The Grass Rhizome

The fall armyworm feed on a host of different crops, but they really have a preference for lush green, well-fertilized tall fescue and rye grasses. Armyworms feed on the bottom of a plant first and move up the stem, quickly stripping foliage from the leaves.

In a typical fall season, armyworms are not a big concern for our region, the last major infestation was in 2010. Unusual weather patterns may have played a factor. Cooler than normal summers or the brief heat wave may have confused the armyworm moth's biological GPS. The only thing we know for sure is, they are here now!

Armyworm moths lay egg masses reaching 1500 to 2000 individual eggs hatching in just a few days. The larval stage tends to last about 14 days in the heat of summer to almost a month in cooler weather. Ferociously feeding on the best looking fescue lawns. The young are a greenish caterpillars with a black head maturing to a dark brownish body with hair like spines. The face of the mature larva is marked with a white inverted "Y".

After larvae have fully grown, they bury themselves into the soil and form a pupae. The moths will emerge in about 10 to 14 days. Damage can come in waves with multiple generations, monitoring your lawn for the rest of the season is advisable.

Signs you may have fall armyworm invasion:

Brown patches resembling drought damage.
Brown patches with all tender green leave removed, leaving only tough stems.
Birds digging near those brown areas.

Timing is crucial and early treatment is the most effective. Small fall armyworms are easier to control than the mature. Apply Critter Gitter granules, Cyonara, or Bifen I/T liquid control early or late in the day when armyworms are the most active. Fall armyworms will spend the hot part of the day deep in the soil. When using Critter Gitter granules use plenty of water to allow for good penetration.

Repair any damagedareas following Uncle's Steps to Fall Lawn Renovation and using extra grass seed in damaged areas. If used as directed, the controls for armyworms and fall renovation can be done the same day. Using Critter Gitter, Cyonara, or Bifen I/T will not affect seeding.

There seems to be something in human nature that attracts us to green grass. Ancient hunter-gatherers were attracted to abundant game on the vast grassy prairies, and the early herdsmen searched out the greenest valleys for their livestock. Even the 23rd Psalmassociates a sense of peace, protection and prosperity with lying down in green pastures. While most of us no longer hunt or farm, other than for recreation, we are still instinctually drawn to green grass as it cools our environment, filters out pollution, and feels good between our toes.

Keeping a thick, healthy lawn is a great way to have a safer, natural surface for dogs and kids to play on, as well as reducing weeds and increasing curb appeal. Understanding the basics of when, and how, grass grows, repairs and repopulates itself is critical to keeping your lawn healthy. If we can mimic nature, we can use the grasses’ natural characteristics to maintain the lawn we desire more easily.

Most Kansas City area grasses naturally reproduce through seed production. If left uncut, grass plants come out of winter dormancy, using the rainy spring weather, and stored up energy, to quickly push up a seed head. After this seed head matures in mid-summer, the seeds are then battered by late summer thunderstorms, knocking them to the ground, where they sprout in the warm moist soil. The young plants focus on growing deep roots and storing up nutrients to help get through the winter, and to be strong enough to survive the heat that will be coming the next summer. Since we mow our lawns, the seeding cycle is interrupted, and we don’t get the advantage of young, vigorous plants, or the genetic diversity of cross-pollination. That’s why we encourage planting HeatWave™ turf-type fescue blend, or BlueWave™ Kentucky bluegrass blend, in the late summer and early fall. Grasses are genetically predisposed to sprout and establish quickly because of the warm soil, and by supplementing the fall rains. Frequent irrigation cycles and adding Loveland Renovator turf fertilizer your new grass will establish faster now, than any other time of the year.

Some grasses also spread with runners called rhizomes. These runners are sent out by the parent plant when it senses a bare spot nearby. BlueWave™ Kentucky bluegrass blend has these runners and will create the prettiest lawn in Kansas City. The varieties selected for BlueWave™ have a deep blue-green color, and fine texture, which make it very desirable for those seeking a distinctively luxurious lawn. Do not dismiss bluegrass as being too ‘delicate’ in the heat of the summer. Decades of plant breeding and selection have created varieties that are more vigorous, heat and drought tolerant, disease resistant and visually appealing. Because of its spreading capability, and the fact that there are about 2 million seeds in every pound (10 times more than a pound of fescue), BlueWave™ Kentucky bluegrass blend is one of the most economical grasses to grow in our area.

In areas that expect a lot of traffic, like sports fields, and lawns with dogs and kids, we like to mix the BlueWave™ with sports turf ryegrass, creating Estate Mix™. This mix gives you all the benefits of the runners in BlueWave™, and adds the quick starting, dark green, and fine texture of the same sports turf ryegrasses that are used to repair golf course fairways and athletic fields.

Come on down to the Grass Pad, and ask Uncle about upgrading your lawn with BlueWave™ Kentucky bluegrass blend along with his Fall Renovator Program. It’s not too late! Yesterday was better than today, but today is better than tomorrow!

As many of you know, there are two types of common weeds we talk about at Grass Pad. The first type is annual grassy weeds, like crabgrass, foxtail and goosegrass. These annual grassy weeds sprout from seed each spring, living only for one season and will die at the first winter freeze. Annual grassy weeds are controlled using PREVENT!, a pre-emergent, applied in early spring. Killing the weed seed as it starts to germinate in the warm soils of spring.

Post emergent control for annual grassy weeds can be done in early summer using Uncle's Q-Bomb. As fall comes around, don't worry so much about controlling an annual grassy weed that will die at first frost. Concentrate more on overseeding and fertilizing your turf followingUncle's Fall Lawn Renovation program.

The second type of weed is the broadleaf weed. These are the wide leaf weeds you will see in thin areas of the lawn blooming with white, yellow or purple flowers in early spring. Weeds like dandelion, clover and chickweed that look like they could be on the salad bar at Price Chopper. Most of these broadleaf weeds are perennial and will live through our winter here in Kansas City.

