Don't stress over snow mold
Although there hasn't been the record snowfalls this year, snow mold is likely to be present on many lawns as the snow melts in the early spring. Snow mold can occur when there is an extended period of snow cover on ground that is not completely frozen.
Either pink or gray snow mold can occur, sometimes both of them together. Pink snow mold can cause a little more damage to the grass than gray snow mold, but they are both relatively benign in the scope of things that can kill your lawn.
If you find snow mold on your lawn this spring, don't worry about it. Rake it out a bit, try and get the sun on it and it should be gone in a couple of weeks. If the damage is extensive, you can repair the area like a bare patch.
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photo © flickr user noricum
Organic lawn care. Big in 2012 and beyond.
Organic lawn care is catching on. Not just with lawn care companies eager to add to their clientele, but with all varieties of homeowners looking for an alternative to chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Prolonged, widespread use of weed killers, grub killers, and other pesticides are taking their toll on people and the environment. Waterways are clogged up with algae blooms from over-use of phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers. Children are getting sick, sometimes before they're even born, by coming in contact with pesticides in everything from the food we eat to the lawns we play on.
The naysayers like to parrot the idea of "we drank from the hose and we turned out okay" but a closer look at the last generation or so tells us a different story. Autism, ADD, ADHD, and many other strange new illnesses are plaguing our children like never before . We largely have no idea where these illnesses have come from but there's no mistaking that they seem to have risen with the advent of the "better living through chemistry" generation.
It doesn't matter if we can prove that chemical herbicides and synthetic fertilizers are the cause of these problems or not. Sometimes you have to go with your gut. The burden of proof is not on the consumer but the manufacturers, and they do not have our best interests in mind when they roll out the latest chemical solution to our lawn care problem. So if you want to know what's involved with an organic lawn care program, start with the basics.
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5 Great Lawn Care Habits
Lawn care is all about good habits. A habit is a regular tendency or practice that is often hard to give up. When good lawn care habits are established you won't even realize your doing them.
I've come up with five habits that I think could be the backbone of a responsible lawn care program. Whether you keep a highly manicured lawn or a low maintenance lawn, use conventional fertilizers and pesticides or grow an organic lawn, these habits are simple enough to fit any lawn care regimen.
Great lawn care habit number one is to mow the lawn as high as possible. Some southern lawns just can't grow very high so this habit is mostly applicable to the northern lawns consisting of bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass mixes.
It may seem odd at first to grow a lawn to 3 1/2 inches but it is the most critical element of my lawn care program. Long grass can withstand drought conditions better than short lawns and out-compete weeds for territory. The longer grass blade not only allows for increased photosynthesis, the lawn will also become more dense, lush, and green.
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Corn gluten is only effective as a weed preventer when used at very high rates
Corn gluten is a relative newcomer to the organic scene and it bears reminding just how much is needed to be effective.
Research proves corn gluten to be an effective pre-emergent herbicide for control of crabgrass and other lawn weeds. However, the rate for effective weed control is 20lbs/1000 sq. ft. That's a lot of corn gluten, especially at current prices.
Corn gluten also contains about 10% nitrogen making it an effective organic fertilizer when used at more reasonable rates like 10lbs/1000 sq. ft. The problem occurs when corn gluten is marketed as a weed preventer but sold only with the intention of the consumer applying it at only the 10 lb rate, or in an organic fertilizer blend in far smaller quantities.
In other words, to get the weed preventer aspects of corn gluten, it must be put down at an extremely heavy rate, much heavier than conventional applications. This can be a pricey endeavor for even an average sized lawn. Applied at a rate lower than 20lbs/ sq. ft. corn gluten is ineffective as a pre-emergent, instead becoming an expensive shot of organic nitrogen.
A 30lb bags of corn gluten can cost $35. At the proper weed prevention rate, it would take 6 bags to treat the average lawn (1/5th of an acre). That's $210 for one application. Another application in August is recommended, and although it's effectiveness increases with repeated use, it's initial effectiveness is only about 60%.
Truth is, there is no organic silver bullet to prevent crabgrass. Using corn gluten as a pre emergent tends to push the limits of nitrogen needed over the course of a season. So far the best organic weed control is a combination of overseeding aggressively with quality seed and avoiding conditions favorable to crabgrass infestation.
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A little lawn care math goes a long way.
Quick, how many square feet in an acre? Any turf manager worth their salt will immediately know that there are 43560 square feet in an acre. It's usually the first step in any calculations regarding applying anything to a lawn. The number comes up a lot.
