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Lawns/Questions Answered by Expert Ronald B Persaud
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Using sugar to get rid of wild onions in the lawn | 2/3/2012 |
| Q: The sugar an article talked about using to get rid of wild onions in the lawn. Are they talking ... A: It is regular brown sugar; and "browner is better". Molasses is used in the same context. ... | |
| Switch from fescue to bermuda | 1/28/2012 |
| Q: I live in Central VA, my front lawn is fescue, south facing with a gentle slope, and full sun all ... A: Please forgive my indirect responses because the project you wish to undertake is like a web of ... | |
| Need Help Fixing Lawn Mower | 1/19/2012 |
| Q: I was wondering if you knew anything about lawn mower maintenance and how to fix a troublesome ... A: Diane, I am not a mechanic but I believe that the priming bulb (button) needs to be changed. You can ... | |
| Moss - We want it | 1/17/2012 |
| Q: We have this great landscape started but the moss just will not spread as quickly as we would like ... A: Yours is an unusual question and I can only provide some general comments. My experience is limited ... | |
| Want to grow grass in gravel | 1/16/2012 |
| Q: I have bought a house in the desert of Utah that is surrounded completely by gravel. I am wanting ... A: <b><u>"..a house in the desert of Utah"</u></b>. I have to ask. Is there enough rainfall to sustain ... | |
| struggling grass | 12/30/2011 |
| Q: I just put down St Augustine sod in my front yard. However I didn't realize that I needed to water ... A: I take it that the leaves rolled up and turned brown from the edges towards the center of the sod ... | |
| Zoysia vs Floritam | 12/11/2011 |
| Q: I am trying to determine what type of sod to use to replace the weeds at the house I just purchased. ... A: I do not know as much as I should about the varieties of <i><u>Zoysia</u></i>, to give you a ... | |
| Floritam in December | 12/10/2011 |
| Q: What are your thoughts regarding having Floritam sod laid in December? Do I need to wait till spring ... A: I would not recommend it if you want a nice lawn in a short time. In such a case you might choose ... | |
| something in my lawn | 10/31/2011 |
| Q: Today my kids came to me to have me look at something growing in our lawn. It looked like a broken ... A: As far as I can find out it is a type of slime mold. Check out this site: ... | |
| What's the best way to copy/paste the good grass around my house | 10/27/2011 |
| Q: Around my house I've got one or two patches of a grass that seems to keep low ALL the time. I would ... A: Well, my assumption is that the grass you wish to transplant is not one of the species that that ... | |
| What's the best way to copy/paste the good grass around my house | 10/26/2011 |
| Q: Around my house I've got one or two patches of a grass that seems to keep low ALL the time. I would ... A: There are two main reasons why those patches of grass are shorter than the rest. The first is that ... | |
| Tree or Weed | 10/19/2011 |
| Q: I have this tree/weed growing and it is about 2ft tall. I have attached pictures of the front and ... A: From what you write, I would guess that it is some sort of larger fern. You can google larger ferns ... | |
| grass alternative for dry and partly shaded area | 10/19/2011 |
| Q: I am looking for a ground cover solution for my lawn on Oahu. I have lots of obstacles. It is very ... A: I'd like to suggest a variety of liriope. The following site will show a wide selection. ... | |
| Empire Zoysia | 12/25/2009 |
| Q: What type of feeding program do I need for my zoysia from Feb to Nov? What products should I use to ... A: Much more information is needed before you can obtain a practicable answer to your question. A ... | |
| centipede grass | 12/19/2009 |
| Q: My location is greenville sc My beautiful fescue lawn is being overrun by centipede and bermuda ... A: You have a weed problem with two of the most persistent grasses so load the dice heavily in your ... | |
| Thinning lawn | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a small lawn in North Carolina, tall fescue. It is in great shape in the front, where it has ... A: My conclusion is that light is the limiting factor. Things you can do to improve the area are:- 1. ... | |
| Palm Springs winter grass | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: We just recently bought a home in Palm Springs, and I would like to know if tall fescue is suitable ... A: There are too many things that I do not know about the area in order for me to give you a ... | |
| I think he killed our Floratam! | 12/12/2009 |
| Q: Help me please. I have lived in my home for just under 3 years and have always been the one to ... A: Concentrate all your efforts on recovering fully. Try not to worry about the lawn because there is ... | |
| very wed laws | 12/12/2009 |
| Q: I have an area of my lawn which retains water for much of the year. I have airated the area and ... A: It seems that there is a low area on your lawn. What puzzles me is that it looks as if the water ... | |
| lawn care | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: many thanks for taking time to read my mail. i have been reading on the Internet that a good cure ... A: "...also can sugar be used all year round, as in portugal it is winter..." The benefit of sugar is ... | |
| new lawn-yellow grass | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: Recently (September) I had a new irrigation system installed using lake water, plus new top soil, ... A: I cannot tell you what the problem is but I can suggest how you can find out. 1. Consider the ... | |
| Weed 'n' Feed | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I live in south Florida. How often should I apply Weed 'n' Feed? What time of year should I apply ... A: The best approach to take is "I want to get rid of the weeds". Bear in mind that St. Augustine ... | |
| Winter Watering of New Sod | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: I live in the high desert of Southern California where an overnight low is usually about 20 degrees. ... A: Take a chunk of sod out of the lawn and have it identified at a garden center, nursery or Extension ... | |
| Ivy | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: Hey I have nice ivy in my frount yard. I live in Illinois so it gets cold. My kids walk in the ivy ... A: If foot traffic caused the ivy to die, I imagine that you would have seen the decline as small ... | |
| SAFE LAWN CARE | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: I live on a lake in Ohio. I just moved in and the previous owner was using fertilizer 7 times a year ... A: Contact the Extension office in the county in which you live and they will set you on a program for ... | |
| Marathon II | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: What kind of grass is Marathon II (tall fescue, fine fescue, bermuda, or other? and what type of ... A: Marathon II is a type of tall fescue; and I am not ducking your other question when I say "a ... | |
| yellow grass | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: My grass is so green and thick all summer and yes I do use Scott's products, but it seems once it ... A: It gets cold and your most of your lawn turns yellow. Questions to answer to help you find out the ... | |
| lawn care | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: many thanks for taking time to read my mail. i have been reading on the Internet that a good cure ... A: Sugar can encourage the growth and action of beneficial organisms in the soil. This can create a ... | |
| brown spots | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: I live in Louisiana. Our temperature gets in the high 90's low 100's. Very little rain. Every year I ... A: The only problem that I can think of which might explain the whole scene is grubs. They are ... | |
| Cut grass short for Winter? | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I have 5 acres. I treat about 2 acres of the lawn around my house with weed and feed. So, this ... A: It is preferable to leave the cutting height unchanged. More grass blades means more surface to ... | |
| Lawn care | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: I am very new to gardening and recently had some grass laid out in our small garden . The grass is ... A: You have patches in the lawn where the grass is 'dry and bleached'. Try the easiest things first. ... | |
| dry molasses | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: Can dry molasses be used instead of compost underneath the newspapers to start a flower/veg bed. I ... A: Dry molasses sounds like it is the same product as brown sugar. I have no experience with the use ... | |
| pasture gras or centepede grass | 11/15/2009 |
| Q: i have one of those in my st. augustine grass, cannot seem to get rid of it. i keep pulling and now ... A: You seem to have a problem with a weed in your St. Augustine lawn. If it is a broad-leaf weed, ... | |
| Leaf mulching/shredding | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: Have 1/2 acre. Five very large trees including 1 pin oak. Takes me 2 months to cut leaves with ... A: A mulching mower might resolve your problem. BUT, rent, borrow or hire first. Make sure it does ... | |
| soft yard | 11/9/2009 |
| Q: i live in houston texas. i have lived in my house for about 20 years. we planted an oak tree about ... A: Let me say from the start that I do not have a good explanation for the condition. But here are my ... | |
| wild strawberries | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: I have wild strawberries in an established lawn. What chemical will work best to get rid of them ... A: That depends upon the type of grass that you have; and I am talking about the scientific name right ... | |
| Lawn/grass | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: I live in Thailand where the sun is always blazing. While landscaping my garden lawn. it seems now ... A: I know very little about the grass to which you refer; I could not find a scientific name for it ... | |
| Green spots in grass | 10/31/2009 |
| Q: Is there any way to blend in the colours of our grass or will it do it automatically? A: It depends! Do you have a pure stand or a mixture of grasses? The color of the leaf of a plant can ... | |
| acorns | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: do acorns, left on lawn, help or hurt you yard. in the past it seems to make no differenc. My ... A: Acorns grow into oak trees but that is hardly likely to happen in a lawn that is mowed regularly. ... | |
| weed and feed | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: Is it to late to weed in feed your lawn in late October. We live in central Virginia and have not ... A: I am not sure what the weather is like in Virginia now, or for the next few weeks. If the weed ... | |
| PLEASE HELP Purple weed roots , and three leaf clovers | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: PLEASE HELP, I JUST MOVE TO THIS NEW HOME, THE GRASS LAWN LOOKS ALL GREEN AND LOOKS GOOD, BUT I HAVE ... A: Since we do not know what caused the grass to die in these areas, check that the sprinkler system ... | |
| Marathon Grass/plugging | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: Our gardener wants to plug our marathon grass at least once a year and I always thought marathon ... A: Plugging a lawn is a fairly simple and effective method of filling in bare areas or even replanting ... | |
| dying grass & animals digging holes | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: EVERY MORNING I LOOK IN MY YARD AND MY GRASS IS GETTING DARKER AND DARKER,AND THERE ARE HOLES DUG BY ... A: If your area is hospitable to armadillos, they may be digging the holes... in search of insects... ... | |
| Overseeding | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Is it too late in the season to overseed the brown patches in ... A: I do not know for sure but every source I tap indicates that it is too late now for lawns in ... | |
| lawn Grass | 10/19/2009 |
| Q: How does the thickness of grass effect its ability to absorb water. A: Water is taken up by the roots of grasses. Imagine a very light rain (or irrigation) falling on ... | |
| Watering Schedule for Overseeding | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: Will you please explain what the watering schedule should be for overseeding winter rye grass? A: A seed soaks up water which causes it to swell and burst its seed coat. The plumule grows upward ... | |
| is it ok to put sugar in my infield that is 98% bermudagrass? | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: im over some baseball fields in a small town in texas. im proud to say our fields are comparable to ... A: Organic methods can be looked upon as one tool in a tool box that has a few other tools. Such ... | |
| putting on crabgrass preventer | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: When is the best time to put crabgrass preventer on? Fall or spring or both? Also, I want to put ... A: I would expect about 6 weeks of control from a pre-emergent chemical; but (much) water and (high) ... | |
| mower blade | 10/10/2009 |
| Q: How level front to back should a mower blade be kept ?? A new factory mower set is 3/4" higher in ... A: John, Thanks for pointing out something I had never thought of. It seems that the ... | |
| KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS IN ORLANDO, FL | 10/9/2009 |
| Q: Would Kentucky Blue Grass do well in Orlando, FL? I don't care for St. Augustine or Bahia grass. ... A: "In the southern U.S., Kentucky bluegrass is limited to the transition zone from North Carolina, ... | |
| Need help with small dirt mounds in grass | 10/9/2009 |
| Q: I'm in central NC, and I've got some small coffee-cup dirt mounds about 1.5" tall scattered over my ... A: I had a similar question earlier and because I cannot claim that the answer is mine, I will attempt ... | |
| SNAKES IN MY YARD! | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: Is there anything I can do, or spray on my lawn, to keep snakes away? I have six small dogs, and ... A: I do not know that there is a 'remedy' but here are my thoughts. Wildlife looks for ... | |
