(NAPSA)—If your lawn is looking stressed, there’s no need for you to feel stressed, too. Keeping a few maintenance tips in mind—such as mower deck height, watering and fertilizing— can make lawn care easier and moreeffective. Mower deck adjustment. Adjusting the height of the mower deck can enhancestress tolerance put on the blades of grass. Experts at John Deere recommend their one-third rule for mowing. Only the top one-third of the blade of grass should becut. This will reduce the chances of lawn burning. Thirsty lawns need water. Signs of dehydration include curling grass blades anda bluish-green color. Another sign is footprinting—if you can see your footprints in the grass, your grass is thirsty. Most lawns need about an inch of water per week. If you are unsure of how long to water, put a mark one inch from the bottom of several plastic containers and spread around the watering zone. Clock the time it takes to reach the oneinch mark and water for that length of time in the future. Dealing with drought. No one likes the effects of drought on a lawn. First, follow any water restrictions in your area. If grass is still growing into the drought, mowonthe high side to encourage the roots to go deeper. Lengthen the time between irrigations but water thoroughly and efficiently, wasting no water on runoff. Do When fertilizing your lawn, be sure the lawn is getting enough water to avoid burning it. not water for just a short amount of time a few times a week. This invites weeds to grow. During severe water shortages, let your lawn go dormant. Your lawn can actually survive a few months of no water and will recover quickly once rain returns. Fertilizer, yea or nay? Fertilizer can help revitalize a stressed lawn as long as it has enough water. If you irrigate or if it’s a rainy summer, the grass will be encouraged to grow. The more the grass grows, the more it eats and the more food you have to keep on hand. So whenever a lawn is growing steadily, keep it well fed. If you fertilize during a dry season, you strengthen the chances of burning your lawn. For more information on lawn maintenance, visit www.john deere.com.
