Fungus Fighter 5/22/2020

Comment: I’ve noticed over past few days especially after last mow yesterday yellow blades mixed in after finished mowing. I do the idiot proof plan, but was at Lowe’s and saw fungicide on sale and so thought I would be proactive this year. I applied it last Friday but now see signs of fungus that I didn’t notice last Friday. So wonder if it’s made things worse now. It was Scott’s granular with azoxystrobin. I have attached some blade picture. Maybe it hasn’t had time to work yet or maybe it’s made it develop fungus. You have fungus fighter but was too lazy to make the drive. Any thoughts? Didn’t know the chemical of your fungus fighter or if I need to give existing application more time. Just seems odd that now I have fungus when I thought I was being proactive. I don’t water at night too. Have a blue grass fescue blend and appears to be the fescue w issue. Thank you.

 

Response: I agree that what you are seeing is fungus on the fescue.  The Scott’s product is a good product, the question has always been the rate on using the Azoxystrobin.  We feel their rates are on the lower end of the manufactures recommended rates and do not post a curative rate which is double the preventative rate.  What I am saying is we feel the product should cover closer to 4k preventative and only 2K at the curative rate.  That being said it is possible the disease was breaking out last week and now is getting a little more prolific.  We would suggest you treat at the curative rate with our Fungus Fighter now and let it get rained on over this weekend. 

 

Azoxystrobin is good chemistry and it is in the rotation of products we use in Fungus Fighter.  We used it about 3 years ago.  We feel it’s important to rotate fungus controls annually.  This year the active in Fungus Fighter is Fluoxastrobin, trade name Fame.

 

Controlling fungus is a little different than controlling dandelions.  When you spray dandelions you see them wilt and go away.   When you control lawn fungus your goal is to not have it spread any further.  The blemish will only disappear when the grass grows enough to allow the damage leaf tissue to be removed with your lawn mower.

 

I doubt if your watering scheduled is to blame for this but be reluctant to irrigate too soon or too much.  The lawn’s root system will be stronger if the lawn dries out some in May.  Research has shown that roots will grow deeper in search of water if they need to.  If the water is close by they will enjoy the drink and not go looking for it.  In May and June consider watering heavily when you water and let it really dry out in between.  Setting the timer this early is fun but wait until we see frequent 90 degree days and it is sunny until 9 PM before you go into auto program mode.

 

Thank you for the question. 

 

 

Thank you,

 

-Uncle

913-764-4100

913-765-9200 fax

 

Fantastic Five for Fall Foliage

This fall, when planning your landscape designs think of these five Idiot Proof Plants for excellent multi-season color in the garden or landscape. Uncle's Idiot Proof shrubs have proven to be the most reliable, plants to use in your next landscape project. Woody shrubs can bring brilliant color to the fall season.

Burning Bush: Fire Ball a new Proven Winners introduction, has outstanding bright red fall foliage. Hardier than other varieties. Fire Ball is an improved selection of compact burning bush with tighter branching and superior hardiness.

Itea: Short N’ Sweet is a compact sweetspire. This deer-resistant plant is exceptionally hardy for the Midwest region growing to three feet tall and slightly wider. Best grown in full sun to part shade. Fragrant spires of tiny white flowers cover the shrub blooming in late spring to early summer. Oval green leaves turn shades of orange, red and purple in the fall, can be shaped and trimmed for foundations or borders.

Sumac: Tiger Eyes is a beautiful golden-leafed form of cut leaf staghorn sumac. New growth is a lively chartreuse green, quickly changing to yellow with both colors contrasting nicely with the rosy-pink leaf stems. As magnificent as the summer colors are, the dramatic effect of yellow, orange and intense scarlet in autumn are unparalleled.

Gro-Lo Fragrant sumac is excellent for slopes and banks. Reaching only three feet high and six feet wide. Both tolerating poorly drained soils as well as very dry soil.

Viburnum: Uncle's favorite Idiot Proof Plant. Many good varieties, just too many to list. A few of our most popular are the Juddi, Leatherleaf, Double-File, Eastern Snowball and Korean Spice. You can find a viburnum in all shapes and sizes to fit almost any growing conditions. Most varieties will have fragrant spring blooms in white or pink tones.

Dwarf viburnum varieties are available; however, the most common viburnum varieties will average 6'-8' high and wide. Select varieties will have a profusion of berries in fall changing to colors from flaming red, orange and purple.

Hydrangea: Many excellent varieties of hydrangea provide color in the fall. Dark green foliage turning an outstanding brick red. Bold, fragrant flowers of white, pink or blue at the ends of the branches bloom from early to mid-summer.

The spectacular red fall color makes the Oakleaf Hydrangea or Proven Winners Twist N’ Shout perfect choices for a garden or mass planting.

Fall is the perfect season for new shrub and tree installations. Plants suffer less transplant shock when planted in fall. The best plant selections for fall landscapes is available now at Grass Pad nurseries. Truckloads of fresh nursery stock arrive daily. Come on down to the Grass Pad and bring your measurements, our experienced nursery staff can help you find the right plant to fit your landscape.

