Posts Tagged ‘Turf’
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Raking Your Lawn Is More Important Than You Know
As the autumn air cools into piles of colored leaves, your lawn beckons attention before the snow covers it with a blanket of white. Some lawn projects can be simple like raking on a regular basis or mowing with a vacuum bag style tractor system. Raking, or specifically a lack of leaves, allows your lawn to capture more sunlight as the deciduous trees lose their green canopy. Increased sunlight can really help shaded and weak areas capture additional energy to help prepare for the winter. In some cases, this vital time period could be a month or more of growing before slowing to the point of near dormancy with the onset of freezing weather. Any leaves left on the lawn can cause a mulching action by inhibiting sunlight from reaching the leaf blades below.
Don’t allow piles of leaves to sit for weeks on end, or the grass underneath will suffer potentially damaging consequences. Keeping your lawn clean in the fall can really improve the chances of winter survival and minimize damage. Turf that is left covered with leaves or pine needles face a lack of air, light, and often succumbs to ice damage. As simple as raking or leaf removal is, it is very important to all lawns to approach winter clear as opposed to buried out of sight under leaf litter.
Autumn is also a great time harden your lawn off for winter. A wonderful mowing height during the growing season is 3″ as a standard. Your mowing height should be lowered as October fades into November. Drop your mowing deck a half-inch a week starting in mid to late October with the final cut in November being between 1 to 1.5 inches in height. The slow drop in mowing height helps harden your lawn off and slows growth in addition to falling temperatures.
Many folks put their mowers away much too early in October when the lawn continues to grow well into November in many years sometimes to the Thanksgiving holiday break in NH or VT. Some of the most simple cultural practices like mowing and raking can make or break some lawns. The preventative care in raking and mowing can yield big dividends over a harsh winter- aiding in survival and spring recovery. Turf that goes into the winter long – and by that I mean a normal height of 3″ or more – will be predisposed to snow mold and ice damage, even more so with leaf or needle debris.
Plan ahead now and rest easy this winter knowing you did all you could to help your lawn make it into a new year!
High Heat and Brown Grass
High heat and a lack of rainfall is double trouble as it relates to the health of your lawn. Brown grass results in weeks or even days after prolonged high temperatures and an absence of rainfall. So, what is a homeowner to do?
At this time of year, the best action is preventative. First, ensuring your mower is adjusted to the proper cutting height of 3-3.5” and not mowing during the heat of the day is just as important. Applying slow release fertilizer, lime, or mulched clippings to enhance organic matter is very beneficial. And over seeding with a drought tolerant turf as well. In terms of precipitation, unless you have an irrigation system or a very shaded lawn, browning is as inevitable as bacon in the skillet on Sunday morning. Hmmm, you can just hear the sizzle and smell of the lawn drying to a crispy golden brown!
On a serious note, it’s not the browning of your lawn that is most concerning, but what might eat it while it is brown. It is much more difficult to notice an attack by hungry pests as the lawn may already be discolored. Now is the time to monitor for chinch bug, grub, or sod webworm activity. If you can’t monitor yourself, hire a professional licensed lawn care company.
In terms of watering, anything is helpful but don’t expect that magical green you may see in the spring or fall. Providing an inch or more of water may not even be allowed if there is a ban like many towns have in place here in NH. And since most grass needs about an inch of water per week, anything will help to keep the dormant turf alive as it remains in a hibernation state. High heat will brown out and cause all kinds of blotches and spots in a treated or non-treated lawn setting. Frankly, it is just too hot for cool season grass when the mercury rises above 85 or 90 degrees. 
High heat can cause white blotches on the leaf blade and create drought stress appearing as dull blue or purple sections. Additional stress may result in a tan or light brown lawn as the plant shuts down to preserve itself. Remember, grass blades are 99% water, so no water = no grass to grow!
By the way, now is not the time to apply liquid fertilizer or herbicides. The result can be a disaster resulting in what I call “corner to corner grey or brown turf”. A trained eye can easily spot this kind of chemical induced stress. Also, high soluble fertilizers place undue stress on a lawn that may already be on the edge. Mowing during the heat of the day is like lying on your driveway at noon (hot and unpleasant). Any remaining moisture is quickly lost from the fresh cuts as the lawn literally wilts. Massive browning can result in a very short period of time (sometimes hours). Stressed turf is highly susceptible to mower tracks from the weight of a tractor as well. 
This is also true when lawn care companies that use perma-greens and other powered equipment to apply fertilizer, lime, or herbicides. A light touch using smaller spreaders should be used to prevent this type of damage.
In short, high summer heat is not “the norm” in NH or VT. However, follow these simple steps to insure a healthy summer lawn:
- Watch out for insect damage
- Water if you can, and what you can
- Don’t mow if you don’t have to (especially from 11am to 3pm). And cut high 3” to 3.5”. Don’t feel obligated to mow when not mowing is really the best course of action.
