Getting Rid Of Gophers
Q: We’ve been fighting gophers for the last three years. They’ve eaten the roots of my plants, and I’ve tried every remedy I’ve ever heard of, including putting human hair in the tunnels. What can we do to win this war?
Elizabeth, Cleveland, TN
A: Roger Cook replies: Look on the bright side at least you won’t have to aerate your lawn this year. Seriously, though, gophers are wily, destructive pests that throw up big mounds of earth willy-nilly across the landscape and destroy gardens and crops. Here’s a quick overview of the remedies for these rodents, but check with your local extension service on specifics that suit your area.
First of all, stuffing things down a gopher hole, including hair or those so-called sonic repellents, just doesn’t work. I recommend box traps, which are the simplest and easiest type of gopher trap to use. You plant them in a main tunnel, which lies about 6 to 12 inches below the surface. Then, following the illustrated directions, dig down and set two traps with their open ends facing opposite directions into the tunnel. No bait is needed, but be sure to wear gloves when setting the traps. You don’t want your scent to scare them away.
What Is The Difference Between Fall Fertilizer And Spring Fertilizer
Fall and spring lawn fertilizers are very different formulas because they serve very different purposes. In the fall, your goal is to help your lawn charge up nutrients and conserve them through the dormant period. In the spring, fertilizer is used to help the lawn bounce back to life and grow rapidly.
When To Fertilize Lawn In New England
When To Fertilize Lawn In New England?
Nearly all grasses in New England are cool-weather varieties and its best to fertilize them a couple of times in the fall September and November and again in the spring when the new green growth appears. Lawns need only a thin layer. Work compost into the soil around bedded plants.
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Heres Your Fall Lawn Care Checklist
Giving your lawn a little tender love and care before winter in Maine is essential to making sure that it looks healthy and vibrant come spring. With the seasons changing so quickly, though, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Get your rake and your lawnmower ready: here are the steps you need to take to keep your land looking fresh and ready for cold weather.
Manage foliage
Colorful autumn leaves carpeting your lawn are a fall hallmark, but they can also cause aesthetic problems for your lawn. Removing foliage in the fall when it is dry is much easier than doing so in the spring when it is wet and matted down.
The leaves up off your lawn in the fall make dead spots on your lawn in the spring, said Chaz Longmuir, owner of Maine Lawn Pros in Brewer.
However, there is a case against removing fallen leaves in their entirety because leaf litter provides habitat for wildlife as well as benefits to your lawn like fertilization and weed suppression. Leaving a thin layer behind, or mulching leaves with a lawnmower to prevent thatching, will keep those ecosystem benefits while preventing potential dead spots from cropping up after the thaw.
Of course, leaving fallen leaves isnt an option for all homeowners, especially those who must follow homeowners association guidelines. Find what works best for your lawn and your land.
Weed your gardens
Keeping your yard weed-free goes beyond your actual yard, too.
Mow
Aerate & fertilize
Fix the thinning bits
What Fertilizer To Use In The Fall
The answer here depends on local ordinances or state laws. Some states do not allow the use of lawn fertilizers containing phosphorus . Although phosphorus is essential for root growth during seed and grass establishment and in the fall to aid root development, many soils naturally contain phosphorus so no further application is necessary.
If you live in a phosphorous-free community, use fertilizers that contain readily available nitrogen sources and a high-potassium fertilizer . This will properly feed your lawn during the winter. Good numbers would be 24-0-12 or 21-0-21.
If you live in a municipality or state where phosphorus-containing fertilizers are allowed, this can add another layer of plant protection to prepare your lawn for a harsh winter. A good example would be 24-5-10 or 20-5-20. A lawn starter fertilizer, such as a 14-14-14 or 12-24-12 would also work.
Liquid or soluble fertilizers which also contain similar proportions of NPK. However, understand that the recommended application rates of sprayable lawn fertilizers will provide less nutrients per application compared to granular products. However, using a hose sprayer to apply a fall fertilizer is still an acceptable application method. You may need to apply two applications a couple of weeks apart to reap the full benefits.
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When To Fertilize Lawn With Warm
Warm-season grasses should be fed during active periods of growth. However, avoid feeding them in hot midsummer months. The fertilizer should be applied in three phases first in early spring when the grass begins to green, then in late spring, finally in late summer.
Now that you know the best time to fertilize your lawn, heres an idea of how to proceed with lawn fertilization.
When To Fertilize Transition Grasses
While warm and cool-season grasses are pretty straightforward, transition grasses depend on your specific region and grass variety.
While I listed 2 types of grass as good options for the transition zone as they can handle extreme highs and lows, many established lawns will either be warm or cool-season grasses that require nurturing through the summer or winter.
More people choose the cool-season as its easier to nurture cool-season grass through hot summers than warm-season through frigid winters, although changing climates throw a monkey wrench into that.
For the best advice, consult your local university extension office. They have a ton of local info finding the best time for your grass and region.
Buffalo Grass requires very little fertilizer if any. Too much fertilizer can kill it.
