There are many misconceptions about lawn care out there, and, unfortunately, these false perceptions and beliefs regarding the proper way to cut grass, water grass, and manage your lawn continue to influence lawn care decision making today. Many homeowners are watering their lawns based on myths, like the misconception that it’s a good idea to water every single day (it isn’t). Do you still believe any of these myths about lawn care?
Common Lawn Care Myths
The Best Time To Fertilize Is Early Spring
The most common grass types in New Jersey are cool season grasses. Fertilizing your cool season lawn in the early spring will cause your grass to grow too fast with a weaker root base, making it vulnerable to the stresses of summer. Instead, fertilize your cool season lawn in the fall season while your grass is actively growing, and do another application in the spring to ensure a healthy, strong lawn. You should never fertilize any type of grass during drought conditions.
I Can Mow Less Often By Cutting My Grass Shorter
The height at which you cut your grass is extremely important, but not because cutting it shorter means less work for you later on. Grass should never be cut to any shorter than two-thirds the starting height, and most grass is at optimal height between two and four inches tall. Cutting your grass too short as the myth suggests can cause a shallow, weak root base because there is less shade and protection for the soil, less space to store water, etc.
I Should Wear Golf Spikes While Mowing
This particular myth suggests that wearing golf shoes (or other “spiked” footwear) while mowing your lawn will serve to aerate the lawn simultaneously. While imaginative, this practice is quite pointless. If you were to aerate your lawn enough to positively impact the compacted soil, you would have to walk over your yard much more than you will just while mowing.
I Should Avoid Recycling Clippings To Reduce Thatch
It used to be widely believed that recycling grass clippings (returning them to the lawn) caused the increased development of thatch, a layer of organic buildup on the surface of the lawn’s soil made up of stems, roots, dead grass, etc. Studies have been conducted since the 1960s, providing evidence that grass clippings do not increase the buildup of thatch.
Garden Hoses Are Just As Efficient As Irrigations Systems
Although it may feel as if more water is being used with an automatic irrigation system, garden hoses are actually less efficient. Irrigation systems are more capable of spreading large water droplets over a more targeted area, and automatic controls ensure that you water your lawn for just the right amount of time. Many systems use sensors so your lawn only gets watered when the conditions call for it.
Keep these myths in mind as you tackle lawn care this spring. A huge part of keeping your lawn green and healthy this year will be having a reliable irrigation system. If you need an irrigation system installation, replacement, repair, or you need regular irrigation system maintenance, please contact the property maintenance professionals at Tanz Inc.
