We've assembled this list from our Lawn Talk series to help you and your gardener gain a better understanding about proper lawn height maintenance during the first half (six months) of the year.
January
STOP! Frequent mowing is hazardous to the lawn. It can cause dieback in the lawn, unsightly ruts, rust and crown rot. Wait until the grass blades look uneven in appearance, like unkempt hair, before mowing.
Februrary
Give your lawn the breath of life. Top dress tour lawn with compost. Just like you don't want to be out in a cold, foggy night neither does your lawn. Dressing your lawn with compost will protect it from the harsh winter weather. Compost absorbs water to allow for better drainage. It also lets the air penetrate the root system, thus allowing it to recover more rapidly from winter damage when it wakes up in the spring. The organic matter of the compost also gives tour lawn a healthier appearance in the spring. Quite simply, give the lawn a break. Dress it with compost, stop mowing, and turn off the irrigation.
March
Cut grasses as needed. Tour mowing schedule depends upon how fast the grass grows as the weather warms up. Check the blade to see if it needs sharpening. Continue with your "lawn mowing vacation" because the long season of weekly mowing is just around the corner.
April
Growing grasses signal the beginning of the weekly mowing season. Give your mower a spring tune-up. Sharpen the blade and replace the wheels if they look worn. Set the wheel adjustments to 5-5. The higher cut will shade the soil. Please inform your gardener to change the lawn mowing pattern weekly.Do not aerate your lawns in April. We recommend waiting until may.
May
Replace the mower's spark plug and sharpen the blade. Set your mower's wheel adjustments to 5-5.Special cleaning tip: Turn your lawn mower over and clean its undercarriage. In order to do this, you must remove the mower from the lawn because the gas that leaks out from it can damage your lawn.
Don't hesitate; aerate. Aerating creates channels in the soil that fill up with water, allowing a deeper saturation to the root zone. It also reduces soil compaction which is very common in clay soil and in large grassy areas where soprts games are played.
June
WARNING: Cutting grasses too low is hazardous to your lawns.Summer is upon us and many of you are still mowing your lawns at the low winter height. At this time of year, lawns need a higher cut in order to keep it beautiful and healthy. Set your mower's wheel adjustments to 5-5. The higher cut will shade the soil. Remind your gardener about this more than once because this task is often neglected.
Have your lawns been aerated? Our seasonably warm weather is a sign of more warm weather is a sign of more hot weather to come. Do your lawn a favor and get it aerated now so it won't be under stress during the summer heat.
