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BES-TEX Best Management Practices · Lawn Basics
Lawn Care 101
The MWF Method · Mowing, Watering, Feeding
What Is MWF?
For over 20 years, we’ve taught lawn care basics using MWF, because most people already think of that as Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
If you can remember MWF, you can remember the basics of growing grass and reducing weed pressure.
Mowing
Grass grows from the shoot, not the root. The more you mow, the more the grass thickens.
Mow often
Ideally Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Sharp blade
Dull blades tear grass, creating stress and disease entry points.
Every 50 hours
Sharpen blades every 50 hours of run time.
Recommended Mowing Heights
St. Augustine
3–4 in
Zoysia
2–3 in
Common Bermuda
2–3 in
TifTuf / Tif 419 Bermuda
1–2 in
Preferred: 1 in · Max: 2 in
Correct height + frequent mowing = thicker turf and fewer weeds.
Watering
The goal of irrigation is to saturate the soil profile to about 6 inches, then allow it to dry back out.
In our clay loam soils
of soil penetration
Keeping soil saturated too long leads to
Irrigation Check
Do this regularly.
Irrigation Audit
1–2 times per year, spring and fall.
Example
½ inch in 15 minutes = 30 minutes total to apply 1 inch
Water deep, then let it dry. More water is not better.
Feeding (Fertilizing)
Grass should be fed when it is actively growing, not when it is dormant.
Every 4–5 weeks
During the growing season. Not year-round.
Balanced fertilizer
A common example we use is 16-8-8.
Skip weed-and-feed
Avoid weed-and-feed products.
Weed and feed products try to kill weeds and grow grass at the same time. Those two goals rarely happen on the same day.
Understanding the Numbers (N-P-K)
Easy way to remember: Up – Down – Out
Nitrogen · Up
Top growth and color
Phosphorus · Down
Root development
Potassium · Out
Strength, stress tolerance, and spread
Why Lawn Care 101 Matters for Weed Control
Most weed problems are not caused by lack of chemicals. They are caused by:
Infrequent mowing
Poor irrigation habits
Compacted soil
Weak, thin turf
Fix MWF First.
Chemicals work better when the basics are right.
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