Look around for some established stands then ask of you can dig some some clumps. Most people will share. That stuff is pretty hardy and will spread but slowly not crazy like creeping charlie.
Yard Care for Dummies
- Thread starter wxman1
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Look around for some established stands then ask of you can dig some some clumps. Most people will share. That stuff is pretty hardy and will spread but slowly not crazy like creeping charlie.
This is my third user name as I've lost a few over the years and abandoned old email accounts so couldn't easily reset a password.
Recently bought a house and the yard is not in the shape I would like it to be. Creeping Charlie and crabgrass are very prevalent throughout the yard. The backyard seems to have a thinner stand and is blowing bits of dirt/debris up when mowing which is quite annoying. There are dead spots underneath/around trees. Is there anything that I should do this fall to get ensure the yard is better next year or just wait until spring?
Here is my recommended lawn plan given the conditions and facts you supplied.
If you can do a de-thatch and seed this weekend, then do it. Rent a de-thatcher or buy a corded electric one off Amazon for about $120. Focus on one area you can manage and do a good job staying on top of, otherwise you are running out of time this year. Waiting until Spring is not ideal as you won't be able to control all those crabgrass seeds that your current crop is going to lay down.
Don't worry about the weeds right now. De-thatch aggressively, put down seed, cover with a thin layer of peat moss, and put down starter fertilizer at the label rate. You'll need to figure out the sq. footage of your yard. Get a digital timer that screws on the faucet and water for a few minutes every 4 hours during the day if it's not a rainy day. This makes it easy while you're at work.
Turf-type tall fescue should still germinate in 4-10 days if you are dilligent about keeping the ground moist. You can try to attack the weeds later this Fall perhaps mid-October focusing on the creeping charlie with Ortho CCO. This year's crabgrass will die as it's an annual weed. In my opinion it's too late in Iowa to effectively seed Kentucky Blue Grass. Fescue is much quicker to establish.
In areas you don't seed you can start killing weeds immediately. "Image" brand makes a hose end sprayer herbicide (at Ace Hardware) that does a decent job on crabgrass, but note the crabgrass is not the easiest thing to kill and that's why it's generally prevented with a pre-emergent herbicide in the Spring. In general you can't prevent crabgrass and also seed the same area in the Spring, plus Spring seedlings often die in the hot summer.
Fertilize at least two or three times with a balanced fertilizer following the printed label rate recommendations. Most of your fertilizer in a given year should be done in the Fall.
So I’ve got a bag of fall weed and feed sitting in the garage from last year. I’m not sure if it’ll take care of the weeds that are popping up since I haven’t had the best luck with granular products in the past. Can I apply the weed and feed and also a spray application of a weed b gone type product that has some crabgrass control? The weeds aren’t outrageous but they’re definitely starting to pop up throughout the yard. The crabgrass is pretty sporadic.
Or should I try to spot spray and overseed this fall instead of in the spring? I have some places in yard that got choked out and turned yellow after lowering the mower deck down a notch the last couple mowings. I could use an overseed to thicken things up at some point.
Or should I try to spot spray and overseed this fall instead of in the spring? I have some places in yard that got choked out and turned yellow after lowering the mower deck down a notch the last couple mowings. I could use an overseed to thicken things up at some point.
[QUOTE="AgronAlum, post: 6822000, member: 20135"
Or should I try to spot spray and overseed this fall instead of in the spring? I have some places in yard that got choked out and turned yellow after lowering the mower deck down a notch the last couple mowings. I could use an overseed to thicken things up at some point.[/QUOTE]
I changed my mowing deck height up a notch this season and I'm not sure I like the results. I wonder if it should be more current weather trend driven. When it's extremely rainy like as of late I've noticed that the grass gets matted down and doesn't come up in spots, it just stays mashed to the ground unless I rake it. When it's growing slower (usually August) I think that's the best time to let it go longer in height. Anyone else do this?
