Just because the kids are going back to school soon, doesn’t mean the summer is over, at least not for your lawn and trees.  In fact, we are just embarking on the best growing weather you can ask for when it comes to your lawn.

After a tough summer of heat and drought stress, fighting the difficult battle against weed grasses (like bentgrass, annual and rough bluegrass, crabgrass  and the like), fertilizing just to keep the grass you do have and watering just to keep the lawn alive,  THIS is when your hard work starts to pay off!

The nutrients are in place, the weed grasses and broadleaf weeds have been weakened.  Now it’s time to continue with your proper care regimen of frequent mowing and deep watering, over-seeding, as well as repairing and renovating weaker areas in your lawn.

After all, grass grows actively until the ground freezes which can be as late as December in Southern Ontario!  That’s right, the top growth might slow down by early November, but the roots will keep growing and building up reserves to fight back with a vengeance next spring!

Here’s a quick recap of what to focus on:

1. Mow frequently- every 5 or 6 days, often enough to make sure you never remove more than 1/3 of the blade. If you don’t have many weeds and are mowing often enough, you can leave the clippings on the lawn- which makes this job even easier.

2. Mow high- 3″ is the ideal height for Kentucky bluegrass and perennial rye-grass if you want to crowd out the weeds and undesirable weed grasses.  Don’t work against your selves, these grasses were meant to be this height, you cant change it!

3. Water deeply- proper watering through the late summer months is essential

4. Fight the weed seeds!- Bag your lawn clippings if the weeds are in seed (flowering), this prevents working against yourself.

5. Rip out the Crabgrass- Crabgrass is an annual plant, so it doesn’t even matter if you get the root system out.  Its going to die after the first frost. The goal here is to remove the seed heads that can put out 100′s of seeds per plant that will grown back next year, if you let them have their way!   Don’t let the seeds stay- rip them out too!

6. OVERSEED anytime through the late summer and early fall is a great time to seed bare spots or areas that contain weed grasses.  Be sure to vigorously rake to rip out what you can of the old stuff, loosen up the top inch or 2 of soil, spread the seed, step on it and keep it moist!

7. The goal here is to get your lawn back into shape so you can return to the #1 position on this list, and in the neighbourhood heirarchy of lawn heroes!

PS.  Don’t forget your trees, After a long hot and dry summer, Your trees are thirsty and can use a nice deep watering using LawnSavers slow drip method.  You may also want to consider deep root feeding them this fall!

July 12th 2011: (Observations from the field in the Greater Toronto Area)

This Spring brought lots of rain through April and May, in fact, record rainfalls that it made it very difficult to get out and work in your lawn and garden.  Lawns were spoiled and became complacent and lazy by not sending deep roots down in the soil to look for water.  June and July have brought very dry conditions with what is proving to be a hot and sunny summer with no rain except for the odd scattered thunderstorm (thunderstorms provide a lot of water in a short span and rarely soak the soil sufficiently).  Shallow rooted grass species such as Bentgrass, Annual Bluegrass and Rough Bluegrass expanded and thrived in lawns.  Lawns with shallow root systems are more susceptible to drought as the soil temperature is much higher near the surface.

This means lawns everywhere are going dormant, but not dead.  Dormant lawns are characterized by the yellow, brown appearance.  Most lawns can withstand not being watered for up t0 4-6 weeks, however damage can occur if they do not receive water for any longer period of time.

Most lawns will bounce back with cooler temperature and mother natures long rain showers, but how do you make sure?
Here are my 5 best lawn tips for summer lawn care:

