Once mushroom spores blow into your lawn they need a couple of things to grow into the mushrooms. First, there needs to be plenty of moisture available...mushrooms love dampness and won't grow in dry lawns. In a damp year like last year mushrooms seemed to spring up everywhere. In a normal season the lawn usually dries out well between rainstorms so mushrooms are less of a problem. Very often mushrooms are a problem in a lawn that has a sprinkling system installed. Folks with these sprinkling systems seem to like to see them operate and have them set to water the lawn frequently but not very heavily. This causes all kinds of problems for the lawn including encouraging mushrooms and, worse yet, fungal lawn diseases. Properly programmed, a sprinking system should provide 1" of water per week in one single watering. This amount of water will penetrate at least 8" into the soil stimulating deep root growth. It also allows the blades of the grass many day of dryness which makes it much harder for mushrooms and fungal diseases to take hold. Everyone with a sprinkling system should do a test to see how long it takes each zone to put out 1" of water. This can be done by placing a small tuna fish or cat food can in the zone and run it unti the can is full and note how long it took. Then each zone should be set to run for that amount off time just once a week. The second requirement for mushroom growth is the presence of rotting organic matter. This could be an old tree stump rotting below the surface, buried construction debris or something as simple as rotting grass clippings and leaf debris. Removing buried debris and bagging your clipping can help prevent mushroom growth. Mushrooms don't harm the grass and are actually helping the lawn by breaking down organic matter that the lawn will eventually benefit from. The main reason to eliminate mushrooms is for the safety of small children who might eat them.

Category: Lawn

The answer to this will depend on what is causing the brown spots. Brown spots in your lawn could be from something as simple as a female dog peeing on your lawn or it might be one of several fungal diseases...without seeing it, it would be impossible to diagnose. In the case of a dog being the problem you'll have to prevent the dog from peeing on the lawn. If this is impossible then keep an eye on the dog and, once it finishes peeing, hose down the area with at least a couple of gallons of water. This will dilute the urine to the point that it won't burn the grass plants. As far as brown spot caused by diseases, you'll need to first identify the disease. Here's a good site to help with that: http://www.american-lawns.com/problems/sick_lawns.html You should also bring a sample of the brown patch into Hewitt's and let one of our experts identify it and the proper solution...usually a high nitrogen lawn food or a fungicide. Make sure the sample includes the transition zone from healthy grass into the diseases area. The folks that usually have an issue with fungal lawn diseases are folks that have an underground sprinkling system that is set up to run for a short time each day. A damp lawn is the perfect breeding ground for fungal disease. Your sprinkling system should be set up to provide 1" of water per week all at once. This will soak the soil at least 8" deep promoting a stronger, deeper root system. This also allows the lawn to enjoy extended periods of dryness which makes it far less likely that a fungal disease will be able to take hold. To figure out how long a sprinkler zone takes to put out 1" of water, place a small tuna fish or cat food can within the zone and let it run until the can is full. Then reset the system to run that zone just once a week for as long as it took to fill the tuna fish can. Do the same for all the zones and your lawn will be better for it and you'll use way less water and save money on fungicides too.

Category: Lawn

The directions on Scotts products are kind of vague since they have to cover a wide variety of customers. Since Hewitt's only has locations here in the Capital District of NY. I'll assume that you are local and give you this tip for applying crabgrass preventer in this area. The most effective way to stop crabgrass is to apply crabgrass preventer right at the end of the blossom cycle of the forsythia bush right as the flowers are dropping off (just as the lilacs begin to flower). This stops the crabgrass seeds from sprouting and since crabgrass is an annual that grows from seed each year, it is a very effective control. Very often a customer will apply their crabgrass preventer just as soon as the lawn greens up. Since crabgrass only acts on crabgrass during the sprouting phase waiting a bit and using the timing I described above will give better results. Since the crabgrass preventer form a thin film on the surface of the soil it is vulnerable to getting eroded or washed away before it has a chance to act on germinating crabgrass seeds. The opportunity to use crabgrass preventer has passed for this season so the spray is your only option at this point. Repeat sprayings will likely be necessary. The chickweed and clover killer you used will work but needs to remain in contact with the LEAVES of the weed for at least 20 hours (and longer is better). If you watered or it rained within 24 hours of your application then the herbicide was washed off the leaves and it won't work. Remember, weed killers are absorbed through the LEAVES of the weeds. They will kill the roots but must be absorbed by the leaves.