| Growing Rye grass in Vases | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: I'm trying to grow rye in 11 inch round vases as centerpieces for my upcoming wedding. I started ... A: In addition to water and soil, seed germination needs darkness! And temperature. Make sure that the ... | |
| strange growth | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: have seen many fungi growths through the years, but, this one is a first...can you identify ... A: I cannot identify this for you. All the searching that I know how to do has not shown a fungus ... | |
| Vinca | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: We had some full grown vinca last year. Some of them re seeded this year with no help from us. How ... A: There is no guarantee that seedlings will be anything like the mother plant or that germination ... | |
| Dead Grass Ring | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a ring of dead grass around each of my Live Oak trees. The trees are no more that 5 years ... A: So the band of dead grass is growing outward. Is it in fact so or it only appears so because there ... | |
| Vinca | 10/2/2009 |
| Q: We had some full grown vinca last year. Some of them re seeded this year with no help from us. How ... A: Vinca grows readily from pieces and these will be exactly like the mother plant. The mature plant ... | |
| SOD grass treatment | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: I just had sod grass planted about 2 months ago and I accidently sprayed in with WEED AND GRASS ... A: The severity of the damage is directly related to how well the spray job was done. I am not making ... | |
| st augustine | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: currently have lawn completely dead. What is the best way to prep ground for new sod (St ... A: Land preparation for new sod is focused on facilitating root growth. You want the roots of the sod ... | |
| witch grass in my lawn | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: How do I kill the witch grass in my lawn without killing my lawn? A: You wish to kill a true grass (Panicum spp.)in a true grass. This is going to be very difficult. My ... | |
| Thin Grass | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: I live in Dayton, Ohio and have a problem with my front yard's grass being thin. At the beginning of ... A: Start of with the mindset that you will not remove the trees and that you will try every cultural ... | |
| fescue and other seed inerts in grass seed | 9/29/2009 |
| Q: Will fescue grow in complete shade? and when looking on the back of grass seed packages (Bermuda ... A: I do not know how well fescue will grow under shade conditions, The Federal Seed Act requires ... | |
| Sod lawn stays too wet | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: I had my backyard landscaped and had sod put in, almost two months ago. Since the first week, the ... A: 5 minutes of irrigation twice a week is very unlikely to cause the water logging like you describe. ... | |
| Recurring Fungus in St Augustine Lawn | 9/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a St Augustine lawn near the coast in southern NC. My problem is that I am continually ... A: You need to identify the fungus accurately. The County Extension Agent will do this for a fee. They ... | |
| Dead Grass Ring | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a ring of dead grass around each of my Live Oak trees. The trees are no more that 5 years ... A: I take it that there is a band of dead grass around each tree roughly corresponding to the drip ... | |
| Mowing Question | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: I will be away for three weeks beginning in mid-October. I live near Philadelphia, and the ... A: I do not know. If the grass grows rapidly while you are away, you will have a problem to get ... | |
| kill grass | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: I don't have alot of money to spend on herbicides to kill grass. I was wondering if there is a ... A: The length of fence lines that you have depends upon the shape of the land rather than the area. An ... | |
| lawn issues | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: i've just moved into a house with a fair sized lawn, (130m square) the previous tenant made a real ... A: 130m square means either a square with sides measuring 130m. (a very big piece of real estate); or ... | |
| recover/repair of a burnt-out, weed covered yard | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: earlier this year my yard looked good, no or very little weeds. then the drought hit, no rain for ... A: It is easy to conclude that the lack of water has been the reason for the lawn to die. But do not ... | |
| grubs | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: I've just discovered that I have grubs, not familiar with lawn care, husband is gone. In researching ... A: Correct identification of the grubs in question is essential for control. The reason is that the ... | |
| Stickers in lawn | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: My lawn has weeds that grow very nasty stickers look like sand burrs how can I get rid of them? ... A: First of all identify your lawn grass accurately, right down to the variety e.g. "Floratam" in the ... | |
| grass not growing | 9/22/2009 |
| Q: I live in zip code 20744. My lawn did not do well. Large area where grass did not grow, I was told ... A: You can best obtain the assistance you need by contacting the nearest office of the County ... | |
| Vine type weed | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a problem with a weed that is like a vine growing in my tall fescue lawn. This problem ... A: I have previously noted with an appropriate degree of shame that I spent a great deal of time and ... | |
| St. Augustine grass turned brown | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: I have St. Augustine grass and in the front yard it has turned brown all over! A lawn care company ... A: The important observation is the pattern of browning; straight or curved edges, circular patterns ... | |
| Lawn mushroom/fungus Problem | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a interesting issue going on in my lawn right now. First let me say, the lawn is distressed ... A: My knowledge of mushrooms is not enough to offer specific help. In general, mushrooms require a ... | |
| japanese beetles | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: Northern Indiana When is the best time of year to apply milky spore to my lawn in order to control ... A: I have no experience with the product but I found some useful information at the following site ... | |
| lawm care | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: I am new to taking care of a lawn and was not aware of the preventative grub treatment recommended ... A: Grub control is complex and expensive. That statement was not meant to scare you but to state the ... | |
| yard/lawn | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: I have been finding piles of dirt on the edges of my yard/lawn and I can't figure out what is ... A: Moles burrow along tunnels which they excavate as they search for insects underground. On the ... | |
| Prostrate Spurge | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: I live in the Austin area and have Bermuda TIF 419 grass in my lawn. During the recent drought, I ... A: I have no experience in the use of organic products for weed control. The most practical way to do ... | |
| lawn sprinklers | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: I live in the chicago area...cold winters. I just bought a house with a lawn sprinkler system. How ... A: When water freezes it expands in size (that is why ice cubes float). The force exerted by this ... | |
| 3 Leaved clover | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: How can I get rid of 3 leaved clover that is growing in my lawn? My lawn is LM grass which is lovely ... A: I cannot identify LM grass and this is critical to the control of weeds in it. Three-leaf clover ... | |
| brown and dying grass areas | 9/14/2009 |
| Q: We live in far northern Minnesota. Our lawn is three years old. We put-in a sprinkler system this ... A: A lawn problem is not a question of what you or I think it is; it is caused by factors which come ... | |
| Sod Different Color Strips | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: We live in Connecticut and put down sod 5 weeks ago on freshly dumped topsoil. The irrigation system ... A: You have shown that the strips which are lighter in color are the sod pieces which are not rooted ... | |
| 1 yr old grass all gone | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: We have a very shady front yard and have never had any luck with grass. Being tired of all the ... A: A condition like you describe, sweeping across the lawn in one month, sounds like an insect attack ... | |
| thin St Augustine | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: I live in Orlando , FL and I have been following a Scots fertilizer program to help thicken my lawn ... A: Do you mean that you want more grass to grow and cover the ground? Or do you want the existing lawn ... | |
| New Lawn problem | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: Ronald, I could use some guidance. We live in Ojai, CA where the summer temps can reach regularly ... A: Browning along the edge of sod is almost always related to a watering problem. The trick is to ... | |
| yuck yard | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: i live in a beautiful subdivision for anyone that does not worry about mud the right side of my ... A: I have to assume that these landscapers have a good track record. You will get better advice from ... | |
| Dead Lawn Over Run with Crab Grass | 9/10/2009 |
| Q: I live in Mid Michigan. This summer was very dry and I did not water my grass enough. Out of the ... A: "Now my whole yard looks burned and there is still crabgrass everywhere." Before this you had ... | |
| dallas grass and sugar | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: I read your response about the sugar application to your lawn. In it you did not say the application ... A: You have got me mixed up with someone else. Dallas grass is very difficult to control in the lawn ... | |
| brown and dying grass areas | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: We live in far northern Minnesota. Our lawn is three years old. We put-in a sprinkler system this ... A: If these brown areas have cropped up after you put in the irrigation system, then the problem is ... | |
| Chlorotic grass | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: We live in NJ near the shore. We have kentucky blue grass sod on sand. In our community, the grass ... A: The runoff appears to be directly associated with the problem in more than one residences. That ... | |
| Large brown area of lawn from sunflower seed decay | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: In trying to discover why my St. Augustine grass has a growing patch of brown, I ran across the ... A: As far as I know, the hulls of the seeds of certain plants, sunflower and rice, inhibit the ... | |
| Parts of lawn (grass) turned brown | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: Why would just part of my lawn turn brown, even though I water it every day and fertilize it on ... A: Whatever has turned brown will never turn green again but new (green) growth can take place. From ... | |
| killing invasive rhisome type grass in my flower beds | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: I have lived in my house for 26 years. I have been fighting an unwinnable battle with a grass that ... A: Taking out a grass weed from an area which is not under grass is comparatively easy. You can use a ... | |
| Grubs in September | 9/6/2009 |
| Q: I live in chicago and now in september i have noticed many brown spots in my lawn. I see many ... A: Grub control is complex and expensive; so load the dice in your favor. The first step is to decide ... | |
| Grass & even weeds won't grow | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: My lawn was sodded when the house was built 2 1/2 years ago, but that was during water restrictions ... A: Trees and bushes dying at the growing tips, "near the tops", are a good indication of what has ... | |
| A brown fungus (?) killing my lawn | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I have some brown, low growing fungi (at least I think that's what it is) killing my grass rapidly. ... A: Google: Naematoloma fasciculare picture; and see if any of the images correspond to what you have ... | |
| Mystifying tiny holes! Sanity at stake! | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I have some mysterious holes in my back yard and can not, for the life of me, figure out what is ... A: "I have googled, asked jeeves, and searched the internet for days without luck." I am honored ... | |
| Grass Killer | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to get rid of my weedy fescue lawn and lay new sod. Are there any grass and weed killer ... A: Glyphosate, the active ingredient in products like "Roundup" will kill a large spectrum of plants. ... | |
| nutsedge | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: i was looking through a search of how to get rid of nutsedge. which i am having a problem with over ... A: Nutsedge was once featured in the "Guiness Book" because it is the one, single weed that is found ... | |
| lawn | 9/4/2009 |
| Q: Our lawn has a lot of weeds and we would like to re seed this fall. What would be the procedure. ... A: For successful germination and establishment of seeds, you must first prepare a seed bed. This ... | |
| lawn and weed killer-eliminator | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: I have an area of my lawn that is part cement, gravel and grass/weeds. I would like to permanently ... A: Glyphosate, the active ingredient in products like "Roundup" will kill all the existing weeds. If ... | |
