Partners for Naturally Green
is a group of organizations interested
in helping Halton residents grow and
maintain healthy lawns.
This brochure is a handy reference
guide to help you with the basics.
Keep your lawn healthy by using the
following good maintenance practices.
Watering
Water deeply and infrequently to promote deep roots.
•Apply at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of water weekly. Use a rain
gauge on your lawn to measure how much you've watered.
•Water only when your lawn needs it rather than
on a set schedule.
•Too much watering can lead to poor growing conditions
and disease.
•Consider the soil type and surface features. Grass
growing on compacted soil or on slopes requires
more frequent light watering.
Early morning is the ideal time for watering.
•This minimizes water lost through evaporation and wind.
•Watering in the evening leaves the grass wet longer,
increasing the risk of disease.
•Grass growing near large trees may need to be watered
more frequently because the tree roots absorb much of the
soil's water.
A healthy lawn can survive several weeks in a dormant state.
•In long hot dry periods, a lawn may wilt, turn brown
and become dormant. Common grass varieties like
Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescues will turn green
again when moisture returns.
Check the lawn regularly to detect any pests or other problems
early. It may be more difficult to see insect damage in a
dormant lawn.
Fertilizing
Be
&
Naturally Green n
Law
Grow a Healthy
Mowing
Mow high.
•Grass cut at a height of 6 to 8 cm (2 ½ to 3 inches) will
develop a strong root system, grow thicker, and help the soil
stay moist.
Sharpen your mower blade in the spring and keep it sharp.
•Grass recovers more quickly and easily from a clean cut.
Leave grass clippings on your lawn after mowing.
•Clippings break down, slowly releasing nutrients
into the grass.
•Under wet spring conditions, remove thick layers of clippings
(over 0.5 cm thick) to avoid smothering your grass.
Finished compost is a great fertilizer that supplies your lawn
with nutrients needed for plant growth.
•Compost can be applied at any time of the season.
•Mix compost into the soil before seeding or laying sod.
•Spread a thin layer over the existing lawn.
Commercial fertilizers usually contain three major nutrients:
•Nitrogen (N) to promote leaf growth
•Phosphorus (P) to promote root growth,
•Potassium (K), which is essential for stress resistance.
The three numbers on the packaging represent the proportions
of these nutrients, for example: 21-7-7 formulation contains
21% nitrogen, and 7% of both phosphorus and potassium.
Fertilizers with a slow-release form of nitrogen are preferred
because they release nutrients slowly and there is less risk
that excess fertilizer will leach away from the root zone.
•All purpose turf fertilizers usually have a 4-1-2 N-P-K ratio.
•Rates and timing of fertilization can vary with the type of soil,
grass, site and weather conditions.
•Apply less fertilizer in the spring and early summer than in
early and late fall.
•Organic fertilizers release more nutrients as the temperature
and moisture levels increase. Avoid fertilizing when
conditions are likely to be hot or dry, usually from mid-June
to early August.
Have your soil analyzed every few years by a professional
laboratory. This will tell you what type of fertilizer you may need
and how much to use. It will also indicate if the pH of your soil
is ideal for growing grass.
Combination products containing a herbicide and a fertilizer
(weed and feed type) should only be used if your lawn has
a widespread weed problem and a nutrient deficiency. If
you choose these combination products, use according to
directions. These products are subject to Municipal by-laws.
Overseeding
Most healthy lawns recover from damage. Depending on
the type of grass, vigorously growing lawns will fill in areas
that have been thinned by insects or other types of damage.
However, if bare patches do not fill in quickly, weeds may set in.
Regularly spreading grass seed on your lawn will ensure that it
remains dense.
•Overseeding is best done in late summer to early fall.
•Topdressing with finished compost or weed-free topsoil
can be done at the same time.
•Use the proper type of grass seed for lawns in shady areas.
Replacing sod
To replace sod:
•Cut out the dead or damaged area to about 2 cm deep.
•Rake the soil and add fertilizer, according to manufacturer’s
directions.
•Lay down the new piece of sod.
•Step on it or roll it to ensure good contact with the soil.
Keep the new seed and sod well-watered until the new grass
is established.
Aerating
Aerating your lawn allows a better flow of water, air and vital
nutrients to the plant roots, making it easier for them to grow.
This does not, however, apply to soil types containing sand.
Aeration is best done in late summer and early fall
with topdressing and/or overseeding.
Signs that you need to aerate your lawn:
•Ground is hard and compacted.
•Thatch is building up.
•Water does not penetrate well.
•Weeds such as prostrate knotweed and clover are present.
There are two types of mechanical aerators:
•A core machine that removes small plugs of thatch
and soil (preferred).
•Solid-tined machine that drives spikes into the ground
to create holes.
Do not roll your lawn in spring as this may increase
compaction problems.
Dethatching
Thatch is a tough mixture of dead grass and roots that
accumulates above the soil surface. Overwatering and
incorrect fertilizer application rates can promote thatch
buildup; core aeration can prevent it.
In a healthy lawn, insects, earthworms, beneficial fungi and
other microorganisms break down thatch and aerate the soil.
Excessive watering, over fertilizing with nitrogen and heavy use
of insecticides and fungicides may decrease the populations
of soil organisms required to keep thatch levels down.
Thatch that is more than 1 cm (½ inch) thick can prevent
water, air and nutrients from getting to the roots. Too much
thatch can also harbour harmful insects and diseases.
