Lawn Care Advise from Jim Burns,
President, Fairway Lawn Care Corporation.

July 31, 2008

Summer Lawn Analysis for Great Island

Detailed below are a series of observations with recommendations for areas throughout Great Island. The primary focus of this report is to identify the existing problems within lawn areas and provide specific information as to the cause and a road map for a solution.

Drought stress

The most significant problem observed within the lawn areas is related to drought stress. Healthy grass blades require a minimum of 1 inch of water per week during normal conditions. During periods of high heat the watering requirements for a healthy lawn are even more.

In April 2008, we received 4” less of rainfall than we did in during the same period in 2007. This past May was the 25th driest month recorded over the last 125 years. The high temperatures of this past spring and lack of rain fall caused stress to all lawn areas much earlier than in past years.

Drought stress causes the grass plant to weaken and can make it more susceptible to disease, fungus and insects. Once it goes into dormancy it can take up to 10 days of heavy watering to bring it back. We have detailed recommendations below to bring lawn areas out of dormancy.

Red Thread

The spread of this fungus that was present in the late spring has diminished considerably. Red thread develops during periods of high humidity. There are small patches of red thread within various locations throughout the property. We will continue to monitor the condition and make recommendations as circumstances require.

Irrigation

Existing systems need to be managed throughout the season. They need to be monitored and adjusted as weather conditions require. In an effort to combat the lack of rain and high temperatures we have increased the frequency and duration of the irrigation within common areas. We expect to keep well irrigated areas out from significant drought stress.

During periods of high heat and drought conditions the limitations of existing irrigation systems will begin to show within lawn areas. Systems that have heads spread too far apart, damaged heads, or leaks can deliver an inconsistent amount of water to all lawn areas. The result can be inadequate water for the turf causing it to show signs of drought stress.

There are multiple areas on the site with inadequate or no irrigation. These areas will continue to be problematic in maintaining healthy turf.

A wetting agent can be added to the lawn, thus increasing the efficiency of the irrigation. This is typically 20% more than a regular application. With two applications you can expect to save approximately 15% on your water bill.

Soil type and its compaction

The majority of lawn areas at Great Island are sandy and compact. This places additional demands on watering requirements as the roots of the turf plants have little time to absorb the water as they are competing with run off. Core aeration will enable the water to get to the roots of the plant more quickly and prevent prolonged damp grass blades. It will also build turf density by promoting the desirable turf roots to spread.

Thatch

Thatch is the spongy, brown layer of organic matter found between the leaf zone and the soil. If it is more than one-half inch thick it will inhibit the efficiency of water and fertilization. An excessive amount of thatch build up will prevent water and fertilizer from getting to the roots of the grass thus causing drought stress. Several areas throughout homeowner lawns at Great Island had thatch layers between ¼ inch and ¾ of an inch thick.

Recommendations

For areas not suffering from drought stress, continue to monitor the turf especially during periods little rain and high heat. If the lawn areas begin to turn yellow, increase the duration of the watering on your irrigation clock by at least 25%.

In areas currently suffering from drought stress, homeowners should increase the duration of the watering within those zones. Zones should be set for 30 minutes per zone twice per day, once in the morning and once in the early evening. Once the lawn comes out of dormancy reduce the frequency to once per day.

Perform a midseason inspection of your irrigation system. An experienced irrigation technician can inspect and test the efficiency of your existing system. The tech can identify whether your turf is getting equal levels of water and whether you have head to head coverage. The tech can also adjust your irrigation timer to recommended levels.

Dethatch and/or aerate your lawn. This will enable the water and fertilizer to actively impact your grass plants.

Report Prepared by:

Jim Burns, President
Fairway Lawn Care Corporation

[SOURCE: Landscape Update Summer Lawn Analysis, July 31, 2008]