Lawn Care Tips

2005-05-13T15:35:00.000-04:00

Dripping wet blades of grass.

2005-05-13T15:27:00.000-04:00

Pachysandra

Environmentalists Demand Alternatives to Pesticide Use

2005-04-30T23:30:00.001-04:00

More and more homeowners are trying to find ways to reduce or eliminate the use of traditional pesticides in their lawns (and sometimes even in the lawns of their neighbors).

Some environmentally conscious homeowners believe that many traditional pesticides are much more dangerous and unhealthy than the pesticide industry would have us believe. Quite a few cities in Canada have already taken steps to restrict the use of some traditional pesticides. This backlash against pesticide use seems to be gaining momentum.

If you are unfamiliar with this growing battle between environmental groups and the pesticide industry, I’d like to refer you to a recent article written by

Bruce Taylor Seeman with Newhouse News Service

Bruce does a good job of outlining the health concerns of the environmental groups and the responses that the pesticide manufacturers have regarding these concerns.

You Need To Get Down On Your Hands And Knees

2005-04-29T21:15:00.000-04:00

For any homeowner who is serious about caring for his lawn, you must occasionally get down on your hands and knees and get your eyeballs into the lawn. If you donÂt do this once in a while you may miss an opportunity to discover early that small insects may have invaded your lawn or that a lawn disease is in its early stages.

When youÂre looking closely at your lawn, look for unusual discoloration or spots on the leaf blades. Also, when youÂre down and close like this you can get a pretty good idea of how sharp your mower blade is by how clean the cut is. If most of the cut leaves of grass do not have fuzzy white-ish fibers sticking out past the cut line, your mower blade is probably sharp enough.

If youÂre examining your lawn close up and your lawn looks a little thinner than it has and the grass leaf blades appear to be folded along a center crease, this may indicate that the grass is trying to protect itself when it is very hot and dry. Although this is not necessarily cause for alarm, this folding of the leaves becomes quite obvious when you are down and close to the lawn. So if your lawn has been getting an adequate supply of water, then the folded leaves are just an interesting bit of plant behavior. Also on close examination, chances are pretty good that you will notice an insect, a spider or perhaps an ant here and there. But again, unless you find these in great numbers, you need not be concerned.

Most lawns are made up of several desirable varieties of grass. For instance, many bluegrass lawns also contain fescues and perennial rye. When standing over the lawn it can be very difficult to distinguish the different varieties that are mixed together. However, examining the length, width, color, smoothness, etc. of the grass blades when you are close up will help you identify the different types of grass that make up your lawn.

The whole point of getting down and close to your lawn is to become better acquainted with your lawn, the soil it grows in, and the insects that live there. And besides, getting down on your hands and knees and poking around through the grass can be a bit of an adventure. The kind of adventure maybe not experienced since childhood - and we could all use more of those.

NEXT TIME: I will try to post some links to information on the net that lawn care enthusiasts may find useful.

Lawn Diseases

2005-04-28T23:30:00.000-04:00

There are several lawn diseases that can appear on a homeowner’s lawn. Some diseases are more harmful than others but some of the damage can often be reduced by the cultural practices of the homeowner.

Most lawn diseases only start after favorable conditions develop, and then if these conditions remain the disease will spread. Favorable conditions for a lawn disease may include turf that is under extreme stress and turf growing in poor soil conditions. Even the weather can impact the development of a lawn disease.

One of the easiest things a homeowner can do to avoid or lessen a disease in their lawn is to plant disease resistant varieties of grass. It also helps to use grass mixes and blends of different varieties of grass, as, if a disease affects one variety of your turf mix it may leave the others alone. Two other cultural practices include not over-watering or over-fertilizing your lawn, as some diseases prefer wet conditions or high nitrogen.

Diseases such as Dollar Spot, Red Thread, and Rust are apt to appear in lawns that are low on fertility and high on moisture. Other diseases that might appear under conditions of excess nitrogen and a heavy thatch condition include Leaf Spot (sometimes referred to as “Melting Out”) or Snow Mold. Lawn diseases that are apt to appear where there is a heavy clay soil, soil compaction or heavy thatch include Summer Patch, Necrotic Ring Spot, and Fusarium Blight.

Although some lawn diseases are easily identified, others may be much more difficult. My advice to a homeowner is that if they suspect a lawn disease has infected their lawn, they contact a professional. It can be very difficult for a homeowner to differentiate one disease from another and sometimes to even differentiate between disease and insect damage. A professional, however, makes these determinations on a regular basis. Payment for his advise is usually money well spent.

There is also a lot of good information on “lawn diseases” on the internet and it as close as your favorite search engine.

NEXT TIME: You Need To Get Down On Your Hands And Knees

The Best Kept Lawns Have The Most Problems

2005-04-27T23:00:00.000-04:00

A lawn tends to adapt itself to the care and treatment that it receives from the homeowner. If a homeowner indulges his lawn with regular watering, regular feeding, and regular use of pesticides, his lawn will adapt itself and come to expect the continuation of this treatment.

It is important to understand that when a lawn is subjected in a limited way to drought, insect infestation or disease, it builds some resistance to these conditions. There is the process of natural selection at work.

If you water your lawn on a very regular basis you will be cultivating many thousands of individual grass plants that are all accustomed to receiving regular watering. Now if something should happen to disrupt this regular watering - such as an imposed watering ban or an extended trip away from home - this lawn will find itself without all the water it has grown accustomed to receiving. This lawn will be less able to survive any type of drought as compared to another lawn that has become adapted to periodic droughts. During a drought any individual grass plants that are intolerant to drought are apt to die out. In a lawn that has become adapted to an occasional drought there will be many individual grass plants that are in fact very well adapted to prolonged drought. When these adapted lawns begin to receive water or rain again, it is these drought resistant grass plants that will be left to reproduce themselves.