Watering Heat Stressed Lawns

Lawn Alert

July 2018

Lot’s of folks have been asking if they should continue to water their brown lawns. This is what Uncle recommends.

If your lawn is looking great: You have been watering routinely, continue your normal watering cycles, and you get a gold star for staying ahead of the game. Don’t change a thing.

If your lawn is brown and toasty: You’ve been away on vacation or just couldn't find the time or money to keep ahead of the watering, it is okay to allow your lawn to go dormant in this heat. Dormancy is a good thing, that’s Mother Nature’s way of helping the grass plant to survive. An established yard can survive drought periods for a few weeks, but high heat and wind can really mess things up.

We would encourage you to water 1 to 2 inches every other week to keep the roots alive. We’re not trying to green it up, just helping the roots and crowns to survive the summer furnace blast. Water in the morning hours to help reduce evaporation. If you need to mow, mow high and try to keep foot traffic to a minimum.

Save yourself $500 water bills this month and next. You can use half of it for seed this fall and send the other half to the Royals relief fund.

5 Things You Should be doing for Summer Lawn Survival

Times can get a little hectic in the summer. Lots of things on your mind with summer vacations, holidays and kids out of school. Don't forget about the hard work you put into the lawn this spring, so here are 5 reminders to ensure your lawn's summer survival.

1. Summer weed pressure. Now is the time those ugly summer weeds will move into the lawn. Walk around your lawn and identify your weeds to determine your mode of control. Dandelions, clover, maple and elm sprouts along with other broadleaf weeds can be controlled with spot spraying using Speedzone or a granular application of Loveland Weed and Feed. If your lawn has a mix of broadleaf weeds and crabgrass, Uncle’s Q-bomb will control both weed types in one simple spray solution. Summer time is also the season for nutgrass invasions. Typically showing up in areas with poor drainage, nutgrass or yellow nutsedge can be a little more difficult to control. Uncle’s Nut Buster will control nutgrass. Nutgrass is a little slower to react while Nut Buster is being absorbed deep into the nutlets. Nutgrass tops will start to yellow and fade in 7-10 days.

2. Summer lawn food. If it’s been more than a month since you fed the lawn, it may be time to give it a little summer boost. Uncle's Green Love  the ideal summer lawn fertilizer. Slow release formula containing iron, will not burn plants, and will green up your lawn fast and not make it grow six inches a week. Providing iron will keep grass deep dark green for a long time. Green Love contains organically complex iron and won't discolor concrete.

3. Summer Critter Gitters. Summer is for more family time on the patio and in the yard. Control chiggers, ticks, fleas and ants using liquid Cyanora around the lawn and spraying up onto the house will help to control a broad spectrum of biting insects. If you have butterfly gardens nearby, use granular Critter Gitter on the lawn and water it in. This will help to prevent any overspray into the flower bed because not all bugs are bad. 

July is also the time to apply Long Lasting Grub Control into the lawn. Absorbed by the roots of the grass plant, Long Lasting Grub Control will protect your lawn from damaging white grubs during their hatch this fall. Mama and Papa June bug are making babies now and soon those eggs will hatch into hungry baby grubs. Baby grubs are voracious and feed on yummy grass roots.

4. Summer Turf Fungus. Frequent night time rains and high humidity this summer create ideal situations for brown patch and other turf diseases. Early application of Fungus Fighter is your best defense against disease, but sometimes it gets missed and you will need a curative application. Fungus Fighter will not turn a brown lawn green, but it will keep the disease in check, preventing it from spreading. Remember, you will need to reapply Fungus Fighter about every 21-28 days to maintain control. 

5. Shade Grass. In those established lawns with heavy shade, summer months are the time to deep water those areas. Big trees will use up much-needed water from your soil, leaving less water for your grass. Re-seeding shaded areas with additional Premium Shade Mix will help fight weed pressure.

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Kansas City is in Horticultural Drought

Agricultural droughts that impact the 3.4 billion-dollar Kansas wheat harvest will gain national media coverage globally, but when we have a drought that effects our lawns and landscapes, it can frequently be overlooked until we realize it is impacting our own homes. Right now, in Kansas City, we are on the verge of seeing damage to lawns and recently planted landscapes that have not occurred in decades according to Jerry Moore of the Grass Pad in Olathe Kansas. “I went into this business 40 plus years ago and had never seen lawns this brown in May”. “Grass looks like it normally does in August and it is still May.” According to the latest data from Eric Luebehusen, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture most of Kansas continues to be in moderate to severe drought with extreme drought in southwest Kansas.

When grass turns brown like this, it allows sunlight to get to the soil and dry it out even faster. The sun will cause our weed preventers to fail, and crabgrass and foxtail will appear earlier this year than usual. When lawns have crabgrass and foxtail epidemics that last more than the typical month of August the desirable grasses are crowded out, and the fall frost will leave the yard bare and susceptible to soil erosion over the winter.

