Question
QUESTION: we recently just had our whole lawn re seeded and aerated( sp ? ) there were spots that did not take so 2 weeks later i spot seeded and put fertilizer down on these areas .When my husband came home he couldn't believe i used all the seed and fertilizer on the spot s! I think i may have over fertilized these spots !!! What can i do , i am sick about it ? how can i tell if i did ??? help me !!!
thanking you in advance ,
tracy

ANSWER: Drenching the area that you may have overfertilized with water will effectively dilute the fertilizer and minimize the damage.  But I must point out: Tracy, this is not your fault, it is not unusual and it is something people do by accident all the time.

For future reference, chemical fertilizers are caustic powders and liquids that should be handled with care.  They do a LOT of damage no matter how responsibly they are applied and I recommend they not be used.  There are much more progressive ways to grow Grass; science has come a long way since Nitrogen Fertilizer was invented in the 1920s.

Think about it.  When you're ready to consider updating your Lawngrowing, let me know.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well i so appriciate your help . I have been drenching the areas alot , seems to have saved some of the new grass we put down . I want to cover all the patches along the driveway and along the street edge . How should i go about this ?? I just want to fill in the patches and then we will work on the overall quality of the lawn . What is the best and quickest way to fill in these "patches " ?  
Thank you !!
ANSWER: Your husband may not like this answer, Tracy, but the best thing you can do to those patches, for several reasons, is get a nice big bag of White Clover and fill them in.

Grass planted now won't have the best outlook.  The roots won't have a chance to develop before we get blazing Summertime heat.  Half the Grass Hormones will be yelling 'Hit the Floor!', trying to go dormant to endure temperatures it was not born to bear.  The other Half of the Grass Hormones will be calling out, 'Going Up!'  It won't be mature enough to go dormant.  It won't be strong enough to stay un-dormant.  It will fizzle and weaken.

Much better to sprinkle Clover Seeds in those empty spaces.  You'll keep out Weeds that way, plus each Clover plant will be pouring Nitrogen into your soil, making it exceedingly healthy for Nitrogen-hungry Grass Roots when your Grass is done with its summer nap and enters its final growth spurt before the long Winter sleep.  Mow it just like you mow the rest of your Grass.  It's worth its weight in gold.

The best thing you can do for your new Lawn, in fact, is give it rich soil to grow in.  Believe it or not, many people don't realize that.

Did you know, for example, that if you do the right things, you won't have to put Fertilizer or Grubkiller on your Lawn this Summer?

Because if your soil is rich and fertile, you simply do not need to add any more Fertilizer.  This simple understanding would have saved you a whole lot of pain and suffering last week.

Best thing you can do now: Elevate your Earthworms population.  You'll get more Birds (remember, Birds LOVE Grubs, Insects and Weed Seeds, plus they leave their own free fertilizer behind).  And you'll find your Soil is richer by the truckload when Earthworms are living there.

But that White Clover is incredible, all on its own.  It is the friendliest neighbor any Grass could ask for.  Plus it smells so nice after it rains.  You can probably pick Clover up at your local Garden Center, or you can order it from Seedland.com on the internet.

You didn't mention what kind of Grass you are growing, or where you are.  If you can i.d. it for me, I'll give you the best mowing height for that Grass.  That's a key number to know, because mowing Grass correctly will effectively wipe out any Weeds that make it halfway to the finish line.  One university test got rid of 90 percent of the weeds in the test plot just by mowing right.  I'd love to send you the details.  Let me know if you'd like to know more.





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi sorry i didnt mention our location . We live in Warwick, Rhode Island . I believe the kind of grass seed we had put down this spring ( we just bought the house in dec '06) was a mixture kentucky blue grass and somthing else? They said it was what they use on baseball fields ? does that help any ?? We have lots of weeds and clovers and even dome moss present now. I guess we cant put anything else down until next year ? as far as weed killer, turf builder or ime ?? Is that correct ?
ANSWER: Au contraire, Tracy, you SHOULD continue to take very good care of your soil and Lawn.

