Proper grass height.

[Steveo]

If it doesn't compress the soil, it's not doing anything.

[junkmail01]

I too have a problem with the 1-1/2" height thing, enough that I don't think I'll experiment with that. But the rest makes sense.

In scotts 4 step there is a summer guard step, why would you not fert in the summer?

tom

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[junkmail01]

The Shorter the mowing, less watering? I heard shorter the grass more likely it will dry out. Can you explain?

thx,

tom

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[RoyDMercer]

I was referring to lawns mowed much higher than recommended. If you are mowing so short that the soil is exposed, then yes, the soil will dry out and you'll need to water more. However longer grass equates to a higher Water Use Rate (WUR). The reason for this is because the higher the leaf area, the more water will be lost to transpiration. This is why it's important to mow at the proper height, for the lawn type you have. If the lawn is mowed way too short, the soil can be exposed and water can be lost to soil evaporation. If the lawn is mowed way too long, water will be lost to excessive transpiration.

Quite a few horticultural publications and web sites recommend allowing grass to grow longer to decrease irrigation rates. What many of them don't tell you is letting the grass get too long has the reverse effect.

[Peter H]

The grasses you are growing are what are considered to be "cool-season turfgrasses". These varieties only want to grow when the temperature is from about 50 degrees to 80F or thereabouts. If it gets any warmer they try to shut down and go dormant. You can, of course, force them to grow through the heat of the summer by fertilizing and/or watering them, but there is a down side. You set them up for disease infestation.

Homeowners with sprinkler systems are the most susceptible. When I was in the business I used to cringe when I was quoting a lawn with a sprinkler system, particularly if I knew the owner was a real keener.

Peter H

[Steveo]

Bull,cool season turfgrass needs water. There's no better way of applying it than with an irrigation system.

It's a good thing you got out of the business then. I'd guess 50% of the lawns I service have irrigation systems. The people who don't water present more problems than those that do.