On this page, we provide helpful information that you can use to establish and maintain a healthy lawn. Use one of the hyperlinks below to jump to a specific topic, or take in the whole page for a basic introduction to lawn care.

Creating a New Lawn	Lawn Maintenance
Seeding Sodding Tree and Shrub Care	Mowing Watering Fertilizing Weed Control Insect Control Aerating Overseeding Soil Testing

Mowing
Ideally, when you mow the lawn, you should aim to cut about one-third of the height of the grass blades. The height of the lawn should range between 2.5 to 3 inches. Leaving the blade length high helps to create a canopy effect which keeps the soil moist and prevents weed seed from germinating.

Commercial Turf Fertilization recommends the use of a mulching mower to leave grass clippings on the lawn. The clippings degrade and return nutrients to the lawn. The typical grass plant contains up to 80-90% water, plus traces of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. All of which are beneficial to your lawn.

Watering
In most areas, grass needs approximately one-inch of water a week. Infrequent and deep watering encourages deep roots and a healthy lawn.

Watering too frequently can cause more annual weeds, shallow grass roots, and increased probability of disease. Overwatering can distribute the nitrogen in fertilizer below root systems and into ground water.

The best time of day to water is early morning or early evening. Watering during peek sunlight hours will cause premature evaporation, thereby having a reduced effect. Watering late at night tends to foster disease in the ground when it remains wet for long periods of time.

Fertilizing
Fertilization is the process of providing nutrients to your lawn to foster growth and durability. When a lawn is properly fertilized, the grass will appear deep green in color and will be able to withstand environmental wear and tear. The need for fertilizer can be determined by evaluating the condition of your lawn. For example, does it appear discolored? Does it appear thin in areas?

Proper fertilization involves knowing what nutrients to apply, when to apply them, how much to apply, and how to distribute them. Too much fertilizer may cause damage to your turf and may contaminate local water resources.

Your lawn obtains many key nutrients such as hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon from natural resources such as water and air. In addition to these nutrients, the typical grass plant requires additional elements in order to stay healthy. Some elements, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, are consumed by grass plants in significant quantities. These elements should be provided to your lawn on a periodic basis. Grass plants also use smaller quantities of other elements in the growth process, such as calcium, magnesium, sulfer, and others to stimulate chemical processes.

CTF can help you to determine the best fertilization program for the needs of your lawn. Contact us today to receive a free evalutaion of your property.

Weed Control
The process of controling weeds begins with identification of the type of weeds that are appearing in your lawn. There are numerous species of broadleaf weeds that may pop up. Identification helps to to determine the appropriate herbicide to be used in the control process. Some weeds, such as chickweed, are resistant to commonly-used herbicides and may require a separate additional treatment.

It is often said that the best defense against weeds is a healthy dense lawn. This creates a canopy effect preventing germination of weed seed.

The application of herbicide is most effective when the soil is moist, the temperature is warm (at least 70 but no more than 85 degrees Fahrenheit) and the weeds are actively growing. Some weeds are difficult to control and may require multiple applications of herbicide to solve the problem.

Crabgrass can also be controlled with herbicides, though there is no herbicide that can eliminate it 100%. About 80-90% control is a reasonable expectation. There are two types of herbicides: pre-emergent and post-emergent. As the name implies, these herbicides work either before or after the plant has emerged. Pre-emergent herbicides should be applied 1-2 weeks before germination. Post-emergent herbicides should be applied when the plant is small in size with a small number of leaves.

Insect Control
Like weeds, it is important to be able to identify insect pests in order to know how to deal with them. There are dozens of species of insects that can be classified as lawn pests. Signs of insect problems include: discoloration of lawn (yellow, red, white, brown), and loose turf.

Pesticides need not be the first line of defense against insects. Some pests can be avoided by choosing an insect resistant grass seed. Other pests may be thwarted by changing your watering strategy. In some cases, pesticides may be required.

Aerating
Aeration is a mechanical process that loosens up your soil to reduce thatch and compaction, and to allow water, air, and fertilizer to reach your lawn's roots. This process is normally performed during the Spring or Fall seasons. Compaction is a process where your soil gets compressed to such a degree that it contains little oxygen and prevents the spread of nutrients.

Aerate every other year to reduce compaction and increase the exchange of water and air at the root level.

Overseeding
Overseeding is the process of planting grass seed on top of an existing lawn or bare spot in a lawn to promote new growth or to replace the existing grass with a new species mixture for the next growing season. This process is usually done in the late summer or early fall, when the soil is warm and the seeds have a chance to germinate quickly. The key to overseeding is establishing good seed-to-soil contact. This typically requires some preparation of the soil and may require special machinery.

Soil Testing
Soil Testing is the process of evaluating the chemical composition of your soil to determine if it contains significant nutrients to establish a lawn. A soil test reveals the soil's type and pH values, and may indicate the need for a lime application, or additional nutrients in fertilizer such as phosphorus or potassium.