Category: Lawn

The best weed killer to use for creeping charlie is Bonide's Chickweed and Clover Killer. Just like all liquid weed killers, Bonide's Chickweed and Clover Killer is absorbed through the leaves of the weed. It kills the roots too but is absorbed through the leaves. Because of this you need to apply it when rain isn't expected for the next 24-48 hours. Naturally you won't want to water it in so you'll need to shut your sprinklers off for a couple of days. You also need to know that no weed killers should be used on a lawn when temperatures are expected to go above 85° of it will also kill the lawn. Adding a drop of dish washing liquid to the spray will help it coat the weed's leaves for better contact.

Category: Lawn

Sure, variegated dogwood can make a nice privacy barrier but it loses its leaves in the winter so it will only be a seasonal barrier. If this is OK with you and the area gets full sun then you should also consider weigela, spirea, lilacs, burning bush and a whole host of spreading flowering shrubs that can make fine hedges. If you'd prefer a year-round barrier then there are arborvitae and upright or spreading junipers. If you wish to keep the spruce trees, you could prune off the lower branches and plant spreading junipers to fill in below for a very dense barrier.

Category: Lawn

Yikes!!! Stop watering it every day! The requirement for constant moistness is for the grass in its seed form. Once it sprouts you can stop watering it every day. Sure, the lawn only has tiny roots but you need to encourage those roots to go down into the soil to get moisture. Let it dry out and only water when it starts to look wilty. A really good idea would be to apply a grass starter lawn food like the Fas-Start that we sell at Hewitt's. This food will feed those roots to help get the lawn established. Aplly and water in the starter food on a cooler day or apply it before a cool rainy stretch. Don't feed your lawn (or any lawn) during a warm spell where temperatures can go above 85°. In other words, take a break from watering and let that new lawn enjoy some dry weather and sunshine so it can grow.

Category: Lawn

Robert, Considering the time of year, the speed of onset and the fact that you recently watered the area heavily, I'd suspect that you have an outbreak of Summer Patch' which is a fungal disease. Here's the address to a Purdue University pdf file describing the disease and suggestion on what to do about it. . . . www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-115-W.pdf . . . It looks like your watering may have played into the hand of the disease and that's why it appeared so suddenly after your watering. We have a couple of fungicides 'Bayer Lawn Disease Control' and Bonide's 'INFUSE'. Both have the same active ingredient 'propiconazole'. These products can cure many diseases but with summer patch it is suggested that it be used starting in mi-May as a preventitive. In your case I'd start using the Bonide Infuse since it is in a throw away hose-end sprayer. A liquid application will get deeper into the soil and get at the disease at the root level. This should prevent the disease from spreading too much farther. Make sure to start using Infuse as a preventative in next spring May as suggested since you know you have the disease present in your lawn. Peter Bowden

Category: Lawn

Laura, If The Beatles are emerging from your lawn then you need to start selling tickits!!!! Seriously though, there are several insects that could emerge from the soil as they go from the pupa (cocoon) stage to the adult stage. Japanese and European Chaffer Beetles are among those insects but there are also other beetles wasps and bees that also do this. The fact that there are 'Thousands' leads me to believe that it probably Japanese or Chafer beetles that caused this in your lawn. Naturall you'll want to apply your grub control this month (July) so thre next generation of grubs will be killed when they start hatching in August. To get rid of bentgrass you'll need to kill it and reseed in mid-august. You can spray the area with Kleen-up then rake off or dug out the dead grass. You could also cover the area of bent grass with clear plastic and anchor the perimeter with rock or something heavy so the plastic is sealed to the ground. The sun will heat the air under the plastic so high that the grass dies. You'll still neeed to rake off or shovel ot the dead grass before reseeding.

Category: Lawn

Yes, in my garden segment (which you can find on my blog here: http://ourgarden.freedomblogging.com/ I suggested letting the lawn grow to about 6" and then mowing it back to 4" during the hot part of summer. These taller blades will shade the soil below preventing it from overheating. If the soil temperature goes to above 85° to 90° for three or four days the roots start to die. In mid August or so when rain gets more regular and the high heat of summerwanes we can go back to letting the grass grow to about 4" then mow it back to 2 1/2" to 3" to encourage side growth and thickening of the lawn through fall.

