Maintenance Tips
Maintenance Tips for New Lawns
Lawn Mowing Techniques
Lawn Installation and Renovation
Your new landscape has been designed for maximum enjoyment and minimum maintenance, but as with any living thing, a certain degree of care is required to ensure that your plants are able to grow and thrive. The following is a list of recommendations:
Watering: Water is probably the most important requirement for a landscape, and consistent watering is a must for new installations. Always check soil moisture before watering. Symptoms for over watering and under-watering can look similar. If you have a concern about a plant, take a sturdy stick and push it into the ground next to the root ball to the approximate bottom of the plant's hole. Pull the stick out and look to see if it is extremely wet or dry. (A moisture meter will also work).
Older trees should be watered at least once per month in drought periods. The key to proper watering is to get the water to the Root Zone where it is needed most, roughly three feet deep under the drip line of the tree. The easiest method is to slowly water the surface of the root zone until saturated 1-3 feet deep.
Newly Planted Plants: Immediately after planting, water your new plants thoroughly. Use an open-ended hose running at moderate pressure. A thorough soaking will take from 20 seconds for small plants to 2-3 minutes for larger shrubs and trees.
Your Plant's First Year: Water twice weekly with an open-ended hose running at moderate pressure, using the above guide. If drought conditions exist, water every other day, unless the plant displays wilting, where you will have to water every day.
Established Plants (in ground 2 or more years): During a hot, dry spell in mid-summer, established plants would benefit from occasional deep watering. Water once or twice weekly, depending on the severity of the weather according to size of plant. Proper watering practices for new plants can be less complicated if you first consider the condition and variety of the plant, environment it's being transplanted to, and the current and longer term weather patterns. It is important to know that too much water can be as detrimental to a plant as too little water. The manner in which water is applied can also affect the vigor and survival of the plant. Watering heavily and then not watering the plant again until it wilts can stress a plant at both ends of the scale. If you water too lightly, roots may never develop and/or grow outside of the original root ball.
The next step is to understand the needs of the plant:
- Likes moist soil constantly (few varieties)
- Likes moderately wet soil and allowed to become dry without wilting (most plants)
- Likes dry soil (few varieties)
- Likes soil constantly wet (pond plants)
Then you must identify the soil type where your plants will be located:
- Sandy: A soil consisting of mostly sand, with poor moisture retention.
- Loamy (ideal soil): A soil combination of clay and enough sand to counteract the undesirable properties of clay, with a significant presence of organic matter.
- Clay: A soil with fine particles that become compacted and do not allow much drainage; found in most new developments.
By knowing your soil type, you should be able to meet the watering requirements of the plants you've chosen. Do not depend on irrigation systems for watering new trees and shrubs. They are great for turf and, under "normal" weather conditions, for established healthy trees and shrubs. New plants, however, have reduced root systems and it is imperative to water them more thoroughly and uniformly around the original root ball. It is good to keep in mind when planting new plants next to established plants that the new ones will require watering more frequently. The summer is the most stressful time for plant material, and additional watering will be needed when the temperature and humidity is at it's height. Usually a irrigation system will be set to run more frequently during June, July and August, while Spring and Fall months will usually require less watering.
Fertilizing: All new plantings have been fertilized by our nursery stock provider prior to installation and therefore, do not need any additional nutrients during the first growing season. If your planting has been done in the Spring, you will not need to fertilize until the Fall. At this point, we would recommend fertilizing two times a year - late Fall (October-November) and early Spring (March-April) with a 10-6-4 fertilizer, for tree and a 12-12-12 formulation for all shrubs at a rate of 2-3 pounds of ACTUAL NITROGEN per 1,000 square feet. For acid loving shrubs, such as rhododendrons, azalea, hydrangea, summer-sweet and dogwood use fertilizer that contains ALUMINUM SULFATE or an IRON SULFATE, such as MirAcid. These general fertilizers will be good for almost all plant material with a handful being placed around the outer perimeter (drip line) of each plant. By placing the fertilizer on the ground, it will allow water to dilute and slowly provide nutrients to the new roots, which are extending into the soil around the plant.
Trimming: Most new plants will be trimmed at the time of planting or soon before planting, therefore, needing no trimming during the first year. However, during the second season, we recommend plants be trimmed in mid-Spring to mid-Summer. The importance of this period is that it is a time after most plants have flowered but before the plants have began to establish their growth for the new season. By proper trimming, a plant will remain healthy and full for many years to come.
