There’s a more detailed discussion of soil itself in the page on Know Your Lawn; you can go there to get an idea of what precisely humus is, what pH stands for, and so on. In Phoenix, that might mean Bermuda; in Tampa, St. Augustine; in Omaha, buffalo grass; in Albany, Kentucky bluegrass. For too many of us, the lawn becomes a box. If you decide to use those broadleaf herbicides, apply them in fall, not spring. Root Depth. If you do use these, as with all herbicides and pesticides, be sure to wear rubber gloves, eye protection, long pants, closed shoes, and a long-sleeved shirt. Those professionals use piston-driven aerators with tines that move straight up and down, rather than the lightweight, less-effective aerators you'll find at many rental yards. This powerful, quick-release concentrate builds healthy soil and thick green turf! Experts agree: Fungicides are a waste of time and money. This question overlaps with, Use, of course, because crochet and volleyball, for example, require a fair amount of space, while if you just want vistas of the distant mountains and a path to reach the garage, you may not need much lawn at all. Moss prefers acidic soil but will grow in alkaline soil if shade and moisture are favorable. There are 5 steps to reviving a lawn. … For a quicker fix, cut out the dead spot and fill it in with plugs cut from a strip of sod. Leaves block sunlight. Hand pulling is effective when done consistently for a season or two. And no mature lawn needs watering every day or every other day, as 47 percent of those surveyed water. Keep this up for four days, then switch to a deep watering once a day for the next five days. If more than three-quarters is sand, you’re looking at very sandy soil. What do you want your lawn and garden to look like? Grass prefers a slightly acidic soil, so a high pH would go a long way towards explaining an unhappy lawn. A SAFE alternative to RoundUp® that's trusted by cities and municipalities. If you go for the third, I recommend using one of the grass identification sites listed in Sites & Sources, under Identifying and Choosing a Grass. It's important to clear leaves off the grass frequently. If it doesn’t crumble, apply more pressure. If it’s where you set your lawn chair to read, almost anything will do. Rebuilding a damaged lawn takes about two years, so figure on investing a fair amount of energy on planning in the early days. After all, why renovate lawn in areas where in fact you’d rather be growing something else? Knowing the square footage of your yard not only makes it easy to calculate seed and fertilizer needs, but it also protects you from awkward social situations, such as this sort of exchange at the seed counter: Its best to get out there with a tape measure and do the math. So if you choose to use one, apply it in July and August when grubs are immature. Here’s what you do: Cut through the sod in an “average” part of your lawn, so you can get at the dirt beneath. Depth. Chronic lawn problems are often about the soil, not the actual grass. The simplest, safest solution is to dig up the weeds and their roots and throw out both and the soil in which they grew. If you don’t have thick, lush, green grass to begin with, nothing’s more frustrating than hearing about how the best defense against weeds or pests is a healthy lawn. Planet Natural has everything you need to guarantee the healthiest outdoor environment possible. If you have a poor lawn, nothing else will really matter. Water thoroughly and slowly until the water soaks at least 1 inch below the lawn's roots, or 4 to 8 inches into the soil. Here's PM's brutal but effective strategy: Kill it off, then start fresh. You also need to be on the lookout for other widespread nuisances, like those listed here. Ice remains on lawn after snow has melted elsewhere. Leaving clippings returns useful nutrients, cutting the amount of fertilizer the lawn needs by about 30 percent. Bring a clump from your lawn to the nursery to match grass types. While pruning most shade trees every three to five years is usually a good idea, pruning too often or too much can damage the tree. Raise the pH of acidic soil with limestone, and lower the pH of soil that is too alkaline with sulfur, though the latter is a much slower process. "Soil analysis is a small investment that pays big dividends; it doesn't take much work," explains Peg Hoovler of Lynchburg, Va., a Consumer Reports online subscriber who was recently certified as a master gardener by her local cooperative extension service. Replace lawn beneath trees with bishop's hat, sweet woodruff, or other shade-tolerant ground cover as the tree grows and creates more shade. “Grass-cycle” your grass clippings. And follow the directions precisely. Both will help minimize fertilizer in the runoff. How big is the lawn? Controlling it isn't hard, but timing is crucial; many homeowners apply pre-emergence herbicides in late spring or summer, when it's too late for them to do any good. Aerating the grass helps your soil to breathe, which improves nutrient absorption. While harpoon-type