Watering

If you are going to water your grass throughout dry periods, water at a rate of 1″ per week. In addition, the watering should be infrequent and deep. Twice a week at a ½” is best. Use a tuna can (or something similar) to measure the amount of water your sprinkler or sprinkler system delivers in a set time period. If possible, watering should be done in the morning as this will help knock dew and fungus breeding in the dew off the plant. Additionally, this allows more time to soak into the soil before evaporation. Watering at night is an option, but it does leave the grass blade wet and if there is fungus present it will have all night to breed and invade the leaf’s structure. If you chose to let your grass go dormant (yes your grass will turn brown and stop growing), do not give in and water. Doing so will add stress to the plant. Just stop watering and wait out the dry spell. Your grass has evolved over the centuries to endure this climate of excessive water in spring and drought conditions in summer.

Mower height should be set at 3″ or higher. This will shade the root system and help keep it cool. It also helps reduce weeds by crowding them out. In addition, keep your mower blades sharp — a torn grass blade will lose more water and be more damaging to your turf than a clean cut.

Fertilization

April – Light fertilization with pre-emergent weed control

May – Light fertilization and spot spray post-emergent weed killer (Weed-be-Gone®)

July 4 – Grub Control with very light fertilization and apply post emergent weed killer

Sept – Heavier fertilization and apply post emergent weed killer

Nov – Heavy fertilization with post emergent weed killer

The post emergent weed killer will only kill from contact with the plant. The best thing you can do to control the weeds is to keep you lawn mower height 3” minimum and water as we suggested. If you have any problems please let us know.

Aerating Your Lawn

What is lawn aeration?
Lawn aeration involves the removal of small soil plugs or cores out of the lawn. Aeration holes are typically 1-6 inches deep and 2-6 inches apart. Core aeration is a recommended lawn care practice on compacted, heavily used turf and to control thatch buildup.

What will aeration do for my lawn?
As lawns age or sustain heavy use from play, sports activities, pets, vehicle traffic and parking, soil compaction can result. Soil compacting forces are most severe in poorly drained or wet sites. Compaction greatly reduces the pore space within the soil that normally holds air. Roots require oxygen to grow and absorb nutrients and water. Compaction reduces total pore space and the amount of air within the soil. It has a negative impact on nutrient uptake and water infiltration, in addition to being a physical barrier to root growth. This results in poor top growth and lawn deterioration. Core aeration can benefit your lawn by:

• Increasing the activity of soil microorganisms that decompose thatch
• Increasing water, nutrient and oxygen movement into the soil
• Improved root systems
• Enhanced infiltration of rainfall or irrigation
• Helps prevent fertilizer and pesticide run-off from overly compacted areas

How do I know if I need to aerate?
If in doubt about aeration, remove a square foot section of lawn at least 6 inches deep. If grass roots extend only into the first 1-2 inches, your soil may be compacted and could benefit from core aeration.

Other reasons to aerate include:

• Your lawn is heavily used or driven upon on a regular basis, causing the turf to thin
• The thatch layer is in excess of 1/2 inch
• You have a heavy clay soil (pretty much everyone here in Chicago)

Is there any reason not to aerate?
Newly seeded or sodded lawns should not be aerated in the first year.

When should I aerate?
In Illinois, the best time to aerate cool season lawns of tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass is in late August to late September or in the spring. This is when these lawns are coming out of dormancy and beginning a period of vigorous growth. Lawns will recover quickly from aeration at this time. Competition from weeds is also minimal during this time.

What else do I need to know?

• Aeration helps control thatch
• It is difficult to core aerate heavy clay soils or soils that have stones, rocks or tree roots below the soil surface
• Be sure to mark sprinkler heads, shallow lines from sprinkler, underground utilities, cable, and septic lines before aerating so they will not be damaged
• Soil cores are best left on the lawn surface; they typically work back into the grass in 2-4 weeks
• Lawns may be fertilized and seeded immediately following aeration
• If your soil is heavily compacted, you can apply compost 1/4 inch deep. Rake the compost over the lawn, filling the aeration holes
• Lawns can be aerated once or twice a year, especially under heavy use conditions