Broadleaf weed invaders are revitalized with cool weather and fall rains. Growing, spreading and filling thin and open areas in turf created from summer abuse, heavy traffic and weather. As days get shorter, Mother Nature is sending a signal to her plants; the winter is soon to come. Plants begin an energy storage phase in order to survive the long winter. It is the same for trees, bushes, perennial grasses and weeds.

Fall is an ideal time to control perennial broadleaf weeds like dandelions and clover. Perennial weed plants are busy collecting energy to store for winter survival creating a window of opportunity to apply granular Loveland Weed and Feed, liquid Speedzone or Trimec. The herbicide is quickly translocated from the leaf tissue deep into the root for maximum kill. Controlling broadleaf weeds in early fall, will open space for fall overseeding. Furthermore, broadleaf herbicide applications made in October and November have very little chance of affecting trees and shrubs that are near dormancy. Fall fertilizing with Loveland Renovator or Golf Course Starter stimulates new seed and existing grass plants to quickly spread and fill in. No bare spots, mean no room for weeds.

Uncle's What Ifs:

If you have already applied new seed to your lawn, avoid using herbicides until the new seed has germinated, filled in and mature enough to have been mowed at least twice.
If you have already applied any of these herbicide products, wait 14 days after application to broadcast new seed in to those areas.
If you are the procrastinator and suddenly notice it's late fall, your best choice may be to get your seed and fertilizer down first and control broadleaf weeds later.
If you have any questions call your nearest Grass Pad or just come on down!

As the bounty of your spring planted garden winds down with the changing leaves and colors of autumn don’t forget your living soil. The living soil requires living plants and roots to maintain the diverse biological populations below the surface. In fact, the adage of “use it or lose it” applies when it comes to soil. Maintaining living roots in the soil for the microbes year round will produce healthier soil, less compaction, and higher water infiltration. Mother Nature is an excellent soil conservationist and when she sees a bare spot she fills it, with weeds. So keep your garden from filling with winter annual weeds like henbit, and chickweed by using a beneficial cover crop.

Cover crops in your garden will increase the available nutrients to your garden. Cover crops will mine or scavenge for nutrients in the soil. Nutrient mining is a concept of up taking nutrients from deep in the soil and depositing them closer to the surface for absorption by shallower rooted crops. Groundhog radish does this in spades with the very deep growing tap root of the radish penetrating the earth like a spear aerating the soil and loosening compacted soils at the same time. Groundhog radishes will pull these nutrients from deep in the soil and use them to grow leaves that cover the ground reducing erosion and preventing weeds. When groundhog radishes die, the leaves are deposited at the surface of the soil returning nutrients to the earth and the radish decomposes into a column of excellent organic material. That vertical column of decomposed organic material is the perfect highway for water to travel through and infiltrate our heavy clay soils.

Other crops are capable of pulling nutrients from the air. Nitrogen fixing is a biological activity that occurs with plants in the legume family. Winter peas and clover are plants capable of this activity. Using winter peas, and clover in your garden as a cover crop will pull nitrogen from the air and put it in the soil for other crops to use. Farmers have known this for years, and that is why they rotate crops between soybeans (a legume) and corn (a high nitrogen user). When it comes time to plant your tomatoes and peppers next Mother’s day just turn under the winter peas or clover with a shovel, and it becomes green manure under the surface of the soil. Anytime you can add organic material to the soil of your garden, increased yields will be your reward.

Don’t leave your garden soil a barren wasteland all winter; feed the living soil with a cover crop. Come on down to the Grass Pad your fall seeding headquarters and we can figure out what kind of cover crop suits your needs the best. By introducing crop rotation and the use of cover crops, you are creating diversity that will support the life beneath the soil. The time to plant is now, the longer the plant has to grow before winter sets in the more roots and foliage it can produce. Healthy soil is dark in color and crumbles in your hand, if your garden is not that way you need the added organic material that a cover crop can provide.

Revive worn out planters and flower beds using colorful fall blooming garden mums. Fresh hardy garden mums in brilliant yellow, oranges, pinks, purples and reds are available. Mums planted now will have the best chance for winter survival.

Planting Instructions:

Choose a well-drained location where the mums will receive at least five hours of sun per day.
Dig a hole twice as wide and only as deep as the container. Space blooming garden mums in the fall based on plant size.
Remove from the plastic container and place the mum into the hole onto undisturbed soil. The top of the root mass should be level with the soil grade.
Backfill with a mixture of soil from the hole and Grass Pad’s Max Mix landscapers mix. Pack the soil mixture firmly around the root mass.
Cover the planting area and the top of the root mass with mulch of your choice.
Fertilize with Uncle’s Root Accelerator, every two weeks until buds crack open. Repeat monthly in the growing seasons.
Water thoroughly at planting, amount and frequency will vary by size, weather and soil conditions.

Pinching
Encourage branching and development of a compact plant habit, it is critical to pinch back your garden mums in the following spring season. Soon as new growth is four to six inches tall, use your thumbnail and index finger to remove or pinch off about ½ of the new growth. Do this at the top of each and every shoot.

Repeat this procedure through the summer whenever new shoots are four to six inches long. Stop pinching around the Fourth of July.

Division
Chrysanthemums sometimes become crowded in the garden. The old, center portion of the plant dies back, and new growth occurs around the perimeter of the clump. Renovating chrysanthemum clumps every three or four years will encourage healthy growth, neat plant habit, and continued flowering.

When new shoots appear in the spring, dig the entire clump. Use a sharp spade or knife to cut the clump into wedge-shaped sections, like a pie. Remove and discard the point of the wedge (this is the oldest part of the clump). Plant the new plant (wedges) eighteen to twenty-four inches apart at the depth they were growing.

