Friday, April 06, 2007

Friday

tip-o-day

It's time people.
I know its still a little chilly up here - but get up off the couch and go outside and give your lawn some lovin'.

In order to keep to a timely feeding schedule, you need to get your first application down pretty soon. This means you need to have finished your raking.

Remember, that the first application of the year contains crabgrass preventative (crabacide). This product works by forming a barrier on your soil which stops crabgrass from germinating. If you rake after the application - you muck up your barrier.
Also note - that it will stop grass seed from germinating as well. So don't apply this product to any areas you plan to seed this spring. Instead, use a starter fertilizer in those areas to give your seedlings a strong start.
This will be an important application, as it was a banner year for crabrass across the country last summer. We may even put down a second application later in the season at our house.

Apply to dry grass, any time of the day.

You may notice the Scott's advertisements for a new product this year which now includes crabacide in the second application of weed and feed to be applied later in the spring. While I am impressed with their quick marketing response the the prolific crabgrass we saw only last year... I have some issues with these two products mixed together because of the very different application methods... we can discuss this next time.
.

8 comments:

Zoe said...

Have you used any organic or more natural types of fertilizers and weed preventatives. I'm a bit wacky about my dogs, I have one with bad allergies, and I hate to put chemicals out on the areas of yard where the dogs will frequent. I know that most of these big name products say they are pet safe, but I don't trust that they are. I've done a little research, but you know.

weese said...

yes Zoe! there are several out there that are very good. (jonathan green comes to mind)
the thing you won't get with organic is any sort of weed control. in order to keep weeds at bay - you will need to establish a very healthy dense turf. so...fertilize heavily, water often and cut often (keeping the grass tall tho)

SassyFemme said...

Furiously making notes so we can have a decent lawn!

Syd said...

Heh...crabicide.

Zoe said...

Thanks I'll give that a try.

Anonymous said...

i will heed this advice, and put it into practice, after the latest dump of snow melts and the yard dries out...that oughtta be about june sometime

weese said...

oo poet...move south :)

Geeky Dragon Girl said...

One of the perks of renting is I no longer have to care about the grass. Woohoo! Of course the back yard is a weed garden, heh.