Here’s a common email that a Master Gardener desk receives:

Dear Help Desk,

My husband and I just purchased our first home. It’s older and needs some work – especially the yard. We like the landscape for the most part, but the grass is awful with weeds and different colored grasses all throughout. We don’t have a big budget for all the work. What can we do that’s inexpensive and will make a big difference? Thank you!

If you don’t like the appearance of your lawn, do you have to start at the beginning as though you were going to establish a new lawn? No! There’s a more simplified process that’s great for sprucing up old, tired lawns, and it’s called renovation. Renovating simply means that improvements can be made to an already existing lawn.  Renovation can greatly improve the appearance and performance of a turf with much less cost, time and energy.

When is renovation a good option?

• When the lawn has been neglected
• When it is weed-infested
• When part of the lawn has worn out due to heavy foot traffic or animals
• When part of the lawn is dead due to leaves or debris not being raked up and removed
• When there are patches of invading grasses moving in

Before you begin the renovation process, take a look at the entire growing environment. Spend some time determining what might have contributed to the deterioration of the lawn. Making some environmental changes will give the lawn renovation a much greater chance of success.  When planning a renovation, here are some things to consider:

• Take a soil test. Determine both the pH and the nutrient level in the soil to know what amendments are needed.
• Observe the amount of shade that is present throughout the day. Possibly trees or shrubs could be pruned to let more light in. If the environment is shady, select grass varieties that are more shade tolerant (fine fescue  for example).
• Look at your calendar and plan out the time sequence. Fall is nearly always the recommended time for renovation but 6 – 8 weeks of good growing weather are needed once the seed is down. Determine how early the project needs to be started in order to allow for that optimum amount of growing weather.
• Determine the square footage that will be covered and the type of grass seed that you want. Last week, I suggested using the tools for grass seed selection and for calculating the amount of seed that are on Outsidepride’s grass seed pages. They are very helpful!

Now that you’re thinking that this might be a doable project, here’s a chart with 10 simple steps to complete a lawn renovation.

If you’re not thrilled with your existing lawn, there’s no reason to settle. With some planning and effort, you can bring a tired, neglected lawn back to life!

Question for the week: Have you ever renovated a lawn? What was your experience doing so?

Selecting the Grass

Choose the grass that is going to perform the best for your environment. Outsidepride has an excellent resource on each of the grass seed pages. Insert the state where you live, and a listing of grasses that are appropriate for your area will come up. Seed is an investment and not only the seed but your time and effort in preparation. To ensure that you’ll have the turf you want, do some research first to determine what types of grasses do well in your area.

Once you know the type of grass you want, measuring the area, length x width to get the square footage of the area to be planted. Once your square footage is determined, you can calculate the amount of seed that will be needed. Outsidepride also has a seed calculator on each of the grass seed pages that is fast and accurate.

Seasonal Timing

When starting a turf from seed, the best time to plant is when the temperatures are favorable for rapid seed germination and grass growth. Optimal air temperature ranges from 60 – 85F, and there must be 6 – 8 weeks of good growing weather to get the best establishment of the turf. In many parts of the United States, early fall plantings seem to do the best. The soil temperature is warm, sunlight is plentiful, and temperatures are beginning to cool so the soil stays moist a little longer. Spring is another ideal time for planting in many areas. The times to avoid are summer when it is difficult to keep new plantings wet enough to ensure uniform germination and late fall when unseasonably cold weather could hit early causing a slow in germination. Thin stands of grass often are a result of late fall plantings, and the weeds find their way in by late winter.

Rototilling and Grading

Rototilling serves to loosen the soil to a depth of 6 – 8 inches, and it breaks up the soil into smaller pieces so that it can be graded. Till the soil when it is relatively dry, go over the area 1 – 2 times and avoid pulverizing it into a powder. This is the ideal time to amend the soil by adding some thoroughly composted organic matter into the soil and working it in as well as adding lime (if the pH is low). After applying either the compost or lime, till the area again to get a good mix.

