Master Gardening by Sally Waxgiser
Summer Lawn Maintenance
Summer is definitely here, and so are the lawn opportunities associated with the heat and humidity. Here are a few simple things you can do to ensure a healthy turf throughout the rest of the growing season.
Hopefully, if needed, you fertilized your lawn this past March with a complete balanced fertilizer such as 6-6-6, 8-8-8 or 10-10-10. If not, and the grass is looking pale or just not growing well, all is not lost. At this time of the year you can add slow release nitrogen. This comes in the forms of manure, be it cow, horse, chicken or sewerage sludge (milorganite). Nitrogen does stimulate the grass to grow.
If you want to give it a boost but are not interested in increasing your mowing obligations, iron can be added instead. Iron comes as iron sulfate (2 oz. per three to five gallons of water for 1,000 sq. ft.) and as chelated iron. Either one will green up the grass. The results, however, are not permanent , lasting two to four weeks, and will need to be reapplied.
Water is essential to a good healthy lawn. Nutrients absorbed by the roots are carried throughout the plant by water. Temperatures are maintained by the transpiration of water in the plant. Turfgrass that has been fully watered can withstand more stress. Florida’s sandy soils do not have much water holding capacity. So, when footprints or tire tracks remain in the grass for long periods of time, the leaf blades fold in half, a bluish-gray area appears and or the root zone soil feels dry, it definitely time to water.
It is best to water when the first signs appear as not to cause permanent damage. The best time to water is early morning. Watering during the day wastes water through excessive evaporation and it can actually scald the grass with the heat. Watering in late afternoon keeps the lawn wet all through the night, which is a great environment for fungus, mold and other pathogens to multiply.
Mowing is the process that creates a lawn rather than a pasture or meadow. A smooth, dense turf surface is attained from frequent and regular cutting at a constant height. The proper mowing height is determined by the growth habit and blade width -- for Bahia grass, 3"-4"; Bermuda grass, .5" --1.5"; Carpet grass, 1"-- 2"; Centipede grass, 1.5"-- 2"; St. Augustine grass, 2.5"-- 4"; Zoysia grass, 1"-2".
The clippings are great for the soil, as they help recycle the nutrients. If you mow frequently, let the clippings fall where they may but, if you mow infrequently, the longer grass blades will create a mat, blocking the sunlight and causing stress on your lawn.
When mowing, pick up all sticks, stones and debris beforehand to avoid damage or injury. Never mow wet grass with a rotary mower, as it will clog the machine. Sharpen the blades frequently to prevent torn rather than cut edges, where diseases can enter. Wear heavy shoes when mowing and wash the mower after use to reduce rusting and weed seed movement.
Insects and diseases are more prevalent during the hot humid days of summer. It is always easiest to control them when the problem is small; therefore, a periodic survey should be done. New lawns (six months old or less) usually require spraying for insects and diseases monthly.
Good cultural practices should be followed as not to increase lawn susceptibility. They include proper mowing, watering and fertilizing. When you do have a problem, it is important to determine the cause so the proper treatment can be applied with minimum pesticide use. Remember, we are talking pest control, not eradication. Some "bugs" are actually beneficial to the plant, as they are carnivores preying on the vegetarians.
Your county Extension office has a great brochure, How to Determine Turf Problems. It provides a list of symptoms and their probable causes, making it easier to troubleshoot that not-so-up-to-par lawn. Other good brochures available for you by simply calling or stopping by your Extension office are: General Recommendations for Fertilization of Turf grasses on Florida Soils, SL21; Watering Your Florida Lawn, ENH-9; Mowing your Florida Lawn, ENH-10; and Management of Insects in Lawns, CIR-427.
All brochures may be downloaded thru the University of Florida's Electronic Data Information System (EDIS). Log on to http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu and enter either the # or the name of the document. You may also contact your local County Extension Office. The Jackson County Extension Office is located at 2741 Penn Ave #3 Marianna, FL 32448. Phone them at 482-9620, e-mail or visit the county Web site http://jackson.ifas.ufl.edu.
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