1. Water deeply at least once a week for about 1.5 -2 hours in each area. Lawns need 1-1.5 inches off water each week to look their best.  Apply the water deeply no more than twice a week to deliver the prescribed amount.
2.  Mow high, at least 3 inches.  Longer blades up top, support deeper roots below!
3.  Only mow during the morning or evening, and only when the lawn reaches about 4 inches in height.  Mowing in high heat causes mechanical damage from the weight of the machine, and even more stress with walking on it during the intense heat and sun. (leaving the lawn to get too long and then hacking it down causes even more stress- expect yellowing within days!)
4.  Limit activity on the lawn.  The dormant blades and crowns are easily injured at this time.
5.  Check for Chinch bugs!  Chinch bugs love the heat and sun and can actively be sucking the remaining juices from your grass blades and inserting their turf killing toxic poison while you sit idly by.  Chinch damaged turf will not grow back and you will need to seed and top-dress these areas in September.
5 1/2. Fertilize only with a proper summer-balanced slow release fertilizer.  Using the wrong fertilizer can cause surge growth using up the plants vital energy for no benefit.  Better yet, you can burn your lawn by using quick release fertilizers or using too much at the wrong time of the year.

Important Notes: The typical Ontario lawn is primarily Kentucky Bluegrass.  It is important to note that you need to accept that most plants (including turf) just can’t grow in intense heat with no rain.  Even Weed Control is not as effective during high heat as the plant under stress can not absorb it adequately.  It is not reasonable to expect a Thick, Green lawn during times of drought, but with proper care, your lawn will bounce back beautifully in September while your neighbours are left scratching their heads. 

Unsure of what to do on your lawn with all this heat? Leave us a comment, we’d love to help!

Leatherjackets will wash out of a lawn after a heavy rain

We have been seeing a lot of Leatherjacket insects in lawns in the GTA in the last week. The rain has been a help, as it washes them out where they can be seen easily and encourages the grass to grow through the damage they cause.

If you are finding these larvae on your driveway or sidewalk, please call and let us know. We have an effective treatment that will help reduce the Leatherjacket population on your lawn and stop them from killing your grass. This treatment starts at just $79.00 + HST!

If they are appearing in your area, please comment below or on our Facebook page and help us track where these insects are attacking.

One of our clients sent us this photo of a Leatherjacket that was washed onto his driveway. Thanks, Paul!

By the time September rolls around, some homeowners just seem to give up on their lawn, But did you know it is probably the best time to repair and thicken a stressed and thin lawn?  Many people have told me they are surprised we recommend doing seeding in the fall. Spring has such strong associations with new growth and renewal that I can understand the idea. But how many people who seed in spring wish the blazing heat of summer would hold off and give their young grass weeks or months more to grow? Or they struggle to keep the kids off a newly seeded lawn, after they were cooped up inside all winter? Those wished for weeks and months are available in the fall- free of charge!

What’s so great about fall?

Grass seed needs three things to germinate: It has to be in firm contact with soil, it has to be kept moist and the soil must be warm enough – between 7°c and 13°c at minimum. All of these conditions are met in the fall, so seed germinates and grows easily. It isn’t about the air temperature as much as it is about the soil temperature.

Fall is also when lawns usually need new seed the most. The lawn has come out of its most punishing season, facing heat, drought, disease, weeds and insect attacks not too mention infrequent or inconsistent mowing and watering stress. These stresses can thin a lawn or even leave areas of bare earth, making the lawn vulnerable to weed invasion and other problems. Why wait for the spring when you can fill the lawn in right away?

Fall is also the season when activity on lawns wind down, so the need to minimize traffic on a newly seeded lawn is no longer a worry.

How it is done

Discuss with your LawnSavers plant health specialist whether you are looking for thickening of a thin but otherwise healthy lawn or repair of an injured one. A combination of services can be tailored to your needs.

• Core Aeration – Pulling cores of earth from the ground improves soil by reducing compaction, and greatly increases the rate of seed germination
• Over seeding – a broadcast seeding of our blend of four certified seed varieties, including endophyte enhanced ryegrasses. Thickens thin lawns and introduces new, stronger ‘Certified’ seed varieties.
• Power seeding – by cutting the soil and pushing seed right into the ground, this technique (also known as slit seeding) results in four times the germination of a broadcast seeding making it ideal for repair of injured lawns.
• Top dressing – one quarter inch of premium, heat-treated organic compost brushed into the grass not only provides a boost of micro-nutrients and beneficial soil microbes, but also improves soil quality, soil contact and helps shelter the seed from drying sun and wind. Top dressing just makes lawns better.