If you haven’t over seeded your lawn this fall, today is better than tomorrow and tomorrow is better than next week. In fall, days get shorter and night time temperatures drop. Crabgrass, foxtail, and annual grassy weeds turn yellow and shrivel leaving room for turf seed to germinate in cooling soils. Fall overseeding helps thicken existing turf eliminating bare spots. Next spring, if no bare spots, there will be no weeds.

Mother Nature has it figured out, after 2 millions years of overseeding the prairies; we follow her recipe. In their natural growth cycle, grass plants form seed heads and re-seed themselves. Regular mowing eliminates the seed head. Mimic Mother Nature by re-seeding in fall. Overseeding will introduce youthful vigor and genetic diversity in existing turf. The strongest plants survive and carry on the integrity of the stand. Overseeding with improved varieties of grass seed will create better quality turf for the future.

Macho Mix turf-type fescue contains only the best performing varieties in the mid-west. New turf-type tall fescues in Macho Mix are finer in leaf texture, darker in color, denser growth habit and provide superior disease resistance. Macho Mix turf-type fescue retains good color during the winter months and provides a year-round green lawn. Lower and slower growing turf-type fescues mean less mowing. Denser growth habits mean fewer weeds and less clumping. Improved disease tolerance means less maintenance.

Bluegrass varieties in Uncle’s Estate Mix are university tested and golf course proven in the mid-west. Today’s elite bluegrass varieties are different than what your parents were planting just a few years ago. People can be quick to malign bluegrass, but if you look at its short comings, the only problem it really has is with the lack of water. A conservative irrigation plan will carry your bluegrass lawn to the first of September when the cool nights and fall rains return. Aggressive bluegrass varieties fill in routine damage and give your lawn that soft well manicured look.

Do it Now! There is plenty of time to fix most turf problem. Seeding in fall, when the days are warm and nights are cool will allow grass seed to sprout very quickly. Fertilize with Renovator or Golf Course Starter now and again in 4 weeks. An application of fall fertilizer pushes the root system deep into the soil. At Thanksgiving time, fertilize with Snowman winter root builder and your lawn will wake up next spring thick and green with an

Young Chickweed

Mid-October to early November is an excellent time to kill broadleaf weeds. Frequent fall rains and lawn irrigation bring a fresh crop of broadleaf weeds into the lawn. Dandelions, clover and winter annual weeds, henbit and chickweed, invade thin and bare spots in the turf.

Don't wait till Spring!Speedzone broadleaf weed herbicide applied when soils are warmer in the fall, will give a quicker kill on young and mature broadleaf weeds. Dandelions, clover, henbit and chickweed are all busy collecting energy during photosynthesis and storing it in the crown and roots for use over the winter months. Speedzone contains a combination of systemic herbicides that will translocate through the leaf tissue at cooler temperatures and move into the crown and roots for a complete kill.

Young Henbit

Killing broadleaf weeds in the fall will allow the turf to spread and fill in those thin and bare spots this fall before annual grassy weeds like crabgrass, foxtail and goosegrass can germinate next spring.

Apply Speedzone with Spreader Sticker on a day when temperatures are above 50 degrees and no rain is expected for 24 hours. Do not mow for 48 hours after application. Cold weather can slow the translocation and therefore the herbicides effectiveness. The more active the weed is growing, the more herbicide is translocated to the roots for a better kill.

If you have overseeded, read these tips on Seeding & Weeding here.

Dandelion

Why should you fertilize trees and shrubs? Improve the health and disease tolerance of your trees and shrubs each year by supplementing much-needed nutrients every fall using fertilizer spikes or a root feeder. Shrubs and trees require energy stores to survive the winter and maintain healthy vigor to defend against pests and diseases.

Feeding established trees and shrubs is idiot-proof. Fertilizer spikes are a combination of slow fertilizers compressed to form a spike. These hard spikes can be driven into the ground using a mallet or hammer or after a dry season, using an auger drill makes installation much easier. Do not use fertilizer spikes on newly installed trees or shrubs. Spikes contain fertilizers in amounts not recommended for new trees or shrubs.

A root feeder can also be used to fertilize established trees. Connecting to your garden hose, special water soluble tablets are inserted into the root feeder handle. The attached hollow metal probe is pushed deep into the soil. As water flows through the root feeder, fertilizer tablets dissolve quickly, and nutrients become readily available to the roots. These root feeders can be used for deep watering trees during drought periods.

For newly installed trees and shrubs use Uncle's Root Accelerator containing a special starter fertilizer formula. Uncle’s Root Accelerator is specifically formulated for new plantings and is recommended for all trees and shrubs that have been installed for less than 12 months. Promoting rapid root growth, Uncle’s Root Accelerator, applied once per month for the first year will improve your transplanting results. Uncle’s Root Accelerator concentrate is mixed with water and poured at the base of the tree or shrub.

How much fertilizer will you need? Bring your tree measurements with you and our sales staff can help you determine how many spikes or tablets required for your tree. Fertilizer formulas are available for shade, ornamental and fruit trees. Measure your tree trunk diameter about 18 inches from the base to get the most accurate measurement. Shrubs and multi-stem trees without a main trunk, just estimate their height.

Woody shrubs and trees can bring brilliant color to the fall season. This fall, when planning your landscape designs, here are five shrubs for a great multi-season color in the garden or landscape. Uncle's Idiot Proof shrubs have proven to be the most reliable, plants to use in your next landscape project.

Fothergilla: Mt. Airy is a dwarf fothergilla growing 2' to 3' tall and about the same spread. They prefer full sun to part shade but will flower the best in full sun. Bottlebrush like spiked flowers bloom in spring (April-May) before leaves appear. Oblong green leaves have a toothed edge at the point and turn brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red in the fall.

Itea: Little Henry's Sweetspire, a dwarf Virginia sweetspire. Extremely hardy for the midwest region and growing 2'-3' tall and near the same spread. Best grown in full sun to part shade; Sweetspire can tolerate some wet soil conditions. Fragrant spires of tiny white flowers cover the shrub blooming in late spring to early summer. Oval green leaves turn shades of orange, red and purple in the fall, can be shaped and trimmed for foundations or borders.

