Does aeration have to be done before the pre-emergent is applied?

No. Dry conditions and scheduling issues have made it necessary to aerate later when lawns have been watered in for better results. Recent studies show that aeratig after the pre-emergent is applied has no discernible effects on weed control.

What is the most common mistake lawn customers make that you have to deal with the most?

Most people mow too short and trim around the edges instead of edging vertically straight up and down. This would prevent most of the weed problems we have to deal with. For example in the spring when the average temperature is around 70 degrees mow short about 2 inches usually the first mowing or two in the early Spring. As the average temperature increases to around 80 degrees raise the mower to at least 2 1/2 inches high. As the temperature approaches 90 degrees the mower should be raised to at least 3 inches in length. During the hottest months of Summer especially June July and August when temperatures are in the upper nineties or even 100 degrees or above the mower should be raised to at least 3 1/2 inches. In the fall the mower can be lowered a notch at a time as temperatures fall, back down to 2 inches for the final mowing in mid November.

Why are we having so many problems with lawn diseases such as Necrotic Ring Spot and melting out (bleached out looking dead grass)?

Most disease problems can be corrected by using correct cultural practices such as proper watering and mowing. The rule of thumb for watering is "heavy but seldom". Mechanical aerating with clean equipment can also be effective in prevention of NRS. A balanced fertilizer with slow release nitrogen keeps the lawn healthy and more resistant to NRS and other diseases.

What watering schedule have you found that works best here along the Wasatch Front?

Watering deep and infrequent is the key to a healthy disease free lawn. The lawn should be allowed to dry out as much as possible between waterings. This encourages roots to go deeper "chasing" after the water that remains deeper in the soil profile. By thus training the roots of the turf to "stretch" deeper they are literally toughened up to take the heat during the hot summer months. This training should begin in the Spring by delaying turning on the sprinklers as long as possible. When they are turned on water manually for as long as possible even into early June if possible. During April and May usually once a week if needed is sufficient. In June as the weather dries out completely, watering once every two or three days is sufficient. Avoid watering every day and in the evenings to keep the lawn surface dry for as long as possible. A good watering schedule that works well especially in sandy soils is a M W F or a 2 2 3 days apart for a weekly schedule. This allows a good opportunity or the lawn to dry out during the busy weekend keeping the roots "stretching" at least once a week.

So how much should I water each time for a deep or heavy watering?

A lawn should be watered to a depth of at least 6 inches to be healthy. This usually takes about 1/2 inch of water to reach the proper depth. For the average fan type sprinklers this takes about 30 minutes. If you have gear driven solid stream sprinklers add about 15 more minutes to your watering time. To be exact use a straight sided can such as a tuna can to measure how long it takes to water 1/2 inch. Place the can about half the distance the sprinkler reaches. To avoid dry spots each area should have double coverage, that is, it takes two sprinklers to water any given area evenly.

Are there any other ways I can save water during the arid hot days of Summer?

For the last couple of years we've been using a water saving product called Hydretain. This product actually has the properties of holding water next to the roots of the turf. By using this product you can eliminate one of the watering days of your schedule. If you are on a 2 2 3 schedule it can be changed to a once every 3 or 4 days for the weekly schedule. If you are watering every 3 days you can cut back to once every 5 or 6 days. Even if you have secondary water and the price is fixed, the lawn is healthier as a result and we don't run out of secondary water only to have it completely turned off with lawns burning up. The nice thing about Hydretain is it lasts for 90 days. If it is applied in the late Spring it works all through the driest part of Summer saving you the most water and money.