Spring is finally here!  And so are the weeds.  We have been receiving numerous phone calls about  a weed creeping into beds and lawns.  It’s pretty, but it just doesn’t belong there is a typical comment.  The offending weed is common chickweed.  This mat forming winter annual is found through out North America.  Common chickweed has a shallow root system so it is easily pulled out.  Unfortunately, the entire plant must be pulled out in order to prevent it from popping up again.   Common chickweed can be controlled with vegetation control sprays and a pre- emergent weed control.  A 1′ thick layer of mulch or wood chips will help to prevent break through.  If you prefer an organic approach, ordinary household vinegar works wonders.  Just as with non-organic products, be careful not to spray other plant material as they too, will be killed off or damaged from the overspray.

Red Thread and Dollar Spot are 2 of the most prevalent diseases we see on late summer lawns.  The humidity we had experienced over the last 2 weeks along with cool, dew inducing nights are perfect for fungus growth.  The good news is relief is in sight!

Red thread first appears as small (quarter to golf ball size) gray – tan colored patches in the turf and can expand to 8″ or more in diameter. Upon close inspection, characteristic red to coral colored “threads” are often seen growing from tips of infected leaves.

Dollar Spot first appears as small (1″ diameter) patches of thin turf with bleached or straw-colored leaf blades within the patch. Careful inspection of affected turf may reveal distinct light tan lesions on grass blades. The lesions often have an hourglass shape with reddish brown margins.

Both of these diseases are common to perennial ryegrass, a very common component found in grass seed mixes. It is suggested that a lawn should be no more than 10% perennial rye.

There are several ways to help prevent and treat fungal diseases.

1. Dry it out.  Decrease watering during times of high humidity and if you do water, do so only early in the morning.  Turf grass generally needs 30 minutes of watering 3x per week. By watering late in the day, grass will stay wet and allow for disease growth.

2. Stay sharp.  Sharp mower blades cut grass, dull ones tear it.  Just like on a person, a straight cut heals more quickly and is less likely to become infected because there is less open surface area for disease to enter.

3. Keep it clean.  Clean your mower every time you cut and ask you landscaper to do the same.  Disease can be spread from one lawn to another quite easily.

4. Don’t bag it.  Fungal diseases occur when lawns are starved of nitrogen.  Bagging clippings rob lawns from naturally occurring nitrogen.

5. Fungicide vs. Fertilize.  Call your Greenskeeper. Often rather than applying a costly and temporary fix with a fungicide, we suggest growing it out.  Nitrogen is present in fertilizers so your lawn will get an extra boost of nutrition along with important Nitrogen to grow out the disease.

Crabgrass imposter, Paspalum is not inhibited by pre-emergent crabgrass control.

One of the biggest problem weeds we are seeing is the Crabgrass Imposter, Paspalum.  Paspalum, as you can see from the picture looks very much like Crabgrass but does not react the same as crabgrass when treated.   There is no pre-emergent for Paspalum.  As our customer’s know, The Greenskeeper does 2 applications of pre-emergent crabgrass control.  We found several years ago under certain conditions, (like the sporadic yet very heavy rains)  the barrier that pre-emergents form can be washed away.   A second application assures that the barrier is in place through the entire summer.  Paspalum, because it proliferates by both seeds and short rhizomes can not be controlled by a pre-emergent.  The difficulty in eradicating this weed is that products used to treat these weeds should not be applied when a lawn is experiencing heat or drought stress as it can damage turf grass. And you guessed it,  Paspalum thrives in those conditions.

The next weed we are seeing a great deal of again is Nutsedge.  Like Paspalum, Nutsedge is a rhizome.  While it does come up in established lawns, we

Typical nutsedge growth in healthy turf grass.

often see it in newer lawns or lawns where new loam has been brought in.  Suddenly, it takes off like wildfire and the entire neighborhood is infected.  Nutsedge does not respond to broadleaf weed control and a special product has to be used on this invasive weed.  Like the products used to treat Paspalum, it is best to treat Nutsedge when lawns are healthy and not experiencing drought or heat stress. While there is no way to prevent weeds from infiltrating your yard, your Greenskeeper can not only treat weeds but improve the health of you lawn.  A healthy lawn will rebound and fill in faster after a problematic season of weeds.

Annual blue grass gone to seed.

Mellow Yellow??

No thank you!  Lawns were meant to be green and lush. This spring, things are ahead of schedule.  Here is what we are seeing:

Annual Blue Grass:  That fuzzy yellow grass in the lawn is annual blue grass going to seed.  It’s a natural occurrence and depending on how much of this grass you have in your turf, your lawn might look like a patchwork quilt.  The good news, is the seed will grow out and the blue grass will become a lush green and blend in with the rest of your lawn.  There is no need to do anything but just watch it grow.

Drought Stress:  This is usually a problem we see in summer, not early spring.  But the lack of rain (until today) and record warmth have put many lawns into drought stress.  If this weather pattern continues, watering is a must.  At least 3 days per week (every other day is best) for 30-40 minutes is all it takes to keep your grass hydrated.  Fortunately, the rain we are getting on 4/23 and cool temps predicted for the rest of the week should help many lawns bounce back.

Weeds:  Many broad leaf weeds did not die off during this winter that wasn’t and we are seeing more clover and dandelions than usual.  For those still waiting for their fertilizer application, that’s not a bad thing.  Your Greenskeeper will be able to take care of those visible broad leaf weeds, making them not so fond memory by Memorial Day.

To our valued customers, if your Greenskeeper has not been out yet, we are on our way.  As you know, the first round of treatment starts April 1st and goes right through mid May.  If you have any questions about your lawn prior to our first visit, please do not hesitate to call or email.  If you aren’t a Greenskeeper customer, we’d love to hear from you too.  The Greenskeeper Lawn, Tree & Shrub is always happy to provide a free, no obligation lawn analysis.

Why hire an ordinary lawn care company when you can have  a Greenskeeper?

Your Greenskeeper is!  If the emails and phone calls we are getting are any indication so are our customers.  Here are a handful of tips that will help you and your lawn get off to a great start.

Rake:  Spring raking should not be a work out.  If you rake too hard, you run the risk of pulling up dormant grass by the roots.  The goal here is to remove debris and lightly fluff your grass so that air can adequately circulate.

 Clean Up: Pick up sticks, pinecones, stones and anything else that can dull your mower blade or become a projectile when mowing.

 Get your motor running:   An annual spring tune up is the best way to improve mower longevity and performance.  It’s as simple as changing the oil, replacing the spark plug and cleaning or replacing the air filter.  If you didn’t do it in the fall, remove the old gas from the gas tank. Check your mower blades and if necessary have them sharpened.  Dull blades tear and shred grass making it susceptible to disease. Finally, clean the deck of your mower.  Not a do it yourselfer?  Be sure to get your mower in for its annual tune up early so your mower is ready when you are.

  Call the Greenskeeper Lawn, Tree & Shrub:  Spring is the time for fertilizing and crabgrass preventative. Applied through mid May, this first round of treatment has all the right nutrients your lawn needs to get a jump start on the growing season.   If you are already a customer, just sit tight, we will be there!   Not yet a Greenskeeper customer?  Sign up for a free lawn analysis and estimate on our home page.  There is no obligation and you might decide that you too deserve a Greenskeeper!