The Grass Rhizome

Every fall there is a bit of blarney in the seed business. Some folks are now adding fillers and coatings to their grass seed and selling it as magic. Why some seed bags are now only half full with grass seed, the rest is labeled as “inert” matter. Often the half full bag commands the highest price on the shelf. The plastic jugs are now stacking up on the end caps at big box stores. Four-pound plastic jugs are being sold with an only one-quarter pound of seed inside. My Uncle says in the old days folks would pour water into the whiskey jug and label it “Jack Daniels.” Back in the hills of Tennessee you would get shot. Today the scallywag gets rich. Kansas Sen. John James Ingalls wrote that, “Grass is the forgiveness of nature – her constant benediction." He probably didn't like water in his whiskey, either.

Grass Seed 101
Here are some simple rules to follow when buying grass seed. First, read the label. Every grass seed bag has an analysis label. It is usually on the back of the bag in super fine print. Read it. The label or tag will list what seed varieties are in the mix, and will show the inert matter, and weed and crop content. Avoid ugly weeds and grasses like annual rye, orchard grass, and coarse bladed K-31. Read the analysis label and only pay for the real grass seed.

Small amounts of “inert” matter naturally occur in any grass seed bag. Inert matter includes seed hulls, stems and dust that are the natural residue of the seed cleaning process. Careful seed farmers strive to produce grass seed that is free of weed and crop with as little “inert” matter as possible. A master seed cleaner can clean and bag grass seed with less than two percent inert matter. “Inert” matter is what he throws away. The grass seed is what he keeps.

Grass Seed 102
Second, do the math. Bring your pocket calculator and always calculate the one pound price when buying seed. Modern packaging makes the true weight and cost of grass seed a bit of a math quiz. It's like buying a carton of eggs. You don't know if the price is right until you know how many eggs you get. Other bogeys include inflated “recommended coverage” and “new discoveries” advertised on the internet.

At the Grass Pad we think Mother Nature put the magic in the grass seed. Every fall a green blanket of grass plants reseeds the surface of planet earth. It is the grass life cycle that controls erosion, cleans the air, purifies the ground water, and cools the surface of the planet. It is the soft green blanket that snuggles your toes, your children, and your pets. It heals the earth, reduces CO/2 emissions and is fun to play on. How much more magic do you want?

Because we think there is green environmental magic in every green grass plant, we recommend more seed not less. We put fifty pounds of grass seed in a fifty-pound bag and suggest you use it all. Fall overseeding provides genetic diversity and youthful vigor to grass habitat on the plains of Kansas and the lawns of Kansas City. Mother Nature takes care of one; the Grass Pad takes care of the other.

What’s the difference between core aeration and verticutting? Which one should I use on my lawn?" We get these same questions from customers every year. During fall overseeding season, there are many different options as to how to prepare your lawn for renovation. Ultimately, the homeowner needs to make the decision based on the condition of their lawn. Understanding the benefits of each will help you make the right choice for your overseeding project.

What is core aeration?
Aerification is the process of pulling up cores or plugs of turf and soil from your lawn. The benefits of aeration are to improve air and water filtration, as well as nutrient uptake and reduce compaction, which in turn helps to improve the root system of your turf. Homeowners with thick turf, poor drainage or heavy compaction will benefit from an aeration. Aerators are not the best tool for over seeding, but more like a way to improve soil conditions to help the grass to grow.

"Primera-fication"
Areas with hard compacted soil and poor drainage will benefit from a heavy incorporation of PrimeraOne Field Conditionerimmediately after aerification to improve soil conditions. PrimeraOne Field Conditioner, calcined clay particles, will drop into aeration holes and soil substructure to improve drainage and translocating air to and from the root zone.

Uncle's Tip:If you choose to core aerate, run the machine over the lawn multiple directions, to leave two to three-inch spacing between holes. After aerifying, over seed and fertilize the entire areas.

What is verticutting?
Verticutting is making shallow vertical cuts or slices into the soil. A verticutting machine has many vertical slicing blades. It will cut multiple slits or grooves across its path. The more grooves you have in the soil, the better seed to soil contact. The better seed to soil contact, the better seed germination you will get when overseeding. A verticutter will be the best tool to use for overseeding when you are attempting to get large areas established.

Uncle's Tip:Use a verticutter for total lawn renovations when the majority of your lawn is a weed patch, dead grass or bare ground. Apply Grass Pad seed first then verticutting the lawn in two directions (recommended for best results) will drill the seed into the grooves made by the verticutter. This practice mimics how a farmer drills his crops into the field.

Related:Control-Alt-Delete: Total Lawn Renovation

Bottom line: When you want to improve soil conditions, use an aerator. When you want to grow a lot of grass seed, use a verticutter. When you just have a few bare spots, use a rake. It doesn't have to be complicated. In any case, every fall season, over seed your lawn with Grass Pad quality seed and fertilize with LoveLand Renovator , Golf Course Starter or LoveLand Supreme.

