Here are some helpful tips for growing a healthy new lawn.
Set up sprinklers so they overlap – remember areas not getting water will not grow!
Your new lawn will need to be watered every day until its first mow. Watering times may vary depending on the sprinkler used but a good rule of thumb is 30 minutes per sprinkler. Water the lawn areas until the soil is soft but don’t allow any run off.
Failure to water daily will affect the germination of the grass seed and cause it to dry out and die. This will reduce the quality of your lawn.
Seed germination will vary depending on seed varieties. Perennial rye typically takes 4-6 days to germinate where Kentucky bluegrass takes 21-28 days. Again this stresses the importance to continuously water the lawn, failure to do so will result in less germination and bare spots in your yard.
Once your new lawn reaches an average height of 3” it is time to perform the first cut.
It is important to let the lawn dry out slightly as to not leave ruts from the lawn mower. (lawn dry out should be no more than 48 hrs.)
Set your lawn mower to 2.5” height and start mowing. Be careful with your turns because the young grass is not rooted deeply and will tear up easily.
Bagging is a good idea at this stage because it will help remove any weed seeds from being distributed back into the lawn.
Immediately after mowing it is important to begin watering again because the sunlight will dry out the soil quickly.
It is not healthy to let your lawn grow to more than 4” because you will stress it by cutting off excess shoot growth
Up to this point you have been watering your yard once a day. The grass plant now provides some shade to the soil and won’t dry out as fast. You can now cut back to watering every other day until your second cut. After the second cut you can then cut back to every third day until your lawn is full.
Healthy lawn practices
Cut grass at 3” after established. The longer leaf blades help the plant produce more food for itself and shades the soil which helps prevent the germination of weed seeds.
Still Waters can develop a complete lawn care program for your individual lawn to help it grow healthier and prevent weeds, insects, and diseases.
Plants endure a variety of stress throughout their lifetime and quite often improper planting is one of them. Fortunately, it is one of the stresses that we can easily eliminate. By planting a tree properly, we can greatly reduce the impact of any other stresses which can occur. Here are a few tips for proper tree planting.
Start with the right tree in the right place. There are literally thousands of trees to choose from. Make sure you match the tree’s requirements with the conditions of the site you will be planting.
The sides of the planting hole should be tapered, with the opening being wider than the bottom and large enough to accommodate the roots and soil ball.
The sides of the planting hole should be roughed or scored with a shovel or pickax to break up any smooth surface or glazing created from the backpressure of the shovel. This compressed layer around the outside of the hole is often dense enough to slow the outward growth of new roots into the surrounding soil.
Do not dig too deep – the root flare or collar of the tree should be at the final soil grade or slightly higher. The root collar is the junction between the stem of the plant and the root system. This point is often associated with a gentle flare when the stem merges into the root system.
Before backfilling, make sure the plant is positioned properly in the hole. At this time you should also untie the burlap and fold it and the top loops of the wire basket down the sides of the root ball.
Gradually add soil and firmly pack against root ball until hole is half way filled. At this point gently fill the hole with water and let it soak in. This will help get rid of any air pockets and stabilize the tree. When the water has drained continue filling the hole with soil until you have reached just below the root flare.
Tree staking is typically not necessary, but the type, size and location of the tree may deem it necessary.
Applying a 3” mulch ring the size of the tree canopy is recommended. This will help the soil retain moisture, but make sure it is not piled up against the trunk because this will cause decay and fungus.
Continue deep, frequent waterings throughout the growing season (1-2 gallons per inch of trunk caliper). Additional watering may be necessary the following season, if drought exists. It takes several years for most trees to overcome transplant shock.
Listed below are a few suggestions to help your newly planted landscape not only stay alive but thrive.
Watering
Trees and shrubs with gator bags – fill bags every 2 days in hot weather and every 3-4 days in cool weather
Trees and shrubs – Thoroughly soak every 2 days in hot weather and every 4 days in cool weather. ( 1-2 gallons per inch of trunk caliper is a good rule of thumb)
Sod and annuals – Water daily after installation. In extremely hot weather sod may need to be watered twice daily (early morning and late evening) until it is knitted into the ground enough that you can’t pull it back up. Sod should be soaking wet to prevent edges from drying up.
Fertilizer
Fertilizer at planting is not recommended. Begin a regular feeding program the next growing season with an appropriate fertilizer.
Mulching
If mulching was included in the planting then no new mulch is necessary. A light 1-2” top dressing next year is recommended as a properly mulched bed helps lower soil temperatures, and helps prevent competing weeds from growing.
If mulching was not included a 3” layer of hardwood bark mulch is recommended.
Spraying
Your plants will be insect and disease free when they are installed. If plants need to be treated in the future for any insect of disease problems do not hesitate to give us a call and we can send someone out to help treat your specific need.
Pruning
Almost all trees and shrubs can be pruned when they are dormant, usually late winter. The exception to this is all spring flowering plants. If they are pruned at this time it will result in the loss of flower buds, and hence no flowers. This is why it is important to know what the plant is a when it blooms before you get the pruners out. We would be happy to help you with any questions you have regarding pruning, or you could have us take care of all your landscape needs with our maintenance programs. Never hesitate to give us a call!