Category: Lawn

The bad news is is that the best time apply crabgrass preventer is in the spring just as the forsythias are finishing up their flowering cycle (just as the lilacs are starting). There are summer crabgrass killers but they need to be applied to a wet lawn and not get watered off for a couple of days (like weed killer). Usually it takes a couple of applications for summer crabgrass killer to work. Even then, the crabgrass plants will probably already produced seed so you'll need to apply a crabgrass preventer in spring anyway. I'd suggest that you apply crabgrass preventer for the next two to three spring to be sure you're rid of it. Then monitor the lawn for the next couple of years since seeds may be redepostied onto your lawn by birds and such. Any digging may stir up crabgrass seeds from deeper in the soil to the surface where they'll germinate into a new crop in that area. Crabgrass seeds buried too deep to germinate can remain viable for as long as 75 years!!!

Category: Lawn

The bad news is that it is crabgrass. The good news is that it is easily controlled. The bad news is is that the best time apply crabgrass preventer is in the spring just as the forsythias are finishing up their flowering cycle (just as the lilacs are starting). There are summer crabgrass killers but they need to be applied to a wet lawn and not get watered off for a couple of days (like weed killer). Usually it takes a couple of applications for summer crabgrass killer to work. Even then, the crabgrass plants will probably already produced seed so you'll need to apply a crabgrass preventer in spring anyway. I'd suggest that you apply crabgrass preventer for the next two to three spring to be sure you're rid of it. Then monitor the lawn for the next couple of years since seeds may be redepostied onto your lawn by birds and such. Any digging may stir up crabgrass seeds from deeper in the soil to the surface where they'll germinate into a new crop in that area. Crabgrass seeds buried too deep to germinate can remain viable for as long as 75 years!!!

Category: Lawn

Congratulations on the new home Jade. The good news is that you can grow a lawn in just about any soil including yours. . . . The results of your pH test are a little confusing though. One would expect a yard with pine trees to have a low ph (more on the acidic side) than you 9.0 which is quite alkaline. There are a 3 reasons I can think of that would lead you to get such a high reading. The first is that the soil is clay which is very alkaline. If the soil isn't clay then the previous owner might have been spreading lime or wood ash on the lawn without checking the ph and has overdone it. The third reason you might have gotten such a high reading is that you used tap water instead of distilled water when you performed your test. Tap water will contain minerals and chlorine both of which will make your reading come out higher than it should have. Distilled water is neutral and won't affect your test. If you used tap water or well water then you should redo your pH test using distilled water. . . I like blends and of the blends we have at Hewitt's, I like the Sandy Blend the best. It has 3 types of deep rooted tall fescue grass types. Tall fescues will have the best chance to grow and thrive in your difficuly area. . . . The next step in starting a lawn from seed is to turn organic matter into the area to be seeded. The more organic matter that is turned in, the thicker and more drought resistant the lawn will be for years to come. Peat moss is the easiest form of organic matter to use for improving the soil before seeding. Peat moss is capable of holding 20 times its weight of water. In very sandy soil, the addition of one 4 cu. ft. bale of peat moss per every 100 sq. ft. turned in to a depth of 6” will be necessary. This sounds like a lot of peat moss (and it is) but it is well worth the effort. For a large area, you should rent a roto-tiller to blend the peat moss and lime (if needed) into the soil to a depth of 6”. Once the soil and peat are blended together, the area should be raked smooth. This is easier to accomplish with one of those extra-wide aluminum rakes. If you can’t borrow one, a metal bow rake will do but it will take longer to get the contour you’re looking for. Next you’ll need to roll the soil with a water-filled roller to compact the soil. If you can’t borrow one, rent one. Again, if you skip this step, the project won’t come out as you’d hoped. After you’ve rolled the soil, take another look at the area to see if it is nice and smooth and has the proper contour. If not, rake and roll the area until you’re satisfied. You’ll be looking at the results for many years so take the time now to get it right. Once you’re satisfied, lightly rough up the surface of the soil with your metal rake. Finally it’s time to broadcast the seed. Consult the folks at your local garden center to determine the best grass blend for your particular soil and light conditions. For late–summer seeding, avoid cheap blends that contain annual ryegrass. Broadcast the seed evenly over the area at the recommended rate. Then roll the seed with the water-filled roller to press it into good contact with the soil. If it is a large area, you’ll want to cover it with straw. A smaller area can be covered with burlap or horticultural fabric. The reason you cover the seed is to help keep the sun and wind from drying it out while it’s germinating. After all this is done, you can start watering and watering and watering. This is the trickiest and most important part of the project. No matter how high the quality of the seed used, it won’t germinate unless the area is kept moist CONSTANTLY. It can’t be allowed to dry out, even for an hour. IF THE AREA DRIES COMPLETELY, THE SEED DIES AND CAN’T RESTART. Premium blends of fescue and bluegrass will take 2 weeks just to sprout so be diligent about watering and be patient. If you use a blend that has perennial ryegrass in addition to bluegrass and fescue, be aware that the ryegrass will sprout a week or more earlier. Even after the ryegrass sprouts, continue watering as if nothing has happened to ensure the germination of the desirable fescue and bluegrass seeds. After the young grass is up, apply a slow release winter or starter type of lawn food to stimulate quick root growth. Look for a starter food with a higher middle number (phosphorus). When the grass finally grows to 4”, mow off an inch (and no more) to promote even more root growth. In spring, apply another shot of the starter lawn food to insure that the young grass develops a mature root system

