Paul's Notepad

So maybe you have neglected your lawn for a bit and want to start taking care of it. What are some things you can do to start getting it into shape?

1. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weeds from germinating. Think of this as part of your defensive plan for your lawn. Scotts Halts (Amazon & Lowes)and Green Light Amaze (Amazon & Lowes) are good herbicides for the job. I have also found corn gluten meal (Amazon & Lowes) to be a good natural product for the job.
2. Mow your lawn, even if it’s just the weeds growing now and not the grass. Mowing your lawn to a proper height will keep the weeds from getting large enough to seed and will act as another layer of defense for your lawn. Mow frequently enough that only one-third of the grass blade is removed at every mowing. Mow St. Augustine and Bermuda to 3 inches tall, zoysia to 2 inches tall and buffalo grass to 5 inches.
3. Go on the offense by pulling already established weeds or using a post emergent herbicide. The important rule I have found with spraying a post emergent like Spectracide Weed Stop is to make sure to only apply it when it when it will be between 45 degrees and 90 degrees and you have plenty of sun. I have found it to be barely effective of cool overcast days but highly effective on warm sunny days. Make sure to spray it primarily only on weeds and make sure to test on a small portion of your lawn to ensure the brand doesn’t adversely impact your grass. Also be aware post emergent herbicides don’t work on everything so pulling might still be required.
4. Other steps might include adding in mulch or fertilizers to your lawn but I find the first three steps the most important to start getting a handle on things.

We have had a lot of rain which has made it difficult to mow lawns on a regular basis. The first thought of many might be to jump out and cut the lawn as short as you can to make it so it takes longer to mow again. That would be a mistake. It’s just a lawn-mowing myth that says the shorter you mow grass, the less often you’ll have to cut it. That misguided concept lays a foundation for a problem-prone lawn. Grass that’s cut too short is more susceptible to weed invasion, drought and heat damage. In addition to that if you cut off too much at once stresses the lawn and makes it easier for weeds to come in. The general rule of thumb for mowing is to never remove more than one-third of total grass blade length at a single cutting. This might require additional cuttings on your part when it clears up to get to your desired height but it will help keep your grass healthier. As far as heights you generally mow St. Augustine and Bermuda to 3 inches tall, zoysia to 2 inches tall and buffalo grass to 5 inches. There might be some variation with lawns during the year. For example, I mow my Bermuda lawn in stages down to 2 inches in early spring but let it grow out to 4 inches by summer and that is where it seems to do best in the heat. In the month of October, you should also apply a winter fertilizer, which will be utilized by the lawn for winter hardiness and a fast green-up in the spring. I hope these tips will help you in maintaining a beautiful lawn.