Blue-stem Grass also requires very little fertilizer, if any. It may be mixed with cool-season fescues, which will keep the lawn green in the cool-season, while blue-stem grass is green in the summer.
For warm-season and cool-season grasses, follow the guidelines above, but be aware that the months may change based on your regions climate.
How often should the lawn be fertilized?
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Where Does Fertilizing It On Time Come In
Well, you can plant sod anytime you really want to. And perhaps its going to make it if you do it properly. However, if you want it to be really healthy and beautiful, you might want to do a little more research.
Ideally, you should plant it during the right time of the year so that it can get ideal conditions for growing. That would ensure that it remains healthy and beautiful for a long time. So, I would personally recommend that you do the research- its worth the little extra bit of effort.
Fall Organic Lawn Care
In areas where leaves accumulate in deep layers, collect and chop them after they fall from trees . You can also rake them for mulch or compost.
For the last mowing, set the blades at 2 inches to leave the grass low enough over winter to help prevent disease. Longer grass can matte, especially under snow. A 2-inch final fall mowing can also help in spring if grass begins growing while the soil is too wet for mowing.
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Dealing With Unwanted Grass
Grass Overtaking the Vegetable Garden
Q: I planted a vegetable garden on a plot that was fully covered with grass, and I’m having a hard time keeping the weeds and grass from overgrowing the plants. Is there a product to control garden weeds?
Bethany, Blue Ridge, Georgia
A: Roger Cook replies: One thing you can do is block sunlight from getting to the weeds. This can be accomplished using plastic, newspaper, or weed barrier. Plastic and newspaper do not allow water to pass through, so they are not going to help the garden grow. Weed barrier will let water pass through however. My suggestion is to purchase weed barrier in a size that is economical for your area. Cover the entire area, anchoring the barrier with brick or wire clips available where you buy the product. Now you can cover the weed with mulch, such as wood chips or grass clippings from a non-chemically treated lawn. When you go to plant you can cut a small hole in the weed barrier and put in your plant. If the garden is already planted, roll out the weed barrier carefully between the plants and mulch. You may get a few weeds growing in the mulch but it will be minimal compared to the problems you have now.
Getting Rid Of Lawn Ruts
Q: Parts of my lawn can be extremely soft when wet, and when I cut my grass recently I left deep ruts across the softer parts. This didn’t tear up the turf or anything, but the ruts are un-sightly. What can I do to repair this damage?
Chuck, Cordova, TN
A: Roger Cook replies: First, let’s talk about preventing further damage. The obvious advice don’t mow when your lawn is wet will not only prevent the rut problem but will give you a better cut too. If the lawn is wet so often that this regularly interferes with your mowing schedule, have a landscape contractor take a look. You probably have a drainage problem that needs attending to.
Now on to fixing the ruts. A lot of people tackle this the wrong way: by filling the ruts in with dirt and then seeding the area. But filling doesn’t relieve the compaction, and the new grass never quite blends with the surrounding turf.
The best way to fix ruts is to loosen the soil. For shallow ruts no more than a few inches deep, take a spade fork and sink it into the ground alongside the rut at a 45-degree angle. With the fork’s tines buried under the bottom of the rut, gently push down on the handle and lever the sod up about 1 or 2 inches above the surrounding area. Then remove the fork and let the sod settle over time to a level that’s even with the neighboring lawn.
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Getting Started & Maintenance Musts
Reading a Seed Bag Label
Q: Can you help me decipher all the information on my bag of grass seed?
A: Here’s what each of the important label elements mean:
A_Pure Seed: Look for a blend of two or more varieties. A single variety is more susceptible to being wiped out by disease.
B_Variety: Every common grass, such as tall fescue, should have a variety name. If no variety name is listed, it’s a lower quality seed.
C_Other Crop Seed: These are annual grasses, such as winter wheat or rye. Be wary if there’s more than 2.5 percent.
D_Inert Matter: This is the stuff that won’t grow, such as dirt and broken seeds. More than 3 percent is a red flag, unless it’s a seed coating meant to enhance germination.
E_Weed Seed: No bag is completely weed-free, but avoid ones with more than 0.2 percent of these seeds.
F_Noxious Weeds: The best bags will have none of these invasive plants.
G_Tested: Similar to an expiration date. Walk away from bags with a test date more than one year old.
Can You Put Starter Fertilizer On Existing Grass
It wont hurt your grass to use starter fertilizer, but it will lack needed nutrients. Resulting in an unhealthy lawn in the long run. It is better to use a fertilizer specifically for mature lawns. Regular fertilizers contain slow-release nutrients that aid continuous growth and health maintenance.
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Wasps Nesting In Lawn
Q: What can I do to get rid of the yellow jackets living in the ground around my house?
Ken McGarry, Chicago
A: Roger Cook replies: There are many kinds of wasps and bees that nest underground. Most are beneficial, not aggressive, and valuable as pollinators. But if you are sure that you have yellow jackets, the following strategies might get rid of them.
