Improving Grass Root Growth
It may not appear so, but grass root growth is as important as blade quality. Roots and blades have a direct relationship to each other. The roots are extremely complex systems.
Grass root growth reaching deeply into the soil is one of the greatest factorsthat help extend grass life and lower fertilizer use. It also increases efficiency of nutrientuptake. In addition, well developed grass roots can slow or preventleaching of chemicals and nutrients by as much as 100 percent in somesituations.
Several important cultural practices are important for developing deep and far reaching roots. Below are some of the more important practices used for improving grass root growth.
Most people cut their lawns too low. Tall fescue, bluegrass, ryegrass, and a few species of warm season grasses can be maintained at 3 to 4 inches all year. Deeper roots help grasses to endure heat and environment stress much easier as well.
Using Agri-Gro Biostimulants to Increase Grass Root Growth
How To Identify & Treat Lawn Fungus & Disease With Pictures
The grass is greener on the other side, right? Well it may not be so green if you have a lawn fungus or disease. Fungus and diseases can devastate your yard and make it look like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie. But all hope is not lost! There are ways to identify and treat these pesky issues before they take over your entire lawn. Youll find everything you need to know in this blog post on how to identify & treat lawn fungus or diseases!
Retention And Deletion Of Data
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Check Soil Ph And Amend As Needed
Lawns grow best with soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5.
Check your lawns soil pH. Amend as needed.
We recommend sending soil samples to laboratories for analysis. Professional soil tests are more accurate than do-it-yourself options. Ask your soil testing lab to interpret the results and provide recommendations for amending soil pH.
For more information about soil pH testing, see:
Video: How to collect a soil sample.
How Can I Get Rid Of Lawn Fungus Naturally
Following some cultural recommendations can definitely have an impact on the likelihood of a fungal outbreak as well as getting rid of lawn fungus faster. If you have an existing fungus problem, youll still need a lawn fungicide to control the spores but these additional practices will also help.For one, you should make sure that youre watering properly. The hot and humid weather of Northern Virginia can be like an incubator for fungal growth. But you can avoid contributing to excessive nighttime moisture by watering your lawn in the early morning and allowing evaporation ample time to do its work.Proper mowing can also make a big difference. Mow your lawn to a height of around 3 to 4 inches in the summer using a mower with sharp, clean blades. Lawns that are mowed too short are stressed and more likely to succumb to fungal infections. If youre aware that your lawn has diseased patches, be sure to wash and disinfect the underside of your mower after each use to prevent spread.
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Identify Red Thread Lawn Disease
The first time you notice a red-pink patch of grass in your lawn, it may seem as if the light is playing tricks on you. But when taking another look at this unusual phenomenon closer up and more carefully than before â theres no mistaking what causes these beautiful colors: They are caused by disease! The cause could be named red thread,â which has distinctive looking cotton candy like strands wrapped around its blade tips or protruding from them . However despite how interesting appearance might be supposed to make identification easyit isnât always so simple because many different diseases have similar symptoms.
Competition From Tree Roots
Grass may also perform poorly in sections of the lawn close to trees, hedges and large shrubs. This time the issue isn’t the canopy but the roots. The problem for grass that isn’t growing well in these situations is that the roots out-compete the grass for water and nutrients, resulting in weak and spotty turf. “It’s not always trees,” says Waltz. “I’ve seen some large shrubs cause some of the same things.”
He uses osmanthus as an example. “A big hedge of osmanthus will smell great, but those things get up to 8, 10, 12 feet tall, and they’re blocking the sun and preventing air movement. Their roots, just like with trees, will out-compete the grass for light, water, space and nutrients. The water and nutrient part of it can be an issue because they will compete more aggressively for water and nutrients than the turf.”
Again, as with grass trying to grow in too much shade, he said the grass becomes a stressed plant in a poor environment, and it can’t get the basic elements of life when it has to compete with the large roots of bigger plants. “It’s going to struggle and it’s never going to do well.” The solution, as with shade, is to expand bed line to at least the drip line of the tree or shrub.
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Is Mulching Better For Your Lawn
With the possibility of over mulching, mulching to soon, or selecting the wrong material, is it even advisable for your lawn?
