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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
