The Grass is Always Greener: Part Two

You may remember that last fall we started a discussion about lawns: their past, their present, and their future. We talked about what types of turf grasses work well for various situations and covered the debate regarding sod vs. seed. Just in case you missed it, the article is available at capemaymag.com.

Growing a beautiful lawn seems like a simple task, but there’s a lot to know. So much so, you can even earn a degree in it! However, it is absolutely something you can achieve if you put your mind to it.

Mowing

Mow when it grows. Start cutting your grass as soon as it starts growing in early spring and stop when it stops in late fall. Cut the grass shorter in the spring and fall but don’t cut it too short. Longer blades can shade out sun-loving weeds. Leave it a little longer in the summer so it won’t burn out as easily—but not too long. Turf grass should never be allowed to grow taller than five inches. Also, never remove more than one-third of the blade’s height at a time. This could mean you need to mow every four to five days in the spring when your lawn is growing like a weed (pun intended) and you may be able to skip a week in mid-summer because grass grows more slowly when it’s hot. By the way, if you use a lawn service, good luck convincing them they should change the height of their mowers! You would think the pros would know the finer points of lawn maintenance, but I haven’t come across many who do or maybe they just don’t want to be bothered.

Since freshly cut wet grass is more susceptible to disease, the best time to mow your lawn is mid-morning after the dew has dried. Also, cooler morning temperatures are less stressful for the grass—and you. The second-best time is late afternoon, but not too late. Believe it or not, grass needs time to heal after you shear it off. Give it enough time to recover before the dew falls again. 

Water

Your lawn needs about an inch of water per week in the spring, two or more inches per week in the summer, and about one inch every ten to 14 days in the fall. When supplemental watering is necessary (which it almost always is) water deeply a couple times per week as opposed to light watering every day. Weeds have shallow roots, so a little bit of water is all they need. Grass, on the other hand, is more deeply rooted so you need to get water all the way down to where the plant can absorb it. Water early in the morning, before 10am. This allows the water to soak into the soil without wasteful evaporation. Don’t water in the evening; it increases the risk of fungal disease.

Fertilizer, etc.

Whatever you apply to your lawn, whether it’s fertilizer, weed preventative, or insect control, timing is everything. If you miss the window of opportunity, you might as well just skip that treatment. Four applications of fertilizer per year is the general rule of thumb. Most of them are packaged so you can easily determine what to apply when, and they contain more than one chemical, which eliminates the need to purchase multiple products. Mow your lawn one to two days before each application.

Please note: After seeding a new lawn, you must wait 60 days and mow your grass three times before applying fertilizer. If you are applying seed over an existing lawn, avoid using crabgrass preventer or weed & feed fertilizers for four weeks prior to seeding.

In addition to fertilizer, you may want to consider grub or other types of insect control, if necessary, which should be applied in late spring.

The Enemy

Weeds are a fact of life. But they don’t have to be the bane of your existence. The best way to get rid of them is to not let them appear in the first place. Keep your lawn healthy. Thick healthy grass will choke out the weeds before they take over. The key is to know your enemy. If you understand how a weed reproduces and what it needs to survive you can develop an effective strategy for its elimination. (See the chart for more details.) Whatever you do, don’t ever let them go to seed. You’ve got to nip this in the bud—literally.

Will mowing the weeds down help?

Maybe, if they are tall enough. But you probably won’t kill them. Mowing will only slow down their reproduction by keeping them from going to seed. But be aware, some weeds like crabgrass can set seed when they are only one-half inch tall.

Can I simply pull them out?

Possibly. Pulling is always preferable—so much better than chemical warfare. If you catch an infestation early enough and you are careful, thorough, and diligent, some weeds can be eradicated this way. Some can’t. Nutgrass, for example, sends out rhizomes that can be a foot underground. Penn State Extension reports that one year’s worth of rhizome growth from a single nutgrass tuber can produce 1,900 plants. Still other weeds, like onion grass, produce tiny bulbs that are designed to break away from the mother plant when it is pulled. Dandelions have a tap root, and even if only one inch is left behind a new plant can emerge.

Do pre-emergents help?

Sometimes. Pre-emergents work by preventing seeds from germinating. So, if the weed you are trying to get rid of is an annual, this is the way to go (in combination with pulling). Some perennial weeds reproduce by more than one method. So, preventing their seeds from germinating won’t eradicate them, but it will help to slow their spread.

Can I spray them with a weed killer?