Category: Lawn

While we are having a hot summer and there have been many extended periods of dryness, your lawn shouldn't have suffered much damage if you've been mowing properly. As June winds down, make sure you start raising your mower's blade. By July (our driest month) you should have a lawn 4" to 5" tall and only mow it back to 3". This keeps the soil cooler and the lawn will come back just fine. As far as clover is concerned, you are right in all you say...it can be a great addition to a lawn as long as you like it. The only other thing to take into consideration are the clover flowers. While you might like the flowers be aware that they will attract bees. If you have small children or someone who live there or visits regularly who is allergic to bee stings then you'll want to think twice. I'd broadcast the seed really early spring right after the snow melts. Spring rain will pound the seed into good contact with the soil and it will sprout with the first warm weather in late April or early May. You can also use this procedure for grass seed. I always like to suggest Hewitt's Sandy Blend since it has deep rooted tall fescues as a majority of the blend. Modern tall fescues are fine bladed but deep rooted for better drought resistancy.

Category: Lawn

The best time for this project would be mid August through the end of the first week in September. This will give the grass seed a chance to sprout in the last warm days of summer and get mature enough to winter over. While it can be done later you're gambling a bit. It might be OK if we have a warm fall (and I beleave we will) but it still a gamble.

Category: Lawn

The shorter, cooler days of late August and early September make it the ideal time to make permanent improvements to the condition of our lawn. Turf experts agree that this is the best time of year to start a lawn from seed. This is the best time to tackle this project but the window of opportunity is a small one so don't put it off. The first step in starting a lawn from seed is to turn organic matter into the area to be seeded. The more organic matter that is turned in, the thicker and more drought resistant the lawn will be for years to come. Peat moss or peat humus are good choices. Peat moss is capable of holding 20 times it's weight in water. In very sandy soil, the addition of one 4 cu. ft. bale of peat moss per every 100 sq. ft. turned in to a depth of 6” will be necessary. Peat moss must be turned into the soil so the soil will retain moisture where the roots are growing. This sounds like a lot of peat moss (and it is) but it is well worth the effort. For a large area, rent a rototiller to blend the peat moss into the soil to a depth of 6”. Once blended, the area should be raked smooth. This is easier to accomplish with one of those extra-wide aluminum landscape rakes. If you can’t borrow one, a metal bow rake will do but it will take longer to get the contour you’re looking for. Once the area is raked smooth, tamp the soil down with the back of your shovel. For a large area, you’ll need to roll the soil with a water-filled roller to compact the soil. If you can’t borrow one, you can rent one. Again, if you skip this step, the project won’t come out as you’d hoped. After you’ve tamped or rolled the soil, take another look at the area to see if it is nice and smooth and has the proper contour. If not, rake and roll until you’re satisfied. You’ll be looking at the results for many years so take the time now to get it right. Once you’re satisfied, lightly rough up the surface of the soil with your metal rake. Finally it’s time to broadcast the seed. Consult the folks at Hewitt's to determine the best grass blend for your particular soil and light conditions. Broadcast the seed evenly over the area at the recommended rate. Most folks overdo it and put down way more grass seed than is necessary. Finally, tamp or roll the area to press the grass seed into good contact with the soil. If it is a large area, you’ll want to cover it with straw. A smaller area can be covered with burlap or horticultural fabric. The reason you cover the seed is to help keep the sun and wind from drying it out while it’s germinating. Now the tricky part After all this is done, you can start watering and watering and watering. This is the trickiest and most important part of the project....here's why. No matter how high the quality of the seed used, it won’t germinate unless the area is kept moist CONSTANTLY. It can’t be allowed to dry out, even for an hour. If the area dries out completely, the seed dehydrates and dies and it won't restart. If that happens you'll have to buy more seed and start all over again. Premium blends of fescue and bluegrass will take 2 weeks just to sprout so be diligent about watering and be patient. If you use a blend that has perennial ryegrass in addition to bluegrass and fescue, be aware that the ryegrass will sprout a week or more earlier than the other two. Even after the ryegrass sprouts, continue watering as if nothing has happened to ensure the germination of the desirable fescue and bluegrass seeds. Finish up with a good meal After the young grass is up, apply a slow release starter lawn food to stimulate quick root growth. Starter foods should have a higher middle number (phosphorus). Phosphorus stimulates root growth, and that's what's needed for a new lawn. The stronger the root system, the quicker the grass gets established and the better it will come through winter. Avoid high nitrogen lawn foods on a newly sprouted lawn. It will stimulate excess blade growth that the young root system will have a hard time supporting. The roots are the foundation of your new lawn. Just like building a house, you need to start from the bottom up. Keep the young grass tall but mow frequently When the grass finally grows to 4”, mow off an inch (and no more) to promote even more root growth. In spring, apply another shot of the starter lawn food to insure that the young grass develops a mature root system before summer heats up. By midsummer your new lawn should be well established, and you can start feeding and mowing it in the same manner as the rest of your lawn.

