Chanshare Sod Farms

Water Wise, Drought-Tolerant Turf for Utah and the Intermountain Region.

  • 
  • 
  • 
  • Home
  • Residential Lawns
  • Commercial Turf
  • Notable Projects
  • Tips
    • Quick Tips
  • Architectural Specifications
  • Contact Us
    • Get a Quote
    • Request a Delivery

Powered by Genesis

Water-Wise It™ – Soil Tips

April 28, 2017 by chanshareadmin 3 Comments

Water Wise It ™ – Creating a Water-Wise Lawn!

Which type of soil offers the most balanced profile for water filtration and retention on a lawn?

In Utah there are three basic soil profiles; Sand, Sandy Loam and Clay.  To figure out what type of soil you have do a quick spit test.  Take a hand full of soil, spit into it (or just add some water), and mix the water in with your finger.  If the soil resists balling up it is probably sandy soil.  If the soil creates one big ball of mud it is likely Clay.  If the mixture creates several little balls of mud it is sandy loam.  Sandy Loam is the most desirable type of soil, because it retains water and resists compaction (compaction prevents moisture from filtering down through the soil). Sandy loam consists of the three materials found in soil: clay, sand, and silt. Sandy loam in contains approximately 25% clay, 50% sand, and 25% silt. Sandy loam provides the best balance of water drainage, water retention, resists compaction and allows Air, Water, and Nutrients easier access to roots.

Clay affects soil the most as it affects compaction, infiltration, and drainage depending on the amount present in the soil. Too much clay in soil will inhibit internal drainage, while too little clay will prevent the soil from holding water long enough to be absorbed. Non-compacted soil will allow turf grass sod to more easily establish deep root systems and will increase the overall health of your lawn.

Sandy Soil
Sandy Soil
Clay Soil
Clay Soil
Sandy Loam Soil
Sandy Loam Soil

If you have a different kind of soil don’t despair, it’s an easy fix to modify your soil before planting.  Prepare your soil bed 6-8″ with Sandy Loam Soil before planting a lawn or laying sod.  You can modify a current soil profile by adding fully composted material to the soil.  Worms and bactifeed can also help to break down and modify soils.   Most hardware stores and nurseries carry soil test kits.  You can use these to determine the actual composition of your soil.   These soil tests also identify what nutrients are needed for proper turfgrass health.  Anyone can develop an excellent lawn with the addition of organic matter, fertilizer, and proper soil preparation.

After you’ve modified your soil be sure to pre-water before installing sod! This not only settles the soil but it’ll help establish a healthy lawn and will require less water to establish the sod.

If you have specific questions about soil composition and how it affects your lawn please contact Chanshare Farms by emailing sales@chanshare.com or by calling 866-SOD-EASY.

Share

Filed Under: Water-Wise It™ Tagged With: Chanshare Sod Farms, Lawn Care, Lawn Care Tips, Soil, Water-Wise It, Watering

Water-Wise It™ – Watering Tips

March 9, 2017 by chanshareadmin Leave a Comment

Water Wise It ™ – Creating a Water-Wise Lawn!

How much water does the average homeowner in Utah apply to their lawn each year? 50″

IT DOESN’T TAKE THAT MUCH TO BE GREEN!

How much water does it take to keep a healthy lawn green in Utah?  Around 24″!

Plants and lawn in a landscape generally require less water to maintain than most people realize. Learn the signs of when your plants are starting to stress and only water or add nutrients when these signs are present.  Here are a couple of ways to tell if your lawn needs water:

  • Watch for a patch that turns blue/gray earlier than the rest.  Use this as a baseline to know when to run a sprinkler cycle.
  • If you can see your footprints 60 seconds after walking on your lawn the grass blades are probably lacking water and don’t have the strength to bounce back from pressure.  Apply up to 1″ of water.
  • Stick a screwdriver into the lawn.  If it is easy to push it into the lawn at least 3 inches it isn’t time to water yet.

