Last Updated on April 29, 2024 by Brian Beck
Can you come look at my lawn? We get this question a lot. It is a sincere question but the person asking it might not be aware of what they are asking. We all want answers and we usually want them right away. Having issues with the lawn is no different. There are several things that can go wrong with a lawn, most of them routine issues. Some can be seen, some cannot, hence the writing of this blog. When someone calls to come over and look at their lawn they are usually assuming that what is wrong with their lawn is visible and can be readily seen by simply looking at it. There are three levels of observation Here is the reality:
The MACRO level-This is what you can see both to the trained and expert eye and to the person that has no idea what is going on. This includes, grass color, presence of water, signs of overt lawn disease, grass coverage, grass height. That is about it, not nearly enough to make a well informed decision as there is much left that goes unanswered.
Then there is the MESO level- This is a little more involved as it can include measuring the thatch level and soil compaction with a soil probe, as well as checking moisture levels in the soil, soil composition (sand, clay, loam, etc.). This is invasive as it takes tools to get into the lawn but only so many questions can be answered by this level of observation.
Then there is the MICRO level. The things in your soil such as pH, Carbon level, CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity), microbial populations, etc. As you may have guessed by a few of these items cannot be seen by the naked eye and require a lab and a guy that has a microscope and some not-so-common tools and chemicals for testing. Once these things are identified you can begin to piece together the mystery that is surrounding what is going on in the lawn and get to a solution.
It is important to remember that at the most basic level we are attempting to get resources into the plant so it can grow and heal. If there are any deprivations there will be stress, disease and death. We seek to remove these barriers so that the plant can thrive and you can have a great looking lawn, that is provided that you keep the soil hydrated, the second most reason for lawn failure.