Spring is also beneficial if you are just getting around to it.  But if you are looking at your lawn and want a great head-start to get your lawn thicker and healthier than your neighbours, ask your LawnSavers professional for help now! Call 905-707-9994 or 1-888-503-LAWN(5296)

This kind of damage in spring is the end result of hungry insects attacking lawns in the previous fall. Preventative treatment and good lawn care practices can minimize the risk of this happening to you.

Grub damage

Grub damaged lawn

In the fall many Toronto and GTA lawns become prey to root-eating insects called white grubs. The targeted turf fades in colour as fall progresses and the injured roots cannot absorb nutrients or water properly. The damaged areas begin to feel soft and spongy underfoot and pull out easily (like carpet) because the cut roots can no longer hold the grass plants to the soil.

 The culprit

European Chafer grub

White grubs are the larva, or young, of several kinds of beetles. The European Chafer (Rhizotrogus majalis) and Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica) are two of the most common. The adults breed through the early Summer and lay eggs in your lawn, which hatch in mid- to late-August and begin to feed.

It gets worse

Grub damaged grass - as loose as carpet

In the spring when food is scarce, scavenging animals like raccoons and skunks find grubs an easy source of nutrition. Since the grubs have eaten the roots, it is easy for the animals to roll your grass back like new sod, causing it even more damage. Even if you do not have many grubs in your lawn, these animals often dig in places they remember finding food before.

Proactive Preventive care works best!

All lawns have some grubs. Damage happens if a lawn is weak, or the number of grubs is very high (more than five to ten per square foot on an average lawn). Watering for an hour and a half to two hours once a week and having your lawn professionally fertilized will make your grass grow deeper, stronger roots and regenerate injured roots faster.  It will also increase your lawn’s tolerance level for grubs.

As well, LawnSavers can apply a natural control called predatory nematodes to your lawn starting around early September. These microscopic creatures are applied in the hundreds of millions and swim through moist soils and attack the grubs.

Digging animals can be deterred in many ways, from fencing to smells they don’t like. Many of our clients have told us they are having good luck with motion-activated sprinklers, such as the ‘Scarecrow’.

These techniques will minimize damage from white grubs. Nature being unpredictable, some may still occur, especially since skunks and raccoons are creatures of habit.  Animals digging is a clue that you might have grubs, but not definitive proof as squirrels and other animals can scavenge and dig for reasons other than finding grubs.

Repair

If grub damage has occurred despite your best efforts, immediate repair is needed to prevent further problems later. Rake out any loose, dead grass and have your lawn care company do a core aeration and over seeding with proper  species of grass. If animals have flipped up to grass when digging, don’t despair. Wet the flipped turf to soften it and roll it back into place – if your grass is generally healthy there is a good chance that if it is cared for it will re-root, just like sod.

2) Make a plan for the lawn and garden you want to have. Irrigation is a big investment so if you are planning to do landscaping make sure you and your installer are planning your sprinklers for what will be growing, not just what is growing right now.

3) Find out what warranties are available. Your installer should warrant their work for at least 2 years if they are maintaining the system also, but the manufacturers of the piping, heads, valves and control boxes all offer generous warranties for their products – quality lasts.  An average budget for a typical suburban lawn and for a good quality system will cost about $3300.00-$3900.00 including all parts and labour.

