Mowing
Cut it high, let it lie.
Close and frequent cutting stresses grass plants. Weed seedlings need sun. Grass that is 2½ to 3 inches tall shades weeds out and holds moisture in the soil. Mow when dry and in the evening or the cool of the day. Keep mower blades sharp. Leave nitrogen rich clippings behind. Short clippings decompose quickly and add valuable nutrients to the soil.
Mowing frequency: twice per week in the spring, every two weeks in the summer, and once per week in the fall.
Watering
If the lawn is kept 3 inches tall, it will need less watering. Taller grass has deeper roots and will tolerate dry conditions. Home lawns in Michigan require ½ to 1½ inches of water per week. Water lightly and frequently – everyday if possible. A 15-20 minute watering during dry weather is usually sufficient. The best time to water your lawn is in the morning.
Pesticides
Pesticides kill worms and beneficial insects. Healthy lawns don’t have insect problems. Weed killers can harm gardens, trees, shrubs and breed resistant weeds. They also kill nitrogen-fixing (self-fertilizing) plants in the lawn and can contaminate garden produce.
Fertilizer
There is often overuse of yard care chemicals. The amount of fertilizers and pesticides sold for use in urban areas now exceeds that for agriculture in many parts of the country. Your lawn may not even need fertilizer. The nitrogen from your grass clippings may be all it needs. Get your soil tested. If more fertilizer is needed, select a slow-release fertilizer to promote steady, uniform growth and to protect water quality. Fertilize in September or October to promote root growth rather than top growth. Deep roots withstand drought and resist disease. Separate fertilizers from pesticides. “Weed and Feed” combined products often add unnecessary herbicides to the landscape.
Steps for soil testing:
- Select one area of your yard that you would like to test – for example: lawn or vegetable garden or flower garden. (You can test more than one area, but the samples must be collected separately.)
- Using a clean trowel and a pail, collect ten representative soil samples from the area you’re testing. (Remember, the ten samples must be from one type of landscape area in your yard, i.e. your lawn.)
- For each sample, remove a trowel-full of soil that extends seven inches below the surface. Do not include roots, thatch, plant materials, rocks, or gravel in the sample. Mix the ten samples together in the pail.
- Place one cup of the well-mixed soil in a clean plastic bag or container. Dry or damp soil is okay, but soggy soil should be allowed to air dry.
- If you wish to sample more that one area of you yard, use a clean pail and trowel to repeat steps 1-4. Label each bag carefully.
For more information about soil sampling, call your county MSU Extension office.
Genesee County
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(810) 244-8500
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Gratiot County
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(989) 875-5233
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Livingston County
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(517) 546-3950
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Washtenaw County
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(734) 997-1678
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Oakland County
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(248) 858-0902
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Saginaw County
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(989) 758-2500
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Shiawassee County
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(989) 734-2251
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Compiled from: Michigan DEQ, University of Wisconsin-Extension, MSU-Extension, West Michigan Environmental Action Council, Southeastern Oakland County Resource Recovery Authority
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