By "When should I water?" I mean what time(s) of day.

Hi ajtsheppard,

Here are some general guidelines that will point you in the right direction.

You can set your sprinklers to go off every other day or every third day with deep watering.

Deep watering means that if you set an empty tuna can (or similar shape container)in an area within the sprinkler system's pattern, you should accumulate about 1/2" of water each time you water.

Avoid light waterings as they will produce shallow roots on your grass and lead to damage during hot, dry weather.

Water longer, not more often. You want your grass to be well-watered so the roots can grow deep. Watering everyday but only long enough to barely get the ground wet won't cut it, and water running down the gutter doesn't do your lawn any good either

Water in the morning before it gets hot. This will keep the water from evaporating before it can do the most good. There may be less wind in the morning and this will help the water land where it's intended; on the grass not on the sidewalk or side of the house.

I recommend you keep a small journal so you can document when you fertilize, what you used, and how it performed. A journal is also good for jotting down your lawn's past problems and solutions. You think you will remember all the details but all it takes is a winter to come and go to make you forget.

As far as lawn treatments go, the most basic is a good fertilization program with applications of a fertilizer that has N-nitrogen, P-phosphorus, and P-potassium in a ratio similar to 21-3-3 or 21-7-14 (N-P-K).

Generally these applications would be about 6 weeks apart, depending on how you want your lawn to look. You may also need a weed control application or two during the growing season.

Talk with the folks at your local garden center or your county extension agent to get more specific recommendations for your area.

When cutting your grass, you want to try and cut it often enough that you don't remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade at one time. For example if you want to keep your lawn at 2 inches in height, then you would want to cut it when it grows to 3 inches. In your climate zone 2 - 2 1/2 inches is a good mowing height.

You didn't ask, but it is better not to collect your clippings unless they are so heavy that they would smother the grass beneath them. Your lawn will make use of the nutrients in the clippings if your lawn is properly mowed.

I probably told you way more than you wanted to know already, so I will stop here.

Hope this helps,
Byron

>" * Posted by greensideupbyron
You can set your sprinklers to go off every other day "

The OP is in Connecticut, not Guam.

>"the most basic is a good fertilization program [snip]in a ratio similar to 21-3-3 or 21-7-14 (N-P-K)."

Without a soil test, how can you recommend phosphorus and potassium for the OP?

>"Generally these applications would be about 6 weeks apart,"

STOP IT! There's no bermuda grass in Connecticut, Byron. By September, the poor guy won't have any grass left after all that nitrogen applied during the hot summer months.

i am pretty new to lawn care, had seeded my first lawn this spring, but here is what i have learned from this forum so far:
1) How often should I water? (I have a sprinkler system)
water deep and infrequent, that means 1" once a week
2) When should I water?
early morning
3) Are there lawn treatments I should be using? And if yes, what and when should they be applied.
fertilize at holydays (memorial day, 4th of july, labor day, halloween)
4) How often should I cut the grass? depends on the grass, but dont cut more than 1/3 of total blade length, mulch mowif it is established lawn

I planted a tall fescue lawn from seed this year, back in April. I also mixed in a little Bermuda grass seed as well. I have heavy clay soil, but mixed in a lot of composte/top soil with it. I fertilized once on Memorial Day. It grew in pretty well until the heat kicked in big time. I'm in the mojave desert, where it's over 100 deg from June-August usually.

This past week or so it's been 100+ deg outside, and it's starting to die/brown in some areas. Does that mean I'm not watering enough? I water at 8 pm for 10 minutes, then in the morning at 7am for 10 minutes...so twice every day.

Should I still fertilize on 4th of July even though it'll be 100 deg outside? I thought they said not to fertilize when it's this hot out? Couldn't it damage it more since some spots are dying/browning now?

>*"Posted by garycinchicago Z5 Chicago IL

The OP is in Connecticut, not Guam"

Every other day, every third day, once a week, that watering choice will be the homeowners decision. I think he was given enough information to be able to make his own decision about watering.

The fertilizer ratios given were only examples to show the relationship of the numbers on a bag of fertilizer.

A soil test is always a good idea, but applying a little phosphorus and/or potassium without one, is not going to cause a problem while you get one done.

Phosphorous:
* stimulates root growth

Potassium:
* gives vigor to tolerate changing weather conditions;
* helps resist disease;
* assists in the food manufacturing process;
* strengthens cell wall structure for strong stems;

As for
>*"all that nitrogen applied during the hot summer months."

Just because you fertilize regularly does not mean you have to dump massive quantities of fertilizer on your lawn each time.

The "ratio" is not the same as the "rate"! If you control the rate based on the weather conditions this statement of yours will never come into play:

>*"By September, the poor guy won't have any grass left after all that nitrogen "

Fertilizing every six weeks is not the problem; using too heavy a rate of fertilizer would be a problem.

Nowhere was there a mention what rate he should be using. I did however recommend that the homeowner "Talk with the folks at your local garden center or your county extension agent to get more specific recommendations for your area. "

Did I miss the part where you offered him any of the advice he asked for.

Oh well, maybe next time.

Best Regards

>"Fertilizing every six weeks is not the problem; using too heavy a rate of fertilizer would be a problem. "

Fine. How many Lbs/1000 ft2 are you recommending per app and annually then?

>"Nowhere was there a mention what rate he should be using."

So knowing that he is a newbie, don't you think he would follow instructions on the bag, which is designed to apply 1Lb N per 1000 ??????

>"The "ratio" is not the same as the "rate"! If you control the rate based on the weather conditions this statement of yours will never come into play:"

He's a newbie, remember?

>"Every other day, every third day, once a week, that watering choice will be the homeowners decision. "

He's a newbie, remember?

>"Did I miss the part where you offered him any of the advice he asked for."

Yes you did. Use the search feature in this forum.