Category: Lawn

To get rid of moles from your yard you should apply the repellent Mole-Max. It is a granular product that you apply with a lawn spreader and then water in. Once the active ingredient is in the soil, the moles can't stand it and leave the area. This is a good time of year to use it since young moles have been kicked out by the mother mole and ore out exploring the world for a place to set up a burrow. Moles like to stay in one place so, once they leave, they're gone. Of course the Mole Max's effect wears off by spring so a new mole might set up shop. One application in spring and another in late summer/early fall should keep your yard mole free. Most weed killers do fine with dandelions and plantain since they have individual roots systems. Ground ivy is, of course, a vine so it is a little harder to kill and a stronger herbicide is needed. I'd suggest Bonide's Poison Ivy and Brush Killer . You can use it on the lawn without harming the grass if you follow the directions. This is a good time to go after the ground ivy since the temperatures have backed off from summer's heat and the soil is moist..perfect conditions for weed killing. You can find both Mole-Max and Poison Ivy and Brush Killer at your local Hewitts.

Category: Lawn

Joe, As it happens, I still have one of the old Ortho rotary spreaders. On the Country Estate Winterizer (and all CE foods) you'll see a setting for a Cyclone spreader. That's the one to use and the setting for Winterizer is 3 3/4. Thanks for your question

Category: Lawn

Thanks for your question John, Yes, the soil (compost) produced by the Town of Colonie will be fine for use on your lawn. The PH is a little high but that will come down quickly.

Category: Lawn

Sorry, there's no good answer other than to rake them into piles and shovel them up. Oaks will produce an extra heavy crop of acorns every 3 to 5 years and this looks like an "on' year. Worse than all the acorns is the population explosion of destructive chipmunks that has happened due to all the easy food available. Peter Bowden

Category: Lawn

Yes, you can put seed down in November (the later the better). This is called 'dormant overseeding. The seed will get pounded into the soil by snow and rain and sprout naturally when the soil warms in spring. There's no need to use a starter food on the area until the grass sprouts in spring. If you are seeding bare ground then a layer of straw will help hold the soil in place over the winter. If there is already some grass there then there is no need to mulch with straw.

Category: Lawn

You can apply Bonide's MoleMax when the snow melts again. MoleMax is a repellents that will gat rid of voles and moles which are a bad problem every spring.

Category: Lawn

Crabgrass, unlike most lawn weeds, grows from seed that the mother plant produced the previous summer. The mother plant dies completely over the winter never to be seen again. In early spring the seed germinate and start to grow. Crabgrass preventer is an agent that dissolves and forms a coating on the surface of the soil. ANY seeds that try to sprout and push a root through that barrier are killed. The best way to time your crabgrass preventer application is to keep an eye on a forsythia bush that is growing in your yard or neighborhood. The best time to put your crabgrass preventer down is right as the flowers are falling off the bright yeallow forsythias (right as thelilacs are just opening). It is a convenient coincidence that crabgrass seeds germinate at the same time that forsythias are finishing flowering. Spring weather can be fickle but, if you use the forsythia as your clock, your crabgrass preventer will always go on at the right time. Remember that crabgrass preventer forms a thin film on the surface of the soil so make sure that all your raking is done before you apply crabgrass preventer. If you rake afterward, you will scratch up the barrier and crabgrass will be able to grow.

