Hybrid Tif Grass Care

SoonerBounce13 – posted 16 April 2008 17:17

Hey, new guy here. I just bought a house with this kind of grass (so they told me). I was wondering how to care for it…

Do i need a reel mower? How often to mow at what length? How much should I water, what kind of fertilizer and how often? etc

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks,AJ in Oklahoma

tommy – posted 16 April 2008 22:01

The mowing depends on what you want out of your lawn. If you need a short, manicured look…..you will need a reel. A higher cut will mean less mowing, and can be done with a self propelled rotary,(the back tires are driven for easier mowing thru thick Tif). Generally Tif needs to be dethatched (scalped) once a year in spring or early fall. This removes the previous years thatch layer, and allows all new growth to spring forth. Fertilizing depends on the quality of your soil, but generally you want to stay away from feeding during the summer, because it causes excessive growth and more mowing. If better color in summer is desired, use a product called ‘Ironite’. Spring and fall fertilizing can be done with any balanced lawn food. Soak your lawn twice a week in the summer (on rainless weeks) and less during cooler periods. If your soil is hard and does not except water very well, your watering frequency will be greater.