Trees and shrubs planted in the last 3 to 5 years are at risk as well. According to the Morton Arboretum during times of drought like this, the young roots of trees and shrubs are killed outright. The soil becomes hard and compact in the top 1 to 2 feet where the roots live. Plants like trees, shrubs, groundcovers and especially evergreens without adequate watering will suffer much. Massive plant loss is likely if it does not begin to rain. Add these conditions to the increased planting Kansas City has seen recently with the current Real Estate boom these losses will add up to millions of dollars in damage and loss.

People should be diligent about watering their lawns and landscapes. The soil should be saturated at least 12 inches deep. Trees that have been planted in the last five years will not have developed a root system extensive enough to withstand a drought that could go on for six months or more.

Insects, as well as weeds, thrive in these conditions. Ants, fleas, and ticks love dry conditions and will reproduce unharmed by typical spring rainstorms that have missed us. Pets and people should be monitored closely as last weeks warm weather will trigger the hatch cycles of most all pests.

Today is May Day. Is it too late to over seed my yard?

Today’s lawn problem needs attention today. Waiting for August merely is not acceptable. Killing dandelions and henbit today will leave bare areas for crabgrass to move in this summer and when the crabgrass dies this winter, the dandelions and henbit move back in for the spring. It’s a vicious cycle, and the only thing that will stop the cycle is to keep grass growing in those bare spots. No bare spots no weeds. 

Longer daylight hours, and gradually warming soil temperatures have started to green up area lawns and golf courses. Hazy brown turf is turning bright green as new grass shoots pop out of the ground in response to the first spring fertilizer treatment.

Thin areas and bare spots show up quickly as the rest of the lawn begins to turn green. Winter injury to newly seeded areas is apparent. Dead crabgrass and foxtail form brown patches and bare spots in the otherwise green turf. Heavily shaded areas look particularly forlorn and muddy.

Question of the week. Can I seed my lawn today? The answer is almost always, YES! Grass Pad customers have been successful in seeding twelve months of the year. Every year and every season brings a new challenge when it comes to overseeding, and if you have reasonable expectations when you seed your lawn in May, you can be successful.

Reasonable expectations. If the coming summer is as wet as the last three, then there is an excellent chance the majority of your spring seeding will survive the summer with routine watering. If the weather pattern changes and we get high heat, blowing wind and no rainfall for extended periods, even the most drought tolerant grass seed will have a tough time surviving without a mature root system.

The good news is that Mother Nature wants to give you some help in greening up your lawn and filling in those unsightly bare spots. Grass plants have a biological clock and will begin to sprout and fill as the weather warms. The bad news is that ordinary lawn weeds will also start as fast

Weed control problems can create an interruption in spring seeding. But patience and timing will help guaranteed success. If broadleaf weeds are a severe problem, treat before starting to seed. Liquid weed control products containing Trimec or Speedzone do an excellent job for spot treatment or granular Loveland Weed and Feed for large areas.

Wait five days after broadleaf weed treatments and then begin your seeding program. Although some seed may be lost by seeding so quickly, the higher risk is summer’s approaching hot weather.

Eliminate crabgrass when overseeding in early May by applying Tupersan, a seed safe pre-emergent, and Golf Course Starter the same day. Once the seed has germinated and has grown tall enough to have been mowed twice, apply Prevent for season-long crabgrass control.

How long do I wait to seed after applying Prevent? Overseeding is not an option after you have applied Prevent. However, you can be successful seeding small bare spot areas using Uncle's Seed Sandwich technique, using a layer of PrimeraFC as an insulator above the Prevent barrier.

Healthy Lawns for a Healthy Earth

Uncle says that the bottled water at the gas station is more expensive than the gasoline.  We but water tanks, water filters, water jugs and water piks.  We get our water boiled, distilled, chlorinated, oxidized and brewed.  Home, health, and industry depend on clean water.  But we overlook Mother Nature’s most important water filter.  We even walk all over it.

   

Thousands of billions of grass plants protect our earth and filter our groundwater.  In an average 10,000 square foot lawn, there are 8 million individual grass plants.  These tightly growing grass leaves are responsible for the photosynthesis that makes the grass plant grow, and in the process, they exchange the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for clean, pure oxygen.

   

Also, the tightly knit grass carpet traps urban air pollutants so that they are not recycled into the atmosphere.  The worst of these include ozone, hydrogen fluoride, sulfur dioxide and peroxyacetyl nitrate.  They are all absorbed, recycled, and made harmless by transformation of turfgrass.  Science has no filter as efficient as grass.

   

Below ground grassroots are even more impressive.  A single grass plant can generate millions of individual roots that weave miles of individual fibers.  Multiplied by 8 million plants, this forms a massive underground filter which traps and digests atmospheric pollutants.

   

This root mass is home to billions of microorganisms which work together to build up the humus and soil fertility and reduce carbon dioxide.  This complex organic system transforms lawn fertilizers and herbicides into healthy plants and good organic matter.  It is grass that filters our groundwater and regenerates the deep black soils so prized by gardeners.  The thick black soils of the world are found in our prairies, not in our rain forests.

