Lawn care guide
When it comes to home lawns, a simple approach is often the best. 80% of your results will come from following the basics. Adequate sunlight, quality grass seed, proper mowing, watering, and nitrogen will be fundamental. The remaining 20% of lawn care will involve tasks such as weed control, aeration, de-thatching, moss control, and specialty products. While these services can be important, they are not a substitute for the basics.
The 80%…
Sunlight -The majority of grass types grow best with 6-8+ hrs of direct sun. Shade tolerant grass will need a minimum of 4 hours of sunlight per day. Pruning to expose more light is ideal, but may not always be practical. For shaded areas Turf-type-tall fescue or a blend of perennial rye - and fine fescue can provide great results. Expect shaded areas to require a bit more attention and upkeep than sunny areas.
Inter-seeding (overseeding) - Coming out of summer most lawns will naturually thin-out a little bit and can benefit from over-seeding. (This is not always needed) If purchasing grass seed we recommend Turf type tall fescue, perennial rye, or a 70/30 mix of perennial rye and creeping red fescue. Buy the best seed you can afford. Inexpensive seed will often contain weeds and annual rye as a filler. See more details on our over-seeding page.
Mowing - When it comes to keeping a beautiful lawn, regular mowing is the first step! Mowing on a frequent schedule will stimulates lateral shoot growth, increase density, and reduce weed pressure.
Ensure the mower blade has been properly sharpened before the start of the season. A sharp blade will make cutting easier, look better, and reduce stress by ensuring a cleaner cut. Check periodically throughout the season.
For best performance, consider purchasing a blade designed specifically for mulching or bagging.
Select the correct height. It’s okay to cut the grass low initially (early spring), but keep the height the same or slightly higher as the season progresses. This will prevent removing too much of the leaf blade. Follow the, “1/3rd rule.”
Mulch or bag clippings based on your preference.
mulching grass clippings may allow one less fertilizer application per year on average. Mulching is a great option assuming the lawn is dry, and growth is moderate to slow.
bagging clippings is often preferred during times of heavy growth, or in wet conditions.
The 1/3rd rule - avoid cutting more than 1/3rd of the leaf blade when mowing. If the lawn is 1.5 inches tall before mowing, the finished cut height should not be less than 1 inch. Note: when the lawn is growing rapidly, conditions often require mowing 2x a week to keep adherence.
Irrigation - Water requirements can vary based on a number of factors. Getting the water dialed-in will be one of the most important (and detailed) maintenance tasks.
Most lawns in the Willamette valley will require between 0’ and 3/4 inches of supplemental irrigation in the spring, and between 1’ to 1.5’ inches per week in the summer.
For best efficiency do not exceed .20 inches per irrigation cycle. (Recent studies have shown deep and infrequent watering to be slightly less effective and more wasteful)
Determine how long it takes your sprinkler system to deliver .20 inches of water then simply add or reduce the number of water cycles to meet seasonal water requirements.
View our Irrigation page to learn more.
Fertilizer - (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium)
Higher expectations - 4 applications per year - May 1st, June 15th, Sept 1st, October 15th.
Lower expectations - 2 applications per year - May 1, October 15th
Maintaining adequate nutrient levels (N-P-K) is a critical component to keeping a healthy, dense lawn. Most soils in the Willamette Valley will not require much if any supplemental Phosphorus. Potassium requirements are also quite low. Nitrogen will be the primary nutrient demand.
Whether you use an organic nitrogen source or synthetic, aim to apply .75-1 lb of nitrogen, per 1k sqft, per application. When using a conventional (synthetic) apply when the grass blades are dry and water-in if rain is not expected. Avoid applying if lawn is drought stressed. Many will opt for products with a slightly lower percentage of nitrogen. A product such as 46-0-0 will have less room for error than a 15-0-0 product.
Example 1: 30-0-4 “Professional - synthetic”
This contains 30% nitrogen, 0% phosphorus, and 4% (K)Potassium. This means one pound of product contains .30 lb of N., zero P. and .04 lb K. To deliver 1 lb of nitrogen (per 1k sqft), we would apply 3.33 lbs of product.
Example 2: 10-0-2 “Organic”
By weight this product contains 10% N, zero P, and 2% K. To deliver 1 lb. of Nitrogen using this product (per 1k sqft) we would need to apply 10 lbs of product. (1/.10=10)
If you suspect your lawn is not responding to fertilizer applications, consider having your soil tested. Occasionally low sulphur levels will inhibit nitrogen uptake. Visual quality is often a better indicator than soil testing. For this reason we usually only recommend a soil test if you suspect an issue.
The remaining 20%
Weed control - Everyone will have a different level of tolerance for weeds. While there are a few exceptions, most are relatively easy to control and treat. If you have a small lawn, a good weeding tool and taking a few minutes each time you mow can be a good option.
If applying chemicals we recommend using a pump sprayer for best results. We generally don’t recommend weed & feed type products. Take the time to read and the product label. A 3-way type herbicide will generally provide good results when treating “broad-leaf” weeds. It will be important to calibrate your spray tank to avoid over-application. Many find they ultimately prefer hiring a professional. Keep in mind there are hundreds of different products on the market. When it comes to treating grassy type weeds in the lawn, the approach will typically be more involved and nuanced.
Edging - This is largely performed for appearance. Many will find a crisp edge cut along flower beds or hardscape goes a long ways visually. “Soft edges” around flower beds and trees will be best performed using a string line. This will require a little practice. Turf areas bordering sidewalks or driveways (hard edges) are often best maintained using a “blade” type edger. While a string type can deliver great results initially, over the course of time this method will commonly lead to a receding turf line.
Power raking/De-thatching - This will help with the appearance of your lawn by removing dead and matted material. Periodic thinning will improve airflow through the leaf canopy, reducing the risk of disease and insect damage. While keeping a dense lawn (relatively speaking) is a good thing, there is a limit.
An example we like to make is brushing your hair. If never performed, one can imagine how it could become less than ideal! Much the same way hair type can vary (straight, wavy, curly etc) grass types will vary in their growth pattern. Certain types of fine fescue and bluegrass will often require a little more thinning than a turf-type-tall-fescue or perennial rye. Fortunately when it comes lawn care, this is not something you need to do constantly. Power raking twice a year (early spring, and autumn) can help tremendously.
Moss control -
Aeration -
Wetting agents - (surfactants) - Before considering use of a wetting agent ensure you have dialed-in your sprinkler system to deliver .20 inches. If you have been irrigating regularly and you still suspect your lawn isn’t getting enough water take a core sample from your lawn. Your soil should be visually damp to a depth of.