An average bluegrass lawn can be maintained, verdant green, throughout the year with less than 24” of water!  The trick is to water deeply and infrequently.  Wait until late in the Spring to water your lawn.  During an average year if you applied fertilizer late in the fall you shouldn’t need to water until Mid to Late May.  And if you received a lot of precipitation during the winter you may not need to water until June.  Waiting until late in the spring to start watering and mowing your lawn will give it a chance to push the roots deeper in the soil and pull from a larger water table during the hot summer months.

Applying 1″ every 7-10 days is much better than applying .25″ every 2-3 days.  Follow this watering guide to decrease the amount of water you are applying on your lawn.

Watering Schedule for Cool Season Lawns

And check out this video to learn some more great water conservation tips!

If you have any questions about how to properly water your lawn send us a message on our website or call Chanshare Farms at 866-SOD-EASY (763-3279).

Now, maintain your lawn properly!  Go and WATER-WISE IT™!

Share

Filed Under: Water-Wise It™

April Lawn Care Tips

April 3, 2014 by chanshareadmin 2 Comments

April Lawn Care Tips
April Lawn Care Tips from Chanshare Farms

Now, I am a Runner

April Lawn Care Tips

From Chanshare Farms

When I first got married, 13 years ago, running was not in my physical vocabulary.  I was fit due to other activities, but the joy of running eluded me.  My wife, on the other hand, loved running.  Shortly after we got married she invited me on a short run (2 miles).  When we got done I felt like I had run around the world!  In the last 5 years I began to understand the joy of running and even trained for and ran a full marathon (26.2 miles).  It was extremely hard work, but I started out with manageable distances and finally worked up to race day.

 

Just like training for a marathon, preparing your lawn for the long, strenuous summer months, requires training that starts now.  Here are April’s lawn care tips.

 

  1.  Prevention is key!  Eliminating things that would allow me an excuse not to run was key to training for my marathon.  Similarly, taking care of weeds before they germinate is important.  April is a good month to apply a pre-emergent herbicide and avoid weed infestations.
  2. Fuel is very important – The only way you can push beyond a considerable distance is to give your body enough fuel.  Your lawn needs fuel to be healthy, but you only need to feed it when you see it needs fuel.  If it is greening up without fertilizer and growing well in the spring wait until the end of May to fertilize.  If you didn’t fertilize last fall you can apply a balanced fertilizer (16-16-16) during the beginning of the month.  Only use about 1/2# Nitrogen per 1000 square feet.  Go here for more fertilization information:  www.chanshare.com/pdf/Fertilizing_and_Watering.pdf
  3. Hydration cannot be ignored – Proper hydration during a long run is necessary for health.  Excess hydration can cause cramps; minimal hydration can cause heat stroke.  Your lawn can become a water hog if you over water.  Due to the wet winter and spring you probably don’t need to water your lawn at all this month.  The longer you wait to water, the greater the chance your lawn will extend its roots deeper into the soil chasing water.  In April check your sprinkler system for leaks and misaligned heads.

 

Just as I trained  to run long distances, your lawn needs to be trained to be water-wise.  This training needs to start now so that in the strenuous summer months it can thrive while using less water.  In April, start slow.  Don’t push your lawn to green up earlier than it naturally would by starting a regular maintenace schedule.  Start with some small things this month and build up to more next month.  Follow these tips and by the end of the year you probably won’t feel like you have run a marathon in your own yard.

 

For monthly lawn care videos, watering and fertilizing schedules, and other water conservation tips check out chanshare.com or call 866-763-3279.

 

Share

Filed Under: Lawn Care Tips Tagged With: April Lawn Care Tips, Chanshare Farms, Fertilizing, Watering, Weed Control

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 5
  • Next Page »

Recent Posts

  • Water-Wise It™ – Soil Tips
  • Water-Wise It™ – Maintenance
  • Water-Wise It™ – Fertilizing Tips
  • Water-Wise It™ – Cool Season Lawns
  • Water-Wise It™ – Brown Spots

Our Locations

Farm/Admin Office
10785 W. 12800 N.
Tremonton, UT 84337
435-854-3627