Take a vacation and have some fun- but make sure you take care of your investment!
Ticks Are No Laughing Matter
May is the ideal month to think about tick control measures for the upcoming season because the adults are waking up and crawling out in search of food – animals or you! While you may see a typical Dog Tick, you are not likely to see a Deer Tick, a primary vector of Lyme Disease. Therefore, treating your turf around the house and into the perimeter of fields or woods is an excellent means to reduce the adult population before they mate and seek out a blood meal. With the mild winter we just experienced this could be a banner year for all kinds of ticks in NH and VT.
Most tick control products work for 2-5 weeks depending upon the rate and type of material used. In fact, many new products are used in pet supplies and products found at your local pet or farm/garden supply store. If you don’t want to apply over-the-counter products yourself, the key to safety is using a responsible, licensed lawn care company like ours. You must have a license in NH or VT to treat for ticks, even if you use an organic or natural product! If you are targeting a pest, you must have insurance and have the training needed to treat for ticks. So before you try this yourself, you might want some advice from a professional.
Additional recommendations for tick control: keep grassy and weedy areas trimmed, and remove wood piles to reduce harborage for tick hosts. When entering potentially infested areas such grassy pastures, prairies, and woodlands wear long-sleeved shirts and long trousers with tight-fitting cuffs. Wear light-colored clothing because ticks are easier to see on a light background. When you are not adequately prepared as described above, avoid these tick-infested areas and restrict movement of your children and pets in these locations. I know: very hard to do! Enjoy the outdoors, but be sure to always use an insect repellent to help protect your family and friends.
For more information visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‘Stop Ticks’ page of their website.
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What’s a Gardener to Do: Garden or Visit Gardens?
What is better for a gardener’s soul than a warm, sunny Saturday out in the garden for early spring clean up? The Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Directory of course! Mine arrived this past weekend and I immediately dropped my Felco’s and rake sat down to explore the gardens I want to visit on June 26. It’s a tough one to think abut now I know. For those of us who are passionate about gardening but who also work during the week, right now while the days are warming it’s hard to fathom leaving your own garden on a Saturday …. but I think by June I’ll be OK with it…. I hope!
Especially since I won’t have to travel very far afield: the Upper Valley is a featured area this year, with open gardens in Hanover, Hartland, Quechee and Windsor on the tour. The Open Days gardens are always chosen for their unique qualities and offer visitors the best of American regional gardens. Some of the gardens are designed by landscape designers and architects, and others are the work of passionate and talented amateurs.
Check out the Garden Conservancy website for more information and to request a copy of the Open Days Directory if you want to plan your visits now. Closer to the Open Days dates some gardens will be listed online.
I always come away inspired by these gardens, and bring with me ideas for a project or two to try in my own garden – or maybe ten projects if you ask my husband or co-workers at Chippers!
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Time to Take Action
Spring is in the air and now is a super time to invest just a few moments for planning a landscape improvement project. The first step to success is gathering proper information from experts that will pay dividends later in the season. Some companies, like ours, will provide complimentary site evaluations for your trees, shrubs and turf. The question then becomes: where to begin? Start with a priority- what is important to you? What would you like to see look healthier, greener perhaps, or is there a hazardous tree leaning in the wrong direction? An expert will see things you simply cannot and save you lots of time and effort working on dead-end projects or applying products that will not work.
As a rule, many trees can be pruned to remove hazards, reduce disease, and provide both structural and aesthetic value. A landscape can be improved “as is” with proper fertilization and/or treatments to reduce insect and disease issues. If your current landscape is dying, dead, or unhealthy, get input on why things went south or better yet, what shrubs would be better replacementS for the site? Get a free quote on the cost of installation, plant guarantee, and types of shrubs/trees used for maximum value in terms of flowering and hardiness. Improving your yard not only provides visual enjoyment to you, the homeowner, but it raises the value of your property and can promote native birds and other desirable wildlife. And, it just plain feels good!
The lawn is often the most affordable improvement in terms of quick visual impact. Most turf areas can be improved “as is” and do not require costly major renovations. Often a basic plan of natural fertilizer, calcium lime, kelp, and aeration with overseeding can really provide a dramatic impact within months if not weeks versus years for trees. Lucky for you, we provide free estimates in all of these areas. So pickup that phone or click on your e-mail account and make the first step: ask for help! You won’t regret the time spent and even if you decide not to do a single thing this year, you will have a written plan on how to improve your own little paradise!
For more information, sign up for our free email newsletter at our website www.chippersinc.com. It is packed with nuggets you can use all year long! Good luck and may this be your best summer yet!
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Why Turf Is Not Just Vanilla
I often read articles describing lawns as boring or requiring too much effort to maintain. These comments cannot go unchallenged by those of us who love lush, green grass because turf is far from vanilla in flavor in terms of environmental, functional, and health benefits. More importantly, all of these benefits can be achieved using natural products to improve and work with your existing lawn. Turf is more than just grass and it is anything but boring: try golfing or playing catch on ground covers or flowers!
