QuestionHi Jim! I built my home 8 yrs and am just getting around to improving my lawn in upstate NY. I currently mow approximately 3 acres that was originally farm land. When purchased it was planted with a Timothy/clover type mix. It is avery coarse and thin grass or whats left of it, it seems more like weeds now. In the spring my lawn is a sea of dandelions. We seem to have a hard time getting anything to grow here. The soil almost seems dead. We are on a hill so the soil is always quite dry. We also have european chafers/grub that we are going to try and treat this spring with a grub control spread. I'm wondering if the condition of the soil is causing the problems. I plan on also fertilizing but due to the size of the area is there anything else i can use other than the bags of fertilizer/weed and feed found in home and garden centers? I was wondering if i could get something from a farm store that might do the same thing that will obviously be under a different name? The soil is not very loamy. Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.
AnswerHi Adrian,
>>"...3 acres...hard time getting anything to grow...?"
ABOUT LAWN APPEARANCE PROBLEMS:
Given the basics of proper turf grass-type, enough sun, regular soil and water, all common turf grasses are easy to grow. Add some extra water and an occasional nitrate fertilizing event and some TLC and all common turf grasses are VERY EASY to grow. So, if you have been having long-term lawn appearance problems, then most likely you do not have the basics well established for an optimized greens-keeping scenario. There are more than twenty popular grass types and they do vary in the particular needs, but most are easy to grow with basics provided. All grasses like lots of sun-light and will need about 1-3 inches of water per week to do OK.
I think your hort-zone is Zone-7.
Only Use plants and grasses rated for your climate-zone.
HORT ZONES from ZIP CODES:
http://www.arborday.org/trees/whatzone.html
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A warm-climate grass-type called BERMUDA GRASS is about the hardiest grass-type for zones 6-8. Bermuda cultivars are becoming more popular in the NE USA where cool-climate grasses have been used with difficulty for decades. Bermuda grasses can be started inexpensively in the spring from seed. They can also be started from sod, sprigs, plugs and hydro-mulching. It will become dormant in the winter months and will not need mowing for its dormancy period. With soil problems and other less than optimal conditions, you may want to try a Bermuda grass cultivar. No other grass-type will out-perform Bermuda with a variety of compromising conditions. Cultivars named 'U3' and 'Arizona' are very popular. There are hundreds of cultivars of Bermuda and some produce a putting-green quality turf. Your local lawn and garden center may sell the seed or it can be mail-ordered.
Seeded areas will have to have considerable attention to watering. The grass seedlings can be destroyed in a matter of hours with heat and drying winds. With a large lot, you may want to sub-divide the area into manageable areas for seeding events. Once the seedlings become well established, they will grow very fast and need less attention.
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Start shopping for a more carefree grass type:
1. http://www.turfmerchants.com/special.html
[ See 'Del-Rey' Bermuda at this web-site{
2. Visit Turf-Seed Inc. for the Seed Selection Wizard's help:
https://www.turf-seed.com/Home/Wizard/
3. Go to GOOGLE.COM and enter the
Keywords: "YOUR/LOCALE/NAME Horticulture;" this search engine may direct you to many good lawn/garden websites for your precise geographical area.
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SOIL IS THE FOUNDATION of the LAWN:
You may benefit from a laboratory soil test. Some garden centers will sell test-kits so you can do some of the tests yourself.
If you plan on keeping your property for an extended period of time and want the best lawn you can manage,...you may want to invest in improving the top-soil. Most cities will have trucking companies which will sell 'Rich-Mix' top-soil blends and other soil amendments (composts and manures) which will improve the tilth and fertility of the soil and greatly improve the greens-keeping potential of your lot. If your soil is high in clay content, it will have better drainage by adding some sand.
IMPROVE SOIL by top dressing and/or working in SOIL AMENDMENTS: high quality top soils (from your local suppliers), compost (commercial or home made), humus-organic matter/manures/peat-moss, and sand or Kaolin/clay (if there are drainage problems). You can do this to bare lawn areas easily. Where lawn areas continually seem to suffer from poor soil quality, partial or total renovation may be in order. Roto-tilling amendments into the existing top soil is an excellent way to prep an area for seeding grasses. The old grasses and weed may need to be eradicated before re-seeding or "up-grading" to a more care-free hybrid.