Re-Mulching: Your new beds have been provided with a good foundation of mulch, which while providing a base for the plantings also helps to keep weed growth to a minimum. In most cases, beds will need to be top dressed with a one-inch layer of mulch each Spring, thereby keeping your planting and beds looking clean and manicured. The total depth of your mulch should not exceed 3 inches.
Organic mulch benefits the beds in the following ways:
- Mulch reduces the need for watering by helping retain soul moisture
- Mulch stabilizes the soil temperature
- Mulch adds needed organic matter to the soil as it decomposes
- Mulch reduces the weed population in plant and tree beds
Weeding: With new beds, especially those that have had topsoil added to them, you might notice some weeds developing. This is a natural occurrence, and with minimal maintenance can be controlled. Weed control can be a very easy task requiring little time by taking these steps:
- Keep beds mulched
- Apply pre-emergent weed control to all shrub bed areas in early spring to kill new seeds. (Pre-emergent will not kill existing weeds.)
- Use a contact herbicide spray on actively growing weeds, but be sure not spray desirable plants.
Moscarino Outdoor Creations Inc. has different methods of controlling weeds, please discuss with your salesperson for additional questions. (Moscarino Outdoor Creations Inc. cannot guarantee 100% weed control.)
Pests: Most of your plant varieties installed have been chosen for their resistance to many pests. But, no plants are 100% pest tolerant. Please monitor your plants for pests on a regular basis to protect your investment.
Maintenance Tips for New Lawns
(Provided by the Ohio Landscapers Association)Seeded Lawns
Expectations
A seeded lawn takes at least one full year to fill in uniformly throughout your yard; and many times two years are needed to develop a thick luxurious lawn.
In the first season, there may be a weed problem, even though quality topsoil was used. Weeds can easily be controlled using a proper fertilization and weed control program. We at Moscarino Outdoor Creations Inc. can provide a season long scheduled service for this.
Mowing
Newly seeded lawns (or areas that have been re-seeded) should be allowed to grow to 3-1/2 inches before the first mowing. At that time, it should be cut to 3 inches and the clippings should be picked up.
Subsequent mowing on new lawns, and regular mowing on established lawns, should be done often enough so that no more than 1/3 of the total height is removed at one time (1/3 of the grass blade). If this practice is followed on established lawns, clippings can be left on the lawn. However, if the grass is over 4" high when mowing time arrives, pick up excess clippings, as these ten to smother and mat-down the lawn. Mowing before grass gets tall also keeps the grass texture finer. When mowing grass over 4-5 inches tall, the stalks will turn brown and feel stiff to walk on.
Mowing too short is a common cause of poor, unhealthy lawns. In the summer, mow at the top setting, or about 3 to 3-1/2 inches. In the spring and fall, mow as short as 2 to 2 -1/2 inches on smooth lawns.
De-Thatching & Core Aeration
De-thatching of your lawn (mechanical removal of thatch) is usually not needed for 3 years after the lawn's installation.
Core aeration of your lawn, (removal of soil plugs to allow better water penetration and soil-air exchange) is recommended as part of your annual lawn maintenance program, and can be done the first season after your new lawn's installation.
Seeded Lawns
Watering
Once grass seed is sown, watch closely so you will be aware when it begins to germinate. (Approximately 7 to 10 days for rye grasses.) The most critical time is when the grass blades are so fine they are almost invisible. You must water, very lightly to prevent washing out, 2 to 2 times per day, if possible. Begin as soon as your seed has begun to germinate, and continue watering, as instructed above, for two weeks for rye grass and turf-type tall fescue lawns; three weeks for fine and hard fescue mixes; and four weeks for good blue grass establishment. Blue grasses germinate last, taking about three weeks. These continuous, light waterings will allow your fescues and bluegrasses to begin their germination without washing the seed and soil away. After this germination period, water lightly, approximately every other day until you have mowed four times.
Even after your new lawn is well on its way, watering should be continued, as it is essential for a healthy lawn with vigorous, deep root growth. Adequate watering should be defined as: enough water to maintain some moisture in the soil at a debt of 2 to 4 inches.
One inch of water per week (including rainfall and additional water) should be satisfactory under most conditions. During drought periods (two weeks or longer with little or no rainfall) additional watering should take place. More water than usual is also essential for sandy soils, gravelly soils, or full sun areas on south or west facing slopes.
The time of day when you water is also important. The Ohio Landscapers Association urges homeowners to avoid late evening waterings, as they can lead to fungus problems. Watering in the evening or late afternoon should be done early enough to allow the grass blades to dry off before nightfall.
