BENEFITS OF A HEALTHY LAWN

Transcription

1 BENEFITS OF A HEALTHY LAWN It s good for the air A healthy lawn releases enough oxygen daily for a family of four, has the same cooling effect as three home central air conditioning units, and cleans the air by capturing particles. It s good for the soil Dense grass captures pollutants, filters rainfall and prevents water runoff. A nice lawn enhances property value, and provides a great place to play and entertain. Like us on and TM used under license by Scotts Canada Ltd.

2 CONTENTS FEED YOUR LAWN The single most important thing you can do for your lawn is provide it with proper nutrition. It s easy to grow your best lawn ever when you understand the three feeding basics. PG 6 WHY FEED YOUR LAWN PG 6 HOW TO FEED PG 7 WHEN TO FEED 6 MAINTAINING YOUR LAWN Tips for a healthy, better-looking, more resilient lawn. PG 8 WATER YOUR LAWN PG 9 MOW YOUR LAWN REVIVE A TIRED LAWN Lawns need reviving for many reasons. You ve just moved to a new home and the lawn was neglected. Or it has been stressed by a long, hot, dry summer, or even a cold, hard winter. It s easy to restore your lawn to best ever condition. PG 10 REVIVE A TIRED LAWN PG 11 OVERSEEDING SUCCESS PG 12 CHOOSE THE RIGHT SEED PG 14 BRING DEAD PATCHES TO LIFE 8

3 CONTENTS TROUBLESHOOT WEED PROBLEMS Well-fed, healthy lawns naturally crowd out weed seeds, but sometimes trouble strikes. Learn how to diagnose and solve lawn problems. PG 15 TROUBLESHOOT LAWN PROBLEMS PG 17 CONTROL WEEDS IN LAWNS PG 18 CONTROL GRASS AND WEEDS ON HARD SURFACES PG 19 CONTROL MOSS AND ALGAE ON HARD SURFACES INSECT CONTROL PG 20 CONTROL GRUBS AND INSECTS 20 ROUTINE PG 21 CHECKLIST To RESIST DAMAGE FROM WEEDS, PESTS AND DROUGHT

4 FEED FEED YOUR WHY FEED Grass, like all plants, needs to be fed to maintain health. As it grows it depletes nutrients from the soil. Every time you mow nutrients are depleted. FEED THE LAWN TO ENRICH THE SOIL A healthy lawn is part of a natural cycle that returns organic matter back to the soil, creating a good environment for beneficial microorganisms, insects and worms. DROUGHT A well-fed lawn has a deeper root system so it is better able to reach deeper stores of water in the ground. CROWD OUT WEEDS NATURALLY Weeds flourish in thin lawns. A thick, well-fed lawn keeps weeds from getting a foothold and competing for light, water and nutrients in the soil. PESTS & OTHER STRESSES Well-nourished lawns are more resilient to insect infestations, disease problems, and winter stresses. 6 scottscanada.ca HOW TO FEED ESTIMATE YOUR LAWN SIZE Multiply your property s length by its width, and subtract the area of your house and any hard surfaces like driveways, patios or decks. Average Canadian lawns are about 400 m 2, half the size of a tennis court, and the size of a Scotts Turf Builder bag. SCOTTS EDGEGUARD SPREADER TECHNOLOGY Applies lawn food or seed only where desired. Keeps product off landscaping, sidewalks, driveways and out of waterways. EdgeGuard Technology means less waste, and less mess. SPREADER SETTINGS All Scotts Lawn Food and grass seed bags have Scotts spreader settings for accurate application, and show recommended spreading patterns.

5 FEED LAWN WHEN TO FEED Feed regularly to help prevent damage from weeds, pests and drought. 1 Annual Feeding 2-3 Annual Feedings 4 Annual Feedings EARLY SPRING An early spring feeding promotes strong roots and helps grass greenup after the winter. LATE SPRING Feeding now prepares grass for summer stresses by thickening the blades on top and building deep roots below. LATE SUMMER A late summer feeding provides the necessary nutrients to recover from the stresses of summer and actively grow again. FALL Feeding now helps strengthen roots to improve winter hardiness and promote early spring green-up. SCOTTS TIP Canadian holidays are an easy way to remember the best times to feed your lawn. Easter, Victoria Day, Labour Day and Halloween. scottscanada.ca 7

