As Mother Nature bounces back and forth between cool and warm-temperatures during mid- late spring there are often lots of questions asked by homeowners and professional lawn care managers alike regarding ‘I mowed the turf and it looks worse than before I cut it!’.  What is most often the case in this decline in spring mowing quality is the formation of seedheads in our cool-season grasses in Virginia.  Tall fescue, perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass and the fine-leaf fescues are all producing flowers and seed during this time of year in response to temperature, day length, and moisture.  Seedhead production will flourish for a few weeks during this period and will then reduce greatly as warmer weather arrives. 

This podcast describes the steps in choosing and applying fertilizers to lawns in ways that result in a healthy, great looking lawn. Particular emphasis is placed on the selection of nitrogen sources that best suit the homeowner's needs.

This information will assist you in proper cool-season turfgrass selection, seedbed preparation, and seeding method, and will provide other lawn establishment tips pertaining to fertilization, irrigation, mowing, and weed control.  Use the link provided here and related links found below for the podcast on  Warm-Season Turfgrass Establishment for more details on planting and maintaining turf.

Warm spring temperatures lead to a resurgence in growth from our lawns as well as our broadleaf weeds. What steps can we take to maximize weed control while protecting our turf and our environment? This podcast details best management practices in spring broadleaf weed control.

This podcast details cultural and chemical (both synthetic and organic) approaches in spring crabgrass control in homelawns, plus it highlights how to best time and treat product applications to maximize product effectiveness. The accompanying handout details specific preemergent herbicides available to homeowners.

Break the Spring Seeding Cycle:

As winter breaks and temperatures warm up, many spend some time outdoors, working in the lawn and garden areas, enjoying the sun and making a list of things to get done this year.  As we look at the lawn, we often see thin or bare areas, weedy areas, and parts of the lawn we just wish looked better.  We get excited as the days get warmer, and we decide, this year, I am going to fix this lawn up.  A trip to the store follows, bringing home grass seed, fertilizer, maybe lime, and perhaps even straw for the more ambitious of us.