Organic Lawn
Grass is a cool weather crop. This time of year your job is to help it ride out the heat. One simple way to reduce summer stress on your lawn is to mow high, high, high. Not only do you naturally crowd out weeds, you’re allowing native pollinators to thrive in that taller canopy. Conservation biologists at UMass have shown that allowing your lawn to grow to 3 1/2 vs 3 inches results in increases in native pollinator habitat. Growing taller grasses also results in stronger roots and greater moisture holding capacity. Return clippings to the lawn to build organic matter. This is a great source of free nitrogen, the nutrient most desired by your lawn. Bag clippings up only when weeds are present. And keep mower blades sharp at all times for the best cuts. Sharpened blades naturally reduces stress of disease. Sharpen after each 8 hours of use. Water properly in the morning to prevent disease. Regular watering encourages strong root growth and helps the grass withstand drought. An inch of water per week is ideal. Watering once or twice per week is fine, and remember to count rainfall in your total. Also, late August is the absolute best time to fertilize and overseed. Schedule an appointment for an evaluation by contacting Chuck.
