Question
QUESTION: Hello Long Island Gardener,
I love the look of a nice expanse of lawn...
I'm in west islip right off montauk highway, not too close not too far from the bay, 75% of my bluegrass lawn get full sun...

Help me go organic (first child, I don't want playing in the scotts), I need a plan...
Is it too late...
The lawn is in pretty good shape, cut regularly and use a core aerator twice a year (it made the lawn look great last year) First I am adding some top soil to some low spots and am going to seed those areas (seedland ordered tonight)..
What  do I do to help that along (fertilize?) and keep the crabgrass to a minimum...
Second for the rest of the good areas I am planning on using the corn glutton, do I need to fertilize that part now or later this year...
and when can I over seed that area after putting down the corn glutton (trying to get the lawn to look very uniform)...
Do I bag my clippings or mulch, what do you recommend for a really good mulching mower if I should go that way, now I use a troy bilt 33 inch and the mulching is not that great so I bag and take it to the Islip compost facility...
when is the approx time for the corn glutton, I know to look at the yellow blooms along the parkway...
And can you reccomned a good ground cover that grows quickly and in full sunligt on a small hill next to a stream, was looking at english ivy for this area...
Thank You!
ANSWER: What a pleasure to read your question, Richard.

You've got the system down.

That Corn Gluten -- get that in the garage asap, it's almost time.  You don't want to miss that Special Day.  Those weeds won't wait.

On the topic of the CMG, that will stop your grass from germinating, so don't put that down for AT LEAST 4 to 6 weeks.  Note that you won't have to worry about fertilizing -- the CMG will decompose into slow-release, all natural, non-toxic Nitrogen, the best that money can buy.

Let's discuss mulching.

Mulching is really, really important.  To quote the Passaic County N.J. Office of Natural Resource Programs website(http://www.passaiccountynj.org/Departments/naturalresources/grasscu1.htm): "When you recycle grass clippings back into your soil, you'll return nearly two pounds of valuable Nitrogen to every thousand square feet of lawn each year."

University of California at Davis website "DON扵 BAG IT!Recycle Your Grass Clippings" (http://cecalaveras.ucdavis.edu/grass.htm) agrees: "As much as 50 percent of the N that you apply as fertilizer is removed when grass clippings are collected. Research at the University of Missouri shows that grass clippings can supply 25 percent of a lawn抯 total fertilizer needs. A study conducted by the University of Connecticut found that the N from grass clippings began showing up in the growing grass within 2 weeks. By the end of the third year of the study, researchers estimated that about one-third of the N found in grass came from previously recycled clippings."

Sounds good to me.

Lawnmower models change almost every year -- the chopping of those clippings does not have to be perfect.  Current star raters on the Consumer Reports Hit Parade are the perennial Sears Craftsman models, John Deere, Husqvarna, the $350 Troy-Bilt 12AV834Q and a few others.  Send me a Private question with your email address and I'll print the report out and email it to you.  Your Troy might be adequate -- much more important, mow dry grass, with razor sharp blades, twice a week in the fast growing season at precisely the correct height.  For Bluegrass, the Lawn Care Institute (http://www.turfgrasssod.org/lawninstitute/homelawn_programs.htm) maintains that would be 2 inches; slice and dice the blades BEFORE they get to 3 inches for a kinder, gentler cut.

I don't want to make this answer longer than it has to be but there is scientific data that says that mowing at the right height makes grass so happy and weeds so miserable you can expect a 90 percent reduction in weeds just from correctly mowing.  And to quote that Davis website again: 'When you set your mower at a higher cutting height, the grass plant produces a deep efficient root system that reduces the need for watering.  Taller mowing also helps to shade out many weeds.'  It goes without saying that you should NEVER let those weeds flower.

The high-Nitrogen Cornmeal Gluten plus those Grass Clippings will supply generous amounts of Nitrogen.  Which also enhances your grass and inhibits your weeds.

I want to mention by the way, seein that you have pointed out your Troy model, this recall information from Consumer Reports: 'Troy-Bilt and Garden Way By Troy-Bilt lawn mowers/string trimmers.

'Trimmer head, which controls cutting cord, could split and detach, posing serious injury risk to anyone nearby.

'Products: 2,800 mower/trimmers, Troy-Bilt models 52063 and 52064 and Garden Way By Troy-Bilt model 52067, sold 11/00 to 5/01 at Garden Way, Sam's Wholesalers, Ace Hardware, and Southern States stores for $300 to $430. Suspect models bear the following serial numbers: 520631204884- 520631207314, 520631500101-520631500824, 520631600101- 520631604293, 520641203058-520641204353, 520641500101- 520641500746, 520641600101-5206416,02466, and 520671500101-520671503662. Brand name appears on shield in front of engine; model and serial numbers are located on deck behind left wheel when viewed from operator's position."  So if you are storing one of these in the garage, my friend, better make plans.  They instruct these Troy owners to call Garden Way Inc. (800-282-8965) to get a free repair kit or you can order a kit at the Troy website, www.troybilt.com.'

Back to you in the studio, Richard.  Have you had your soil tested, sir?  I know, I know, it's a pain in the neck.  But it will give you all kinds of keys to your soil and what it's made of.  You would be amazed at the surprises these soil tests can bring up.  The home tests are not reliable; get a modestly priced test done at the local Cornell Coop Extension, which will provide a beautiful personalized soil analysis suitable for framing (http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/suffolk/grownet/diagnostic-forms/soiltest.pdf).  Make sure you order the Soil Nutrient Test AND the pH/Salt Test AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY so that you get a perfect, accurate reading.

All kinds of delightful surprises wait in store for you.

This testing will save you money, by the way.  You won't have to pay for anything you already have down there in your wonderful Long Island soil.