Grading is the combination of raking and rolling using large grading rakes and water-filled rollers which can both be rented. Using the rake, start with a quick grading to fill in the low spots and knock off the high spots. Then start rolling by going in a back and forth pattern in one direction. Watch areas around sidewalks and driveways. Usually, it’s a good idea to grade these flush with the concrete because the soil will settle slightly when irrigated. The goal is to grade the site smooth with uniform compaction so that no further settling occurs during establishment.

Seeding

The basic goal is to spread the seed over the area so that the grass will germinate uniformly. The best tool for the job is a drop spreader. It’s difficult to know the exact calibration to set the spreader on. Many people simply recommend dividing the seed into two equal quantities. Set the spreader on a low setting and spread the 1^st half of the seed going north to south, overlapping the wheel marks so that no area gets skipped. With the 2^nd half of the seed spread it going east to west. It’s a good idea to make an extra pass or two where the lawn meets the sidewalks.

Fertilizing

Apply fertilizer just before or after seeding. Initial emergence is not greatly affected by fertilizer but growth after emergence is stimulated by fertilizer and the establishment of the turf is sped up. Apply a complete fertilizer (N-P-K) when you plant and again about 4 – 6 weeks after planting to further accelerate the establishment of the turf. Apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet.

Mulching

Mulching is used to help keep moisture near the seed during germination. It is particularly helpful on areas that are exposed to wind or are prone to drying out quickly. The key to mulching is to apply it lightly, only about 1/8 to 1/4 inch is needed. If too much mulch is applied, the seed may not be able to emerge through the layer. The type of mulch is not as important as how fine it is. It’s easier to apply fine mulches thinly. Mulch rollers are available to rent. They spread sawdust, fine fir bark mulch or peat moss very easily. Studies have shown that seed that is applied to a well-prepared seedbed and lightly raked in to ensure good contact with the soil often does just as well as seed covered with mulch. Again, the raking of the seed into the soil needs to be lightly, 1/8 to 1/4 inch only. Mulching is another cost factor and labor step. The critical aspect is irrigation, and if keeping the seed moist is going to be challenging, applying mulch is much like some added insurance that the seed will not dry out.

Irrigation

The objective when irrigating the newly seeded lawn is to keep the seed wet. The seed then imbibes water and the germination process begins. The best way to irrigate is several times throughout the day for as long as it takes the surface of the soil to glisten. If puddles form and stay for more than a few minutes, you are watering too much. Normally, you cannot depend on rain, so be prepared to babysit.  Once shoots are visible, you can begin to gradually cut the irrigations down. Finally after several weeks, you can be watering the recommended amount, 1 inch per week, with 2 applications.

Mowing

The lawn is up, and now it’s time for its first trim. Don’t take more than 1/3 of the blade at a time. To avoid creating ruts in the ground, stop irrigating a day or two before mowing so that the soil surface can be firmed up. Also, a sharp blade is important with tender grass that can easily be pulled out by a dull blade. Start a new lawn with a sharp blade!

Aftercare

It’s almost a guarantee that with rototilling your soil, watering and fertilizing, you will have weeds come up along with your new grass. Our soil has a seed bank of all sorts of weeds and rototilling brings them up to the surface for germination. After you have mowed 3 or 4 times, it’s fine to apply a selective herbicide that targets the broadleaf weeds. If herbicides are not your preference, the weeds usually pull very easily and you can get a handle on them before they go to seed.

New lawns are hungry, so do not be surprised if the new turf does not hold its color. Be prepared to apply fertilizer every 4 – 6 weeks during that first growing season. A complete, liquid fertilizer is a great way to go that first year in particular.

Creating that wonderful private haven of rest in your backyard is not too difficult when you’ve got the basic know-how!

Question for the week: Have you planted a lawn from seed? Were you happy with the results?

For those of us who enjoy the satisfaction that comes from outdoor tasks, lawn maintenance can be very rewarding. Last week’s post looked at 3 important practices; mowing, watering, and dethatching. Today, we’ll continue with the final 3 basic practices of lawn care, which are fertilizing, aerating, and weed control.