•Remove excess thatch with a heavy rake or
de-thatching equipment.
Ten steps to be Naturally Green
your naturally green calendar
Keep your lawn healthy using good maintenance practices.
1. M
ow high to promote vigorous
growth, prevent weeds and discourage insect pests. Cut grass at a
height of 6 to 8 cm or 2.5 to 3 inches.
Use a sharp blade.
2. Water deeply and infrequently
to promote deep roots. Too much
water starves the soil of oxygen and
invites disease. Give 2.5 cm or 1 inch
of water per week to the lawn.
3. Feed your lawn with compost and
leave grass clippings where they fall.
Compost improves the soil, which is
where plant health begins. Clippings
decompose quickly, and are another
source of nutrients for your lawn.
For more information
Visit Health Canada’s Healthy Lawns website,
www.healthylawns.net.
Partners for Naturally Green
Tel: 905-825-6000
Toll free: 1-866-HALTON (1-866-442-5866)
TTY: 905-827-9833
www.halton.ca
January
4. A
erate compacted soil in the fall.
This helps oxygen, water and nutrients
reach the roots and also helps decompose thatch.
Overseed
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6. Replace grass with paving
stones or use mulch in heavy traffic
areas. Alternate your
approach
with
Herbicides
- lawn and garden
products, such
as weed and grass killers (Weed & Feed)
shrubs, vines or native
plants,
Insecticides - chinch bug and grub control
products, termite control products
especially in shaded,
dry or
Fungicides - disease control products (rose
dust), swimming pool chemicals (chlorine),
difficult areas. wood
preservatives (Copper Chromium Arsenic)
Other pesticides - flea and tick sprays, some
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used to destroy or control insects, weeds, plant
diseases, and other pests. Pesticides are sold
most commonly as liquid, granular, dusts, or
baits. They can include:
March
As needed during growing season.
Remove only a third of the blade at each mowing.
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5. Overseed in spring or fall
or choose alternative ground
covers in difficult spots.
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February
This calendar is a guide to the best times to perform lawn
maintenance activities. The times shown are specific to
the geographic location of Halton Region.
Earthworms
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from the surface down
to plant roots
Bees, wasps
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infested withPollinate
chinchplants
Mid-July to mid-August.
bugs
patches
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die off. Dry, sunny days and
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dust), swimming pool chemicals (chlorine),
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kitchen, laundry, and bath sanitizers
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Control dandelions developed immune systems. Areas
closest to the ground are often where
higher levels of pesticides are generally
found. This puts children at further risk
because they tend to play on the grass
and ground, putting fingers, objects,
or even soil into their mouths.
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When it rains, pesticides can be carried
by runoff into our creeks, rivers, the
waterfront and Lake Ontario. Some
pesticides can also kill beneficial soil
bacteria, earthworms, snails, frogs,
birds, fish, honeybees, and other
similar species.
Toads
Eat slugs, earwigs,
cutworms, aphids, flies
Like many weeds, dandelions
grow in bare patches and poor
soil. Get rid of dandelions
naturally by digging out the
entire root to a depth of at
least 7-10 cm (4 inches).
Caring for flowers & shrubs
Grubs
Grubs can cause your grass to
wilt and turn brown. Dig up a
small section of grass. If you can
see them, you have them. Control
of grubs can also be successful
by using nematodes (available at
your garden centre).
Watch for damage mid-May to mid-June. Larvae, known as
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in October through early winter.
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compost to reduce weeds and benefit
Grass infested with chinch
plant health.
bugs turns yellow and patches
Bats
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die off. Dry, sunny days and
sUse insecticidal soaps and horticultural
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Pesticides can put children, adults, and even
pets at risk. They can be exposed while
pesticides are being sprayed or applied, and/or
after they have entered the environment.
Pesticides can enter the body by swallowing,
breathing, and being
absorbed through the skin.
Children are at greater risk than adults
because of their small size and underdeveloped immune systems. Areas
closest to the ground are often where
higher levels of pesticides are generally
found. This puts children at further risk
because they tend to play on the grass
Birds
association between
pesticide
exposure and
Spring
or fall
during
good growth.
adverse health effects in the general
Although the research only suggests an
population, it clearly indicates the need to be
concerned with the use of pesticides and avoid
unnecessary exposures for vulnerable groups,
such as pregnant/nursing women, infants,
young children, and seniors.
EZhi^X^YZhi]Z:ck^gdcbZci
When it rains, pesticides can be carried
by runoff into our creeks, rivers, the
waterfront and Lake Ontario. Some
pesticides can also kill beneficial soil
bacteria, earthworms, snails, frogs,
birds, fish, honeybees, and other
similar species.
Earthworms
Eat insects
Soil aerators
Bring organic matter
from the surface down
to plant roots
Ladybugs, lace
Eat aphids
wings, dragon flies
Spiders
Eat insects
Toads
Eat slugs, earwigs,
cutworms, aphids, flies
infestation naturally by:
treating thatch by aerating and top-dressing with
compost, watering properly, and mowing high.
Crabgrass
Crabgrass is considered a weed,
spread by seed and grows in poor
soil and bare patches. Get rid of
crabgrass naturally by hand
picking it before it goes to seed.
Caring for flowers & shrubs
sUse pest-resistant plants.
sTop-dress with 2-3 cm (1 inch) of
compost to reduce weeds and benefit
plant health.
sUse insecticidal soaps and horticultural
November December