10 Myths About Lawn Care

Myth #1: Watering lawns every day is critical (especially in the sweltering heat of summer) to keep them looking green.

Water is critical for the health of your grass. Without enough water, grass can’t get the nutrients it needs for reproduction and growth. In fact most grasses do best with deep watering (1 to 1.5 inches including rainfall) once a week rather than a light watering everyday. Buy a rain gauge or mark an old soup can to make it easier to tell how much water your lawn needs every week.

Myth #2: Lawns are meant to be cut short
Mowing grass too short stresses the plants, especially in the heat of summer. Short grass also means the soil will dry out too quickly. Taller grass also forms a natural barrier to crowd out weeds. To be attractive, a lawn needs to be neat and even, not short. So raise the blades on your lawnmower 1 inch above your usual setting and give frequent trims for a groomed look.

Myth #3: To have the best looking lawn, you should fertilize monthly
With good soil, most lawns only need fertilizing once or twice a year depending on the variety. Even for a malnourished lawn, fertilizing every six to eight weeks is probably enough. Learn whether you have a cool-season or warm season grass (add link here). Heat-loving varieties should be fertilized in high summer; cool varieties in early spring and fall.

Myth #4: Regular spraying keeps pests off
Did you know that lawn owners use more pesticide per acre than farmers? All that spraying wreaks havoc on the environment, and it usually backfires. That’s because pesticides kill beneficial insects as well as pests, and upset your lawn’s natural ecosystem. When the next wave of pests arrives, your grass is defenseless. So treat pest outbreaks only if they occur, and always use the most natural, least toxic remedy available. Many times beneficial insects such as the ladybug or beneficial nematodes can remedy the problem without the use of pesticides.

Myth #5: Grass is weak; weeds are strong.
Along with pesticides, many lawn owners apply weed controls regularly, believing that even one weed can spell disaster. In fact, grass is very competitive. If you keep your lawn healthy, it will crowd out many weeds–including the dreaded crabgrass—in a season or two. If you follow our simple lawn care advice every season you will have healthy grass that will form a tight knit weave and force out weeds!

Myth #6: Put on your spiked shoes and aerate your lawn.

You may burn a few calories walking around your lawn but that is the only benefit you or your lawn will see. Whether you create your own spiked shoes or purchase some, this is not a beneficial method of aerating your lawn. If you have a lawn that is compacted or has too much thatch, you need to remove soil plugs, not just make holes. You either need to core cultivate (punch holes and bring small soil cores out of the ground) or dethatch with a power rake.

Myth #7: Don’t leave grass clippings on the lawn after mowing, it creates thatch

Grass clippings do not create thatch. Clippings are 85-90 percent water and they break down quickly. Leaving fine grass clippings on your lawn as a natural fertilizer is fine – that’s how a mulching mower works. Clippings contribute nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to the lawn. Thatch is a combination of dead plant stems and roots that accumulate at the soil level in your grass. To tell if your lawn needs dethatching, cut out a small section of the turf that includes the soil beneath it. If the dead grass layer is more than a half-inch thick, it’s time to dethatch. (add link here on how to dethatch).

Myth #8: If you don’t want a dead lawn, defy water restrictions and sneak in a bit of watering during a drought.

Remember, your lawn needs about an inch of rain/water per week, not a sip every now and again. If your area is in the midst of a drought and issues a watering ban, let your lawn go dormant instead of sneaking in a few late night waterings. Not only does night watering promote disease because the grass does not have a chance to dry out, but light waterings promote shallow root growth making them more likely to dry out. Your grass will look dry and may even turn straw colored when it goes dormant, but it will likely spring back to life when the rains come again.

Myth #9: If the chemical label says one teaspoon per gallon will get rid of weeds, doubling the dose will do an even better job.
Never, ever apply more than the specified amount of chemical or fertilizer to your weeds or lawn. If one application doesn’t eliminate the problem, reapply later according to the directions. Clover, creeping Charlie and other tough weeds often take two or three applications to be eliminated. A single, excessive application can damage grass, trees, shrubs and garden plants and poses risks to people, children and animals. Follow label directions carefully.

Myth #10: Nature takes care of its self; fertilizer is not needed.
All grass needs a low level of supplemental nutrients. The lawn is not a natural environment. When clippings are collected, the soil is robbed of nutrients that should be recycled back into the soil. Most lawns are grown on compacted, urban soils that are not ideal for growth. Nutrient supplements in the form of fertilizer are needed.

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