![]() ![]() However, over-fertilization can weaken a lawn by causing excessive and succulent top growth. ![]() Proper fertilization is essential in maintaining a healthy lawn. Contact your local water agency for information and assistance on irrigation scheduling. Remember to change your irrigation timer seasonally to match the water needs of the turf. Look for broken, tilted, or clogged sprinkler heads, and adjust sprinkler heads to ensure even coverage. Try to avoid watering in the evening because prolonged damp conditions may encourage disease development.Ĭheck your irrigation systems regularly to avoid water runoff or over-spraying, especially if the lawn is on a slope. The best time to water is early in the morning, as less water is lost due to evaporation. Over-watering not only is wasteful, it also causes lawns to grow faster and requires more mowing. Deep, infrequent watering produces a deeper, extensive root system which enables turf to resist disease and stress. Lawns watered too frequently tend to develop shallow root systems, which may make them more susceptible to stress and disease. Most grasses in California need about 1 inch of water every 5 to 7 days in the growing season and much less during slow growth months. Turf grasses vary in their need for water. You may also want to consider purchasing an electric mulching mower to reduce air pollution. Mulching or recycling mowers make grasscycling easy by cutting grass blades into small pieces and forcing them into the soil. You may need to purchase a retrofit kit, and your mower dealer can assist you in selecting the correct one. Refer to your owner’s manual or contact a local lawnmower dealer to learn if you can safely grasscycle with your existing mower. Mowing Heights for Common California Turf Grasses Grass Type The chart below is a recommended guide for mowing heights of common California turfgrasses. ![]() In many areas of California, raising the mowing height in the summer encourages deeper roots and protects grass from drought and heat damage. If a lawn is not cut frequently enough and long clippings are left on the lawn, it may produce a “hay-like” look which can be unsightly. You may have to cut the lawn more frequently, or double cut, when the lawn is growing fast, such as in the spring, but cut much less when the turf is growing slowly. Proper mowing will produce short clippings that will not cover up the grass surface. Follow the “1/3 rule:” mow the lawn often enough so that no more than 1/3 of the length of the grass blade is removed in any one mowing. It is best to cut grass when the surface is dry, and keep mower blades sharp (dull blades can shred grass and create a potential entryway for disease). Proper mowing is required for successful grasscycling. Grasscycling can be practiced on any healthy lawn by following these turf management guidelines: Mowing Proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing practices result in more moderate turf growth, yet still produce a healthy, green lawn. ![]() Grass clippings are too valuable to throw away, and grasscycling allows reuse of this green material in our urban landscapes If a lawn is properly mowed, watered, and fertilized, grasscycling can actually produce a healthier-looking lawn. This amounts to 6 1/2 tons per acre each year. California lawns can generate approximately 300 to 400 pounds of grass clippings per 1000 square feet annually, depending on turf variety, environmental conditions, and turf management practices. Much of this valuable green material goes into landfills instead of being reused in our urban landscapes. Grass clippings make up a surprisingly large portion of California’s waste stream. Grasscycling reduces turf grass fertilizer and water requirements, which minimize chemical runoff from entering storm drains and polluting creeks, rivers, and lakes. Grass clippings add valuable nutrients and organic matter to the soil and produce healthy, green lawns. Mowing time is reduced since bagging and disposal of clippings is eliminated. Grasscycling saves time and money and helps the environment. Grass clippings contain moisture, valuable nutrients, and decompose quickly. Grasscycling is the natural recycling of grass by leaving clippings on the lawn when mowing. ![]()
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