Question
Hi,
I live in queens NY. My lawn has started off very green and lush this year and now it has all these big weeds growing through out it and now I am starting to see two areas that have turned yellow. I had my husband apply summerguard about two weeks ago hoping that it would help.  This yard has been through so much in the past couple of years and I have finally gotten it to start to look like something. Please tell me what can I do to get rid of the weeds and yellowing. I even notice that my front lawn that never had a problem is starting to yellow. Thanks much.

Answer
First things first: 'This yard has been through so much in the past couple of years...'  Can you tell me what you mean by that?

Next, I have to point this out to you: Most Crabgrass is ANNUAL.  That means that if you stop it from setting seed this year, mowing it 2 or 3 times a week at the right height for your Grass, the Crabgrass here today will be gone tomorrow.  This is a temporary problem.  It is easy to fix.  Just be patient and it will fix itself.  But you hav to mow and NEVER let the Crabgrass flower or set seed.

'Summerguard' is unfortunately a case of doing more harm than good.  The main ingredient in Scotts Summerguard -- Bifenthrin --  tightly binds to particles in your Soil when you apply it, and stays there.  It kills Chinchbugs, Ants, Billbugs, Fleas, Grasshoppers, Spiders, Ticks and lots of other insects we love to hate.  It also kills a lot of insects that we need.  And what are your local Birds going to eat for breakfast if you wipe out their protein source?

The best thing you can do for your Lawn right now: Get a Soil Test.  Bet you've never done that before!  This is just what the doctor ordered for you to grow a thick, Green, beautiful Lawn.  A Soil Test won't just tell you how to CORRECT your Soil.  It will SAVE YOU MONEY.  Because if you don't need certain minerals in your Soil, if you have enough of this and that, you never need to throw money out the window buying them.  This is a cheap test run by Cornell soil scientists, who test your Grass for a VERY modest fee:

http://www.css.cornell.edu/soiltest/Soiltest.html

Now, please go order that test, follow the directions for sampling VERY CAREFULLY and then come back and tell me what your Lawn went through last year.  This is an easy problem to fix.  Very typical, too.  And the perfect time of year to work on your Lawn. Thanks for writing.