News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
If lawn renovations are part of your fall agenda, UT Extension Director John Gunter said you can get ready for the project now.
The Upper Cumberland home to many cool-season grasses, meaning the majority of the growth occurs between 50 and 80 degrees. Gunter said residents looking to get the most growth out of cool-season grasses should seed their lawn mid-September.
“We need to have everything in order prior to that time so that we can ensure we’re getting that seed in at the right time,” Gunter said. “So, some things that you can do right now is begin to aerate that lawn.”
This can be done with an aerator or dethatcher which pulls thatch up fore removal. Thatch is organic matter that builds up over time and can throw off pH levels, Gunter said, preventing growth and encouraging disease.
“Always we want folks to do soil tests, because otherwise we’re just kind of shooting at a moving target,” Gunter said. “It’s like going to the doctor an not being able to tell the doctor what’s wrong with you.
The director of the Fentress County Ag Extension office said soil tests identify exactly how much fertilizer to put out depends on the nutrients the lawn lacks.
Gunter said, to begin the grass-growing process, growers can spread the seed and lay straw on top to lock in moisture. With larger yards, homeowners may want to use a seed drill to improve germination. The grass needs about an inch of water per week to flourish. The best time to irrigate is early in the mornings or late at night as it minimizes water usage and waste due to reduced evaporation rate during these hours.
“Typically, you know, if you do it real early in the morning, the water has the chance to soak into to those plants and also into the surface soil and ease on down through the soil structure,” Gunter said. “Where as, if your doing that in the middle of the day, evaporation-the heat, is going to pull quite a bit of that water away from you.
A common mistake Gunter sees people make is wanting to “scalp” their lawn. Cutting the grass too low allows weeds to grow and cuts off the sugars the blade may be storing. Gunter said a healthy lawn should be thick, have four to six inches of blade on the grass, and should have a dark green color.
