Utah Rocky Mountain Turf Farm Sod Tips

Summer Turf Tips- November through February: Usually no irrigation is
- Check your sprinkler system for proper coverage.needed unless weather is extremely dry for 2 to 3
- Follow the on and off watering tips here in ourweeks at a time.
information. Remember that your soil will only absorb a- Every lawn is different and you may have to modify
limited amount of water at a time. On and off wateringthe above to meet your individual needs. The key thing
at least 3 times on your watering day will promoteto remember is to keep the root area moist during the
deep roots and a healthier lawn.crucial rooting period.
- As summer temperatures increase, raise the mowing- Mow as needed, maintaining a mowing height of 2 to
height to 2 to 3 inches.3 inches. Remove no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade
- Fertilize every 4 to 8 weeks but cut back 25% toper mowing.
50% of the recommended rate.- Fertilize every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing
- If dry spots appear check your sprinkler coverage.season. We recommend a granular, well-balanced
Water these dry spots by hand -- please do notfertilizer without weed control. The best way to find
increase your irrigation timing to compensate for a fewout how often your lawn needs to be fed is to mark
dry spots!your calendar when you make a fertilizer application.
- Be sure and keep your mower blade(s) sharp -- aWhen you notice the color begin to fade, you will know
dull blade will injure the grass and encourage disease.you should have fertilized a week earlier. Check your
Spring Turf Tipscalendar and this will give you the interval for
- Mow your lawn as low as possible. This will removefertilization.
old, dead winter kill and thatch. This allows sunlight to- Brown spots: Most lawns will get brown spots from
get to the soil and warm it up -- this is key to earlytime to time. Check your sprinklers for coverage.
green up. Then fertilize with a 16-6-8 fertilizer and yourWindy days and high temperatures will result in varying
lawn will be on it's way.patterns. Water these trouble spots by hand. Do not
Winter Turf Tipsincrease the water to the entire area to eliminate
- Putting your sod to bed: after your last regularisolated brown areas.
mowing, fertilize with a 6-20-20; water appropriately,- Runoff: A lawn is one of natures best filters for
then winterize your sprinkler system. Keep in mind youairborne pollutants, applied fertilizers and chemicals.
may have to hand water your lawn if the weatherRunoff from any landscape area, though, can pollute
warms up, which is typical with our Utah weather.our waterways and create treatment plant problems.
General tips- Contrary to what some may want you to believe,
- For your new Utah lawn: check with your landscapelawns do not waste water, man does. Lawns are of
professional to make sure the system is set for 3 to 4increasing importance to our urban environment since
times a day 10 to 15 minutes each cycle for the first 2we are removing vast amounts of natural vegetation
weeks. At the end of 2 weeks, continue the sameand agricultural land from the ecosystem, replacing
watering pattern but cut back to every other day forthem with asphalt concrete and buildings. Scientific
2 weeks, then cut back to every third day. If waterstudies have found that many of the shrubs and trees
runs off, cut back on the number of minutes. New sodwe use in our landscapes may, in fact, consume more
is exempt from watering regulations for 6 weeks.water than a lawn of equal area. The point is not so
After the first 6 weeks, follow the watering schedulemuch what to plant or use in your landscape to
below:achieve your desired effect, but to efficiently manage
- March, April, September and October: Water asthe irrigation and maintenance of your landscape.
needed to keep root area moist. On those days water- Utah sod is like people: it needs air, food and water to
3 times, 5 to 10 minutes at 2 hour intervals.survive. When you properly maintain your lawn with
- May through August: Water on the days and hoursgood water management, proper fertilization and
according to local ordinances Water 3 to 4 times onmowing schedules, you will have a healthy beautiful
these days starting early morning. Water for 5 to 10lawn for many years.
minutes each time at 2 hour intervals.