Sutherlands Organic Solutions

First signs of drought edges and hot spots: 
Improper watering ledge, rock areas, septic tank covered with soil cause drought stress.

New Plantings causing other hot spots:
Notice the V Shape -New Shrub or any type of obstruction can be a part of the Cause

Common watering problems:
Sprinkler head sunk down into the soil over winter will form brown “C” shape patterns along the edges and form large circular patterns in the middle of the lawn.

A Common concern all homeowners have, why is my lawn turning brown? It my law dead? The answer is no. Your lawn is sleeping also known as dormant. This process of protection normally occurs in the winter, but can also occur in the summer.

Over watering your lawn causes more damage than lack of water. That is because most turf grasses can handle dry spells but not flooding. Most grasses require 1-1.5 inches of water per week. This is enough water to moisten the soil to 4-6 inches below the surface for clay soils and 8/10 inches for sandy soils.

Do not guess at how much water your lawn is getting. For measuring Mother Nature’s contribution, invest in a rain gauge. If at the end of the week she has contributed enough, hold off adding more water. If she comes up short, you will want to add some supplemental watering. If you have an irrigation system, measure how much water the sprinkler is putting down.

So, generally, you want your lawn to get about an inch of water per week. But remember certain times of the year and certain conditions can change that Rule of thumb. You must follow local regulations when there are watering bans, but just remember grass is a very resilient plant and less water is acceptable. When the rains do return, your lawn will come back with a little encouragement on your part. If you do not have an irrigation system, invest in timers and place on your faucets. This method will help you a ton.

Therefore, watering early morning gives the grass time to dry, elimination a chance for fungus. Not enough watering will stress the lawn; prolonged drought weakens the root system and invites lawn diseases like necrotic ring. You will see brown patches and mistake it for grub damage. Refer to websites on grass diseases.

If you want to help conserve water or just don’t have time to water your lawn regularly, letting your grass go dormant during the hottest months of the year can help. A dormant, or “sleeping”, lawn will turn brown, but with proper care the underground crown of the grass plant will survive. In fact, once the grass receives ample water again (either from natural precipitation or from a sprinkler), it will begin to green up and grow new leaves.

Sutherlands Organic Solutions
When Is the Best Time to Mow Your Lawn?

(Bad) Early Morning 6:00am – 8:00am: Is not the best time of day to mow. Grass can be wet due to the early morning dew and cause clogging in your mower. Also, if your turf is too wet, your mower can leave tracks on your lawn.
(Best) Mid-Morning 8:00am- 10:00am: Ideal time of day to mow your lawn. Waiting till mid-morning allows for the morning dew and irrigation to dry. Its best to mow the lawn before the heat of the day sets in.

(Ok) Mid-Day 2:00pm- 4:00pm: Its ok to mow your lawn in the middle of the day, however, it’s not ideal. It’s going to be hot, so the work is harder on you. (Drink lots of water). Also, the heat combined with your lawn being shorn can cause turf stress.

(2nd Best) Late Afternoon 4:00pm-6:00pm: This is the second-best time of day to mow your lawn. Late afternoon temperatures will be cooler causing less stress for your lawn. Your lawn will still have a few hours to recover before nightfall; which is essential for proper cutting.
(Bad) Early Evening 6:00pm – 8:00pm: This is not an ideal time. Your lawn needs time to recover before nightfall. During nighttime hours is when your lawn is most prone to damage caused by fungus and turf diseases. Believe it or Not! Yes, your lawn can get sick too.

Grass knows two things; it knows to grow and protect itself. When you are mowing the lawn, the grass will automatically go into shock and begin to protect itself. When you are done mowing turn on your hose or sprinkler system and water for a few minutes. This will help the grass from going into shock. In human terms, it’s like getting a slap in the face, “Snap out of It” 😊

SOS Helpful Hints

To get the best results follow the steps below because, like us, your lawn is a living thing. It too needs food, water, and air to live.”
Forums.lawncare.com

50% depends on the nourishment given and the other 50% depends on the way it is cared for

Use A Sharp Blade Fight off pest and disease:
The type of mower does not matter, but the blades condition does. A dull blade tears at the grass. Take a close look at a grass blade a few days after mowing. If the blade is dull you will notice a jagged brown line across the tip of the grass. This is a good indication that your blade needs sharpening. Professional mowers sharpen their blades about every 8 hours of use. For most homeowners, twice a year is recommended. The jagged edges caused by a dull mower blade make it more difficult for the grass to fight off pest and disease.