Category: Lawn

The best way to treat for fleas and ticks is to use the drops on the animal itself. I use Frontline. The only non chemical flea and tick control is diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is like shards of glass on amicroscopic level. It cut the insects and they die. It is harmless to humans and animals when used on the lawn. Here's a link to an article about using diatomaceous earth for fleas and ticks. http://www.ehow.com/how_2070717_rid-fleas-yard-naturally.html Remember fleas and ticks don't like the hot, sunny areas of you lawn. They lurk in the cooler, shady areas so focus your efforts there.

Category: Lawn

The trails on the surface are from voles. Those are trail that they used over the winter to search for food under the snow. They will disappear once you rake the lawn and it starts to grow. The mole repellent Mole-Max will keep the voles away as well as the more destructive moles. Crows pecking at the lawn is often an indication that there are Japanes Beetle grubs in the soil. Those grubs eat theroots of your lawn and can cause the lawn to thin out if there are enough of them. Here's the scoop on grub control: Controlling Grubs As usual every spring, there’s a lot of interest in how to kill those nasty grubs that have had a hand in wiping out some lawns. And, as usual, I have to tell folks that, if they had treated their lawn before the grubs hatched last August and September, they could have saved their lawn from all this damage. There’s so much confusion about grub control that garden centers will sell a much larger percentage of grub control in the spring than in summer when, logically, it should be the other way around. I’m sure that much of this has to do with the fact that the damage that the grubs do in late summer and fall isn’t visible until the following spring. The first step is to understand the life cycle of the Japanese Beetle. Let’s start at the beginning. The female Japanese Beetle, after feasting on your beans and rose bushes all summer then lays her eggs into warm sunny areas of healthy grass. The healthiest grass around is probably the sunny areas of your beautiful lawn that you’ve worked on all summer. She won’t lay her eggs in the shade since soil temperatures are too low to keep the eggs alive. Each female is capable of laying a couple of hundred eggs. These eggs will all hatch within four days after they’re laid. Are you listening? There are no grubs hatching in the spring. None. They ALL hatch in late August or September. After the grubs emerge from their eggs in late summer, they must eat and what they eat are the roots of your lawn. They eat and eat and eat and eat until they are the size that you are familiar seeing when you find them in your garden while you’re planting. As the soil’s temperature drops in the fall the grubs must burrow down below the frost line to avoid being frozen over winter. Naturally, there is nothing for them to eat down that deep in the soil so they survive on all that body fat they put on by eating the roots of your lawn. Finally in spring, the soil’s temperature begins to rise and the grubs (who are ravenous after months in hibernation) burrow their way back to the root zone of your lawn. Now the feast begins all over again. After putting on another round of body fat (compliments of your lawn) they pause and pupate; that is: they form a hard shell and begin the transformation into the adult or beetle stage of their life. They will enter this pupae stage during Early to mid-June. In mid-July the beetles emerge from the soil and the cycle begins again. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve realized that by the time you get out there in spring with your grub killer three quarters of the damage the grubs cause has already occurred. This is a classic case of closing the barn doors after the horses have run off. There’s no way we’ll ever convince the Japanese Beetles to change their habits so, we must try to change ours. The best time to wipe them out is during the hatching period in late August or early September. If you have a severe grub problem you may need to treat this spring just to save your lawn from extinction but you should try to time your grub control application so you can prevent the situation from happening again. If you find that you need to apply a grub control as an emergency measure in spring, you should pick one that is fast acting. The best choice for spring applications would be Dylox (Bayer Advanced 24 Hour Grub Killer Plus). It kills quickly and on contact then breaks down quickly once it’s killed the grubs but, since there are no new grubs hatching in spring, it is of no concern. As with all grub controls, it is imperative that they get watered-in for a couple of hours IMMEDIATELY after application. DON’T COUNT ON RAIN TO DO THE JOB! Rainfall is never hard enough to get the chemical off the surface of the soil and down to the roots where the grubs are. You must realize that all grub control chemicals begin to break down as soon as they are out of their bag. Sunlight and air both begin to strip the chemicals of it’s potency the instant it’s out of the bag. Left on the surface of the soil, it will lose about 33% of its potency every 24 hours. As soon as you put your spreader away after you apply your grub control, get the sprinkler out and soak the area with an inch of water. Use an empty tuna fish or cat food c