This same adaptability also holds true when it comes to a lawn’s resistance to attacks by insects and disease. If you continually apply preventative chemicals - such as pesticides and fungicides - your lawn will have less chance to develop its own natural resistance to attacking forces. Also, it should be noted that if you maintain the lushest, greenest and healthiest lawn in your neighborhood, then your lawn may become the lawn of choice for hungry grass-eating insects looking for a place to lay their eggs.

The bottom line here is that natural selection is always at work despite what you do or don’t do for your lawn. If you want your lawn to have more natural resistance to whatever Mother Nature might throw at it, don’t be too regular and too quick to intercede on your lawn’s behalf. Your lawn will adapt to that behavior and you are apt to become a slave to your lawn.

NEXT TIME: Lawn Diseases

More Homeowners Are Turning To Native Grasses As Their Turf Of Choice

2005-04-26T22:30:00.000-04:00

A growing number of homeowners are trying to find low maintenance alternatives to the common American lawn. Many of them are turning to native grasses.

In order to better explain the growing popularity of native grasses, let me first discuss the more commonly used turf grasses. Many of today’s turf grasses were either brought to this country by immigrants or they are relatively new products developed by horticultural research scientists. These recently introduced grasses have not had time to evolve and adapt for survival in the places they are used the way that native grasses have.

Native grasses are those grasses that have existed in their environments for thousands of years. They are well adapted to whatever Mother Nature may throw their way. They tend to survive harsh freezing weather, extreme droughts, severe insect damage, and many different diseases. In addition, they survive quite well given a lot less nutrients than the grasses typically used for homeowner’s lawns.

Some grasses native to the U.S.A. include:

Bluestem,
Buffalograss,
Indiangrass, and
Switchgrass.

There are also seed mixtures of these and other native grasses available.

Most native grasses are well suited for use in pastures (uncut), but several are being used more and more as lawns on homeowners’ property. If you decide to give native grasses a try, it is important that you select the varieties that are particularly native to the part of the country in which you live.

The bottom line here is that you can minimize or eliminate much of the work, expense, and chemical applications typically associated with the common turf type species of grass. If you are interested in learning more about native grasses, I encourage you to use your favorite search engine directed toward “native grasses”.

NEXT TIME: The Best Kept Lawns Have The Most Problems

More and More People Are Growing Less and Less Lawn

2005-04-25T23:45:00.000-04:00

According to some historians, the concept of having a lawn grew out of the idea that having a lawn represented wealth, that the landowner could afford to leave a large portion of his property “unproductive”. A lawn meant the landowner could afford to purchase any food that he or any animals he owned might need. Otherwise, he would have had to put all of his land into production, like other people did.

This concept that large open expanses of green lawns represented success and prosperity has lingered for hundreds of years. There has, however, been a movement over the last 20 or 30 years or so that has challenged this age old custom. This movement is made up of people who believe that a lawn does not have to be the main focus of their property and that maybe it shouldn’t be. The people who feel this way tend to increase the size of flower beds, vegetable gardens, shrubbery beds, and naturalized areas in lieu of a large expanse of lawn.

The people who act on these beliefs may have different motivations. For some, they are unwilling or unable to care for a large expanse of lawn. Some others are just avid flower or vegetable gardeners and they need the room for their gardens. However there is another group - in fact a group that is growing - that believes a large expanse of turf is not only unnecessary but harmful to the environment. This group believes that the huge amounts of toxic substances (such as insecticides, fungicides and herbicides) along with the overused synthetic fertilizers do more harm to the environment than they are worth. Although the people in this group may not totally eliminate all lawn areas in their landscape, they do make efforts to minimize these areas.

Some of the alternatives to a large lawn include: naturalized areas (wild uncut grasses, wildflowers, or even small wood lots) or extensively cultivated areas (hybrid flower gardens, vegetable gardens and fruit trees). I guess the bottom line here is that if you have ever felt that you have more lawn area on your property than you want, there are plenty of attractive options.

NEXT TIME: More Homeowners Are Turning To Native Grasses As Their Turf Of Choice

Soil vs. Dirt

2005-04-24T22:15:00.000-04:00

You can take what I have to say today with a grain of salt. It is just my personal preference and personal opinion with regard to using the term “dirt” when one is speaking about “soil”.

When I was young and had no understanding of the complexities of soil, I referred to soil as just dirt. If I had spent the day playing outdoors - perhaps digging or making mud pies or whatever - upon entering my home I was apt to hear the words from my mother, “Go wash that dirt off your hands!” And as the substance on my hands needed to be washed off, it truly was dirt. It was dirt because I had to scrub it off. I had to get it out from under my nails. It was dirt because it made me unclean.

Later, when I was older and studying horticulture, I gained a keen appreciation for all the dynamic interactions taking place in soil. From that time to this I have never referred to soil as dirt. Good rich topsoil can take centuries to develop. It is dynamic and is filled with all kinds of life, such as microbes, worms, fungi, insects, roots and more. It contains minerals and small rocks that vary in size from that of silt to pebbles. Soil also usually contains organic matter which is the decaying remnants of plant and animal life.

Now chances are pretty good that if you go down to your garden center and tell them that you need a few bags of dirt, they will know what you mean and direct you to a pallet loaded with bags of topsoil. After all, there will be nothing in the garden center labeled as “Dirt”. And, as we all learned as children, dirt is something to be avoided or to be washed away. The bottom line here is that because soil is the foundation of so many life forms on this planet that I have a very difficult time referring to it as lowly “dirt”. I prefer to give it the respect it deserves.