Liming is one of the most important things you can put down.  Pelletized Lime is an Earth-friendly way to raise your pH to Grass-pleasing 6.5 or higher.  Weeds are not comfortable in alkaline soil, which is an even better reason to get some Lime down as soon as possible.

Lime takes a VERY LONG TIME to change pH.  And you can't adjust more than an inch a year.  Don't wait on the Lime.

The Purdue University Turfgrass Research website posts lots of user-friendly instructions on Mowing your Lawn:

http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/lawn_problem_solver/maintenance/mowing.html#MowHeightFr

In your cool season part of the country, Perennial Ryegrass is what most sports fields use for things like Baseball, Football and Soccer.  Both Grasses grow strongest when mowed to 2 to 3 inches.  By mowing at 3 inches, you give them an extra boost that they will use to elbow out uninvited Weeds and Grasses.

All Clover is not alike.  What you are calling 'Clover' may in fact be Black Medic, my friend.  Black Medic is an invasive weed, as undesirable as Crabgrass and Thistle.  It does NOTHING good for your Grass.

Here's how you can tell the difference:

Black Medic: http://www.msuturfweeds.net/details/_/black_medic_29/

White Clover:
http://www.msuturfweeds.net/details/_/white_clover_28/
(note the pretty trefoil watermark on the leaves)

Yellow Wood Sorrel:
http://www.msuturfweeds.net/details/_/yellow_woodsorrel_30/

To the untrained eye, these all look like CLOVER.  But side by side, you see they can be distinguished.  They are as different as ketchup and mustard.

Moss is a problem with your soil -- drainage is very important to healthy Grass, and if you don't have it, you have Moss.  Is your soil high in Clay?  You don't need Weed Killer, Turf Builder or anything else made by Scotts -- you need ORGANIC MATTER.  Those Scotts products will take all the life out of your soil.  Remember, great Grass will never grow in poor Soil.

Somehow, though, I get the funny feeling you are going to run down to the Garden Center this weekend and pick up some Weed B Gon.

Like that Old Gardener's saying: You can lead a horse to water...



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have printed out every anawer you have given me and i promise you i will not get weed be gone !! I have been speaking to our landscaper too and he said he will be helping us out with our problem areas ! He also said lime should go down soon too ,so that makes me feel better that you agree . Its hard so many peole have different opinons and our heads are spinning !!I know we don't have white clover it has to be one of the others , by the looks of the pictures you sent ! Will the lime take care of the moss ?? some people say yes ?? What is the proper watering times for grass ? In the morning my husband turms on the back then when i leave i turn on the front both are for 30 mins . Then when he gets home at 3 pm he turns on the back and when i get home at 5 or 6 pm i hand water the sides ( which get none in the morning ) and turn the front on for another 30 mins. Is this too much or too little ???? again we hear all sorts of answers ...................thanks for helping me !!
ANSWER: Tracy, I feel so relieved after reading your post about not putting down Weed B Gon.  Pro-Green Gardeners are swimming upstream all the time, it's hard not to burn out sometimes.  Thanks for saying that.  It's so encouraging.

I understand completely that you are getting different advice from 10 different people -- that's often the case.  Plus we on AllExperts are not merely total strangers, we are not even human from where you sit!  If your other consultants were sitting here in a room with me, or if we were on a conference call together, I could talk Science to them, and at some point they would have to throw in the towel.  So since you are printing these answers, I would love to hear their argument against anything I'm telling you, because given the chance, they would never be able to defend their use of things like Weed B Gon.

Fortunately, Lime has been an age old system of sweetening soil.  Most traditional Gardeners will agree with Organic Gardeners that it is safe.  Occasionally you meet someone who gardens but doesn't know what horticultural Lime is, they think it's something you use to clean toilets, but most people are familiar with it and it is endorsed by national Organic Garden groups.  So we can breathe easier now -- you are going to lime soon!  Hallelujah!

Too bad that isn't White Clover.  Life would be so much simpler.

Let's get to your question:

What is the proper watering times for Grass?

If you water like that every day, you are asking for Fungus spores to go forth and multiply on your Lawn.  Grass has to dry out.  And it has to stay dry.  To encourage deep roots, mow at the highest recommended height for your Grass -- Roots grow longer for tall Grass.

