What are the brown spots in my lawn?

I hear this during the day all the time. I hear it at parties, baseball games, and dance recitals from other fathers that know what line of work I’m in. I try to keep it low key, but once others hear the conversation, I get cornered and most cant answer enough questions from me to help them.

Truth be told, I have no idea what the brown spots are. Lots of things cause grass to turn brown. To answer your specific question, I need more information every time.

Customers have brought me dead grass in a ziploc bag after sitting on the dashboard for a day. Even fresh dead grass usually tells us nothing.

If you are going to bring a sample, get a shovel, dig a 10 x 10 inch piece or so from the edge of the good grass and brown grass. I like to see both. Dirt , roots and all.

What are the factors you should know before looking for advice?

When did the brown spots pop up?

How often is the turf getting water?

How often does it get fertilizer and when was the last time you put it down.

What products do you use to fertilize?

Is the grass less than a year old?

How high does the grass get mowed?

Do you own a dog?

These are just few examples.

Brown spots in lawns can be 30 different things. After getting answers , certain problems are very seasonal and thus we can narrow it down just by the date.
Once we do that, we get into more specific questions. Sometimes a good sample can help too. I try to narrow it down , but if I can’t ,I have them check a couple other things .
But this process is never simple. With phone cameras and digital cameras so accessable, get some good pictures from a couple different angles and get a wide shot to see the brown areas in relation to the rest of the lawn.

The more info you have, the easier it is to diagnose without seeing it. So be prepared and we might solve the problem right there and find out how to correct it.

Dont forget to check out www.elawnhelp.com for other resources.

Basic Fertilizer Math

I have been asked to recommend a good fertilizer for late fall (for example) in New England . I suggested a product 32-3-6 with 30%CRN 2%FE . I was told “I don’t want to use that high of a number in the Fall”

What he was referring to is the 32 . The nitrogen. I then realized how many people don’t understand some basic fertilizer math . I know it because I use it daily, but others may not. Some may be basic, so bear with me if you know this stuff. So, here goes….

32-3-6 what’s that? Those 3 numbers on a fertilizer bag represent N-P-K.
Nitrogen , Phosphorous, and Potassium. N-P-K …

Each number represents the percentage of the contents of the bag.

N = 32% of the contents
P = 3% of the contents
K= 6% of the content

The rest is micro nutrients and fillers. From here on out I will use N,P & K to represent each nutrient instead of typing the whole word

In this instance it will be a 50 lb bag of 32-3-6 straight fertilizer containing:
.32 x50 =16 # N
.03 x50 = 1.5 # P
.06 x50 = 3 # K

Most commercial fertilizers and retail products have a setting for your spreader on the bag. Some will break it down for different #’s of N, but most are derived from 1# N per 1000 sq ft. That’s what most everyone is trying to achieve .

In this instance at 1#N per 1000 sq ft and 16 #s of total N in the entire bag, you will get about 16,000 sq ft from this product at the recommended rate which is usually defaulted to 1 # N per 1000 sq ft.

Most cool season grasses require about 4 lbs of N annually per 1000 sq ft. Never put it down at once!! That’s why you fertilize 4-5 times a year to replace the N that the plant uses in abundance. At about 1 lb of N per 1000 sq ft each time you fertilize, with 4 -5 fertilizer applications ,you get your annual requirement of 4lbs.

Here is the key to the whole story. This customer walked out with 20-1-5 instead of the 32-3-6. Nothing wrong with that at all, because the 20-1-5 is a fine product.

He asked how far it goes . I said 10,000 sq ft . He bought it.

The part that most people don’t realize is the recommended setting on the bag of the 20-1-5 fertilizer for his spreader was derived from 1lb N per 1000 sq ft ,so he gets 10,000 sq ft from that 50# bag.

The 32-3-6 goes down at the same 1lb N per 1000 (the exact same rate) , but he will get 16,000 sq ft from the same 50# bag as opposed to 10,000.
He didn’t want a “high number”, but is getting the same amount of Nitrogen on the lawn. As a matter of fact , the 32-3-6 was probably a better deal because what he was getting was 16,000 for a certain price, or 10,000 sq ft for a little lower price.

