Plans for caring for your lawn
WATERING PLAN There are several grass types in the North Central Texas region . Most common forms found in Arlington are :
1 . Tall Fescue ( requires the most water ) 2 . St . Augustine 3 . “ Tif ” Bermuda 4 . Zoysia 5 . Common Bermuda 6 . Buffalo ( requires the least water )
During the driest period of summer , lawns usually require about 1 inch of water every 6 days . If water runs off the lawn before 1 inch is applied , turn the sprinkler off , let the water soak in for about 1 hour , and then continue watering .
The best time to water is early morning , so less water is lost by evaporation . The worst time to water is in the evening because the lawn stays wet all night . This encourages disease development . Lawns watered too frequently tend to develop shallow root systems .
REMEMBER : No watering between 10am — 6pm in the City all year long .
FERTILIZING PLAN The rate of fertilizer application , the frequency of application , the ratio of nutrients in the fertilizer and the source of the nitrogen all have a great deal to do with how fast the lawn grows .
The following fertilizing plan is designed to allow the lawn to grow at a reasonable rate and still have good color .
Fertilizer Ratio ( NPK )
Fertilizer Analysis
Application rate ( lbs / 1000 sq ft )
3-1-2 12-4-8 6
Fertilizer application dates
Tall Fescue Mar . 1 , Sept . 15 , Nov . 15 St . Augustine Apr . 15 , June 1 , Sept . 1 “ Tif ” Bermuda Apr . - Sept . ( 1st of each month )
Zoysia May 1 , June 1 , Sept . 1 Common Bermuda Apr . 15 , June 1 , July 15 , Sept . 1 Buffalo May 1 , Sept . 1
MOWING PLAN The “ rule of thumb ” for mowing home lawns is not to remove more than 1 / 3 of the blade surface at any one time . If you use the following mowing schedule , you no longer will need to bag your grass clippings .
Grass clippings left on your lawn will not lead to thatch , but will return valuable nutrients to the soil . They contain the necessary elements your lawn needs . Clippings are an excellent source of nitrogen for compost .
Grass type
Mower setting ( inches )
Mow when this height ( inches )
Tall Fescue 2 3
St . Augustine 2 3
“ Tif ” Bermuda 1 1 Zoysia 2 3
Common Bermuda
1 2
Buffalo 2 3
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