Weeds & pests
Nutsedge vs. Grass: How to Identify and Kill It
Roll the stem between your fingers. Sedges are triangular, grasses are round. That one check explains why your broadleaf weed killer did nothing to it.
·3 min read
Growing zone
Cool-season lawns
Northern states. Kentucky bluegrass, tall and fine fescue, perennial ryegrass. Growth peaks in spring and autumn.
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Tall fescue
- Fine fescue
- Perennial ryegrass
Weeds & pests
How to Kill Crabgrass Without Killing the Lawn
Young crabgrass dies easily and tillered crabgrass barely notices. Size decides which product works, and mowing height decides whether it comes back next year.
·3 min read
Weeds & pests
Is Clover Safe for Dogs to Walk On?
Yes. White clover is not toxic to dogs and walking on it is fine. The two real concerns are bees in the flowers and a lookalike plant people also call clover.
·3 min read
Weeds & pests
Is Weed Killer Safe for Pets Once It's Dry?
Dry is the minimum, not the standard. Most labels clear pets once spray has dried or granules are watered in and dry, and 24 hours costs you nothing.
·4 min read
Diagnosis
Why Is My Lawn Spongy to Walk On?
Spongy turf is thatch, grubs, or waterlogged soil, and the three need opposite treatments. One cut with a spade tells you which one you have.
·3 min read
Diagnosis
Grass Turned Yellow After Fertilizing: What Went Wrong
Fertilizer burn is a salt problem, not a poison problem. Water heavily now, then read the pattern on the lawn to work out which mistake caused it.
·4 min read
Diagnosis
Signs of Grub Damage vs. Drought Stress
Both turn grass brown in patches. One lifts away like carpet and keeps spreading, the other springs back within days of watering. Two tests separate them.
·3 min read
Diagnosis
Why Is My New Grass Seed Not Germinating?
Nine times out of ten it is soil temperature or a surface that dried out once. Here is how to tell which, and how long to wait before calling the seeding a failure.
·4 min read
Diagnosis
Brown Spots After Mowing: Fungus, Grubs, or Heat?
If the brown appeared right after you mowed, the mower is the first suspect. Here is how to separate dull blades and scalping from disease and grub damage.
·4 min read
Diagnosis
Why Is My Grass Turning Yellow in Patches, Not All Over?
Patchy yellowing means a localized cause: dog urine, grubs, fungus or spilled fertilizer. Even yellowing means nitrogen or iron. Here is how to tell them apart.
·4 min read
TimingCool
When to Aerate a Cool-Season Lawn
Early autumn, August into September, while the grass grows hard enough to heal. Spring aeration works but cancels your crabgrass control for the year.
·3 min read
TimingCool
When Is It Too Late to Plant Grass Seed in Fall?
Count back 45 days from your average first hard frost. Past that, seed rarely roots deep enough to survive winter, but dormant seeding is a real second option.
·4 min read
Timing
How Often Should You Water New Grass Seed?
Two to three light waterings a day until germination, then fewer and deeper. The target is a damp top half-inch that never dries out and never turns to soup.
·4 min read
Timing
When to Apply Pre-Emergent, by Growing Zone
Crabgrass germinates when soil hits 55°F for three days running. Apply just before that. Here is when it happens in each zone and the mistake that wastes the bag.
·4 min read
TimingCool
When to Overseed a Fescue Lawn in the North
Late August to mid-September is the window. Here is the soil temperature that opens it, the frost date that closes it, and why spring seeding is the weaker option.
·4 min read