Archive for the ‘Herbicide management’ Category

Fall Lawn Care Tips

  The fall season is  “spring-time” for home lawn care. This is a great opportunity to apply grass seed, fertilize, and eliminate weeds in cool season lawns. In Tennessee (USDA hardiness zones 6-7), cool season grasses (fescue, bluegrass and perennial rye) are fertilized in mid-September with a high nitrogen-based fertilizer, available at most garden centers. […]

Summer Lawn Care Tips

“Summertime and the living is easy”. That’s a good adage to follow for home lawn care as well. Most lawn care chores, such as fertilizing, seeding, thatch management, and weed cleanup, should be delayed until late August through early October in most locales (USDA zones 4-7). During the heat of summer, proper mowing and irrigation are […]

Seeding Shady Areas Of Your Property

How many times have you been told: “you can’t grow lawn grass in shady areas”. Most lawn grasses perform best in full sunlight. Red or chewings fescues (Festuca rubra) perform under as little as 2-3 hours of direct or dappled sunlight. Shade fescues are relatively easy to maintain. Mowing height should be 2 inches high in […]

Broadleaf Weed Control Starts In Late Summer

              Broadleaf weed control takes center stage for chores to tackle in home lawns and gardens in late summer. Many winter annuals like henbit and chickweed, common inhabitants in the early spring garden start to germinate on the early days of autumn. Perennial dandelions are poking their heads up after summer dormancy. Spring […]

Seasonal Mowing Height Of Home Lawns

      The arrival of summer’s heat and dry weather is a clear sign to raise the cutting (mowing) height of your lawn grass.  Every grass species have a recommended height at which it should be mowed for best health. The cutting height will change with the season. Location in the yard is also […]

Avoid Spotted Spurge in Lawn And Garden Beds

Spotted spurge (Euphorbia maculata) is a dreadful perennial weed that can quickly take over a lawn or garden bed. It often grows in poor compacted soils or in-between cracks in pavement. Once established, it is difficult to eliminate it from your garden. Ideal temperature range for seed germination is 75 to 85 °F, and spurge will germinate […]

Timing Critical For Applying Crabgrass Preventive

              To control crabgrass and other lawn weeds, 1. maintain a vigorous healthy turf so weeds can’t get established, and  2. apply the proper pre-emergent herbicide at the right time. Pre-emergent herbicides do not kill weeds; they prevent weed seeds from germinating. It’s that simple. Timing is important! In many states […]

What You Should Know About Herbicides

              By definition a weed is any plant that you don’t want in your garden. Herbicides are vegetation killers and  classified as a pesticide that kills weeds. When used incorrectly, herbicides may injure good plants as well. Always read and understand the package directions before using. In a lawn or garden, you may be trying […]

Start A New Fescue Lawn In The Fall

Likely, summer heat and drought have taken their toll on your home lawn. Late summer and fall are opportune times to start a new home lawn. Rainfall is usually plentiful and cooler day-night temperatures should spur a rapid grass recovery. If your home lawn is mostly weeds, including unwanted bermuda grass, think about starting over. […]

Fall Is Great Time To Renovate Your Lawn

Is your lawn nothing but bare spots, thatch, and weeds? Late summer and fall is an ideal period to reduce thatch build-up and repair dead lawn areas. Thatch is composed of old grass clippings, e.g. leaf and stem debris not decomposed. By aerating the soil and removing thatch, you will improve soil water absorption and […]