Combination products are a bit different. These are weed & feeds, crabgrass preventers with fertilizer, etc. Those recommended settings or rates are based on the amount of whatever active ingredient is on the fertilizer, like weed control or insecticides. In this instance , delivering the right amount of active ingredient per 1000 sq ft is more important than lbs of N per K.
Most combo products usually put down less than a lb of N per 1000 sq ft because of this. Usually 3/4 -1 lb per 1000 . This is where they get a recommended setting for these products in stead of with a straight fertilizer.

Retail products are a bit different from what I see. A bag will have 26-3-9 on it, and the bag says “covers 15,000 sq ft” . Any manufacturer can label whatever they want on a bag for coverage, but in this case if this fert is in a 50 lb bag , you probably should get about 13,000 sq ft instead of the 15,000 it claims.

One last nifty tip. As long as you are looking a 50 lb bag of fertilizer (most professional fertilizers are sold this way), you can simply take the N content (we will use 32 here ) and divide it in half for 16 . You get 16,000 sq ft at 1# N per 1000. It must be a 50lb , and it must be straight fertilizer .

If you can grasp these basic concepts, you understand more than most, even some lawncare folks

Basic Lawn Watering tips

Even though the hot summer months seem to be past us , you need to be reminded of some basic lawn watering tips.

These tips may seem basic or obvious to some , but I encounter people every day that still water their lawn incorrectly.

Here goes:

NEVER, EVER water the lawn at night. Especially in the summer. It promotes an environment that fungus and disease love.

A deeper , less frequent watering is better for most lawns than watering everyday lightly. Watering the lawn lightly every day promotes shallow roots. You want strong, deep, roots.

About 1 inch of water a week is required in most parts of the country.
Watering your lawn in the middle of the day will evaporate most of the water and it will never get into the lawn where it is needed.

Nothing will ever replace a good , sustained soaking rain.

If you have an irrigation system, make sure your heads overlap and they are set properly. Many times brown spots on lawns are caused by misaligned sprinkler heads.

Your lawns need water even in cool weather too. I have seen Aprils and Octobers that were cool but dry. No rain . Even though it is not 100 degrees out, the lawn needs water even in cooler months . If it isn’t raining for 3 1/2 weeks , it still needs water .

New seed wont germinate without water. Constant moisture . Not a 4 hour washout watering, but it should stay moist almost all day if possible. Once the seed is establishing, you can back off the watering to a more normal pace.

New seed will not germinate without water. Got it?

Find newer, less water dependent, varieties of grass seed to renovate into the lawn. Turf type tall fescue is deep rooted and new hybrid bluegrasses like Thermal Blue (available exclusively at RF Morse) that are drought and even shade tolerant.

Lawncare Basics

If you don’t want to spend your whole weekend working on your lawn, no problem. The following tips are the most basic pieces of advice I can give. Following them won’t cost any more time or money ,but your lawn will thank you.

Keep your blade sharp. Dull blades tear grass instead of cutting it leaving a dull ragged appearance to the lawn. . The tears created by dull blades allow disease pathogens to enter grass plants. Sharpen your blade regularly, and replace damaged blades.

Mow high. Never cut more than a third of the plant when you mow. If you want to keep your lawn mowed very low you will be vulnerable to your lawn burning. Mowing close can also weaken root systems , and makes it easier for weeds to invade . Mowing your lawn to a 2 ½ – 3-inch height helps to shade the roots and prevent your lawn from burning in the warmer months.

Clippings are good. Clippings do not create thatch. Really. Thatch is created from the stems and sheaths of a grass plant.. If you can leave the clippings cleanly, the clippings won’t smother the grass. However, do not forget to mow for 3 weeks and leave a mess all over the lawn . Aside of looking terrible, this will smother the grass. Mulching mowers work best to chop up clippings , but you may also discharge them .Mulching your clippings of the course of a year is about the equivalent of one free fertilizing. All for doing nothing extra. Can’t beat that!

Hold off on the fertilizer. Fertilizing in early spring only encourages excessive top growth at the expense of the roots. A better strategy is to fertilize in late fall, about 2 weeks after the last mowing. It is important to make sure the grass is dormant, and use a quick release fertilizer. Plants will use this fertilizer to develop root reserves to help them survive through winter and get off to a good , green start next spring. This allows you wait until later in the spring before you have to apply fertilizer. Don’t worry about the crabgrass preventer. With good quality professional products, a little later is probably better anyhow. It extends the prevention window farther into the summer, which is beneficial.

