Lawn Care

By Janine Soriano, Master of Science in Forestry, government environment researcher Apart from keeping your kitchen squeaky clean, some home gardeners suggest that dish soap combined with household ammonia, beer, soda, and mouthwash can be used as a lawn conditioner. These ingredients are supposed to provide nourishment to grasses, making them greener. That said, most … Continue reading “Will Dish Soap Kill Grass?”

By Janine Soriano, Master of Science in Forestry, government environment researcher Sometimes you may spot holes across your lawn that seemingly appear out of nowhere. They can come in a variety of sizes, and ignoring them can lead to more lawn problems. Filling any holes in the yard is important not only for aesthetics but … Continue reading “What Kind of Dirt to Fill Holes in Yard?”

By Janine Soriano, Master of Science in Forestry, government environment researcher Green and healthy turf is the pride of homeowners. However, there are instances when lawn grass may look under the weather. You can easily spot if something is wrong when grasses turn brown and patches of dirt appear, indicating grass cover is unhealthy. A … Continue reading “When to Mow After Overseeding”

By Janine Soriano, Master of Science in Forestry, government environment researcher Sand is a type of dirt with coarse to fine particles. Because it has large pore spaces, sandy soil has very fast percolation, therefore, it tends to dry easily. This results in poor mobilization of water-soluble nutrients needed by all plants. Regardless, certain kinds … Continue reading “Why Put Sand on Grass?”

By Janine Soriano, Master of Science in Forestry, government environment researcher Looking for a way to make your lawn more attractive? Look into striping. It is a mowing technique that adds a decorative effect to the turfgrass and can make the yard a work of art with infinite possibilities. Not only can it make the … Continue reading “How to Stripe a Lawn”

By Janine Soriano, Master of Science in Forestry, government environment researcher All plants need water to survive – plant cells are around 90% water. Without it, plants cannot perform photosynthesis and other normal physiological functions which can lead to diseases and even death. Whether it is a cold-season or warm-season species, grasses require adequate moisture … Continue reading “How to Raise a Sprinkler Head”

By Janine Soriano, Master of Science in Forestry, government environment researcher Cynodon dactylon, more commonly known as Bermuda grass, is a popular lawn species in the US. It is distinguished by its fine leaves that seem to “wrap around” the lawn due to its dense growth. As a warm-season species, Bermuda grass is green throughout … Continue reading “Best Mowers for Bermuda Grass”

By Janine Soriano, Master of Science in Forestry, government environment researcher After a long day’s work of mowing, you feel like you are well on your way to realizing your dream lawn. The next day, you see some marks on your turf – ruts, or tire tracks from being driven on. Freaking out won’t help, … Continue reading “How to Fix Ruts in a Yard”

By Janine Soriano, Master of Science in Forestry, government environment researcher It is said that the most planted crop in the US is grass. Not surprising when, apart from homes, they fill vast recreational facilities like golf courses and stadiums. Did you know that it took hundreds of years of trial-and-error and research to identify … Continue reading “St. Augustine vs Centipede grass”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 Like other cutting tools, the blades in riding mowers can lose sharpness due to friction and rust. Dull mowing blades do more harm to the lawn than good – the resulting ragged edges of the grass can brown. Replacement also brings other benefits: Avoiding overaccumulation … Continue reading “How to Lift a Riding Mower to Change Blades”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 Note: Check out currently recommended weed killers at Amazon.com. (affiliate link) You are looking at your lawn and want to see lush turf, but what you do see is a crop of weeds. You have decided to spray a chemical weed killer (like 2,4D). Now … Continue reading “Should I Cut Weeds Before Spraying?”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 You are getting ready to run the lawn mower and your check the oil level. If it is low, you need to add some. The question is what kind of oil should you add: standard motor oil like you use in your car or an … Continue reading “What Motor Oil to Use in My Lawn Mower?”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 People often wonder how early can you mow the lawn and if it is different on weekends rather than weekdays. Dangerous When Wet First, it is best to wait until there is no dew left on the grass before you begin to mow. The same … Continue reading “How Early Can I Mow My Lawn?”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 A leveling drag is a tool to even out a surface like a driveway, parking area, or lawn. Before we begin, realize that a lawn should not be perfectly flat. There are two important times to have high or low areas in your landscape. Swale … Continue reading “How to build a leveling drag”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 Many people opt for sod for their landscape versus seeding. It depends on your starting point. If you only have a few bare patches, that is quite different from an entire yard of dirt. There are a number of advantages to using sod. Instant gratification … Continue reading “Best way to cut sod”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 When you speak with professionals about turf in Virginia, you will usually hear the term transition zone. That means a combination of hot and often dry summers coupled with cold and sometimes wet winters makes it a difficult choice. In general grasses are classified as … Continue reading “Best Grass Seed for Virginia”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 If your otherwise lovely lawn is marred by patches of thin or bare spots, it would seem you are due for some overseeding. Overseeding is when you plant grass seed in an already established lawn. Don’t just throw some seed in the area, walk away … Continue reading “How to Overseed Lawn Without Aerating”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 It is always nice to work smarter, not harder. It is also nice to get full value out of your investments. This includes putting your riding mower to do more than just cut the grass. With a hitch on your lawn tractor, you can attach … Continue reading “How to Put a Ball Hitch on a Lawn Mower”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 It may seem like piles of dirt have appeared in your lawn overnight. They are a mystery and frustrating. In order to rid yourself of the pest, you need to determine which animal is the culprit. Let’s start with basics: If there is a visible … Continue reading “What Are the Dirt Mounds in My Yard?”

By Donna Dolinar, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener since 2006 Homeowners are often confused about landscaping maintenance. Many of the terms and procedures seem the same or similar and it can be bewildering. Here are a couple of items that you should understand: dethatching and aerating. Thatch First, you need to know what thatch is. … Continue reading “When to Dethatch and Aerate Your Lawn”