The ABCs of Proper Mowing and Watering

Now that our lawns are actively growing, properly mowing and watering them are essential for maintaining a thick, healthy stand of turf. Poor mowing practices will affect the health of the grass plants, which in turn affects its appearance and makes it prone to other problems, including drought and/or heat stress and diseases. It is recommended that you mow your lawn so the finish cut height measures about 3 inches. If possible, the lawn should be mowed frequently enough so that no more than 1/3 of the total growth is removed at one time. Removing too much growth shocks grass plants, aggravating stresses, diseases and causing weeds. Your mower blades should be sharpened regularly for best results. Dull mower blades will rip the grass rather than cut it, leaving the tips torn and shredded.

Supplemental watering of your lawn will be needed during periods when rainfall amounts become insufficient. Turf that does not receive enough water will gradually fade and turn brown due to grass growth shutting down or going dormant. Dormancy is a natural occurrence and happens when conditions for growth are not favorable (i.e. during the winter). Supplemental watering should begin when the lawn is showing early signs of moisture stress. These signs include foot prints in the turf that are visible hours after someone has walked across the lawn and areas of turf that have a grayish-purple tint to them. If you begin watering at this point, you will likely reduce the likelihood of browning. For best results, you should water during the early morning hours only, from 4 am to 10 am for approximately 45 –50 minutes per area, or until the soil is uniformly wet to a depth of 5 inches. If you water the soil to this depth, you should be able to go at least 2-3 days before having to water again. This is good for your lawn and helps conserve a precious resource. It is also important to pay attention to rainfall amounts and adjust your watering schedule accordingly. Likewise, be sure your watering system, hoses, sprinklers, etc. are all functioning properly. Nothing is more wasteful than irrigation water being sprayed onto a sidewalk or running during a rainstorm.