Category: Maintaining a Home Lawn

There are literally thousands of fertilizers and fertilizer/pesticide combinations available to homeowners and professionals. Therefore, we can’t recommend how many pounds of a specific fertilizer to apply, but rather we must recommend fertilization rates in pounds of nitrogen per thousand...

The recent cold snap has raised a number of questions about survival of warm-season turfgrasses, especially given the relatively recent popularity of bermudagrass for fairways and athletic fields. Though winterkill is highly variable, all turfgrasses are most susceptible to cold...

The fundamental principle for effective lawn pest control is to “Cultivate a dense, healthy turf”.  One way to promote turf density is to properly feed the plant at a time when it is most capable of utilizing these nutrients for...

The window for effective broadleaf weed control is closing fast and we normally see good control of difficult-to-control weeds like ground ivy until about the end of October. However, you may still get adequate control of easier-to-control weeds like dandelion...

Nitrogen stimulates increased photosynthesis and the extra energy derived from this goes directly into growth, respiration to maintain the plant (similar to humans), or into storage. In early November, the temperature is still adequate for photosynthesis, but cool enough to...

The almost constant rain/drizzle/wet conditions coupled with early unseasonably cool temperatures have hindered progress in fall maintenance. All is not lost though because warmer and drier weather is in the forecast. Seeding: It’s too late to seed throughout IN to...

Many people ask how long to continue mowing into the fall. The answer is to keep mowing as long as the grass continues to grow which is normally into late October or early November. Frequency of mowing can decrease but...

The trees are dropping their leaves and it is important to prevent a heavy layer of leaves from building-up on your turf before winter.  Heavy layers of tree leaves will shade the grass can smother and kill grass yet this...

Though we are now in the window for maximum broadleaf weed control and fall fertilization, the dry weather throughout most of the state is hampering applications. Avoid herbicide and/or fertilizer application to drought stressed or dormant turf to limit turf...

The recent record or near record low temperatures combine with adequate soil moisture is advantageous for our cool-season turfgrasses, especially compared to the typical August-September heat and drought. Fall fertilization can begin anytime, especially with rain in the forecast to...

We are fielding a number of calls like “Why is my lawn is turning brown while my neighbors isn’t, even though neither of us irrigate?”. On any given turf area or in a neighborhood, we can see a wide variety...

Tired of the way your lawn looks? If it hasn’t looked up to par this summer with the relatively good weather, it never will and reseeding your lawn is an option. Mid-August is the best time to seed a new...

Recently I was contacted by a major newspaper reporter who was writing an article about more sustainable lawn systems, or lawns that would required fewer inputs, and was inquiring about the feasibility of  using clover as a lawn turf. After...

By the time you read these words the longest day of the year has approached and the official calendar “Summer” season will have begun. Just as the weather changes as we transition between seasons from late-Spring to Summer the turfgrass...

With the well-above average rainfall this spring, questions are starting to arise about the short and long term effects on lawn, golf, and sports turf: Rooting-Though no official records are kept, rooting tends to be shallow and limited on water-logged...

The small white flowers of white clover are very visible right now and it may appear that clover is taking over, especially under-fertilized turf areas. Clover is a legume and is very competitive under low N conditions, so increasing annual...

Soil testing is important in turf to help determine the soil pH and fertilization needs, especially for potassium and phosphorus. Acceptable soil pH for turf is between 6.0 and 7.5, but often soil tests show pH levels higher or lower...

A properly fertilized turf has fewer weeds, is more resistant to insects and disease, and decreases water runoff compared to malnourished turf. Concern over the negative effects of nutrient enrichment on water quality is a growing public concern and has...

I’ve gotten a number of calls asking about volunteer maple and other tree seedlings growing in lawns. These are direct descendents of a neighborhood tree whose seed pods released last spring/summer. You can either stake a couple of these small...

Aerification, sometimes called core cultivation is a supplementary lawn cultural practice primarily used to relieve soil compaction and remove thatch (the spongy layer of undecomposed stems at the soil surface). This practices is not necessarily essential to maintaining a lawn,...