EDDIE SEAGLE: Spring’s coming, so time to mind the lawn

“Spring is the time of the year when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade.”

— Charles Dickens

“Fads and fashions come and go in the landscape. But nature never goes out of style.”

— Autumn Seagle

Weather-wise, this has been a most unusual year thus far. What will the next nine months bring? It’s mid-March and the springlike weather continues to become more springlike. However, we will still have a bit of chilly weather from time to time, up until about Easter (April 16). Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox, which happens Monday this year, the first day of spring. So get outside and enjoy all this spring weather that has been given to us. Enjoy these March winds that give us a refreshing feeling because, come summer, we definitely would like to have them around.

From the flowering of the saucer magnolias, cherries and azaleas to the Bradford (Callery) pears and eventually the bud-breaking of the pecan trees, spring continues to verify its presence. Thus, it’s time to think lawns and their seasonal needs through the basic cultural practices of mowing, irrigation and fertilization as the calendar season changes.

Mowing: Mowing is a very critical cultural practice that helps determine the health of the lawn. Be sure to set the mower at the appropriate height and keep it serviced and stored properly for a longer life. Lawns in this area consist of either centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysia or bermudagrass as favorites. However, some yards have evolved offering simply a green color with a conglomerate of existing stands of bahiagrass, carpetgrass and common bermudagrass sharing the same space with a dab of centipedegrass or St. Augustinegrass or zoysia (survival of the fittest in action). This latter choice is least appreciated with minimal curb appeal but does offer some degree of greenery and erosion protection.

Mow centipedegrass at 1.5 to 2.5 inches, St. Augustinegrass at 3 to 4 inches, zoysia at 1 to 2 inches and bermudagrass at 0.75 to 1.5 inches depending on the cultivar. The yard conglomerate can be mowed at 2 to 4 inches. The main problem with mowing is that many people mow their lawns too close, thus scalping. And when you scalp your lawn, it is weakened or killed and weeds move in really fast.

Irrigation: Another critical cultural practice is irrigation, or the application of water to our plants for their good health. Irrigate your lawn with approximately one inch of water each week on average. Centipedegrass may require less, while zoysia, St. Augustinegrass and bermudagrass may require a bit more. Keep your irrigation systems calibrated and serviced for best results to minimize overspray, wrongful spray, puddling and runoff. Do not water driveways, sidewalks, streets or the walls of houses. We know this, but improper irrigation head placement, size, calibration or service can waste water in such ways.

These systems are made of plastic materials and they will wear away with time and use. Replace parts and nozzles as needed. Keep your time clock working properly. The best time to irrigate is between 4 and 9 a.m. to minimize diseases, evaporation and activity interference. Never apply more water at any one time than the soil can absorb. In other words, the application rate should always be at or below the infiltration rate into the soil.

Also, properly irrigate your trees, shrubs and flowers. These plants will need between 1 and 2 inches of water each week depending on the particular plant. Hopefully, your irrigation system has been designed so that these plants are watered separately from the turfgrasses. Otherwise, you will always have problematic areas, either in the lawn or beds, depending on which area you focus your application rates. However, if you have used xeriscaping approaches and sustainable strategies, then you should have minimum problematic issues and areas.

Fertilization: The third critical cultural practice is fertilization, or the application of nutrients for our plants survival. Seek out the proper answers to your specific plant materials as to specific fertilizers, timing and rates. Always conduct a soil test to determine what’s already there so that you do not create toxic conditions, environmental hazards or waste.

A soil test is to your plants as your diet review and physical checkup are to you. Soil test for pH, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, iron, molybdenum, zinc and other micronutrients. Soil tests do not include nitrogen due to the mobility of this nutrient. All nitrogen recommendations are based on the needs of each particular plant species. If you need to know existing nitrogen levels, then a tissue analysis for nitrogen content of the leaves would be conducted. Private and public (university extension service) labs are available to conduct your soil tests for a nominal fee.

When you make an application of fertilizer, understand the difference between active ingredient and commercial formulation. For example, a 50 pound bag of 13-13-13 has 50 pounds of commercial formulation, but only 19.5 pounds of active ingredient since it has 13percent nitrogen, 13percent phosphorus and 13percent potassium. The remaining 30.5 pounds are inert ingredients or filler and carrier.

For centipedegrass, fertilize at a rate of 0.5 pounds of active ingredient nitrogen per one thousand square feet (i.e., an area 10 feet wide and 100 feet long). This would compute to 3.8 pounds of 13-13-13 for every one thousand square feet (i.e., it takes 7.6 pounds of 13-13-13 to get one pound active ingredient nitrogen, and one-half of that is 3.8 pounds, or 100percent divided by 13percent divided by 2). Just a quick lesson in basic math to help you better understand the numbers. One application per year in the spring should suffice on your centipedegrass lawn.

For St. Augustinegrass, zoysia and bermudagrass, fertilize at a rate of one pound of active ingredient nitrogen per 1,000 square feet in the spring and followed by another application in midsummer. Do not apply fertilizer too late in the season (near fall) since late application would encourage new growth that could become damaged from early cooler weather, thus reducing the health of the grass.

For trees, shrubs and flowers, select the appropriate specialty fertilizer of choice to feed your plants (i.e., rose fertilizer, camellia fertilizer, azalea fertilizer, perennial fertilizer, annuals fertilizer, etc.). For other plants, select a general fertilizer and follow recommendations on each particular species. Know the fertilizer requirements of plants and make every effort to accommodate this need based on what is already there in the soil (from soil test) and supplementing the difference with the necessary commercial formulation.

Always water your fertilizers into the lawn or around plants after application with approximately 0.5 inches of water. Make every effort to keep your grasses and plants slightly on the thirsty and hungry side. Do not starve or dehydrate them but encourage them to put out roots looking for food and water. Otherwise, if you keep them wet and overfed, then you will experience high losses during droughts due to shallow root systems (a bunch of “couch potatoes” out there in your lawn disguised as turf, trees and shrubs!).

Always think sustainability and native plants! May the results of your immediate efforts be long-lasting so that you can enjoy the fruits of your labor for seasons to come. Keep your hanging baskets and potted plants refreshed with water and food. Remember to feed and water the songbirds, and give your pets the care they need. Also, be on lookout for children playing and bicyclists riding along the streets and roadways throughout our communities as the weather continues its warming trend. Don’t drive distracted or impaired, and don’t text while driving. Help the homeless every chance you get. Let’s keep everyone safe!

Many thanks to all who read this column, which is an effort to provide each reader with timely and useful information. It is a small contribution on my part in “paying it forward” to my readers. In keeping with this thought, many of you know that we are planning our annual mission trip to the Peru this summer. We are currently raising funds to help finance this mission trip (discipleship journey). If you feel led to do so and would like to donate to this cause, please make a check payable to Heritage Church and mail to Eddie Seagle, Peru Mission Team, 108 Tallokas Circle, Moultrie, GA 31788. We would appreciate your prayers for a safe journey as well, and many thanks to each of you.

“If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” John 14:23.

Eddie Seagle is a sustainability associate, Golf Environment Organization (Scotland); agronomist and horticulturalist, CSI: Seagle (Consulting Services International); professor emeritus and honorary alumnus, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, and associate editor of The Golf Course, International Journal of Golf Science. Direct inquiries to [email protected].