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Lawn Care Tips (3 Viewers)

In Milwaukee....prediction for snow tomorrow (ridiculous)

I have some bare spots in my lawn that I want to lay some seed on....would it actually be a good thing to put the seed down today  BEFORE the snowfall, so that when it melts in short order it essentially is watering itself?  Forecasts has an upcoming week of scattered rain as well.

Or bad idea to do this before the snowfall and just wait?

 
offdee said:
In Milwaukee....prediction for snow tomorrow (ridiculous)

I have some bare spots in my lawn that I want to lay some seed on....would it actually be a good thing to put the seed down today  BEFORE the snowfall, so that when it melts in short order it essentially is watering itself?  Forecasts has an upcoming week of scattered rain as well.

Or bad idea to do this before the snowfall and just wait?
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It won't hurt to put it down now.  It will stay dormant until it warms appropriately.  In SC, I had a fescue lawn and kept my unused seed in a freezer until ready to use.

 
E-Z Glider said:
Ive been battling moles for nearly a year now. Lived in my house for 15 years and never saw one, now my yard is infested.

At any given time, I have 5-10 active mole tunnels in my yard. I have been using the gummy-worms (drop down hole, mark it, come back a few days later and tamp it down, re-check a few days later). It seems to put an end to that specific tunnel, but another one will re-appear nearby soon enough. I live on a wooded lot, so my entire yard is surrounded by woods. I also have many mulched "islands" in my yard (which they also seem to love). Id say Ive used about a dozen boxes (10 each) and for most of them, I have been breaking the worm in two. That's like 200 worms Ive dropped in holes over the past 10 months. Im starting to think this is a losing battle. Anyone ever battled moles on this scale before? Someone told me I should be treating for whatever (grubs?) they are eating rather than trying to treat them directly? Not really seeing grubs, but I have noticed holes that some sort of cicada is coming out of? Maybe they are after them? Any advise?
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Update: I finally have no tunnels in my yard for the first spring in 3 years. I applied Grub-Ex last spring which I assume is what ultimately fixed my problem (or they decided to move on?).   I dont think the gummy worms ever did anything and I only ever caught 3 of them in the traps.

Anywho, the moles are gone, but they left my yard a mess. I have about 5-6 areas in my lawn that now look like this. Any advise on how best to cheaply and efficiently fix these areas? I am not a lawn perfectionist by any means, just want it to fill back in. Is one of those turf builder mixes sufficient? Fill in with some ez-seed? Does it need to be covered / actively watered or should mother nature take care of it (in rainy spring PA)? Or would you rip and re-do the whole area? 

TIA

 
E-Z Glider said:
Update: I finally have no tunnels in my yard for the first spring in 3 years. I applied Grub-Ex last spring which I assume is what ultimately fixed my problem (or they decided to move on?).   I dont think the gummy worms ever did anything and I only ever caught 3 of them in the traps.

Anywho, the moles are gone, but they left my yard a mess. I have about 5-6 areas in my lawn that now look like this. Any advise on how best to cheaply and efficiently fix these areas? I am not a lawn perfectionist by any means, just want it to fill back in. Is one of those turf builder mixes sufficient? Fill in with some ez-seed? Does it need to be covered / actively watered or should mother nature take care of it (in rainy spring PA)? Or would you rip and re-do the whole area? 

TIA
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Spot treat with one of the patching products.  There are some good hydro seeding systems out there now too that would work well.  You just want to make sure it's the same grass variety.  Then, this fall aerate and overseed.

 
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Slit seeder and 50 lbs of seed 12 days ago.

Have a lot of growth. Need to get some starter fertilizer to keep it going. Watering like a maniac. 

Way more pumped than I should be about grass

 
shuke said:
How quickly did that spread?  Is the green stuff in the closeups grass or weed?
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It hasn’t spread per se.  not yet.  It looks like some random grass shoots.

I will be aerating Saturday if the rain holds off and then throwing down some seed.  I bought one of those cheap soil test kits and had the following results.

Centipede

Alkaline 7.5

Nitrogen - very low

Phosphorous - med/ low?

Potash - high

I posted on a different forum and someone mentioned they saw some Bermuda mixed in there.  A few more updates pics here.  https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9216

At this point I am torn on what to do other than aerating and over-seeding.  I am thinking the fat nick approach above. So here is my plan:

1. Aerate

2. Clean up plugs

3. Over-seed

4.  Thrown down something to fill the holes a bit?  Peat moss, etc???

5. Increase Nitrogen a tad and lower PH.  Anyone know of an all in one to do this?

One concern I have is that I have always been taught not to weed and feed at the same time because you are feeding the weeds also.  Thoughts?

