Best Practices

These are the three most important cultural practices that help determine lawn health. In order of importance, they are:

• mowing

• fertilization

• watering

Green Way already has the fertilization covered, so let’s talk about mowing and watering.

Mowing

Mowing is the most important cultural practice performed on your lawn. It has a critical impact on the quality of your lawn, even more so than fertilization and irrigation. It’s not a coincidence that our best lawns are very well mowed. The height and quality of the cut are usually excellent.

THE most important practice. Period. A properly mowed lawn will outperform a poorly mowed lawn by a mile!

• Mowing higher is better than mowing short. Your lawn is NOT a golf green or fairway. It should be mowed much higher than either of those.

• Mowing frequently is much better. A lawn mowed weekly, or even every 5 days, will outperform one mowed every other week. If you want the best lawn, don’t skimp on mowing.

• FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTIONS.

• Click here if you really want to “get into the weeds” about mowing!

Watering

Watering is the most misunderstood cultural practice in lawn care. Improper watering is the most common mistake we encounter! Everyone seems to have their own ideas about it, especially with automatic irrigation systems. The increased use of these systems brings a tendency to use them as often as possible. This usually creates a variety of problems.

THE most misunderstood practice. We seldom take on new customers who are already doing it the right way. Here’s a few facts that can help:

• Your irrigation system is there to supplement any rainfall and not intended to replace it. In other words, if we get a good, consistent, rainy day, it’s time to shut off your system for a few days. Even if you’re “technically challenged” and break into a sweat just looking at your irrigation control box, there’s always the “on/off” switch. Use it!

• Deep, infrequent watering is best. We want to soak the soil to get water to the roots, and not just spritz the grass blades.

• Frequent, shallow watering promotes weeds, diseases, and off-color turf.

• FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTIONS.

• Click here if you want to “get in over your head” about watering.