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Put the lawn mower away
when the lawn is brown! |
An organic lawn will naturally go dormant during the summer, especially if no water falls on it during a drought. Brown lawns are everywhere right now! Is it dead, you may wonder.
No, it's not dead, just taking a rest. It takes energy, particularly water and air, to stay green. To save itself, blades of grass turn brown in the heat. When cooler fall temperatures return, the grass will gradually green up again.
Here are some tips to help your lawn regenerate:
- Do not mow now if browned out and dormant
- Plan on a late summer/early fall seeding plus fertilization to help the lawn recover
- Mow high in fall, at 3" and leave the clippings as a natural fertilizer
Watering Tip: Water in the morning to prevent disease.
Most important - mow right! Mow at a height of 3 1/2" to shade soil. Keep mower blades sharp. Blades should be sharpened after 8 hours of use. Dull blades cause the grass to shred, thus reducing its water retention ability.
Lawn grasses prefer cool weather to put down good root systems. So we work with natural cycles and wait until late August/early September to begin core aerating, topdressing, overseeding and fertilizing. We aim to finish this type of work by September 30 so that the new grass seed can get established before leaves fall and temperatures drop in October. Timing is everything!
So, if you were thinking in the spring that you would like to significantly improve your lawn, it's best to wait until early fall to do this type of extensive work. We are happy to arrange an analysis of your lawn at any time during the growing season and to move forward with a plan for appropriate spring, summer and fall actions.
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