14th Lawn and Garden Thread P Allen Smith 2024

[NoCORH4L]

15 hours ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

1.5 acres. Type of grass is difficult to say. Northeast mix and….50% crab. 

Cut it long and not very often is what I found helps. Then again I have zoysia.

[Brewbeer]

27 minutes ago, ChillinIt said:

1.5 acres

use 5 bags https://www.lebanonturf.com/products/2254326 or something similar as long as it is .38 barricade (Prodiamine) when soil temps hit 53 degrees Late March / early April.  Then six weeks later come back with another 5 bags of some product.  Presto no Crab!

is it really $70 per bag ?

18 minutes ago, NoCORH4L said:

Cut it long and not very often is what I found helps. 

I found this helps quite a bit, helps shade the lawn and reduce crab grass germination, also forces the crab grass that does germinate to grow vertically upward and not horizontally outward.  

The other thing worth mentioning is the crab grass preventer is a barrier that can be "broken" by disturbing the soil by raking, etc., so once the barrier is down don't disturb the soil

[backedgeapproaching]

If the Crabgrass infestation is really bad..say like Runnaway at 50% over 1.5 acres, probably going to take a couple years of pre-emergent use put down correctly and timed correctly to stop future Crabgrass. There are literally millions of seeds in the soil capable of sprouting.

[backedgeapproaching]

3 hours ago, IrishRob17 said:

I've had decent success with Ortho Weed Clear Lawn Weed Killer, the one with the crabgrass killer in it, in spot treatments of the inevitable sprouts in random areas.  

Yea, for spot treating those normally work pretty well. In my experience you also want to treat when the plant is smaller and younger, more mature plants are harder to kill.

 

[IrishRob17]

1 hour ago, backedgeapproaching said:

Yea, for spot treating those normally work pretty well. In my experience you also want to treat when the plant is smaller and younger, more mature plants are harder to kill.

 

Agreed, the smaller the crabgrass the faster it works. I must say though, one of our gardens became infested with large mature crabgrass and I was pleasantly surprised with how well it worked, just took a little longer.

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

5 hours ago, backedgeapproaching said:

If the Crabgrass infestation is really bad..say like Runnaway at 50% over 1.5 acres, probably going to take a couple years of pre-emergent use put down correctly and timed correctly to stop future Crabgrass. There are literally millions of seeds in the soil capable of sprouting.

Yea fall aeration, overseeding, and annual lime applications.

[ChillinIt]

No its not 70 a bag a few examples that work great 

https://www.themillstores.com/collections/lawn-weed-disease-control/products/13-0-4-50-lsn-38-prodiamine

https://www.themillstores.com/collections/lawn-weed-disease-control/products/16-0-5-15-dimension-50-scu-pre-emergent-crabgrass-control-50-lb

Now do a soil test about 20$ send me results.  Without having the soil correct first ( PH, CEC, N, P, K, Calcium and Organic matter) you are simply wasting $$.

This Fall Early Sept core aerate now when I say aerate I mean tear the crap out of it.  3 or 4 directions.  Apply a good 3 way Turf Type Tall Fescue 250 lbs. per acre.  At that time we will amend the soil for whatever it is lacking.

Yes in my years I have turned areas from complete trash to a nice stand of TF from Fall to following Spring and kept the Crab and weeds out.

 

[Damage In Tolland]

Over the last week or so lawn has developed a fungus. It’s not red thread . It’s more scattered. Looks more like dogs burn piss areas, but it’s not that. Widespread in lawn but small patches. I’ve never seen anything quite like this before and not sure what it is. 

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

23 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

Over the last week or so lawn has developed a fungus. It’s not red thread . It’s more scattered. Looks more like dogs burn piss areas, but it’s not that. Widespread in lawn but small patches. I’ve never seen anything quite like this before and not sure what it is. 

Pics?

[Damage In Tolland]

7 minutes ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

Pics?

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

Looks like brown patch fungus which peaks in wet HHH.

[Damage In Tolland]

10 minutes ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

Looks like brown patch fungus which peaks in wet HHH.

What’s the remedy ? I mean all our summers have been like this but I’ve never had this 

[SJonesWX]

Patience is the remedy. you could treat it with fungus control but it’s expensive and prob not worth it at this point in the season. TBH your lawn looks pretty good 

[backedgeapproaching]

Fungus Identification can be really tricky. Could be brown patch, could be dollar spot, summer patch,pythium blight and others. Look to see if there are lesions on the leaf blades and what they look like.

These fungus also effect different grass types. Brown patch only affects tall fescue really. I'm not sure if Kevin has Tall Fescue, he might have kentucky blue grass? Hard to tell from those pics, maybe it's a mix of grasses.

I was going to say the same as SJones, doesn't look too bad and just monitor it. If it spreads like crazy then maybe think about an action step. 

