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These are frequently asked questions concerning your lawn:

Question:   I just got a new sprinkler system, shouldn't this eliminate all of my brown spots and shouldn't I also have a perfectly green lawn all of the time?

Answer:   Just because you have a sprinkler system does not mean your lawn is not susceptible to fungus and disease. Disease is caused by excessive heat, humidity, poor mowing and watering practices.

Question:   How much water does my yard need on an average basis?

Answer:  Most times your lawn only needs 1½ - 2 inches of moisture a week. Many times over watering can be just as bad a under watering. Use this watering guideline in conjunction with Mother Nature. If it rains or does not rain, then water accordingly to the amount of moisture you received.

Question:   How can I tell if my soil is too hard?

Answer:  One way to determine if your soil is too dry/hard is too press a long screw driver into your lawn. If it goes down easy, then it should not need any additional watering. If it is difficult to press into the ground then watering is suggested. If there are cracks in your soil, that is an indication your soil is too dry, watering is needed. Aerating your lawn on a regular basis can also help if your lawn has too much compaction.

Question:   I water on a regular basis, how do I tell if my turf has enough moisture?

Answer:  To help maintain a healthy root system, you should have 4-6 inches of subsoil moisture. Light watering, which only gives you 1½-2 inches of sub-soil moisture does more damage too your lawn than does deep watering. Water early in the morning; say 5 AM for its normal sprinkler cycle. This should give you approximately 1½ - 2 inches of precipitation per week. Each watering cycle should last approximately 2 hours. Watering early in the morning allows the water to get to the roots and stay there. Watering later in the morning, especially in the summer months allows the water to evaporate instead of being absorbed by the grass plants.

Question:   I water on a regular basis, however I still have areas in my lawn which seem like they do not get enough water. What can I do?

Answer:  Periodic checking of your sprinkler system is needed to make sure it is being as effective as possible. Plants, trees and shrubs grow over the years and may cause water distribution to be hindered as they grow and block water disbursement. This is the same case for installation of any landscaping such as benches, paths and decks. Your sprinkler heads maybe malfunctioning. The inexpensive way to check your system is to run it through the cycle and inspect the distribution for each area and sprinkler head. You may need to call your sprinkler system company and have them come out and inspect it further. Report to them what problems you notice.

Question:   My lawn company stopped by to treat my lawn with fertilizer and sprayed the weeds. How long should should it take before the weeds should be dead?

Answer:  When weed spray is applied, it is recommended not to mow for 24-48 hours. This is to give the weed spray a better chance to be absorbed by the weed. Once it is absorbed by the weed sufficiently, it will start to kill the weed. When a weed or plant is sprayed with weed spray, changes should be noticeable in approximately 7-10 days.

Question:   I see people getting their lawn aerated every year. My lawn has not been aerated ever. What does it really do for my lawn?

Answer:  Aeration is a good maintenance item to perform on your lawn every spring and fall. It helps your lawn to breathe better and it allows nutrients to get to the root zone where it is needed most. The core removal helps reduce soil compaction, which can be a problem in both newer and older lawns. Aeration also helps retard thatch build-up by increasing micro-organism activity, allowing thatch to decompose naturally. Aeration also saves watering because run-off is reduced allowing moisture to get into the soil faster and deeper.

Question:   Why do people cut thier lawn shorter in the fall time?

Answer:  The way you leave your lawn at the last mowing in the fall is going to be the way it looks first thing in the spring. If you leave it long for the last part of the year, then it will be long the first thing in the spring. This means more work the first thing in the spring.

Question:   My lawn professional tells me I do not have grubs, however I have a bunch of moles. I thought moles only ate grubs. Is this true?

Answer:  A common misconception about moles is that people think if you have grubs, then you have moles. Moles are just looking for food, which is primarily earthworms. Most yards have worms in the soil and they actually help your lawn by consuming dirt and nutrients in the soil and releasing them back into your lawn. If you cannot rid your lawns of moles, watering sufficiently and mowing high will help mask the damage which has already occurred. To rid your lawn of moles there is a new product called Talpirid, which has yielded good results. We highly recommened this product, as we have not had any bad responses. Call our office if you have questions about moles.

Question:   I have a lawn company fertilize my lawn and spray the weeds, I thought it would look better than it does. Is there something more I can do?

Answer:  Fertilization is only part of lawn maintenance. Without regular maintainance(such as: aeration, spot seeding, overseeding and possibly a preventative fungicide program), as well as trimming, edging and most of all proper mowing and watering practices, your lawn can never reach its full potential. Grass is over 95% water and removing this much needed water will cause your grass to be unnecessarily stressed. Also, only remove 1/3 of the leaf blade each time you mow your lawn. Maintaining your lawn is a lot of work. The more time and effort you spend on your lawn, the more pride and enjoyment you will get out of it.

Question:   Why does it seem like my lawn has a brown tint to it a day or so after I mow it?

Answer:  The most common cause of this condition may be a dull mower blade. To help maintain a nice look for your lawn, it is recommended you sharpen your mower blade once a month. Not doing so will give your lawn a brown tint to the tips of your grass. Dull blades break off the ends of your grass and sharp blades actually cut your grass.

Question:   I have heard about power raking/dethatching, what can you tell me about it?

Answer:  Power raking/dethatching, if needed, should only be done in the early spring time before your turf starts to green up. Power raking can be very stressful on a lawn. Dethatching rips out the older dead grass lying on top of the soil which prevents the nutrients from getting to the root system. Nutrients are needed to establish or maintain a healthy root zone. If you have ½" or more of thatch, then you should consider getting your lawn dethatched/power raked. Dethatching your lawn is not highly recommended for most lawns. Regular dethatching is only recommended on zoysia lawns. This will help extend the life of the zoysia lawn so it does not get root rot. Root rot is when the zoysia root system chokes itself out and the grass fades away leaving only the hard coarse roots on top of the soil.




Custom Lawns of Omaha, Inc., Lawn Maintenance, Bellevue, NE

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