Lawn Care This Time of Year

[MossRoad]

Last spring I decided to resend my lawn rather than apply crabgrass fertilizer, and it shows. My lawn now is dominated by crabgrass it seems, and plenty of clover too. Weather is starting to feel like fall so what should I do now? reseed with good grass, or apply crabgrass and clover herbicides?

As I mentioned, now is the time to mow your lawn very short, and bag the clippings. It'll also bag your grabgrass seeds. Then aerate your lawn. This opens up holes in the soil so fertilizer and grass seed can get in there. Once it's aerated, apply fertilizer but NO WEEDKILLER. You can top-dress the lawn with compost if you want, or you can just rake the plugs left from the aeration to break them up and mix in the fertilizer. Now plant your grass seed. Water it daily until you get hard frosts. Then wait until spring. In very early spring, put down your grab grass preventer. That's a preemergent that will stop any crabgrass seeds that are in the lawns (they can remain dormant for years, or spread from other areas) from germinating. You may have to put a second application of grabgrass preventer a month later, as it all depends on the timing of when your soil warms up enough for the crabgrass seeds to germinate. After that, apply regular weed and feed type fertilizer. Your best defense for crabgrass is a thick, healthy lawn, where the good grass shades out the crabgrass. This method will do that.

You're in the north, so adjust your timing to get your grass seed in at least 6 weeks before the hard freezes and ground freezes or it'll be too late. Best of luck. :thumbsup:

 

[Alan W.]

I have what I would call a biologically diverse lawn, in other words I got everything growing in it. We use the clippings in the garden and compost, so spraying is out of the question. I have noticed that the grass has been responding to the fall fertilization that I started doing again last fall. Neglect to the basics has allowed mine to get out of hand.

 

[newbury]

Last spring I decided to resend my lawn rather than apply crabgrass fertilizer, and it shows. My lawn now is dominated by crabgrass it seems, and plenty of clover too. Weather is starting to feel like fall so what should I do now? reseed with good grass, or apply crabgrass and clover herbicides?

Due to my lifestyle of being gone for months at a time my lawn in northern Virginia had also become a variety of weeds two years ago. I had basically ignored it for years.

I started about late August.

Followed Moss's approach:
BUT first check to see what you need! Do you need lime? I had my soil tested and that was the major thing I was missing.

As I mentioned, now is the time to mow your lawn very short, and bag the clippings. It'll also bag your grabgrass seeds.

Normally I kept my lawn at max height and let the clippings lie. I mowed twice to get it to the lowest settings and bagged.

Then aerate your lawn. This opens up holes in the soil so fertilizer and grass seed can get in there. Once it's aerated, apply fertilizer but NO WEEDKILLER.

I applied a "generic" fertilizer and plenty of lime.

You can top-dress the lawn with compost if you want, or you can just rake the plugs left from the aeration to break them up and mix in the fertilizer. Now plant your grass seed. Water it daily until you get hard frosts.

I raked and watered with diligence.

Then wait until spring. In very early spring, put down your grab grass preventer. That's a preemergent that will stop any crabgrass seeds that are in the lawns (they can remain dormant for years, or spread from other areas) from germinating. You may have to put a second application of grabgrass preventer a month later, as it all depends on the timing of when your soil warms up enough for the crabgrass seeds to germinate.

I checked the soil temp w/ a thermometer.

After that, apply regular weed and feed type fertilizer. Your best defense for crabgrass is a thick, healthy lawn, where the good grass shades out the crabgrass. This method will do that.

You're in the north, so adjust your timing to get your grass seed in at least 6 weeks before the hard freezes and ground freezes or it'll be too late. Best of luck. :thumbsup:

IF you can get your soil tested, do so. I used to be able to send in a soil sample and get it tested for free, now it's $10.

Once you get your seed down make sure it has water to grow!

My son seeded 1/8 acre, it didn't rain, he (and I) were gone for 2 weeks, it all died.

/edit - now, looking at it it's great but with all this great summer grass growing weather it has to be mown twice a week!

 

[EddieWalker]

Funny. Here in East Texas, crab grass is the good stuff!!! It spreads out, doesn't take any water and remains green until temps get really cold. I like it!!

 

[dragoneggs]

Funny. Here in East Texas, crab grass is the good stuff!!! It spreads out, doesn't take any water and remains green until temps get really cold. I like it!!

Ha ha. I get it... but that just wouldn’t be acceptable in the green PNW!

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I have learned that grass is a regional thing and I am no expert just another guy somewhat obsessed with a nice front yard. So... I won't recommend for you.

I do hate crabgrass. My main issue here in the PNW is moss. Not really hard to combat... I just have to keep the lawn 'sweet' with lime. I also use a 10-10-10 or close fertilizer in the spring and especially in the autumn (soon here) to promote root growth. I think that helps your primary grass choke out crabs and other spot 'weeds'. Summertime I do a fertilize once with weed control. Takes care of any broadleaf weeds.

Most of my yard doesn't get this attention but around the front of our house I try to keep it green and 'clean' and water on schedule, not daily to promote deeper root growth. Seems the bad grass thrives better when the good grass is stressed. All that said, if your soil depth is poor, you are fighting a losing battle.

I fight the moss with ferrous sulfate both as preventive and to kill. I buy it in 50# bags at Wilco, saves a bunch over the name brand stuff. It is necessary to get the dead moss out by thatching once you have it and kill. Ferrous sulfate also makes your lane a deep dark bright green. I am re-doing my front yard as we speak, between showers. Casaron works good to prevent seeds from sprouting but rain kills it fast. We use it in all the flower/planting beds.

Ron

 

[Alan W.]

I fight the moss with ferrous sulfate both as preventive and to kill. I buy it in 50# bags at Wilco, saves a bunch over the name brand stuff. It is necessary to get the dead moss out by thatching once you have it and kill. Ferrous sulfate also makes your lane a deep dark bright green. I am re-doing my front yard as we speak, between showers. Casaron works good to prevent seeds from sprouting but rain kills it fast. We use it in all the flower/planting beds.

Ron

I have a bad moss problem in my yard. What is the cost of a bag of ferrous sulfate. And what type of store is Wilco. Just trying to figure where to start my search.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I have a bad moss problem in my yard. What is the cost of a bag of ferrous sulfate. And what type of store is Wilco. Just trying to figure where to start my search.

It was around $45. Did not keep the slip as they maintain my purchase records. I don't have time to shop around for bargins.
They are a farmers CO-OP here in the PAC NW. Any farm store should have or can get it. Garden stores like Lowes only have it in name brand small packages. Checked Tractor Supply's web site and it did not pop. Individual store may have it. I don't shop there because their prices are way higher and no military discount like Wilco. Amazon only has 20# bags at $24 + shipping.

Ron

 

[dragoneggs]

I fight the moss with ferrous sulfate both as preventive and to kill. I buy it in 50# bags at Wilco, saves a bunch over the name brand stuff. It is necessary to get the dead moss out by thatching once you have it and kill. Ferrous sulfate also makes your lane a deep dark bright green. I am re-doing my front yard as we speak, between showers. Casaron works good to prevent seeds from sprouting but rain kills it fast. We use it in all the flower/planting beds.

Ron

I have a bad moss problem in my yard. What is the cost of a bag of ferrous sulfate. And what type of store is Wilco. Just trying to figure where to start my search.

I got to get down to Wilco. I need to remember when I rounding the bend and crossing the narrows to stop by.

 

[goeduck]

I have had houses where if I did not have crabgrass, I would not have had grass at all.

At the current place it is not an issue.