There's a trick you'll see over and over -- place a coffee can or a tunafish can on your lawn, submerged in the Grass, and see how much water collects.  But there's a little more to it than that.

There are several things that determine your watering routine:

(i) Warm or Cool Season Grass?  Drought tolerant or Thirsty?
(ii) Weather and Climate - Rain or Sun? Hot or Cold?  Windy or Still?  Humid or Dry?
(iii) Sand or Clay or Loam?
(iv) Season (Day length) - Long or Short Days?  Cool or Hot Temps?
(v) How much Sun reaches the Grass?  How much is Shady?
(vi) Mowing height?

The goal is to put down enough water to irrigate your Lawn down 6 to 8 inches.  A soaker hose is most efficient and effective.  NEVER water in the late afternoon.  Grass needs to dry out; wet Grass sprouts Fungal spores in the dark; plus, it's the least efficient way to water -- Kansas State University Agricultural School says water evaporates under higher temps, wind and low humidity when Grass is watered in the afternoon.  See their January 2001 web posting 'Watering Your Lawn':

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/hort2/MF2059.PDF

After you water your Grass, WAIT before watering again.  If you have some extremely hot days, you can water again.  Otherwise, wait.

Regarding your question about Moss -- will Lime get rid of it -- there is something here you should know.

Moss does not have Roots.  It's a very basic plant.  It has not developed branches or a circulatory system to support them.  So it has to grow very close to the ground, spreading along the ground or on the side of trees and shrubs, avoiding sun to limit evaporation.  Since it NEEDS moisture, Moss CANNOT grow anywhere moisture is not able to build up.  This is the OPPOSITE of Grass!

So what you have is soil that is very good at collecting moisture and saving it for things like Moss.

Remove the Moss, and you still have soil that is very good at collecting moisture.  You need this like a hole in the head.

We call it Compacted Soil.  You have to fix that.  Your future Lawn depends on it.

On this, your landscaper and I will surely disagree.  See what he thinks.  Maybe we can work with that, find a middle ground.  Thanks for writing.  Down with Weed B Gon.







---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: OK, so you have been very helpful and i swear this will be the last question i ask you !
I looked closer at the clover last night and i did see the white marks on them !! So i do believe there is white clover in that lawn !! also, is it best (even though we seeded) to just water in the morning ?? The people who put down the seed said 2 times a day ??? was that just to get the seedlings going ?? We do have grass now and its getting longer and stronger everyday, so does that man we should stop watering at night ?? It would be a relief at this point i run home everynight from work and begin my ritual watering !
Thanking you in advance for all your help and advice !!

ANSWER: The Seed People were right! 2x a day is SO important for baby Grass.  Watering is the biggest mistake people make when they sow new Grass (or install Sod).  You did good!  Your stress was well spent.

But you did not say how old the Grass is now.  You have new Grass seeded by you when the other Grass was at least 2 weeks old.

Didn't they tell you when to mow first time?  How many inches is the new Grass now?  How many inches is your spot-Grass now?  I suspect you can STOP watering 2x a day and shift to 1x a day OR LESS if your Grass is now established.  Otherwise you may as well put out a sign in front, 'Welcome Fungi!'  I can already see them lining up on the curb.  Batten down the hatches!   Deadbolt the locks!  You do not want them on your Lawn.

You can ask as many questions as you like.  I am happy to answer them all.  They are clear and readable.  I don't know if you realize it, but every time you post a question, thousands of people can read it.  There are going to be all these people with the same question, reading your problem, reading my answer, and they all learn how to solve the same problem.  In fact, I can tell that some AllExperts here ALSO read my answers to you and learn a lot from them; sometimes they try to punch holes in them (I do get such a kick out of that), but much of the time they just pick up the same language and copy it right into their answers to other people!  So it's a service you are doing, not an inconvenience.  Remember that.  LOTS of other people are learning from your questions, people ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I just want to mention one more thing.  You have some hard Clay soil, from what I can tell (Moss loves Clay).  It is going to interfere with your Grass at some point.  You are going to need to add Organic Matter and make the Earthworms happy to fix that Clay now that Grass is down on top of it.  Let me know when you are ready to do that -- you are not ready yet because the Grass is still fairly new -- and I'll give you instructions.  Do not listen to the landscape guys; they will tell you to put Gypsum down to break up the Clay - that does not work for various reasons.