Or should I try to spot spray and overseed this fall instead of in the spring? I have some places in yard that got choked out and turned yellow after lowering the mower deck down a notch the last couple mowings. I could use an overseed to thicken things up at some point.[/QUOTE]
I changed my mowing deck height up a notch this season and I'm not sure I like the results. I wonder if it should be more current weather trend driven. When it's extremely rainy like as of late I've noticed that the grass gets matted down and doesn't come up in spots, it just stays mashed to the ground unless I rake it. When it's growing slower (usually August) I think that's the best time to let it go longer in height. Anyone else do this?
I dug up some sodded areas that have sunk over the past few years last week and put down some top soil to level the area. Since all the rain we have lately, the sod pieces have really come back nicely.
Thinking about doing some overseeding today or tomorrow. 10 day forecast is calling for rain about 8 of the days.
Does anyone have recommendations for phone aps to remind me which products to apply and when? I had been using the Scott's lawn ap, but it failed to remind me a couple times this year, even though my notifications are turned on.
I changed my mowing deck height up a notch this season and I'm not sure I like the results. I wonder if it should be more current weather trend driven. When it's extremely rainy like as of late I've noticed that the grass gets matted down and doesn't come up in spots, it just stays mashed to the ground unless I rake it. When it's growing slower (usually August) I think that's the best time to let it go longer in height. Anyone else do this?[/QUOTE]
I have the same problem on the west side of my house that occurs as soon as the weather gets hotter and drier, and I start mowing less often. In that spot it seems like the grass grows more due to not being subjected to as much sun. But it also seems like the dominant grass type in that area is more fine, spindly, or whatever. Like that type has taken over due to being better in shade. I have dropped my cutting height down one spot now with all the rain, and that seems to have helped some. I generally alternate between mowing clockwise once, counterclockwise the next. I don’t think that really accomplishes a whole lot since my wheel tracks basically end up in the same place, and that seems to be where the grass lays down the worst. Next year I’ll try mowing on the bias more and see if that helps. I’ve also always wondered if mulching tends to “push down “ the grass more as opposed to bagging. I only bag the first two times in the spring or if it gets away from me due to wet weather.
I was thinking of lowering my mower deck a notch also. I put on fertilizer last week and i've mown more in the last two weeks than I have the last two months.
I always change my mowing pattern and will even do it diagonally. Since I am going to overseed it recommends that I bag the clippings before seeding.
I always change my mowing pattern and will even do it diagonally. Since I am going to overseed it recommends that I bag the clippings before seeding.
My lawn was just aerated yesterday - still hoping overseeding will accomplish something at this point. Less enthusiastic after nocsious3 said it's too late for blue grass 
I do have irrigation that I can run often if need be, maybe that'll help my chances?
I do have irrigation that I can run often if need be, maybe that'll help my chances?
My lawn was just aerated yesterday - still hoping overseeding will accomplish something at this point. Less enthusiastic after nocsious3 said it's too late for blue grass
I do have irrigation that I can run often if need be, maybe that'll help my chances?
It's pretty late for bluegrass. It will germinate, but some won't make it through the winter because of shallow rooting. My bluegrass overseed was planted in late August and some of it isn't tall enough to mow yet. Some will probably still make it if you seed by this weekend, and some is better than none. This is about the last weekend I'd bother to put seed down and you'll still get ok results with fescue or rye grass.
Anyone else with lilac bushes seeing them budding out again? Our neighbor's across the street lilac bushes seemed to die out a couple of months ago and now noticed they just bloomed for the second time this season. One of our bushes seemed to be dying but has leaves are coming out the buds now. Just weird.
I see four consecutive days of above-freezing temperatures coming up in my area this weekend. Highs in the 46-48 range, lows of 33-36.
I never had a chance to do a final mow in the yard this fall, so it's much longer than I would like going into winter. Am I going to harm the grass too much if I mow it on day one of that stretch?
I never had a chance to do a final mow in the yard this fall, so it's much longer than I would like going into winter. Am I going to harm the grass too much if I mow it on day one of that stretch?
As long as frost isn't on the grass and you don't cut below 2-2 1/2 inches, you should be fine
