Watering your turf correctly

That darn water bill! Is it always sky high or what!?

Living in Arizona is going to create some difficulties because, let's face it, AZ is constantly in a drought.

Easy fixes to watering less:

-Turn your watering time on for less all together! 9 times out of 10, homeowners are letting that water run way more than necessary and being wasteful
- Pay attention to the weather, if it's raining, turn off your automatic sprinkler system. Yes it's convenient to have those but do not let them water while it is raining
-During the cooler months of the year cut back on how often you water, every other day to every other other day if possible.
-During the hot middle months of the year, water daily and syringe small amounts during the day if necessary to keep grass cool. Be aware that if you syringe your turf during the hot day, apply enough so not to burn the turf.
-Water in the early morning when it is cool, yet never if it is freezing. If you can water in the early morning and during the cooler times of the day, this will not allow for excess water to evaporate into the air.
-Depending on spring conditions, and if possible, "stress" your lawn in the early spring (when temperatures are still rather cool but photosynthesis is occurring). Do not water it if possible, wait til grass turns a grayish color but do not let it die and turn brown. By stressing the turf, roots will grow deeper seeking for water and because roots grow deeper in the spring when water availability below is higher, in the hot months, roots will be deeper allowing for deeper and better water uptake.
-Last but not least, if you are going to install an irrigation system (a sprinkler system) make sure it is properly installed and functions efficiently (aka- you don't want large sections spraying your the side of your home, a fence, or a gravel ground cover.)

Now go look at your watering plan!

Mowing

Love the green lawn?

Hate mowing it twice a week?

Here's some simple tips to keep that turf under control and looking fly!

-The longer between mowings, the faster the grass will grow each day (more blade=more green=more area for photosynthesis to occur=more growing. So really, cutting on a consistent schedule is less maintenance than you think.

-Don't cut off more than 1/3 of the blade when mowing. This will scalp the turf causing injury and a slow recovery will follow creating unhealthy turf.

-If you're mowing on a consistent basis, don't be afraid to leave grass clippings on the lawn. Nutrients will stay with the lawn and deteriorate into the soil. This will also create less waste to go to landfills. If you have gone a long time between mowings, it is recommended that large clumps be removed from turf, these clumps may get too wet, not deteriorate and could help fungi and disease to reproduce

There it is homeowners! Keep mowing that lawn and make it look great!

Fertilizer

Our grass craves periodic feedings, and it is best to meet this need for periodic feedings by fertilizing lawns with "slow-release" products. You'll find such products at local home improvement stores, such as Lowe's and Home Depot. Because these products release their nutrients over time, rather than all at once, fertilizing lawns with them allows the grass to "eat" at its own leisure. As nutrients are released, the root system of your grass fills in any bare patches, depriving weed seeds of a place to germinate. (Of course, as a substitute for all this, you can stay organic and simply top dress your lawns with compost in spring and fall.)

There are 16 essential nutrients that a plant must have in order to grow effectively, N, P, K, and Fe often being deficient in soils. Fertilizer is mostly comprised of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) = N-P-K. The label on a bag will show three numbers in a dashed sequence like so: 16-0-2, this would mean that 16% of the bag contains N, 0% P, and 2% K. More often that not, N will be the highest number because turf is in constant need of N. Phosphorus is not common in a normal fertilizer application because it is immobile (meaning it will not easily move to the soil for the plant to reach- it must must originally be in the soil before establishment for turf to obtain [this is why we mix a decent amount of P into the soil before seeding/sodding]). A moderate amount of K is needed for constant growth so it is often added. Iron (Fe) is another nutrient found in a bag of fertilizer, Fe will make grass greener and the change can be seen almost immediately.

Before fertilizing lawns with products, read the instructions on the bag carefully (or ask someone at the store for details). A particular product may not be suitable for your type of grass. When applying fertilizers, follow directions correctly, concerning how much to apply, how often they should be applied, and under what conditions they should be applied.

Fertilizing lawns is best done with a spreader. Careful not to fill the applicator with the spreader parked on the grass. Doing so invites grass-burn, as you may accidentally discharge too much while loading. Instead, fill the applicator somewhere else, then wheel the spreader onto the grass.

General Fertilizer Plan:
Heavy application N (half quick release/slow release) and K in March. A moderate amount slow release N in May, a moderate amount slow release in August, a heavy amount slow release in November for overseeding.