Plan for a healthy lawn

By Andrew Holsinger
The summer can bring out the best of the lawn as far as enjoyment goes. Building a better lawn during the heat of summer is a tough task. While grasses may seem like they thrive in the summer season, so do the weeds if they haven’t been inspected for earlier in the season while they are small. Checking for soil drainage can help predict where some weeds are likely to occur.
Why test the soil? It takes time to adjust soil pH and having the ideal pH (6.0 – 7.5) will encourage a healthy lawn.
The choice of grass for our area is important. Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrasses, tall fescue, or fine fescue are best for central Illinois. For this reason, it is recommended to seed cool-season turfgrasses from late summer to early fall. Do not miss the opportunity to take advantage of adequate soil moisture, warm soil, and limited weed pressure during this timeframe. The properly prepared seedbed will allow for proper grading and good seed to soil contact for the best success.
Strategies to create a healthy lawn
 Select resistant varieties for diseases.
 Use a drop spreader because rotary spreaders do not disperse seed uniformly.
 Apply a light mulch where you can still see 50% of the soil through the mulch layer.
 Water two to four times daily depending on the weather.
 Don’t wait too long for mowing. Follow guidelines for height and never remove more than a 1/3 of the grass blade at any one mowing.
 Avoid using broadleaf herbicides in newly seeded areas until seedlings have been mowed at least three times.
For more on lawns, visit the University of Illinois Extension lawn site. For questions, contact a local University of Illinois Extension office from the statewide map.