| St. Augustine lawn | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: I had my both my front and back yards sodded with St. Augustine Floratam in the summer of 2007. The ... A: Check out table 1 in the article at the following site. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH077 Any ... | |
| grass dying | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: I live in san antonio,tx and along my driveway, my grass is dying. it has spread about three feet ... A: The leaves of unstressed St. Augustine turf are open and flat. When the plant is short of water the ... | |
| dry soil | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: A couple of years ago my son planted shrub for me in the front yard. It did well at first, had ... A: I find it puzzling also. I feel that your sprinkler system (you have one, right?) is not reaching ... | |
| Chinch Bugs & Weeds | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: Just put in some sod about 2 months ago (backyard). Now all is turning brown and I know most of the ... A: If you can see the chinch bugs, urgent control is required. The "Talstar" formulation of Bifenthrin ... | |
| bermuda leaf dying | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: We fertilized our pastures about 3 weeks ago. In the last couple of days the leaf on all the grass ... A: You fertilizes three weeks ago and the grass blades have died. The area my have had a 'drought'. ... | |
| organic vs chemicals | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: You said in one of your posts to someone starting a new lawn, "Above all, NEVER use those mass ... A: First, a disclaimer. I did not make those statements which you attribute to me. I am a firm ... | |
| new sod | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: I bought some new palmeto St.augustine sod fron home depot to repair some bad areas in my yard. the ... A: What you describe is usual and the advice you got is pretty standard. If you bought it from a ... | |
| preparing for sod | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: we are about to purchase some sod for our yard and i have two questions before we do. One, is it to ... A: If there is regular soil below the sand, you can go ahead and lay the sod. If there is more sand ... | |
| lawn care for my bermuda | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: what treatment do I need to do for my Bermuda lawn for fall and winter? Is there a list that I could ... A: Programs for lawn care exist and the fact that there are so many of them is because there are ... | |
| Fungus or Mold | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: We have dark green fungus or mold in our driveway. It started their and is spreading into our grass ... A: It sounds as if there is a lot of shade and moisture on the driveway. Algae seem to have gained a ... | |
| Drought | 8/30/2009 |
| Q: Ronald, I live in Houston, TX. I don't know the first thing about lawn care, except to cut the grass ... A: So, you have an area that is mostly weeds and you want to establish a lawn. Well first, you have to ... | |
| grass dying | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: I live in san antonio,tx and along my driveway, my grass is dying. it has spread about three feet ... A: If it is St. Augustine and you have a sprinkler system and the dead grass is advancing in a ... | |
| Yellow zoysia grass | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: 8-29-09 gas company had to move gas lines and replaced zoysia lawn with zoysia sod in late ... A: Whenever a rut or trench is filled in and sodded it is normal to expect a discoloration. Sometimes ... | |
| weed barrier under lawn | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: is there a type of weed barrier that can be put down underneath lawn? We have created a path up our ... A: I have not heard of a weed barrier placed under turf but that does not mean that it cannot be done. ... | |
| Florida Lawn and Evil Crabgrass | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: First lawn, so many questions. My St Augustine lawn was recently invaded by crabgrass and other ... A: Definitely, it is too hot for atrazine. Crab grass is difficult to control once it has started ... | |
| my florida lawn | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: we just had our lawn sodded in April of 09. I had one company maintaining it for me and all I was ... A: Big mushrooms indicate that conditions are good for fungi. Brown patches and mushrooms point to a ... | |
| New Seeded Lawn | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: We have just had our new lawn laid (4weeks ago). thoroughly watering it and are disappointed to see ... A: If the brown patches are circular in pattern (or roughly so) and if you think that you have over ... | |
| Bermuda Fungus | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: 2 fold question...I do have a fungus in my yard that has gotten progressively worse. I sprayed it ... A: You rightly point out that the fungus is always present. Therefore when the conditions of ... | |
| Growing Brown spot | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: I live in Texas and have St Augustine grass Even with the drought I have watered a lot lately and ... A: If the grass blades pull out easily and are soft and soggy, the lawn is probably under attack by ... | |
| scorpions | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: what is a organic way to keep scorpions from your house and from getting inside? I had thought that ... A: The only two instances of herbs used in insect control that I am quite sure of, are that fresh neem ... | |
| Sparse Lawn | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: I live in Mississauga Ontario. This past spring my neighbor came to me and asked if I would help ... A: The main difference between the front and back yards appears to be that the former is more shaded. ... | |
| grass seed grows then turns too straw | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: I have attempted to grow grass in a semi sunny area, This area has been heavily turned over and has ... A: The area has been 'ploughed' and several FEET (not inches?) of topsoil replaced. If the new topsoil ... | |
| sod | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: We live on the Central Coast of California. Our yard is nothing but sand, how should we prepair it ... A: You can grow a lawn on sand if you can give it the water and fertilizer. In time the sand will be ... | |
| rapid lawn death | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: I am in Raleigh NC and had extensive landscaping done in the back yard requiring 350 cubic yards of ... A: If the sod was obtained from a reputable source and laid by a reputable company, then it is ... | |
| Stoping ground growth | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: I have area that I need to make sure nothing can grow where I can pine straw the area. Aprox size of ... A: Pine straw mulch by itself will kill weeds. If you want to make doubly sure, then you might ... | |
| Grass not growing under our avo tree...? | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: And it is growing bigger every hear and it is sort of forming a bush as well. Now I have 2 questions ... A: Do you know if that avocado was grafted? If yes, then 'suckers' will grow from the trunk below the ... | |
| LIME GREEN | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: MY SOD IS ONLY 6 MONTHS OLD AND IS TURNING LIME GREEN WHAT SHOULD I DO ALBUQUERQUE N.M. A: You make it sound as if the whole area is lightening up in color. I am going to assume that ... | |
| pine needles | 8/24/2009 |
| Q: We have a rock boarder around out grass. It is a rock flower bed I guess you would say. I am ... A: I have found pine needles to be very difficult in this particular respect. I suggest persevering ... | |
| lawns, yellow colouring and pH | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I have had new turf laid in my back yard. Its a week old and its got a big yellow patch in the ... A: You seem to have determined the cause of the yellowing. Tile adhesive sounds as if it could be very ... | |
| New Grass Dying off | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: This happened last year when trying to do some yard work but in a different part of the yard, i ... A: My first thought is sod webworm, except that the webbing is so obvious. I suspect that a ... | |
| Soaker system for lawns | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I live in Vacaville CA. Temp 80-110 D/F. Problem Delta winds (10-45 mph). A lot of water is wasted ... A: Soaker systems exist and I freely confess that I have not kept up to date with current practice. I ... | |
| re. lawn 08/20 | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: These are some of the weed nutsedge,dollar weed,Carolina geranium,knotweed,moussear chickweed My ... A: It appears that the dollarweed (grows from underground parts) and the nutsedge (grows from ... | |
| Zoysia & Wire grass | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: If I plant zoysia grass will it eventually kill off all my wire grass? A: Mere sodding is usually not enough to get rid of a troublesome weed. The weed population should be ... | |
| Swampy lawn | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: I have an area of yard that stays completely soaked and is even under water for two to three weeks ... A: Your best plan is to leave the area to Mother Nature and a community of plants that are adapted to ... | |
| staugustinelawnedgebrowning | 8/22/2009 |
| Q: What causes the browning patches (St Augustine grass) just along the strip near the curb? What ... A: If the boundary of the brown strip is fairly straight and well defined, it could be chinch bugs. ... | |
| mushrooms | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: will liming my yard prevent mushrooms from gorwing on my lawn A: I am not certain but my reaction is to doubt it. Mushrooms proliferate under conditions of shade, ... | |
| new lawn | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: we tilled our lawn added about one to three inches of top soil. Laid the sod then watered,had a lot ... A: When you tilled the lawn and added topsoil, you introduced a lot of air spaces in the soil. You ... | |
| Common Bermuda, Bermuda Tiffway 419, and Weeds | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a simple question, but yet can't seem to find a simple answer. I have 6 acres of which one ... A: Sorry Joe, it is not as absolute as you and I would like it to be. It is all comparative, or ... | |
| Shady area Lawn | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: I live in Chicago. I have a large tree in my backyard which make most of the area some what shady. ... A: Instinctively, I want to answer "Spring!" because the grass will germinate and grow into warmer ... | |
| Yard vine weed | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a green small leaf vine that spreads like a spider. It has little black dots on the leaf and ... A: It could be a kind of spider plant (Chlorophytum) which is a good houseplant but will spread like a ... | |
| crabgrass | 8/20/2009 |
| Q: What is the best pre-emergent to use on centipede lawns in Jackson,Ms? A: I have used the chemical'Pendimethalin' ("Pre-M", "Prowl") with great success but there are others ... | |
| lawn | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: FIRST OF ALL THANKS FOR BEING AVAILABLE ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS I LIVE IN PORT ORANGE FL MY LAWN ... A: You sodded a part of your lawn and a commercial, professional Lawn Service Company treated it with ... | |
| Milorganite 6-2-0 with Scotts Turf Builder 30-2-3 | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I just laid down Milorganite 2 weeks ago on a 6000 sq. ft. yard with Bermuda grass. I aerated with ... A: The major benefit of "Milorganite" is that it improves the physical condition of the soil. It does ... | |
| Seeds | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: Each year during the summer, portions of the lawn within a foot or two of the front curb of our ... A: You say that patches of your lawn in a particular area die every year during summer. This suggests ... | |
| Common Bermuda, Bermuda Tiffway 419, and Weeds | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: I have a simple question, but yet can't seem to find a simple answer. I have 6 acres of which one ... A: Questions can be simple; answers are hardly ever so. If you know the poular saying about 'fooling ... | |
| Burnt grass | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: Some of the sprinkler heads in my yard are not working and I can't afford to replace them right now. ... A: It depends upon what kind of grass you have. Generally, it is harder for seeds to come back. Such ... | |
| Bermudagrass | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: I have Bermudagrass ( front lawn in southern california )that is invested with crabgrass. We used ... A: If you applied the chemical according to all the label directions then the Company owes you an ... | |
| shade tolerant grass | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: i live in north ga and have fescue grass in the front which is relatively sunny. in the back yard i ... A: I cannot answer your question specifically; but, in general, trees and turf do not mix well. I see ... | |
| Yellow Lawn good fungi/bad fungi | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I read your answer to another poster about fertilizing a new lawn and having it turn yellow. We ... A: I understand you to mean that there is some kind of yellow deposit on the grass blades. The only ... | |
| FIRE DAMAGED LAWN | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: THERE WAS A CAR FIRE OUTSIDE MY HOUSE THAT MADE IT UP AND TOTALY BURNED MY GRASS AND DESTROYED MY ... A: Burning of the grass was an old practice to rejuvenate pastures. There was no external fuel; only ... | |
| Charlie in my lawn | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I live in southern Ontario Canada. We can know longer use any weed killers, in fact there are none ... A: Apparently you are prohibited from using the conventional weed killer chemicals. I do not know how ... | |
| Shady area Lawn | 8/13/2009 |
