Watering
- A well established healthy lawn typically will go dormant during a long summer drought and will spring back to life in cooler conditions.
- If you desire a lush green lawn throughout the summer, then you should water it frequently. During periods of drought.
Mowing
Keep your mower set high as possible and ensure that your blade is sharp. Do not rake your lawn clippings as they are a great fertilizer and excellent source of moisture.
Fertilizing
- Natural fertilizer such as Triple Mix or Topdressing can be applied without the great risk of burning that so often accompanies the granular fertilizers. A one half inch layer of Triple Mix spread sparingly over your lawn in the early spring or fall can be combined with lawn seed for a truly remarkable lawn.
- Spring, Summer and Fall granular fertilizers are should be used only as directed and it is not recommended that people who are unfamiliar with them to apply them. As there is a danger of burning your lawn by either using too much fertilizer or it being too hot and dry.
Harmful Insects
In Toronto, the two most common pests are Grubs and Chinch Bugs. Should you discover them they should be treated immediately to avoid severe damage.
Grubs
The larvae of Beetles (June bugs) they lay eggs in the soil which hatch into grubs. Grubs have a white body, are about an inch long and are shaped like a “C”. They feed on grass roots. Lawns with grubs develop brown patches of grass that can be pulled up easily in late summer through fall. To confirm the presence of grubs, use a shovel and cut three sides of a one-foot square in the grass about three inches deep. Lay the flap of grass back and examine the exposed soil for grubs. Repeat the process in two or three other places.
Chinch Bugs
Are most often found on hot, dry, sunny lawns, lawns in shady areas are not normally infested. Infestations show large patches of irregular, yellowish, stunted, wilted grass, causing it to wither and die, leaving brown areas of turf. Grass killed by chinch bugs remains attached to its roots. To check for chinch bugs, push a bottomless can into the ground near the edge of a dead patch of lawn and fill it with water. Black bodies with white wings floating to the surface within a few minutes indicate the presence of chinch bugs.
Repair
- If the cause of damage to the lawn is pests you should consult professional advice for treatment prior to repair.
- Lawn repair can be done with sod or with grass seed in the same manner as you would to create a new lawn.