Mowing Your Lawn Fundamental Step:
There is more to mowing than just cutting the grass every Saturday. One of the most fundamental steps to a perfect lawn is getting the mowing height right for the season. Mowing height is important because the grass uses the extra length to absorb the sunshine it needs to grow and develop into a healthy plant. Allow the grass to grow after May1st and continue to cut high in the hot months (no shorter than 3+ inches to prevent burning or drying thus maintaining the needed moisture); Therefore, follow the rule of thumb: cut low in the earlier part of spring (2 inches); cut high from late spring until late fall (3+ inches) and cut low again late fall (2 inches).

Leave the clippings on the lawn after you mow. This not only saves time and energy, but also the clippings decompose and add vital nutrients back into the soil. Clippings contain the same beneficial nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrients as that expensive bag of fertilizer.

Watering Regulate the water intake and Rule of Thumb:
Over watering your lawn causes more damage than lack of water. That is because most turf grasses can handle dry spells, but not flooding. Most grasses require 1-1.5 inches of water per week. This is enough water to moisten the soil to 4-6 inches below the surface for clay soils and 8-10 inches for sandy soils.
Do not guess at how much water your lawn is getting. For measuring Mother Natures’ contribution, invest in a rain gauge. If at the end of the week she has contributed enough, hold off adding more water. If she comes up short, you will want to add some supplemental watering. If you have an irrigation system, measure how much water the sprinkler is putting down.
So, generally, you want your lawn to get about an inch of water per week. But remember certain times of the year and certain conditions can change that Rule of thumb. You must follow local regulations when there are watering bans, but just remember grass is a very resilient plant and less water is acceptable. When the rains do return, your lawn will come back with a little encouragement on your part. If you do not have an irrigations system, invest on timers and place on your faucets. This method will help you a ton.
Therefore, watering early morning gives the grass time to dry, eliminating a chance for fungus. Not enough watering will stress the lawn; prolonged drought weakens the root system and invites lawn diseases like necrotic ring. You will see brown patches and mistake it for grub damage. Refer to websites on grass diseases.

April Showers Bring Spring Flowers!

Yup! Its that time of Season! Time to start our Spring Cleaning not only Inside but Outside as well.

SOS Helpful Hints: Yard Clean Up

It’s time to clean your lawn and get it ready for the Summer Season enjoyment. But there is a “Rule of Thumb” that is important to follow. The steps below will help you start on the right track.
1. Clean-Up: Remove any fallen branches and twigs.

2. Raking: Light raking is a must. Keep in mind raking over wet grass can tear it from the roots leaving you with even more bare patches. Bare patchy areas promote weeds and crabgrass to grow. So, raking is best done when the lawn is dry. However, who can wait? Therefore, if you must rake at this time of Season, rake lightly.

3. Mower Preparation: Mowing may not be necessary at this time for most customers. However, it never hurts to be prepared. Therefore, we say break out those lawn mowers and make sure they are in good condition for this Summer Season. For most homeowners, its recommended to sharpen your mower blades twice a year. The jagged edges caused by a dull mower blade make it more difficult for the grass to fight off pest and disease.
“If you didn’t remove the dirty oil or replace the spark plugs during the fall, now’s the time to swap out the used oil for new oil and replace old spark plugs. Also, lightly lubricate the wheel bearing, height adjuster, and any other moving parts, following the manual’s instructions. Make sure to have the lawn mower blades sharpened by a professional, so they’ll cut the grass evenly.” (www.goodhousekeeping.com)
4. Pruning: This is a good time for pruning shrubbery and over grown tree branches that are producing too much shade and not allowing enough sunlight onto your lawn.