Watch your water. It’s easy to do more harm than good. Never ,Never , water at night. Wet grass invites diseases and diseases are bad. Real bad. Water between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. when the leaves will dry quickly in the morning sun. Watering during the heat of the day rarely does any good. Most of the water evaporates ,not penetrating to the roots. Watering too much is as bad as not watering at all. It encourages shallow roots, and the roots are extremely vital to a healthy lawn. Rule of thumb: Water heavier, but less frequently.

Shade is different. Grass needs a minimum of 4 hours of direct sun — 6 hours if it gets much foot traffic. Consider mulching the area or plant other ground covers if your lawn receives less than this. In shady spots, plant fine fescues or some of the brand new hybrid bluegrasses. Aside of being shade tolerant, these new hybrids are also much more drought tolerant than any other bluegrasses. They haven’t yet filtered down to the retail level yet, but turf managers have been using them for 2 years. Mow high and reduce fertilizer.

Spray sparingly. Never use lawn pesticides without scouting to see if the problem justifies treatment. I would say fifty percent of lawn pesticide applications are unnecessary or simply the wrong product for the job. Many times the product is fine , but it is simply the wrong product, or wrong time. Timing is everything in lawn care , especially with weed and insect control. Manage grass for healthy root systems that can tolerate some stress and damage, and remain aesthetically pleasing. If you need to apply a pesticide , make sure you know what your target pest is, and use the right product. The fact you are reading this here, is a good start.

Fill in bare spots. Use a garden rake to work up and improve the soil where the ground is bare. Then reseed with grass varieties best-suited to the site. Make sure you water the new seeds. If, after a season of mowing high and leaving the clippings (taller grass will help shade out weeds), your lawn is still more than half bare spots, consider a complete renovation.

Reducing winter salt damage on turf

Look for it along walks, driveways, and roads

Look for bare spots or invasion by salt- and compaction-tolerant weeds along sidewalks, driveways, and roadsides. Soil is sometimes covered with white or yellow crust. Excess Sodium chloride (salt) used for de-icing causes the problem.

Rock salt and inexpensive bagged ice melt products are the usual culprits. Most of these inexpensive ice melters contain large quantities of unrefined Rock salt. Using No-salt or high quality reduced salt blends will keep damage to a minimum

Salt damage is often compounded by compaction from foot traffic, auto tires, and piled snow. Even if the damage is not enough to kill sod, it increases stress on the grass, making it more prone to diseases like snow mold and weed competition in the spring. Weak turf in these areas is especially vulnerable to runoff into storm sewers and surface waters.

Kentucky bluegrass is very sensitive to salt damage. Perennial ryegrass, fine fescues, and tall fescue are a little more tolerant.

To prevent salt damage, applications of Calcium Sulfate (Gypsum or Solu-cal S) just before winter , will help to move salts through the soil . A repeat application can also be made in early spring after snow melts. Avoid plowing or shoveling salt-laden snow onto turf. Apply only enough salt to do the job after you remove the snow. Calcium chloride-based de-icing salts don’t cause as much damage to turf as sodium chloride.

Even though it’s often suggested, do not use urea or other fertilizers as de-icing salts. They can run off when snow melts and pollute surface and ground waters. They also tend to be less affective.

Spring rains may leach salts from the soil if drainage is adequate. If it’s dry, you may need to water by hand to flush them out after an application of Gypsum or Solu-cal S.

If soil is poorly drained, improve it by incorporating organic matter to a depth of 6 inches, in addition to Gypsum applications . Improve soil before reseeding because salt can prevent germination and damage seedlings.

Cool Season Turf fertilizing strategies

Most lawn grasses grown in New England — Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fescues — are cool-season grasses. They grow best in spring and fall.

The roots of cool-season grasses grow best between 55 F and 65 F. Shoots grow best between 67 F and 75 F. In early spring, even before the grass starts to green up, the roots break dormancy and begin growing.
The combination of long days, cool temperatures and usually adequate moisture produces a flush of growth in the spring. This sometimes makes it challenging just to keep up with mowing. In a normal year, 60 percent of grass growth comes during 6 weeks in spring.

