PROPER LAWN MOWING
PROPER LAWN MOWING
Proper mowing contributes to the overall health and appearance of your home lawn. Here are some mowing basics that will provide you with the best possible results:
- Instead of a clean scissor cut, a rotary-mower whacks the grass blade off. It is especially important to keep rotary mower blades very sharp. Remember to balance the blade if you sharpen it yourself.
- You should mow grass in the coolest part of the day for the cleanest cut. Grass blades are more adversely affected when they are under heat stress. However, dew interferes with good early-morning mowing, especially if you are mulching your clippings (which you should be for a healthier lawn), so evenings are usually best. Also mowing under wet grass conditions will aid in the spread of turfgrass disease pathogens that are already present on your lawn. Always clean your mower deck after mowing for the same reason.
- The longer the grass, the deeper the root. Cut turfgrass at the highest setting possible. 2-1/2 to 3 inches is the ideal height for most home lawns. Grass growing in the shade needs to be cut as long as possible, since it needs more leaf area to intercept limited light. Most broadleaf weeds are deterred by the shade generated by higher grass heights.
- Never remove more than 1/3 of the height of the grass at a time." (Example: If you are mowing your lawn at 3 inches, always cut it before it gets beyond 4-1/2 inches in height)
- Mulching your clippings helps return nutrients to the soil. For thick thatch conditions apply a bio-enhanced dethatcher (this aids soil biolife to turn thatch into healthy humus.
- Don't refuel mowing equipment on the lawn in case there is a spill.
- Water your lawn properly.
- Water early in the day- By setting irrigation systems to run early in the morning (4:00am to 6:00am) we can maximize water usage by preventing the evaporation that's common in the heat of the day. Early morning watering is also recommended by plant pathologists, since evening irrigation can encourage lawn disease development.
- Water infrequently- Most Pennsylvania lawns and ornamental plants require approximately one inch of water per week during the growing season. During periods when rainfall is less than this amount, it may be necessary to provide an equivalent amount to keep lawns and plants looking their best.
- Water thoroughlyOne thorough watering per week is more beneficial to lawns and plants than several light waterings. Light waterings can promote shallow roots, making plants more vulnerable to drought stress.
To prevent water from running off the soil surface, consider setting your sprinkler system to run two or three times the same morning, allowing time in between cycles for water to soak into the soil. - Override deviceConsider adding an override device added that will deactivate your sprinkler system if there's been adequate rainfall. Most devices are simply small cups that hold rainwater, and once the rainwater evaporates the system is reactivated.
- Aerate your lawn – Compacted soil hinders water, nutrients and air available to the plants and deters root growth. Bio-enhanced liquid aerators are much more effective than core aerators and less expensive to utilize.
- Core aerators are less efficient (2-3 inch penetration)
- Promote lawn weeds
- Are very messy
- Aerate only I inch every 6 inches
- Liquid aerators penetrate 8-12 inches
- Aid in natural dethatching
- Leave no lawn mess
- Afford 100% lawn coverage
- Increase the Brix level of your turf.
- Brix is the sugar concentration of the sap in your lawn
- Most grasses have such low Brix value (typically no greater than about 6 or 8 and often much lower) that insects will feed on them all day long.
- A Brix value of 12 or higher is all it takes to eliminate most insect infestations of any plant
- Raising the Brix of a plant is really quite simple. Provide good nutrition, including a balanced diet of macro and micronutrients and trace elements.
- Nature's Magic is probably the best soil amendment package on the market today
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About the Author
Age: 62, There's a lot of experience in these gray hairs!
Education: Master of Science in Quality Management, Quality Control
Status: Married 38 years, 4 children, 10 grandkids
Company: The Organic lawn Care Store - http://www.theorganiclawncarestore.com/