| Q: I live in Chicago. I have a large tree in my backyard which make most of the area some what shady. ... A: You say that the grass seed "don't come out"; I take that to mean that the seed does not germinate ... | |
| Barren soil. | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: I live in Fla,and I've been battling a small area in my lawn where I simply can't get St. Augustine ... A: The lawn care company may have a good point. Is the area too large for you to remove the turf and ... | |
| dead spots | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: I installed Bermuda sod four years ago, after second year I started having dead spots, 12 inch dia. ... A: If you are seeking a remedy for the dead spots, we first have to isolate the cause. Eliminate (or ... | |
| Rough tall fescue lawn problem | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: We built a house in Greenwood, IN in March 2008. We got our back yard seeded by the builder( he said ... A: Consider that originally the seed was a mixture of the two grasses; and over time, the way the lawn ... | |
| rocky rocky rocky soil | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: My family and I have recently moved to the Raleigh NC area and we have a slight problem with our ... A: I am quite sure that if you left it to itself 'something' will grow there. that 'something' is ... | |
| fungus in the mulch | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: I have this strange thing growing in the mulch. It has a round white root, looks like a pingpong ... A: It appears to be a fungus of some sort. All I know about these fungi are that they can be (quite) ... | |
| keeping out tall fescue | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: Once I get rid of the tall fescue in my yard how do I keep it from coming back? A: Think prevention, pre-emergent and cultural operations. Prevention is quite difficult because the ... | |
| Help I burned my lawn | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: Ok this is my first house, and first lawn. I live in NYC. I'm not sure what kind of grass it is. ... A: I believe that you will just have to wait this one out; unless you are prepared to dig out the ... | |
| soft grass spreading over st. augustine | 8/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a fast spreading, soft, carpet-like grass that is growing over my St. Augustine and thinning ... A: I cannot identify the weed but atrazine is a good all-round product for weed control in St. ... | |
| Slime mold in flower bed | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: The Slime mold we have is just in the flower bed. It was not noticed until we mulched it about 3 ... A: I believe that dry conditions and good air circulation will prevent recurrence. Manipulate the ... | |
| new lawn | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: We recently purchased a new home requiring lawn/landscaping. Can we put approximately 6 inches of ... A: My preferred plan is to "scalp" the existing vegetation, water it (if there is no rain) to ... | |
| thin lawn | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: I have a Flortram lawn that has thinned out and is squishy when you walk on it. It was thick and ... A: Only the first part is eliminated. Explore the alternative. Examine the situation closely at ground ... | |
| tilled lawn too mushy | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: My husband and I laid seed in our backyard a couple weekends ago, and it's coming up great. ... A: No, it was not too deep. Incorporating organic matter is an excellent idea for a clay soil. I think ... | |
| Yellow areas in my st. augustine grass | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: I have several large areas in my st. augustine grass that are yellow. This is a mature lawn that has ... A: Lime and iron can be antagonistic. Here is how it works. Lime raises the pH and iron becomes more ... | |
| thin lawn | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a Flortram lawn that has thinned out and is squishy when you walk on it. It was thick and ... A: 'Squishy' suggests wet and yielding while 'spongy' would convey dry and yielding. If the lawn is ... | |
| dollar weeds | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: I have dollar weeds in my lawn but more particularly in my raised flower bed. I have been pulling ... A: Use a glyphosate formulation with a colorant added. Spray the the dollar weeds carefully from a ... | |
| Weed Killer | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: Will the herbicide manage harm asian jasmine? A: I cannot say with certainty. The product is specific to nutsedge and probably to the sedges in ... | |
| How to safely kill stickers in my bermuda grass | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: I just bought this house in march of this year and have been trying to get my lawn whipped in to ... A: Here is something novel I found at plantanswers.com "If you do not catch the sand burs until the ... | |
| Aerating | 8/5/2009 |
| Q: Ronald, I am going to aerate my rye/blue lawn this September. The main reasons are the soil is ... A: I am struggling to reconcile a mole problem in a compacted soil environment. Are you sure you need ... | |
| small lumps in lawn | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: I have a lot of small lumps of dirt (not worm droppings) in my lawn. They are little mounds about 2 ... A: Mounds such as you describe are associated with creatures digging for insects; birds, armadilloes ... | |
| Grass won't grow | 8/4/2009 |
| Q: 18 months ago (March) we moved into a 50 year old house. Our lot is almost 1 acre, and the yard was ... A: I recall my grandfather saying "Never take down a fence before finding out why it was put up." I am ... | |
| wet lawn | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I seem to have an underground natural well in one certain spot of my back yard. The water is ... A: I am not being evasive when I say "it depends". First of all, are you sure that it is a natural ... | |
| controlling weeds in newly seeded lawn | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: Persaud, I'm not sure if I'll be able to fully benefit from your expertise living in Wisconsin ... A: Treat your lawn as usual; mow at the highest height the lawn mower will allow, bag the clippings ... | |
| over fertilized ny lawn | 8/1/2009 |
| Q: I followed the bags settings for my broadcast spreader and wound up applying 10 times the ... A: Look at the label where it says 'Nitrogen sources'; if most or all the nitrogen is soluble, readily ... | |
| Wimble weed | 8/1/2009 |
| Q: Is there any way to get rid of wimble weed in a lawn other than pulling it A: It is very difficult to get rid of a grass weed in a grass lawn; as it is to get rid of a broad ... | |
| water build up in backyard | 8/1/2009 |
| Q: We recently reomved a large number of trees from our backyard and installed about 6,000 sq. feet of ... A: Flooding is a result of two conditions:- the amount of rain or snow and topography of the land (how ... | |
| tilled lawn too mushy | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: My husband and I laid seed in our backyard a couple weekends ago, and it's coming up great. ... A: My guess is that you have a 'light' (organic) soil rather than a 'heavy' (clay type) soil. Organic ... | |
| rust in my beautiful lawn | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: I have experienced rust in my lawn turf the last 2 years and not any of the previous 20. I fertilize ... A: "Rust" is a generic kind of name for a number of different fungi that attack plants and are often ... | |
| weed-free Pacific Northwest lawn? | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: We live in California near the sea, an hour from Oregon. We don't want to use a product like Weed & ... A: There are four options for maintaining a weed free lawn:- cultural, manual, mechanical and ... | |
| Newly sodded centipede lawn | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: We recently re-sodded our lawn due to a sewer line installation. It is a small lawn in sandy soil ... A: My opinion is that the lawn may be over irrigated. I would gradually scale back on the irrigation ... | |
| Bermuda grass issues | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: I installed new midiron sod 4 yrs ago for my lawn.Never had problem till right now. My grass has ... A: You seem to have done all the right things. The next question is were they done right? I think so ... | |
| Chinch bug problem | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: Our lawn has just been diagnosed with chinch bugs. Do you have to take out all of the dead grass ... A: Who first noticed the problem; you or the Company? If the latter, did they volunteer the ... | |
| maggots | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: i have maggots in my bin they was all over the outside of the bin i got rid of them on the out side ... A: Most likely the young of the housefly. The adult flies were attracted to something (in our ... | |
| yellow sod | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: we recently laid sod (centipede) about 3 months ago. the past 2 weeks it has started turning yellow. ... A: Is there a pattern to this yellowing? If it has a curved or circular outline, then it is likely to ... | |
| Fungus/mushroom type growth | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: I have a huge (12" diameter, up to 2" thick) white growth growing between my native Texas yucca ... A: I think that you meant to say that the fungus is growing between the PLANTS. I say this because I ... | |
| Is it okay to let Bermuda grass grow right up to my house? | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: I'm just wondering if it's okay to let Bermuda grass grow all the way up to my house rather than ... A: The grass will not damage brick or concrete but it is very aggresive and does not recognise mulch ... | |
| dollar spots | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: I had a new lawn put in and due to water restrictions in California and we had to water the new ... A: If the diagnosis was correct and the fungicide was chosen correctly, then there should be no ... | |
| Newly Seeded Lawn | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: I tilled up a section of my lawn after killing a field of fox tails. I then burned the dead fox ... A: You may be able to contol the weeds; it depends upon correct identification of the weeds and the ... | |
| newly sodded st augustine grass | 7/24/2009 |
| Q: grass has been down about a week and was very yellow---it is a little greener now but is there ... A: Newly laid sod will take some time to root in. You can judge the progress of this process by gently ... | |
| Raking poison ivy leaves | 7/24/2009 |
| Q: After getting permission from our neighbor, we successfully killed the (gigantic) poison ivy vine ... A: All evidence shows that the problem remains in all parts of the dead plant. Continue to take ... | |
| lawn flies | 7/23/2009 |
| Q: what can i do to get ride of tiny grass flies? it seems they love the new sod i just layed. could i ... A: Flies and moths on the lawn are generally not harmful to turf or humans. There are bound to be ... | |
| brown spots in tall fesue | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: is there any way to get ride of the brown spot, spay for it, i cut it about every 4 days, is water ... A: Before we can get rid of the brown spot, we have to find out what caused it in the first place. It ... | |
| Yellow spots in lawn in Utah desert climate | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: I have kentucky blue grass, and it's grown from seed in our yard. Usually at this time of year we ... A: The following is a quote from a document. The full text can be found at: ... | |
| rocks and grass | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a lot of river rocks, all sizes, in the dirt where I want to plant lawn for a soccer field. ... A: I do not have a practicable solution to your problem BUT I imagine a box blade (an implement used ... | |
| Lawn | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: We have just moved into a new home, our lawns now established, knowing that there was clay at our ... A: Clay soils are dense (gm/cc or lb./cu.ft.). Clays do not drain well internally because there is ... | |
| Permanently killing grass | 7/19/2009 |
| Q: I just read the advice on permanently killing all grass by using salt. I have a pool that uses a ... A: There are many complaints about salt killing desirable vegetation in the winter when the product is ... | |
| moles | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: What are some effective ways to rid lawn of moles. I've (1)treated w/ grubex, (2)am cosiderig milky ... A: I have not had to deal with this problem myself but it seems that the spring traps are the surest ... | |
| Yellow spots in lawn in Utah desert climate | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: I have kentucky blue grass, and it's grown from seed in our yard. Usually at this time of year we ... A: You may well have billbugs if you can pull up tufts of grass with ease; you should be able to see ... | |
| Treating for Weeds | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: Sod was installed in the middle of June. We live in western New York. It is growing very well with ... A: You have named a true grass, a broadleaf vine and a fern as the weeds, and you have not said what ... | |
| Weeds in Lawn | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: I live in Colorado Springs Colorado, I have always had a healthy lawn and fertilize in Spring/Fall. ... A: I am heavily in favor of applying weedkillers by themselves and preferably in liquid formulations. ... | |
| How to fertilize lawn | 7/16/2009 |
| Q: I live in Northern California and it is HOT, usually around 95 to 100 during the summer. My lawn ... A: A conventional recommendation is one pound of nitrogen per 1000 sq.ft. The analysis of the product ... | |
| St.Augustine Pametto grass | 7/15/2009 |