Related:Fall Lawn Renovation

#1 Sassafras

The tree that lends root beer its flavor, makes for a sensatinal fall display. Its three lobed leaves can turn yellow, orange, red and even a pinkish color in autumn. Native to the Eastern United States, Sassafras is ideal for naturalistic landscaping. Both tree form and leaf shape are variable and interesting. A thicket of Sassafras brings a "woodsy" feel to any landscape. Height: 40' Spread 30'

*Sassafras Sensational Sale Special!*

***Reg. Price $49.95 - Now On Sale - 3/$120 ***

**While Supply Lasts**

#2 Afterburner® Black Gum

The symmetrical, uniform and upright branch structure and straight central leader make this cultivar easier to grow and better suited than seedlings of the species for use as a street tree. High gloss foliage shines through the summer and then turns bright red n fall, burning brightly after most tupelo have defoliated. Height: 35' Spread: 20'

#3 Red Rage® Black Gum

Discovered by plantsman Mike Hayman in southern Indiana, Red Rage features deep green, high gloss summer foliage that resists leaf spot, then turns bright red with the onset of fall weather. Height: 25' Spread: 20'

#4 Flash Fire® Sugar Maple

Selected from Caddo Mountain sugar maple seedlings, this tree has the brightest red fall color seen in a cultivar adapted to Southern heat. It features dark green summer foliage, better mildew resistance than other Caddo selections, strong growth, and brilliant red, early fall color. Height: 45' Spread 40'

#5 Fall Fiesta® Sugar Maple

Sturdy and compact when young, this cultivar matures to become a full size specimen with an especially symmetrical crown and thick dark green summer foliage. Autumn brings on a mix of orange, red, and yellow colors. Height: 50' Spread: 40'

#6 Red Pointe® Red Maple

Brilliant red fall color plus upright, broadly pyramidal form make this red maple a stand out. The refined form and foliage of the best Acer rubrum cultivars combine wit the faster growth rate normally found in Acer x freemanii. A straight and dominant central leader results in strong branch angles that make it easier to grow. Height: 45' Spread: 30'

More Fall Colors

At Grass Pad our nurseries are filled with fresh inventory for fall tree sales. The best time to plant trees is in the fall. These are just six of the many tree varieties available from Grass Pad nurseries. Come on down while selection is best.

Mid-October to mid-November is an excellent time to control broadleaf weeds like plantain, curled dock and thistle. Many broadleaf weeds including clover, oxalis, dandelion, wild strawberry and ground ivy will start to thrive in cooler fall weather. Fall is the ideal time to control broadleaf weeds, unlike summer when weeds are focusing on top-growth, in fall weeds are storing energy in their root system and are more susceptible to herbicide applications.

The best cool weather weed killer is Speedzone broadleaf herbicide. Speedzone contains systemic herbicides that will move through the leaf tissue and into the crown and roots for a complete kill. Killing broadleaf weeds in the fall season will allow the turf to fill in the bare spots before crabgrass or other weeds germinate next spring. So this fall, if your lawn is a mixture of broadleaf weeds and turf, applying Speedzone will make a difference in what you battle next spring.

Apply Speedzone on a sunny day when rain is not in the forecast for 24 hours. We want the herbicides to dry on the leaf surfaces and not be immediately washed off.

Uncle's Tip: Always add a few drops of Gordon's Spreader Sticker to Speedzone. Spreader Sticker is a surfactant and will help Speedzone stick to waxy leaf of clover, oxalis and dandelions.

The only drawback using Speedzone in the fall is that you won’t have the pleasure of watching your weeds die. That twisting, shriveling and yellowing you see almost overnight with a summer application is not as obvious, but next spring the weeds will be gone.

With old man winter knocking at the door it's time to begin thinking seriously about preparing your lawn for winter. A little advance preparation now will help your lawn endure the winter weather and rebound quickly in the spring. Spring will be here soon enough, and it pays to think ahead.

Turf

Now is the time to get those last few leaves composted or removed from the lawn. Heavy piles of unmulched leaves block sunlight, air movement, and moisture to the soil. A thin layer of mulched leaves is good, but it must be thin enough to allow the sun, air, and water to reach the grass.
Mulched leaves won't supply enough nutrients needed for healthy turf. Apply Snowman, winter root builder before the ground is frozen. Snowman fertilizer is low nitrogen with added phosphorous and potash for root growth and disease resistance. Grass roots will continue to grow till the soil is frozen hard.
Salt from ice melter used on roads, driveways and sidewalks can cause serious damage to turf, trees, and small shrubs. To reduce salt damage apply a heavy application of Grass Pad's Lawn Cal containing lawn calcium. A granular application of Lawn Cal helps to bind the damaging salts to the soil, preventing sodium from being absorbed by plant roots.
Dormant seeding thin or bare areas in the lawn can start now.

