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. 

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. 

This podcast details the principles in selecting and applying the appropriate herbicides to control existing weeds in lawns as active turf growth resumes in the spring.

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.

Crabgrass is the number one weed in lawns and the best time to treat is usually before it is seen. This podcast details the best management practices in developing a crabgrass control program.

There is nothing done more frequently in landscape maintenance than mowing the lawn, and nothing that is done with a greater frequency of mistakes either!  This podcast details some of the most critical mistakes commonly made in mowing turf and how you can avoid them in your quest for a great looking, healthy lawn.