Fertilizing

Fertilizer is nothing more than food for the turf, and it helps to maintain its health so that it is not susceptible to diseases and easily taken over by weeds and invading grasses. Applying the right amount of fertilizer at the right time is important. Some recommendations to consider:

1) Fertilizer should be applied when the grass is actively growing, so the fertilizing schedule is going to be determined by what type of grass you have and the time of year it is. Cool season grasses grown in the northern climates (ryegrass, blue grass, fine fescue) should be fertilized in the spring and again in the fall. Warm season grasses that are grown in hot climates (bermuda, zoysia, carpet) should be fertilized in the spring and summer. Two applications of fertilizer are the minimum recommendation to maintain health.

2) Nitrogen is the one nutrient that is nearly always lacking in the soil, and depending on soil test results, phosphorous and potassium may be needed as well. Knowing both the soil conditions and the needs for the particular type of grass you’re maintaining will help to determine which fertilizer product you purchase. A typical application to maintain a healthy turf is to apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of turf.

3) Read the label carefully. If the label says 20-4-16, 20% of the product is nitrogen, 4% is phosphorous, and 16% is potassium. So, how do you know when you’re applying 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet? Here’s a handy reference chart based on the percentage of nitrogen in the fertilizer:

4) When in doubt about fertilizer needs, the local extension office in your area is a great source of information. Some extension offices even do soil tests and have free fertilizing publications to help you determine what your specific turf needs.

Aerating

Aeration and spring go hand-in-hand. It’s recommended to aerate when the soil is moist and the grass is actively growing. There are several benefits of aerating the turf each spring:

1) It increases soil oxygen and water penetration

2) It encourages root growth

3) It reduces soil compaction

4) It increases germination of over-seeded grasses

5) It increases the movement of nutrients into the soil

6) It helps to reduce thatch

There are a few methods to aerate the lawn. Power aerators that remove soil cores are available to rent. The cores can be left on the surface where they will break down with normal mowing. There are also tools that have spikes that punch holes but do not remove a core. Spiking tools tend to compact the soil around the hole and are not as effective as removing a core. There are also liquid aerators which condition the soil and help with its structure.

Weed Control

By practicing the first 5 basics, weeds will be kept to a minimum. If weeds do become an issue and you choose to apply an herbicide, spring and fall are the most effective times for elimination. The turf and weeds should be vigorously growing and the temperatures should be not more than 80F.

There is some common terminology when using lawn herbicides. Here are a few to be familiar with:

1) Selective herbicide – they eradicate only targeted plants. A selective herbicide for lawn use would be one that targeted broad leaf weeds (dandelion, clover) and did not damage the turf grass.

2) Non-selective herbicide – they eradicate all plants including grasses.

3) Pre-emergent herbicide – they are “weed preventers” that are put down in early spring to prevent weed seed from germinating. It’s common to see pre-emergents for crabgrass.

4) Post-emergent herbicide – they are for eradicating an established weed, and they do nothing to prevent seed from germinating.

The post written on weed management a few weeks back also has a couple more suggestions for effective weed eradication and control.

So, what if you move into a home where the yard has been neglected and is in poor shape? Next week, we will examine how to renovate an old lawn or even how to start over completely. It sounds worse than it really is!

Question for the week: Of the 6 basic maintenance practices that were discussed, what is your favorite and least favorite?

In last week’s blog post, the natural conversion that takes place in turf grass was explained. Knowing what a climax lawn is and that it’s inevitable gives us some motivation to ramp up our maintenance practices, especially our spring time maintenance.

Mowing

If you only choose one turf maintenance task, choose mowing. It might seem like a no-brainer, but there are some recommendations for mowing:

1)      Mow frequently. Often we only have time on the weekends to get the job done, but our lawns actually will perform better and be more thick and lush when they are mowed often.  During the period of greatest growth, the spring, it’s good to remember the 1/3 rule. That simply means to know the recommended mowing height of the type of turf that you have, and only take 1/3 of the blade with each cut. For my lawn, perennial rye, we keep the lawn 2 inches in height, so when the lawn reaches 3 inches, it’s time to mow. For April, our lawn has needed to be mowed about every 5^th day, and next month with warming temperatures, it might be every 4^th day. The nice thing about mowing more often: it’s easier and faster to mow!