Side Note if you need some yard tools download the Lowe’s app or website and search the true temper brand.  If you switch store locations some stores have rakes etc on clearance.  I have seen some rakes as low as $3 bucks or so.

As an example check this link and put in 70769 for the Zip. 30-in Lawn And Leaf Rake

Lowes I have seen some fertilizers on sale also.  Just by changing stores you can find deals.

 
Has anyone successfully made their own aerator?  I saw someone take a concrete form tube and punch large gauge nails into it pointing out and then filling with concrete and adding a handle.

 
How the #### do I get rid of clover? There's a patch in the front side yard that is getting pretty big and I'm seeing a little in the back.

Keep in mind this is coming from a person that generally just mows his weeds and calls it good as far as lawn maintenance. But this is starting to get out of hand.

 
Having the yard aerated today.  Should I sand now or does it matter that much?  Not a ton of good soil in my yard.  I've been topping off low spots for a few months.  

 
Worm said:
How the #### do I get rid of clover? There's a patch in the front side yard that is getting pretty big and I'm seeing a little in the back.

Keep in mind this is coming from a person that generally just mows his weeds and calls it good as far as lawn maintenance. But this is starting to get out of hand.
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1) dont mow too low

2) buy some weed killer - 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ortho-Weed-B-Gon-32-oz-Chickweed-Clover-and-Oxalis-Killer-For-Lawns-Ready-To-Spray-0398710/206427519

 
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ragincajun said:
Has anyone successfully made their own aerator?  I saw someone take a concrete form tube and punch large gauge nails into it pointing out and then filling with concrete and adding a handle.
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I don't see that working.  The concrete would crumble.  I bought this one last year and it worked great.  

I signed up for Tru Green and $600 for the year included them aerating once a year.  It was a no brainier after using that thing on my entire yard last year.  

 
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I'd recommend drive xlr8 for clover.    You should already have this stuff for crabgrass b/c its the just eradicates it.  Best weed killer I've come across so far.

 
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shuke said:
Only problem I have right now is my yard is almost too awesome.  It really needs to be cut every 3 days but I don’t have the time.  
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Same issue for me every spring and fall - when it's cooler (but still growing season), I can't keep up.  I usually do my 1st cuts at 3.5", 4", then 4.5" etc...by mid-May, I'm usually cutting at 5" (or sometimes with the mower in the "up" position just to avoid really bad clumping.  I catch back up as it gets warmer/dryer.  I'd love to cut multiple times a week, but like you, just no time.  Next weekend we're out of town for the weekend.  I have no clue when I'm going to get it cut.

 
Not totally a lawn question, but does anyone have a Zelkova tree?  I've got a nice Green Vase Zelkova I planted about 6 years ago.  It's grown well and has been 100% healthy.  As of right now in central NJ, it has yet to bud out.  It's the only tree in my yard that hasn't budded out yet.  I'm starting to get worried.  Branches don't seem brittle, no sign of fungus or trauma...it just feels like it should be doing something by now.  I don't remember it being so late last year.

 
brohans do you leave clippings on the grass of pick them up this is probably a stupid question that you will all laugh at me about but hey i like making people happy so bam have at it take that to the bank brochachos

 
SWC said:
brohans do you leave clippings on the grass of pick them up this is probably a stupid question that you will all laugh at me about but hey i like making people happy so bam have at it take that to the bank brochachos
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Leave/mulch them.  Best food/fert you can provide.

 
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ragincajun said:
Has anyone successfully made their own aerator?  I saw someone take a concrete form tube and punch large gauge nails into it pointing out and then filling with concrete and adding a handle.
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Punching a hole in the ground is not effective because it closes up quickly.  You have to actually take a core out.  

 
SWC said:
brohans do you leave clippings on the grass of pick them up this is probably a stupid question that you will all laugh at me about but hey i like making people happy so bam have at it take that to the bank brochachos
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Mulch and leave. But if grass is high or wet and clumps, you need to follow up with a blower to disperse it.  I just sharpened my blades before last mow and I still had to spend 20 minutes with the blower afterwards.  

