Lawn IPM – Preparing for Summer

“Sopping, and with no sign of stopping, either- then a breather. Warm again, storm again- what is the norm, again? It’s fine, it’s not, it’s suddenly hot: Boom, crash, lightning flash!” – ― Old Farmer’s Almanac

Early June and the grass still has not come out of dormancy.
Early June and the grass is still dormant.

What a spring it has been. After a spring drought, the grass is now recovering (or finally coming out of dormancy!) as parts of New York have received inches of rain over the past two weeks. Wet soils, higher temperatures, and humidity can lead to turf damage and pest pressure. What can you do to help prepare for summer stress?

What a difference a week, and rain, makes.
What a difference a couple of weeks, and rain, makes.

Hold off on fertilizers

Spring fertilization promotes top growth at the expense of root growth. Grass needs deep roots as a buffer against summer heat, drought, insect damage, and diseases. Unless you are maintaining high quality, high traffic turf, such as on golf putting surfaces, wait until the fall to fertilize.

IrrigationPicture1

Ideally, your grass should be receiving one inch of water per week. If you have the ability to irrigate, keep track of rainfall using a rain gauge, and supplement when needed.  You can also monitor the ForeCast: Weather for the Turf Industry website, which has a link that can help you determine if you should water your lawn today.

Mow high

Set your mower to its highest setting. The longer the leaf blades, the deeper the roots, providing a buffer against drought, diseases, and insect damage.

Make sure those blades are sharp.

If you haven’t yet sharpened your blades this season, don’t wait any longer. Dull blades shred rather than cut, allowing more moisture loss and increase turf stress. You can find information on blade sharpening here. Resharpen the blades after every 10 to 12 hours of use. As an added incentive, dull blades can increase fuel costs 20%, so sharpen those blades and save money!

Timing is important

Warm, rainy days can lead to significant growth, leading to mowing anxiety. Mowing when soils are saturated, however, and can lead to rutting and compaction. Try to wait until the soil has had a chance to dry.

On the flip side, if you wait too long, you can end up leaving clumps of grass clippings, which can block out the sun and seal in the moisture, leaving the turf susceptible to humidity-loving diseases. Under these conditions, collect clippings and compost them, if possible.Picture2

Grass specific weather information, including weed development, heat stress, and when and how much to water, can be found at ForeCast: Weather for the Turf Industry. For weekly  information on turfgrass conditions, listen to the weekly ShortCutt podcast by Cornell’s Frank Rossi.