Trees & Shrubs

Prune or cut off any dead growth from trees and shrubs to discourage insects who choose to hide there for the winter. Remove branches that overlap and rub against each other.
Avoid pruning spring flowering shrubs such as lilac, azalea, and certain hydrangea. These shrubs form their spring flower buds over late summer and fall. Any pruning of these shrubs, though not life threatening, will be removing spring flowers. Prune spring flower shrubs after the bloom petals have fallen next spring.
Dormant oil can now be applied over burning bush, euonymous, pines or spruce to control scale and other insect eggs, such as spider mites.
Fertilize mature trees and large shrubs using fertilizer spikes or a root feeder. Medium to small shrubs can be fertilized easily using Uncle's Tree Food granular fertilizer and a hand spreader. Newly installed trees and shrubs should be fertilized withUncle's Root Accelerator to encourage root establishment.
Protect young trees from animals by wrapping stem or trunks with wire mesh. Smooth bark trees such as Red maples should be protected with tree wrap to prevent sun scalding.

Perennials

Cut back dry stems to soil level to prevent rotting in flower beds.
Plant spring-blooming bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, crocus, and hyacinth.
Mulch flower beds before extremely cold weather arrive. Adding a fresh layer of mulch around plantings will give the landscape a neat and tidy appearance while keeping the temperatures around the plants consistent. Mulch will hold moisture in the soil, which is one of the most important parts of fighting winter stress.

Tools

Store your small engines for winter. Read tips from Popular Mechanics.
Oil garden hand tools to extend their life. A thin layer of vegetable oil will help to protect your shovels, spades, axes and hoes from moisture and winter rust.
Remove your hoses from outdoor spigots. Store garden hoses in a shed, garage or basement.

Bird Feeders

Clean bird feeders each season.
Bird houses provide shelter from the weather and a haven from cats and other predators.
As temperatures fall, high fat, high-calorie suet is the perfect food to help birds get through long cold nights.
Keep a low level of fresh water in a clean bird bath. A bird bath heater will keep the water from freezing.

Gardening can be fun and educational for the whole family, plus you get tomatoes! Gardening can be that break you need from the hustle and bustle of the work week. Gardening can be that connection you were looking for, to get your child away from the X-Box. Dropping a seed in some dirt can do miracles for your health, family and your pocketbook.

In the beginning, you might feel overwhelmed by the plethora of gardening catalogs and websites, so it’s best to start by trial and error. Here are a few idiot-proof tips for starting seeds indoors that will boost the beginning gardener’s success rate and confidence.

Dig In!

The simple tools you will need to get started are seed packs, trays, starting pots, starting mix, watering can, labels, and a marking pen.

Begin by making your seed selections early, come to the Grass Pad and wander through the thousands of new and heirloom vegetable and flower seed packs. Feel free to bring mail order catalogs along for ideas and compare prices. Things to ponder, how much area will you be planting? And do you have full sun or shade areas?

Seed Selection

Don’t use old seed. The older seeds become, the less likely to sprout they are. Always look on the back of the pack for the “sell by date”, planting depth, spacing, sunlight, maturity dates and gardening tips for each variety. At Grass Pad, we receive fresh shipments of flower and garden seed packs at the beginning of each season and continue to refresh our seed racks regularly throughout the seasons.

Strategy

Planting times are not the same for all plants. Using information from your seed packs to determine the germination time, weeks to transplanting outdoors, and weeks to maturity.

Seedlings can be transferred outdoors when the temperatures warm enough to support them. Starting seeds too early, you may need to“shift up” – or transfer the baby plants to larger pots to allow for more root growth.

Pick your Pot

You can start seeds in open trays, in individual plastic packs, or in peat pots. Individual containers are best, because the less you disturb baby roots, the better. Some containers, such as peat pots, transplant right into the garden with the plant during transplanting. Plastic pots must be removed before transplanting.

Use Seed Starting Mix

Pro-Mix™ seed-starting mix is best for starting seeds indoors. Avoid potting soils with fertilizers – these are meant for mature plants and may do more harm than good for starting seeds. Pro-Mix™ seed starting mix contains Mycorise Pro™, beneficial organic fungi found naturally in soil, improving plant survivability after transplanting into garden soil. Also Pro-Mix™ contains a wetting agent to help the peat to hold moisture.

Don’t Over Water

Before you plant the seeds in Pro-Mix™ seed starting mix, moisten the mix with water to reach the right amount of moisture. Soil should be damp, but not too soggy. Seeds need to be in contact with moist soil to germinate, but too much water will kill your efforts. Covering the pots or tray after planting with clear plastic or dome will help to maintain consistent moisture level.The covering should not be sealed tight. Water only when necessary, when the soil is dry and seedlings wilting. Using peat pots in an open tray for watering from the bottom up will make idiot proof watering. Pour water into the tray bottom and wait for peat pots to soak up enough water so the top soil is moistened then drain the extra.