Clethra: Ruby Spice clethra is a deciduous shrub growing best in full sun to part shade, can tolerate heavy shade and wet soils. Growing 4'-6' high and 3'-5' spread. Fragrant rose-pink bottle-brush like flowers bloom from July to August and perfect for butterfly gardens. Oval dark green leaves turn an elegant yellow/gold in fall.

Viburnum: Uncle's favorite Idiot Proof Plant. Many good varieties, just too many to list. A few of our most popular are the Juddi, Leatherleaf, Double-File, Eastern Snowball and Korean Spice. You can find a viburnum in all shapes and sizes to fit almost any growing conditions. Most varieties will have fragrant spring blooms in white or pink tones. Dwarf viburnum varieties are available; however, the most common viburnum varieties will average 6'-8' high and wide.

Oakleaf Hyrdrangea: Bold fragrant conical white flowers with pink overtones at the ends of the branches from early to mid-summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has dark green foliage which emerges grayish green in spring. The large fuzzy lobed leaves turn an outstanding brick red in the fall. The peeling brick red bark and spectacular fall color make the oakleaf hydrangea the perfect choice for a large garden or mass planting.

"When is the best time to plant a tree or shrub?" It's a popular question at Grass Pad nurseries. A light-hearted response would be "20 years ago" but, the very next best time is today. Fall is the perfect season for new shrub and tree installations. Trees and shrubs suffer less transplant shock when planted during dormancy in the fall. Think about planting a dormant tree or shrub, like a removing a sleeping child from the back seat of the van after a long trip. You can pick the kid up move them around, take them out of the van, change their clothes and put them to bed without ever waking till the next morning, or in the case of a tree or shrub, next spring.

Brown mud muck? In early spring, at the Grass Pad, we receive plenty of phone calls on lawns turned to brown mush by dogs and kids running on waterlogged backyards and play areas. If you have the mud muck, the first aid fix is the same as they use between the bases on baseball infields that must be played during wet conditions. A natural calcine clay product, Primera One Field Conditioner is kid and pet friendly.

PrimeraFC, field conditioner works great for drying up muddy areas around the patio or along dog run. Overseed those same areas with Estate Mix, Macho Mix or Stadium Special for early germination in cool spring soils.

March is the time to start your lawn's engine so that it is ready to give you a smooth ride all season long. Just like your car, a good Spring Lawn Tune Up will give your lawn top performance and keep grass problems to a minimum as the season goes along. In your lawn, your good turf grasses are in a race with the weeds and insects that will sprout and hatch in the next eight weeks.

Feed it! In hot weather weeds and bugs can simply run rings around your lawn's desirable cool-season grasses. It is important to get your lawn started now so your good grasses have a head start on the competition. Feeding the lawn in early March with Loveland's Renovator or Golf Course Starter formula fertilizer will encourage your lawn grasses to grow healthy tops and roots. Roots, tillers and rhizomes spread and thicken your lawn turf. Vigorous roots and rhizomes help fill in bare spots to give the lawn a more uniform appearance and prepares the grass plant to receive sunlight that will in turn also promote root growth.

In the spring established lawns can look uneven and clumpy. Different grass types, different soil types, variation in moisture, sunlight, pet traffic, all contribute to an uneven appearance that is the lawn hangover from winter stress. An early spring lawn fertilizer will give grass plants the extra boost they need to green up and all start growing at once.

Feeding your lawnearly has an obvious aesthetic benefit as the green lawn will frame springtime’s flowering trees and shrubs. It also has the practical benefit of crowding out bare spots and mud patches before weeds can sprout. Weeds and bugs need heat and sunlight. As the grass grows and thickens, bare spots disappear and soil temperatures are dramatically reduced by the shade and insulation provided by the thick green grass carpet.

Seed it! Those lawn areas where bare spots or turf damage are larger than a silver dollar will need to be over-seeded in order to fill in before summer. Start early to get a jump on summer weed competition. Fine leafed bluegrass lawns may be overseeded with special attention to bare spots. Choose newer bluegrass strains that are adapted to the Kansas City areas and do better in hot weather. Some of these include Corsair, Rock Star, Gibraltar and our elite blend Blue Wave. In most cases, these bluegrasses will outperform fescues ten months out of the year. Hybrid bluegrass mixes such as Estate Mix containing perennial sports rye will germinate much more quickly in cold soils and will be well established by summer. Topdressing seeded bare spots with PrimeraFC seed dressing or sphagnum peat will speed germination.

Related: March is the Perfect Time to Help Your Lawn

In Kansas City, fescue lawns are becoming more popular. But turf type tall fescue does best in warm weather. As such turf fescue lawns can be sluggish and slow to start in cold spring soils. If overseeding fescue lawns in the spring avoid coarse bladed pasture varieties such as K-31. New hybrid fescue varieties include Cochise 4, Falcon 4 and Bullseye as well as a number of popular mixes and blends such as Heat Wave and Macho Mix. Containing 5% perennial sports turf rye, Macho Mix seeded in early March sprouts one to two weeks sooner than fescue held until warm weather before sowing.

Related: Turf-Type Tall Fescue vs Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue

Weed it! Controlling broadleaf weeds in cold spring weather can be a real headache. Weeds that will curl up and die in two days when the temperature is eighty degrees will seem unaffected at fifty degrees. Winter weeds such as henbit, oxalis and even small dandelions can be seen on the lawn and are hard to kill in cold weather. Speedzone, a liquid broadleaf weed control, will kill springtime broadleaf weeds at lower temperatures than ever before.

Related: Best Control for Broadleaf Weeds in Cool Weather

The most important weed control application for the spring is Loveland's PREVENT!, a pre-emergent for crabgrass, foxtail and other ugly annual grassy weeds. PREVENT! will give best results when applied in two applications, once in Mid-April and again June first. PREVENT! will damage new grass seed so do not apply them to new seeding until the new grass has matured and mowed two times.

