Spring Care of Your Lawn

Courtesy PR Extension Office

With a shot of moisture and warmer temperatures, people in our community are looking forward to being outside where it is much easier to maintain social distancing practices, get fresh air and some wonderful exercise, noted Powder River Extension Agent Mary Rumph.

Mike Schuldt, an Extension agent in Custer County, shared the following article regarding lawn care.

“Spring time is our opportunity to make plans to maintain our lawn though the summer months. There are some basic practices to consider implementing to create a vigorous healthy lawn with the least amount of input. Planning at this stage should include consideration of fertilization needs, mowing practices, watering strategy, turf maintenance and weed, insect and disease control.

The recommendation for a cool season turf grass lawn, such is commonly found in our area, is to provide approximately three pounds of Nitrogen fertilizer per 1000 square feet each growing season. This treatment should be split into three one pound applications. The easy way to remember when to fertilize is to fertilize on the holidays, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Columbus Day. This provides for an appropriate level of nutrition for the grass throughout the year at the time the plants need it. Remember that fertilizer labels include three numbers that indicate the percentage of the major nutrients in the bag. For example a number such as 10-10-10 indicates that there is 10% of each of the nutrients Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium. It would take 10 pounds of the fertilizer to deliver one pound of Nitrogen.

Mowing should be done so that you never remove more than 1/3 of the total plant material and leaving the grass as long as practical especially in hot or drought conditions. Use of a recycling (thatching) mower that minces the grass clippings and leaves them on the lawn is recommended as the leaf material that is incorporated back into the lawn builds soil organic matter and nutrition. Lawns that are slower to green up in the spring likely have been victims of poor mowing management last summer. Mowing stress, over/under fertilization or irrigation and thatch build up are all issues that we see at the Extension Office each spring.

Understanding what thatch is and how to manage it is important. Thatch does not come from grass clippings; it is a layer of organic matter that develops from the non-decomposed rhizomes and root material of very vigorous lawns. Only dethatch if there is a heavy thatch layer and only prior to the beginning of grass growth in the spring, right now is the window for this operation. To prevent thatch build up make sure that you do not over fertilize resulting in a need for excessive irrigation. Allow the grass to slow its growth in the heat of the summer by mowing at a longer length and reducing the irrigation interval. Many homeowners with underground irrigation systems “set it and forget it”. Learn how to set the water timer and make necessary adjustments to irrigation scheduling to meet the plants needs as the growing season progresses.

To ensure that you meet the needs of your lawn you can monitor using an evaporation pan. Fill a straight sided container 1/2 full of water and set it out where it will receive sun and collect rainfall and irrigation water typical of your lawn. Mark the water line on the container. Make sure that pets do not have access to the evaporation pan. When the water level gets to 1 1/2 inch below the water line irrigate until the water level is back to the water line.

Proper planning and sound management practices will assist in ensuring that your turf grass lawn is as healthy and resilient as possible throughout the summer.”