Lawns

"September is officially here and this is the best time to fertilize cool season lawns such as tall fescue and bluegrass."

That's what you'll read in Chelsey Wasem's new Tip of the Week. For details, click on the tip in the left column. - Craig

September is officially here and this is the best time to fertilize cool season lawns such as tall fescue and bluegrass. Fall temperatures and moisture levels are ideal for replenishing the nutrients that the stress of summer depleted from the turf.

Fertilizers containing higher concentrations of nitrogen should be used at this time of the year due to our soil conditions. Nitrogen helps thicken the stand of turf and encourages development of a healthy root system. A strong root system is the foundation of a healthy lawn. After the heat and drought stress of summer, fall rains, cooler temperatures and an application of fertilizer is just what your lawn needs to recover. The fertilizer helps to thicken up thin areas in the lawn.

By LEE REICH
For The Associated Press
August is the month to test anyone’s love for their lawn. Even if the weeks are regularly punctuated with cloudbursts, hot weather still causes the grass to flag at midday. Most often, August weather is both too hot and too dry to keep any lawn lush.
Some people believe that our love — our need — for lawns is primordial, a nostalgia for the savannah upon which our ancestors took their first steps after climbing out of trees. Perhaps, but this attraction can be traced more recently and definitively to our British heritage.
The British have a long-standing love affair with their lawns, and their love is returned, because the long, cool autumns and springs, and the generally cool, moist summers there bring out the best in turf.

By DEAN FOSDICK
For The Associated Press

Home turf means something different to David Mellor than to most gardeners.

His is Fenway Park, a monument to America’s favorite pastime and one of the country’s most challenging lawns to tend. As director of grounds for the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox, he’s often asked by fans about stadium-quality lawns.

“Many of the challenges I face at the park I have waiting for me on my lawn at home,” Mellor said. “Shade from the upper deck is similar to the shade from maturing trees. Planting the proper grass in the proper areas. Handling high traffic and wear.”

ARGH -- I hate trumpet vine! We live in kind of a rural area of JoCo and we have trumpet vine coming up all over our lawn. It's a pretty bad lawn that we've been trying to get going and will do some renovation this fall, but I'm not sure even Roundup will kill trumpet vine, and it sure can't be pulled out. Any suggestions?

Dennis --
Thanks for all of your help you gave me when it came to totally redoing my yard. By the way it came back great and it looks awesome. One question thou, I'm having a problem with some pesky light green that has invaded certain parts of my lawn. Some people call it watergrass, but I really dont know what it is I just want it gone. What do you suggest I use to get rid of it

Thanks, Frank n Tongi

We live in the country, so we don't have to worry about the neighbors. Is it ok to leave the grass tall during the summer months? It is fescue and I like the way it looks and I think it might prevent weed growth. Right now it is about 7-8 inches tall.

Every year about this time my fescue/bluegrass lawn begins to die. I have come to believe that it is from brown patch fungus. (It shows signs of the brown lesions on the grass blades.) It starts in the same places and gradually spreads to include most of my 10,000 square foot front yard. This year for the first time I applied a preventive called Bayleton. I applied it on May 27, but this week the grass is beginning to show the same symptoms as in previous years.

Typcally, most of the grass actually dies and has to be reseeded.

Any suggestins?

After the recent days and days of rain, I had multiple varieties of mushrooms and toadstools spourt up all over my front lawn, especially in shady areas under a large oak tree. This is the first year we have seen them come out. Will the mushrooms do damage to the lawn and will they go away once the summer heat dries up soil? Do I need to treat them to kill them?

Thank you for any advice,
Bill

Mow it High

Keep your mower blades sharp and stick to the one-third rule. Never remove more than one-third of the height of the blades at one mowing. Recommended mowing heights for home lawns are:

- Bluegrass 2–3 inches
- Buffalograss 2–3 inches
- Perennial ryegrass 2–3 inches
- Bermudagrass 1–2 inches
- Tall fescue 2.5–3.5 inches
- Zoysiagrass 1–2 inches

Let it Lie

Leave your grass clippings on the lawn. They will return up to 25 percent of the needed nitrogen.

Sweep grass clippings off paved surfaces
Clippings that fall on your driveway and sidewalks are likely to wash into storm drains. Storm drains lead directly to creeks and streams; the water is not treated. When grass clippings and yard debris wash into the natural waterways they decompose into nitrogen, which can pollute water ecosystems. By sweeping your grass clippings onto your lawn, you are returning that needed nitrogen back to your soil.

A few years ago I had a Maple tree removed near the street. The city came out and ground the stump. Last spring I re-graded the area and planted a fescue/bluegrass mix of seed in the area.

The grass in the parkway is dense and green with the exception of the footprint of the old tree. The grass there first turned grey and is now dyeing.

How can I get grass to grow there? I assume there is a soil chemistry issues or perhaps the roots are not able to establish themselves.

How do I get rid of lawn moss.

I have a rather large patch of Fescue grass growing in my lawn that is mainly zoysia grass. Is there some way I can knock out this patch without damaging the balance of my yard?

In the fall, I overseeded and I'm very happy with the results. Except, near my fence, about within six inches inside the fence. the seeds didn't take. I'm starting to notice some weeds. I'm surrounded by empty lots with weeds on the other sides of the fence. Should I just use Weed-B-Gone spray to kill the weeds? And then, am I able to throw seeds of grass? Is it too late? Thanks.

We're into our annual debate about lawn service chemical applications. Any recommendations on lawn services that don't rely on chemicals?

We have a dog and wanted to know if "Elimanator, Ants, Fleas, and Ticks granuals" is safe. Is there something else we should be using for grubs.
Thanks
Elaine

From a reader: I have a couple of small areas in front yard where grass will just quit growing and die off. This is under an older elm tree and I am suspicious that there may be some sap from the tree that is dripping into the soil, killing the grass. Could this possibly be the cause and, if so, where might I take the soil to be sampled to confirm the cause? This is chronic and has been going on for a number of years now. Thanks.

Hey Dennis, Been a long winter huh?
I have a couple of question to start out the new season. I dug a foundation for a shed and noticed that we dug up a ton of grubs and wonder what to use and when the best time to put it down.
And what can I use to control a nutgrass problem.
Should I spot treat it or blanket treat it.
Thanks Frank in Tongi

The reading in my lawn for ph is 8...adding lime will raise the acid, what can I do to reduce the ph. Thank you, Al

I recently removed a play set that included about 600 sq ft area of pebble rock and sand. To my dismay, after removing the rock and sand, I discovered surface roots from the Silver maple that is in my backyard. I am wanting to either seed or lay sod over this area and would like to know if I can just cut these roots out and would it be best to seed or sod given the situation? I have attached pictures as well. Thanks for your advice!

Aaron in Olathe

Surface Roots 1Surface Roots 2