Caring for your lawn

Mowing

At Julington Creek Pest Control we always tell our customers that St Augustine grass does best when mowed at 4 inches or higher. Zoysiagrass will do best when mowed at 2 ½ to 3 inches. Cutting either grass at a lower than recommended height will cause it to decline. The lawn should be mowed every 5-7 days during the growing season and we recommend routinely checking that blades are sharp, since dull blades can contribute to disease and decline. Also, it should be noted that new mower blades don’t always come sharpened, so be sure to check your mower blades.

Watering

The average lawn requires ½ to ¾ inches of water twice weekly. New sod should be watered 3-5 times per week for 15-20 mins per zone. It may need to be watered up to twice per day in higher temperatures. Established sod should be watered twice per week for 45-60 minutes per zone on rotating heads and 20-30 minutes per zone on stationary heads from spring until fall, and once per week during the winter months. The time change is a good way to gauge when to adjust watering since it usually coincides with a change in temperatures. The best time of day to water is early in the morning. This will help prevent fungus and provide your lawn the most benefit.