The biggest factor in why  lawns fail during extended droughts is that they weren't healthy going into the drought. Do everything you can to make your lawn as healthy as possible when conditions are good for growing lawns.
- Regular fertilization will develop strong roots.
- Don't over-fertilize
- Test the soil to determine how much fertilizer is needed and what type
- Control water-hungry weeds.
- Aerate to develop a stronger root system and reduce thatch buildup.
- Increasing mowing height as the temperatures increase. This conserves soil moisture and strengthens root development.
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"A plant is only as
good as its roots and the roots are only as good as the soil."
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"What
Is Lawn Aeration And Why Should I Have It Done?"
Compaction
can cause the grass to appear off-color, thinning, and showing signs of stress
in high temperatures. Because the grass is stressed, it may be susceptible to
disease and insect damage. Compacted soils cause water to puddle and run off. Walking, playing and mowing are forms of
traffic that compacts soil and stresses lawns. Rain and irrigation also further
compact the soil.
The
solution is core lawn aeration.
Lawn
aeration is the process of removing small plugs of soil from the
lawn to reduce compaction and allow aeration of the soil. In essence, you're
allowing your lawn to breathe.
The
benefits of aeration include :
* Improved fertilizer and nutrient intake
* Reduced watering costs
* Deep root development
* Reduced thatch
* Reduced soil compaction
* Reduced water runoff
* Increased protection against drought,
insects, disease, and weeds
* A thicker, healthier, & greener lawn
Immediately
following aeration, your lawn will be dotted with small plugs pulled from the
soil. Within a week or two, these plugs of thatch and soil break apart and
disappear into the lawn.
There
is no question that aeration is the most beneficial thing you can do for your
lawn. Most
lawns benefit from twice annual aeration.
Think of regular lawn aeration like a routine checkup with your
doctor. Regular maintenance now is
preferred over major problems tomorrow!
Call 972-398-3782 or on line
Special offer at bottom of Newsletter.
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Watering: Proper watering is an essential and vital part of
your maintenance routine.
Best
horticultural practices recommend deep, less-frequent watering, for the
overall health of the lawn. It reduces disease,
helps insure good air movement down to the root system, and conserves
water.
Suggestions to initially
program your irrigation system.
Adjustments may be necessary depending on water pressure,
heads per zone, head spacing, etc, turf condition and new plantings.
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Month
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# Days per week to water
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Duration
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Average Daily High
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Average rainfall
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January
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Off
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*** (exception drought) & flower beds
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54
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1.90
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February
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Off
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*** (exception drought) & flower beds
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60
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2.37
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March
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2
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15 mins
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68
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3.06
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April
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2
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15 mins
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76
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320
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May
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3
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20 mins
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83
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5.50
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June
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3
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20 mins
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91
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3.23
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July
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3
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20 mins
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95
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2.12
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August
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3
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20 mins
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95
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2.03
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September
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3
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15 mins
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88
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2.42
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October
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2
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15 mins
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78
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4.11
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November
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Off
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***(exception
drought) & flower beds
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65
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2.57
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December
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Off
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*** (exception drought) & flowers beds
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56
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2.57
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Or Irrigate only when the
grass needs it.
How do you know when your
lawn needs watering? Symptoms of grass that needs watering: grass leaves
turning a dull, bluish color, leaf blades rolling or folding and footprints
persisting for an extended period of time after walking across the lawn.
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Seasonal flowers require supplemental irrigation in winter.
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Cycle/Soak
Run-off leads to significant water waste. If water is applied faster than it can move down into the soil, it can run off the site of application and be lost.
* Drought: If you can only water one day per week, we recommend that you water 2/3
of an inch of water spread out thru the day. Using the above "Watering
Management" criteria: water 10 minutes at 1:00 AM, 10 minutes at 5:00
AM and 10 minutes at 10:00 PM. On particularly hot weeks you might even add an
extra watering, maybe 10 minutes at 7:00pm
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*Make
sure you are in compliance with any Stage 3 or 4 drought restrictions.
**Important:
all times are for pop up stationary heads. Rotors typically cover large lawn areas and require longer run times to
meet design specifications. (Typically
30 minutes or longer)
Misc.
Watering Notes
While
established lawns need deep and infrequent watering, newly planted turf needs
light and frequent watering.
The
best time to water is early morning*
Midday
evaporation loss can scorch tender plant leaves.
Late
evening watering can lead to fungal diseases.
One
last note: Controller manuals are
available to download from manufacturers web sites.
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