| Q: In May I had Palmetto sod laid over soil that had been tilled. I watered soon and often and have ... A: It depends upon what you mean by soon and often. The sod job is always watered in immediately after ... | |
| Worst lawn in the neighborhood | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: I must have the absolute worst lawn in our neighborhood (central Ohio). We bought the house three ... A: I am not sure but it sounds like this problem has occured before; only this time you have noticed ... | |
| Weeds in new sod | 7/13/2009 |
| Q: We planted sod about three weeks ago and because of all the steady watering, the weeds in the ... A: You can put down a weed killer (without fertilizer) but there is a certain amount of work which you ... | |
| Thin and dried out grass under tree | 7/13/2009 |
| Q: I live in Toronto, my from lawn is 30ft x 25ft. Right in the middle is a large Linden Tree (2ft ... A: I am not familiar with the tree and Canadian conditions but every comment I have read indicates ... | |
| creeping red fescue | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: we have had creeping red fescue on a north facing slope here ins southern california. We are inland ... A: It requires lab tests to confirm the presence of a fungus. This costs. To avoid the expense and ... | |
| Lawn | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: We planted Pennington 32 Tall fescue grass seed a couple of weeks ago. Most of it has germinated ... A: The wind can make a difference. Wind can dry the moisture out of plants and leaf tip burn are a ... | |
| Lawn mushrooms | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: I have an area in my yard that had good st.aug. grass. All of a sudden mushrooms formed a half ... A: At first I thought it might be 'fairy ring' disorder but the grass does not usually die. Indeed it ... | |
| Bermuda seeded lawn - weed control | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: I had bermuda seed put down in mid-May and there is a lot of crabgrass coming in. What's the best ... A: You have been given good advice and I hope I can do as well. Products containing the active ... | |
| lawns | 7/10/2009 |
| Q: hi i am in nj and our lawn has all these clovers and white flowered weeds in it any suggestions on ... A: Weed control with chemicals is fraught with danger. One can total a lawn while trying to save it. ... | |
| starting a new lawn on top of the old weeds? | 7/9/2009 |
| Q: question from Anchorage Alaska (climate is similar to Chicago area) : I have an established yard of ... A: One method of establishing a new lawn is to scalp the existing vegetation and lay the sod; water it ... | |
| Bent Grass Insect Control | 7/9/2009 |
| Q: I have mostly ants that I would like to get rid of on a newly seeded bent grass putting green. ... A: It is not so much what active ingredient you use but the method of delivery. The most effective ... | |
| lawn | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: I had a soil test and my lawn is below optimum limits in potassium. How should i handle this? A: Very carefully. The lab that did the testing should have provided you with some guidelines but here ... | |
| Lawn mowers | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased a new mower, and am finding that it randomly leaves a single blade of grass ... A: This happens with the best of mowers in the best of times. However if it is too much for you, try ... | |
| Black Mold or Fungus | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: Here in Ohio the weather has been very dry lately and I've noticed the last few times I've mowed the ... A: I have seen the same signs on grasses infected with smut disease but not on lawns. Maybe a smut ... | |
| pine needles | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: what time of year is best to rake out pine needles ? A: I take it that you are talking about pine needles on the lawn. This means that you have pine trees ... | |
| Brown grass in the same spot as before | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I guess I will start out with some back info on our lawn, we moved into our townhouse in Pitt ... A: I do not think that the previous problem is showing up in the new sod; it is too early; the sod is ... | |
| SEEDING BERMUDA IN JULY | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: IF I CAN WHAT PRECAUTIONS SHOULD I TAKE & ESPECIALLY HOW DO I KEEP NUMEROUS TYPES OF BIRDS FROM ... A: I do not think that temperature is a serious concern just as long as the night temp. does not go ... | |
| Spongy sod | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: We installed emerald Zoysia about 8 weeks ago and it is lumpy and spongy (really spongy) We tilled ... A: You seem to have done everything right and I really cannot explain the sponginess. Have you tried ... | |
| Dead Carpet Grass | 7/6/2009 |
| Q: I live in South Texas (near Laredo, TX) where we have warm to hot temperatures just about year ... A: The grass is dying because of one or more of the following reasons: 1. You are over-watering it. 2. ... | |
| lawn | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: right now i have cedar bark mulch for my front yard how would i be able to make this into a lawn ... A: There is no practical plan that I can think of. You can lay sod right over that bark but you will ... | |
| Weeds | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: Any suggestions on dealing with weeds on a Flortram lawn? I put down an application of Scotts ... A: I have had very good results by spraying atrazine in the spring. The product I use has a specific ... | |
| new grass | 7/1/2009 |
| Q: how long do you leave the straw on new grass A: You may leave the straw in place provided that it has not been applied too thickly. It is even ... | |
| weeds in asian jasmine | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: I have planted a hillside with jasmine in weedcloth, but some weeds are coming up in the holes ... A: I have sprayed glyphosate (41%) on Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) at the rate of 1 oz. ... | |
| Grass or Sod for Beach | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a small area to manage at the beach. I am looking for a grass/sod that will do well in sun ... A: A weed free lawn is going to be very difficult in your circumstances because regular maintenance is ... | |
| small tunnel/burrow in lawn | 6/27/2009 |
| Q: what is it that has made tunnel in lawn? Found 2 last year and 1 has just been made in last few ... A: I am sorry that I know very little about horticulture in the UK but I have made a note to learn ... | |
| moths in lawn | 6/27/2009 |
| Q: What is the best product and way to get rid of moths in the lawn? A: I cannot think of a moth (adult stage) that is a problem to a lawn. The female adult will certainly ... | |
| Thick bladed grass | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: I have clumps of thick bladed grass in my yard. I'm wondering what it is and how do I get rid of ... A: If you are sure that you do not want it, then you can kill it with a product like 'glyphosate' or ... | |
| Dangers of chicken manure to kids | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a kids party that will be hosted at my house in about a month. I just laid seed and topping ... A: This depends upon how much chicken manure is there on the lawn; which depends upon how much of the ... | |
| lawn chemical error | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: My boyfriend had new lawn planted earlier this year. He applied Sta Green Weed n Feed 2 weeks ago. ... A: I sincerely hope that it is not a "Floratam" lawn because the label prohibits the use of this ... | |
| Lawn Fungus | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: We have had a ton of rain in Central Florida. However, after all the rain, to my surprise my ... A: Trust me! A lawn condition is nothing to lose sleep over, unless your livelihood depends on it. ... | |
| burnt lawn | 6/21/2009 |
| Q: We are in need of some help please. My husband put down fertilizer in May and the lawn was looking ... A: I suspect that the burnt areas are the result of over application. This can happen quite by ... | |
| Weed n Feed | 6/17/2009 |
| Q: I dont live in Florida I wish I did but only in the winter :-), I live in western Canada, but ... A: A certain amount of moisture in the soil is necessary to enable the plant to take up fertilizer and ... | |
| lime for yards | 6/17/2009 |
| Q: I have heard that applying lime to your lawn with eliminate fleas and ticks. Is there any truth to ... A: A long time ago an insecticide (BHC) was mixed with limestone and applied to lawns or put in a ... | |
| grass identification and moss problem | 6/17/2009 |
| Q: I live in North Georgia. My lawn is of mixed grasses--Kentucky fescue and an unknown kind, which is ... A: Many thanks for the vote of confidence in my ability to identify the grass but alas, I cannot. If ... | |
| red thread | 6/16/2009 |
| Q: my lawn has red thread what fertilizer do you recommend and how else do I treat it I live in long ... A: I have no experience where this disease is concerned but the following is quoted from a Cornell ... | |
| Ridding soil of too much acid | 6/13/2009 |
| Q: How do I rid my garden of too much acid? Roy A: The short answer is to add lime but you could end up wasting money. pH is not a big worry unless ... | |
| Toadstools | 6/13/2009 |
| Q: How can I get rid of nuisance toadstools on our lawn? Thankyou! Roger N. Carver A: They are a fungus and if you cut back on watering, the problem will probably go away. There is a ... | |
| new hydroseeded lawn with all weeds | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: we have new hydroseeded lawn, we water it in the morning and evening, it turned out more weeds than ... A: What made me think that you were writing from Thailand or that general area? In the USA, things ... | |
| Bahia lawn (bare spots) | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: I'm trying to fill in some bare spots in my bahia lawn. I was told by someone that placing ... A: Germination requires: darkness or the absence of light, adequate moisture, a suitable temperature ... | |
| crabapple tree | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: My husband sprayed roundup around the crabapple tree in our yard, including the suckers around the ... A: If you sprayed any green parts of that crabapple tree (like the suckers), then the chemical is ... | |
| Sodding | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: I live in central Ms and just purchased 8 acres. I want to put down grass seeds. I need advice on ... A: The subject line says 'sodding' but it appears that you are thinking about seeding. You must ... | |
| Iron in well | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: . I am watering my grass from well water. I know the water has a lot of Iron in it. Is it harmful ... A: You can have a sample of the well water analyzed by the Extension Office in your county or at a ... | |
| Damaged Lawn By Round-Up | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a house in Atlanta, GA in Feb 09 during that time i could see lots of weed growing ... A: I am not sure that I have got the picture right, if you may pardon the pun. Either you did not ... | |
| Kikuyu in bermuda | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: I've got a GN-1 hybrid bermuda lawn. Some Kikuyu is starting to show. I'm assuming that it is ... A: As far as I can tell, kikuyu is a grass (Pennisetum spp). This group of grasses contains some the ... | |
| Crab Grass in New Sod | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: I layed burmuda 419 sod two weeks ago. We are now seeing a good bit of grabgrass growing in our ... A: Something is eluding me here. If you put down clean sod, the crab grass should be coming from below ... | |
| Allowing lawn grass to go to seed | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: I'd like to know if it's possible to allow parts of a lawn to go to seed and have the lawn re-seed ... A: To begin with, some grasses do not produce viable seed. If you are sure that yours does, then sure, ... | |
| cut grass | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: I have bermuda for my lawn, what is the best cutting height I need to be cutting? A: Cutting height is only one part of the care program. It starts with your mower (reel or rotary). ... | |
| new hydroseeded lawn with all weeds | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: we have new hydroseeded lawn, we water it in the morning and evening, it turned out more weeds than ... A: "When the hydroseeding company hands you a lemon, make lemonade". I cannot decide whether the ... | |
| drak spots on Floratam Grass | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a 5000 sq ft Floratam lawn in deep south TEXAS and have been having problems with some dark ... A: I cannot picture in my mind, "some dark color spots on some areas." You need to be a bit more ... | |
| Streeks of yellow | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: Usually in the fall I get patches of a lime green mixed in with the green grass. Do I need sulfur ... A: If the soil is very acid, you do not need sulfur. If the soil is very acid the grass may suffer ... | |
| String Trimmer | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: Ronald, I need to replace my string trimmer. I've tried electric, but my yard is too big for it to ... A: A straight shaft trimmer usually has a solid drive shaft while a curved shaft implement has a ... | |
| Dethatching | 6/2/2009 |
| Q: .in reading your answers here I just purchased a dethatching liquid from the Natures Lawn web site. ... A: I have no experience with that method of dethatching. This I do know. The composting of vegetable ... | |
| GRUBS | 6/2/2009 |
| Q: YOU MENTIONED NOT TO USE POISON FOR GRUBS OR CINCH BUGS, WHAT SHOULD I USE, I LIVE IN LAKELAND ... A: I cannot recall your question but the recommendation is not the kind of advice I give. However, you ... | |
| Dillo Dirt | 6/1/2009 |
| Q: Austin, TX - We put Dillo Dirt out on our St. Augustine lawn this past weekend hoping to help it ... A: As far as I understand, this product is composted yard waste and if done correctly, it will be free ... | |
