all lawn care companies that are applying fertilizer to be certified. Check for membership to organizations like NALP
and MRT. These organizations promote professionalism and help keep contractors up to date on the latest education.
This article was provided by Derek Wells, owner of Wells Lawn Care and Landscaping. WLC is a Christian owned company and has been operating in Bloomington for 15 years. WLC is certified by the office of Indiana State Chemist for turf and landscape applications. WLC is also a member of the Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association and holds its nursery wholesale license through the DNR. To find out more visit www.WellsLawn.com
or call 812-272-9336.