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Lawn and Garden: Turf and Garden Tips

Turf and horticulture experts detail best management practices in how to attain a great looking lawn and landscape with environmentally-friendly management strategies.  What grasses and ornamental plants are best suited for your site? How do you establish or renovate a lawn or ornamental bed?  How do you safely and effectively manage pests?

  • Apr 09, 2013

    Springtime Mulching

    Why do we want to Mulch?  

        Mulch bed with edge

     

    Mulching is a practice that trees have been doing all by themselves for thousands of years.  Each year, trees drop leaves or needles to the forest floor, forming a layer of organic matter.  This layer serves many functions, but first and foremost it provides cover to the soil, reducing or eliminating erosion.  This layer of leaves also helps to retain moisture, adds organic material to the root zone of the plant, and allows of recycling of nutrients.

  • Apr 09, 2013

    A Decline in Spring Mowing Quality – What’s Going On?

    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. 

       

    Seedheads

  • Apr 09, 2013

    Spring Lawn Fertilization—Getting it Right!

    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.
        Spring Lawn Fertilization—Getting it Right!
  • Apr 09, 2013

    Spring Planting Considerations for Cool-season Turfgrasses in Virginia Lawns

    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.

  • Apr 09, 2013

    Spring Broadleaf Weed Control in Virginia’s Lawns

    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.

        deadnettle
  • Apr 09, 2013

    Best Management Practices in Spring Crabgrass Control in Lawns

    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.
        Germinating Crabgrass
  • Apr 08, 2013

    Breaking The Spring Seeding Cycle

    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. 



A lawn to Dye for

    Shawn Askew, Extension Turfgrass Weed Specialist at Virginia Tech, adjust a blade on a lawn mower to help homeowners properly mow their lawns.

Watch Head Golf Coach Jay Hardwick and turfgrass experts provide lawn care tips at the Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech. 

Topics include watering, fertilizing, mowing, soil testing, dealing with weeds, choosing the right grass, and combating diseases. More >>



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Listen to the Turf and Garden Tips podcast on Virginia Tech on iTunes U.

Spring Lawns Management Tips

Spring is an important transition month when both cool-season and warm-season lawn respond to the longer days and warming temperatures by renewing growth and restoring green color to our lawns. These podcasts detail the best management practices in fertilization, weed control, and mowing that will help you have a great looking and environmentally responsible lawn.


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For More Information

Please contact your local Extension office for more information related to your turf and garden questions.