mole traps work best, handling them is risky and requires skill. Contains 20% acetic acid and includes yucca extract to work fast -- within a few hours! If you use either herbicide, be sure to wear rubber gloves, eye protection, long pants, closed shoes, and a long-sleeved shirt. Mix it with slow draining soil to … Those spots are most likely to show up during hot and dry weather, when lawns are under greater stress. It’s difficult to push a trowel or dandelion weeder into the ground when it’s dry. Use to prevent crabgrass, dandelions and more! Depth just tells you how much topsoil you’ve got, and whether it’s enough to support your grass. With the right lawn care products going organic is easy! It's important to keep an eye on whomever you hire. Low numbers indicate high acidity; high numbers indicate high alkalinity. But you can test your soil's pH yourself using an inexpensive kit or meter. Remember all those movies in which the farmer squats down, picks up a handful of earth, and feels it? What's more, that patch of dead grass is likelier to have been caused by your neighbor's dog than by fungus. These ground covers will also make mowing easier and protect trees from the occasional nicks that can allow disease to take hold. Wet leaves are heavy and promote disease. Fertilize northern lawns once in the spring and then two or three more times in the fall, one month apart, with the final application just before the final mowing of the year. Trees can be selectively pruned to provide a little more sunlight and also improve … Foot traffic and lawn machinery can compact the soil under your lawn, creating a difficult environment for grass... Reduce thatch This will protect the soil from erosion (from heavy rain) and compaction. Keeps your yard looking good through the ups and downs that each year brings. How do you repair a crappy, scrappy, weed-infested lawn? Fertilize southern grasses in the spring after dormant lawns are revived and green, then again in July or August. However, it also attracts bees, which is reason enough for some people not to want it around, especially if you have kids. Start your renovation by identifying problem areas of your lawn and removing dead or declining patches of turf. Aerate? Test it yourself using an inexpensive kit or meter, or bring soil samples to a nursery, cooperative extension service, or lab. Dallisgrass, nimblewill, quackgrass, and tall fescue develop into unsightly patches and clumps. Add layers of loose matter to the surface. (Just be aware that some hardy survivors from the old lawn will probably make it to the top of the new one.). Run a de-thatching machine over the lawn to remove all the dead grass and leaves. If you’ve got twenty-five worms or more, you soil qualifies as “rich.” Congratulations! Building new topsoil on an old lawn requires a more gradual approach, a combination of aeration, topdressing, and amending the soil. Wait a couple of days and reseed or replant any damaged areas. The seeds are moved about by water, the reason this weed often appears first where water collects. Organic content: worms and humus. Water Daily An oscillating sprinkler works best for getting your lawn started. Since earthworms eat humus, their presence indicates a reasonably high organic content. Mowing high produces stronger, healthier grass with deeper roots and fewer weeds and pest problems. Also known as creeping Charlie, creeping Jenny, and gill-over-the-ground, ground ivy spreads by seed and by the vining stems that root at each node. Check with your cooperative extension service for the ideal height for your type. If you do start by assessing, don’t let what’s actually there keep you from seeing what could be. If you like to barbecue, it may make sense to have a special outdoor cooking area that features brick, gravel, or something else that is fire resistant and can handle plenty of foot traffic. 3. Neither extreme is conducive to most plants, and a soil pH too far from that preferred by a particular plant means that it will not be able to gain access to the nutrients it needs. How much time do you want to spend on your lawn? So homeowners wind up treating the symptom—dead grass—not the cause," says Zac Reicher, professor of turfgrass science at Purdue University. The best way to keep your lawn looking great year after year is to fertilize, water, and mow it properly. Dandelions develop a long and thick taproot, so pulling out just the flower isn't enough. Azalea, Canada hemlock, common boxwood, flowering quince, Japanese boxwood, Japanese holly, lilac, myrtle, privet, rhododendron, roses, and winterberry can be cut back as far as needed. In either case, you’ll need to amend your soil to improve its drainage. Over-seeding a grass lawn with clover seeds will help improve the existing grass and can be carried out from spring through until September, the warmer and wetter the quicker the seeds will germinate. Top-dressing addresses some common lawn problems, … If children and pets are playing outside, you deserve to have lush grass and a chemical-free yard. 4 Easy Ways to Improve