NEXT TIME: More and More People Are Growing Less and Less Lawn

Not All Grassy Weeds Are Crabgrass

2005-04-23T23:45:00.000-04:00

It is important for homeowners to understand that crabgrass can be easily confused with other weedy grasses. Knowing certain characteristics of crabgrass will go a long way toward eliminating this confusion.

Most desirable lawn grasses have relatively narrow leaves. These grasses include: Bluegrass, Creeping Red Fescue, Chewing Fescue and others. Native wild grasses, on the other hand - such as quack grass, barnyard grass, goose grass, buffalo grass and even foxtail - tend to have a much wider leaf blade. Crabgrass also has a wide bladed leaf but it has other characteristics that make it easily identified.

First of all, crabgrass is an annual and will not survive any frost. Therefore, you will not find crabgrass in your lawn when temperatures still drop to or below freezing at night. And when crabgrass first starts to sprout it will have several very short and wide blades that are a much lighter green than the rest of the lawn. Crabgrass also has much less fiber content in its leaves than most other grasses. In fact, if you pull off a blade of crabgrass and smash it then roll it between your forefinger and thumb, it will basically become green mush. Crabgrass also tends to hold a lot of water in its leaves. This is why crabgrass is often called “water grass”. Another characteristic is that the growing habit of crabgrass tends to be more prostrate and spreading than upright. Probably the most distinguishing characteristic of crabgrass is its seed producing pattern. This pattern is somewhat reminiscent of an open umbrella with the fabric removed. The seed heads contain several long shafts radiating out in different directions that are covered with very tiny seeds. Another identifying feature of crabgrass is that when the temperature starts to get very cool, but not yet freezing, crabgrass will become almost violet in color.

The bottom line here is that if you’re going to take the time and spend the money on a crabgrass killer, make sure that it is crabgrass and not some other weedy grass that you’re trying to get rid of. I say this because crabgrass killer is selective - it will have an effect on crabgrass but not on most other grasses, even though those other grasses may be weedy. If you feel that you might still have difficulty identifying crabgrass, a quick search on your favorite search engine should supply you with more than enough pictures.

NEXT TIME: Soil vs. Dirt

Some Considerations When Refueling Your Lawnmower

2005-04-22T22:30:00.000-04:00

Today I’d like to briefly discuss a property of gasoline that may not be commonly understood. That property involves the changeable volume of gasoline based on changes to its temperature.

Most people are aware that the liquid in a thermometer expands and contracts based on the surrounding temperature. Like the liquid in a thermometer, gasoline will also expand or contract with changes in temperature. I’m sorry to say that I have learned this lesson - and then re-learned this lesson - on several occasions. The circumstances go something like this: I am running gasoline powered equipment. I run out of gasoline. And then, because I am eager to finish the job without having to stop again to refuel, I fill the gas tank of my power equipment too high. I set the fuel can down and reach for the gas tank cap, but before I can actually get the cap on I notice the gasoline continuing to rise and suddenly overflowing the gas tank. My mistake here was not leaving enough room in the tank for the gas to expand. This has also happened to me a couple of times where I had finished securing the gas tank cap and suddenly the gasoline started squirting out the air hole in the center of the cap.

Needless to say, this is a potentially explosive situation. Particularly if the engine you are refueling is very hot. The lessons I learned here are usually spelled out in the Owner’s Manual for any gasoline powered equipment. Most manuals will tell you, “Do not overfill the gas tank when refilling.” They will also mention that refilling an engine that is still hot should be avoided. And most power mower manuals will recommend that you not refuel the mower while it is still on the lawn. (Any gasoline spilled on the lawn will not explode but it will definitely kill the grass.) And, of course, due to the explosive nature of gasoline when ignited, it is a very bad idea to refuel power equipment if there are any nearby sparks, flames or burning cigarettes.

Finally, if you are using any two-cycle engines (be it a mower, weed-whip or blower), I highly recommend: 1) storing your two-cycle gasoline mixture in a clearly identifiable gas can, and 2) that you do your mixing as soon as possible after refilling that gas can. If you do not have a clearly marked two-cycle gas can and you mistakenly refill your two-cycle engine with straight unmixed gas, there is a very good possibility that your two-cycle engine will overheat and be destroyed in short order. And the reason I suggest mixing your gasoline as soon as possible (meaning at the gas station) is that way you are not apt to forget that the gasoline needs to be mixed before it can be used in a two-cycle engine.

In summary, always read, understand and follow all the safety precautions in your power equipment manual. Remember when you are refueling that one gallon of gasoline has the explosive power of several sticks of dynamite.

NEXT TIME: Not All Grassy Weeds Are Crabgrass

Spring Loaded Downspout Extensions

2005-04-21T23:00:00.000-04:00

There was a time when rainwater landing on a homeowner’s roof would be diverted from a gutter system to downspouts that were connected directly to a municipality’s storm drain system. Today, the water running through a homeowner’s downspout is usually released at the base of the downspout and directed onto the ground at a spot close to the foundation.

Sometimes homeowners will run an extension from the end of their downspout and out a ways onto their lawn or into their flower bed so as to minimize excess water near the foundation. The problem with most downspout extensions - besides not being very attractive and becoming a tripping or mowing hazard - is that they do not slow down or spread out the flow of water at their ends. And if such an extension ends in a flower or shrubbery bed that is mulched with nuggets or shredded bark, then chances are pretty good that an average rainfall will wash the mulch away from the area at the end of the extension. Furthermore, rainwater exiting a downspout or its extension directly onto a homeowner’s lawn is apt to wash away topsoil and cause a thinning of the grass in these frequently flooded areas.

