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Wondering what to and when to do it?
Visit our online calendar for helpful reminders and other turfgrass tips!
HBarHTurf Online Calendar
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Stressed Out?
Try Mowing your Lawn!
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Reported on Fox News...
"...Researchers have
discovered that a chemical released by a mown lawn makes people feel happy and
relaxed, and could prevent mental decline in old age.
Now scientists say
they have developed a perfume that 'smells like a freshly-cut lawn' which
relieves stress and helps boost memory. The perfume, Serenascent, combines three chemicals released when green leaves are cut.
Chronic stress has
been shown to damage the hippocampus by reducing the number of connections
between communicating cells, leading to memory loss.
Students working on
the Australian project found that animals exposed to Serenascent escaped damage to
the hippocampus."
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Got Grubs?
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 Grubs cause irregular shaped
patches of dead or dying grass. Lawns
that are heavily damaged by grubs will have a yellowish tinge and will
feel spongy when walked on. It is normal for all lawns to have some
grubs present and small populations do not cause problems in a healthy
lawn. If the grub damage is not too severe, the grass will recover with
normal watering and fertilizing.
Grubs
are the larvae of Japanese beetles, June bugs and chafers. They're
C-shaped, off-white with a dark head. Grass roots are their food of
choice and they cause patches of wilted, dead, or dying grass. They are most active in April and May, and again in August to mid-October.
Nematodes are an organic solution to control grubs and other destructive insects. Nematodes, applied to your lawn in the fall,
will safely control grubs. Nematodes are microscopic, roundworms that
occur naturally. They are available from Arbico Organics. Visit them at
www.arbico-organics.com or call Arbico toll free at 800-827-2847. Nematodes will
not harm earthworms, a major benefit to this type of grub
control, and will only destroy nuisance or damaging insects such as
grubs, fire ants, and flea larvae.
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Cool Season Turfgrass
Pre-Emerge
Broadleaf Weeds
Time to Fertilize
First Application...
Fertilize Cool Season Turf in September, October and November.
Pre-Emerge
Broadleaf Weeds
Fertilize before September 15th
Last Application...
Fertilizer Warm Season Turf before Sept 15. Fertilizing past that time encourages plant growth rather than the storage of carbohydrates for spring rejuvenation.
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"The grass may be greener on the other side of the fence but you still have to mow it."
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The Cutting Edge
Let's talk about mowing...
Mowing is the most basic and time consuming of all turf maintenance
activities. We generally mow turfgrass for two reasons...to improve appearance and develop a dense, healthy, attractive turf and to
produce recreational or sports playing surfaces. Many outdoor athletic activities, think football and golf, take place on turf surfaces specifically mowed to accommodate these
activities.
When not done correctly mowing can be a destructive practice; it reduces turfgrass leaf
area available for photosynthesis, it opens leaves to disease entrance, and
when mowed too short, turf can become open, allowing weed invasion.
It's important to establish a balance between the health of the turf and human
needs. Optimal mowing heights, mowing frequency, general mowing practices,
the handling of clippings, and the type of mower all require careful consideration.
Mowing Height and Frequency...
Proper height and frequency are the two most important aspects of a turf
mowing program.
Mowing height
Raise mowing heights within the desired range
during warm/hot periods or when turf is stressed due to drought, disease,
shade, insects, or traffic. When healthy and actively growing, turf mowing heights can be lowered. Follow this link to our website for information about optimal mowing heights. More about mowing height...
 The One Third Rule
Turf should be mowed as necessary, not according
to a schedule. Turfgrass grows at different rates depending on weather,
management, and species.
A basic recommendation is to remove no more than
one-third of the grass blade at any one mowing. This "one-third
rule" will help maintain maximum turf root growth. Maintenance of
healthy, growing turf root systems should be a primary consideration of any
turf management program.
Cutting turf excessively short can result in "scalping". Scalped turf usually
appears brown and stubbly due to the removal of healthy leaves and exposure of
turf crowns, dead leaves, or even the bare soil. Scalping can occur as the result of irregular land contours, excessive
thatch, infrequent mowing, or poor mower adjustment.
Mowing Pattern 
Frequent and close mowing in the same direction or
pattern can cause the turf shoots to lean in the direction of the cut causing grain
to develop. By altering the mowing
pattern with each mowing, the turf shoots grow more upright and there is less excessive wear in the same
location. Turf managers sometimes use mowing patterns to provide visual interest
for their fields.
The Long and Short of it...
Let's trim this down to the major points:
- Mow at the recommended height using the "1/3
rule"
- Keep your mower blade sharp
- Mow when turf is dry
- Watch for situations that could cause scalping
- Leave the clippings on your lawn
only if watering and fertilizing are optimal for decomposition
Following these guidelines will produce the best quality, healthiest turf possible.
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Say Goodnight Gracillimus...
Put your plants to bed this fall in garden soil that's ideal for spring rejuvenation. LadyBug Garden Soil is perfect for planting bulbs, making raised beds, and preparing your garden for spring. Use it to mulch around your perennials...ornamental grasses like gracillimus, shrubs, and other plants that need a little insulation. Our Big Bag of Ladybug Garden Soil is convenient to use and easy to store.
Call 806-622-0861 for your Big Bag of
LadyBug Garden Soil.
Free Delivery to Amarillo and Canyon!
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Going Native...
The Saga of a Turfgrass Newbie...continued
Chapter 7...There's nothing like a little rain
Just a quick update on the buffalograss project. We finally received a little rain. What a difference that made for the buffalograss! Even though we've been diligent about watering, the rain really perked up the grass.
 With the rain we've had to step up our war on the summer grassy weeds. They like the rain too! A timely pre-emergent plan would have solved our weed problem. We're seeing some cheat grass around the edges. Spot treatment with Round-Up, and some good old fashioned weed pulling, is keeping most of the grassy weeds under control. Summer grassy weeds are annuals and will be taken care of by the first frost. We'll just need to take care of the seeds with a good pre-emergent product like Amaze.
We'll keep you posted!
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Should I leave the grass clippings on my lawn? Are mulching mowers a better mowing option?
Mowing results in the production of grass clippings. Using the "one-third rule" of mowing is especially important when clippings are not collected. Smaller leaf portions quickly filter to the soil surface and decompose readily.
If your lawn is healthy, well watered and
fertilized then clipping removal may be optional. However, leaving clippings
under less than ideal lawn conditions can create a micro environment that encourages fungus and grass smothering.
 What about Mulching Mowers?
Mulching mowers, conventional mowers designed to discharge
small clippings back to the turf, often produce turf of acceptable quality. However, a
study conducted at the University
of Illinois determined
there was no benefit to using a mulching mower, as compared to using a
conventional rotary mower, provided mowing frequency and nitrogen rates were turf
appropriate.
Have a turfgrass question? Click here to email us...if we use your question in our newsletter we'll send you a gift!
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For more information about turfgrass be sure to visit our website HBarHTurf.com.
H Bar H Turf Farms
806.622.0861
877.424.8873 | |
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