Organic General Care Guidelines for Established Lawns

 

Americans have a love affair with their lawns.  We want them to be lush, green and  perfectly manicured.  And we will do practically anything to achieve our objective.  This includes applying all kinds of chemicals in the form of fertilizer, weed killers and insecticides. There is a more responsible way to have a lush green lawn. At Todd Valley Farms we are committed to the  "Green" movement that is so widespread now more than ever.  We have already introduced grasses that use much less water than the typical lawn grass, now we would like to look at how to maintain these grasses organically.

 

Mowing If left un-mowed, the buffalograss will reach a height of 3 to 8 inches, depending on the variety and your climate.  There is no set mowing height for these buffalograss varieties.  Just mow to the look you desire.  You may choose to maintain your lawn at 1 inch, allow it to go un-mowed or any height in between. In early Spring, mow to a height of 1 inch to remove the dormant grass.  This will allow the sun to hit and warm the soil, which will cause the buffalograss to green up earlier. In preparation for winter in Zones 6 and below, mow to a height of 2 to 2-1/2 inches in late summer or early fall.

 

Fertilization / Weed Control After mowing in early spring, apply an organic fertilizer with pre-emergent weed control following the label directions.  Repeat this application at 1/2 rate in 8 weeks. In poor soil conditions or Southern climates a third organic fertilizer application, without pre-emergent, may be done in mid-summer and a fourth application can be applied in early fall. For weed control use Corn Gluten as the pre-emergent and hand eradicate others.  Mow at 3 inches to reduce weed pressure.

 

Watering   Todd Valley Farms Buffalograss has a very deep root system and uses only about 1/4 inch of water per week.  Most areas of the world will not need to water their Buffalograss except in times of extreme drought.  If this occurs, deep water (1 to 2 inches) once every 4 to 6 weeks in clay soil.  In sandy soils you will need to water about 3/4 inch every 10 to 14 days.  This will keep your lawn looking lush.  If you choose not to water or do not have the resources to water, this will not harm the grass, but you may notice a slight browning of the blade tips.   These are general guidelines.  You will need to adjust your watering to match your soil type and current weather conditions.  Do not waste water by over watering.

 

Mowing Grass Species Mower Setting in spring/fall Mow When Grass is: Kentucky Bluegrass 2 inches 3 inches Turf-Type Tall Fescue 2 1/2 inches 3 1/2 inches RTF® Water Saver 2 to 2 1/2 inches 3 to 4 inches Turf-type Buffalograss 2 to 3 inches 3 to 4 inches Zoysia 2 inches 3 inches The above settings are appropriate in the spring and fall.  In June, July and August, raise the mowing height one inch to cool the turf plant and reduce stress, except the buffalograss, which can remain at the low mowing height.

 

Fertilization Grass Species Fertilization Approximate Dates Kentucky Bluegrass May 1st, August 15th, October 15th Turf-Type Tall Fescue May 1st, September 1st RTF® Water Saver May 1st, September 1st Turf-type Buffalograss May 15th Zoysia June 1st In early spring a combination product that contains pre-emergent weed control may be applied to prevent weeds from emerging in your yard.  Follow label directions. Click Here if you are interested in Organic Fertilizer.

 

Watering Grass Species Amount and Frequency Kentucky Bluegrass 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch twice per week Turf-Type Tall Fescue 1-1/2 inches to 2 inches every other week RTF® Water Saver 1-1/2 inches to 2 inches every other week Turf-type Buffalograss Only if plant shows stress Zoysia 1 inch every other week The best time to water is early morning, so less water is lost by evaporation.  The worst time to water is in the evening because the lawn stays wet all night, which encourages disease development.  Lawns watered too frequently tend to develop shallow root systems which may make them more susceptible to grub damage and heat/drought stress.