It is common to find splash guards or splash blocks at the base of many homeowner’s downspouts. But although these help to slow the water down and to spread it out, the excess water is usually still too close to the foundation. Fortunately there are a products on the market that seem to solve many of the problems associated with downspouts and extensions. The mechanism by which this product works is reminiscent of common party favors called blowouts. When the party-goer blows into a blowout, a rolled up paper with a thin metal coil inside shoots out and becomes a long air filled tube. Then when the party-goer stops blowing, releasing the pressure, the tube immediately collapses and returns to its coiled position. The product for downspouts - often referred to as a “rain drain” and made of vinyl - will remain in a coiled position at the base of downspouts. One end of the vinyl is secured around the downspout, the other end is sealed except for a few small holes. When sufficient water pressure from rain causes the coil to unwind and stretch out, the water is allowed to escape in a more gentle manner and about four feet away from the foundation. Then when most of the water has left the vinyl tube, the tube flattens out and coils back up out of the flower bed or off the lawn and out of the way.

So the next time you’re looking for an alternative downspout extension, consider this self-expanding and self-retracting product. It will help to get more water away from your foundation and yet will be gentler on the bed or your lawn where it is used.

P.S. If you are interested in more info on this product just visit the URL below:
http://www.rainguardusa.com/
downspout-gutter-extension-4-foot-white-p-32.html

NEXT TIME: Some Considerations When Refueling Your Lawnmower

Keep That Mulch Off Your Lawn

2005-04-20T23:15:00.000-04:00

Regardless of what you use as a mulch in a flower or shrubbery bed, it is important to make sure that material stays in the bed and out of the nearby lawn.

First off, if the mulch material is shredded bark or bark nuggets it can easily become hidden in 3 to 4” tall grass. When it comes time to mow, this type of material can definitely take the edge off your mower blade. There is also the danger that pieces of this mulch will get thrown out at high velocity from the underside of the mower deck. This same hazard exists if you use a weed whip to trim along the turf at the bed’s edge.

A third reason to keep pieces of mulch out of the lawn at the bed’s edge is because it may build up and start to smother the edge of the turf. This is particularly true if small pieces of hidden mulch get repeatedly stepped on or rolled over with the mower’s wheels.

One of the best ways to keep mulching materials in bounds is by using edging material positioned so that the top of the edging is higher than the surface of the mulch. It would also help to discourage pets from disturbing your mulched beds.

If you find it very difficult to keep your mulching material where it belongs - and out of the grass - you may want to consider planting a ground cover in the bed instead of using mulch. Common ground covers used this way are myrtle, pachysandra, and a variety of sedums. I have also seen prostrate or “rug” juniper used effectively as a ground cover.

Photo below illustrates the proper use of edging between a lawn and a mulched bed.

NEXT TIME: Spring Loaded Downspout Extensions

My Favorite Ground Cover In Areas Close To My Lawn

2005-04-19T22:00:00.000-04:00

Years ago I was not much of a fan of ground covers. They always seemed too invasive and too hard to maintain. Then I discovered pachysandra, sometimes referred to as pachysandra terminalis or Japanese Spurge.

Pachysandra is a broadleaf evergreen that stands about a foot tall. It has a small off-white flower in the Spring that is not particularly showy. The foliage of pachysandra in the spring is green tinged with purple, in the summer it is bright green, and in the winter (or when planted in sunnier locations) it is a more yellow green. Pachysandra is a very shade tolerant plant and will do well in full to partial shade. It prefers a moist to wet, well-drained, loam or sandy soil that is rich in organic matter.

There are several reasons why I prefer pachysandra as a good multi-purpose ground cover. First, because - unlike so many other plants - it does well in dense shade. And because it will tolerate a pH range from 3.5 to 6.0, it will also grow under evergreens when many other plants will not. Additionally, pachysandra is extremely easy to grow and maintain in Climate Zones from 3 to 8.

One of the downsides of using pachysandra as a ground cover is its high cost when purchased at a garden center. It can easily cost $25 or more per flat. Another downside is that it is meant to initially be planted in a sparse one-foot grid pattern. So the first year you put in pachysandra it will not look its best; in fact, it will look its worst. The following year it will begin to fill in and start looking more like the ground cover it is. By the third year, it will be dense and standing proud.

Some of the reasons I am particularly fond of pachysandra include the following. If it creeps into the lawn it is easily removed or controlled. If your lawn starts to creep into the pachysandra it’s very easy to remove the grass without harming the pachysandra. One of my all-time favorite benefits of pachysandra is that in the Autumn when tree leaves fall onto pachysandra they do not need to be removed. All that is necessary is to take a soft broom or the back side of a lawn rake and gently sweep the top of the pachysandra. When you do this the dry leaves will fall down into the ground cover and out of sight. As those hidden leaves decay they will produce nutrients for the pachysandra. Lastly, although pachysandra is expensive when purchased, once established it is easy to transplant and start new sections of the ground cover in other areas of your landscape. If you have a friend or neighbor who has had pachysandra growing in their yard for three or more years, they might even be willing to let you have some clippings so that you can start cultivating your own.

So the next time you’re looking for a tough and versatile ground cover that will look good next to your lawn all year round, consider pachysandra. It’s my favorite. See photo below.

NEXT TIME: Keep That Mulch Off Your Lawn

Dealing With Grass When It Becomes A Weed

2005-04-18T23:30:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the grass in a homeowner’s lawn will find its way into areas in which it does not belong. Some of these areas may include flower beds, vegetable gardens, shrubbery and beds that are mulched (meant to be plant free).

Some grasses - including Kentucky Bluegrass - can reproduce themselves by way of underground rhizomes. These adventurous rhizomes will grow and spread out below the surface of the soil. They then produce new grass plants, sometimes a foot or more away from the original grass plant that sent out the rhizome. Now mind you, when this happens within the confines of the area you designate as your lawn, this is an ideal situation. Basically, it means that your lawn is self-repairing. However, your lawn will also send out exploratory rhizomes that will find their way into places outside your lawn where you do not want grass to grow.