Avoid Leggy Plants

Warmth is needed to stimulate the seeds to sprout. Additional heat, using a heat mat, under your trays will keep soil mix consistently warm. Once the seedling puts pops up from the soil, light and warmth are critical. The ideal temperature will depend on what you are growing, but all plants need adequate light to grow. Baby seedlings will grow quickly to the light source, and if the light is not bright enough, the stems will stretch and grow in an unhealthy way.

Give your seeds 12 - 16 hours of light daily. Providing adequate light is the best way to avoid leggy plants. You could get extra light by setting plants near the south window. Another option would be to build an outdoor cold frame or to use grow lights. Cold frames may not be for the beginner. If you see the seedlings are becoming leggier than they should, you can shift them up by transplanting the seedlings deeper into a larger pot, to bury most of the stem. Or, start a second batch.

Be Kind

The process of acclimating the seedlings to the outdoors is critical. Transplant shock can cause issues, stunted or slow growth and even plant death can occur. Hardening off your seedlings when the outside temperatures are mild enough for the plant you are growing is essential to their survival. Seedlings started indoors have a sheltered environment, so to begin with, they need just a few hours of outdoor conditions, protected from the wind and direct sunlight. Bring them in at night.

Over the next few weeks, increase their exposure to direct sunlight, the wind, and rain. Gradually decrease water. Once your plants spent an entire day and night outdoors, they are ready to plant in prepared garden beds.

Early spring warm up has given plenty of opportunities to finish any chores that were put off in November. Raking, seeding and fertilizing should be at the top of your spring projects list.

Raking up fall leaves and trash from the lawn clears the way for new spring plant growth. Likewise cleaning out ditches, culverts, and sewer grates will forestall overflows during spring rains. Avoid heavy raking, power raking and aerating; save these for the fall. Heavy spring raking will stir up more spring weeds, and this year there will be more than enough.

This year's dry winter will soon reveal a healthy early crop of spring weeds. Winter broadleaf weeds as henbit, chickweed and dandelions will pop up out of nowhere and frustrate surprised homeowners. When soil temperatures rise above 40 degrees, spray these cold weather weeds with Speed Zone. I like Speed Zone early in cold soils and Trimec in warmer weather. For best control add Uncle's Stikit, non-ionic spreader sticker, to your mix. Stikit will stick it to the weeds. Granular Weed and Feed will work best once soil temperatures warm up in mid-April.

Related: Controlling Broadleaf Weeds in Cool Weather

Apply grass seed to bare dirt, damaged areas, and thin spots. Choose seed mixes that will sprout in cold soils. Sports turf rye grass does especially well in March. Stadium Special, Macho Mix, and Estate Mix formulas will germinate sooner in spring soils than traditional Heat Wave or Blue Wave blends. Top-dress seeded areas with sphagnum peat or PrimeraFC. Do not use topsoil or bagged black peat as these contain weed seeds. For bare dirt, especially where erosion is a problem, think sod. Sod rolls will establish quickly and not be bothered by early spring broadleaf weeds. An application of Loveland's Golf Course Starter or Renovator, spring lawn fertilizers, will help thicken grass turf, fill in bare spots and crowd out weeds. This is especially true in cool spring soils.

Related: When to Apply PREVENT! Crabgrass Preventer

In the garden, now is the time to rake out the flower beds, prune the roses and cut back overgrown shrubs. Trash leaves and branches are home to insect eggs and disease spores that will cause mischief when the weather warms up. If leaves and buds are still tight, you can spray light dormant oil or horticultural oil. Later, when insects appear, spray the foundation of the house and any mulch beds with Uncle’s Critter Gitter bug control. Spraying early reduces ants, spiders and other nuisance pests that want to move into the house. It also interrupts the first hatch of hungry bugs lining up in your garden salad bar.

Early March is just the right time to get out last year's honey do list and get started on your spring chores.

Uncle's tip: Avoid traffic on wet soils. The winter freeze-thaw cycles help to alleviate soil compaction. Early spring traffic on saturated soils quickly leads to compaction that would be fixed until the following winter or longer.

Landscape plants of all kinds: flowering shrubs, English Garden hostas, bleeding hearts, lily of the valley, and dozens more start out their life in the nursery as bare root plant stock. These unattractive plants, roots and bulbs are then potted and grown until they become the attractive full grown plants that are sold in landscape nurseries and garden centers. Like the ugly duckling at birth, they are transformed into a white swan.

Planting this nursery root-stock now can save fifty to eighty per-cent over mature plants purchased later in May. Likewise, plant material purchased locally is larger and of higher grade than dried out catalog starters purchased by mail or internet. If you find a picture you like in a mail order garden catalog, take it to the Grass Pad. They probably have it and can tell you if it will do well in the Kansas City area.