[Damage In Tolland]

19 minutes ago, SJonesWX said:

Patience is the remedy. you could treat it with fungus control but it’s expensive and prob not worth it at this point in the season. TBH your lawn looks pretty good 

It would look great for mid summer but those spots killing me . Unless a neighbors dog is doing it which is not likely . Our two dogs don’t even go out front 

[Damage In Tolland]

2 minutes ago, backedgeapproaching said:

Fungus Identification can be really tricky. Could be brown patch, could be dollar spot, summer patch,pythium blight and others. Look to see if there are lesions on the leaf blades and what they look like.

These fungus also effect different grass types. Brown patch only affects tall fescue really. I'm not sure if Kevin has Tall Fescue, he might have kentucky blue grass? Hard to tell from those pics, maybe it's a mix of grasses.

I was going to say the same as SJones, doesn't look too bad and just monitor it. If it spreads like crazy then maybe think about an action step. 

I do have a lot of KY BG . I know that is susceptible to fungus . I’m going to put down a treatment of straight Lesco fert slow release prior to next weeks rainy week . Only dry day looks like Monday 

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

6 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

I do have a lot of KY BG . I know that is susceptible to fungus . I’m going to put down a treatment of straight Lesco fert slow release prior to next weeks rainy week . Only dry day looks like Monday 

I think fertilizer actually enhances the fungus at this point. You may want to look into that. 

[Damage In Tolland]

3 minutes ago, RUNNAWAYICEBERG said:

I think fertilizer actually enhances the fungus at this point. You may want to look into that. 

I’ve always read/ thought a shot of nitrogen slow release helped fungus . Maybe I’m off on that 

[RUNNAWAYICEBERG]

Just now, Damage In Tolland said:

I’ve always read/ thought a shot of nitrogen slow release helped fungus . Maybe I’m off on that 

I found this:

Avoid nitrogen fertilizers: Avoid nitrogen fertilizers, as they can promote the growth of fungi. Instead, use a slow-release fertilizer that contains phosphorus and potassium.

[Brewbeer]

it's been so hot my lawn looks like crap too.  new england lawns don't like hot summers

[DavisStraight]

2 hours ago, Brewbeer said:

it's been so hot my lawn looks like crap too.  new england lawns don't like hot summers

Same with mine, it's green but too much crabgrass, I'll have to work on that next year.

[Damage In Tolland]

Does everyone’s tomato plants have the yellow and black spotted blight? 

[ma blizzard]

26 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

Does everyone’s tomato plants have the yellow and black spotted blight? 

Yes, but not as bad as last year yet 

[Damage In Tolland]

33 minutes ago, ma blizzard said:

Yes, but not as bad as last year yet 

Mine started early July . So well advanced . Pulling off limbs per day off 16 plants. Hasn’t affected the tomatoes yet . The birds peck and eat the ripe ones so I have been pulling them off early to finish inside.

[DavisStraight]

I had a load of peaches on my small tree and the squirrels picked it clean when they were small. I'm going to have to figure a way to keep them off the trees, I have a small village of squirrels in my area this year.

[dendrite]

9 minutes ago, DavisStraight said:

I had a load of peaches on my small tree and the squirrels picked it clean when they were small. I'm going to have to figure a way to keep them off the trees, I have a small village of squirrels in my area this year.

Same thing happened to me. You can try some big fake snakes and hang them from the branches. Just be sure to move them around once in awhile.

[DavisStraight]

2 minutes ago, dendrite said:

Same thing happened to me. You can try some big fake snakes and hang them from the branches. Just be sure to move them around once in awhile.

I'll try that next year, I didn't realize squirrels ate peaches, but I saw one grab a small peach from the tree and run away with it in its mouth. 

[dendrite]

2 minutes ago, DavisStraight said:

I'll try that next year, I didn't realize squirrels ate peaches, but I saw one grab a small peach from the tree and run away with it in its mouth. 

They eat everything. And unfortunately they like to get everything before it’s ripe. What kind of peach is it?

[DavisStraight]

4 minutes ago, dendrite said:

They eat everything. And unfortunately they like to get everything before it’s ripe. What kind of peach is it?

I forget, I have the tag from the tree somewhere, but they did grab them all while they were small. Does the type make a difference? Pretty sure the took my pears last year too.

[dendrite]

43 minutes ago, DavisStraight said:

I forget, I have the tag from the tree somewhere, but they did grab them all while they were small. Does the type make a difference? Pretty sure the took my pears last year too.

Not really. Mine struggles to keep flower buds through winter, but the mild 23-24 gave me a heavy fruit set before the grey rats got them. I’m looking to get a Contender and PF-24C for next year. They’re 2 of the hardiest with late flowering.