| tree remove | 6/1/2009 |
| Q: i am going to be cutting down trees in my back yard. the last time we did this some of the tree grew ... A: You can forego the stump treatment and spray the regrowth with any total weedkiller. You will have ... | |
| Lawn | 6/1/2009 |
| Q: I have been planting sod in my lawn but I am only planting pieces here and there (St Augustine)and ... A: To answer your first question, spread top soil or similar organic product ahead of the runners. ... | |
| Grub Ex and weed killer | 5/31/2009 |
| Q: I Just put down some scotts grub ex and i also need to put down weed killer. now i asked the opinion ... A: I take it that at least one of the products you want to use is marketed by "Scotts". If that is the ... | |
| Weed and Feed | 5/31/2009 |
| Q: How can I find out what weed killer work on what kind of weeds A: There is no short and easy answer to your question. You have to identify the weed or the group it ... | |
| I have PYTHIUM ULTIMUM :-( | 5/30/2009 |
| Q: I have read this post and it pretty much describes my new seeding and the fungus. I have over ... A: Overwatering is a factor in this so try to avoid the practice. Fungi spores are everywhere and when ... | |
| st. augustine too high??? | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: I keep my st. aug (raleigh) cut at the highest level my mower will cut. I have been fighting gray ... A: One of the requirements for a disease to show up is humidity or dampness over a time period. The ... | |
| sod | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: it is ok to put sod floritam on top of other floritam already in yard A: Yes BUT...if you want to get the best return on your investment, you should try to give yourself ... | |
| tree remove | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: i am going to be cutting down trees in my back yard. the last time we did this some of the tree grew ... A: Use a glyphosate ("Roundup") formulation that is labelled for stump treatment. It is effective ... | |
| weed/feed applied along with bermuda/centipede seed at planting | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: we planted common bermuda and centipede seed. by mistake we applied weed and feed thinking it was ... A: I really hope that you put down the weed and feed AFTER the grass seed had germinated and grown out ... | |
| web worms | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: Is there a home remedy for treating webworms in St. Augustine grass? We live in Gainesville, ... A: An old saying runs "Children and insects do not like soap". This is the basis of the soap flush to ... | |
| DEAD ST.AUGUSTINE? | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: We just bought a house in Mascotte,FL (Central Fl). The house sat for so long, the grass is dead. I ... A: If the grass is truly dead, no amount of fertilizer will bring it back. So we have to find out if ... | |
| Lawn/ natural | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: Where can I get my soil tested? I live in 32724 area. Is there a book on natural home remedies for ... A: The County Extension Service is your best bet for testing and interpretation of results. You can ... | |
| ants and ant eggs nesting in the garden | 5/23/2009 |
| Q: was wondering if you could help we have recently moved into a new property at first we had a really ... A: I do not know for sure what is available to the homeowner in the UK so I can give only general ... | |
| clay soil | 5/23/2009 |
| Q: I have been living in central NJ now for 10 years and always have a problem with my lawn hard areas ... A: So you are sure that there are no pests and diseases issues. Is the whole lawn overly wet or is it ... | |
| Amending existing lawn | 5/23/2009 |
| Q: I live in San Diego and we do have clay. My lawn is dying. I understand that I need to add organic ... A: Adding organic matter in the form of humus and similar materials is both expensive and cumbersome. ... | |
| Live Oak/Centipede problems | 5/19/2009 |
| Q: I live in SC (zip 29501) and have two live oak trees planted in a centipede lawn. Beginning last ... A: I cannot explain why the turf has died in patches under the oak trees. Centipede grass is tolerant ... | |
| Grass | 5/19/2009 |
| Q: I had some weed/feed put on my grass two weeks ago. I went out of town last week, and when I ... A: Finely crushed charcoal will indeed absorb spilled material, especially liquids. It is used by ... | |
| Weeds in Ivy Bed | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: We have a bed of ivy on our lawn (it was there when we bought the house in '83) that all of a sudden ... A: In general, there are chemicals which will kill grasses and leave broad leaf plants alone; eg ... | |
| lawn violets | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: sugar cure? JUST HOW MUCH AND HOW OFTEN, WHEN? AND HOW DO YOU APPLY IT ? HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE ... A: There is a large population out there that believes that if you improve the soil alone, all the ... | |
| Dead dirt | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: We just retired and bought an old "rental house" here in the San Juaquin Valley of Central ... A: I hope that you also have water. Rent the sod cutter and set it to cut pretty deeply. This will ... | |
| Sod | 5/17/2009 |
| Q: How long do I have to wait to lay sod after I use weed kill on my lawn? I have a lot of dandelions. ... A: I do not know about quick AND cheap but here goes! You can just scalp the lawn and sod it over ... | |
| crab grass | 5/17/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10 x 10 secrtion with tons of tiny new crab grass. Can I put top soil over it to kill and ... A: I doubt it. To begin with, you are probably thinking of 'Solarisation', using the sun to heat up ... | |
| Grass | 5/16/2009 |
| Q: I had some weed/feed put on my grass two weeks ago. I went out of town last week, and when I ... A: Normally I would advise that you first find out why the patch died. From what you say, the dead ... | |
| beneficial nematodes | 5/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a horrible grub, and japanese beetle problem. I have .54 acres which I have no idea how many ... A: I have known lawn care professionals to almost weep in frustration over the problem of grubs. There ... | |
| St Augustine Grass | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: Can I use Fertilome Over-the-top Grass killer in St. Augustine Grass to kill broadleaf weeds? A: The label indicates that the product is harmful to members of the grass family. At the label rates ... | |
| fescue | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: I live in Northeast MS Is fescue a good sod for shady areas? Has soil tested for St Augustine, soil ... A: Would you believe that I had to look up which State is MS? I cannot interpret the pH and how to ... | |
| Ugly mushrooms | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: How can I get rid of ugly looking mushrooms on my lawn? A: Generally, mushrooms indicate that there is too much moisture in the soil. "Fairy ring" shows up as ... | |
| Extremely lumpy bumpy lawn | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: We live on 5 acres in Des Moines, Iowa and mowing is a very painful process. The lawn is so bumpy ... A: The area appears to require levelling. This involves scraping some soil off the high spots and ... | |
| Water Pooling in backyard | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: My backyard is sorta on a slope on one side, and at the lowest point the water pools badly after ... A: The drainage problem appears to be topographical; that is, the slope does not continue past your ... | |
| wild violets | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: I have been trying to rid my lawn of wild violets for years. I have tried all of the big box store ... A: You seem to have done all the recommended chemical applications. There is abundant evidence that it ... | |
| yellow lawn | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: I planted grass last year and it was growing fine last year. This spring, there is a strip that is ... A: I do not know what has caused the "strip that is not growing and is all yellow". However I can ... | |
| grass and iron | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: I live in Albuquerque NM and last year I planted a small lawn of heat resistant Scott grass seed, I ... A: I cannot tell if your grass is going to die. I doubt that anyone can tell what was in the material ... | |
| weeds in pachysandra beds | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: I am having an issue with thistle in my pachysandra beds. I have pulled them in the past but this ... A: I am not familiar with the plant and from what I have read, some are declared noxious weeds while ... | |
| Killing grass | 5/4/2009 |
| Q: My sister and I are new home owners, we have a very small yard and we would like to be rid of our ... A: The most effective way is to spray the area with glyphosate. It will be stated on the label under ... | |
| green grassy | 5/4/2009 |
| Q: I have this green grassy looking weed that someone has identified as Barley grass mixed with June ... A: I find it difficult to answer your enquiry because I see that barley grass is a beneficial herb and ... | |
| new bermuda grass | 5/3/2009 |
| Q: I got a new Bermuda grass sod lawn and I am in Greenville, SC. I have heard: fertilize, fertilize ... A: You will be watering that sod so much over the next 8 weeks or so that any chemical fertilizer you ... | |
| St Augustine - Those pesky chinch bugs! | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: I'm renting a house near Tampa, that has St. Augustine grass. I've noticed that a large dead spot in ... A: The first thing is to confirm that it is chinch bugs. Soap flush the area and if you find more than ... | |
| Scotts Weed & Feed | 5/2/2009 |
| Q: I applied Scott's Weed & Feed two days ago in the afternoon after it had rained the night before, ... A: The only advice and allow me to repeat for emphasis; the only advice which you must follow is on ... | |
| Spot on grass | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: I live in South Texas, about 45miles from Galveston. I've notice dark circular spots on my grass ... A: First, rule out some other cause like fluid spill, from a vehicle which may have been parked in the ... | |
| Dead lawn, new house | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: We just bought one of the many foreclosures here in socal. Our lawn is completely dead and dried ... A: You can spread seed or sod. I recommend sod where possible because it is more forgiving of ... | |
| lawn | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: why is my grass yellow at edges after the winter and i do i fix it A: If you mean that all the grass blades are yellow at the edges then that might be the effect of the ... | |
| small lawn | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: I have a small space for lawn around 10 ft x 20 ft the problem with me is that my house lawn is ... A: "Experience is the best teacher"... but the fees can be high! I doubt that I can tell you anything ... | |
| Lawn Care | 4/30/2009 |
| Q: I bought a house with an existing, but far from great, lawn. I have allot of crabgrass and some ... A: At the beginning, of course. Seriously, it all starts with a good maintenance program. Here is a ... | |
| lawn Maintenance program | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I was reading your question and answers and was asking to ask lawn maintenance program. Could you ... A: A good lawn maintenance program is a very extensive subject. I will try to make it short. 1. Mow ... | |
| When to mow | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I just seeded my lawn Easter weekend and now it has started to come up. Problem is that existing ... A: The first concern is to get the grass firmly rooted in. I imagine that you are watering regularly ... | |
| Ugly Lawn | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: We had a Bermuda lawn that had bare spots from over fertilizing. My husband added some Kentucky ... A: There is no inexpensive remedy. The least expensive might be to decide which of the two grasses ... | |
| new lawn | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: my lawn is full of crabgrass and nutsedge, should I use a sod cutter get it up,then roto till our do ... A: Sod cutting may not get rid of all the reproductive parts, like the nuts of the nutsedge. Regrowth ... | |
| When to mow | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: I just seeded my lawn Easter weekend and now it has started to come up. Problem is that existing ... A: An accepted standard is that not more than 2/3 of the grass height should be removed. This means ... | |
| aeration on 1 year old sod | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: we live near Denver Colorado and I have 1 year old sod. It is very healthy. Should it be aerated ... A: I do not think that aeration is needed so soon. Aeration is a practice aimed at improving the ... | |
| spring fertilizing whn dry conditions loom | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: Living in central/western PA, I plan to apply weed & feed around the end of May, in order to ... A: I am not sure about the weather conditions where you live so I cannot say; but here are a few ... | |
| new lawn repair | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: Ronald, Hopefully you can help me on the below lawn repair. My location if needed is southwestern ... A: I have given this some thought and the best suggestion I can come up with is to level out the ruts. ... | |
| lawn | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: I killed all my centipede grass using the wrong fertilizer. It was full of winter weed so I killed ... A: You are probably going to put down grass seed so it is desirable to remove all debris and obtain ... | |
| Dollar weed | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: Moved into a house and the lawn is infested with dollar weed. What will kill it? What do companies ... A: Dollar weed gets a foothold in areas that are over watered. It is difficult to eradicate because of ... | |
