Softscape (Plant) Maintenance

The natural cycle of cold weather grasses in the PNW is to go dormant in summer. A green lawn is a social and cultural phenomenon, not a natural one, maintained through forcing growth with water and nitrogen.

Spring

• Mow frequently
• Do not mow more than1 ⁄ 3 of the blade, and no shorter than 2″

Summer

• There are two schools of thought regarding summer lawn care… here are both, you decide!
• Let your lawn go brown. Water once a month to keep the roots alive. Lawn can be dormant for three months without damage. This will save greatly on water, but some weed invasion will occur.
• Keep watering to keep your lawn green. Lawn is still dormant so use very little or no fertilizer. If you do use fertilizer, make sure to use slow release.

Fall

• Lawn starts growing again with cooler weather and increased rains. Fall is a good time for intensive lawn management. Mow as needed and aerate annually each fall. Overseed to develop a thick sward before winter when the grass goes dormant again and the moss invasion commences.
• Lime - If fertilization does not seem to work your soil could be too acidic - add lime to balance the soil pH. This can be done every 2 - 3 years.

Winter

• Winter is time to leave your lawn alone. Do not mow and do not fertilize.

Care for New Sod Lawns

Your new lawn has been carefully installed, and needs proper continuing maintenance, particularly in the next several weeks, to ensure the success of the installation. Please follow the watering and care instructions below for the next several weeks.

PLEASE NOTE

• You may walk on the lawn to move sprinklers, but keep non-essential foot traffic to an absolute minimum during the initial establishment period.
• If the edges between the sod pull apart or are separating, you are not applying enough water. The sod is shrinking and pulling apart.
• Do not water at night or late in the evenings. New seedlings are susceptible to diseases, which are encouraged by prolonged periods of being wet.
• Make sure to water along pavement surfaces when the temperatures are warmer, as the sod will literally bake next to the hot surface during the establishment.

Maintenance Practices (0-10 days):

• Water each day for at least 15 to 20 minutes in each area of lawn (according to how much water your sprinkler emits).  Watering a second time each day is recommended if the temperatures are over 65º and sunny. It is important to get the water through the sod and into the soil below the sod. Check to make sure you are watering enough by pulling back the corner of the sod in several places throughout the lawn to make sure the soil below is moist.  Do not fertilize or mow the lawn yet.

Maintenance Practices (10 to 21 days):

• Water every other day for approximately 30 minutes. By watering for longer periods of time, you are encouraging root growth deeper into the soil.  Check to make sure you are watering enough by pulling back the corner of the sod in several places throughout the lawn to make sure the soil is moist – not wet. The sod should be difficult to pull up – do not force it up. The root system is establishing... and should not be pulled from the soil. Just tug lightly to assure good rooting.  If the lawn is not rooting, you may not be watering enough.
• Once rooted, cut the grass as needed. Do not remove more than a third of the grass plant at one time while cutting. For instance, if the grass is 5” tall, do not cut below 3.5” in height. In general, keep the lawn at 2.75” to 3.5” during the establishment. If the lawn is too wet to cut, do not water for one more day and then cut the lawn.  Do not apply fertilizer to the lawn yet.

Maintenance Practices (3 weeks and beyond):

• You may begin to cut the lawn as needed. The lawn should be fairly well rooted and can take normal wear and tear.  Water the lawn approximately twice a week making sure to apply 1” of water each week. Use a pie tin or similar container to measure your irrigation by placing it in the path of the sprinkler. Multiply the amount of water in inches by the number of times you water each week to total 1” per week. For instance, 1/2” for two waterings equals 1” of total water.
• You may apply a balanced organic turf fertilizer six weeks after installation. Either your lawn care company will apply your fertilizer or you may use a consumer product,. If you are applying the product, follow the label instructions very carefully. It is recommended that you use a rotary spreader as opposed to a drop spreader.
• Look for a fertilizer that has a nutrient ratio of 3:1:2, which indicates the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK).  Apply fertilizer at half the normal rate in shady lawn areas.  Make spot weed control applications as needed, no sooner than 10 weeks from installation date.  If you decide to use pesticides, use them sparingly and only as needed.

Ongoing Lawn Maintenance

Mowing is one of the three primary cultural practices that are used to sustain turfgrass growth. Mowing that is consistent and frequent can help develop a turf grass stand that is dense, of fine texture, more resistant to insects and diseases and becomes more drought tolerant due to the establishment of deeper root zones. Some frequent questions include:

How high should I mow my turf?

• The actual height of the turf is dependant on the turf species. Northwest lawn mixes are a mix of three species that performs best when maintained at a height ranging from 1 ½ inches to 2 ½ inches. If you maintain your lawn at heights above this range the turf may present a more ragged, natural look. These heights are usually in areas that require less maintenance requirements and aesthetic demands are minimal. At  the lower part of the range and below, our grass respond with increased density, finer texture and improved playability. However, lower cutting heights also produce some potential negative side effects. These include crown tissue damage (scalping), increase potential for diseases, reduced carbohydrate reserves, less root mass, increased temperatures at the soil/plant interface and the reduction of photosynthetic area.

How often should I mow my turf?

• Some say that once per week is how often a lawn should be mowed. However, the determination of when the grass should be cut must be based on grass growth and the underlying functions of grass growth. These include time of year, grass species, intensity of use and maintenance practices. A good rule of thumb is the '1/3 rule'. This rule states that no more than one-third of the grasses top growth should be removed at any one mowing. This rule provides a balance between the benefits of frequent mowing (increased density, regrowth) and the negative consequences of too frequent mowing (decreased shoot and root growth, depleted carbohydrate reserves, and a weakened, stress intolerant plant).

Should I collect my grass clippings?

• Whether you remove the clippings or not depends on a few, specific factors. First, if the turf stand is intensively maintained with closely mown surfaces, such as for sports fields, the clippings should be removed to maintain appearance and playability. Second, so long as the turf is mowed in a regular and consistent manner in which the amount of top growth is minimal, the clippings may be left. If, however, the clippings are larger than normal due to infrequent mowing the clippings should be removed. Regardless, the fertility program should be altered to account for either the increase of nutrients (leaving the clippings) or the absence of nutrients from the organic material.

What type of mower should I use?

• The best mower you can use is a sharp mower. The differences between a rotary mower and a reel mower are technical and are only apparent in intensely maintained turf grass applications. For the majority of uses, the type is not as relevant as the sharpness. A dull mower will damage the ends of the leaves causing brown, ragged ends and allow for increased disease development.

WATER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR THE SUCCESS OF YOUR TURFGRASS

Once a lawn is established it will require about one inch of water per week between May and October. During the hottest weeks of summer the lawn may require 1 ½ " – 2" of water per week. Encourage deeper root growth by watering less often, but deeply. A lawn that sheds water quickly will need to be watered in several shorter cycles. Lawn areas are commonly over watered and improving water distribution and application timing can usually save significant amounts of water. The best time to water is early morning to reduce vaporization and evaporation. As a rule of thumb, watering during periods when "dew" would be expected to appear naturally will minimize fungal infections (Red Thread, Rust) caused by water standing on the leaf surface for long periods of time. If you use an automatic irrigation system be sure to adjust the timer throughout the year. In running your system, make sure you have programmed the proper duration and frequency of your watering cycles (as necessary for your soil type, slopes, plantings, and exposure to sun and shade). Watering needs in your landscape will change as weather patterns change during the season, and from year to year as your plantings mature or are modified.

Signs of inadequate watering:

• Blue/gray tint
• Brown spots
• When walked on, footprint stays for more than 30 seconds.