Back Issue
May/June 1997

Checklist for a Healthy Lawn
by Pamela Weil, edited by Dana J. Karpowich

The manicured green of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn is an American tradition. However, many of us are questioning the amounts of fertilizer, water and maintenance that vision requires. We’re discovering that we can care for our lawns in a way that’s environmentally responsible and still have a beautiful lawn. We don’t need to apply fertilizer as often as the lawn care companies would have us believe is necessary, and we can plant other grass cultivars that are not as demanding as Kentucky bluegrass.

Follow these easy steps for a healthy and beautiful Connecticut lawn.

Take a soil test
A soil test will provide you with information about the soil pH and nutrient requirements of your lawn. Maintain a soil pH of 6.0-6.5 for turfgrass. Turfgrass can obtain soil nutrients best when the pH is between 6.0-6.5. If the pH is lower or higher, the roots may not be able to absorb the nutrients your fertilizer is providing.

Use a slow release fertilizer
How many times a year you should fertilize depends on the kinds of grasses growing in your lawn.

If your lawn is comprised primarily of fine fescue, fertilize once annually in September (Labor Day) with one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Or apply 1/2 pound on Memorial Day and the remaining 1/2 pound on Labor Day. Do not overfertilize a fine leaf fescue lawn — this will cause excessive thatch buildup.

If your lawn is a mixture of fine and tall fescues and a few other grass species, fertilize twice annually (Memorial Day and Labor Day) with one to two pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn.

If your lawn is primarily Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, fertilize three times a year (Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day) with up to three pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. If you water your lawn in the summer, apply a fourth (Summer) application of fertilizer.

Natural organic fertilizers are a good source of slow release nitrogen with other benefits. Research has demonstrated the ability of some natural organic fertilizers (i.e., Sustane®) to suppress some lawn diseases. Natural organic fertilizers are slow release fertilizers that release nutrients over a longer period of time and are less prone to leaching. Good choices include: Ringer products, Sustane®, Espoma products, and Milorganite®.

Quick-release fertilizers are cheaper and can be applied earlier in the year, but they do have drawbacks. They must applied more often and in higher amounts, and with the quick-release fertilizers there is greater potential for burning the grass and nitrogen leaching out into the groundwater.

Watch the amounts of nitrogen you apply. Too much can encourage the development of lawn diseases such as leaf spot and brown patch. A shady lawn will require less fertilizer than a sunny lawn.

Core aerify your lawn
Core aerify your lawn annually (twice a year if the thatch is more than 1/2 inch thick). Core aerification helps to decrease thatch and helps to alleviate soil compaction. Aerification is a good way to incorporate organic material into the lawn. To do this, topdress with 3/8 inch of organic matter (composted manure, leaf mulch, top soil) in the fall before aerifying the lawn. Select a hollow tine aerator that pulls cores of soil out of the lawn. Wire tine aerators only compact soil.

Aerify anytime of the year as long as the soil is not dry; the soil should be moist but not saturated.

Adjust the mower height throughout the year
Mow at 2 inches in spring and fall and at 3 inches in summer. A higher 3 inch cut during the summer helps to discourage germinating weeds, including crabgrass, because the grass canopy will shade the soil and keep it cool. In late summer (Labor Day) begin gradually lowering the cut height to 2 inches throughout the fall. The final cut of the year should be 1-1/2 inches. Leave the grass clippings on the lawn to recycle nutrients.

Water in the early morning before 9 am
Lawns can either be watered or allowed to become dormant during the summer months. Monitor your dormant lawn frequently for pest activity because the brownish dormant conditions may conceal pest damage.

If you water, water deeply once a week in the early morning before 9 am. Night watering is not recommended on hot humid evenings because it can increase the incidence of disease.

Reseed in late summer (Labor Day) with low maintenance species
Many homeowners may prefer Kentucky bluegrass because it makes an attractive lawn, but it does require high maintenance. Instead of Kentucky bluegrass, consider planting other species, such as fine leaf fescue and tall fescue, which are also attractive but easier to care for. Fine leaf fescue is an excellent grass species for Connecticut lawns. It grows well in sun and dense shade, and is extremely drought tolerant. And it requires less fertilizer. Fine leaf fescues include chewings, hard, and creeping red fescue.

Late summer (Labor Day) is the best time to reseed lawns. The warm soil temperatures maximize turfgrass seed germination, and there is less competition from weeds.

Dana J. Karpowich is the Turfgrass Integrated Pest Management Program Coordinator for the University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension System.

Pamela Weil, the editor and publisher of Connecticut Gardener, is a Master Gardener certified by UConn's Cooperative Extension System.

Connecticut Gardener
P.O. Box 248
Greens Farms, CT 06436
1-800-600-0476
email: editor@ conngardener.com