6 MAINTAIN WATER YOUR LAWN Do it right and you will get a better-looking, healthier and more resilient lawn, while conserving water use. HOW MUCH? Lawns need at least 2.5 cm of water per week. Use a rain gauge to measure the rainfall during the week and make up the difference with a lawn sprinkler. HOW OFTEN? Water only once or twice a week, but water deeply to reach the roots. Frequent watering only wets the lawn s surface and forces the roots to remain shallow. Deeper root systems help lawns survive stressful periods of heat and drought. SCOTTS TIP Early in the morning is the ideal time to water for most lawns. There s less wind, less hot sun, and your lawn has a full day to dry. Watering at night invites mildew and fungus. 8 scottscanada.ca

7 MAINTAIN MOW YOUR LAWN Follow these tips to cut your grass correctly to improve its appearance and health, and make your job easier. MOW YOUR LAWN TALL (6 CM) Longer grass blades are more drought tolerant, encourage deeper roots and grow thicker to crowd out weeds. Shorter cut lawns need more work to stay healthy, weed-free and attractive. DON T CUT MORE THAN 1/3 Cutting off only one-third of the grass blade length reduces stress and helps conserve moisture in the plant. KEEP YOUR MOWER S BLADE SHARP A dull blade frays grass blade ends allowing moisture to escape, and causes tips to turn brown. SCOTTS TIP Leave the clippings on the lawn to conserve moisture and add organic matter back into the soil. scottscanada.ca 9

8 REVIVE REVIVE A TIRED LAWN OVERSEED It s easy to tell if your lawn needs rejuvenation. It is thin, you can see bare soil between grass blades, and the ground feels hard to walk on. Thicken your lawn by overseeding with a quality grass seed. It s an easy and effective way to strengthen your lawn and protect against weed problems. SCOTTS TIP The best time to overseed your lawn is in the fall. If you can t seed in the fall, your next best time is in the spring. 10 scottscanada.ca

9 REVIVE STEPS TO OVERSEEDING SUCCESS 1 AERATION* Aerators penetrate the ground to allow air and water into the soil creating a better root environment for germinating seeds. 4 ADD GRASS SEED Choose quality grass seed for better germination and a better quality lawn. 2 5 CUT AND RAKE Cut grass at the lowest mower setting. Use a lawn rake to expose the soil and improve seed contact with the soil. 3 6 ENRICH SOIL* Organic matter added on top of the ground creates a more nutrient rich environment for seed germination. FEED Use Scotts Turf Builder Starter Lawn Food for New Grass to help grow new grass 90% Thicker & 50% Quicker.** **versus unfed grass WATER Keep seeds moist by watering daily until all seedlings are up and the lawn is established. *These steps are not essential, but will help to improve seeding success. scottscanada.ca 11

10 REVIVE OVERSEED WITH THE RIGHT SEED Scotts Turf Builder Coated Grass Seed Dense Shade Medium to high shade levels; moderate traffic 3-4 hours of sunlight Scotts Turf Builder Coated Grass Seed SUN-SHADE Versatile - thrives in areas that receive a mix of sun and shade 4-8 hours of sunlight Scotts Turf Builder Coated Grass Seed HEAT-DROUGHT Full sun to mostly shade; moderate traffic 4-8 hours of sunlight Scotts Turf Builder Coated Grass Seed HIGH TRAFFIC Full sun areas with medium traffic 4-8 hours of sunlight Scotts Turf Builder Coated Grass Seed BLUEGRASS SUN Full sun areas with medium traffic 8 hours + of sunlight 12 scottscanada.ca

11 REVIVE The #1 reason for lack of success when trying to grow grass seed is a failure to keep seeds moist*. With Scotts super absorbent coating, you no longer have to worry if you miss a day of watering. *Source Ipsos Reid 2009 Lawn U & A scottscanada.ca 13

12 REVIVE BRING DEAD PATCHES TO LIFE Scotts ez seed FOR BARE SPOTS OR THIN AREAS 3 in 1 mix of: Super-absorbent mulch Premium grass seed Slow release fertilizer DIRECTIONS FOR USE 1. PREP Prep to remove dead grass and loosen hard soil. 2. APPLY Scotts ez seed DOG SPOT REPAIR Same great features as Scotts ez seed plus gypsum to help flush away excess salt caused by pet urine, which can cause burns in your lawn. Apply a thin layer to bare spots; 3 mm (1/8 ). Over application may inhibit results. 3. WATER 14 scottscanada.ca Water until dark brown. When mixture turns light brown, add more water.