English garden hosta lilies are as close to “idiot proof” as a plant can get. These tufted leafy plants are grown for both their distinctive foliage and seasonal flowers. Their foliage will vary from deep green to bright yellow, as well as dozens of variegated combinations in between. Their leaves may be large, small, radial or oval.

Lily of the valley, bleeding hearts, and astilbe all do well in mixed shade and start from root stock. Tropical caladium bulbs and elephant ears also prefer a sheltered spot and will grow quickly in warm moist soil.

The beautiful Belladonna or Naked Lady may be purchased now as a bulb at a significant cost savings. A rainbow of flowering plants: begonias, cannas, daylilies, gladiolas, and dahlias may be planted now and will bloom this year.

An “idiot proof” bare root planting kit includes Grass Pad's Max Mix professional landscape mix. Max Mix should be worked into the soil to six or eight inches. Follow this with Uncle's Root Accelerator once at planting and again at thirty day intervals.

At mid summer, potted nursery plants will cost as much as twenty dollars. But right now bare root plants are easy to establish and represent a real value.

We look forward every year to the second week in April, The Masters from Augusta Georgia. The real star of The Masters will be Mother Nature with her flowering azaleas, rhododendron and dogwood lining the course in full splendor. Every green and fairway beautifully carved from the Georgian hill country designed to add color and texture to a stunning backdrop. If you’ve never watched the Masters, it’s worth seeing just for its beauty.

Plant a little piece of the Masters in your backyard using azaleas. Spring flowering, azaleas are shade loving plants that will do well in many Kansas City landscapes. Best as foundation plantings on the north or east side of your home or under any shade canopy.

Uncle’s Masterpiece Azaleas that perform the best include Fuchsia, Rose and Mother’s Day. These compact evergreen azaleas will reach a mature height of 3-4 feet under ideal conditions. Hino-Crimson is a smaller bright red variety that is always popular.

Purple Spectacular ReBloom™ azaleas have been popular in just the last few years. Single purple flowers are blooming in spring, with sporadic summer flowers and then a mass reblooming in early fall.

Treat them right: Just like Uncle, azaleas and rhododendrons are acid soil lovers. Amend your soil with a combination of Uncle’s Professional Max Mix organic blend for drainage and peat compost for acid content. Mulch with pine bark mulch, a naturally acidic mulch. When transplanting azaleas or rhododendron fertilize with Uncle's Root Accelerator at planting. Fertilize established azaleas with Milorganite to give them the iron they need. Keep a soil test kit handy to check your soil pH. With a little extra effort up front, you can bring color and class to your shady spot.

Magnolias

The early bloom on these favorites will pump up any yard or garden. Show off the plantation with the Royal Star or a Saucer Magnolia.

The white flower of the Royal Star and the pink blossoms of the Saucer Magnolia are the first signs of spring here in the midwest.
Because the thrive in our area, they are at the top of Uncle’s list of Idiot Proof Plants.

Deep purple flower of the “Jane” magnolia has been around for a while and is a very under used variety. Scarlet paid a bundle to plant these at Tara.

The Sweet Bay magnolia, a magnificent glossy green leafed tree with a late blooming white flower, is a favorite with our customers.

Also, the Brackens Brown Beauty magnolia is a cold hardy variety of the southern magnolia, with its large glossy evergreen leaf along with the citrus smell on the summertime blooms is soon to become a classic itself.

Redbuds

They’re not just redbuds anymore. Enjoy the beautiful pink buds of the traditional Eastern Redbud, or try some of the new varieties, the bright purple buds of the Oklahoma Redbud, the white flower of the White Bud, or the burgundy leaf of the Forest Pansy Redbud.

Crabapples

With spring flowers and winter color, crabapples have always been a springtime favorite at the Grass Pad. These are a few of our most popular.

The Royal Raindrops and the Prairie Fire with excellent disease resistance and bright red flower is at the top of our most wanted list.

Spring Snow, with its white flower and green leaf, is the only fruitless variety of crabapple. Sargenti crabapples are very small ornamentals that retain their fruit and are great for bird habitats.

Idiot Proof Spring Beauty

The most popular of the deciduous flowering shrubs, lilacs are highly valued for their appearance and fragrant flowers. The common lilac and its many cultivars come in a variety of colors purple, white, pink, blue and dark red are all favorites here at the Grass Pad.

Vigorous growth habit of the lilacs make it ideal for tall screen plantings, hedges, borders, and in mass plantings for their tremendous display of flowers. Few shrubs can rival lilacs for bloom even under difficult conditions of the Mid-West. They are useful as accent or specimen plants at the corners or along houses and buildings. Most popular of the lilacs is the Dwarf Korean lilac which rarely grows larger than 4 feet. This plant makes an attractive hedge with its fragrant, purple-lilac flowers.

Hardy in cold climates, a lilac requires full sun to flower well. Lilacs are easily grown and do well in either acid or alkaline soil but respond with improved growth to applications of lime every three or four years where soils are acidic.