One of the easiest ways of preventing the grass in your lawn from finding its way into areas not considered your lawn is to use edging. Basically, edging acts as a barrier to adventurous grass roots and rhizomes. Black plastic edging is commonly available in most lawn and garden shops. The use of this type of edging will go a long way toward keeping grass in bounds.

Sometimes, despite a homeowner’s best efforts, grass will find its way into places it doesn’t belong. Sometimes this grass can be eliminated simply by pulling and removing all of the grass and its roots. However, sometimes this is more easily said than done. It can be very difficult to remove grass growing through certain groundcovers, under shrubbery and in dense flowerbeds. Trying to remove grass in these areas by hand may destroy the look of the groundcover or flowerbed. Although I believe that lawn care pesticides should only be used when absolutely necessary, a product on the market called Grass-B-Gon is very well-suited for situations where the removal of grass by hand is impractical. This product will kill only grass plants so it is safe to use around groundcovers, shrubbery and flowers.

Keep in mind that the best defense in these matters is prevention, with the use of edging and hand-pulling before the situation gets out of control.

NEXT TIME: My Favorite Ground Cover In Areas Close To My Lawn

Defining A Weed

2005-04-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

One day over 20 years ago when I was studying horticulture, the professor announced he would be defining the term “weed” that day. His definition was very simple and I have never forgotten it. He said, “A weed is any plant out of place.”

There are some interesting implications with this definition. Most people consider dandelions weeds and yet there are many people who cultivate dandelions intentionally to be used as food or in medical preparations. The people who do this would never consider their crop “weeds”. Another example is clover. Many homeowners go to great lengths in order to rid their lawn of any trace of clover. On the other hand, there are a growing number of homeowners who intentionally scatter clover seed into their lawns. So one homeowner considers clover a weed and another considers clover to be a great way of naturally increasing the nitrogen content in their lawn’s soil.

There is another way to consider the above definition of a weed. Many gardeners commonly plant violets in their flower beds. It’s a very attractive plant with a very showy flower. Unfortunately, violets are very invasive and once they start growing in a lawn they can be very difficult to get rid of. So the question is, are violets a flower or a weed? I believe the answer is written in the first paragraph. It is only a weed if it is growing where it is unwanted, if it is out of place.

There are many plants that, depending on where they are growing, could be considered a desirable plant or they could be considered a weed. There are far too many plants to mention here that could easily fit into either of these two categories, but a few that you may be familiar with include: Wild Garlic, Queen Anne’s Lace and Ferns.

The bottom line here is that any plant growing in your lawn that you don’t want to see growing in your lawn is a weed. By the same token, if Kentucky Bluegrass has crept into your flower garden then even Kentucky Bluegrass has become a weed.

NEXT TIME: Dealing With Grass When It Becomes A Weed

One Indicator That You May Have An Insect Problem In Your Lawn

2005-04-16T23:30:00.000-04:00

The sooner a homeowner realizes that a potential insect problem exists in his lawn, the sooner he can take action to mitigate any possible damage.

Certain insects, such as grubs, do their damage unseen while chewing on grass roots. Another insect - Sod Webworm - may go unnoticed until the homeowner mows their lawn. Fortunately Mother Nature can often provide the alert homeowner with an early warning system that there may be an impending insect problem. This early warning system involves birds.

If you notice more birds than usual on your lawn, and they seem to be sticking their beaks down into the lawn, they can very well be going after grubs. If you walk out to the area where all the birds were pecking and you notice small openings down to the soil below in a concentrated area of your lawn, that’s a pretty good indication of a grub problem. Keep in mind that I’m not talking about an occasional bird, pecking here and there. I’m talking about several birds in one area of your lawn with behavior as noted above. In other words, if you occasionally see a robin searching for worms, you have no reason for concern. Also, if you suspect a grub problem due to increased bird activity, you can always cut into your sod and take a peek underneath. If you see more than two or three grubs per square foot underneath your sod, you may want to consider treating affected areas with milky spore disease.

Another example of birds giving a homeowner an early warning of an insect problem is the gathering of small birds (such as sparrows) in large numbers on your lawn. If you notice these birds just standing around, not really doing much of anything, spend a few minutes watching them very closely. These birds may be watching for mature Sod Webworm moths to flutter up out of your lawn, flutter off a few feet and then drop back into the lawn. Apparently, when there is a large population of Sod Webworm moths in a lawn, rather than seeking out the moths while they’re in the lawn, these small birds prefer to wait until the moth is airborne and then chase after it in the hopes of it providing a meal. So if you notice small birds chasing small moths on your lawn, you should investigate further to determine whether or not you have an infestation of sod webworm. If you take the back side of a leaf rake and gently brush the top of the lawn in the areas with the heaviest bird activity, and you notice several lawn moths fluttering up, you may want to apply liquid dish soap in a hose end sprayer. (See previous post, “Your Lawn Loves A Good Lather”.)

And finally, I’d like to suggest that if you notice large numbers of birds on your lawn, that you not scare them off or discourage them. After all, they are preying on insects that will cause harm to your lawn.

NEXT TIME: Defining A Weed

Photo Author: kittenpuff1

Your Lawn Loves A Good Lather

2005-04-15T21:15:00.000-04:00

Many homeowners are very reluctant to use any of the various pesticide products available at most lawn and garden centers. Although there are some new “supposedly” safer products on the market - one example being the insecticidal soaps - most pesticides are by their very nature toxic. And they are toxic not only for the intended target, but often they are toxic to people, pets, and other animals not intentionally targeted. Unintentional targets may include birds, fish, and beneficial insects.

My personal feeling with regard to these toxic pesticides is that if a homeowner can get by without using them or find a way of using anything less toxic then that’s a better way to go. There was a time when DDT was hailed as the best thing to ever come along for battling a wide variety of destructive insects. And then later it was realized that DDT had long term harmful side effects all through the environment, particularly with birds. DDT was removed from the market and replaced with another chemical that was considered safe. Again, some time later, it was found not to be safe and it too was removed. Some of the common pesticides used today (including diazinon, 2,4-D and dozens of others) are labeled as being safe - if used properly. I wonder which pesticide will be pulled off the market next. I guess what I’m asking here is that if you can kill a fly with a fly swatter why use a sledgehammer?

One of my own personal favorite pesticides is called liquid dish soap. Another is rubbing alcohol. And a third is ammonia. I have used all of these at one time or another - either by themselves or in different combinations - in my own yard. For example, liquid dish soap does not sit well in the digestive tracts of insects that may be chewing on your grass or chewing on its roots. Dish soap is very inexpensive, it makes insects very sick, and it is non-toxic. So the next time you find undesirable insects in your lawn, consider using one cup of dish soap mixed with three cups of water in a hose-end sprayer to treat your lawn. If you are going to try this as an insect control, I suggest doing so when your lawn will not be receiving any water or rain for several days. That way the residual of soap will remain on your lawn for a while instead of being rinsed off too soon. The idea here is to give the insects plenty of time to “enjoy” the soap. This simple recipe probably won’t actually cover your lawn with suds or lather, but there will be enough residue covering the blades of grass to affect chewing insects.

If you would like to get away from the use of highly toxic lawn and garden chemicals, you may want to consider reading some of the lawn and garden recipes put out by Master Gardener Jerry Baker. Although I am not an avid fan of Jerry Baker, I do believe he offers a breath of fresh air when it comes to remedies for the lawn and garden. You can always use your favorite browser to do a search on “Jerry Baker recipes” or “Safer lawn and garden chemicals”.

NEXT TIME: One Indicator That You May Have An Insect Problem In Your Lawn

The Use of Stepping Stones In High Traffic Areas

2005-04-14T21:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes there are areas of a homeowner’s lawn that receive so much foot traffic and become so compacted that it may be better to install stepping stones than to bear the frustration of trying to grow quality turf in those areas.

Sometimes these high traffic areas are pathways to the garage or shed. Sometimes these pathways provide a shortcut to a car parked in the driveway or just lead to a common destination in your yard, like a flower or vegetable garden. When stepping stones are placed into a frequented pathway, you will have fewer concerns about compaction and the wearing of an unsightly path through your turf.

It is now common to find stepping stones in garden centers in a wide variety of shapes, colors and materials. Whatever type of stepping stones you decide to go with, there are a few considerations to keep in mind. First and foremost, you want to avoid stepping stones that may become slippery when wet. Another consideration is to avoid stepping stones that may have a relief (or raised pattern) if you want to use them along a path that will frequently get shoveled in the winter. When selecting stepping stones look for stones that will be easy to install, easy to maintain, and will last for many years.

When installing stepping stones, always be sure that the top of the stepping stone is level with the top of the soil. Stepping stones with top surfaces that are above the soil level not only become a tripping hazard, but can make mowing difficult and possibly even dangerous. An old butter knife can come in handy when recessing a stepping stone. By running the butter knife along the raised edge of the stone and pushing down as deep as your stepping stone is thick, you will be left with a tight outline of the stone. Then it is just a matter of removing all of soil inside the pattern you have cut. So that your stepping stone does not wobble, your finished hole should have a very flat bottom. Once this hole is finished, it is just a matter of dropping the stone in.

So the next time you’re considering what to do about those worn pathways through your lawn, consider installing stepping stones.

NEXT TIME: Your Lawn Loves A Good Lather

Why It’s A Good Idea To Alternate Your Mowing Patterns

2005-04-13T22:30:00.000-04:00

Most gasoline powered lawn mowers are relatively heavy. By always mowing your lawn in the exact same pattern you can unintentionally cause the compaction of the soil underneath your turf.

It is better for your lawn and the soil that it grows in for you to vary your mowing pattern whenever you mow. For example, for one mowing you might mow back and forth from the house to the street. The next time, you can mow side to side (from one neighbor’s side to the other neighbor’s side). A third time, you may try mowing on diagonals running in one direction. And a fourth time, mow on diagonals running 90 degrees to the previous diagonals.

The larger and heavier your mowing equipment is, the more important it is to vary your mowing patterns. But regardless of the size and weight of your mowing equipment, compaction is more likely to occur when the soil under your turf is more wet than dry. If it has rained recently, or your lawn has received a good watering, it will be more susceptible to compaction.

The reason you want to avoid the compaction of your soil is that once it is compacted water and air do not penetrate as well. And thus the roots of your lawn will not be as healthy as they could be. With enough compaction, grass will not grow at all. A case in point is a footpath that has been constantly walked on so that grass won’t even try to grow there any more. Or take the classic two-track road where you notice the grass grows on both sides and the center but not where the weight of the tires has rolled.

You will benefit the most from varying your mowing pattern at the beginning of the mowing season. At this time the soil is usually looser due to the recent heaving and the more recent thawing of the previous winter’s freeze.

NEXT TIME: The Use of Stepping Stones In High Traffic Areas

Your County Extension Office As An Information Source

2005-04-12T22:00:00.000-04:00

One of the most overlooked - and yet most useful - sources of information for a homeowner can be obtained from their local County Extension Office.

The agents and personnel who work in these offices have basically one mission. That mission is to answer questions and to provide information to the residents of their County pertaining to the plant life in their County. If you live in a rural farming County, your County Extension Office will have lots of information on crops that farmers grow in the County. If, on the other hand, you live in the big city, your local County Extension Office will be able to provide you with extensive information on such things as: lawns, trees and shrubbery, and vegetable as well as flower gardening. Not only are they experts regarding the plant life, they are experts on the type of pests that are commonly found in the County. They are experts on plant pests such as dandelions, crabgrass, poison ivy and many others. They can often supply you with valuable information regarding insect pests such as mosquitoes, gypsy moths, fire ants and many other nuisance insects. Your local County Extension Office would probably be able to help you if you also had problems with animals such as deer eating your roses or moles tunneling through your lawn.

Your local County Extension Office is there to help you. If they can’t answer your question, there’s a good chance they can point you in the right direction. If you find an insect chewing on your tomato plants or your cabbage or your roses (or whatever it is you GROW), you can even take a sample insect to your County agent and ask for help in identifying what the insect is and how best to prevent its damage. And although you can find the phone number and call your agent (look under County Government in your phone book), I highly recommend that you pay a visit to your County’s Extension Office. I say this because most Offices are filled with small booklets and pamphlets regarding dozens and dozens of topics such as local soils, local pest alerts, local climate conditions, and how-to guides that cover everything from growing a beautiful lawn to proper rosebush pruning.

There are a lot of books about lawn and garden care and there is a lot of information that can be had over the internet regarding lawn and garden care. But these two sources will rarely be specific to the place where you grow your lawn or garden. Your local County Extension Office, however, is about as specific as you can get. Again, I highly recommend that you pay them a visit. I know they will be happy to see you and try their best to answer any questions you may have.

NEXT TIME: Why It’s A Good Idea To Alternate Your Mowing Patterns

Is Your Lawn Growing In Clay Instead of Topsoil?

2005-04-11T23:00:00.000-04:00

With enough care, a homeowner could probably lay sod down on top of a large slab of concrete and get it to stay green. Of course, no one in their right mind would try this. And yet there are thousands upon thousands of people living in subdivisions who are just about trying to do the same thing.

All too often when a subdivision is being developed and massive re-grading is being performed, large amounts of topsoil are removed and sold at a high price for the rich topsoil that it is. Later, when it’s time to apply seed or sod to the landscape of a newly built home in such a subdivision, it will be applied to what is basically a subsoil. Unfortunately, all too often this subsoil contains a very high percentage of clay. Now mind you, clay has its benefits. Because it perks slowly, it will hold water and remain moist longer than a very sandy soil. Clay also tends to hold beneficial nutrients better than sand. However, between a heavy clay content and a very sandy content of the soil, there lies a much healthier content known as topsoil. Topsoil is ideally suited for growing grass, and in an ideal world your lawn would be growing in four or more inches of topsoil.

Topsoil contains extremely fine particles (such as those found in clay), very coarse particles (such as those found in sand), and - most importantly - lots of organic matter. Topsoil is very well-rounded and, as such, is perfectly suited for growing grass and many other plants. If you are trying to grow turf in soil that has too much clay or too much sand, you can (over time) make applications of topsoil and thus amend your soil, making it more suitable for growing turf.

There are a couple of things that will indicate you have a very high clay content in your soil. One is severe and persistent ponding after a heavy rainfall. Since the very tiny particles of clay do not allow water to drain through (or perk) very quickly, the water will stand on the surface for a long time. If the surface is sloped, another indication of high clay content after heavy rain is that the water will run-off quickly rather than soak in. One more indicator of high clay content in a soil is that once the soil has had most of its water dried out of it, it is hard and brittle - similar to concrete.

If you suspect that the clay content or the sand content of your lawn’s soil is too high, you can always apply topsoil. One dramatic way of doing this would be having large trucks deliver large amounts of topsoil and having this applied evenly all over your turf areas and then reseeding or restarting your lawn. This is NOT a method I recommend. I believe a much better approach would be to have just a few yards of topsoil delivered and dumped in an inconspicuous spot in your yard. Then from once a week to once a month, you can take a bit of this topsoil from the pile and scatter it throughout your lawn using a broadcast type spreader. It will be important to keep your pile of topsoil covered with a tarp or large piece of plastic so that when it is time for your to apply your topsoil it will be dry enough to fall through the hopper of your spreader. When topsoil is applied in this manner (small amounts on a regular basis), it will not destroy or damage your existing lawn.

Special Note: If you’re going to take the time, spend the money and go through the above amendment process in order to get more organic matter into your soil, then you should also be mulching when ever you mow. As I have stated in prior posts, mulching is one of the easiest and least expensive ways of putting organic matter back into the soil. Running a close second is applying compost, particularly if it is compost you have made yourself.

NEXT TIME: Your County Extension Office As An Information Source

How To Tell If Your Lawn Is Suffering From Lack of Water

2005-04-10T19:15:00.000-04:00

There are many homeowners who would just as soon let the grass in their lawn go dormant through the heat of the summer months. With the high cost of water, the rationing of water, and a busy lifestyle that just doesn’t allow much time to water, it’s understandable that so many homeowners feel this way.

Keep in mind, however, that a decision to allow a lawn to go dormant does not mean that it no longer needs water, even though when a lawn is dormant, it usually loses that lush green look. During dormancy, a lawn may look a duller shade of green, a bit more brown, or it may even appear thinner with a slightly silvery-blue color. But when letting your lawn go dormant, you must still provide occasional water in the absence of periodic rain. I would say, at a minimum, try to see to it that your lawn receives at least one-half to one inch cumulative water per week.

I have had homeowners ask me, “How can I tell if my lawn is too dry?” There is a very simple method to determining if your lawn is overly dry and needs water soon. Most people understand that when they walk across a healthy lawn they do not leave “footprints”. The grass normally springs back, leaving no trace that somebody has just walked on it. However, when your lawn and the soil it’s growing in are in desperate need of water, footprints across the lawn will remain visible for more than a few seconds. In fact, the footprints may remain visible for five to ten minutes or more.

