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Dormant Seeding: Is There Still Time To Seed Cool-Season Turfgrasses?
Even though much of the northern US has been enjoying a warmer than normal fall, it will soon be turning cooler in the next couple of weeks. If you are still planning to seed, you may want to consider dormant seeding at this time of year. When Can I Begin Dormant Seeding? Dormant seeding works best when the soil temperature drops below 50°F or when the ground is frozen, providing that snow is not covering the
Spring-Green Helps Out the Healthy Turf Healthy Kids Project
On Thursday and Friday, October 1 and 2, the Illinois Professional Lawn Care Association joined Project EverGreen in its Healthy Turf Healthy Kids initiative to renovate green spaces to promote better health for children. Project EverGreen is an organization that is dedicated to preserving and enhancing green spaces in our communities. The project took place at Boak Park in North Chicago. On the first day we applied a broadle
Do You Really Want to Do This Yourself? (Winterize Your Sprinkler System)
Sadly, summer is officially over. Fall is upon us and that means there are a number of projects that need to be taken care of before winter arrives. Even those people that live in the southern states, there are a few winter projects that need attention. For the rest of us, fall is the time to take stock of the successes and failures in regards to the plants in your yard. It is also the time when we have to wint
Large Patch: The Devastating Fall Patch Disease on Warm Season Turfgrasses
We usually associate diseases with hot and humid weather of the summer, but diseases can occur throughout the year. One disease that is particularly devastating on warm-season grasses is called Large Patch. Brown Patch was the former name of this disease, and it is caused by the same fungi as Brown Patch, but it has been classified as a different lawn disease
The Effects of Flooding On Your Landscaping and Turfgrass
If you are into growing things outside, you are almost always happy when it rains. Rain makes things grow, that is a fact. If you grow things outdoors, you know that drought is always a possibility, and that it is never an easy condition to overcome. Unfortunately, there are times when extremes can occur on both sides. If you live on the west coast, you are dealing with incredible drought conditions. For those that live on the easter
Why Fall Is the Right Time to Plant a Tree
There is a crispness in the air and the leaves will begin changing soon. This transition to fall marks a great opportunity to add to your landscape. Since spring marks the start of “planting season”, many people overlook the fact that fall is actually a more ideal time for planting trees. Why Is Fall a Better Time to Plant Trees? Don’t panic… if you planted a tree in the spring it doesn’t mean that it won’t make it through. Sprin
Hardy Fountain Grass: Uncovering the Mystery
I recently attended a class on identifying grasses and weedy grasses, sponsored by the Illinois Turfgrass Foundation. The class was led by Dr. Tom Voigt, Professor of Horticulture from the University of Illinois. The class was very informative, but at the beginning of the class, he asked if there were any questions about any grasses. I always seem to have questions and I had one for which I have been seeking an answer to for many years. I asked Tom,
Resuscitating a Dead Lawn with Core Aeration and Overseeding
Harold Enger, Spring-Green’s Director of Education, received a question from a homeowner about fixing his dead lawn. After hearing about the problem, he recommended core aeration and overseeding to help revive the lawn. “My lawn is brown with few things growing (even weeds). I believe it’s the result of rock hard soil. Last year a small patch of lawn was ripped up (gas line installation) and that patch now has gr
The Best Time to Aerate Your Lawn, for Cool and Warm Season Grasses
September is here and the amount of sunlight is becoming less and less each day. Less sunlight means that the leaves on trees will start to show their fall colors, summer weeds will begin to slow down growing and another summer is coming to a close. Early fall lawn projects are on homeowners’ minds, and many are wondering if this is the best time to aerate their lawns. Aerating Your Lawn in the Fall Works for Cool Season Gr
Robotic Lawn Mowers, Are They Right For You?
Recently, there has been some buzz surrounding automatic mowing systems, or robotic lawn mowers. These robotic mowers will cut your lawn in the same manner as a Roomba® vacuuming system cleans carpeting inside your home. What an amazing idea! Right? How Do Robotic Lawn Mowers Work? Robotic lawn mowers are actually not a new phenomena at all, but something that's been available for over 30 years. Once the microprocessor was invented and electr