See Related: Healthy Lawn Contributes to Cleaner Water

   

The rain that falls on the streets and parking lots of our cities quickly runs off to rivers and streams.  This runoff is not filtered by urban lawns but carries with it vehicle and industrial residue.  In the United States, there are some 40 million acres of turfgrass.  Each acre captures an average of 600,000 gallons of groundwater recharge every year.  In modern urban design, if we want more clean water, we need more healthy green grass.

See Related: Tell the True Story About Turf - 5 Myths Busted

The Emperors of China and Rome, the Mayans, and the Aztecs, the ancient Persians, the Kings of England and France, all valued turfgrass in the design of their cities and palaces.  Some modern architects and urban planners have forgotten these ancient lessons. Today there is a misguided notion that cities need more concrete and less grass. They need a little more science.  They also need to talk to more eight-year-olds. When its time to play ball, everyone would rather play on grass.

See Related: Lawn and Turfgrass Facts

Painting your Landscape for Summer Color

This is Uncle Nature’s favorite time of year! Taxes are done, robins are singing, and it’s time to paint up the landscape. A flat of annual flowers costs less than a gallon of paint and will give you bright colors all summer long.

Got Sun? Angelonia, Bronze Leaf Begonia, Celosia, Dusty Miller, Salvia, Marigold, Petunia, Lantana, Vinca and Zinnias all love lots of sun. New varieties of Sun Coleus with large fancy leaves and beautiful contrasting colors are excellent for garden beds or containers. In sunny and dry spots in your garden add Uncle’s Max Mix to the soil to help maintain moisture.

Got Shade? No problem. Alyssum, Green Leaf Begonia, Coleus, Impatiens, Lobelia, Pansy, and Snapdragons all will thrive in shade. In shady areas, make sure the soil will not waterlog in wet weather. Raise the soil surface by amending with one third Max Mix for season-long results.

See Related: Grass Pad Flower Markets

Spikes of violet angelonia bordering a bed of yellow zinnia. The use of complimentary colors is a real eye catcher. 

If there is one big mistake gardeners make first time out, it’s skimping on the width of their beds. Make your flower beds wide enough to add flowering shrubs, ornamental grass or even small flowering trees. Wider beds at least five to six feet wide are more attractive and give you more planting opportunities for that lush, layered look you’re after

A bed of red sun coleus blending orange zinnias to yellow African Marigolds. Ornamental grass makes an outstanding perennial backdrop for feature gardens.

Uncle’s Tip: The closer together, the better they look! Have you ever admired the beautiful annual beds created by professional landscapers around commercial properties? You too can have those same results. Annuals planted too far apart take all season to grow together in the bed. Plants 4” to 6” apart fill in quickly and will make you a hero.

Yellow lantana, orange zinnia and red sun coleus are a triad of complimenting colors. Shenandoah red switch grass makes an excellent backdrop.

Help them to grow, amend the soil with Max Mix, get those roots going with Uncle’s Root Accelerator and use Pine Bark mulch. Idiot Proof gardeners that are both lazy and smart keep the weeds out of their mulch beds with Grass Pad Garden Weed Preventer for the special magic, use Uncle’s all season slow-release garden fertilizer. Make a family event of it! Annuals are inexpensive, easy, and fun. Get to the Grass Pad Flower Market and make it happen. Bring your dimensions, and our Green Team will help you fill it up.

Click this Link to Download Planting Quantity Chart

First Week in March: What You Should Be Doing In Your Lawn

It's been a dry winter and lawns are toasty brown. Grass blades have been frozen by winter temperatures and burned by winter sun. These old dried blades do not recover. In time they will be replaced by fresh green growth sprouting from the crowns and root system of the existing grass plant.

Every Spring Mother Nature gives plant life a chance to start over. The winter season has been a long time out. It's the first weekend in March and now there is a chance to begin anew. Gardener’s and home owners can't make Spring come one day sooner, but they can be prepared for an early start.

Uncle's Early Spring tips: 

1. First, mow the lawn short: Lower your mower deck one or two notches. Being careful not to scalp your lawn. Pick up the grass clippings and remove any winter trash. This low mow will cut off the brown winter grass blades and open up the soil to the warm spring sunlight. 
2. Second, give the lawn a booster shot of spring fertilizer. Golf Course Starter or Loveland Renovator formula will start the rejuvenation process four weeks early and help lawns thicken and fill in ahead of summer weeds and hot weather. 
3. Third, over seed any bare spots larger than a salad plate with fresh clean lawn seed and top dress with PrimeraFC top dressing or sphagnum peat. Avoid seed blends that contain coarse bladed annual rye grass or ugly field fescue; and do not use top soil to top dress weed free Grass Pad grass seed. Top soil will contain coarse weed and sedge seed. 
4. Fourth, water when you are able. Winter has had below average moisture. Surface conditions are extremely dry for turf. Water deep once or twice per week till normal spring rains arrive.