Related: Spring Seeding and Preventing Crabgrass

Are you a new homeowner eager for the satisfaction of working on your own lawn or maybe you're just not happy with your existing lawn service and ready to do-it-yourself? Taking care of that first lawn is a lot like changing a diaper for the first time. It can be a little intimidating, sometimes overwhelming and even a little messy, but once you get a little practice you eventually figure it out. Dealing with turf grass and weeds takes practice and with the help from Grass Pad’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program you’ll get it figured out faster than a Huggies Pull Up.

It’s April already, where do I start? The beginner’s guide to Grass Pad’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program starts with recognizing two different types of weeds we deal with in the mid-west and how to control those weeds. In addition, the relationship between those weeds, bare spots, and healthy turf grass.

Annual grassy weeds, like crabgrass and foxtail germinate from seed each spring. Low growing and prostrate to the ground forcing out weak, and summer stressed turfgrass for prime real estate in your front yard. Annual grassy weeds form seed heads in late summer then die at first frost leaving bare spots for winter hardy broadleaf weeds to move in and take hold. Allowing plenty of room for the next generation of grassy weed seeds to sprout next spring.

Control annual grassy weeds with Grass Pad PREVENT. Preventing crabgrass starts in early spring before the soils start to warm, and dormant crabgrass seeds germinate. Apply PREVENT In Mid-March to Mid-April and again in Late May to early June. Grass Pad’s two application pre-emergent formula has been tested and proven to outperform other one-step pre-emergent formulas available at box stores and hardware stores. PREVENT contains slow-release spring turf food for green up plus crabgrass preventer. Apply ½” of water within 48 hours after application. A vapor barrier is created at soil level, controlling ugly summer grassy weeds before they emerge.

Related: Start Early to Prevent Crabgrass

Broadleaf weeds, like dandelions, henbit, and plantain will survive the winter and are not controlled by PREVENT. As soils warm in spring, broadleaf weeds fill in and stretch out in those same bare spots left by dead crabgrass. By eliminating crabgrass in spring, you will reduce the broadleaf weed invasion in the fall.

Control broadleaf weeds with Grass Pad WEED and FEED. Uncle calls them “the salad bar” weeds, having wide leaves make them an easy target for granular WEED and FEED, a professional strength broadleaf weed herbicide plus turf food. For best results, apply anytime April to June as needed, on a sunny day when temperatures are above 70°. Apply over a wet lawn or a morning dew. Do not apply if rain expected within 48 hours and no mowing 48 hours before or after application.

Related: Control Broadleaf Weeds in Cool Weather

A wise man once said, “Weeds don’t make a lawn bad, bad lawns make weeds.” Think about that statement and let it sink in, and it is precisely the truth. Weeds can only move into a lawn if there is room for the weed seeds to grow and spread. The best weed preventer for your lawn is thick, healthy vigorous grass. Eliminate the bare spots, and you will eliminate the weeds. The secret to an idiot proof lawn is to start early and get good turf grasses to fill the bare spots before the weeds do.

Related: Spring Spot Seeding and Preventing Crabgrass

Grass Pad's Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program

Grass Pad makes lawn care idiot proof. If you want your lawn to be thick, lush, and green with fewer weeds follow the Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program. Each application is formulated to help eliminate weeds and encourage healthy vigorous turf grass to resist weed pressure.

Come on down to the Grass Padand let our Green Shirt Team show you how Uncle’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program will make lawn care quick and easy. We’ve got all the tools to help you to be successful in maintaining a healthy lawn. You can’t screw it up; even your husband can do it.

Spring rains make a mess of outdoor schedules. Planting the garden, seeding the lawn, sprucing up the patio, all get rained out, just like a spring baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Wet mucky soils are hard to dig and form hard pan clods during planting. Major projects are delayed and routine chores are a mess.

Gardeners, homeowners and event planners can all take a tip from the baseball grounds keeper. Baseball infields are meant to be dry. Slippery footing is dangerous and the infield must be raked smooth. Baseball is an elegant game. It is not meant to be played in the mud.

Save the Game
On sports fields, the secret weapon in the battle against mud and rain outs is PrimeraFC field conditioner. The fine porous chips of PrimeraFC are used by professional baseball teams for infields and are tilled into the soil of grassed areas as well. Sports fields prepared with these porous ceramics will absorb moisture and be ready to play when other fields are closed for days.

On football and soccer fields, wet bare spots develop at midfield and around the goal lines. In such wear areas these field conditioners will reduce soil compaction, promote drainage and encourage root development. Parents and coaches trying to upgrade a tired public field or save a rain threatened game schedule can use the same versatile products.

Save the Picnic
Overnight rain can disrupt more than just a baseball game. In the spring, picnics, graduation parties, wedding receptions all move outdoors. Even after the rain stops, muddy ground can put a damper on these events. To get rid of muddy spots and dry out walking paths, spread the PrimeraFC over soggy ground. It will absorb moisture, dry out the soil and give guests a clean firm footing to walk on. Best of all when the party is over just broom it into the turf with a leaf rake and you are done. It is a benefit to the grass, soil and any garden plant.

Save the Carpet
When used with new seeding, PrimeraFC will hold moisture and speed seed germination by seven to ten days. Unlike garden topsoil, the ceramic medium is weed free and will not contaminate new seed with soil born weeds. My favorite use is on high traffic play areas round the dog run, yard or patio. It provides a clean firm footing and will reduce muddy foot prints onto indoor carpet. On public lawns and muddy courtyards it reduces lawn wear and tracking into polished indoor surfaces. Moms and janitors come to love this stuff rain or no rain.

Save the Garden
Healthy roots for flowers and plants need a balance of air and water. In wet compacted soils plant roots drowned and rot from too much moisture. Water logged planting beds, large containers and low spots in the garden will all benefit from these same athletic field products. Porous well drained soil is the name of the game, whether at Kauffman Stadium or your own back yard.

