Power Plants
Know Thy Lawn It’s here… lawn season that is, and there is no time like the present to become one—or at least become more familiar—with your lawn. By Katie Jackson
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nvesting in a healthy lawn is well worth the time and money you spend on it. After all, lawns not only increase property values and curb appeal, they also help prevent erosion, filter pollutants from the air and rainwater and they cool and oxygenate the environment. By getting to know your lawn, you can formulate a lawn care plan that is efficient and effective, allowing you more time to enjoy, rather than work on, the lawn. Start by identifying the grasses and weeds that exist in your lawn. Different turfgrasses and weed problems require different kinds of management, so the more you know about your own turf, the better you’ll be able to manage it. For example, some turfgrasses should be mowed to as low as 1 inch while others should be maintained as high as 4 inches. Knowing what you’ve got out there helps you formulate a mowing schedule just right for your lawn’s needs and may save you some sweat and gas through the summer. Need help identifying grasses and weeds? Ask an expert, such as a local Alabama Cooperative Extension System representative or lawn care professional. They can tell you what’s growing in your lawn and offer advice on ways to renoKatie Jackson, who recently retired as chief editor for the Auburn University College of Agriculture and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, is now a fulltime freelance writer and editor. Contact her at katielamarjackson@gmail.com.
32 MAY may 2013
vate or even replant the lawn and landscape to better meet your site’s sun and soil conditions. Fertilizing is vital to good lawn health and now is the time to begin a fertilization program, but it pays (and saves) to know your lawn’s specific needs. The best way to determine the right fertility regime is test your soil. Soil test kits are available at your local Extension office or through the Auburn University Soil Testing Laboratory at www.aces.edu/anr/ soillab/ or 334-844-3958. Of course water is another necessity for a beautiful lawn and, by knowing your lawn, you’ll better understand its moisture needs, which helps conserve water and may help lower your water bill. The standard recommendation is to apply ½ to ¾ inches of water to the yard each time you irrigate, but only when the grass really needs it. Apply water when the grass begins to take on a blue-grey or white cast or do the footprint test—walk across your lawn in the late afternoon and, if you see your footprint in the turf, it’s time to water (and it’s a great excuse to step out and enjoy the yard while you’re at it!). Needless to say, many other elements contribute to a lush and low-mainte-
nance lawn and landscape, so don’t hesitate to explore other management ideas on the Web and through your local library or gardening experts. As I’ve mentioned more than once in this column, the Alabama Smart Yards publication, available through local Extension offices or online at www.aces. edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1359/ ANR-1359.pdf, is a comprehensive and invaluable source of landscaping advice aimed at making your landscape as beautiful as it is sustainable! While you’re paying attention to the lawn, don’t forget to pay some attention to the mom (or moms) in your life. Mother’s Day on May 12 is an ideal chance to give gifts from or for the garden, such as potted plants, annuals or perennials, gardening gloves and tools or even an offer to do yard work for her! A
May Gardening Tips d Plant summer annuals and perennials. d Plant eggplant, pepper and tomato transplants. d Sow seed for sweet corn, squash, okra and lima and snap beans. d Plant ornamental grasses and fallblooming perennials. d Prune spring-flowering shrubs and vines and climbing roses during or just after bloom. d Deadhead (remove spent flowers) from flowering annuals to prolong bloom time. d Keep newly planted shrubs and trees well watered. d Fertilize houseplants that are growing or blooming.
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