Mow as low as possible before fertilizing for winter.
Winterize with a 6-24-24 fertilizer as this does not promote top growth.
Your lawn is generally dormant during this time. Avoid high traffic, and ensure you clear away debris and heavy snow if possible to prevent fungus.
Protect from salt and ice melt.
This is a great time to work on and maintain your trimmers and mowers.
Spring
Check your sprinkler system.
It’s time to wake up your lawn! If your lawn has a buildup of plant material at the base that exceeds ½ inches, it’s time to dethatch. Do this before your lawn leaves dormancy to avoid damaging new growth.
You may also choose to aerate your lawn, but you should only do so when it is dormant. We recommend “core” aeration, as this will actually remove a core or plug from the ground, allowing the movement of air, nutrients, and water.
Mow your lawn as short as possible to help remove dead plants and allow the sun to warm the soil faster.
March is the perfect time to start fertilizing. We suggest using a well-balanced fertilizer such as 15-15-15 or 21-7-14, which are available at Western Turf.
Fertilize every 4-6 weeks except during the winter months.
Summer
Check your Sprinkler system for proper coverage. While watering, you can use “catch” cans to accurately measure how much moisture is getting to all areas. Place used soup cans in different locations on your lawn.
Follow the on-and-off watering schedule. Remember that your soil will only absorb a limited amount of water at a time.
Avoid late evening and night watering to avoid fungus, mushrooms, brown patches, or dollar spots.
As summer temperatures increase, raise your mowing height to 3 inches. This will shade the root system and help conserve water.
Fertilize every 4-6 weeks with 15-15-15, but cut back to ½ the recommended rate.
If dry spots appear, check your sprinkler coverage. Water these spots by hand and do not increase your irrigation timing to compensate for a few dry spots!
Keep your mower blades sharp. Dull blades injure grass and encourage disease.
Fall
Keep leaves and deadfall from accumulating on lawns, as this encourages fungus.
Finalize your last applications of fertilizer. Typically 21-7-14.
If your lawn is very long, mow it in increments. Never mow more than ⅓ of the grass blade height to avoid stressing your lawn.
