How to Care for Your Lawn in Hernando, Pasco, & Citrus Counties

Mowing

Place your mower on your drive way and measure the distance between the concrete and the bottom of the mower. The height should be 4 inches. Remember that the root depth mirrors the blade height. The deeper the root, the more drought tolerant the grass will be.

•    Mow only when the turf is dry.
•    Mow in a different direction each time you mow.
•    Never cut more than 1/3rd of the blade height during any one mowing.
•    Sharpen or replace your mower blades every 60 days or when grass blade end splits are observed after mowing.

Watering

Never water just a little.

On your watering day, disburse 1 inch of water over your entire lawn. The time to disburse 1 inch of water varies from system to system and lawn to lawn. Place cans or plastic containers around your lawn during your watering cycle. When the containers have 1 inch of water in them you have watered enough (for most lawns). Just getting your grass wet will not do the job, however.

The real deal is how much moisture actually gets into the soil? If the day after your watering day, the soil is moist, your irrigation is doing its job. If it’s dry, your grass will not survive the week. Grass will tell you when it is thirsty. The grass blades will fold down the center. The area will take on a bluish cast and eventually turn to a wheat color and then a grayish brown. Bluish will recover when watered. Wheat color may recover if the stolens are still green. Grayish brown color will not recover.

Remember: It is just as bad to over water as it is to under water. You must change the watering time to the current weather conditions. Too much water will accelerate weed growth and is a condition conducive to fungus. The appearance of dollar weed or sedge are primary indicators of over watering in the fall and winter.

Environment

Make sure to choose the right turf or plant for the right location. If you have shady conditions, choose turf that is shade tolerant. If you have lots of sun, choose plants which are sun tolerant.

Vigilance

If you notice a change in your lawn, not associated with cold weather, call us right away.