The Environment
A healthy lawn reduces water runoff and soil erosion that in turn protects our lakes and streams from sediment moving from the land into the water. Turf is a living filter that protects ground water quality through a vast network of roots, thatch, and leaves. A healthy lawn will also absorb six times as much rainfall as a common hay field, and sustainable grass entraps pollutants with the help of soil microbes and biodegrades them safely.
Functional
A healthy lawn dissipates heat and reduces the energy required to cool homes and buildings, thus saving resources, and turf grasses abate noise and reduce glare too. A mown lawn decreases habitat for disease-carrying ticks and reduces fire hazards near wooded areas. Additionally, well maintained turf grasses reduce injury from sports played at home, school, or elsewhere. A well cared for lawn is actually a low cost asset that can be physically used or enjoyed for pure viewing pleasure.
Health
Studies show the cycle of growing grass and the color green lift human spirits and provide both thoughts and feelings of happiness, privacy, and serenity. Well maintained turf is known to have therapeutic effects on humans as measured by heart rate and blood pressure, thereby increasing the recovery rate of hospital patients.
There are some who prefer alternatives to grass in their landscapes for a variety of personal reasons. But for those of us who love turf, with today’s eco-friendly care and maintenance techniques, we can have our green and feel good about it too!
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Find A Need, Plant A Seed: Our 2010 Community Beautification Initiative
We believe in contributing to the communities that sustain us. Although we always sponsor and donate to many local causes and charities throughout the region, this year we also want to make a direct contribution to the beautification of our community spaces with the actual professional green care services we provide: tree, turf, soil, land and forest. Projects can range from tree planting to natural turf enhancement, from pruning and cabling to field mowing.
Project requests for up to a day’s worth of gratis Chippers work should be submitted in writing to Mundy Wilson, Business & Marketing Manager, Chippers Inc., 1241 Pomfret Road, Woodstock, VT 05091 or via email: contactus@chippersinc.com, by May 1, 2010. Please put ‘Plant A Seed’ in the subject line of your email.
Suggested projects should fall within a 10 mile radius of each of these towns: Meredith, New London and Lebanon, New Hampshire, and Woodstock, Vermont; all requests must be for properties within the public domain; and all requests should fall within the scope of services we provide. Please be as specific as possible in your proposal. Visit our website www.chippersinc.com for ideas about what we actually do before you make your request, please! Accepted projects will be notified by June 1, 2010.
Bring on the beauty of 2010!
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Natural Ice Melt & Storm Damage Assistance
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Storm Alert!
For a free estimate on snow removal – especially on your roof – simply call us toll free at 866-683-6222 or page us at 802.742.3505 for VT or NH. We are also prepared to remove broken tree limbs and or whole trees that have fallen due to the weight of heavy snow and ice.
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In our continuing effort to use natural and environmentally friendly products, we have decided to offer ice melt delivery as a new service.
The quest began by researching the wide number of salts and ice melt products available. It did not take long to realize that there are almost as many ice melts as types of wines! What a daunting task, but our success and hard work paid off because we found a natural product safe for use.
Our product is pet, plant and people friendly, has no dyes, nor will it stain carpets or floors when used as directed. Unlike some chemical ice melts or rock salt, our product will not cause a slippery surface as it works. Our ice melt contains a natural peach color for easy application, not a harsh dye to track inside. No protective equipment is needed to apply it and your pets will thank you for not having damaged paws! Best of all, we will deliver by the bag or pallet depending upon the need. Click here to download a pdf with more information.
Winter Kill & Snow Mold: Double Turf Trouble!
As March melts into April and the snow recedes to expose a mud laden landscape carpeted with brown grass, emotions of dread dance through your head. Is my lawn dead? Did the ice do my grass in or are there other factors at work here?
Most likely, if you live in the Northeast, you will have a combination of winter kill caused by ice and or cold windy days plus snow mold. Snow mold comes in several varieties and colors, pink (my favorite) to gray. Pink is rather common and often appears as cotton candy patches on your lawn, especially visible in the morning or after exposed from recently melted snow. After drying, the patches may appear tan to off white. While gray snow mold may cause some leaf death, it is usually not fatal since it does not spread into the crown like Pink does. Pink snow mold on the other hand, can cause turf death in severe infections. Don’t fear if you lawn appears thin and damaged in the spring as it will often recover- to varying degrees over time.
Your best option would have been to cut the turf short last Fall for the final mow, about 1” or so, military style, to help minimize or prevent these diseases. Your second choice is to lightly rake up the matted turf (preferably when dry) to allow air and sunlight to hit the ground. The sooner your turf begins to grow again, the better. Don’t apply crabgrass control or other herbicides early in March or April if snow mold is widespread. Instead, use a natural or organic fertilizer to promote growth gradually rather than induce a shock to the system with herbicides.
