The lawn mowing season is officially open. We know that from the hum of mowers in the neighborhood.
• Sharp blades and fresh gasoline are a must for the first mow. Set the height to 3 inches, taller if the lawn is uneven. Aim for removing a third of the grass height with each mow.
• With the first mow or two, use the bag attachment to pick up excess leaves and small sticks that have blown in over the winter. Start a new compost pile with the bag contents. For the rest of the season, remove the bag and let the clippings remain so these valuable nutrients can be recycled back to the lawn — known as “grasscycling”.
• Lawn clippings do not lead to thatch. Thatch is the brown, spongy layer of living and dead grass roots and stems that can build up above the soil surface. It prevents water and nutrients from getting to roots.
• Thatch is most common on cool season grasses, including bentgrass, Kentucky blue grass and fine fescue. Warm season buffalo grass generally doesn’t get thatch. Power raking is helpful or aerate in spring and fall to reduce thatch.
• After the first couple of mows, set the height to 2½ to 3 inches and keep it there all season. This height decreases the potential for weed growth, disease and insects. Taller grass is better able to handle drought and heat stress.
Raised beds
• Putting in a raised bed might be your best spring project. They are inexpensive do-it-yourself projects. Garden centers carry easy-to-assemble kits, if that works better.
• A raised bed doesn’t have to be made with wood or for only growing vegetables — stone, brick, recycled concrete, metal sheets or cinder blocks will work. Blend a raised bed design with your landscape style and sun conditions, and away from close tree roots. Terraces or levels can be installed on slopes or hilly landscapes to set off a mixed bed planting of annuals, shrubs, and perennials. Include some stepping stones to access the area.
• Raised beds provide a deeper and better-draining area for plant roots to grow versus our difficult clay, sandy, rocky or weedy soils. Also, they warm up quickly in spring ,and there are no worries about the soil being crushed or compacted by foot traffic. If built with a cap or ledge for seating, it makes seeding, planting, care and harvest much easier.
• Design can be as easy as a 4-foot square or 8 x 4-foot rectangular wooden box, height is usually 8 inches to 2 feet or taller. Current research says that the use of pressure treated lumber with copper-based treatments (ACQ) around vegetables has minimal risk to plant or people health. With any concerns about using chemically treated products, line the inside with heavy plastic or use non-treated lumber which will still last many years.
• If placing the raised bed directly over turf or a weedy area, turn over the soil, leaving the roots turned up, then tease open the clods with a garden fork to allow drainage. If burrowing critters are a concern, line the bottom with wire mesh to still allow drainage.
• Larger raised beds will require lots of soil so consider purchasing in bulk — measured by the cubic yard. Garden centers and landscape material companies carry many mixes to choose from, so ask what’s available and match to the plants you will be using.
• A general planters mix will work for vegetables and ornamentals. Native plants don’t require high organic or nutrient rich soil, however they do need well-draining soil.
• To determine how much soil you’ll need, give your raised bed dimensions to the garden center or plug in your bed size numbers at .
• Soil mixes by the yard or in bags aren’t regulated for nutrient contents including salt levels, organic matter and fertility levels (amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium). There can be a range of differences among these products.
• To find out what is in the raised bed product you’re using is to send samples to the Colorado State University soil lab for testing. Itap usually a quick two-week turn around. If the results determine that nutrients are sufficient or possibly too high, then no added fertilizers will be needed this season. If the soil salt content is determined to be high, then leaching with water may be advised to dilute the salts. Drainage must also be good to move salts down and away.
• Information about soil testing can be found at this link– , click on “Horticultural Applications for Gardeners,” or call 970-491-5061.