Category: Lawn

There's no reason I know of to wait to rake the lawn until after the danger of frost. I have to agree with your husband. You can do a better job with less effort if you rake he lawn before it starts to grow so get crackin'! You two must have a great relationship if this is all you have to have a serious difference about ;)

Category: Lawn

I hardly know where to begin Doug. My best advise is to send you to Hewitt's to talk to the manager about your project. I wouldn't do a thing untill you have the new soil in place. Then put your grass sees and starter food downand start watering to get the seed to sprout. If you cover crabgrass seed with 2" of soil then it won't sprout anyway. I'm not sure what grub control you used but the best time to treat for grubs is during July with Bonide's Annual Grub Control. The weed and feed was put down WAY too early so the weed killer won't do anything and isn't effective against crabgrass anyway. Crabgrass Preventer is made for that. The answer to your question is: No, your weed and feed won't keep your lawn seed from growing since you're covering it with 2" of soil. Before you go any further with your lawn, you need to learn more about it since you are wasting a lot of time and money applying the products improperly or at the wrong time. Either visit one of the Hewitts and have the manager there set you on the right course or come to one of my lawn care seminars. Here's the schedule: http://www.hewitts.com/meetpeterbowden.html

Category: Lawn

You shouldn't use chemical grub control if you are using Milky Spore. As the grubs are killed by the MS their decomosing body leaves the disease in a new spot. Over time the entire lawn carries the MS disease so grubs that hatch catch it and die reproducing the the disease every year. If the grubs are killed by chemical grub control they can't spread the disease. Grub controls have no effect of starting grass seed.

Category: Lawn

Crabgrass preventer needs to be lightly watered after application. Rain ususally does the job. Weed killer which we apply in a month or so, wants to sit on the leaves of the weeds for a couple of days without watering. Folks get the two confused very often.

Category: Lawn

There are a couple of suspects possible. Yellowjackets, which mimic bees nest in the ground. There is one entrance and all the insects would go in and out of the one hole. Yellowjackets are wasps and should be eliminated. I'd mix up some insecticidal soad in some hot water and pour it down the hole at night when the yellowjackets wasps are dormant. Trying this in the daytime would be dangerous. Mark the hole and douse it at night when it is safer. Plug up the hole with a wad of newspaper or a rock to seal them in with the insecticidal soap. There are also ground nesting bees which can appear in large numbers in spring and seem to like sandy soil. These bees stay for only a little while. They are females who dig a nest. Lay their eggs and leave. Later the eggs hatch and they fly off as well. These beneficial bees will be one to a hole but there will be many holes. Below is a description of them from this site: http://www.nybiodiversity.org/summaries/bees/species.html The majority of bees in New York State are digger bees, ground-nesting, solitary bees, such as Andrena, Lasioglossum, and Melissodes. Digger bees comprise roughly 60% of the species of bees in New York State. Species of Andrena are typical of ground-nesting bees in their life history. At the start of the active season (in the spring, summer, or fall, depending on the species) females begin constructing their nests, subterranean systems of tunnels. At the ends of the tunnels, females construct oblong cells which they line with a hydrophobic secretion produced in a gland specifically for this purpose called the Dufour's gland. After foraging on nearby plants for pollen and nectar, they store several loads of pollen and nectar within each cell, form the pollen into a variously shaped loaf or ball, and lay an egg on it. Larvae consume the pollen/nectar provisions. When larvae complete feeding they may enter diapause (a resting stage) as last instar larvae (the developmental stage just before pupation). Most digger bees overwinter as last instar larvae. Development is completed in the following spring or summer, and adults of a new generation begin the cycle again. Some digger bees (such as Andrena, Halictus, and Lasioglossum) overwinter as adults. This is presumed to allow for the earlier adult emergence in the spring. Other important genera of ground-nesting bees in New York State include Colletes, Halictus, [mentioned above, as digger bee genus] Svastra, and Anthophora. All of these make subterranean burrows, like Andrena. Colletes inaequalis is a common vernal bee in the earliest days of spring. Females construct nests in grassy areas such as lawns, cemeteries, and gardens. Nesting aggregations can be huge (with several thousand nests) and dense (with over 100 nests in a square meter). If you are lucky enough to find these bees nesting in your yard, don't try to kill them; they won't sting, and they are probably good for soil aeration. They are also fun to watch! It is possible that you had some yellowjacket wasps in the one spot last summer and are experiencing a temporary outbreak of nesting ground bees. You'll have to observe them more closely to see which it is.