Nice to hear from you again and I am still very pleased you did not Weed N Feed today.  Thanks for writing.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: That's wonderful to find out the "truth" finally about our lawn from an expert !!!
In answer to your question we had the lawn aerated andseeded on April 25th , so its about 1 month old . The new grass is about 1 1/2 inces long now and mixing in well with the exisiting grass and weeds !! Do you think we should water in the morning or the evening at this point ? Which is better ? It is difficult to water everything in the morning 4 of the 7 days because we are both working very early ? I know we have a long haul ahead of us with the many different types of things growing in or yard . I can identify crab grass, clovers, dandelions and at least 4 more different kinds of weeds !
I think we will lay lime down as our next step , organic right ? any brand in paticular ?
I will also take your advice about the watering too , i had noticed you mentioned in your last reply that the grass needs to dry up, so what ever you suggest will be helpful .
We are going away for 2 weeks in july , is it ok to water a 1/2 hour in the morning front and back during that hot time of year ? I ask only because i can get my dad to water in the morning ??? I just don't want all our effort to blow away in the wind because of our vacation !
Thanks again you are very helpful!
I print out and take home your answers everynight to my husband.
Have a beautiful weekend !!

Answer
In July, even Rhode Island will be entering the HOTTEST part of the year.  Your Bluegrass/Rye (?) are going to slow down, although they won't be quite as dormant as we have here on Long Island.  Your Dad should water for an hour in the morning once every few days -- NOT DAILY.  A half hour every day is TERRIBLE!  It waters weeds (which thrive on all that moisture), it encourages shallow Grass roots (which makes them less drought tolerant) and it sets up conditions for Fungus.  Although personally I think you should not worry about Fungus because you are not putting any crap on your Grass that would wreck the natural balance in your soil -- a natural balance of GOOD Fungi that keeps BAD Fungi in check.

LOTS OF PEOPLE MAKE THAT WATERING MISTAKE!  DON'T BE ONE OF THEM!

You'll be doing yourself a favor by the way if you pick up a nice big birdbath and keep it filled with water.  Put it somewhere near a tree, somewhere you can see it in the morning.  Like I told someone else, there's nothing like sitting in the morning with your coffee watching the birds take their daily splash.  Plus they visit all day.  And look for bugs all over your Lawn.  This is how Paradise was built.

Back to your Grass and watering -- a vacation is an even better reason to build strong roots.  Mowing high will encourage deep roots -- tall Grass grows long, deep roots.  That's so important for developing Grass.  STOP WATERING EVERY DAY!  It's BAD for the Grass.

Dandelions are perennials.  What scares me about your vacation is that Dandelions need maybe 2 days to flower and seed.  IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU MOW OFTEN to keep Weeds in check.  DIG UP the Dandelions, tap root and all.  I think it's much easier than the other option, which is, Boiling Vinegar poured right on top of the leaves and down the crown.  That does not get the Tap Root so in another 2 weeks there it is again.  Repeated treatment eventually destroys it, but one nice long stab with the Dandelion Weeder and you can pull that thing out of the ground intact.

Clover is not a weed.  Not to me, anyway.  Black Medic is a Weed.  Clover is Grass's best friend.  It's WONDERFUL that you have Clover.  If possible, let it go to seed, and spread.  Keep the Clover.

For Annual Weed Seeds, which are probably in the soil as we speak, spread out a Corn Gluten Meal weed killer.  There is a brand named Concern that is probably sold in your local Garden Center.  It gets put down at the beginning of the season (as do all pre-emergent weedkillers), but it will be effective against all Crabgrass trying to sprout now.  Most Crabgrass is Annual.  Keep it from re-seeding and it will be naturally kaput by the end of the season.  Give me your Zipcode if you cannot find Concern or Corn Meal Gluten (most of the garden centers are clueless about that, they just know brand names).

Enjoy your vacation.  Hope you're going skiing.  rsvp