PLACE LARGE TIN CAN ON THE LAWN WHEN YOU WATER. WHEN THE CAN CONTAINS 1" OF WATER, YOU HAVE SATURATED THE SOIL ADEQUATLEY.
Seeded Lawns
Fertilization
After your seeded lawn has germinated, no fertilizer will be needed for at least 6 weeks, as your contractor added high phosphorous fertilizer to the soil when seeding, to feed the newly germinated plants. After the fourth mowing, make your first application of fertilizer, which should be a 15-10-5 or 20-10-10 formulation, specifically for lawns, and apply at a rate of 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet.
Weed Control
Most weeds you see in your new lawn will die after a few mowings, but there a number of weeds, which can be a problem and make a lawn unattractive. Although many require specific chemical treatment, some general rules can be followed:
After weeds have begun to emerge in the spring, apply a BROADLEAF HERBICIDE to all established turf areas, following the manufacture's directions. Although the use of weed killers is not recommended on new lawns (mowed less than 6 times), some special herbicides for young turf can be safely used, if carefully applied.
Crabgrass can be eliminated with certain herbicides some of which allow for germination of grass seed while the crabgrass is being prevented.
*Please note-Newly seeded lawns are fragile and easily burned with chemicals and fertilizers. Moscarino Outdoor Creations Inc. specializes in chemical lawn care in which we can take care of your lawn for at least the first year. Insect and fungus control are rarely needed in the first year of a new lawn.
Lawn Mowing Techniques
- Don't cut your grass too short, particularly for cool season grasses. Higher heights usually provide for a deeper root system, looks better, and is less likely to have weeds invading, particular crabgrass.
- Don't remove any more than one third of the grass leaf at any one cutting. If circumstances arise that a lawn gets too tall and you just have to lop off a bunch to get caught up, bight the bullet and break it down into several mowings to get caught up with 3 or so days between cuttings.
- Try to avoid mowing when the grass is wet.
- When mowing only a third with each cutting, you can safely leave the clippings that will quickly decompose and add nutrients back into the soil. Contrary to popular opinion, grass clippings do not add to thatch buildup. Grass blades are made up of about 75% water.
- Mow your lawn in a different direction with each mowing, especially with lawns of shorter grass types. For example, week one mow east and west, next time mow north and south. Altering the direction ensures a more even cut since grass blades will grow more erect and less likely to develop into a set pattern.
- Keep your mower's blade sharp, which means having it sharpened several times during the mowing season. A good idea is to keep several blades around so you'll always have a sharp one on hand.
- Don't forget to change your mower's oil at least once during the mowing season.
- If you didn't drain your gas tank in the fall, or use a fuel stabilizer, don't use that old gas, it can cause a number of problems. Better to use fresh gasoline to begin the new mowing season.
Lawn Installation and Renovation
Lawn renovations can be done a variety of ways, depending upon the initial condition of the lawn, the desired outcome and the budget. If you are seeding a lawn, here are few things to remember.
Seed / Soil Contact is EssentialIn order to get good results with any lawn seeding project, the seed must be in contact with soil. If seed is simply sprinkled on the surface of a lawn with an excessive thatch layer, the seed may germinate, but the tiny roots of the newly germinated seed will never make it to the soil, and will die during the first hot dry period. Seed must have good seed to soil contact.
Starter Fertilizers Enhance Seed EstablishmentStarter fertilizers help the newly germinated seeds get an abundant supply of phosphate, even though they initially have a small root system. The nitrogen component is usually small in order to encourage root development as opposed to leave growth.
Use the Best Grass Seed Available Avoid saving money on grass seed. Buy the best seed for the environmental conditions found in the landscape. Use a seed mixture, as opposed to one cultivar. A variety of grass seed species and cultivars results in good biodiversity within the lawn. Good biodiversity results in a lawn better able to tolerate environmental stresses.
Use certified seed selected to address specific disease or insect resistance, as well as environmental factors like shade or drought.
Correct Soil Compaction and Soil pHIf the soil is compacted, or suffering from an acidic pH, make sure these issues are corrected. Soil core aeration and liming must be done in order to ensure good seed establishment.
Maintain Good Topsoil Moisture- WATER!Water daily until the new grass plants are established. It generally takes about a month for new seed to germinate and get established. A newly seeded lawn needs to be watered daily in order to ensure good establishment. The newly germinated seeds have tiny, shallow roots and will die quickly if the water supply runs out. Light irrigation (1 cm of water) daily is all that is required. Avoid heavy irrigation as this can result in pooling of the water, erosion, and leaching of valuable nutrients below the root zone.