| St. Augustine Grass with Bermuda | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: 04-23-2009 Good afternoon I live in the Tampa area and I have St. Augustine grass, but I purchase ... A: If you are not one of those persons who want a pure stand of a particular turf, then sure, you can ... | |
| Sod died | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: I laid sod last year and it didn't bounce back, what do I do?? ANSWER: I interpret the problem to ... A: From what you say, your best plan would be to rip it all out and re-sod. You know how expensive it ... | |
| I think I made a boo boo | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: I just put down Scott's turf builder with crabgrass preventer. I also have to reseed all the bare ... A: The weed control part of the product prevents root growth on emerging seedlings. It will do nothing ... | |
| centipede grass | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: How do I get rid of dandelions in centipede grass? A: You can dig out the individual plants with a suitable tool. Many people swear by the "Weed Hound" ... | |
| Reseeding and Topdressing | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: I bought a home in south Georgia that has a lawn that is more weeds than grass. There are also some ... A: You have some grass growing among the weeds; is that the grass that you will plant and grow into a ... | |
| Irrigation system killing my grass? | 4/21/2009 |
| Q: I recently moved into a new home that was equipped with an irrigation system. I also have a well ... A: Have a water analysis done on a sample from the well. You will have to take steps to ensure that it ... | |
| Sod died | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: I laid sod last year and it didn't bounce back, what do I do?? A: I interpret the problem to be that you established a lawn from sod sometime last year and now this ... | |
| Sand not soil zone 9b | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: My mother lives in zone B (Orlando area) and has beyond what I would call poor soil. I went to help ... A: It depends upon what you want to grow. A lawn will be comparatively easy. Establish the grass, ... | |
| Lawn | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: We have a young lawn. We planted sod late August 2008. We are starting to get crabgrass between the ... A: Fill the spaces by squaring them out first; then cut sod pieces to fit snugly in these spaces. ... | |
| Hydro-seeding | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: We are getting hydro-seeding by the begining of May. Currently, we have no grass, just topsoil ... A: Ask the hydroseeding Company for their input. Generally you should try to make a seed bed. Remove ... | |
| corn gluten for crabgrass | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: I'm looking for a non-toxic way to stop the crabgrass that is taking over my lawn and I'd like to ... A: The best opinions suggest that corn gluten meal has pre-emergent activity only. Therefore it will ... | |
| lawn (sodding) | 4/17/2009 |
| Q: Can sod (centipede) be placed on top of winter rye grass without tilling the soil? A: Yes. However you should first apply an organic product like "Milorganite" to aid root development ... | |
| chickweed | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: We just moved into my husband's great-aunts house and she was elderly and couldn't pull the weeds ... A: Stellaria media (chickweed) is a winter annual. It will decline and die as summer comes along. This ... | |
| lawn indentations | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: my lawn has developed moon like creators .they are not isolated but all over.never saw anything like ... A: I am not familiar with NJ soil conditions but I believe that the craters may be caused by some ... | |
| what should sod look like? | 4/16/2009 |
| Q: I hired a company to landscape our backyard, but the grass doesn't look good. I thought that when ... A: Sod is stacked on pallets for shipment; the pieces in the middle of the pallet remain in the ... | |
| Grass roots on top of lawn? | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: Persaud. I am a new home owner and I am trying to reclaim my lawn. I have very weak grass on my ... A: That is how Bahia looks. I'd say to water it weekly (if you are allowed) and mow it at the highest ... | |
| Fungus - Brown spots | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: I'm taking over my lawn care maintenance from one of the big national chains. I live in the Atlanta, ... A: The first thing to do is correctly identify the problem. The best way to do this is to eliminate ... | |
| Dead lawn near water softener/AC equipment. | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: I live in southwest Florida, (North Port, specifically) and I have just moved into a new home. The ... A: The discharge from the softener (which occurs each time the system is recharged) has the potential ... | |
| Centipede Grass Burned with Fire | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: Instead of thatching, my lawn man set fire to my centipede grass (11 acres of it) and burned the ... A: Your lawn man may have broken some local regulation against open fires; I do not know. Under ... | |
| lawn on slab | 4/12/2009 |
| Q: i have a concrete slabbed terrace, laid to slope for drainage with a 3 cms deep offset for a lawn. ... A: I am thinking that the area on which you want to lay the sod has not been slabbed over and it is in ... | |
| dollarweed | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: I live in central Florida and have St Augustine grass, I have clover and I believe dollarweed all ... A: First of all, dollar weed is an indication of over-watering. Once established it is difficult to ... | |
| Floratam lawn | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: I had my yard resodded with Floratam two years ago. I mow at the highest setting on my Craftsman ... A: Floratam is specially mentioned on the labels of plant killers, it is true, but many of them point ... | |
| Fungus | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: My neighbor, an evergreen tree farmer, (Our rear properties touch) recently knocked on all ... A: This reminds me of "The Blind men and the Elephant" poem. Here is what I can contribute to the ... | |
| have area that is hard to grow grass | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: my wife and i moved into our house about 5 years ago. did work to back yard in small area where i ... A: For the future, the best practical answer to this challenge is to use pavers that allow grass to ... | |
| better grass | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: I live in Dallas, what is the better grass for plantain on this area (St Agustine, Bermuda) ... A: I cannot say which is better for you but I will try to list the important things about each. ... | |
| carpet grass | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: I recently planted carpet grass,it was slightly green when we bought it,now that we got it all layed ... A: I am not familiar with carpet grass and when I tried to find out, there were two different grasses ... | |
| Lawn Grass | 4/4/2009 |
| Q: Area: Fort Worth, TX 1. I have a concrete footer of an old wall that I want to plant St. Augustine ... A: St. Augustine grass sends out stolons which are stems that grow on the soil surface. These runners ... | |
| Newly laid turf | 4/4/2009 |
| Q: I have turf lawn laid approx 11 days ago. Where the edges of the turf meets it is turning brown and ... A: The sod is showing signs of drying out and it is telling me that the edges of the individual pieces ... | |
| useing lawn seed over existing turf | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: About a year ago we put down turf called conquest. It is a self mulching turf and is very messy. ... A: I cannot answer your answer your question specifically because I am unfamiliar with the grass ... | |
| fertilizer on flowers | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: I recently laid out scott's weed and feed on my lawn and i accidently spread some over some newly ... A: My experience tells me that the weedkiller in the W&F has killed the morning glory (I trust that ... | |
| lawn | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: How can I get my lawn to look really green and healthy this year. i live in nj and am getting a lot ... A: If I could answer that question from where I sit, I would be quite famous. You might be able to ... | |
| LAwn | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: the soil is very rocky and dry like. I'm starting to landscape my backyard, I want to do it myself ... A: Bermuda grass requires full sun and regular watering to grow well. Be sure that you can provide ... | |
| sunken area in yard | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: I am a landscape designer and redoing a back yard with beds and plants ect. There is a sunken area ... A: It has been a long time since my 'Design classes' but I remember that we were taught to find out ... | |
| burmuda grass-Lubbock, Tx | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: how often should I water my bermuda grass here in Lubbock, Tx and how much water. 2. When sould I ... A: Watering your lawn may have more to do with Local Govt. regulations than the kind of turf. So ... | |
| St Augustine Grass Problems | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: Background. Orlando Fl, St Augustine Grass Brown patches, dead areas of grass, weeds. 3/15/09 Put ... A: You have asked many questions so I will start with the easier ones (for me) and work upward. St. ... | |
| Growing grass in sandy soil | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: I live in S. FL and have a riduculously dirty, sandy lawn. The grass (when it grows) is very rough ... A: Do you have a clear idea as to why the previous re-sodding did not work out? It is important to ... | |
| Resodding a St. Augustine Lawn | 3/29/2009 |
| Q: I have large patches (+100 sq.ft) of my St. Augustine lawn that has been invaded by weeds and carpet ... A: You can use a mower or string trimmer to scalp the areas and sod directly. The sod has to be jammed ... | |
| black lawn | 3/28/2009 |
| Q: my whole lawn is turning black and if you rack it you just have dirt also it looks like there is a ... A: This 'black' that you see; is it that the green blades of grass have turned black or is it that the ... | |
| Help! Lawn Fix Nightmare! | 3/28/2009 |
| Q: I've been renovating my friend's new garden and all I have left to do is THE LAWN. However, it is in ... A: The first paragraph of your correspondence contains all the reasons to eliminate grass as a viable ... | |
| estimate for mowing- | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: I have been asked to bid on mowing a commercial account. It's size is between 2-3 acres, no trees or ... A: I am sorry that I cannot give you a helpful answer because there are many bits of relevant ... | |
| Lawn | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: The court yard lawn were I work (middle school)in Michigan is a mess. What do I need to do first to ... A: You are asking for a lawn program and I do not feel competent to advise you essentially because I ... | |
| Sugar on lawns | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: If you put the sugar on the lawn to enrich the soil, won't that bring ants? A: Not only ants but bees and other insects. Sugar is applied to provide a nutrient solution for ... | |
| dead grass | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: my wife acquired a black lab about 2 years ago. his urinating in the yard has killed my grass. is ... A: Dilution is a good idea but how practical, I do not know. If the dog is let out as required, then I ... | |
| thatch in my sod | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: Got St. augustine sod laid about a month ago. Seems to be alot of dead grass/thatch from last years ... A: One month is too short a time for true thatch to build up. I suspect that the sod came in with ... | |
| Grass in my flower bed | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: I have a very long 70ft by 4ft garden on the side of my house. There is a whole mid section that has ... A: It sounds like Torpedo grass (Panicum repens). You can spray it with glyphosate BUT at a fairly low ... | |
| removing lawn | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: i want to remove grass and put rose plants and shrubs and decorative pebbles into a 4 x 4 m area. ... A: You can spray a non selective weedkiller (like glyphosate) over the area. You can rent a sod cutter ... | |
| small holes in lawn near house | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: i found small maybe 1 inch holes around the outside of my house in the backyard. I live in Florida ... A: It could be birds foraging for insects that are underground but that is a guess. Soap flush a few ... | |
| runners | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a fairly new front yard. A couple of yrs old, I have runners all over my yard and they are ... A: A runner describes a stem that runs above (but close to) the ground. Many grasses (like St. ... | |
| moss | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: please help,i have a fare sized garden and the problem is lots of moss, is there any way i can get ... A: In due time the moss will go away if you create the dry conditions which it does not like. And yes, ... | |
| moss | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: please help,i have a fare sized garden and the problem is lots of moss, is there any way i can get ... A: Moss is associated with moisture. Fine tune your watering system to the point where it is well ... | |
| dead grass area | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: Located in dallas texas and I have a dead grass problem on front edge of lawn. I thought because of ... A: You make it sound like a distinct rectangle (8ft.x 1ft.) and this could be quite the important ... | |
