Thread: Lawn experts, I need help!

Originally Posted by gfoster

Water heavily in the morning so it has time to soak everything up through the day. Give it a light watering in the evening if you have to but don't drench it.

-- Gary F.

Ughhhh it goes against everything I've learned about grass... From what I know you're NOT supposed to water it in the morning b/c that can lead to scorched grass. Does anyone have a take on that?

The only reason I'm doing this is b/c city bylaws demand a lawn and the patch of bare earth was looking very ugly. I'm not one of those fanatics who declare war on dandelions and install a $5000 sprinkler system. In the 8 years that I've lived in this house, I only watered the lawn twice (when we had a long hot dry spell, which was scorching all of the grass) and never fertilized it. The reason I'm being so absessive now is that I want to have this grass grow properly and not worry about it any more other than spending 45 seconds once a week, mowing it.

Firestart,

It doesn't seem that the scorched grass would be as
big a problem in the spring time. Of course I don't
really know how hot it gets in your neck of the woods
during the spring time. I can't imagine that it would get
any hter there than here where I live in West Virginia.

I would say as long as it is damp, even slightly damp
that it should be OK. And if it's damp then I wouldn't
water, just for the sake of watering.


Terry

Watering in the AM won't scorch anything. Don't make mud, just don't let it get dusty. 30 days will ensure it has plenty of time to establish some roots.

Jeff

Another thing to consider. How often during the Summer
months does it come a really hard rain in the AM and then
the sun comes out. I've seen this happen many many times.
And my grass has never been scorched, not even newly
planted grass. Just relax, the grass will be growing in
no time.


Terry

Thank you gentlemen. I'll try to maintain a comfortable level of dampness and won't mow that part of the lawn until the end of May. Ofcourse it will be kept nice and fertilized during the initial growing period, so it better take and ake well.

When it grows to the point when you think it needs mowing, then go ahead and mow it. If your mower can do it, mulch it rather than blowing it out the side or bagging for the rest of the season. The tiny clippings will help things along, both in seeding it in thicker and in helping the soil to retain moisture.

Jeff

First off, your watering regime for (as yet) ungerminated seed differs from an established lawn. For optimal germination, you want constantly moist, but not wet soil. Don't drench it, but water a couple of times a day until you get pretty good establishment. Then, slowly cut back to about an inch of water a week.

From a maintenance standpoint, your previous approach is about the best. Except in extraordinary circumstances, don't water. I'll go one step further and say that unless you have really poor (very sandy) soil, I'd rarely fertilize (if ever). Plants are a lot like most people...really lazy. If you are constantly watering and fertilizing (surface application), the grass will produce most of its roots at the very surface of the soil. Thus, when a drought hits or if you forget to water for a couple of days, bamm! The grass burns up. Forget to fertilize constantly? Yellow sickly grass. If on the other hand you wean your newly established lawn off of the tender loving care, it will actually grow a good healthy root system---down into the subsoil where it can mine water and nutrients on its own.

Want a weed free lawn, don't scalp it! If you let turf grass stay at a height of 2+inches, it will choke out weeds on its own. I let my lawn grow to 3", cut to 2" and have never had a problem regardless of the region (Chicago, Missouri, and now Alabama).

One last point, especially important for newly established lawns, but useful even later. Keep your mower blades sharp. Look at the newly cut grass. If the top is cleanly cut you're good to go. If, however, the edge is ragged and looks like it's been ripped off rather than cut, sharpen the blade. A dull blade on newly germinated grass is just as likely to rip the new plants out of the soil as to cut them.

Just my 2 cents,
Ed

Thanks Ed. It's always good to hear from a pro. I was just planning on establishing it and then doing zero maintenance other than what I have to according to Toronto municipal bylaws. I'll take your tip for keeping it free of weeds to heart and raise up the mower a bit. As for the blades, I keep them nice and sharp as a part of the regular maintenance schedule. Now I just have to sit back and watch the grass grow lol.