Mulching your lawn organically is an excellent choice if you want it to reach its maximum potential. In addition to the nutritional benefits, the lawn will be shielded from extreme heat during summers and the cold winter, allowing you to have an evergreen lawn all year round.
Lawn clippings are the best form of organic mulch for your lawn, in terms of nutritional content, availability, and affordability. Its as simple as gathering the mowed grass clippings and scattering them back into the lawn.
Lawnmowers with mulching functions are the ideal tool for the job. Just make sure to eliminate clumping as this could hinder growth.
The main nutrient found in lawn clippings is nitrogen, which is used for the production of chlorophyll, a key component of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is what gives a healthy lawn its luster and sheen. Nitrogen from the broken-down clippings is processed in the soil by enzymes and then absorbed by the living grass.
Experts indicate that a typical suburban lawn requires 4-5 pounds of nitrogen every year for optimum health. Regular recycling of lawn clippings alone can contribute 1-2 pounds of nitrogen per year.
How To Get Rid Of Weeds In Grass
The severity of your response to these invaders should depend on the numbers: When half the lawn is covered with weeds, it’s time to get a soil test and renovate the entire lawn. For a scattering of weeds, a hand weeder or targeted spray is kinder to the lawn ecosystem. The stand-up sprayer above holds 16 ounces of any weed treatment. Pushing down on the handle dispenses a 3 1/2-inch-diameter mist beneath the 7-inch cone.
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Water Your Seeds The Right Way
All grass needs water to germinate, but you might be surprised that when it comes to watering newly planted grass seed, it needs to be watered every day for the first 6 weeks to grow properly. Having constant access to moisture will make sure your grass seeds grow faster, thanks to having the proper environment for growth. When your grass becomes fully established, you should use more water, less often to help encourage good root development. A rule of 1 inch of water per all areas is a good starting point.
Make Your Lawn The Envy Of The Block With Consumer Reports’ Expert Advice
If the lawn outside your window is giving you the blues, join the club. After a brutal winter walloped much of the country, our Facebook and Twitter feeds have been buzzing with lawn care woes from exasperated homeowners . Fortunately, many of the most common problems have fairly straightforward fixes, as you’re about to read. And just in case your yard is already the envy of the block, our experts have advice on money-saving tips, the right and wrong ways to fertilize, plus results from our latest tests of mowers, tractors, and more.
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What Nutrients Does Grass Need To Grow
There are three top nutrients grass needs to grow potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Though all plants need these three key nutrients to thrive, grass requires higher concentrations for proper growth. Of all three, nitrogen is the most important as that is what gives grass its vivid color and tremendous growth. Lets take a close look at these key nutrients, so you can better understand the role they play in the health of your lawn.
Nitrogen this nutrient is the most important for grass. This is what gives grass its vibrant color and helps the blades to grow straight and strong. If there is not enough nitrogen, the grass will have stunted growth and will not have that deep green color most homeowners crave.
Potassium this nutrient plays a big role in plant formation. It serves as an activator for other minerals and nutrients in the grass. Did you know that grass has more than 80 enzymes and without potassium, they wont be activated and the grass wont grow? It is also essential in water use efficiency and helps the grass to withstand pests and extreme temperatures.
The Problem With Lawn Chemicals
Many people assume that lawn chemicals are completely harmless, but that isnt the case. Consider this:
Our love affair with lawns comes with a cost. Each year U.S. homeowners apply more than 3 million tons of synthetic lawn fertilizers and 70 million pounds of lawn pesticides and herbicides. These chemicals pose serious hazards to our children, our pets and wildlife of all kinds. To make matters worse, its estimated that 65 percent of these chemicals find their way into our lakes, rivers and underground aquifers.
The US Wildlife Federation also reports these environmental effects of our lawn care practices:
- The average lawn gets up to 10x as much chemical pesticide and herbicide use as commercial farmland! This means that the grass your children are running on barefoot probably contains more chemicals than commercially sprayed wheat, corn, and soybean crops.
- When these chemicals are used as much as 90% of the earthworm population in a lawn is killed. This is very detrimental for the soil over time.
- Lawn equipment like mowers and weedeaters , emit much more waste into the air than cars and trucks.