See Related: Tips on Spring Over Seeding

Spring thawing and frost heaves open up cracks in the soil that let in air and moisture. These cracks make March an ideal time to apply seed, fertilizer, lawn calcium and lime. Shady areas have been hit hard this winter and are ideal for mixes like Macho Mix or Estate Mix, If you have a house or rental property that needs a make over in the front yard look for a sports field rye blend like Stadium Special. This is real first aid for distressed real estate or a play area where kids and dogs have torn up the play field. Both fescue and bluegrass lawns may be over seeded now. But don't fiddle; new grass plants need an early start to be ready for hot weather.

Uncle's Rant: My Irish Uncle taught me a thing or two about thrift. He said keep your money in the mattress and always buy grass seed by the pound. READ THE LABEL! some seed bags are now only half full with grass seed, the rest is magic dust from the Leprechauns and Fairies. Uncle says this is like pouring water in the whiskey jug and calling it “Jack Daniels.” Homeowners should read the analysis label and only pay for the real grass seed. Recommended coverage is often so much blarney. Mother Nature puts the magic in the grass seed, the inert matter is just expensive dust.

See Related: When to apply PREVENT for crabgrass.

Uncle’s Secret for Crabgrass Control

Uncle’s secret to crabgrass control isn’t really a secret. Uncle has been telling us since we were knee high to a grasshopper. After fifty years’ experience in sod production, Uncle knows a little about killing crabgrass and when Uncle spoke our customers listened. Uncle’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care begins in spring with an understanding there are two different categories of weeds to deal with in your lawn and each requires a different manner of control. Furthermore, understanding routine, timely feedings not only keep the lawn green but keep it thick and aggressive to fight off weed pressure and disease.

Annual grassy weeds, like crabgrass, foxtail and goose grass germinate each spring from seed. Low growing and prostrate to the ground forcing out weak and summer stressed turf grasses for prime real estate in your lawn. Annual grassy weeds die at first hard frost leaving behind bare spots and seeds for the next generation of weeds.

Preventing crabgrass and other annual grassy weeds start now with an application of PREVENT® before the soil warms and crabgrass seeds start to germinate. PREVENT®, when activated, creates a barrier on the soil to kill crabgrass seeds before they mature. In addition, PREVENT® contains a combination of slow and fast release turf food for spring & summer green up.

The real secret to crabgrass control is using two applications of PREVENT®. Uncle’s two application PREVENT® formula extends crabgrass control through heavy spring rains and dry, hot summers while one step formulas simply breakdown and fade away. They didn’t need to tell Uncle, but University testing has shown that two application pre-emergent formulas outperform one application formulas under Kansas and Missouri weather conditions.

Spread the first application of PREVENT® in Mid-March to Mid-April. The second application of PREVENT®, works as a booster shot, going down in late May to early June. For the best results always apply ½” of water within 48 hours after application. 

Mow or Let it Go? Six Tips on Mowing During the Rainy Season

The cool spring season with plenty of rain and Uncle's Idiot Proof Program have Blue Wave bluegrass and Heat Wave fescue lawns growing like crazy. It's easy to fall behind on mowing schedules when it's raining every day. When the grass is wet and the soil is saturated, should you mow or just let it go? 

1. Be Patient

Excess water in the soil essentially pushes oxygen out of the soil. Without oxygen plant growth will stop until oxygen can be replaced. Be patient with an extremely soggy lawn and give the wettest areas a little time to drain and grass blades time to dry before mowing. Use your best judgement, you know the spots that hold water and those that drain well. A sunny south or west facing yard may need only one good afternoon to dry out and an east or north protected area may take a few days. 
Wet soil is easily compacted. Mowing or even walking over saturated soil can cause compaction problems making it difficult for grass to grow.

2. Use a Sharp Blade

When it does dry out enough to mow, we cannot stress how important it is to use a sharp blade on your mower. Sharp mower blades make mowing so much easier. They give a better-looking finish cut and cause less stress on the grass plant.

Keep two and swap them out every 8 to 10 hours.

3. Don't Cut More Than 1/3

If you fall behind on mowing and the grass gets too tall, on your initial cut, raise the mower deck two notches, then wait a few days and cut it again at one notch lower. Wait a few more days, then cut at your original setting. Removing too much leaf can stress the plant and turn it yellow.

Once you're back to a regular schedule, set your height and leave it. Cutting at 3.5 - 4 inches will shade the soil keeping the roots cool in summer and help fight weed pressure.

4. Don't Leave Heavy Clippings

We all prefer to mulch mow. Mulch mowing is easier and beneficial, but at certain times bagging your grass clippings is a necessity. Cutting an overgrown lawn is one of those times. Heavy clippings left over the top will smother and yellow the grass plant. If you don't have a bagging mower, then do it the old fashion way and rake up the clippings.

