Fall is just around the corner and DLC is preparing specific parks for the seasonal change. As you may be aware, Verrado is adopting an overseed rotation schedule over the next four-five years, which begins this fall.
Overseeding, the process in which we transition the summer Bermuda grass to winter Ryegrass, is scheduled for the middle of September. Crews are currently dropping mow heights and cutting back on irrigation water to prepare the turf on designated parks in the community. After overseed, we will irrigate during the daytime hours, with varying start times, to help the new Ryegrass seeds germinate.
When DLC starts to overseed, typically the irrigation in the turf areas is reduced by half and mow heights are lowered to suppress the growth of the Bermuda and open up the soil for the Ryegrass. In addition, the turf is aerated to help the ground receive additional water and nutrients. After that, the Ryegrass seed is laid down. As the grass germinates, we will be watering frequently to keep the delicate seed bed moist. We encourage you not to walk or play on these areas as the grass germinates and until the new grass receives its first mow, typically in 3-4 weeks.
We continue to clean up from the summer monsoons, clearing out silt and debris to prevent erosion and removing any damage, such as broken tree branches. The monsoons allowed us to reduce our irrigation usage in July and August, saving your Community money. Cycle work continues, as crews are trimming any overgrown trees and shrubs and cleaning up fallen bean pods. We recently completed an inspection of sightlines. Our Special Projects team refreshed the playground sand at Grandview Park, Summit Park and Turtle/Critter Park. The rain, humidity and falling temperatures are friendly to weeds and our spray technicians are treating any growth with post-emergent herbicide as needed.
To learn more about overseeding, type in “overseed” in the handy search function located at the top right of the DLC Learning Center at www.dlclearningcenter.com.