Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/301674
fieldreport: 3. Myth: Golf courses cut their grass short, so it's a good idea to do the same. Reality: Golf courses use incredibly sophisticated and expensive mowers to achieve a short height of cut. Check the appropriate mowing height for a species of grass, but in general, never cut more than one-third of the grass leaf at a time. 4. Myth: To have a healthy lawn, dethatch in the spring. Reality: Thatch is a layer of living and dead plant material, including the crown, roots and stems of the turfgrass plant. The brown on the surface at the beginning of the spring will slowly recede into the background all by itself as new leaves emerge. While dethatching is a common and sometimes necessary practice, it should be done only when thatch is excessive. 5. Myth: It's a good idea to remove clippings after mowing. Reality: There is a misconception that grass clippings contribute significantly to thatch. Grass clippings are mostly water and decompose rapidly, returning significant amounts of fertilizer to the lawn. Research shows that up to one-third of ap- plied fertilizer can be recycled by simply returning clippings. 6. Myth: The best time to fertilize your lawn is in early spring. Reality: Different varieties of grass like nutrients at different times of the year. You need to use the right fertilizer source, at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place. Cool-season grasses, like Kentucky bluegrass, are usually given nutrients in fall and early spring when it is cooler. Warm- season grasses, like Bermuda grass, usually like nutrients in late spring and early fall when it is warmer. 7. Myth: The products lawn care companies use are dangerous and more powerful than what a homeowner can use. Reality: Most of the products professionals use can be purchased at the garden center, but the differ- ence is that professionals are regulated and, by law, have to use the proper amounts, apply them correctly and dispose of them properly. 8. Myth: Watering the lawn with the garden hose saves more money than installing an irrigation system. Reality: Consider installing an irrigation system that uses smart controllers and has sensors that only allow for watering when conditions require it. Smart irrigation can offer a cost savings of approximately 15 to 20 percent on water bills. Convert irrigation spray nozzles from sprinklers to rotating nozzles, which spread heavy droplets of water at a slower pace, which makes them more targeted and effective. 8 To t a l L a n d s c a p e C a r e . c o m M AY 2 014 To see the Top 10 lawn care myths debunked, visit totallandscapecare.com/10-most-common-lawn- care-myths.