Spring is a good time to get the lawn off to a good start, but over fertilizing a healthy lawn at this time just promotes excessive top-growth (and mowing chores) at the expense of root growth. This lush, succulent growth encouraged by early spring fertilization makes the plant more susceptible to insects and diseases. Plants with smaller roots are also more vulnerable to drought later in the season.

As temperatures warm during summer, growth slows down and lawns require mowing less frequently. This is known as summer dormancy. Roots can be damaged when temperatures are above 85 F. During this “summer slump,” warm-season weeds such as crabgrass and spurge can thrive because they are more competitive in warm weather.

The combination of warm temperatures and lack of moisture can cause cool-season grasses to go dormant and turn brown during dry summers. This is a very natural occurrence with cool season grasses. In most cases, the grasses haven’t died. They will green up and grow again in fall when cool weather returns and soil moisture is replenished.

Fall is the best time to fertilize lawns because the nutrients primarily support root growth. They help the plants build up reserves to get through the winter and green up in spring.

An ideal time to apply your last application, (commonly called a winterizer application) is about 2 weeks after your last mowing when the lawn goes into winter dormancy. Apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. This is one of the only times I would recommend an immediately available nitrogen source (quick release nitrogen).

Don’t over fertilize, and avoid early spring applications.

Just like people, lawns need a balanced diet, too. If you feed them too much, too little or the wrong kind of fertilizer, they won’t be healthy. With lawns, when you fertilize is just as critical.

Be sure to test your soil and adjust pH, if needed. Lawns should have a slightly acid pH, between 6.0 and 7.0. If your soil tests fall outside of this range, follow instructions for adding lime or sulfur to bring pH into this range. Rarely will you have to apply sulfur in New England as soils tend to be acidic.

Focus on fall. If phosphorus and potassium levels are adequate in the soil, nitrogen (N) is the most important nutrient for grass growth. Understanding how grass grows is important when making decisions about how much and when to apply nitrogen fertilizer.

For lawns properly fertilized the previous fall, a full application of fertilizer (1# N per 1000 sq ft) can sometimes be put off as late as Memorial Day.

Research shows that early spring applications do not really enhance spring green-up compared with late-fall applications, and the risk for later problems like disease, is far greater.

Applying a low analysis organic fertilizer, or a product like Solu-cal is a much better choice in the spring. Neither will promote excess top-growth (or clippings), and both will greatly benefit the turf and the soil. Using these products in early spring will actually help reduce summer stress and disease pressure later on.

At least 50-60 percent of the nitrogen applied to New England lawns should come between the middle of August and November for healthy green turf in spring.

Lawns that did not receive fall fertilizer applications or have suffered from winter injury may benefit from earlier spring nitrogen applications. But wait until soil temperatures have warmed to at least 55 F before applying.

Water it in. Water your lawn with a quarter to a half inch after spreading fertilizer to get the material into the ground where it can be used by plants.

Consider the source. If you are using synthetic lawn fertilizers throughout the season, use products that contain at least 40% total slow-release nitrogen. Slow-release N becomes available to the plant over a period of time depending on soil moisture, temperature and microbial activity.

Their are many different slow release N choices. The cheapest (and least consistent) is Sulfur coated urea or SCU. Other types (and more predictable) are polymers, methylene ureas and IBDU . These types tend to last longer and release more predictably. The balance of the Nitrogen in the bag is water soluble nitrogen, which is readily available for plant uptake.

In addition to supplying N over a longer period of time, slow-release nitrogen sources have a lower risk of burning plants and a lower potential to leach out of the soil. The tradeoff is that higher quality slow-release N is usually a little more expensive. The few extra pennies up front will save you much more later on. Don’t trip over a dollar, trying to save a nickel.

Natural organic fertilizers supply nitrogen in complex organic forms that are not immediately available to plants. Most require warm, moist soils for microbial activity to release the N over a period of time. Natural organic fertilizers are well-suited for applications during warm summer months when the potential for burning plants with higher-salt synthetic fertilizers is higher.