Yes. But herbicides are always the last resort. Do your homework. There are dozens of them on the market. Choose one that is specifically meant for the type of weed you are trying to kill. There is no one-size-fits-all. For instance, a broadleaf weed killer will work fine on dandelions and plantain, but it won’t touch crabgrass because as its name implies, crabgrass is a grass, not a broadleaf weed. Limit chemical use by spot treating wherever possible.

Try not to resort to non-selective herbicides like Roundup. Not only are they terrible for the environment, but any overspray will damage your lawn. Treat weeds when there is no rain in the forecast and don’t forget to temporarily turn off your irrigation. Don’t mow right before or after a treatment—taller weeds have more surface area to absorb the chemical.

The Worst Offender

Bermudagrass, or as I like to call it, that horrible “thing” in the grass, is the most difficult weed I have ever come across. I liken it to Glenn Close’s character in Fatal Attraction. It just won’t go away. In some parts of the country Bermudagrass is actually grown on purpose. In fact, it is the most commonly used turfgrass in the south, according to Purdue University. Here, it is considered a noxious weed and is sometimes referred to as wiregrass. Attempting to eliminate it is almost always an exercise in futility. Purdue goes on to say that “Control methods should be regarded only as ways to suppress Bermudagrass. It is extremely difficult to eradicate it.” In my experience, this is one of the few instances where Roundup may be your only friend—and it may require repeated applications. Bon chance, mes amis!

Other things to consider

Dethatch (especially Kentucky blue grass) every year or two, especially if you don’t bag the clippings. Fall aeration helps to reduce compaction but isn’t as critical here as it is in places with clay soil. While it may be a good idea to let fallen leaves remain in garden beds over the winter, keep your lawn free of heavy debris. It blocks sunlight and air circulation that can lead to disease. In winter, be careful with de-icing chemicals as they can damage turf. Test your soil every three to four years so you know exactly what it does and doesn’t need. Finally, don’t despair. Even neglected lawns can usually be regenerated.

Unconventional Fun

Stinzenplanten. It’s as fun to say as it is to do. Originating 400 years ago in the Netherlands, it is the practice of planting bulbs right in the lawn. You can turn your lawn into one great big flower bed, at least temporarily. Your “secret” garden lies hidden just beneath the surface and wakes up in early spring, delighting your hungry eyes with the color they have been deprived of for so many months. And then, it simply disappears for ten months of the year.

Be sure to choose early spring blooming bulbs so that their foliage can die back naturally before it’s time to mow the lawn. Although crocuses are by far the most popular flower in a stinzen, they are like jellybeans to bunnies. Bluebells, glory of the snow, grape hyacinths, Siberian squill, snowdrops, and winter aconite are better choices for Cape May. If you like this idea but think it might be a little over-the-top or you simply don’t want to wait to mow, select a small area for your temporary garden or plant the bulbs in the grass along the edge of an existing bed. 

Have fun and happy spring! 

The Dirty Dozen

Photo	Name	Type	Reproduction	Control
	Chickweed	Broadleaf Annual	seed	Pull, use pre-emergent, spot treat
	Henbit and Purple Dead Nettle	Broadleaf Annual	seed	Mow, pull, use pre-emergent, spot treat
	Prostrate Spurge	Broadleaf Annual	seed	Pull, use pre-emergent, spot treat
	Purslane	Broadleaf Annual	seed	Pull, use pre-emergent, spot treat
	Clover	Broadleaf Perennial	seed and creeping stems that form new plants where they touch the soil	Pull by loosening the soil so it doesn’t break off, nitrogen rich fertilizer, iron based herbicide, raise the soil’s Ph
	Creeping Charlie	Broadleaf Perennial	seed and creeping stems that form new plants where they touch the soil	Pull by loosening the soil so it doesn’t break off, spot treat
	Dandelion	Broadleaf Perennial	seed	Mow, pull, use pre-emergent, spot treat
	Plantain	Broadleaf Perennial	seed	Mow, pull, use pre-emergent, spot treat
	Annual Bluegrass	Annual Grass	seed	Mow, pull, use pre-emergent, spot treat
	Crabgrass	Annual Grass	seed and creeping stems that form new plants where they touch the soil	Pull, use pre-emergent, spot treat
	Onion Grass / Wild Garlic	Perennial Grass	bulbs and seeds	Mow, dig up clumps, non-selective herbicide
	Nutgrass	Perennial Sedge	nutlets, rhizomes, seed	specialty herbicide

Note: Choose an herbicide for the specific type of weed you are trying to kill.