5. Clean the Mower

Cleaning is a must if you want to keep Mama happy. Store a wet mower in the garage without cleaning the deck and in two days your garage will smell like a compost pile. Eventually, you will need to clean the deck, and it's a lot easier to clean before the grass mulch dries into a brick. Take the mower to an out of the way spot in the lawn, tilt it back and wash it out with the garden hose. Some of the new models have a hose attachment on the mower deck for clean out. Remember to remove the heavy clippings from the lawn to avoid smothering your grass.

Avoid washing it out on the driveway to keep grass clippings out of the storm drains.

6. PREVENT!  Booster Shot

Excessive rainfall will break down the weed barrier created by PREVENT! Step #1, leading to crabgrass breakthrough by fall. A second application of PREVENT!, crabgrass pre-emergence plus fertilizer, extends crabgrass control through the summer and gives a booster shot of nitrogen that has been leached from the soil by heavy rainfall.

Idiot Proof Indoor Seed Starting

Gardening can be fun and educational for the whole family, plus you get tomatoes! Gardening can be that break you need from the hustle and bustle of the work week. Gardening can be that connection you were looking for, to get your child away from the X-Box. Dropping a seed in some dirt can do miracles for your health, family and your pocketbook.

In the beginning, you might feel overwhelmed by the plethora of gardening catalogs and websites, so it’s best to start by trial and error. Here are a few idiot-proof tips for starting seeds indoors that will boost the beginning gardener’s success rate and confidence.

Dig In!

The simple tools you will need to get started are seed packs, trays, starting pots, starting mix, watering can, labels, and a marking pen.

Begin by making your seed selections early, come to the Grass Pad and wander through the thousands of new and heirloom vegetable and flower seed packs. Feel free to bring mail order catalogs along for ideas and compare prices. Things to ponder, how much area will you be planting? And do you have full sun or shade areas?

Seed Selection

Don’t use old seed. The older seeds become, the less likely to sprout they are. Always look on the back of the pack for the “sell by date”, planting depth, spacing, sunlight, maturity dates and gardening tips for each variety. At Grass Pad, we receive fresh shipments of flower and garden seed packs at the beginning of each season and continue to refresh our seed racks regularly throughout the seasons.

Strategy

Planting times are not the same for all plants. Using information from your seed packs to determine the germination time, weeks to transplanting outdoors, and weeks to maturity.

Seedlings can be transferred outdoors when the temperatures warm enough to support them. Starting seeds too early, you may need to“shift up” – or transfer the baby plants to larger pots to allow for more root growth.

Pick your Pot

You can start seeds in open trays, in individual plastic packs, or in peat pots. Individual containers are best, because the less you disturb baby roots, the better. Some containers, such as peat pots, transplant right into the garden with the plant during transplanting. Plastic pots must be removed before transplanting.

Use Seed Starting Mix

Pro-Mix™ seed-starting mix is best for starting seeds indoors. Avoid potting soils with fertilizers – these are meant for mature plants and may do more harm than good for starting seeds. Pro-Mix™ seed starting mix contains Mycorise Pro™, beneficial organic fungi found naturally in soil, improving plant survivability after transplanting into garden soil. Also Pro-Mix™ contains a wetting agent to help the peat to hold moisture.

Don’t Over Water 

Before you plant the seeds in Pro-Mix™ seed starting mix, moisten the mix with water to reach the right amount of moisture. Soil should be damp, but not too soggy. Seeds need to be in contact with moist soil to germinate, but too much water will kill your efforts. Covering the pots or tray after planting with clear plastic or dome will help to maintain consistent moisture level.The covering should not be sealed tight. Water only when necessary, when the soil is dry and seedlings wilting. Using peat pots in an open tray for watering from the bottom up will make idiot proof watering. Pour water into the tray bottom and wait for peat pots to soak up enough water so the top soil is moistened then drain the extra.

Avoid Leggy Plants

Warmth is needed to stimulate the seeds to sprout. Additional heat, using a heat mat, under your trays will keep soil mix consistently warm. Once the seedling puts pops up from the soil, light and warmth are critical. The ideal temperature will depend on what you are growing, but all plants need adequate light to grow. Baby seedlings will grow quickly to the light source, and if the light is not bright enough, the stems will stretch and grow in an unhealthy way.

Give your seeds 12 - 16 hours of light daily. Providing adequate light is the best way to avoid leggy plants. You could get extra light by setting plants near the south window. Another option would be to build an outdoor cold frame or to use grow lights. Cold frames may not be for the beginner. If you see the seedlings are becoming leggier than they should, you can shift them up by transplanting the seedlings deeper into a larger pot, to bury most of the stem. Or, start a second batch.

Be Kind 

The process of acclimating the seedlings to the outdoors is critical. Transplant shock can cause issues, stunted or slow growth and even plant death can occur. Hardening off your seedlings when the outside temperatures are mild enough for the plant you are growing is essential to their survival. Seedlings started indoors have a sheltered environment, so to begin with, they need just a few hours of outdoor conditions, protected from the wind and direct sunlight. Bring them in at night.

