Lawns

Selected Readings and Content

UMaine Extension Bulletins

• White Grub information UMaine Home and Garden IPM
• Establishing a Home Lawn in Maine, Bulletin #2367
• Maintaining a Home Lawn in Maine, Bulletin #2243
• Steps to a Low-Input, Healthy Lawn, Bulletin #2166

UMaine Extension Videos

• How Do I Care for My Lawn in an Environmentally Friendly Way?
• How to Establish a Home Lawn in Maine
• How to Maintain a Home Lawn in Maine

Additional Resources

• A Homeowners Guide to Environmentally Sound Lawn Care, Mass.gov
• Grass Seed Sources, Maine Yardscaping for a Healthy Maine, Maine.gov
• Lawns, Maine Yardscaping for a Healthy Maine, Maine.gov
• Maine’s Great Grass Experiment, Maine Yardscaping for a Healthy Maine, Maine.gov
• North Country Organics Turf Program: www.norganics.com/applications (click on Turfcare, listed under Technical Articles)
• Sustainable Lawncare Information Series, University of Minnesota
• Tick Identification Lab, Resources
• Which Type of Grass Is Best for My Lawn?

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Master Gardener Volunteer Training

Core Competencies

At the end of these sessions you will be able to articulate and explain:

• Sustainable lawn establishment practices
  • The advantages and disadvantages of using seed or sod
  • Proper site preparation
  • Selection of appropriate grass varieties
  • How and when to seed a lawn
  • Low-input lawn maintenance
    • De-thatching
    • Aeration procedure and timing
    • Proper mowing techniques
    • Water and fertilizing
    • Over-seeding
    • Managing weed, insects and diseases
    • Common seasonal practices in Maine
  • Alternatives to Turf
    • Advantages and disadvantages of reducing turf-grass
    • Methods for removing turf
    • Alternatives to turf with a focus on groundcovers and native species

Practical Skills Gained and Strengthened

• How to select appropriate grass varieties for a Maine lawn
• How to effectively maintain a healthy lawn through proper mowing, fertilization and watering