While you're waiting for the test to come back, run down to the barn next door and pick up some free Chicken and/or Horse Manure.  Pile it up and let it age for next year.  You can sprinkle that all over your beautiful Bluegrass a year from now and watch the Slugs and Earthworms feast.

Meantime, if you can find some ORGANIC compost, or if necessary if you can obtain some top dressing from Home Depot that says "Compost" or "Humus" on it, rake a little of that around your lawn.  It will take the Earthworms about 2 weeks to get that underground.  Easier than tilling, don't you agree?  Let the Earthworms do all the heavy lifting while you put another fish on the barbie.  Your first child will be so impressed.

It is time, by the way, to start a Compost Pile.  Vegetables etc. go in there, get any left over autumn leaves, any pureed grass clippings, whatever you can find, put it in a bin and compost.  It's free.  How can you not do that?  Gold from garbage.  I love it.

Groundcovers:  Great that you can be realistic about this.  Home Depot will probably charge an arm and a leg for groundcovers but you can get small, well priced, guaranteed plants from Bluestone Perennials (www.bluestoneperennials.com).  Have your wife do the shopping.  You are in Zone 7, you have a light shade (?), etc., just click on the 'custom search' box (I think that's what it's called) and fill in all the blanks, then click and they'll flash a few dozen choices with a lot of pictures.  I would like to recommend some but it really is a matter of personal preference.  I am partial Hostas; they light up the corner and they're all over the North Shore here.

Let's see... have I missed anything before I sign off here... overseeding:  Wonderful idea.  It's a secret that no one talks about.  Just don't do it too soon.  Wait for the Corn to work.  Then a few weeks later, when no one's looking, sneak out back and get the seeder out...

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

QUESTION: Just a follow up to the previous question...Laying down some top soil to fill in a large low spot, How do you recommend to do this and experience the least amount of weeds...and what type of seed...ordered Seedland ELITE Bluegrass Mix - 25 LBS. / With 40 Midnight Bluegrass   40 Per. Ryegrass   20.Red for my overseeding..would this be good for the new top soil area...

And what are you thoughts on the aeratoring...I was planning on the corn meal, wait the 4-6 weeks, aerator then seed...good, bad or just overkill...(have my own aerator)
ANSWER: With respect to your question about aerating:  The general rule is that Cool Season Grass -- Bluegrass, Fescue, etc. --- should be aerated in Fall, Warm Season Grass -- St Augustine, Bermudagrass -- should be aerated in Summer.

But what kind of aerator do you have -- the one that pokes holes in the grass, or the one that makes plugs?  Poking holes has the effect of compacting the soil.  An aerator has its place, but that depends on these other things.  And right now, no aerator is the kind to use.

I love gadgets and machinery.  I even own a Rototiller.  But using it requires compromise.  Rototilling is a subject of debate, but I am leaning to the side that says Leave the Earthworms alone, Leave the soil structure in place, less is more.  So let's agree to at least put that aerating task off for now.

The 4-6 weeks I gave you is generally accepted, but I prefer that you wait twice as long -- 7 or 8 weeks, to be on the safe side.  A lot depends on the heat we get, how quickly this breaks dfown, the rain, your own soil and microbes population.

Looks like you are getting some designer Bluegrass.  Yeah, better wait.  Sorry!

That was a lot of information to digest that I gave you.  I am impressed that you read it all and got through it so clearly.

Your topsoil fill-in sounds like a good idea, I think you have it all under control assuming of course your topsoil is weed seed freed.  What you could do in that section is pick up some clear painter's plastic sheeting at Home Depot and water the topsoil after it goes down, then cover it tight with the plastic and solarize underneath.  Anything in there will sprout and sizzle.  In a few weeks, no weedkiller necessary, you'll have pure un-adulterated topsoil that you can seed to your heart's desire.  I vote for a bag of bonemeal to mix in with that topsoil and a bag of Milorganite for Nitrogen.  Rake smooth and sprinkle.  No CMG needed.

So what kind of aerator was that?
Plugs are more effective.

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

QUESTION: Thanks for all the help so far...I ran out and picked up my soil sample kits from the Cornell Coop Extension, going to be out there this morning...Picked up some Jonathan Green Organic Weed Control at the Stables in N.Babylon (add to your list)...and The aerator I just picked up on EBAY (got sick of renting one) is a plug type (plugr) that uses the cam operation, no rolling wheel to muscle around, I do way too much reading on what is the best and easiest...

But the important question is when is the approx date for the Corn Meal, Can you put I it down a little earlier when you have 3 nice dry days coming up or should you wait and be as close as possible to the blooming forsythia bushes...

Answer
That old gardener's saying: Timing Is Everything.

And it's critical to this exercise because weed seeds germinate at different temperatures, beginning around that Forsythia benchmark.

Crabgrass usually germinates when soil temps are HIGHER 55 to 60 degrees F for a week, and keeps germinating right through summer while SOIL temps reach into the nineties.

The alarm clock for Goosegrass is a little later, around 65 degrees for WEEKS.  Yellow Foxtail 68 degrees and higher.  Barnyard Grass is even later, 72 degrees F.

You want that Corn Gluten down on time.  This is not the line for tickets at Shea Stadium.  This is cooking.  You don't put the flour in the oven just because the eggs are still being mixed with the sugar.  Put it down now, you may get lucky.  Put it down the day you think Forsythia looks about to explode, and you are insured.  It will work a little if you do it early.  It will work best if you wait.

I'm impressed with your diligence -- and really appreciate your taking the time to let me know about Stables in North Babylon.

Remember that old gardener's saying:  Good Things Come To Those Who Wait.

Keep in touch.