Lawn Care in the Roaring Fork Valley

Though we, at Eagle Crest Nursery, are proponents of reduced turf in favor of more diverse waterwise gardens and landscapes, there are some places where a lush green lawn is still the best choice. Play areas for kids and dogs, erosion control on slopes, cooling effects in hot environments are some examples.

This discussion assumes an already established lawn. Although every lawn has its own unique needs we will use the following basic assumptions about your situation. Most likely the lawn was originally planted by seed or sod and the grass species are bluegrass, ryegrass and/or fescue (cool season grasses). The soil in our valley is mostly clay, alkaline and infertile. And the temperature and rainfall are very inconsistent.

Even so, maintaining a lawn is a task that can be accomplished by many homeowners here armed with some basic information. We’ll discuss; watering, mowing, fertilizing, weed control, aerating and more.

Watering correctly is the #1 trick to maintaining a good lawn. The proper amount of water applied at the proper time will encourage a deep root system and thus a healthy lawn. Often, this is also the toughest thing to get right. Even if there is an established irrigation system in place, care must be taken in timing and depth of water. Setting and forgetting the system is not good practice. Too much water is not only a waste of a vital resource but can cause suffocating roots or erosion. Too little water may cause a weakened lawn. 2” of natural rainfall or applied irrigation per week is a goal for the hotter summer season. Cool cloudy weather and shady or wind protected areas will need less.

To test the system, place several straight sided containers (i.e. tuna cans) around the irrigation zone to measure how much water is delivered while irrigating. If the containers measure different amounts of water, the irrigation heads will need to be adjusted until there is uniform application. It is better to water less often and deeply than frequent shallow watering. The goal is to moisten the whole root zone-about 6” deep. This will encourage deeper root development which will result in healthier, drought resistant turf. Use a spade to determine the root and moisture depths and adjust the water duration so it reaches the bottom of the root zone with each watering cycle.

It is always a goal to limit wasting water. The time of day of irrigation will make a difference. Early morning and late evening are generally cooler and less windy than midday and watering during these hours will reduce water lost to evaporation.

The frequency of mowing is dependent on the goal of maintaining a consistent 2-3” grass height. Shorter will stress the grass, especially in hot or drought conditions, and can lead to increased weeds. Remove no more than 1/3 of the grass height each mowing. In the spring, wet months you may need to mow more than once a week (sorry weekend warriors), while midsummer you may be able to go 2 weeks between mowings. Leaving the grass clippings on the lawn is good practice. As they rapidly decompose, they are adding organic matter and nutrients to the grass and will possibly reduce the need for one of the fertilizer applications. Keep the mower blades sharp for clean even cuts and to avoid tearing the grass.

Fertilizing 2-4 times per season is important to maintain a healthy, green lawn. The 2 most important applications are in the 1) late summer(around Labor Day) and 2)fall(around Halloween) followed by 3)mid-May through mid-June and 4) April. Note: these applications are listed by order of importance not chronologically! Fall fertilizer applications will green up the lawn early the following spring, so the April application is most likely not necessary. Too much fertilizer, especially in early spring, can result in thatch buildup, and the need to mow too frequently. Good fertilizers for our area contain mostly nitrogen(N) but are balanced with phosphorus(P), potassium(K), iron and possibly sulfur. They should be applied evenly, using broadcast spreaders.  Eagle Crest offers several Organic choices as well as standard fertilizers for lawns. Consider applying Humic Acid (Fertilome HuMic) at the same time as the late spring and late summer applications. It acts as a soil conditioner which increases the water-holding capacity of the soil and aids in nutrient uptake of the grass plants. Check out our multi bag lawn food programs. Get a discount if the year’s fertilizer is purchased together.

When it comes to weed control, there is no better method than to maintain a thick healthy lawn using the practices above. If annual weeds like crabgrass or barnyard grass are a problem, a preemergent herbicide applied early spring (around May 1^st here) before the seeds emerge is the best control. For broadleaf weeds, such as dandelions, hand pulling is the only good natural option besides just living with them. Using a selective herbicide (kills weeds- not the grass) responsibly is effective. Spot spray with a product such as Fertilome Weed Free Zone. Apply when the weeds are actively growing, the temperatures are between 65 and 85 degrees, no rain is predicted within 24 hours and only when there is little to no wind. Herbicide drifting onto desirable plants such as perennials and shrubs could cause damage. Lilacs are particularly sensitive. Apply weed killer directly to the weeds in the lawn, there is no need to broadcast spray in areas where weeds are not present. For this reason, we hesitate to recommend “weed and feed” products since they are applying herbicide over the whole lawn including areas where weeds are not present. Nonselective weed killers should not be used on lawns since they kill everything -weeds and grass too.

Core aerating by machine pulls plugs of thatch and soil about 2-3 inches long spaced 2 inches apart. It is very beneficial in reducing thatch buildup and soil compaction in high traffic areas. Thatch is the spongy layer of grass roots and stems at the soil surface that can inhibit water and nutrients getting to the grass roots. Many commercial lawn companies offer this service, and the local equipment rental shops have aerators available if you wish to do it yourself when it becomes necessary.

Follow these steps for a lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood!