Lawns

Fertilize your lawn now!That's Dennis Patton's advice this week. It may seem odd if you're like me and you're used to dragging out the spreader after the snow melts each spring, but Dennis explains why it's far better to do that now. To read more, click here. - Craig

The summer of 2009 is one for the record books. Timely rains and below average temperatures made it a wonderful summer for gardening in Kansas City. I, like most of you, am ready for this year’s lawn season to be over. It is time to put the mower away for the year and turn our attention to other projects around the home.

Before calling it quits in the lawn there is one last important chore, fertilization. November fertilization is one of the most important yearly applications for bluegrass or tall fescue lawns.

Seeding grassIf you haven't seeded your lawn yet it's not quite too late, but you're definitely running out of time, Dennis says this week in his tip. To read more, click here.

This has been one of the best summers in Kansas City’s history. Mild temperatures and timely rainfall resulted in a green summer and the makings for a great fall. Over-seeding the lawn is often a yearly September project. But this year fewer people have been rushing to the garden center for grass seed.

One of the local weather announcers said our temperatures are more like late November/early-December. It seems like since August, our temperatures have been fast forwarded by about 3 weeks.

If the temps are unseasonably cooler than normal, shouldn't I do my last fertilization NOW? I'm afraid if I wait until November, my lawn will be dormant and unable to utilize the last feeding for the year.

Kathleen Ward wrote in KC Star,on page D2 of Thurs., Oct 8th, it says:"...in mid-Oct you can put down a broad leaf herbicide for your law
Since plants are not actively growing in the fall, will that herbicide still be effective?
I've told you have to get to the roots of any plant while they are actively grown per staff at Soil Service.

I have been told I need to fertilize my yard in Sep/Oct and again in Nov. What type fertilizer should I use as it relates to the Nitrogen/Phosphorus/Potassium content.

Thanks - Bill

What's more important than the way you fertilize your lawn? The way you mow it, Dennis Patton says in his latest tip. To read more, click here.

For some, it’s a chore. For others, it’s an escape from the rat race of life. Many of you may not give more than a passing thought to mowing the grass, but for the lawn it is the single most important cultural practice we perform.

How we mow has a greater influence on the health of the lawn than watering, fertilizing, or weed and pest control. In fact, improper mowing can lead to a number of ongoing problems. Proper mowing is the cultural practice most under our control.

My yard has some spots where the grass needs to be seeded. The spots are close to the side of the house. What is the best time of year to do this?

Grass seed Dennis Patton warns this week that all grass seed is not equal, and if you're seeding this fall, check the package. He tells you what to look for and what to avoid.

(This is one tip I'm going to print and keep for all future trips to buy grass seed.)

To read it, click here. - Craig

If you’re planning on overseeding the lawn, now is the time. But before making your purchase, do you read the package label? If not, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise. Seed labels are required by law and are the consumers’ protection against buying inferior seed or trash.

My lawn is rather "country" having a bit of this and that but lately way too much crab grass. While I use few chemicals, I plan to spray for crab grass next year as it has gotten so dominant.

I know that now is a good time to overseed but I wonder if it makes sense to do this when there are so many weeds. Am I better off waiting until Spring?
Thanks,
Gwen

Thinking about...It's almost time to fertilize your lawn again. Chelsey Wasem offers some tips this week on choosing the right fertilizer and time. To read them, click here.

Thinking about...It’s almost that time of year again. Fall is the best time of year to apply fertilizer to fescue and bluegrass lawns. Applying fertilizer in September helps thicken the stand of turf and encourages development of a healthy root system.

This recommendation may seem strange considering all the hype in the spring to fertilize the lawn. Cool-season lawns typically experience a flush of shoot growth in mid-spring. Applying nitrogen before this flush is over can cause the grass to grow too fast. Not only will one need to mow earlier and more often, but the excess shoot growth exhausts the plant’s food reserves. The general rule of thumb is no more than 25 percent of your total annual nitrogen should be applied in the spring.

We seem to have dirt "tunnel" all over our yard this summer. These are especially heavy under the alder tree.

I'm thinking maybe moles. Anyone else got ideas? Should we get excited about getting rid of them or will they go away on they own?

For the last 2-3 weeks I have had areas of my lawn looking very dry, and the grass has died. This is unusual because we have had plenty of rain and little heat. However, the areas get more sun than most parts of the yard. There have been quite a few black birds pecking away at the areas so my first thought was grub worms, but I pulled back the grass and saw no worms or pests. What are some other explanations or treatments I should look at?

I broadcasted some "weed and feed" on my lawn and now I have brown spots of dead grass. I found the granules in the garage and they may have been about 5 years old. Could the chemicals have gone bad? Most of the brown places were where too much was put down...but there are other places as well. How can I tell if the grass is completely dead? And what is my next step? Fertilizer? Cut it out?

How do we control wild violets & wild strawberries that seem to be taking over our lawn?

BuffalograssChelsey Wasem tips us this week that it's time to fertilize warm weather grasses like zoysia and buffalograss. To read more, click here.