First, try flooding them with water in the evening, after they’ve returned to the nest. It may take several attempts over a period of days to drown them or encourage them to move elsewhere. Or you could try covering each hole with plasticagain, in the early eveningand seal it against the ground with bricks or blocks for a few days.
If that doesn’t cook them or discourage them, you’ll probably have to use an insecticide. There are many formulations of these chemicals, including some poison-free products such as mint oil. Availability varies from region to region, but you should find what you need at a garden center or home supply store.
Dealing with white grubs, chinch bugs, or other such pests? We’ve got you covered in How to Deal With Common Lawn Problems
When And How To Fertilize Your Lawn
In some ways, lawns are a lot like people. Operating at the peak of beauty and performance requires a good diet and proper care. Lush, thick, green lawns depend on properly timed, properly balanced nutrition to look and grow their best. Understanding when and how to fertilize your lawn can help you and your grass stand out from the rest.
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When To Fertilize New Sod
If youre planning to quickly grow your turf, going with sods might be the best idea for you. With proper watering, fertilizing and care, you can easily grow it into a turf really quickly. However, the geographical conditions might also prove to be an additional boost if they are right. So, when to fertilize new sod, you ask?
Well, lets find that out together, shall we? In todays article here at Turf Mechanic we are going to take a look at this. We are going to figure out when to fertilize new sod, since finding the right time is actually pretty hard.
But, before we go for it, there are a few things that you might want to know. To begin with, you need to actually know how you might want to take care of your new sod when you plant it. So the main things you might want to keep in mind might be summed up as this.
- Proper Watering: The first thing you might want to do is properly water your turf. This is something you might want to do with a proper sprinkler if youre as lazy as I am! So,
- Fertilizing it: Fertilizing it properly is yet another thing that you might want to pay a lot of attention to. You might go for either a drop spreader or a broadcast spreader based on your lawn. However, you might click here to read our article on the main differences between the two. It might help you figure out the right choice for you!
Caring For Your Newly Seeded Lawn
Watering: The seeds will typically take 10 to 14 days to germinate, and during this time the soil should be kept damp. Proper watering once or twice a day is essential for a new lawn. This watering routine should be kept up until the grass sprouts are at least one inch tall.
Mowing: Your lawn should be mowed regularly during the growing season. This helps encourage healthy growth. Do not mow more than the top third of the grass blades at one time. Cutting off too much can stress the lawn.
Weed Control: In early spring, try our Green Up with Crabgrass Preventer. This will not only treat existing crabgrass but prevent new crabgrass from growing. In late spring, keep treating for weeds with Green Up Weed and Feed. This gives your lawn a healthy green color while treating any weeds that might sprout up in the spring.
Once you determine when to plant your grass seed in Maine, visit Jonathan Green online or your local independent retail store for tips and recommendations on caring for your lawn to keep it looking healthy all year round.
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Apply Lawn Fertilizer In Spring
Deciding exactly when to apply lawn fertilizer depends on where you live. According to Scotts, you should apply lawn fertilizer between February and April when your grass starts to green up and begins to actively grow. Essentially, if it looks like your grass is ready for its first mowing of the season, then its ready for lawn fertilizer.
Giving your grass a good dose of lawn fertilizer in the spring sets the stage for a healthy growing season. It strengthens the roots and gives the grass a boost of nutrients to sustain it as it grows. The type of fertilizer you need depends on what type of grass you have and if you want to address other problems, such as weed prevention, or kill pests, like fire ants.
If youre not sure what type of fertilizer to use, you can speak with your local garden center expert to find out what works best for your grass. Are you not sure what type of grass you have? Cut a small sample and take it with you to show the garden center expert.
Allyn HaneNews
Hey Yall, hope your week is off to a successful start and lawn care is a part of it!Last weekend I posted an important video talking all about spring fertilizer and how much to throw down and when.If you have not seen that video, I highly recommend you view it starting here:
Things to consider:
1.2.3. 4. 5.
As always, I hope this email has been helpful, and Ill see you in the lawn!-AL
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We offer every kind of service that it takes to develop and maintain a beautiful lawn in Iowa based on the climate, soil types, and the varieties of grass that are commonly grown here.
One of the keys to the success of the program is that we provide treatment to lawns approximately every 8 weeks throughout the growing season. This ensures that the grass has fertilizer available throughout the growing season. Dandelions and other Broadleaf weeds are controlled as they germinate thus enabling a weed free lawn, and our Turf Specialist is at the property four to six times per season to address problems as and when they arise.
Another key to our service is our people. The most important person to you in our company is the Turf Specialist assigned to treat your lawn.
We are proud to say that our Turf Specialists are the best trained and most experienced in the lawn care industry.
When you become a customer at All American Turf Beauty, a Turf Specialist is assigned to your account. You will have the same person treating your lawn each time. It is their responsibility to service your lawn, make sure it is receiving the correct applications as scheduled, and to provide you with the best personalized service possible. Their jobs depend on it.
We have several programs to choose from. Your Turf Specialist will recommend the best program that fits the needs of your lawn and your budget.
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