| rotten grass | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: my grass is rotten in my yard. You can just reach down and pick it up without even pulling on it. ... A: "You can just reach down and pick it up without even pulling on it". This sounds like grub damage. ... | |
| runners | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I have a fairly new front yard. A couple of yrs old, I have runners all over my yard and they are ... A: I am not sure what you want to do. Do you... ...Want to mow less frequently? ...Want to water " ... | |
| SCOTTS GRUB MIX | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I NEED TO USE SCOTTS GRUB MIX EVERY SPRING.ITS VERY EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING GRUBS. BUT, WHAT ARE ... A: My standard reply is, "There are no safe chemicals; only safe ways of using chemicals". I am not ... | |
| Chinch bugs | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: How do I know if the brown spots on my St. Augustine grass are chinch bugs or fungus? Thanks, ... A: You can eliminate bugs by doing a 2x2x2 'soap flush' on random spots on the lawn. Mix 2 ounces of ... | |
| Wet Lawn | 3/16/2009 |
| Q: I live in the north east. We have protected land on our property that in the spring is like a pond. ... A: By "protected land" I suppose that you mean land that has to be specially treated; or perhaps I ... | |
| Sugars | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: I am reading up on how to convert to an organic lawn. The sugar referred to for use in organic lawn ... A: Brown sugar is used because the crystals are coated with molasses. Yeasts and other beneficial soil ... | |
| Mayer Zoysia | 3/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a nice Zoysia back lawn, but right now, I have patches of blue grass, tons of onion sprouts ... A: I am sorry but I cannot recommend a weedkiller. The reason is that I need to know the scientific ... | |
| troubleshooting | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: We have had this problem with our grass turning yellow in areas right after green up. so we started ... A: Cutting the lawn close at the first mowing of the year is only part of a larger program. The mower ... | |
| onion grass | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: Is there a product out there which I could spray on my onion grass to get rid of it? Sincerely, Ron A: This is the first time I have heard about onion grass and all the references about it seem to come ... | |
| torpedo grass | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: How do I kill torpedo grass? I have it in zoysia grass ,azaleas, roses and around crape myrtles. A: Fluazifop is a chemical that will kill true grasses like torpedo grass (Panicum repens) and not ... | |
| fire-burned lawn | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: Our neighbor accidently set our lawn on fire. We live near Tampa and have St. Augustine grass. We ... A: It will come back. Long ago and far away it used to be an acceptable practice in the rejuvenation of ... | |
| corner lot in Florida | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: Residents walk their dogs all alongside our lawn and allow them to urinate - what can we put - spray ... A: If I found a foolproof answer to your question, I would not be here, writing this. Seriously, you ... | |
| weed with stickers | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: I live in North Texas and we have 3 acres. We have a severe problem with some type of weed I can't ... A: I suspect that you are dealing with sandspurs (Cenchrus spp). Effective control starts with ... | |
| clay,dry soil | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: How do I get grass to grow in my yard with dry, clay soil and some trees that shade it? A: Whether you choose seed, sprig or sod, that clay soil will require some tilling. Seed will require ... | |
| prep for new bahia sod | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: I live in central Florida. I just killed all of the weeds and tilled my lawn. I am getting ready for ... A: It looks like you are dealing with a hydrophobic condition. What is needed is a wetting agent, ... | |
| Lawncare | 3/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a shaded back yard and it previously was healthy with green grass. After a year of neglect ... A: Shaded and one year of neglect; moss is growing. Seems that the shade has increased or water has ... | |
| putting in a lawn | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: I bought a home with 10 horses on it 3 years ago. We didn't even have a weed. We drug the property ... A: First, mow the lawn as close as the lawn mower will allow. Apply a non selective weed killer; it ... | |
| BROWN PATCH FUNGUS | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I live in Jacksonville FL on a lake; I have a huge front lawn. Last fall I developed what was ... A: From what you say, it is unlikely to expect the lawn to recover. Because of the brown patch I assume ... | |
| What kind of seed or grass should I try? | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: 12 years ago my lawn was a nice Bermuda grass. I planted trees and now the grass is practically ... A: Generally, trees and grass do not do well together. The trees provide too much shade for most ... | |
| St. Augustine grass | 2/27/2009 |
| Q: I live in south Florida and have a large quantity of St. Augustine grass. I have decided to do the ... A: The middle number is easiest. It should be low (very low because Florida soils usually have enough ... | |
| poisoning | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: when zoysia is dormant and yellow in the winter, can I poison other unwanted vegetation that is ... A: "Roundup" kills "any thing green that it touches". It is translocated to all parts of the plant for ... | |
| Using Organics on St. Augustine Grass | 2/23/2009 |
| Q: I purchased a home in Central Florida but live in the Maryland area. I do have someone maintaining ... A: I have to confess that I do not have a lot of experience in using the organic products like ... | |
| bring dropped sod up to grade | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: Have rodent/vole/gopher damage in part of my lawn resulting at a large area that has sunken below ... A: It requires patience. You apply sand in a thin layer, allow the grass to grow out of it and repeat ... | |
| Removed the grass | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: I have an area of grass 170" X 190" of grass and I would like to remove it completely. What should I ... A: Mother Nature seems to hate bare ground; She will find a way to cover it and She has forces at Her ... | |
| Bermuda or St Augustine in N Texas (or something else)? | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: I'm trying to figure out what kind of grass to use and if it should be sod or seed. I just bought a ... A: To answer your questions helpfully I should have some experience of the weather conditions and ... | |
| Bradford Pear taken over lawn | 2/8/2009 |
| Q: Ronald- I live in North Texas where the soil is notoriously thin and rocky. The 20 year old ... A: Regrettably, I cannot offer a sustainable plan for a grass cover under the tree. I suggest that you ... | |
| weed and feed | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: i live in south eastern north Carolina i would like to know when the best time to weed and feed my ... A: I understand you to mean that you are going to use a combination product to achieve both ... | |
| Flortam fertilizer | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: I purchased a foreclosure in 08, built in 05 and lived in for 6 months in a gated community. For ... A: It would be very useful to find out why the grass is thin in some areas. Pest? Disease? Too wet? ... | |
| Weeding floratam lawns in central Florida | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: I have a heavily broad leaf weed infested floritam lawn with canopies of large oaks covering it. I ... A: Atrazine is usually the weedkiller in 'weed and feed' products to be used on 'Floratam' lawns. The ... | |
| Floratam | 2/1/2009 |
| Q: After reading your response to the grass killer, I realized that I have been cutting my floratam too ... A: The symptoms you describe indicate a fungus, most likely brown patch. First though, let's eliminate ... | |
| frost damage | 1/23/2009 |
| Q: hey Ron,, I live in central Fla, I have a st Augustine lawn, flortram, and we just had a freezing 3 ... A: If the lawn was green before the 3 days of low temps. then it is very likely that it has suffered ... | |
| Spongy | 1/20/2009 |
| Q: St Augustine lawn in sun & shade areas very spongy and bumpy when walked on. no apparent mole ... A: This does not seem to be an insect or fungus problem because you do not describe any adverse effect ... | |
| Eliminating Bermuda patches from Meyers Zoysia | 1/16/2009 |
| Q: Five years ago, we changed our lawn from Bermuda grass to Meyer Zoysia. We live in Atlanta, GA. We ... A: Getting rid of a 'grassy' weed in a 'broad-leaf' crop or vice versa is comparatively easy. Getting ... | |
| SOD | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: I installed sod about 14 weeks ago. Racoons showed up and rolled at night....then I think as the ... A: I would expect that after 14 weeks the sod should be well rooted. I cannot support your intention ... | |
| Weed & Feed | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: Ronald: A clerk in the garden dept. at home depot told me I should use Vigoro Ultra 28-3-3 weed ... A: Dennis, I do not know where you are located but the guy at HD is essentially correct. Here ... | |
| New lawn | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: I live in southern california and recently bought a house and I am exploring the possibility of ... A: Southern California and Tall Fescue are a bit outside my knowledge and experience but I will give ... | |
| grass | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: i live in the panhandle of florida and im wondering which grass would be best for shaded yard? i cu ... A: I have to emphasize that it requires materials and equipment, time and some knowledge to make an ... | |
| watering in the winter | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: In the past, we have shut down our irrigation system for the winter season (NE Florida) and none of ... A: I am flattered but I do not think that your neighbor would be moved by my opinion. Your County ... | |
| A long shot about grass | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: This may be a long shot, but I am the local humane society and I have 31 dogs at my house. I pretty ... A: Your idea will work but you have got to keep the dogs off the sodded area for about at least four ... | |
| A long shot about grass | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: This may be a long shot, but I am the local humane society and I have 31 dogs at my house. I pretty ... A: I cannot think of a suitable grass or groundcover which is dog-resistant. If feasible, you might ... | |
| Small Lawn Water - No water, Shadow ligth? | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: I installed San Agustine Palmeto in my back yard, and it is dying I have paid fro advise in Miami ... A: There is something green growing there. I cannot tell what it is but it might be a little of the ... | |
| sandspurs | 12/1/2008 |
| Q: I live in Holiday, Fl. which is near Tampa. I have 2.5-3 acres that is totally taken over by ... A: I am not convinced that a lime application is going to help in the control of sandspur. Here's why. ... | |
| redoing my lawn after grubs | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: I have used the 4 step Turf Line fertilizing program for sometime. I follow the program according ... A: One of the reasons why I advised identifying the grubs accurately is because these insects move up ... | |
| redoing my lawn after grubs | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: I have used the 4 step Turf Line fertilizing program for sometime. I follow the program according ... A: Effective grub control in Florida requires some work which you will find very interesting. The best ... | |
| sandspurs | 11/29/2008 |
| Q: I live in Holiday, Fl. which is near Tampa. I have 2.5-3 acres that is totally taken over by ... A: The sandspur problem can be overcome but it will require a program of chemical spraying and mowing ... | |
| Kill grass but need not kill my earth worm | 11/29/2008 |
| Q: I have a field need to use earth worm, that's why I can't use any chemical liquid/item to kill my ... A: You have posed a very interesting challenge. You do not say how large the area is and I gather ... | |
| sprinkler pump not turning on | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: just purchased a home and the sprinkler pump doesnt make any noice when i turn the time to on or ... A: It appears that there is something basic that is not right about the timer. It could be as simple ... | |
| Laying down sod | 11/23/2008 |
| Q: I live in Tampa, I need to have a beautiful lawn by the end of March 2009. When would you ... A: I am not sure that you will be able to put down sod in view of some recent SWIFMUD prohibitions on ... | |
| moss in yard | 11/22/2008 |
| Q: part of our yard has an area where there is some, what I call moss, growing and grass will not grow ... A: As I understand your enquiry, this is a problem on the soil surface and not on the grass itself. ... | |
Ronald B Persaud
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Florida (Central and South) lawns maintenance and troubleshooting.
Experience
Work experience in Garden and Technical Sales (Ace Hardware and Lesco).
L&O Spray Technican/Horticulturist/Tree permitting (Local Municipality).
Commercial Landscape Maintenance (Condo complex and Shopping Mall)
Organizations
Past member Florida Landscape Maintenance Association (Pinellas County).
Publications
On the 'Gardenweb' under the pseudonym "Ronalawn82"
Education/Credentials
CPO certified (L&O) Florida.
Hons. Graduate: Eastern Caribbean Farm Institute (now Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry), Trinidad WI.
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