# Grass Height



## Sparky Joe (Apr 29, 2006)

Put in new sod last fall.

Live in the dessert (salt lake city)

Been mowing on the tallest setting weekly all spring to try and keep shade and hold moisture to the roots for when it gets real hot here.

Well at the highest mower setting the grass is tall enough to seed.

My question is whether to mow it shorter so I don't get seed stalks, or keep it tall and protect the newly forming roots from the harsh 100+ degree temperatures we will be getting soon?

TIA,
Joe


----------



## Titan T (Jun 8, 2011)

The grass plants are pushing out seed heads as a response to the stress it is experiencing. It is a natural defense mechanism. If it is unsightly you could lower the height but the grass is still going to try and produce seed and they will develop at the lower height.

Fertilizers with high K (3rd number on the bag) do help with stress.
Not sure but maybe in your area a early spring/ late fall is the right time to apply .


----------



## Sparky Joe (Apr 29, 2006)

Thanks Titan and welcome to the site, you are exactly the type of pro that everyone likes around here.:thumbup:

This isn't the first lawn I've cared for but it is the first one I've owned, so I'm probably a little over sensitive about it.
The lawn is thick and full right now which worries me that it prefers the cooler temperatures and I've treated it for weeds twice so far this season(with unfinished lots around the weeds are fierce).
I have a case of Miracle Grow(with numbers 24-8-16 I believe) that I've used in the past and that I planned to use on my new lawn in about 2 weeks.
Any thoughts on that product in particular?

Joe


----------



## LauneLandscapes (Oct 30, 2009)

I have used Miracle Gro Lawn Feed on my own lawn and on others and find it a very good product. Do you have the one that is diluted in water?


----------



## Titan T (Jun 8, 2011)

Just go easy on the fertilizer during the most stressful times of the year. You don't want it too fat and happy, kind of like having too many Red Bulls. 

Maybe a little this month and then try and hold out until end of August. Watch the lawn it will tell you.


----------



## Sparky Joe (Apr 29, 2006)

The Miracle Grow I have is a case of packets and I have the canister thing that hooks up to the hose and put one full packet in the reservoir and then just water like normal.

Thanks for the tips Titan.
I noticed below your name you do sports turf as well. I worked on the soccer stadium (doing electrical) here in Salt Lake a few years ago and I thought it was amazing the great lengths they were going to to keep that grass perfect and green, I mean with the irrigation and drainage systems and whatnot. Pretty cool stuff

Joe


----------



## Acres (Feb 12, 2011)

> The grass plants are pushing out seed heads as a response to the stress it is experiencing


 
Grass seed heads are not always produced because of stress. They like pretty much anything that grows produce them to try and spread. It actually can mean your lawn is very healthy. I'm up north and most of my lawns will naturally try and seed twice a year. My recommendation is first findout WHAT TYPE OF GRASS IT IS..most likely Bluegrass? "seed head looks like a grain head with little fuzzies on it, it could be the common bluegrass." Then we can take it from there.

If it is caused from stress, it's commonly caused becasue of lack of water.


----------



## Sparky Joe (Apr 29, 2006)

Well I know it is not lack of water, not yet anyway.
I haven't been over watering, but just turn it back a notch via the "season % adjustment" on the controller when I see mushrooms growing.

I suppose I could take a stalk to the local nursery to get it identified. But if I look across the lawn down near horizontal all the stalks give the lawn a purplish hue.
The stalks of course are grain like, but not exactly like wheat

Anyway, I will just have to take a stalk in.
Thanks
Joe


----------



## loneframer (Feb 13, 2009)

Here's a fun way to figure out the varieties in your yard.

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/tool/index.html


----------



## Sparky Joe (Apr 29, 2006)

Lots of good reading there
Thanks Framer


----------



## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Sparky, how is the lawn? Sounds like you and I have simimliar lawn, except mine also seemed to have dead areas. After all the rain we finally got and me cutting it more often and higher, it is a lot greener with no purple blooms and or seeding like it had.

I forgot, I did find some old chem in the shop that said it killed insects such as ants and, I think, grubs among others. It did the job on the ants that were getting in the kitchen with one application. So, maybe I had a grub problem too until I sprayed.


----------



## Sparky Joe (Apr 29, 2006)

It hasn't been seeding much at all anymore. I'm currently about 4 days behind my weekly mowing and it still looks great. 
I think that tip about it being in shock hit it right on the nose.
I fertilized week before last and have some dry spots and some spots growing mushrooms so I think I just need to spend a good amount of time getting the sprinklers just right. Good thing it's over 90 degrees outside cause i hate getting wet :thumbup:


----------



## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

The dark spot in the middle of the pic is where I peeled the weeds back in May ( I think). Made me suspect grubs. The chemicleI found in my shop was several years old. The top had started to rust away. I figured it may have been old enough to be banned now and might be something that actually worked (something by Ortho). Not sure if it helped the lawn, but it looks a lot better now. Ant thing still under control too.


----------



## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Couple of pics taken today. One was just cut today.

Pay no attention to the date if it is stamped, wrong year.

I think the first one is the same area as in previous post. It was not cut today. That area also has a lot of limestone in it from over the years that washed down from the drive. Actually, that whole area may have been graveled at one time before we moved here many years ago. It shows all the way down to my shop that was the garage when I bought the place.


----------



## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Purplish look to lawn? These look familiar?
Notice the lilac/purple bloom in the second pic.


----------



## Sparky Joe (Apr 29, 2006)

boman47k said:


> Purplish look to lawn? These look familiar?
> Notice the lilac/purple bloom in the second pic.


I have a Lilac I am struggling to keep alive (at least I think it's Lilac), I think they look nice.
The purplish hue I had across my lawn was really only visible from far away, or if you got down real low to the ground and looked across it.
It was just the grass seed stalks, that are mostly green of course, but have a slight tinge of purple.

I've seen grubs reak havoc on lawns like your pic above before. Do you know what attracts them? or how to keep them away before they show up?

We haven't established a garden yet in the new house here, so just have two tomatoes in planters this year. They're doing great except I've noticed a lot of small gnat looking bugs on them, perhaps they are fruit fly's?
I don't want bugs on my precious tomatoes, but I don't want chemicals in my precious tomatoes either.
You know any tips?


----------



## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Sorry, really have no tips on the garden. Sometimes I try to read up on these things. Basically all I have done this year for the garden is some Miracle Grow and dusting with Sevin dust before harvest.

I did plant some dill to help keep some pests away. Ditto on the chemicals on the garden stuff. Especially near harvest.

Next year I hope I know more about companion planting to help deal with garden pest.


----------



## ets80 (Jan 1, 2013)

I would mow it a tad bit lower to get rid of the seeds. I think you will be fine, all grasses tend to seed their selves twice a year.


----------