Prune a lilac right after it flowers in the spring. Pruning consists of removing old flower clusters and thinning out the oldest branches at ground level to encourage new growth from the base of the plant. The strongest new shoots should be left to take the place of the older stems which will eventually be cut out.

Renew an older overgrown lilac by cutting the whole plant down to within six inches of the ground. It’s a drastic means of rejuvenation. But, don’t worry, the plant will survive. The best way to treat old plants is prune out one third of the older stems each year for three consecutive years. In this way the plant can maintain a reasonable height in the landscape and still flower from the remaining wood. By the time the last pruning is completed, replacement wood should be strong enough to support the plant and promote flowering

See Related - Idiot Proof Planting Guide

There has been an outbreak of powdery mildew this spring, and it seems to be all over town. All locations are fielding calls and concerns about the silvery colored grass. The last couple weeks of cooler weather has made the conditions ideal for powdery mildew.

Symptoms of Powdery Mildew

The fungus first appears as isolated patterns of fine, gray-white, powdery growth on the upper surface of the grass leaf. This growth rapidly becomes denser and may cover the entire leaf, giving the leaf a gray-white appearance. In severe outbreaks, entire portions of turf stand may be dull white, rather than green. Individual leaves look as though they are covered with flour or powder.

Disease Cycle

The fungus organism overwinters in dead grass and infected living grass plants. Spores of the fungus spread by the wind to leaves of other turf grass plants. Conditions favorable for powdery mildew development include poor air circulating, high atmospheric humidity, low light intensity or shade, and cold air temperatures. Kentucky bluegrass, when planted in shaded areas, is particularly susceptible to this disease.

Controlling the Powdery Mildew

Control is easy if you do not wait too long. An application of Fungus Fighter will slow the spread. Fungus Fighter is available in a spray form or a granular application.

Keep your mower blade sharp. Set your mower height down a little shorter if you are mowing over 3 inches tall. A shorter cut helps the dew to dry faster, and you should be able to mow off some of the white powder.

Powdery Mildew typically shows up in late April or May so watch these same areas over the next 30 days. Controls work for about 14 days. If the conditions return, you could see a second infection this year.

After Effects of Powdery Mildew

The disease is not typically mortal but this year, the timing of this event can thin turf stands to a point that allow weeds to sprout in those areas. Also, a thinned turf stand allows more UV rays to contact the soil. The increase in UV rays over time will break down the effectiveness of crabgrass pre-emergence in areas usually shaded by dense turf. Uncle's Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program Step #3 Prevent crabgrass control in late May will be critical to extend crabgrass control through the summer months.

Will Powdery Mildew Go Away by Itself?

Powdery mildew doesn't just go away, it will stop growing when conditions change. It's just the gamble you take on how long that will be and how much damage will be done while you wait on Mother Nature. In addition, if the conditions should return, so will the powdery mildew. Control applications of Fungus Fighter will knock it out and give protection against its return.

The cool spring season with plenty of rain and Uncle's Idiot Proof Program have Blue Wave bluegrass and Heat Wave fescue lawns growing like crazy. It's easy to fall behind on mowing schedules when it's raining every day. When the grass is wet and the soil is saturated, should you mow or just let it go?

1. Be Patient

Excess water in the soil essentially pushes oxygen out of the soil. Without oxygen plant growth will stop until oxygen can be replaced. Be patient with an extremely soggy lawn and give the wettest areas a little time to drain and grass blades time to dry before mowing. Use your best judgement, you know the spots that hold water and those that drain well. A sunny south or west facing yard may need only one good afternoon to dry out and an east or north protected area may take a few days.
Wet soil is easily compacted. Mowing or even walking over saturated soil can cause compaction problems making it difficult for grass to grow.

2. Use a Sharp Blade

When it does dry out enough to mow, we cannot stress how important it is to use a sharp blade on your mower. Sharp mower blades make mowing so much easier. They give a better-looking finish cut and cause less stress on the grass plant.

Keep two and swap them out every 8 to 10 hours.

3. Don't Cut More Than 1/3

If you fall behind on mowing and the grass gets too tall, on your initial cut, raise the mower deck two notches, then wait a few days and cut it again at one notch lower. Wait a few more days, then cut at your original setting. Removing too much leaf can stress the plant and turn it yellow.

Once you're back to a regular schedule, set your height and leave it. Cutting at 3.5 - 4 inches will shade the soil keeping the roots cool in summer and help fight weed pressure.

4. Don't Leave Heavy Clippings

We all prefer to mulch mow. Mulch mowing is easier and beneficial, but at certain times bagging your grass clippings is a necessity. Cutting an overgrown lawn is one of those times. Heavy clippings left over the top will smother and yellow the grass plant. If you don't have a bagging mower, then do it the old fashion way and rake up the clippings.