Very little is required to germinate grass seed. The right amount of moisture, the right amount of heat and grass seed will germinate even with no light and no nutrient. Mother Nature designed her grass seeds to sprout in the deep shade of established grasses. Young grass plants tolerate lower light conditions; however as grass plants mature more sunlight is required to maintain health and vigor. In full sun areas, grass blades reach to the sky to absorb the sunlight and thrive. In heavy shaded areas, the maturing grass plant is weakened by the lack of quality sunlight and suffers. Complicating matters, an already weakened grass plant is forced to compete with an established shade tree for food and water. Trees are bullies and can out-compete grasses for all the resources necessary for sustaining turf.

Turf grasses grow best in full sunlight. While under trees, 95% of the sunlight is either reflected or used up by the tree for photosynthesis. The quality of light reaching the ground under a tree is different than what is available in full sun. The grass plant reacts with a biological attempt to find more light. Compared to grass plants growing in full sun, grass plants growing in shade will be longer, thinner and less vigorous. Physical changes in the leaf structure result in reduced tolerances to heat, cold, drought, traffic, and disease. While the area under the tree can be heavily shaded, with a little extra effort, it is rarely too shady to grow quality turf. Here are five idiot-proof tips to grow grass in heavy shade.

5 Idiot-Proof Tips to Keep Grass Growing Under Trees.

Improve sunlight! Intensity and duration of quality light reaching the grass plant is important. The more time the grass plant has in full sunlight, the better it will perform. Pruning lower branches to raise the canopy will increase full sun exposure and allow more wind circulation helping to reduce humid conditions that can stimulate turf disease. Shaded areas with restricted air movement may require treatment with Fungus Fighters to maintain a quality turf stand.
Traffic Management! Shade stressed grass plants are less tolerant of heavy wear. Traffic management may be required. Active dog runs along shaded fence areas may require physical barriers to alter their traffic patterns. A runway of mulch along the fence could be your best option for large active canines.
Use the Best Grass Seed!Uncle’s Premium Shade Mix is a custom mix of elite grass seed varieties hardy to the Midwest. Grass seed varieties with low water and nutrient requirements with improved disease resistance, making our mix ideal for shade tolerance. Uncle’s Premium Shade Mix has the best shade tolerant varieties available, but it’s not a miracle grass. We hate to break it to you, but there is no "set it and forget it" miracle shade grass. Ignore the fancy TV commercials and marketing BS. Use Uncle's Premium Shade Mix and reseed those shady areas three times a year (spring, summer, and fall) rotating youthful, vigorous, low light tolerant grass plants into the maturing turf stand.
Deep Water Shade Areas! In the spring, with frequent rains, the shade tree and grass are good neighbors, plenty of moisture for everyone. However, when spring rains stop and summer heat sets in, the trees get very unfriendly. A large shade tree can use hundreds of gallons of water a day leaving very little moisture for turf grass. Water deep shaded grass areas heavily but infrequently in summer to reduce wet foliage.
Relief Compaction! Primaerify or condition the soil under your shade trees. Increase the soils water holding capacity and improve drainage by core aerating and raking PrimeraFC field conditioner into the aeration holes. PrimeraFC is a natural porous ceramic granule having incredible air and water holding capacity. PrimeraFC helps to relieve compaction and improve drainage when incorporated into the soil structure.

Every year a lawn maintenance program needs a little adjustment. Some years are too dry; some years are too wet. This year has been just plain soggy. Spring grass plants are lush and green, and lawn mowers are working overtime. Ducks and crawdads like this sort of weather, but once summer weather heats up there will be a price to pay. Excessive spring rains will bring two very predictable summer problems: crabgrass and nutgrass.

Crabgrass Booster Shot
Annual summertime grass weeds like crabgrass, goosegrass and foxtail will sprout aggressively in water logged soils. The same May rains that made lawns so nice and green in the spring will break down the effectiveness of early spring crabgrass preventers. Areas around driveways, sidewalks and patios are particularly prone to this problem. Concrete surfaces absorb and intensifies summer heat and make a natural incubator for hot weather weeds along its edges.

Related: Uncle's Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program

Heavy rain dilutes the crabgrass pre-emergence barrier applied in early spring. Then, the first week of hot June weather prompts weeds like crabgrass and foxtail to sprout and begin their annual invasion of green summer lawns. Step #3 PREVENT!, crabgrass preventer, applied in late May to early June provides a booster shot to extend weed control and prevent crabgrass all summer long.

Gardens and flower beds have the same problem. Well tended beds fall victim to an invasion of aggressive summertime weeds. Garden weed preventers applied in early spring are simply overwhelmed by extreme spring rains. For best results, three booster applications spaced six to eight weeks apart will keep gardens and landscape beds clean all summer long.

Related: Uncle's Q-Bomb Post Emergent Crabgrass Control

Nutgrass Control
Nutgrass is a common problem in summer lawns, even after an average spring. Nutgrass is not controlled by crabgrass pre-emergence. Nutgrass plants can regenerate from small nutlets formed on their root system under the soil surface. These nutlets go unharmed by pre-emergent and traditional contact weed controls, making nutsedge difficult to control.

Nutgrass or nutsedge has triangular stems with leaves that branch out in three different directions. Light green to yellow in color, nutsedge grows quickly in spring and summer, outgrowing grass in just a couple of days after mowing.

Uncle's Nut Buster, when used with Spreader Sticker, is the most effective control for nutgrass in the home lawn. Spreader Sticker, a non-ionic surfactant, holds the herbicide to the waxy leaf of the nutgrass. Be patient and allow the herbicide to stay on the nutgrass leaf 48 hours before mowing or watering. Give the plant plenty of time to draw Uncle's Nut Buster deep into the root system and translocate into the nutlet for best control.