Category: Lawn

I see one of these lawns every day on the way to work. This happens when the lawn is seeded with a single type of bluegrass (I think it is a stran called midnight). For this grass type this is nornal. Feeding helps a little but it is the nature of that grass to do this. I'd suggest introducing a blend like Hewitt's Sandy grass seed blend to add fescues to the lawn. The easiest way to do this is by dormant seeding...put the new grass seed on the lawn in November. It will get pushed down to the soil over winter by snow and rain and sprout on it's own in spring. If you overseed now, you'll have to treat it like a brand new lawn which means watering constantly to keep the seed moist constantly. Dormant seeding is much easier.

Category: Lawn

"Fences make good neighbors." There is a dog and cat repellent that can 'help" dissuade the dogs from using your yard. It is called "Go Away Rabbit, Dog and Cat Repellent" by Bonide. It is a combination of white pepper, cinnamon oil and Thyme oil. You'll apply the product around the perimeter of your yard so they will smell it and go the other way. Problem is they've already claimed your yard as their dumping ground so the product might not work as well as you'd hope. Also, rain washes the repellent away so you'll need to reapply frequently. A fence would be the only sure fire way to solve this problem. In the meantime, if you see the dog peeing on the lawn, soak the area down right away with a couple of gallons of water. That will dilute the urine enough that it won't harm the grass.

Category: Lawn

Go ahead and reseed. The grubs that are in your lawn hatched last year and will have turned into Japanese Beetles before they are a problem for the new grass. You need to treat with Imidachloprid (Bonide Annual Grub Beater) in July. Apply and water in gently with 1" of water...don't think rain can do the job, it won't. Imidichloprid needs to go on in July so it has time to get absorbed into the lawn's roots before the tiny new grubs hatch in mid August through September. Applied in July and properly watered-in, Imidichloprid will kill 98% of the grubs that hatch. They are tiny when they hatch and easy to kill then before they do any real damage to the roots. You need to apply Imidichloprid every July. Another option is Milky Spore Disease. You apply that twice a year (now and late August) for three years. After that it reproduces itself every year but infecting each new grub hatch. I'm conducting 2 free lawn care seminars today (5/15) at our Guilderland store at 11 AM and 2PM. If you have an hour you'll learn everything you need to know to take the confusion out of grub control and all other aspects of lawn care.

Category: Lawn

Bonide Weed Beater Ultra will take care of the violets in the lawn. Here's a link to my recent blog post that explains how to use lawn weed killers. http://ourgarden.freedomblogging.com/2011/05/11/waging-war-on-weeds-2/5705/

Category: Lawn

Any broadleaf plant growing in the lawn can be killed with a lawn weed killer such as Weed Beater Ultra. If it is growing among other plants or shrubs it will need to be pulled up. Twice a year applications of corn gluten will keep seeds from sprouting in the future.

Category: Lawn

The only eco-friendly grub control is Milky Spore Disease. Milky Spore is a disease that only affects white grubs. It won’t hurt earthworms or even a bird that eats a grub that has the disease. Milky spore needs to be applied two or three times a year for three years to reach “epidemic” proportions in the soil. Milky Spore is best applied in spring and fall and must get watered in heavily right after application just like the other grub controls. After that the grubs that hatch into your lawn will contract the disease then die reproducing the disease and spreading it throughout the soil. Milky Spore is more expensive up front but will last at least 20 years once it takes hold. Not a bad investment really. Over the years it will actually save you money to say nothing about the time you won’t need to spend spreading chemicals and running sprinklers.

Category: Lawn

Fescue and bluegrass seeds take about 2 weeks just to sprout. At first there is a single blade but each will grow into a clump of grass covering about 2" by 2" square. Over time they will fill in even more. Since the pesky storms have washed the seed around you may want to overseed the worst areas. You can do it right away just remember that you'll need to keep it watered even as the other grass matures. Starting a lawn from seed is a tricky task because of the constant light watering necessary. These thunderstorms aren't helping the situation either.

Category: Lawn

I would use Country Estate Sandy Mix which is a blend of fescue grass seed. Fescues grow equally well in Sun, Shade, Sand or Clay. Fescues have very deep root systems, which make them tolerant of drought. Ask the Store Manger for seeding and fertilizing intructions, and most important, be sure to water daily until the seedings being to sprout

Category: Lawn

Try to rake out as much of the glass and stone that you can. If this is not possible, I would try to put down a layer of clean sifted topsoil and then proceed with your overseeding. I would still be leery of letting little ones or dogs run on your lawn dependent on the size of glass involved

Category: Lawn