Common Lawn Myths vs. Reality
Common Lawn Myths vs. Reality. Image courtesy of Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Spring is approaching, and it’s time for your clients to start planning their lawn and landscaping strategy. Before they start cutting and fertilizing, it’s a good idea to review these common myths and myth-busting tips from lawn and landscaping professionals:
Myth #1: You can water your lawn and landscape any time of day.
Reality: Water is a valuable resource; make every drop count! Watering the lawn in the early mornings or evenings after sunset minimizes evaporation. It’s the best time for water to penetrate deep into the soil.
Myth #2: It’s ok to cut the grass very short.
Reality:Most landscape professionals advise against cutting more than one-third of the grass leaf at a time. Mowing at a finished cut height of 3 to 3.5 inches throughout the summer is generally recommended. The lawn will need less water, will be more resistant to weeds and will have a deeper, greener color. Use a sharp mower blade to prevent tearing grass blades. A crisp and clean cut will help prevent a “brown tip” appearance.
Myth #3: It’s best to water your lawn every day.
Reality:Watering your lawn every three days is better than daily watering. Deep, rather than shallow watering of your lawn is recommended to nurture the roots. An inch of water to 12 inches of soil is the preferred ratio for watering actively growing grass.
Myth #4: If you want to replace your lawn, you should do it in the spring when plants get ready to bloom.
Reality:The best time to sow seed is in the late summer and early fall when the temperatures are more consistent and when highly competitive weeds, like crabgrass, are at the end of their life cycle.
Myth #5: Early spring is the best time to fertilize the lawn.
Reality:Since different species of grass prefer nutrients at different times of the year, be sure to use the correct fertilizer, at the right rate, at the right time, and in the right place. A slow-release fertilizer allows for more even and consistent feeding over a longer period of time than a quick-release fertilizer. And, remember to use fertilizers responsibly by cleaning up any that lands on streets, sidewalks or driveways where they can be washed into lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.
Myth #6: A garden hose is more cost efficient than installing an irrigation system.
Reality:Many landscape professionals recommend installing an irrigation system with smart controllers which have sensors that water when needed. Smart irrigation can offer a cost savings of 15–20 percent on water bills. Converting irrigation spray nozzles from sprinklers to rotating nozzles will spread heavy droplets of water at a slower pace, which makes them more targeted and effective.
Myth #7: You have to irrigate to have a healthy and beautiful lawn.
Reality:Grasses are built to endure long periods of drought by entering a state of dormancy. When temperatures and moisture levels are at their extreme, the growing point of the grass plant, the crown, will shut off the grass blades, turning them brow. In almost all instances, once the heat and drought stresses have gone, the crowns will begin to send up new shoots. There’s nothing wrong with irrigating to avoid dormancy, but “embracing the brown” for a couple of weeks in the summer is just fine too.
Source: “Myths vs. reality: How to get your lawn in top shape this spring,” The National Lawn and Landscape Association, Feb. 10, 2015.