Timing is everything, and early control is best. Nutgrass plants allowed to mature will stress when treated, stimulating more nutlets to sprout. However; be persistent and continue to spray the new plants as they emerge, and you will be victorious. Avoid pulling the nutgrass plant by hand. Pulling nutgrass will stress the plant and stimulate even more nutlets to sprout.

See Also:Fungus Fighter Turf Disease Control

Got Bagworms?

You’ve seen them hanging from evergreens and spruce trees every summer. With our mild temperatures last winter you can expect record numbers. Left unchecked bagworm populations will grow to damaging levels very quickly. One bagworm can produce over 1,000 baby bagworms.

Late May through early June is the perfect time to control bagworms. Bagworm eggs overwinter on the leaves and needles of a host plant and hatch in late May through early June. During the egg hatch until the bagworm is about the size of a pencil eraser is the most effective time to kill bagworms with a liquid application Grass Pad Critter Gitter.

Do it now! Spray liquid Critter Gitter while temperatures are still mild, and the bagworms are small for best control. Junipers and Spruce are bagworm magnets, but bagworms will feed on just about any plant. To apply, mix Grass Pad Critter Gitter according to label specifications, then saturate the leaves and needles thoroughly spraying the ground under trees and bushes is also recommended. Liquid Critter Gitter is also useful for control of fleas, ticks, ants, cricket and chiggers in the lawn.

Warm weather brings annoying pests like ants, fleas, ticks, and chiggers. This year the summer bug invasion will be quicker than Putin into Crimea. Just like the Russians, the threat of economic sanctions will not prevent or remove these menacing marauders from invading your lawn.

Know thy enemies

There are two kinds of insects waiting to march into your lawn. One chew on you and your pets, the other prefers to eat on your grass, shrubs and trees. The first category includes ants, fleas, ticks, chiggers and mosquitoes that bite or suck blood from warm blooded mammals including you and your pets. Besides being uncomfortable, these bug bites can spread infections like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. They can also ruin a picnic or patio party for you and your children.

Related: How to Remove a Tick

An army travels on its stomach

The second category of lawn insects is those that chew or suck on your grass, trees and shrubs instead of your legs. It’s easy to know when you have chiggers because they bite your leg. However, the unseen enemy is always the most fearsome. When sod webworms, pill bugs, crickets, grass hoppers and chinch bugs attack your lawn, it is much harder to see. Homeowners may not discover the damage until their lawn turns brown. Don’t wait until these hidden invaders have taken over your property. Draw your red line, now! De-escalate their potential for damage and restore a pest-free sanctuary in your yard. Apply Critter Gitters now!

Related:Bagworm Control on Junipers

Look for signs

The buildup of troops around your borders will begin as the bugs hatch. The first signs can be seen on the windshield of your car; another is the screen door of your patio or deck. Once you start cleaning bugs off your windshield and swatting brown June bugs, it is time to call out the rapid response team to defend your lawn from the impending invasion.

Choose your weapon

Liquid Critter Gitters such as Bifen or Cyonara are perfect for getting into those hard to reach areas, but they also should be watered in after twenty-four hours. When spraying, make sure to spray dog kennels, tall grass, bushes, low hanging tree branches and the foundation of the house. Liquid insecticides will give good general control of nuisance pests, as well as, mosquitoes. Spray in the early morning or late evening when wind drift is at a minimum.

Diverse Tactics

If liquid controls are not doable, apply granular Critter Gitter insecticides, using a broadcast spreader, Critter Gitter granules will control surface feeding insects as well as those in the crown of the grass plant. Insects continue to hatch in your lawn throughout the summer. Some good news is both categories of insects are controlled using liquid or granule Critter Gitters or in combination. Apply in late afternoon and water for thirty minutes after application.

Timing is crucial

The first application is the most important. Wait for warm temperatures to ensure the first hatch is well underway. Bugs that hatch early in the summer will continue to multiply until September. An effective control May or June can interrupt this process and significantly reduce problems later and for complete season long control an application once a month may be necessary.

Never surrender

A wise man once said, "If you are confused about what to do, it is a sign that your enemy is winning." Come on down to your nearest Grass Pad Battle Command Headquarters. Our staff can help you with an effective battle plan to defend your turf and garden.

Ajuga- Attractive ground cover in colorful foliage and spikes of blue flowers in spring. Popular varieties include Bronze Beauty, Chocolate Chip, Burgundy Glow and Catlin's Giant. Very hardy and easy to get established.

Astilbe - Native to the far east, these beautiful plants and their hybrids have revolutionized the perennial possibilities of moist, shaded gardens. From tiny dwarfs to the big and tall the combinations are endless. Popular varieties include the Color Flash & Vision series, Fanal, Granat, Deutschland and Rheinland.

Columbine - The flowers are sometimes compared to butterflies and are as beautiful in a vase as they are in the garden. Excellent for hummingbirds. There are lots of great hybrids available in a multitude of colors and combinations. Popular varieties include the Barlow, Songbird, Spring Magic, and Winky Series.

Euonymous Colorata - Also knowns as Purple Winter Creeper is one of the most aggressive and hardy ground cover varieties. Tolerating shade or sun Winter Creeper is an excellent choice for hillsides when erosion control is important. Beautiful deep purple fall color.

Heuchera - Also called Coral Bells have 100's of new hybrid varieties that have been developed over the last decade, almost too many. Shade loving heuchera is excellent partner for hosta or astilbe. Popular and hardy varieties for our area include Palace Purple, Amber Waves, Blessingham Mix, Ruby Bells and Splendens Firefly.

Hosta - Probably the easiest shade loving plant to get established. Available as bare root in early spring, hosta can also be the most economical for filling shade areas. Tiny dwarf varieties to mega-monsters can make excellent borders to dramatic displays. Available in shades of green, blue and variegated leaf combinations. Hosta is the #1 idiot proof shade perennial. Popular varieties include Patriot, Frances Williams, Regal Splendor and Big Daddy.