So, if you decide to let your lawn go dormant but there has been no rain and no water applied to your lawn and you start noticing footprints wherever someone has walked - it’s time to give your lawn some water. Now keep in mind, I’m not suggesting heavy watering. Your aim here is not to make your lawn look lush again. Your aim is to provide enough water to keep the roots and the crowns of the grass plants in your lawn alive. Although your lawn may not look its best during dormancy, as long as it does not die due to excessive heat and extended periods without water, it will come back again and look fine once cooler temperatures return.

NEXT TIME: Is Your Lawn Growing In Clay Instead of Topsoil?

Don’t Force Your Summer Lawn In and Out of Dormancy

2005-04-09T22:00:00.000-04:00

During the growing season there is a period of time when many species of grass have depleted their reserves of food and energy in the effort to grow tall and produce seed. This time usually occurs just prior to the hottest days of Summer. These grasses, whether out in the wild or growing in a homeowner’s lawn, will go “dormant” during the hottest part of Summer unless they receive adequate amounts of water (be it from rain or the garden hose).

After the extreme heat of summer has passed and before the freezing temperatures of winter set in, most grasses will be spending their resources on producing food to be stored in their roots until the following Spring. At that time, the grass in your lawn will have enough reserves in storage to begin to grow again and start to make seed. During this process, most of these reserves will get used up, and the roots that were holding these reserves will become shorter, growing more shallow in the soil. So just when the hottest part of Summer begins, grass is naturally low on vigor and strength. The natural response to the heat (and possible drought situations) of summer is for grass to go into a “dormant” stage. During this stage the grass will slow or even stop growing - unless it is being artificially watered and fed.

Now given the information in the above paragraph, you must realize that, although your lawn may not look its best if you allow your lawn to go dormant, dormancy does not mean that your grass is dying. It is merely protecting itself until better conditions return. All too often a homeowner that does not water on a regular basis will look out onto their lawn after several days of extreme heat and say to themselves, “Oh my God! My lawn is dying in this heat!” Then they will proceed to drag out the garden hose and start watering their lawn. If a couple of days go by and their lawn looks only somewhat improved, they may decide, “I’ll water it some more!” What this homeowner is doing is sending a signal to their lawn that dormancy is not needed. Unfortunately, because the grass is now no longer dormant and is looking healthier, the homeowner may not water again until their lawn has again retreated into dormancy. I have seen homeowners do this - time and time again, all summer long.

The bottom line here is, do either one of two things. Number One: If you don’t like the look of your lawn when it is in a dormant stage (it does not look lush and green and healthy), then you must see to it that your lawn consistently receives approximately one inch of water a week all through the heat of summer. Or Number Two: If you do not want to water (or if you are unable to water) on a regular basis and your lawn goes into dormancy, then you should not force it in and out of dormancy all through the hot summer by arbitrary watering. It takes a lot of energy (which is in short supply) for your lawn to come out of dormancy. It is less stressful for your lawn if it has gone into dormancy to remain that way until more favorable temperatures return. If while a lawn is dormant it receives occasional rainfall or watering, it may remain dormant. Understand that when a lawn is dormant, the roots below the surface and the crown (or growing point of the grass plant) is still alive and it will come back.

NEXT TIME: How To Tell If Your Lawn Is Suffering From Lack of Water

Two Shrubs You Should Never Prune Until Just After They Have Flowered

2005-04-08T22:15:00.000-04:00

[NOTE: Today’s subject - although a bit off topic - is information that I felt was appropriate for this time of year.]

Several shrubs (and some trees) produce flowers only on the branches formed during the previous year’s growth. That is to say, no flowers will be produced on branches that are two or more years old. Yet many a homeowner - caught up in Spring fever - starts pruning their landscape shrubs very early in the Spring, snipping off most of last year’s growth.

They may unknowingly be removing the branches and buds that would have become the only showy flowers of their shrubs to appear that year. Many of the shrubs and ornamental trees that bloom in Springtime start with buds that were developed the prior Summer and Fall. This is one of the reasons why these plants can bloom so early in the new season. The buds are already formed and are just waiting for warmer temperatures.

One of the earliest blooming shrubs is Forsythia. It doesn’t take much warmth for Forsythia to bloom. One year in Michigan, during a freak warm spell, I actually saw Forsythia flowers popping in January. Another well known early Spring flowering shrub is Lilac. Like Forsythia, Lilac buds were formed the previous year and are only waiting for sufficient warmth to bloom. If in the early Springtime, a homeowner prunes away the previous year’s growth on either of these two shrubs, they will be denying themselves what would have been a dazzling display.

Actually, there are more than two shrubs or trees that you want to avoid pruning until just after they have flowered. I have listed some of the most common plants below.

SHRUBS:
Forsythia
Lilac
Flowering Quince
Bridal Wreath (Spirea)
Mock Orange
Flowering Almond
Weigela
Honeysuckle
Viburnum
Camellias
Azaleas
Rhododendrons

TREES:
Cherry
Crabapple
Dogwood

It is important to note here that once these shrubs and trees have flowered they will begin producing - albeit slowly - the buds for next year’s flowers. So, the bottom line here is, if you want to prune these plants do so as soon after they have flowered as possible. Do not wait until later (during the Summer or Fall) as by that time the buds will have already started forming.

The only exception to the above would be lightly pruning a few budded branches in the very early Spring, so that they can be taken indoors and forced to bloom. This, however, is outside of my area of expertise so I would recommend that if you are interested in this technique you search “forcing buds indoors” in your favorite search engine.

NEXT TIME: Don’t Force Your Summer Lawn In and Out of Dormancy