 
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shuke said:
Mulch and leave. But if grass is high or wet and clumps, you need to follow up with a blower to disperse it.  I just sharpened my blades before last mow and I still had to spend 20 minutes with the blower afterwards.  
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OR... you can do multiple passes, which is what I prefer to do.

 
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I've gone with side discharging.   i used to mulch but I hated how the clippings clumped up in places especially when the grass was moist.   

 
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Keerock said:
OR... you can do multiple passes, which is what I prefer to do.
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Tried that but still clumps.   I don’t know what it is.  I do feel as if my mower has lost some self-propelling power the last few years so maybe I’m also not getting as much torque from the motor.  

I guess this is another downside of having the thickest, most luscious lawn in town.  

 
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shuke said:
Doesn’t this just cause clumps of longer clippings?
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Not at all.    Clippings get dispersed very nicely.   You will seem some strands of grass sitting on the lawn especially if the lawn needs a good cutting but its much better than the alternative.   It does require more planning though as you need to do a few passes around the perimeter and any shrubbery with the discharge pointing inward and then outward for the rest.

 
Lawn mower started just fine last week. Lawn mower started fine tonight... get about 15 feet into cutting, makes a odd noise, stops. Now, engine is locked, at least the cord won't pull back. The mower is about 2 years old. Is it a goner?

 
Fat Nick said:
Not totally a lawn question, but does anyone have a Zelkova tree?  I've got a nice Green Vase Zelkova I planted about 6 years ago.  It's grown well and has been 100% healthy.  As of right now in central NJ, it has yet to bud out.  It's the only tree in my yard that hasn't budded out yet.  I'm starting to get worried.  Branches don't seem brittle, no sign of fungus or trauma...it just feels like it should be doing something by now.  I don't remember it being so late last year.
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I'm about to throw in the towel on my poor tree, but I still don't understand it at all.  The tree still has color - branches have a reddish hue to them.  The branches are still somewhat soft and bend (don't snap).  I scratch the bark on the smaller twigs, and they still have moisture and aren't dry.  The little buds are dry though.  They roll off the stem if you rub your finger over them.  No signs of damage, storm or otherwise.  It's really odd.  I'm going to leave it, but I don't have high hopes at this point.

 
Mario Kart said:
Lawn mower started just fine last week. Lawn mower started fine tonight... get about 15 feet into cutting, makes a odd noise, stops. Now, engine is locked, at least the cord won't pull back. The mower is about 2 years old. Is it a goner?
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Sounds like there is no oil in the engine.

I fried my first mower years ago because I forget to check the oil in it..same symptoms.

 
Someone mentioned a simple lawn testing kit?   That's interesting....Do they work?  Feel like you get a good analysis? 

My lawn is looking great.....I've been slowly working on it for 2 years now.  But I would like to test my soil nonetheless

 
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Da Guru said:
Sounds like there is no oil in the engine.

I fried my first mower years ago because I forget to check the oil in it..same symptoms.
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Unfortunately I think this is what happened. When I poured oil in, it disappeared so that was heart breaking. Two years it was. Damn it. I did go buy an electric one. Cut the grass and could not tell a difference. So, if this one last, cool. 

 
Keerock said:
Pretty sure that's speedwell.  I have it too.  Trying some Bayer tonight to see if it takes care.
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If it's the same variety I had at one point, the only thing that killed it was roundup.  It has really shallow roots though and it's really easy to pull out.  I'd try that and lay down a pre-emergent if it's not a huge area.

 
Fat Nick said:
Use the products out there...Better yet pay Scotts/TruGreen/Turf Doctor/whomever to fertilize and weed treat for a year or two to get it under control.  My yard (2.4 acres) was a #### show when I first moved in.  More plantain and crab grass than actual grass.  A few years in it thickened up enough that I could cut back on my treatments and save $$.  Cut it high (I do 4-5") and it'll just choke out weeds.  
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Finally got a guy to come out and mulch multiple problem areas, build a drainage pipe to get water down to the street, and take out an area behind my shed where weeds had grown as tall as me (and put mulch over it).  Going to have him out every 2 weeks to mow, spray, and seed.   Not cheap at all, but it's finally looking decent.

 
The Commish said:
If it's the same variety I had at one point, the only thing that killed it was roundup.  It has really shallow roots though and it's really easy to pull out.  I'd try that and lay down a pre-emergent if it's not a huge area.
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Pre-Emergent in the FALL...

 
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