Lawns grown on mostly sandy soils should rely more on higher quality slow-release nitrogen to reduce the possibility of N leaching out of the root zone. Incorporating high quality organic fertilizers not only provides the turf essential nutrients, but the soil also. If you fertilize with a “ground up” approach, the turf will benefit greatly.

Consider different needs. High-traffic areas usually require more fertilizer than low-traffic areas. Different species of grass have different needs, too. Kentucky bluegrass, for example, requires more nitrogen than fine leaf fescues.

If bluegrass doesn’t get enough N, it is less competitive against weeds and pests. If fine leaf fescues (which normally grow slowly) get too much N, they produce lush, weak growth that is susceptible to pests.

Apply with care. The whole idea is to get the right product on the lawn at the right time. Lawn care is all about timing. I can probably be more successful using low quality products at the right time, than using the highest quality products at the wrong time. Neither is an ideal situation and should be avoided. If you can scrape by using low quality fertilizers at the right time, imagine what can happen when you use high quality products.

12 steps to lawn renovation success

Renovate your own lawn like a pro 12 steps to renovation success.

Deciding to renovate your existing lawn ,or to scrap the entire thing and start from scratch, can be a difficult decision . Usually If 50 % of the lawn is grass, then renovating the existing lawn is the way to go. If the lawn is completely overrun with weeds , or has other problems, you will have to address those first.

Late Summer and Fall are great times to germinate seed. Usually the temperatures are perfect , and you don’t have to compete with weeds and crabgrass like you do in the spring and summer. Even the best professionals have a hard time keeping these things out in the spring.

Let me make this statement before we go on. There are no magic ingredients in seeding your lawn. The closest thing to guaranteeing success is water. Moisture . That’s it.
The newly seeded area needs as much moisture as possible until germination. If you follow these steps and idealy keep the new seed from drying, you will have success.

1.Get rid of the weeds. This step will keep other species from competing with your new grass.

The most effective way to eliminate existing weeds and turf is with non-selective herbicides that contain the active ingredient glyphosate (Round-up, or one of the generic brands that is much cheaper). Other non-selective herbicides include glufosinate (Finale) or the herbicidal soap formulation Scythe. Don’t walk on the grass until the product dries on the leaves.

Most of these products will allow you to seed in 7 days or so. Read the label of whatever you are using. Make sure you don’t apply a selective lawn weed killer . Most of those will keep your seed from germinating for 3-6 weeks.

If the whole lawn is weeds, spray everything. If only a few patches exist of stubborn weeds , spray only those weeds. You will see dying and yellowing soon.

Once the weeds are dead, mow the area you are renovating down as short as you can just prior to renovating. This will ensure the seed will make soil contact.

2. Fill in any holes or low spots. Take care of holes before you replant. Now is the time to eliminate low spots and take care of other drainage problems.

3. Amend the topsoil you have left .
• Biosolid organic fertlizers are inexpensive and add organic matter to the soil
• Ph adjusting products like lime or Solu-cal to raise PH if needed
• Gypsum or Solu-cal S to help condition clay soils
• Any quality animal manure based organic fertilizer

Sandy soils can be amended by incorporating a small amount of clay or organic material to enhance water- and nutrient-holding capacity. Add high-phosphorus starter fertilizer with about 1 lb. N/1,000 square feet and/or pH modifiers such as lime or Solu-cal based on information from your soil test.

4. Pick the right grass. The species and variety you choose will depend on:
• What quality of sod you expect.
• How much work you want to do to maintain it.
• How you plan to use it.
• Sun and shade.
• Drought tolerance
• Resistance to insects and diseases.

Stay away from cheap blends of seed. The bargain from the garden store is no bargain. In this world you get what you pay for , and it is no different in grass seed.

Stay away from mixes with Annual grasses , Noxious weed content , unnamed varieties of seed , and low germination percentages. Usually any mix with the words quick , fast , contractors , and tough are products you might want to stay away from as they are usually low end. Rememeber, if it is less expensive then all the others , you probably don’t want it.

5. Prepare the soil. You need to somehow rough or prepare the soil. You can use an aerator or a slice seeder. Both of these can be rented at most rental shops. This time of year they are popular so reserve them early.