- 25-60% of residential water usage goes to watering lawns. With droughts in many areas, this is a substantial water burden.
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Control Lawn Weeds Insects & Diseases
All of the tips above help create the best lawn possible to ensure thicker, greener grass. This naturally reduces weeds, insects and diseases. However, these pesky lawn invaders are always lurking, waiting for the opportunity to infiltrate your lawn if it shows any signs of weakness.
Sometimes, certain conditions can lead to some weed breakthroughs or an excessively wet season can result in turf disease. Keeping an eye out for these challenges and managing them quickly can make simple problems disappear versus exacerbate into bigger, more visually unpleasing results.
A lawn care pro can offer solutions such as a combination of pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control tactics to keep all weeds at bay. Nothing blemishes thick, green grass faster than weeds, insects, and diseases.
Use A Natural Fungicide To Kill Fungus In Grass
You can also use natural fungicide instead of a commercial product. Natural treatments include:
- Baking soda and water
Mix one tablespoon of baking soda and 5 litres of water. Spray the solution on your lawn every three days until the fungus dies.
Neem oil is also an effective fungicide. Mix four tablespoons of neem oil with 5 litres of water. Spray every few days until the problem is gone.
To use compost tea, use four cups of tea per gallon of water. Compost tea is made from tap water combined with a few cups of organic compost.
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The Do’s And Don’ts Of Lawn Fertilizer
Most lawns need extra nutrients, but there’s a right way to choose and use them, especially when kids and pets are present. Here’s what to avoid, and what to do instead.
What not to do
- Don’t use fast-release chemical fertilizers. Though their high concentration of nutrients will green up your lawn quickly, they’re tough on the environment and putting down too much could actually burn your grass.
- Don’t use bone meal, blood meal, and fish-meal fertilizers if you have pets. Dogs in particular find them very tasty, and ingestion can lead to vomiting and diarrhea. Some are also mixed with highly toxic insecticides.
- Don’t use starter fertilizer with weed control when trying to grow new grass. The seeds will not be able to germinate.
- Don’t ignore the instructions on the label, including the type of drop spreader it stipulates. That will help ensure that the fertilizer is appropriately dispersed over the lawn.
What to do instead
Does Grass Grow In Or Through Mulch
There are two parts to an answer to whether grass can grow through mulch. If you are talking about organic mulch in your lawns grassy areas it is quite different from organic and inorganic mulches in flower beds meant to suppress grass growth.
Grass grows easily through organic mulch meant to be placed on lawns which include: straw, grass clippings, light compost, or animal manure. Grasses will have a very hard time growing in places where thick layers of organic or inorganic mulch are laid like pine bark, pine needles, or rubber chips.
The application of the material also plays a significant role. Layers of solid mulch that are 1.5 to 2 inches thick will more than likely smother any grass that it covers. The type of grass and type of mulch will determine grass survival.
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Growing A Beautiful Lawn Naturally: Bottom Line
You can grow a healthy, beautiful lawn without harmful chemicals!
Choose a native grass for your area. Add a complimentary plant like white clover or even wildflowers! Water when needed consistently but not as often. Fertilize naturally and add compost to improve soil.
The environment, your pets, and the bees will thank you!
Do you use organic lawn care? What sustainable methods have you found for growing a beautiful lawn? Tell me about it below!
Is Scalping Good Or Bad
Scalping is the process of removing all of the leaves from the grass and exposing the brown part or crown of the grass. Scalping is done in the early part of spring on the lawn to give a head start and new growth.
If done properly, the scalping can make the lawn healthy and thick with new grass growth, but if not done purposely or properly in the lawn or at the wrong time, then scalping can destroy a healthy and beautiful lawn. Scalping is also bad for the lawn as it removes all the leaves from the plant it makes it very difficult for the grass to generate or produce energy to grow as all the green part absorbs sunlight and conduct the process of photosynthesis is now scalped from the plant.
So it is sufficient to say that the nature of scalping depends on who is doing it and why. But if you weigh the risk and reward of scalping the lawn it is bad as there are more chances of the lawn getting dry out and dying and not growing back. Which will eventually make you reseed the lawn and start over.
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