I've never been good at math, easily my weakest subject. Yet even I understand lawn care math. It's physical, relative to your goals, and involves only one process. Find x using cross multiplication.
How far does a 50 lb bag of fertilizer go? How big is your yard? Questions like these can be figured out using cross multiplication and a grasp of basic conversions. Get used to terms like "pounds per thousand square feet" and "pounds per acre" and think about them in terms of your own yard.
A little knowledge in lawn care math can go a long way towards proper treatment of your lawn and using the correct amount of materials.
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Buying a string trimmer with so many to choose from
String trimmers are the right-hand-man of the lawn mower, cleaning up along fence-lines, around trees and other places mowers can't get to. String trimming a typical yard is a relatively small job but they are also used to clear larger masses of overgrown plants so depending on their expected use, string trimmer models can vary greatly.
A quick look at the Husqvarna website revealed 17 different string trimmer models - and that's just one brand! Prices range from about $150 all the way up to $450 so determining the right string trimmer for your needs could easily turn into a more complicated decision than anticipated.
There are many factors that will influence the decision of what is the best string trimmer for your needs, among them engine size, fuel source, and quality of construction. Check out this article for some helpful tips on choosing the right string trimmer for you.
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USDA updates Plant Hardiness Zone Map
This is interesting, the United States Department of Agriculture has updated their Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the first time since 1990. Unlike years past, the government agency will not be sending out posters instead making the online map interactive and downloadable. Perhaps a sign of shrinking budgets the site helpfully explains that "state, regional, and national images of the map can be downloaded and printed in a variety of sizes and resolutions." In other words, make your own poster.
Also interesting is the fact that the zones have been adjusted to reflect the warmer temperatures of the past 20 odd years. Entire states have shifted into different zones, reaffirming what many who live there already know - plants that historically could never thrive in certain zones, can and have for some time.
While it's easy to jump on the climate change train, and certainly that is a part of it, the USDA is quick to point out that the changes are also partially due to technological advancements in data gathering and more accurate weather data. Environmentalists will probably see the change as old news as the new USDA map is now similar to the changes made by the Arbor Day Foundation six years ago.
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Grass seed germination can take longer than you think
Sometimes it seems like it takes forever for seed to germinate, and sometimes it almost does. Often the true length of germination isn't noticed because seed blends often include perennial ryegrass which is notoriously quick to sprout. Perennial ryegrass is used as a "nurse" grass, providing shade and protection to developing seeds of other grass species.
While perennial ryegrass can germinate in as little as five days, it can take Kentucky bluegrass anywhere from 14-30 days. That's a whole month!
Optimum germination conditions are in the spring and fall when temperatures are high enough to encourage growth but low enough to retain moisture. Seed sown in the summer often dries out in the mid-day sun resulting in poor germination rates. Be sure to prepare the seed bed properly and maintain adequate soil moisture for best results.
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The amazing world of lawn mowers
Lawn mowers are entrenched in the fabric of our lives, as ubiquitous as the automobile or even lawns themselves. Lawn mowers instantly conjure up images of weekend chores and the smell of fresh cut grass. Lawn mower styles run the gamut from the aging motorized beasts of yesteryear, to modern zero turn mowers, or the classic, pollution free reel mower.
If you're shopping for a mower, thinking about upgrading, or just fantasizing about that riding mower with the cup holders. If you're looking for information on lawn mower upkeep and maintenance or looking for greener lawn mower options. Check out this collection of articles.
Even if you think a collection of lawn mower articles cannot help you in any way, I implore you, read the article about lawn mower safety. Then read it again and think twice before letting a child anywhere near a running lawn mower.
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photo © Ian Waldie/Getty Images
5 Easy DIY Lawn Care Projects
This is it! This is the summer you're going to get your lawn in shape. No need to hire a lawn care company, no need to spend thousands of dollars. It's time to recruit a few friends or family members and knock off one or two of those projects you've been meaning to attend to.
Start planning now. What will it be? Aerating? That should be done once a year, even every few years is acceptable so what are you waiting for? Overseeding? Topdressing? Why not do all three in one fell swoop? Your lawn will love you for it.
Lawn too big? Downsize! Need a new lawn? Start over with sod. It's easy. Quit putting off the lawn care projects before they start piling up. Whether it's improving the value of your home or ensuring a healthy soil, lawn care projects are not insurmountable obstacles. Do it!
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