5. Clean the Mower

Cleaning is a must if you want to keep Mama happy. Store a wet mower in the garage without cleaning the deck and in two days your garage will smell like a compost pile. Eventually, you will need to clean the deck, and it's a lot easier to clean before the grass mulch dries into a brick. Take the mower to an out of the way spot in the lawn, tilt it back and wash it out with the garden hose. Some of the new models have a hose attachment on the mower deck for clean out. Remember to remove the heavy clippings from the lawn to avoid smothering your grass.

Avoid washing it out on the driveway to keep grass clippings out of the storm drains.

6. PREVENT! Booster Shot

Excessive rainfall will break down the weed barrier created by PREVENT! Step #1, leading to crabgrass breakthrough by fall. A second application of PREVENT!, crabgrass pre-emergence plus fertilizer, extends crabgrass control through the summer and gives a booster shot of nitrogen that has been leached from the soil by heavy rainfall.

Measure the size of your lawn. An accurate measurement is important for calculating the right amount of grass seed and Renovator fertilizer. Simple way to measure is to walk the perimeter counting your steps, an average pace is about 3 feet. Multiply length x width and write it down.

Choose the right seed for your conditions. Here are some questions that might help. What matters most to you about your lawn? What type of performance do you expect from your grass seed? Do you wan the heat and drought tolerance of Macho Mix or would you prefer the golf course look and wear tolerance of Estate Mix? Is your lawn shaded or full sun? Do you have play areas for kids or big dogs? Our turf experts can guide you to the right seed for the right place.

Watch the calendar! Timing is everything and the earlier the better for root development to ensure winter survival. Grass seed sown in September will germinate quicker than grass seed sown in April. Warm soils, short days, cool nights and the welcome rains of September promise lower water bills for fall renovation.

ZOOM! for Bulbs!

Chosen as the most Fantastic Spring Flowering Bulb tulips continue to be the most popular with our customers. Valued for their flowers, tulips are deeply rooted into the Dutch culture. At one time, the entire Dutch economy was built upon the tulip. Originally from Turkey, tulips were brought to Eastern Europe in the 16th century, and have now become one of the world's most admired flowers.

You might think a tulip is just a tulip, but there are many diverse varieties of tulips available. Each type with its unique characteristics and habits. Here are six of the most popular types of tulips.

Triumph tulips are the most popular of all varieties. With its traditional shape tulip bloom, Triumph tulips are available in almost any color imaginable. Grown on a sturdy stem, Triumph makes an attractive garden flower as well as a fresh cut flower with a very long vase life.

Darwin hybrid tulips have the tallest and largest blooms and make an excellent choice for the home garden. Most Darwin hybrids are early season bloomers. An interesting side note, Darwin blooms have a habit of closing during cooler nights and opening with the warming sun.

Fosteriana tulips, known as Emperor tulips, are an excellent choice to fill your flower beds with a full season of color. With a uniquely shaped wide and long flower, Fosteriana tulips grow medium to tall. Emperor tulips are most impressive when planted in masses.

Greigii tulips bring the most fun to the garden spaces and planters. With variegated stems and shorter in stature, Greigii tulips pop with a massive flower bloom. The striped stems with purple streaks give flower beds and containers a little extra pizazz in early spring. Excellent choice for rock gardens, borders and containers.

Fringed tulips are the “shock and awe” of the tulip garden. One look at these distinctively shaped blooms and folks will be turning their heads. For an extended bloom life, plant fringed tulips in protected or covered areas. The flowers tend to hold water inside the petal and can shorten the bloom time.

Parrot Tulips have a ruffled and feather like texture resembling the wings of a parrot. Parrot tulips are the most outrageous of all tulip varieties. Most Parrot tulips are late season bloomers. The blooms tend to open with more sunlight and sometimes change colors as the flower matures. Their unique flower shape can make them susceptible to the wind and heavy rain damage, so it is best to plant in a protected area.

See Related: Choosing &Planting Fall Bulbs

ZOOM! for Bulbs

Colorful masses of eye-catching spring bulbs are an easy cure for those winter doldrums. Bulbs planted in fall make dazzling beds of bright neon colors blooming from February to May. Now is the time to get to the Grass Pad for the best selection. Dutch bulbs shipped straight from Sassenheim to Grass Pad Warehouses have arrived. Dutch Uncle has been buying bulbs from Holland for over 40 years. Uncle knows a Dutch Deal and these are his picks for the Fantastic Five Spring Flowering Bulbs to plant in the mid-west.

No. 5 Allium - Allium belong to the ornamental onion family. However, these will not be on the dinner plate. These idiot proof bulbs are some of the most distinctive fall planted bulbs adding height and texture to spring gardens. Hardy through most of the mid-west climate, allium tolerate drought and poor soil conditions. Available in a variety of heights, colors, and blooms, allium, with their lollipop look are a fun and whimsical flower to have in the garden.