Over the next few weeks, increase their exposure to direct sunlight, the wind, and rain. Gradually decrease water. Once your plants spent an entire day and night outdoors, they are ready to plant in prepared garden beds.

Five Tips on How to Treat Your Summer Lawn During High Heat

Cool season grasses, like bluegrass and fescue grasses may soon go dormant as a result of recent high heat. Here are five tips on how to treat your lawn during high heat and summertime stress.

1. Minimize wear and traffic. Mowing stressed turf can cause damage to turf. Mow when the turf needs it -- not as a scheduled routine practice.
2. Mow higher than normal. Taller grass plants provide protection to the crown and shade the soil surface, reducing moisture loss.
3. Keep your mower blade sharp. A dull blade rips and pulls the grass blades, leaving ragged tears that both weaken the plant and promote fungal growth and other grass diseases. Blades should be sharpened at least twice a year.
4. Keep grass clippings on the lawn, rather than bagging them.
5. Water your lawn deeply – rather than frequently – to promote healthier roots. This helps lawns be more drought-resistant.

Excessive Spring Rains Bring Crabgrass and Nutgrass

Every year a lawn maintenance program needs a little adjustment. Some years are too dry; some years are too wet. This year has been just plain soggy. Spring grass plants are lush and green, and lawn mowers are working overtime. Ducks and crawdads like this sort of weather, but once summer weather heats up there will be a price to pay. Excessive spring rains will bring two very predictable summer problems: crabgrass and nutgrass.

Crabgrass Booster Shot
Annual summertime grass weeds like crabgrass, goosegrass and foxtail will sprout aggressively in water logged soils. The same May rains that made lawns so nice and green in the spring will break down the effectiveness of early spring crabgrass preventers. Areas around driveways, sidewalks and patios are particularly prone to this problem. Concrete surfaces absorb and intensifies summer heat and make a natural incubator for hot weather weeds along its edges.

Related: Uncle's Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program

Heavy rain dilutes the crabgrass pre-emergence barrier applied in early spring. Then, the first week of hot June weather prompts weeds like crabgrass and foxtail to sprout and begin their annual invasion of green summer lawns. Step #3 PREVENT!, crabgrass preventer, applied in late May to early June provides a booster shot to extend weed control and prevent crabgrass all summer long.

Gardens and flower beds have the same problem. Well tended beds fall victim to an invasion of aggressive summertime weeds. Garden weed preventers applied in early spring are simply overwhelmed by extreme spring rains. For best results, three booster applications spaced six to eight weeks apart will keep gardens and landscape beds clean all summer long.

Related: Uncle's Q-Bomb Post Emergent Crabgrass Control

Nutgrass Control
Nutgrass is a common problem in summer lawns, even after an average spring. Nutgrass is not controlled by crabgrass pre-emergence. Nutgrass plants can regenerate from small nutlets formed on their root system under the soil surface. These nutlets go unharmed by pre-emergent and traditional contact weed controls, making nutsedge difficult to control.

Nutgrass or nutsedge has triangular stems with leaves that branch out in three different directions. Light green to yellow in color, nutsedge grows quickly in spring and summer, outgrowing grass in just a couple of days after mowing.

Uncle's Nut Buster, when used with Spreader Sticker, is the most effective control for nutgrass in the home lawn. Spreader Sticker, a non-ionic surfactant, holds the herbicide to the waxy leaf of the nutgrass. Be patient and allow the herbicide to stay on the nutgrass leaf 48 hours before mowing or watering. Give the plant plenty of time to draw Uncle's Nut Buster deep into the root system and translocate into the nutlet for best control.


Timing is everything, and early control is best. Nutgrass plants allowed to mature will stress when treated, stimulating more nutlets to sprout. However; be persistent and continue to spray the new plants as they emerge, and you will be victorious. Avoid pulling the nutgrass plant by hand. Pulling nutgrass will stress the plant and stimulate even more nutlets to sprout.

See Also: Fungus Fighter Turf Disease Control

Idiot Proof Tips to Keep Grass Growing Under Shade Trees

5 Idiot-Proof Tips to Keep Grass Growing Under Trees. 

1. Improve sunlight! Intensity and duration of quality light reaching the grass plant is important. The more time the grass plant has in full sunlight, the better it will perform. Pruning lower branches to raise the canopy will increase full sun exposure and allow more wind circulation helping to reduce humid conditions that can stimulate turf disease. Shaded areas with restricted air movement may require treatment with Fungus Fighters to maintain a healthy turf.

2. Traffic Management! Shade stressed grass plants are less tolerant of heavy wear. Traffic management may be required. Active dog runs along shaded fence areas may require physical barriers to alter their traffic patterns. A runway of mulch along the fence could be your best option for large active canines.

3. Use the Best Grass Seed! Uncle's Premium Shade grass seed is the ideal blend of elite grass seed varieties with lower water and nutrient requirements showing improved shade tolerance and increased disease resistance. Reseed shady areas three times a year (spring, summer, and fall) rotating youthful, vigorous, low light tolerant grass plants into the maturing turf stand.

