Question
Hello Mr. Gibbs,
  I have just this year taken over the care of my lawn, and am having a great deal of fun with it.  My question involves the dark green streaks and patches that seem to be appearing.

  This is what I have done so far.

   Mid-February - Scotts Crabgrass Preventer and Fertilizer

   Mid-March - Tested Ortho Weed-B-Gone in Back yard with good success.

  Am mowing MUCH taller than the previous lawn care person did and am much happier with the result.  I still have a TON of other broadleaf weeds floating around (plantain, clover, dandelion, etc.) and now these dark green streaks.  What are they and can I do anything about them? Or has something I have done caused it?

Answer
Hi Dan,

[01]
>>"...dark green streaks...?"

Streaks that appear darker green than surrounding areas in lawns are almost always due to excess fertilizer chemical.  Faulty spreaders and spills during application can cause this in lawns.  Check your spreader for corrosion.  Set it on a drive-way and pass some dry sand through it to see how evenly it dispense as you roll it along.  If you see excess in lines, then this is proof the streaks were caused by the spreader.

In time, the streaks should become equal green with the rest of the lawn.


[02]
>>"...I still have a TON of other broadleaf weeds...?"

Your Crabgrass Preventer is most likely not providing the best PRE-EMERGENT prevention for the type of weeds you have. AND, since WEED-B-GON provides no pre-emergent power,...any weed seeds around will just keep sprouting and you will need to keep-up with periodic spraying.

Your Crabgrass Preventer is most likely not providing the best PRE-EMERGENT prevention for the type of weeds you have.
List of seven Pre-emergent chemicals by their Brand Names may work better:
  Dimension..... Gallery.....Pennant
  Pendulum...... Surflan..... Snapshot
  Treflan
Packaged products of "PREVENTIVE WEED-and-FEED" formulas will contain these above listed brand-name chemicals.

IF you will start using a pre-emergent chemical in late fall, mid-winter and in early spring next year,....you should be able to avoid most weeds that  need cool temperatures to sprout.
Work to keep the seed-heads of weeds from seeding your lawn and you will also be doing much to get ahead of them.

Visit my lawn-care web-site and link to the weed eradication and herbicide articles for more information that may be of help to you:

http://hometown.aol.com/eilatlog/lawnol.html

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I Hope this has answered your question(s)!
Have a fantastic Summer!

Your Questions and Comments are welcome at ALLEXPERTS.com
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