Here are 2 things you can do to help ensure the success of your organic lawn care program:

1. Mow Correctly (Or make sure your landscapers do)
2. Water Correctly

MOWING

1. Mow with SHARP Blades Dull mower blades rip the grass instead of cutting it. This leaves your lawn vulnerable to disease attack and also dehydrates the grass blades causing them to turn brown. A hardware store should be able to sharpen your blades for you (every 20 hours of cutting).

2.Mow HIGH Mowing high (3-3.5") Will help: Reduce Weed Problems Encourage Deeper Roots and Greener Grass Prevent Crabgrass You can lower your cutting height to 2.5" for your last few cuttings in the late fall

3.Mow OFTEN Don't ever remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade in one cutting. Doing so can stop root growth for 30 days - encouraging weeds and weakening your grass.

4.Leave the Clippings on the Grass As long as the clippings don't smother the growing grass, you can leave them on to help add organic matter and nutrients. (Clippings don't contribute to Thatch Accumulation - See Common Lawn Problems for info on Thatch)

WATERING

Our lawns in Ohio will naturally turn brown during severe heat and drought stress. Normally you can let them turn dormant and they'll green up again when the rains return.

If you are going to water:

1.Water deeply and infrequently - Apply ½ to 1 inch of water (enough to wet the soil 6-8 inches deep) in each application.

2.Water once every 3-6 days, not everyday. Watering everyday encourages a shallow root system and invites disease problems.

3.Water in the early morning - Don't water at night. Watering at night invites disease problems.