Lamium - Often under utilized, lamium is an excellent ground cover perennial for shady areas. Thrives in shade but will grow in some sun. Varieties offer a range of flower colors in white, purple and pink with silver-variegated leaves. Popular varieties include, White Nancy, Beacon Silver and Herman's Pride.

Lysimachia - One of many forms of lysimachia, the most popular is Creeping Jenny, also called moneywort. The golden varieties seem to be the rage, however there are green varieties too. These same varieties are popular for annual planters and hanging baskets as spiller plants around the sides.

Ivy - An aggressive ground cover, ivy can be very advantageous if you need something to spread quickly in shade. Extremely hardy, can be known to climb and sometimes hard to control. Available in dark green or variegated leaf, ground cover ivy continues to be one of the most common shade ground covers.

Sedum - Gaining popularity are the many ground covers available in the sedum family. Adapting to full sun to part shade, sedum tolerate hot dry areas extremely well and are perfect for those rocky areas. Excellent for walls and along stone paths, sedum come in a wide range of leaf color, texture and flower color. A cactus like flesh give sedum a different texture to the landscape. Most popular varieties include Dragons Blood, Coral Carpet, Blue Spruce and Kamtschaticum.

Vinca Minor - Also known as Vinca Myrtle, Creeping Myrtle and Old-Fashion Periwinkle. An excellent evergreen ground cover for part sun or shade areas, perennial vinca bloom in early spring. This is an old fashion classic and has been around since the Pilgrams. Vinca has a creeping habit and grows 4 to 6 inches off the ground, forming a thick mat of green. Excellent for erosion control.

Hot, humid temperatures can fuel turf disease in healthy turf. Being prepared and starting early, fungus spots are a lot easier to prevent than to cure. Shaded areas are of particular concern. Restricted air movement and humid conditions can stimulate turf disease rapidly. By applying granular Fungus Fighter now, we can protect the lawn before pathogens get into the plant and wreak havoc. Fungus Fighters allow a healthy lawn to outgrow many of the diseases that show up.

Grass Pad Fungus Fighter provides control of many important diseases in turf including but not limited to Kentucky bluegrass, annual bluegrass, fescue, rye, and zoysia grass.

Fungus Fighter is a broad-spectrum xylem systemic fungicide for the control of certain diseases in turf. Fungus Fighter works by interfering with the respiration in plant-pathogenic fungi, and is a potent inhibitor of spore germination and mycelial growth. The active ingredient moves rapidly into green tissue via transluminal and xylem movement. Roots of plants take up the active ingredient where it is translocated throughout the xylem of plants to provide internal inhibition of fungal growth and protect the plant from new infections. Fungus Fighter makes it an excellent choice as the foundation fungicide for turf management programs.

Bluegrass diseases show up in the form of a slime or dust that wipes off, or even a patch that seems to die overnight. Mow bluegrass shorter in the spring and be vigilant in the areas under trees or on the north that seem to hold the heavy dew longer in the morning. Mow the lawn shorter while it is cool, and rain is plentiful. In June, raise the mowing height and don't let the lawn dry out too much before starting the summer watering schedule. If fungus shows up apply fast acting liquid fungicide and follow up with granular Fungus Fighter one week later. If large areas die in the summer, add Stadium Special, perennial ryegrass, to your favorite blend of bluegrass this fall.

Related:Overseeding Fall Lawns

Fescue diseases can be a little more predictable than bluegrass. Expect fungus to show up as soon as the temperature and humidity added together reach 150, usually early in June. Applying granular Fungus Fighter every 21 days through mid-August should keep you ahead of the game. If fungus patches do appear or every other blade of grass is brown, apply liquid Fungus Fighter, then granular one week later. Be sure and overseed those areas in the fall. Use the newest varieties of fescue, like Heat Wave or Macho Mix to ensure the most up to date disease resistant varieties.

Give it a one-two punch. Certain fungal pathogens are known to develop resistance to products with the same mode of action when used repeatedly. Because resistance development cannot be predicted, the use of Fungus Fighters should follow resistance management strategies established for turf. Such strategies may include rotation with products having different modes of action or limiting the total number of applications per season. For more information on developing a resistance management strategy talk to our turf experts at your nearest Grass Pad location.

Related:More Summer Lawn Survival Tips

Cool season grasses, like bluegrass and fescue grasses may soon go dormant as a result of recent high heat. Here are five tips on how to treat your lawn during high heat and summertime stress.

Minimize wear and traffic. Mowing stressed turf can cause damage to turf. Mow when the turf needs it -- not as a scheduled routine practice.
Mow higher than normal. Taller grass plants provide protection to the crown and shade the soil surface, reducing moisture loss.
Keep your mower blade sharp. A dull blade rips and pulls the grass blades, leaving ragged tears that both weaken the plant and promote fungal growth and other grass diseases. Blades should be sharpened at least twice a year.
Keep grass clippings on the lawn, rather than bagging them.
Water your lawn deeply – rather than frequently – to promote healthier roots. This helps lawns be more drought-resistant.

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The Green Green Grass of Home

Control Broadleaf Weeds in Fall

Beneficial Cover Crops Add Nutrients to Garden Soil

Hardy Mums or Garden Chrysanthemums Care and Cultivation

Procrastinators Guide to Fall Overseeding

Kill Dandelions and Broadleaf Weeds in Fall

Fertilize in Fall for Healthy Trees

Fantastic Five for Fall Foilage

The Muck Stops Here!

Spring Lawn Tune Up

Beginner's Guide to Idiot Proof Lawn

Don't Let Spring Rains Cancel Your Outdoor Plans

Idiot Proof Tips to Keep Grass Growing Under Shade Trees

5 Idiot-Proof Tips to Keep Grass Growing Under Trees.

Excessive Spring Rains Bring Crabgrass and Nutgrass

Control Bagworms in Junipers Now!

Got Bagworms?

Fleas, Ticks, Chiggers...