2)      Mulch. If you practice the 1/3 rule, mulching, or returning the clippings to the turf, is a wonderful practice that feeds the lawn. Clippings are nothing more than organic fertilizer. Many mowers are equipped with a mulcher to cut the pieces finer, and this is recommended as the small pieces breakdown by soil microorganisms much more easily. Too large of pieces or putting too much down at a time can create a thatch problem, so it’s a practice to use in moderation, but it is a great and natural way to supply some of the fertilizer that the turf needs.

3)      Lastly, have your mower serviced each winter so that it’s ready to go when spring arrives and mowing is in high demand. A sharpened blade and a balanced blade is a great way to improve lawn quality and health.

Watering

The second most important maintenance practice is irrigation. The question is, how much and how often? Turf needs water to survive, and when the color is still dark green but doesn’t spring back when it’s stepped on, it needs some water. Here are some watering recommendations:

1)      Instead of following a particular watering schedule, observe your turf and determine when it needs water. Insert a 6-inch screwdriver into the lawn. If it penetrates easily, hold off on watering, but if it takes effort to push it into the soil, it’s time to water.

2)      Apply only the amount of water that’s needed. For the hottest months usually 1 – 1½ inches per week of water is needed. Calculate the amount of water that your sprinkler or irrigation system applies by placing shallow containers (like a tuna fish can) throughout the area being watered. Run the sprinklers for 20 minutes, measure the depth of water in the cans and calculate the average depth. With this information, an application plan can be created. Whether you decide to water in 3 applications, 2 applications or 1, you can be confident that the needed amount of water per week is being applied.

3)      Know your soil type. If your soil is on the clay side, run-off can occur, so irrigating in 2 – 3 applications allows the water to soak in. If the soil is sandy loam, the water could probably be applied all at the same time without any run-off

4)      If you don’t mind a dormant, brown lawn, that’s perfectly fine. If you have regular rains that come through in the summer, that might be an adequate amount of water to sustain the lawn; however, grass will die without water. Even if it’s allowed to go dormant, a thorough irrigation every 2 weeks is necessary to keep the roots alive.

Dethatching

Thatch is a tight layer of grass stems and roots, both living and dead that forms between the surface of the soil and the green foliage. Often, the grass roots will grow in the thatch and not into the soil which will lead to drought stress. Soil holds water much better than thatch does. Here are a few recommendations for dethatching:

1)      The best time for dethatching is when the turf is starting vigorous growth. Lawns that are dethatched in the spring recover better and there’s less of a chance of weeds encroaching.

2)      Dethatching can be done by renting a vertical mower, using a steel rake, or with a liquid dethatcher that has microbes that eat the decayed plant material.

3)      Some grasses are more susceptible to thatch. Know the type of turf that you have and what is normal. Usually dethatching can be done 1 time each spring, and in many lawns every other year is acceptable.

We’ll continue basic maintenance practices next week. I hope that this information is helpful and encouraging – it truly does not take a lot of time and money to keep a lawn attractive and a place of fun, leisure, and enjoyment!

Question for the week: How often do you mow?

We all have our individual preferences when it comes to a lawn. Some of us enjoy the lawn that has clovers and English daisies and butter cups growing in it. To us, the most beautiful lawn is natural and low-maintenance. Others of us want to have a lush lawn that is weed free with perfectly even color and texture.  It must be maintained constantly to keep this appearance, but we consider the upkeep to be enjoyable and therapeutic! Whichever end of the spectrum we find ourselves at, or somewhere in-between, there is a lot of research that’s been done to help us choose the right grass (like Envirolawn for the natural look) and how to maintain it for years of use and enjoyment.