Mid-Summer Diseases

In the last month, you may have noticed your lawn, flowers, and vegetables starting to struggle. In the first three weeks of July, we received three months’ worth of rainfall. All of that moisture combined with intense humidity created the perfect breeding ground for lawn diseases and weeds. Diseases that are currently spreading rapidly through lawns include pythium, brown patch, red thread, slime mold, and rust.

Many of these diseases require the same treatment: stop watering.

If you stopped watering when we started receiving steady rainfall, you’ve likely gotten ahead of these diseases. If your irrigation system has still been watering your lawn regularly, it’s time to turn it off until your lawn has a chance to recover and we have a steady dry spell. Because of the consistent rain and humidity we’ve been receiving, lawns have not had a chance to dry out and these stretches of moisture provide the perfect environment for fungal growth. Your lawn may appear brown and dried out- this is not the case. The brown patches are diseased and are made worse by watering. Severe areas that do not recover may need to be reseeded in the fall.

Additional tips to avoid/treat these diseases:

• Don’t let your lawn get too long!

• Don’t mow your lawn when it is wet!

 Here’s hoping for drier weather and quick recoveries!

BROWN PATCH

PYTHIUM

RED THREAD

RUST

SLIME MOLD

Early Season Drought Stress Prevention and Maintenance

A lawn suffering from drought stress

This year, we’ve had an unusually dry late spring and early summer. This early drought puts unique stress on lawns, and preserving your lawn’s health for the season requires special maintenance and care.

Consistent dry weather can cause drought stress, leaving your turf looking dry and burnt. However, with proper watering and management, you can protect your lawn and ensure it will look lush and green for the remainder of the season. (These recommendations stand for our current weather patterns, but these routines should be adjusted if the weather patterns change.)

For additional information on lawn maintenance during periods of drought, please see our blog post here.


Disclaimer: Each lawn is different and has different needs. If you are an NTS customer and think your lawn might be suffering from something other than drought stress, make sure to call or email us anytime!

Benefits of Aeration & Overseed

One of the key components of maintaining a healthy lawn is having it aerated and overseeded on a regular basis. This helps bring new life to old roots and aids in the establishment of a thicker lawn that is more resistant to disease before the dormant winter season. The most effective time of year for aeration and overseed is the fall, ensuring your grass will have a strong start the following spring.

What is aeration?

When we aerate your lawn, we remove soil cores mechanically. These cores are left on the top of your lawn, releasing nutrients and breaking down thatch over time. The holes bored allow water and nutrients to reach deeper into the root zone and provide a healthy environment for newer turf to grow.

Why is aeration an important part of lawn maintenance?

Regular aerations provide many benefits to your lawn. These include:

• Reduced soil compaction

• The creation of a microorganism-friendly environment that improves soil quality and releases nutrients

• Improved nutrient absorption

• Improved fertilizer uptake

• Increased resistance to drought stress

• Stimulated root growth to expand root area, resulting in stronger turf

Why overseed on top of an existing lawn?

Pairing an aeration with an overseed provides the opportunity to improve the health of the existing turf while also introducing newer, stronger turf varieties, resulting in a thicker and healthier lawn. Thicker turf is more resistant to weed and crabgrass growth as well as insect damage, and is more resilient in times of extreme heat and drought.

A fall aeration and overseed is the best way to ensure optimal lawn health for the following season!

Schedule your aeration / overseed now!

Email patrick@northeastturfsolutions.com

Call 978.375.2784

Maintaining your Lawn during the Hottest Summer Months

Photo taken July 17, 2019. NTS customer, Boxford, MA.

Mid-summer can bring with it a number of ailments for your lawn, chief among them drought stress.

Drought stress occurs during periods of high heat and little rain, leaving your turf looking dry and burnt. However, with proper watering and management, you can protect your lawn and ensure it will look lush and green through the remainder of the summer and fall seasons.

When the temperature rises, consider the following tips to keep your turf in top shape:

• Mow weekly and keep your mower blades sharp and high (2.5”-3”). Tall blades promote deeper roots and provide shade for the soil, resulting in less water evaporation.

• Never mow your lawn when the soil is wet. This could cause soil compaction and permanently damage the health of your lawn.

• Limit activities on your turf. Drought-stressed turf is more easily damaged.

Watering DOs and DON’Ts:

A typical lawn requires approximately one inch of water per week during mild weather. During hot summer months, this increases to two inches per week. (Lawn areas in shade require 50% less water than sunny areas.)

• DO water early in the morning, 3-4 days per week.

• DO water for 30-40 minutes per section so that the water can soak into the soil.

  • During a watering ban, your lawn can survive on less water. To comply with your town’s regulations during a ban, reduce the number of times you are watering and/or the length of each session. Your lawn won’t look it’s best, but it will survive.

• DO check your sprinkler heads every few weeks to ensure they are operating properly. Adjust the spray pattern to prevent water waste (i.e.- watering pavement).

• DO use a cycle and soak method of watering if you have an irrigation system (water 5-7 minutes per cycle, allow the water to soak in, then repeat the cycle an hour later).

• DON’T water at night- the grass will likely remain wet, fostering a disease-friendly environment.

If your lawn suffers from drought stress, it can take up to two weeks for it to recover, even with proper attention and care. Follow the above recommendations to give your lawn the best chance of recovery.

Disclaimer

Each lawn is different and has different needs. If you are an NTS customer and have specific questions or concerns about your lawn and want tailored advice, reach out to us anytime!

Stay Cool & Stay Green!