4) Work with your installer to come up with a plan that meets your budget and needs. A lot of things influence what an irrigation installation will cost:

• The number of Zones – that is the number of regions which can be independently adjusted and turned on and off.
• The number of heads and rotors – the more you have the finer control over the shape of the irrigated area, but they can drive cost and complexity up quickly.
• The depth of the buried pipe – deeper pipe is safer from damage but costs more to install. A minimum depth of 8 inches or more is sensible.
• The installation of valve boxes – properly installed valve boxes will make the long-term future of your system less stressful by both protecting key valves and components, and making them easier to service. Spending a little more here for durability and security will save you and your installer a lot of headaches over the life of your system.
• The controller – irrigation technology is progessing rapidly and so are the laws that govern water use and efficiency.  Make sure your controller allows you to conserve water, is expandable and can be upgraded with newer enhancements as the need arises.
• Planning ahead – being aware of sources of long-term wear and tear on a system and planning to minimize them in the initial design. Choosing a more durable stainless steel component over a plastic one in a hard-to-service area or placing a valve box slightly farther away to ensure run off is not going to collect in it and freeze over the winter. Moving things up a notch here and there at the beginning can save you a lot later.

The saying “pay now or pay later really” applies, our business thrives on systems installed for $1500.00- $2500.00 that need expensive upgrades and repairs to the system, let alone the costly problems created to the plants  while inadequate and improper watering promotes turf insects and diseases, all caused by an inferior system…

The unseasonable heat and terribly dry spring we have been having  are causing bentgrass and other annual weedy grasses in lawns to brown out much earlier than we normally see it. If you are seeing areas on your lawn yellowing or browning right now, there is a good chance it is Bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera),  or one of its close cousins, Poa Annua (annual bluegrass) or Poa Trivialis (Rough Bluegrass).

Bentgrass, or annual bluegrasses,  can invade a lawn through use of a low-quality seed mix, or from a nearby golf course.  It is encouraged by too frequent shallow watering.  Golf courses use bentgrass because it doesn’t mind being mowed very short. It can spread quickly through a lawn during cool, wet weather, taking over areas where the rest of your grass isn’t doing well. But it is helpless against heat and drought. Once that hits, an invaded lawn will start to brown out in large, uneven patches.

Here are some tips on identification, and what to do about bentgrass in your lawn.

The damage in this lawn is easily identified. The dividing line between healthy and dead grass is sharp. You can also see that the blades of the brown grass are much thinner than those of the healthy grass. Bentgrass also roots shallowly, which just makes droughts worse as its root structure quickly dries out in the top level of the soil, while the more deeply rooted desirable grasses remain protected deeper in the soil profile. This patch pulled right out when Kyle tugged on it.

The only way to deal with bentgrass is to replace it with more desirable grass cultivars. If you have a dead patch now, there is nothing to do but rake it all out, loosen the soil, and reseed with a proper seed varietal. In the future though, you can avoid ugly brown patches like this by dealing with patches of bentgrass before they die. In the early Spring, when everything is going well, you can find bentgrass when it is healthy and green. Look for patches of lighter-coloured grass with the characteristic skinny blades. The shallow roots make it easy to pull out at this time, too.

Closeup

Finding a patch early in the year gives you time to spot-seed the area while giving the desirable  grass time to establish itself. Then by the time the heat strikes, you will have stronger grasses among the weak bentgrass. This method also avoids making the kind of large area of open earth that weeds consider an open invitation to take root.

I got another interesting question recently. We handle tree care as well as lawn care, and you’d be surprised how much overlap there is.

“Spruce needles (lots of reddish brown needles) have fallen from very old trees onto my lawn, the trees cannot be saved, but what do I do with the lawn?  Can I leave the needles or do I have to remove them?”

Evergreens drop some needles annually as part of their growing process, especially when they are old or sick. This is a problem for turfgrass because when the needles break down, they make the soil very acidic.

Once the pH of the soil starts going down, it is very difficult for the grass to absorb nutrients. That’s the main reason why you never see really healthy grass underneath pines and spruces.

You can improve the situation with regular limings – that will help bring the pH back up. Still, you will never get the grass under your evergreens to look as nice as the rest of your lawn.

Another fix would be to find a more suitable landscape idea for underneath trees, and just mulch under the base and the outer perimeter of your trees. That way you could have thick, lush grass up to the dripline of the trees with a clean transition to attractive wood mulch. Much nicer than your lawn just petering out in sickly-looking tufts.