Tag: Homeowner

How to Keep Turf Areas Around Sidewalks From Failing

Last year I posted a turf tip on why it is so difficult to manage turf around sidewalks and driveways. I encourage you to read that post (Weed Management Next to Sidewalks and Driveways) as it provides recommendations for weed...

Common Questions About Crabgrass Germination and Preemergence Herbicides Answered

This time of year many have questions about crabgrass germination and control. Below are several previous Purdue turf tips that answer the most commonly asked questions about crabgrass control. When will crabgrass germinate? When should I apply my preemergence herbicide...

How to Select a Crabgrass Preventer from the Store – Homeowners

Crabgrass is a summer annual weed that germinates in lawns each spring (click here for crabgrass identification information). Preemergence herbicides prevent emergence of crabgrass plants from the soil. These products must be applied prior to crabgrass germination which could occur...

This Week Felt Too Much Like 2014!

This cold weather reminded me of the cold weather we experienced last winter. While it is too early to tell what effect the weather might have had on the turf, it could have damaged some warm-season turf areas in north...

Is it Too Late to Apply My Last Nitrogen Fertilization?

Fall is an important time to fertilizer our cool-season turfgrasses. Fall nitrogen promotes good root development, enhances storage of energy reserves, and extends color retention in cool-season lawns. Most of the benefits from late fall nitrogen will be seen next...

Adjuvants and the Power of the Spray Droplet: Improving the Performance of Pesticide Applications

This publication examines how the various components of a pesticide application work (water, pesticide molecules, application equipment). It then describes how adjuvants can enhance pesticide performance and protect against the unwanted consequences of spray drift. The goal is to define what adjuvants do and highlight their value in improving pesticide applications.

(PPP-107)

PDF

PDF version of Adjuvants and the Power of the Spray Droplet: Improving the Performance of Pesticide Applications

Words You Might Hear a Turf Nerd Use

A nerd is an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit1. Therefore, a turf nerd is someone single-minded towards turf, obsessed with turf, and a bit nonsocial. I suppose that described me pretty well. To help...

Fescue. You mean there’s more than one kind?

Typical conversation about fescues. Bill: What kind of grass do you have? Bob: Fescue. Bill: What kind of fescue? Bob: You mean there’s more than one kind? Bill: Yes. As I travel around the region and give presentations or respond...

Watering Newly Seeded Areas

Water is necessary to initiate the germination process in seeds. As the seed imbibes water, enzymatic reactions within the seed trigger the germination process. Enzymes breakdown the energy stored inside the seed endosperm and this energy is used by the...

Winterkill Here on Bermudagrass! Now What?

This winter has resulted in significant winterkill on bermudagrass throughout the nation and Indiana was not an exception. Brutally cold temperatures, coined as the polar vortex, swept through the country in early January with many other subsequent cold days and...

How Big is Your Lawn?

A key step in most lawn maintenance practices such as seeding and fertilizing as well as with double-checking your calibration and application accuracy is to determine the size of the turf area. Determining your lawn area will help you calculate...

Crabgrass Germination Coming Soon!

This time of year many have questions about crabgrass control. Below are several previous Purdue turf tips that answer the most commonly asked questions about crabgrass control. When will crabgrass germinate? When should I apply my preemergence herbicide (crabgrass preventer)?...

Cool-Season Turf Winterkill: Potential Losses and a Pathway to Recovery

This winter has been cold and long. From December 2013 through February 2014, Indiana had it’s 9th coldest winter on record and its coldest since 1979, 1978 was coldest on record (Fig. 1). With such cold temperatures, many are...

Melting Snow Reveals Tiny Trails

With the winter snows finally melting away many are often surprised to find a series of tiny trails on the surface of their lawns and turfgrass fields. These are vole highways. Voles are often called meadow or field...

Use Purdue Plant Doctor Apps for Android and iPhones to Fix Plant Problems

Correct diagnosis is the most important step you can take toward fixing plant problems. We took the best photos we had in our libraries and put them in our apps to help you become better plant managers. The Purdue Plant...

Warm-season Turf Winterkill 2014: What Can you Expect and NOW WHAT?

With colder than normal temperatures in Indiana this winter, we are anticipating some minor winter damage. To help prepare for this we are publishing a three part series on this topic to help turfgrass managers prepare for what may await...

What To Do With All Those Falling Leaves?

It is that time of year when leaves are falling faster than you can rake them in many places. It is important to rake leaves when there are many leaves on the ground (so many that you can't see the...

Steel Tanks for Storing and Transporting Pesticides and Fertilizers

This publication explores the aspects of purchasing and using mild steel and stainless steel tanks for farms, businesses, and public agencies. It provides important questions you should ask before you buy, offers tips to properly install tanks, and establishes guidelines for inspection and maintenance.

(PPP-105)

PDF

PDF version of Steel Tanks for Storing and Transporting Pesticides and Fertilizers

2013 Imprelis Update: Tree Maintenance, Replacement, and Disposal

This article provides a 2013 update of this issue and what we hope will be the last and final update on Imprelis. This update addresses some of the frequently asked questions about Imprelis® in 2013. 2013 Imprelis® Update: Tree Maintenance,...

White Grub Season Approaching: Remember to Follow Label Directions

Last month, a commercial landscape manager in Oregon made an off label application of dinotefuran to flowering linden trees resulting in the death of more than 25,000 bumblebees and immediate action by the Oregon Department of Agriculture to implement a...