Campbell Vaughn: Time has come to take care of your grass

This warm weather we have had these last few weeks with only a little dip in the cold has moved us toward lawn mode at the office.

About one half of our calls this time of year are grass oriented, so I thought I would share with you some things that are turf related happening in the landscapes now that grass has started to green.

In the Augusta area, we have four types of warm season turf grasses ‒ zoysia, bermuda, centipede and St. Augustine.  We call them warm season grasses because they grow actively when the temperature is warm and go dormant when the temperature is cold.

These grasses all have their own set of characteristics that make them unique.  For instance, they all like full sun, but St. Augustine grass can handle a little more shade than the others.  Zoysia can handle a little shade as well.  On the contrary, bermuda and centipede require a minimum of 6-8 hours of full sun to be dense. Some of the grasses have a wider leaf blade while others have a very narrow fine texture. So there is plenty to choose from if you are looking for a lawn.

If you already have an established lawn, there is plenty to do to have a green, healthy, dense and weed free yard. Number one is a soil sample. Your soil has to be in good shape for roots to want to thrive.  Our soil samples will give you the actual pH of the soil and the current levels of nutrients needed to sustain healthy plants. If the soil sample says your pH is too low, your grass literally cannot pick up the fertilizers you are paying a King’s ransom to feed it.

Our soil reports will recommend an amount of lime to get that pH up to a tolerable level and make your lawn happy again.  Lime takes a while to increase the pH, so the earlier you apply, the more time your soil has to adapt. We also have a saying, “lime anytime.” So, you aren’t restricted to when you can apply lime if it is needed. With nitrogen fertilizer, it is a little different.

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Fertilizing is a fairly simple process, but seems to get convoluted.  Nitrogen makes the grass grow up and potassium makes the roots grow down.  Our warm season turf does not need nitrogen until it has greened up in the spring.

With this year’s warm spring, some of the grasses are coming out of dormancy pretty rapidly but we still need to wait until May 1 to start fertilizing. Please don’t start your grass off with a high nitrogen boost on the first feeding. Use a product like 16-4-8 or 15-0-15. Use 6 pounds per 1,000 square feet of sod on St. Augustine, zoysia and bermudagrass.  Repeat in late June and the middle of August.  Zoysia and bermuda can handle a higher nitrogen rate in the late June feeding like 29-0-0.  Use 3-5 pounds of 15-0-15 per 1,000 square feet of sod on centipede.  That should be enough for the centipede for the year.

Mowing heights are important to keep your turf in good shape.  Make sure your blades are sharp so you don’t tear your grass blades. Bermuda and zoysia can be kept in the 1- to 2-inch range. Centipede is maintained a little higher at 2 inches while St. Augustine needs to be mowed at 3 inches. Do your best to get the old dead grass out of the lawn before the lawn turns completely green. It helps in a multitude of ways.

I had 4 inches of rain at my house on Sunday and Monday, so keep the irrigation systems off until we start getting into the upper 80s and low 90s. When it is time to water, irrigate deep and less often.  I would rather a lawn be watered once a week and run the sprinkler through two cycles one morning than irrigated three times a week.  It is ok for your lawn to stress a little.  Deep roots make for healthier lawns.  If the roots don’t have to work for the water, then they will stay shallow leading to issues down the road.

Lastly, if your soil is compacted, your grass will have trouble growing.  Core aerate in late May through July. Roots need air. Compacted soils don’t allow for air to reach the roots and water absorption is difficult. Core aeration will pull plugs out of your lawn and let the water and air infiltrate. I promise you it makes a big difference.

The best way to fight weeds and disease is to have healthy grass. These things will help you get on the path to making that happen.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Campbell Vaughn: Vaughn: Tips to get your grass in good shape