The Grass Doctor

Does anybody have some grass maintenance tips that keeps their lawns looking plush and green?

Public Comments

1. cut your lawn at the highest level and lots of watering. if you cut too low the weeds will take over.
2. Phostrogen or a good lawn feed. I used to have a large pond, and would pump the water out to feed the grass as it contained nitrates. Oh, and don't cut it too short.
3. That all depends on where you live and what type of grass you have. Do you experiance snow or frost in the winter? Are you in a dry climate? What type of sprinkler system are you running? There are many tips and advice that can be given, but it's tough without more details.
4. patiance,,,,,, regular fertalizer ( i use a 10-10-10 mix) , deep watering, ( dont just "rinse" the grass), areate in the fall and overseed, regular pest a weed control. Dont try to get a perfect lawn in 1 year,mother nature has to do her part too
5. Fertilize with appropriate for the season fertilizer. Use Ironrite once in a while when grass is active. Cut grass to a medium height and water regularly. In winter you can cut grass a little shorter, in hot summer a little longer. That should do it.
6. Get a soils test every 5-10 years; fertilize and lime according to the results of the test. Talk to your extension service... most offer a basic test for $8-15. Choose your grass species and cultivars wisely. A well-chosen cultivar will cope with the soil conditions and climate you offer with minimal maintenance. Consider such species as buffalo grass for a low maintenance lawn that is tough and looks good. Also consider "high endophyte" grasses for disease resistance. Learn the proper mowing height for the species you grow. Keep the mower blade sharp and never mow more than 1/3 of the blade length at a time. Sometimes you'll mow a couple times a week. Sometimes you won't mow for a month or more. Aerate if your soil is compacted or worm population is small. Topdress with compost if at all possible; use a mulching mower. Stay away from chemical weeders as much as possible: a healthy lawn will keep weeds from germinating. A little hand labor is much easier on the lawn and on the environment than spray and pray management. If you know nothing (or not much) about soils, grasses, fertilizing, watering, etc., I suggest looking for a copy of Rodale's Chemical-Free Lawn and Garden and reading the chapters on soils, watering, compost, diseases, and lawn grass selection. It's all solid information that's pretty readable by beginners. If you choose not to go the "organic gardening route", the information is still helpful. You can pick up used copies of this book for cheap if your local public library doesn't have it. It's a whole lot easier to garden (including growing lawns) if you choose plants that work with your conditions, instead of trying to change the conditions to match the plant needs.
7. power rake it every few years if you have a lot of thach (some is good. it keeps water in)
8. Not a complicated question, depending where you are. In most of the USA, summer growth is on the decline. The basic rules are the same. Apply pre-emergents in fall and spring. Aerate fall and spring. Fertilize 3 to 4 times May thru Sept. Water DEEP, at least 1 inch per week in Texas. HUGE TIP: Mow twice a week. Bermuda at 1.5 inches, St Aug at 3 inches. Follow these tips and in 24 months lawn will look great. Get to library and find a picture book about lawns in YOUR area. Now go drink a beer and plan your attack.
9. fertilizer, water, sharp lawn mower blade, weed control.
10. You should fertilize your lawn once in spring, summer and early fall. If you want it to look super good fertlize once or twice per month. Do not fertilize your lawn during the cold season months. However be sure to use a "winterizer" during the lets see umm ahh - winter months. Ok I know...The big question here is - What is a winterizer? It is a fertilizer that helps your grass roots...Yup it doesn't do squat for the blade grass it is purely for root development and prepping for the spring season. Mowing your lawn? Here is my standard answer. Mow it when it needs it. Duh! Always keep you mower blades sharp this helps the blades from recuperating much faster thus making it look much better and greener. Also lift your mower blades up one notch during spring, summer, and fall. Too low and the grass will look dull and brownish the higher the blades the better. Below I will list the types of lawn grasses or sod for general landscaping design. Be sure to sharpen your blades at least once per year. The difference between grass and sod. Grass is sod and sod is grass. You can purchase bermuda, fescue, zoysia, and St. Augustine grass in sod form. Fertlize your lawn at least once in spring, summer and fall. Do not fertilize in winter. Too many weeds? Pull them out by hand or use a good weed and feed type of fertilizer during early spring. Hope that helps.
11. This page has quite a few great articles on lawn care- Lawn Care http://homegarden.expertvillage.com/interviews/lawn-care-maintenance.htm Hope it helps!