Use a chemical called 'ROUND-UP' to kill large areas of un-wanted weedy vegetation.
Learn About COMPOST...aka "GARDNER'S GOLD".
One great advantage to having a large lot is that you can easily make your own compost.
Using commercial or home-made compost is a great way to insure your soil is CONSTANTLY IMPROVING over the years.
Composting and adding organic humus will help the soil become more "sponge-like" so it can hold water better and need less water applied to it. Your lawn will be better able to survive droughts/stress with regular additions of compost to the mid-summer "Hot-Spots."
COMPOSTING can return nutrients and minerals to your lawn and save you money while improving the root-zone...don't trash your grass and herbaceous debris, RECYCLE it by composting!
Website: http://hometown.aol.com/eilatlog/lawnologycopost.html
Every summer, look for the 'Hot-Spots' in the lawn and top-dress these areas with commercial or home-made compost. Eventually, and over the years, the top-soil and root-zone can be greatly improved by this simple soil improving action.
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REDUCE YOUR LAWN SIZE:
Note that even an average sized residential sub-urban lawn (80 x 150 ft area) will require around two hours per week of maintenance work to keep it in A+ condition. To keep a 3Ac area well-watered will be a formidable task unless there is an irrigation system to help; and without some extra watering during the summers there will be continual lawn appearance problems.
A three-acre plot is a considerable work-load and expense for most home-owners. You may want to consider ways to reduce the lawn areas proper by using alternative landscaping solutions.
In some of the more rural (and less restricted) areas where people have large area lots, the use of native grasses and wild-flowers is becoming a popular way to reduce vast and boring lawn ground coverage areas. Lawn proper is reserved for land near the house, while the peripheral areas can have other types of ground-covers and specialty gardens. These natural alternatives can look great and require almost no regular maintenance.
For wild flowers and Native prairie grasses:
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jodaniel/seeds.html
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WEEDS:
ABOUT WEEDS and HERBICIDES:
IDENTIFY THE WEEDS:
To fight weeds, identify the plant and find an herbicide chemical which will target that weed. Targeted weeds will be listed on the product label. Most chemical companies will also have a web-site with additional information and advice. Many common weeds are genetically related so sometimes the closest relative to a named specie will also kill an un-listed weed that has invaded your property.
Again, Weeds are best attacked with the knowledge of what you are dealing with. Plants generally will have a common 'herbalist's name' and also a technical-scientific name. Searching .org and .edu web-sites with the technical name usually will deliver the best information about the plant (weed or not).
LINKS:
Use these websites with IMAGES to help IDENTIFY common lawn weeds and space invaders:
http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/weed_web/
[click on the jpg image files for excellent photos of weeds]
http://www.psu.missouri.edu/fishel/ornamentals.htm
Note> Once you have a common or scientific name for any plant, you can easily verify your specimen is identified by going to GOOGLE.com and clicking of the 'IMAGES' Tab. This will usually give you many images of the plant so you can make comparisons.
"You Can Have a WEED-FREE lawn:"
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/county/smith/tips/turf/summerweed.html
Manage Weeds in Gardens:
http://www.growers-supply-co.com/dewitt.htm
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ABOUT HERBICIDE CHEMICALS:
Chemicals that kill plants are variously categorized, and most home-owners will have an arsenal of herbicides to make war with the never-ending invasion of the weeds.
The chemicals are basically categorized according to type of plant they can be used on, and also the type of herbicidal action they deliver. Some chemicals are very general in their use and these are the 'Broad-Spectrum Herbicides.' With just a few weeds in your lawn of a certain type, use a chemical that more specifically targets that weed or its relatives.
Always read and follow the direction with a chemical and also watch the weather reports which can greatly effect herbicide efficiencies in application and function. Usually, herbicide chemicals work best when the weeds are young and actively growing. Spraying during cooler temperatures and on cloudy days is also often more efficient and gives better results.
***** PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDES:
Use a PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE regularly and as directed with the product and weeds will never have a start. This is THE most efficient method to be weed-free. Pre-emergent chemicals are most often bought combined with a granular fertilizer and sold as "weed-and-feed" or weed-prevention formulas. Sprayable liquid pre-emergent formulas are also on the market but may require pesticide applicator certification to use in your state. Note that you must suspend the use of this type of chemical whenever you re-seed with a wanted grass seed so plan ahead.
List of seven Pre-emergent chemicals by their Brand Names:
Dimension..... Gallery.....Pennant
Pendulum...... Surflan..... Snapshot
Treflan
[Note: a PRE-EMERGENT CHEMICAL is often what is found in commercial "Weed-and-Feed" products. These mixes are PREVENTIVE of weeds, and may not have any effect on the existing weeds you have. Again, this type of chemical works on the seeds...not the plants.]
If you are SEEDING GRASSES: Use a Pre-emergent chemical AFTER your grass seedlings are well establish TO PREVENT FUTURE WEED PROBLEMS.
POST-EMERGENT HERBICIDES:
Otherwise, attack weeds as they appear and while they are young with a POST-EMERGENT chemicals you can spot-spray as needed. Your local garden or farm supply stores should have all the chemicals and equipment you need to battle weeds.
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BROAD LEAF WEEDS:
To control the BROAD LEAF weeds (Dandy-lions, Henbit, Chickweed, clovers etc.) a post-emergent herbicide product that contains a mixture of the following three chemicals is recommended:
01. 2,4-D (often sold and used individually as "Weed-B-Gone" formulations)
This is the most popular chemical for this type of weed and has been in
use for more than half a century with consistent good and safe results.
02. MCPP (Mecoprop)
03. DICAMBA.
Again, the seeds of many annual broad-leaf weeds are prompted to sprout by very precise conditions of cool temperatures and humidity. Some may start with the first cooler days of late summer and begin to disperse their seeds to your lawn, so look for the early-birds and zilch them as you find them to get ahead of next-year's weed crop.
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GRASSY-TYPE WEEDS (Graminae weeds).
In contrast to the 'Broad-Leaf' types of weeds are the 'grassy-types.' These will usually have the long-blade type of leaf and an inconspicuous flower and seed-head. Lawn and Garden Centers will have several chemicals to target this type of weed.
A pair of old standards that will kill many grassy type weeds which are especially useful for crabgrass are chemicals called MSMA or DSMA (Mono-Sodium Meth-Arsenate salt). The di-sodium salt is also sold. These chemicals are salts of arsenic and should not be use near wells or water sources. Most soils will naturally have a certain measure of arsenic around,...but there should be care in increasing this by the use of arsenic salts for grassy weeds.
Applicator Permits may be needed for certain restricted herbicide/pesticide use. For individuals with large areas to maintain and the need to spray for many types of weed and insect pests,.... obtaining an applicator's permit may be worth the few bucks and couple of instructional hours required to take the test;.... for more information about certification check with your local Agricultural Extension Service Office.
Other Chemicals For Grassy type weeds, i.e. non-broad leafed weeds:
These must be applied when the grass weeds are young and no taller than 4 inches:
Poast II - grass herbicide - sithoxydim
Grass-be-gon - grass herbicide - fluazifop
Horizon - grass herbicide - fenoxaprop
CRABGRASS and Goosegrass all season control: Pendimethalin, Prodiamine (Barricade), Oxadiazon (Ronstar), Bensulide (Betasan), DCPA (Dacthal), and Benefin (Balan).
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SHOP for HERBICIDES:
You should be able to find any of these safe-common (un-restricted) chemicals or slight patented variations and mixtures at most lawn and garden/farm centers in either a granular (spreadable) or liquid (sprayable) product form. Sprayable forms seem to work best especially when weeds are young. If your local department store or garden center does not stock a chemical you are seeking,...try the farm supply stores, Landscaping and Exterminator Equipment Supply stores.
Again, take time to read the product label to know what to expect. Using pesticides chemicals around your home and family should be done being as well informed as possible. If you don't have time to study product labels while shopping,.... go to the chemical company web-sites for info or check-out the EPA and Consumer Reports Data-base on the Web and at your public library.