13 WEED TROUBLESHOOT LAWN PROBLEMS PREVENTS NEW WEEDS Help keep weeds out of your lawn this year by inhibiting weed seed germination early this spring. Apply Scotts Turf Builder with Weed Prevent soon after the snow melts. PREVENT CRABGRASS PREVENT DANDELIONS scottscanada.ca 15

14 WEED 16 scottscanada.ca Scotts Miracle-Gro Canada

15 CONTROL WEEDS IN LAWNS WEED COMMON WEEDS Controlling common lawn weeds like dandelions, plantain and clover is easy. DANDELION PLANTAIN WHITE CLOVER BEFORE APPLICATION 5 DAYS AFTER APPLICATION* Attaches to garden hose for easy application SPOT CONTROL CONTROL MANY WEEDS CONTROL INFESTATIONS Ready-to-Use: Shake well before using. Spray weeds until foliage is thoroughly wetted, just to the point of runoff. *when used as directed, results dependent on weather conditions. May require second application. Repeat treatment once in four or more weeks after the first treatment if necessary. Do Not: Apply if rainfall is expected within 3 hours Apply when daytime temperatures will exceed 30ºC Apply to newly seeded grass or turf generated from seed less than one year old Concentrates: Mix one part Scotts EcoSense Weed B Gon Weed Control Concentrate with 24 parts water (40 ml with 960 ml of water). For ease of use, use with Scotts EcoSense Dial N Spray applicator. Uniform coverage is important. May require second application. Repeat treatment once in four or more weeks after the first treatment if necessary. scottscanada.ca 17

16 WEED CONTROL GRASS & WEEDS ON HARD SURFACES Unwanted weeds and grass show up in cracks on hard landscape surfaces such as sidewalks and driveways. Undesirable weeds also appear along fence lines and around established trees and shrubs. BROADLEAF WEEDS GRASSY WEEDS FAST-ACTING FORMULA LEAVES NO HARMFUL RESIDUE IN THE SOIL. Apply Scotts EcoSense PathClear to actively growing grass and weeds. Available in three ready-to-use sizes. 5L Pull N Spray applicator is great for killing grass and weeds over a larger area. Concentrate also available. 18 scottscanada.ca

17 WEED CONTROL MOSS AND ALGAE ON HARD SURFACES Moss and algae can grow on hard surfaces around buildings, decks, and sidewalks. Non-staining, biodegradable Scotts EcoSense Moss B Gon 1L Ready-to-Spray attaches to garden hose for easy application. 1L Concentrate can be applied with Scotts EcoSense Dial N Spray applicator. scottscanada.ca 19

18 INSECT A HEALTHY LAWN RESISTS INSECT STRESS BENEFITS OF A HEALTHY LAWN A healthy lawn is the best defense against insect pests. It endures insect feedings without showing visible signs of minor damage, and it repairs itself with new growth once the insects have departed. Common insect problems on Canadian lawns are white grubs, sod webworms, and chinch bugs. GRUBS White grubs are the larvae of several species of beetles. They feed on grass roots in the top layer of soil. The first sign of grubs may be holes in the lawn caused by skunks or raccoons digging for them. CHINCH BUGS Chinch bugs are small insects that can be red or dark brown. They inject a poison that causes the blades to turn brown and die. Heavy infestations may completely kill the lawn. These sun and heat-loving insects seldom attack shady lawns. They can move across the entire lawn in several days. SOD WEBWORMS Sod webworms are smooth green or light brown caterpillars about 2.5 cm long, with rows of spots on their bodies. They chew on grass blades. The adult webworms, also called lawn moths, fly up from the grass as you mow. If your lawn has experienced severe insect infestation, follow the overseeding steps for reviving a tired lawn described on page scottscanada.ca

19 Recommended routine to achieve a healthy green lawn that resists damage from weeds, pests and drought. ROUTINE PREVENT WEEDS Apply Scotts Turf Builder with Weed Prevent before weeds are visible in the lawn in early spring and fall. EARLY SPRING LATE SPRING LATE SUMMER FALL FEED Thicker, healthier lawns resist damage from weeds, pests and drought. Feed four times a year with Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food. OVERSEED Thicker lawns help to prevent damage from weeds, pests and drought. Over seed with Scotts Turf Builder Coated Grass Seed for denser turf. * CAUTION: do not overseed after Weed Prevent application WEED Control actively growing, common lawn weeds such as dandelions and plantain with Scotts EcoSense Weed B Gon. scottscanada.ca 21

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