Welcome to The Lawn Coach!

Pics from Judy!

Good news! Judy from VT was able to get me some pictures to help more positively diagnose her lawn problem. If you'll recall, I had posted a video response to her first question about possible grubs. Check it out here: Grubs in VT in August?

This is definitely NOT grub damage. It appears to be Dollar Spot, which is named for the silver dollar sized patches it leaves on a golf green. In a lawn, the patches are a bit more sporadic and uneven. Dollar spot is caused by a fungus that LOVES lots of water. The incessant rains are basically to blame here. It also thrives under lower nitrogen conditions, which result when the incessant rains flush all the nutrients out of the soil.

Luckily, this very rarely becomes too serious. Most of those patches will actually bounce back again and be fine. In the meantime, definitely plan on getting a good fertilizer application down in the beginning of September. When you see Dollar Spot, that means the lawn is getting hungry.

Why not fertilize now? Well, just as Dollar Spot thrives under LOW nitrogen conditions, there are other far more destructive fungi that thrive under HIGH nitrogen conditions when the temperatures are hot. That's why we wait until September, when things are beginning to cool off. Otherwise, it'd be like taking a carcinogenic chemical to treat a headache.

Good news on this one. It could have been much worse!

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You're Not in Kansas Anymore Toto

Q: Hi Chris, we have been trying for about 4 years to establish grass in the area or dog used to be tied up in. We no longer have any pets but in that area grass will come up good but after about six weeks it dies out. The dog was tied up there for about 15 years. Is there anything we can do for the ground? We live in North Central Kansas where the summers are usually hot & dry.

A: Hmm. That's a tough one, but I CAN tell you that the remnants of the doggie wee wee are long gone. This problem is coincidentally in the same area where the dog was, but is not a result of the dogs residence. Dog urine has high concentrations of ammonia, which dissipate quickly with rain. It'd be gone only a week or so after the dog was no longer marking the territory.

Can you send in some pictures or a digital video clip? It'd help me get a good idea of what you are looking at. Get a few from further away and a few from close up. Thanks! Hopefully others will also learn from this.

-Chris

Brady from MN

Q: Chris, I live in central MN and plan on using your aerating and over-seeding advise to eliminate my crabgrass on my 1 year old lawn this Fall. I believe Kentucky Bluegrass can take 4-8 weeks to germinate so I would like to give the seed time to germinate before it gets too cold. I also plan to use a pre-emergent next Spring which from what I understand prevents all seeds from germinating. When do you suggest I do this?

My yard is also on hard clay soil, so I would like to aerate soon. When I use my irrigation system I can watch the water flow down the ditch. Can I aerate now and also September or when do suggest I start?

-Brady

A: Hi Brady. Let me address each of your points.

First, most newer varieties of Kentucky Bluegrass really only take about 2 - 3 weeks to germinate provided they are getting regular water. By "germinate", I'm talking about the seed sprouting new green growth, not necessarily filling in to the level of a nice lawn. That will take several more weeks, bringing you to the 6-8 week time frame you mentioned.

One aeration this Fall should be sufficient, and I would recommend that you do it in Early September, BUT.....I need to add one more piece of advice regarding the hardpan clay. Clay is clay is clay. Aerating it is nice, but it doesn't change the fact that clay is clay, and will retain the hard characteristics it has now, just with holes. You need to amend it to start improving soil conditions.

Something that has worked very well for me is spreading well decomposed compost over the lawn after aerating. This infusion of organic matter is like putting in billions of tiny little springs that keep the clay particles further apart from each other, thereby allowing water to drain and air to permeate. Plan on doing this EVERY year until you star to see a noticeable improvement in the lawn. Just aerate first, then spread a 1/4 - 1/2 inch layer of compost down all over. Finally, take a leaf rake and rough up the lawn, encouraging the compost to fill the aerator holes.

Keep in touch and let me know how it works out!

Response to a Fellow Blogger

Q: Nice blog.  I found it through Facebook.  I'm in CT too up in Litchfield County.

I was hoping I'd find some answer for how to get rid of crabgrass more quickly.  I used a crabgrass preventer back in the Spring and had a pretty good looking lawn through early July.  In the past month though, crabgrass has started to take over.  Any guess as to what I might have done wrong?  Anything I can do other than reseed in the Fall to try to turn things right?

A: Hello fellow CT resident!  Yeah, I hear this one a lot.  The truth is that these crabgrass control products are very finicky.  They need to be applied at JUST the right time, and at JUST the right rate.  Otherwise the control is less than optimal.  They really only hang in there for about 3 months, and they need to be applied before the crabgrass gets going.  Too early and they wear out too early.  Too late and you're stuck with a lawn full of crabgrass.  

I get around this problem on high pressure lawns (lots of sun, and a history of crabgrass) by doing 2 Spring applications.  One in April (to make sure it's down in time) and one in late May to carry me through August.  I'll still see a few blades of crabgrass popping up in September, but it's really not too bad.

For now, I'd plan on aerating and overseeding in Mid September, then water daily to let the new stuff fill in.  The crabgrass will be weakening at that point, so the good stuff can out-compete it.  Next year, try the double application strategy.  Until Mid-September, just enjoy a few glasses of a nice $15 bottle of wine!  I hear there's a nice blog about wines out there somewhere.....

Helpful Product Links to consider:

Manual Aerator for Smaller Lawns

Great Full Sun Seed

Sun & Shade Seed

Good Leaf Rake (for scratching the lawn up to mix the seed back into the aerator holes)

New Products I Love!

Whenever I try something new and it earns my seal of approval, you'll hear about it first! Here's the two latest cool gadgets that I've tried. You've got to love the ingenuity here. Just click on the name to find out more details, price and availability.

Manual Core Aerator: Okay, so this will take some work and sweat, but if you pick up a few of them, invite the guys over and put out a cooler full of iced down beverages of choice....., you could have a pretty effective "Aeration Party." It'll be cheaper than renting or buying a big gas powered model, and it will do the same work for you! Not advisable on lawns much bigger than 5,000 square feet though. Just try to keep the holes spaced about every 3 - 4 inches.

Wheel Pump Sprayer: This thing is great on several levels. As you push or pull it around the lawn, the wheels build up pressure that allows you to spray the weeds. Just push it ahead and spray the weeds behind (so you aren't walking through the weed killer). When you're done, there's a release valve to let out the excess pressure. A great way to allow you to efficiently and effectively take care of those weeds.

For a list of other items and goods I've reviewed, click here:

Chris' Favorite Stuff

Video: Grubs in VT in August?