A few have asked for this, 2008 lawn care

2008 Lawn Plan

A few neighbors have asked what I do to my yard every year so I thought I would put this together. Here is my plan for this year. I don’t claim to know everything, but I do enjoy the work, research and results.

I try to use Scott’s products and buy them from Lowes or Depot. Scott’s label their products differently depending on whom (store) they are selling to. The product labels and descriptions below are what will be found at Lowes and Depot.


First Application
Mid March to April 1st depending on soil temps
Scotts® Turf Builder® With Halts® Crabgrass Preventer
This could be the most important application of the year and timing is critical. Crabgrass seeds begin germination when soil temps reach 60 degrees. This product will not kill crabgrass. It only “HALTS” the seed germination.

Second Application (use one of the two listed)
May 15th ish
Scotts® Turf Builder® With PLUS 2® Weed Control - Use if you have a broad leaf weed problem) I do not have a broad leaf weed problem so I use – see below
Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Fertilizer with 2% Iron – May 15th ish

Third & Fourth Application
Mid June ish
Scotts® Turf Builder® With SummerGuard – This is a good product for pet owners. This will kill off ants, armyworms, billbugs, chiggers, chinch bugs, crickets, fleas, grasshoppers, mole crickets, mealy bugs, sod webworms (lawn moth larvae), spiders, ticks, weevils. It also feeds and strengthens grass for the upcoming hot months.
Continued


Mid June ish one week after above treatment
Scotts® GrubEx® Season-Long Grub Killer – This is very important. I skipped this last year and spent more money fixing dead spots than the twenty dollar bag would have cost me. Grubs are bad in many ways. One they come to the top of the soil in mid June. They will chew the grass roots off and kill your grass. You can tell if you have them if you grab a fist of grass and it comes right up. Grubs also encourage moles, skunks and other animals that will eat them. This product has no fertilizer in it.

Fifth Application
Mid August
Scotts® Turf Builder® Lawn Fertilizer with 2% Iron - Nothing special here, just a feeding. This can be skipped if you want

Sixth Application

Mid September

I will be over-seeding this year with a better seed than what the builder used something more heat tolerant. Over seeding is simply seeding over the existing lawn. I will probably only do the front. It is tough to the entire yard and keep the seed properly watered.

When over-seeding I will use: Scotts® Starter® Fertilizer – This has a lower nitrogen content allowing for good seed germination. Keep lawn damp as much as possible. The cool damp nights help this in the fall.

Step 1 – Full Yard Aeration – helps loosen compacted clay soil
Step 2 – Seed front yard only
Step 3 – Apply Scotts® Starter® Fertilizer and keep seed damp


Seventh Application

Thanksgiving


Scotts® Turf Builder® WinterGuard With PLUS 2® Weed Control – You will not see any immediate results from this. This is a jump start for next spring and it will kill off any cool season broad leaf weeds. This product helps root production and helps store carbohydrates for the winter.
Continued

Keys to Success and Tips

Mowing Practices

Keep you mover blade sharp!
Mow Short in the spring and fall and leave the grass long in the summer. Grass that is longer in the summer (3”) will shade the soil thus keeping the moisture in and shading out weed seeds from sunlight.
Do not back your grass. Grass clippings will put nitrogen back into your soil. It is a common misconception that grass clipping lead to thatch. This, for the most part, is untrue. (see watering practices)
Never remove more than 1/3 of the plant. This causes plant stress.


Watering practices

· Lawns on average needs 1 – 1 ½ inches of rain per week. To check this put a bucket or can out while watering. See how long it takes to reach that mark.
· Never water in the late evening or at night. This will encourage moss and fungus growth. It is best to water early in the morning.
· Water long and deep this will encourage deep root growth. Watering often and for short times will keep your roots close to the top of the soil. THIS is where thatch comes from – dead roots.
· I tend to water my front yard more than the back in the HOT months to save money and to keep up the street appeal.


Weeds

Ortho® Weed B Gon MAX® Plus Crabgrass Control Ready-to-Use – This stuff is great. Kills weeds NOT lawns. Buy the largest container of this, 1.33 gallon. It comes with a pull and spray applicator. May take two applications for tough weeds like crabgrass and clover.
Lastly we are being invaded by a weed called Yellow Nutsedge. You can identify this weed in the summer. It is a brighter color green than you grass and will grow twice as fast. It is almost pointless to pull it. When it is pulled it will leave the “nut” in the ground to start a new weed by tubers. Full strength round-up will kill it, but round up is a NON-SELECTIVE herbicide and will kill your grass. The best product I have found for this weed is called SEDGEHAMMER. You can buy this concentrate at Natorps. You will also need a non-ionic surfactant to make it stick to the waxy weed. You will need to apply it with a pump spray and it will take multiple applications.

Here is a link on Yellow Nutsedge if you would like to learn more.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/4000/4010.html



I typed this out pretty fast so sorry for any typo’s or grammar errors.

This is kind of a work in progress. I am always toying with new products and ideas.

If anyone doesn’t own a spreader they are more than welcome to borrow mine. Each application only takes fifteen minutes or so. The spreaders run about 30 bucks at Lowes. If you buy one I would suggest one by Scott’s. The spreader setting are easy to use when applying Scott’s products.

I should probably say something here as to not guaranteeing your lawn success. So you are on your own. This is only my suggestions and what I will be doing.

Feel free to call, email, or drop by if anyone has any questions.