WHEN TO SPRAY:
If you are not using pre-emergent and preventive (more expensive chemicals), you need to spot-spray weeds as they appear in the lawn and garden areas.
Start spraying for annual spring weeds in the fall or as soon as any appear on the scene. Just one Dandelion in October can produce many hundreds of new plants that will pop-up until late spring. March to late May is the usual time to find the cool-season weeds, although with a mild winter they can pop up much earlier, go to seed and be more of a problem, so keep an eye out for an invasion and spray accordingly.
DENSE WEEDY AREAS:
Where weeds are dense and form patches, you can use a TOTAL KILL BROAD-SPECTRUM chemical like Monsanto's "ROUND-UP" to kill it fast and efficiently.
With a very thick and dense patch of weeds which has "choked-out" your wanted lawn grass, use a chemical like "ROUND-UP." This will work great and leave a dead
place which you will have to re-seed or sod with turf grass.
DIFFICULT WEEDS:
Some weeds that defy the grassy versus broad-leaf categorization criteria are those with a variety of under-ground root or rhizome structures. These can be tricky to kill with chemicals because the protected sub-terranean parts can survive all the attacks from above. Onion-like weeds can often be killed by spraying them with 2-4-D + MCPP in the fall and again in the spring and when they are most actively growing.
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Manage Weeds in Gardens:
http://www.growers-supply-co.com/dewitt.htm
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Maintaining a dense, lush stand of healthy turf grass is one major weed prevention strategy. Weed seeds sprout to produce very tiny seedlings. Among the dense coverage of a healthy lawn these often cannot compete with the turf grass plants for light and food and so the weeds never mature to be a problem.
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A weedy plant which is allowed to produce flowers and hundreds or thousands of seeds will be the mother of hundreds of NEXT YEAR's WEEDS in your lawn!
Keep any weed from producing and dispersing its seeds and you will be doing much to reduce its populations on your property.
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Lawn and Garden INSECT and PESTS:
Try to IDENTIFY insect and disease causing pests which may be causing at least some of your lawn appearance woes. Once the causative agent is diagnosed and identified it will be an easy task to find a TARGET pesticide chemical you can use to control these types of problems.
There are now hundreds of web-sites with images to help you ID a bug or fungus problem. Often you can take a sample or specimen to your local lawn and garden center, and someone there will know exactly what it is and what to spray to kill it. Most States will also have Agricultural Extension Service Offices with free help for a variety of lawn and garden problems.
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FERTILIZING a LARGE LOT:
Try using the less expensive and more simple variety of fertilizers like AMMONIUM NITRATE in between the use of any 'Weed-and-Feed' more complex and expensive formulas. Ammonium Nitrate has no additional minerals other than NITROGEN and it should produce a deep green lawn in a few days, if not,...then you may have some mineral deficiencies in the top-soil and should use formulas that supply these. Most soils are not deficient in minerals and using ammonium nitrate may be the only fertilizer you will ever need. Always water ammonium nitrate and any salty fertilizer completely into the top-soil, and granules left on the vegetation may kill it.
Use fertilizers on cloudy-cooler days, and just before a mild rain for best results. Ammo-Nitrate is about 34% Nitrogen and this will burn the lawn unless it is completely watered into the soil after an application. Apply this and any type of fertilizer only to areas sizes you can keep well watered for a couple of days to avoid fertilizer burn syndrome which can kill entire lawns.
Never fertilize a lawn during times of drought and extreme heat. Avoid a late fall fertilizing event because the grass will not use the excess chemical in the top-soil and this can cause fungus diseases that start in the winter and spread to destroy large areas in the spring.
With a good fertile-loamy well draining top-soil, best quality hybrid grass type(s), 1-3 inches of water per week, plenty of sun-light, ...almost anyone can have an excellent lawn with a minimum maintenance effort.
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I Hope this has answered your question(s)!
Visit my Lawn & Gardens webpage for more Tips, Facts and Links:
http://hometown.aol.com/eilatlog/lawnol.html
Your Questions and Comments are welcome at ALLEXPERTS.com