If you use an aerator , don’t be afraid to really open the lawn up. Go in 2-3 different directions when pulling plugs. Really beat the area up.

If you use a slice seeder , go half rate in 2 directions then use a spreader to go over the barest areas again to help get a uniform look.

Make sure you seed at the right rate . The larger the seed, the higher the seeding rate. Studies show that there is no benefit from seeding more than the recommended rate. Excessive seeding rates create too much competition between the seedlings. Seeding at the correct rate or slightly lower encourages tillering – lateral spreading of the grass plants. (Sometimes if conditions are less than ideal, a higher seeding rate may be justified.)

Use a rotary “spin” spreader at half of the recommended seeding rate. Then apply the seed in two different directions at right angles to each other. This assures more uniform coverage. It is also easier to be lighter and go over it twice then it is to run out of seed ¼ the way though.

If you are reseeding small patches or around mailboxes and corners, the garden weasel is a great tool. It is a very veratile tool every gardner and professional should own. It quickly roughs small areas and tight spots to allow you to make good seed to soil contact. If you don’t own one, you should .

6.Lightly rake in the seed. In the bare spots ,mix the seed and soil so that the seed is covered no more than 1/16 of an inch or so. I like to use the back edge of a plastic leaf rake without pressure to incorporate it.

7. Roll the soil. Only roll if you have a lot of bare spots as opposed to grass you renovated. Light rolling assures good seed-to-soil contact needed for the seeds to take up water and germinate. I usually don’t even fill it with water , using only the weight of the roller. It usually works fine.

8. Mulch large bare spots. Use weed-free straw or marsh hay to conserve moisture and help prevent erosion. (Avoid pasture hay as it is often loaded with weed seeds.) Other effective mulching materials include products made from wood fiber, paper pellets, and other kinds of erosion-control blankets. Products made from a combination of pelletized paper and water-absorbing gel such as PennMulch are highly effective and hold water better . They are also green , and wont require raking when done. PennMulch even has a starter fertilzer on it already.

Erosion blankets are great when you have slopes to protect. After seeding , you roll the erosion blanket out and staple it down. The grass grows right up through and the blanket decomposes. No mess and most are green also .

9. Water , water, water. New seeds and young seedlings will quickly die if allowed to dry out. Keep seedbeds moist at all times until seeds emerge. This is the single most important aspect of seeding. Water only enough to moisten the surface. Do not overwater causing runoff. Gradually reduce water after emergence to encourage deeper rooting. Once grass covers about 50-percent of the ground, the surface should be allowed to dry.

10. Fertilize. About 4-5 weeks after seeding, apply about 1 lb. N/1,000 square feet. This is the standard setting on most Fertilizer products. This will increase shoot density, color and the seedlings’ ability to withstand diseases such as rust.

11. Mow. Once more than 60 percent of the grass reaches the recommended mowing height (at least 2 to 3 inches), start mowing. Mowing encourages lateral shoot development, increases stand density and helps the turf outcompete weeds. Make sure your mower blade is sharp. Dull blades will tear young seedlings from the soil.

Once you’ve Mowed the lawn twice , it is usually safe to use weed control products again. Be careful because you may still have young seedlings that will be prone to injury.

12. ENJOY YOUR LAWN. You worked hard for it, so use it for picnics , baseball, or whatever you like. Its there to be used .

Welcome !

Welcome to Do your Own Lawncare.

My name Dave , and I have been in the professional lawncare industry for 20 years. I currently consult and sell lawncare products to professional lawncare operators & golf courses.

The Purpose of this blog is to assist you (the homeowner) in your quest for a beautiful lawn and landscape. I will attempt to debunk many common myths I encounter every day from professionals and homeowners alike. The world is filled with bad lawncare advice being dispensed from a number of sources. Unknowledgable garden center help , your neighbor , your father in law and sometimes even the man cutting your lawn.

All this does is confuse you, and you end up wasting time and money on products that wont work or you didnt need in the first place. It can be frustrating, I know.

I will also help recommend products that actually work. Most of the time , these are the same products professionals use when taking care of your lawn. Lawncare is’nt rocket science, but the right product and timing is crucial for success.

Feel free to post a comment or ask a specific question if needed, and check back often for timely updates.

Enjoy,

Dave