4. Deep Water Shade Areas! In the spring, with frequent rains, the shade tree and grass are good neighbors, plenty of moisture for everyone. However, when spring rains stop and summer heat sets in, the trees get very unfriendly. A large shade tree can use hundreds of gallons of water a day leaving very little moisture for turf grass. Discourage turf disease in summer with heavy but infrequent waterings to reduce wet foliage. 

5. Release Compaction! Condition the soil under your shade trees. Increase the soils water holding capacity and improve drainage by core aerating and raking PrimeraFC field conditioner into the aeration holes. PrimeraFC is a natural porous ceramic granule having incredible air and water holding capacity. PrimeraFC helps to relieve compaction and improve drainage when incorporated into the soil

What about large tree roots?

Unchecked over the years, soil erosion, can expose shallow tree roots. Bare soil erodes quickly with no grass roots to hold soil in place. Top soil can be hauled in to cover exposed roots, but too much soils can be damaging for the tree. Gasses must pass from the air to the roots and from the roots back to the air. Too much, soil pack can create real problems for the tree so, be careful! Some surface roots can also be removed. Large surface roots are more for anchorage and with expert help, you may be able to remove a few. Always contact an arborist for advice on removing tree roots.

If all else fails, start a shade garden. Hosta, astilbe, hydrangea love the shade.

Related: Best Shade Tolerant Perennials

Beginner's Guide to Idiot Proof Lawn

Are you a new homeowner eager for the satisfaction of working on your own lawn or maybe you're just not happy with your existing lawn service and ready to do-it-yourself? Taking care of that first lawn is a lot like changing a diaper for the first time. It can be a little intimidating, sometimes overwhelming and even a little messy, but once you get a little practice you eventually figure it out. Dealing with turf grass and weeds takes practice and with the help from Grass Pad’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program you’ll get it figured out faster than a Huggies Pull Up.

It’s April already, where do I start? The beginner’s guide to Grass Pad’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program starts with recognizing two different types of weeds we deal with in the mid-west and how to control those weeds. In addition, the relationship between those weeds, bare spots, and healthy turf grass.

Annual grassy weeds, like crabgrass and foxtail germinate from seed each spring. Low growing and prostrate to the ground forcing out weak, and summer stressed turfgrass for prime real estate in your front yard. Annual grassy weeds form seed heads in late summer then die at first frost leaving bare spots for winter hardy broadleaf weeds to move in and take hold. Allowing plenty of room for the next generation of grassy weed seeds to sprout next spring.

Control annual grassy weeds with Grass Pad PREVENT.  Preventing crabgrass starts in early spring before the soils start to warm, and dormant crabgrass seeds germinate. Apply PREVENT In Mid-March to Mid-April and again in Late May to early June. Grass Pad’s two application pre-emergent formula has been tested and proven to outperform other one-step pre-emergent formulas available at box stores and hardware stores. PREVENT contains slow-release spring turf food for green up plus crabgrass preventer. Apply ½” of water within 48 hours after application. A vapor barrier is created at soil level, controlling ugly summer grassy weeds before they emerge.

Related: Start Early to Prevent Crabgrass 

Broadleaf weeds, like dandelions, henbit, and plantain will survive the winter and are not controlled by PREVENT.  As soils warm in spring, broadleaf weeds fill in and stretch out in those same bare spots left by dead crabgrass. By eliminating crabgrass in spring, you will reduce the broadleaf weed invasion in the fall.

Control broadleaf weeds with Grass Pad WEED and FEED. Uncle calls them “the salad bar” weeds, having wide leaves make them an easy target for granular WEED and FEED, a professional strength broadleaf weed herbicide plus turf food. For best results, apply anytime April to June as needed, on a sunny day when temperatures are above 70°. Apply over a wet lawn or a morning dew. Do not apply if rain expected within 48 hours and no mowing 48 hours before or after application.

Related: Control Broadleaf Weeds in Cool Weather

A wise man once said, “Weeds don’t make a lawn bad, bad lawns make weeds.” Think about that statement and let it sink in, and it is precisely the truth. Weeds can only move into a lawn if there is room for the weed seeds to grow and spread. The best weed preventer for your lawn is thick, healthy vigorous grass. Eliminate the bare spots, and you will eliminate the weeds. The secret to an idiot proof lawn is to start early and get good turf grasses to fill the bare spots before the weeds do.

Related: Spring Spot Seeding and Preventing Crabgrass

 Grass Pad makes lawn care idiot proof. If you want your lawn to be thick, lush, and green with fewer weeds follow the Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program. Each application is formulated to help eliminate weeds and encourage healthy vigorous turf grass to resist weed pressure. 

Come on down to the Grass Pad and let our Green Shirt Team show you how Uncle’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program will make lawn care quick and easy. We’ve got all the tools to help you to be successful in maintaining a healthy lawn. You can’t screw it up; even your husband can do it.