How come we don't have a section for lawn care? I'm guessing most of us take care of our own lawns and probably need some guidance in issues that happen.
Lawn care?
- Thread starter nickaluch
- Start date
I suppose the topic falls under the home improvement/DIY sub. Now off to buy my pre-emergent to put down with milo on my aerated lawn 
There's the lawn mower and small engine sub for anything OPE related, although it isn't lawn care specific.
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2023
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- 98
Some this is location specific. I live where the grasses are warm weather types: Bermuda, centipede, and St. Augustine. Different from northern grasses.
My primary concern is insect infestation. Something got into the front corner of my lawn over the winter and resulted in a dead area of grass.
Get that crabgrass preventer and weed and feed out there now.
The only good crabgrass preventers are Barricade or Dimension put down when the soil temperature is 55F. That's when the forsythia are in full bloom. Forget the Scott's.
Granular weed and feed needs to be put down when the leaves of the weeds are very wet from dew or rain that has stopped. The weed killer in the weed and feed (mostly 2, 4-D) needs to be absorbed by the leaves of the weeds. Does nothing if hits the ground.
I would look for Lesco brand from Lowes or Home Depot or Andersons from Amazon. Forget the overpriced Scott's.
I don't have any crabgrass or weeds in my yard. I don't have any grass either. That saves me hours of mowing time every year. My Dog makes sure of that. Follow me for more lawn care tips.,,,
Turf denier!!
I put my pre-emergent down a couple weeks ago. Nothing has emerged. Victory lap taken.
Just finished with my pre/post emergent regimen. Andersons Barricade Pro granular 6 weeks ago when soil temp just hit the 50s. Finished Monday with a somewhat heavy Dimension spraying about 24 hours before the soaking rain hit yesterday. Perfect.
I always recommend consulting your land grant university extension program for recommendations tailored to your locale.
For the OP in New York that would be Cornell. Their web page is a bit clunky, but you can find most of the relevant info needed.
https://turf.cals.cornell.edu/lawn/...ve-environmental-asset/advanced-care/feeding/
Donald and I would agree that you are managing your lawn blind if you don't have a soil test to base your care on. And, I tend to manage lawns in the low to moderate quality level with the idea of keeping them healthy with the least amount of fertilizer and pesticides. Less than perfect with a few weeds is o.k.. Life is too short to obsess about lawns when we have more important issues like oil and car wax.
For the OP in New York that would be Cornell. Their web page is a bit clunky, but you can find most of the relevant info needed.
https://turf.cals.cornell.edu/lawn/...ve-environmental-asset/advanced-care/feeding/
Donald and I would agree that you are managing your lawn blind if you don't have a soil test to base your care on. And, I tend to manage lawns in the low to moderate quality level with the idea of keeping them healthy with the least amount of fertilizer and pesticides. Less than perfect with a few weeds is o.k.. Life is too short to obsess about lawns when we have more important issues like oil and car wax.
Milo is a organic fertilizer it needs heat for it to work. With warmer soil the microbes get active eat the Milo that then turns into nitrogen that feeds the lawn. Iron will be available pretty quick. It's also high in phosphorus not good for drinking water, lakes and rivers. I like Milo as my summer fertilizer low nitrogen won't burn microbes are active to make it into nitrogenI suppose the topic falls under the home improvement/DIY sub. Now off to buy my pre-emergent to put down with milo on my aerated lawn
This is way too regional. We grow Centipede grass - which is pretty much a weed on its own. I used to have a perfect lawn, and it really isn't too hard to maintain it - unless your neighbors moved down from "up North" and feel mowed clover constitutes a lawn. I have been fighting it for years now, but I am surrounded (literally). I have given up on the back yard. Front yard still looks good (for now).
Oddly when my dog pees on the areas around the pond where there is no irrigation and no fertilizer or weed killer you cannot see any dog pee spots. When my dog pees on my lawn which is nice and green is where I see dog pee spots. And just to be clear my dog is not named Spot!
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Yep, I see weed and feed mentioned and think my Live Oak trees are happy I don’t use that stuff …
Male or female? Female urine is much more destructive on grass. I made a cedar chip landscape bed in the corner of my yard and trained my dog to only relieve herself there so the grass is preserved.
I am not sure that female urine is more destructive rather the way they pee it gets concentrated in one spot. Male dogs don't have good aim the way they pee and it goes all over.
Your lawn has more nitrogen due to you feeding it fertilizer. It can't handle the extra nitrogen in the dog pee. It's too much and burns the grass.
This. Find a low N, low P fert, that is slow release. A 6-2-4 NPK is an excellent summer ratio. Check soil pH too. Slightly acidic will not help the burn. Humic acid can aid in water and nutrient uptake, especially in a clay soil. That makes roots strong and healthy, helping to prevent injury from nitrogen burn.