Your Lawn Aerate The library and the internet can help you, but landscapers, bookstores, nurseries, neighbors, and local organizations can be great resources as well. Such differences affect moisture retention as well as light level, and these factors can affect planting choices. Second, earthworms require moisture, so you won’t find any in dry earth. What parts are in shade for most of the day? As the third-generation owner of a lawn and garden center, he has been in the lawn care business “forever.” Plus: Is lawn … There are several informal tests for compaction, but none suffices in itself, so be sure to use several. Products with dithiopyr, prodiamine, or pendimethalin are typical chemical alternatives. Read on to find out more. Watering an overseeded lawn is the exception to the once a week rule. The percentage of nitrogen in a fertilizer is indicated by the first number on the bag, so with a 20-10-10 fertilizer (20 percent nitrogen), you should apply 5 pounds of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet. Silt will feel powdery when dry, and will hold together somewhat if you squeeze a lump or roll it out. Some areas may need something other than grass. Density: compaction. Then keep crabgrass at bay by feeding the desirable grasses with ample water and fertilizer—and by mowing high. You’ll only need to water for about 20 … Even if your lawn already makes the neighbors green with envy, you're likely to face a few of those common lawn problems. This ... 2. 8 Easy Ways to Improve Your Lawn. For very shady areas, reseed with shade-tolerant grasses such as creeping red fescue or St. Augustine and mow them high to maximize their light-trapping leaf surface. Measure yours by setting empty containers around the lawn, running the sprinklers for 20 minutes, and measuring the depth of the water inside. If done properly, the technique of “top-dressing,” or adding a thin layer of soil over your lawn, can improve the soil without killing the existing turf. Easy to use, just connect to your garden hose and treat problem areas. For poor drainage, be sure the area is properly graded. Twenty-five dollars or less can get you a measurement of the three primary nutrients, six of the others, plus analysis of pH, organic matter, salts, and lime. Tougher, more resilient grasses and better ways to fend off crabgrass and other weeds and pests should make it easier than ever to get a lush, healthy lawn. Pretend you’re a stranger, and look at your lawn. Nitrogen in the urine kills the grass in the center, where its concentration is highest, while darkening the grass at the edges. Do the weeds grow in dense patches, or are they interspersed in the grass? A barrier of chicken wire that extends 1 foot deep around your yard might help keep them out. Assuming it holds together, give it a little squeeze and wiggle your fingers as if you were trying to break it up with your thumb and fingers. Obviously, first among these is heavy use, which is why paths are almost always compacted. Burying an existing lawn, however, makes no sense unless you never liked that lawn much anyway and you’re planning to re-seed entirely. How to fix the top 10 lawn problems will provide you with cures for some ailments that might be afflicting your yard, like crabgrass, dandelions, moss, and grubs. More than 6,000 online subscribers nationwide told us about how they mow, water, and fertilize, and how happy they are with their lawn's looks. There is no selective herbicide or other shortcut for those weeds. An easy way to improve the look of your grass is to apply some lawn fertiliser. Alter the grade or improve the drainage to minimize areas where water collects. Top dressing adds to the layer. It should not “dissolve” into tiny sand-sized particles, but break apart into many pieces of varying sizes. Spread by spores, moss is an attractive ground cover that many homeowners cultivate. Beyond that, though, you will need professional help. Our Landscaping Blog provides the ideas, information and practical experience you need to get the job done right. pH imbalances can be corrected with appropriate soil amendments. Packed earth impedes the movement of air, water, and roots themselves, and the grass suffers. Fill the jar with water, shake vigorously, and leave it overnight. A healthy colony of moss in your lawn means too much shade; acidic, compacted, or wet soil; or too little fertilizer. Eighteen inches of topsoil or more is optimal but rare; you can get away with six to eight inches. Install an underground watering system with a programmable timer, and adjust the timer according to the seasons. 2. Small brown spots surrounded by dark green grass is a telltale sign of dog urine. The best time to prune either is in early spring, before the first flush of growth. They’ll send you a collection kit with detailed instructions. Most U.S. lawns cannot boast so much, largely because most of us have been trained to rake up mown grass and fallen leaves, thus removing the only natural organic additions available. 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