No 4. Hyacinth - Charming bloom with a fragrance and aroma that will compare to finest French perfumes make hyacinths a Fantastic Spring Flowering Bulb. Hyacinth can be planted by themselves or as a feature in beds mixed with tulips and daffodils. Blooming early to mid-spring. Easily adapting to the mid-west environment, hyacinth has shown to be deer and rodent resistant. A single flower will appear from each bulb along with glossy green leaves. Hyacinth makes an excellent cut flower for color and fragrance. Hyacinth bulbs can be pre-chilled, or forced, for indoor color during winter months.

No. 3 Crocus - The first flowers to sprout from the earth each spring, crocus bring forth hope for the warmer days and bright blooms of spring. Crocus bulbs must be planted during the autumn months to bloom during the spring. A true perennial, they naturalize well, multiply very quickly, can be planted nearly anywhere, and require little care from one year to the next. They also tend to be highly resistant to deer. Crocus will be flowered and gone by the time daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips begin to color – their addition is an excellent way to extend the bloom season in a garden.

No. 2 Daffodils - Daffodils are the idiot proof bulb demanding the least effort for the highest reward. Undoubtedly one of the most recognized flowers, daffodils are extremely hardy and easily naturalize here in the mid-west. Daffodils must be planted in late fall to grow and bloom with their trumpet-shaped flowers, heralding the announcement of the spring. Most often spotted blooming in varieties of yellow, daffodils are available in a few other colors and bi-colored combinations. Inspiring when planted in clusters, daffodils make an excellent cut flower. One bulb can grow many stems and have one bloom on each. Available in various heights, colors and bloom times, daffodil will stay in color for many weeks.
Uncle's tip: Daffodils are one of the few garden flowers resistant to deer and rodents.

No. 1 Tulips - The most fantastic flowering bulb is the tulip. Prized for the flowers, tulips are deeply rooted in the Dutch culture and economy. Stunningly beautiful when clustered into large garden spaces and containers, tulips are the superstar of any flower bed or container. When complimented with crocus, daffodil or hyacinth tulips will make brilliant spring color combinations. The rainbow of colors available in tulips alone is unmatched. A mixture of early, mid and late season bloom times allows tulips to create color beds and containers for an extended period in spring.

See Related: Tulips Not All the Same

All Grass Pad locations have thousands of spring flowering bulbs available in early, mid or late season bloom times, heights and colors. Our warehouses are full of the very best quality bulbs at cheaper than internet prices with no sawdust. Our Dutch Uncle selects only the best for the mid-west. Bring your catalogs and compare.

See Related: Choosing & Planting Fall Bulbs

The basic rule is simple. Homeowners who put on a sweater today and get their spring lawn projects started now will be months ahead of their neighbors who wait for short sleeve weather.

Grass seed varieties sown in February and March will have a 10-week head start on the weed and insect season, which begins in earnest in mid-May. Bugs and weeds prefer hot weather. Insect eggs hatch, weed seeds sprout, thicken and spread as soil and air temperatures rise.

Thin areas and bare spots will show up quickly as the rest of the lawn begins to turn green in March. Dead crabgrass and foxtail form brown patches and bare spots in the otherwise green turf. Heavily shaded areas, new construction around patios, and driveways, as well as larger open areas, are barren and in danger of erosion. All these areas need prompt attention if they are to be seeded and well-established before hot summer weather arrives.

Many mid-west lawns are hybrid forms of bluegrass and perennial rye grass. These grass varieties prefer cool soil and air temperatures. During cold winter months, their root systems continue to grow. As spring comes, these deep root systems help the grass thicken and send up new plants. Early spring fertilizer helps fill in bare spots before air temperatures increase and weeds become aggressive.

New generations of perennial rye varieties found in Stadium Special perform particularly well in this region. These hybrids sprout quickly in cold soil, can survive hot summer weather and blend well with bluegrass or fescue lawns. For best results in dormant seeding, rake and top dress all bare spots using PrimeraFC or sphagnum peat. But, if soil is too wet or weather does not permit, these seed varieties may be sown directly over the lawn or a light snow cover. The seed itself is large and has a food reserve that allows the grass plant to sprout and survive without ideal soil contact.

Dormant seeded bluegrass varieties found in Blue Wave require more time to germinate than Stadium Special containing hybrid perennial rye varieties. Dormant seeding exposes seed to natural freezing and thawing cycle of early spring. This swelling and drying help crack the outer shell of the seed. Soil temperatures become warm; the bluegrass plant is ready to sprout. Seed sown in this fashion will come up two to three weeks sooner than bluegrass not sown until warm weather arrives. Common bluegrass varieties should be avoided especially in the spring. Hybrid perennial ryes blended with elite bluegrass varieties found in Estate Mix will develop more quickly and are better able to survive the summer heat.

Turf-type fescue does not like cold weather. Fescue lawns often stay a muddy brown even after their bluegrass neighbors have started to show a bright spring green up. Early season dormant seeding with Macho Mix, which includes five percent hybrid perennial rye will have the best results for a drought tolerant fescue lawn. Turf fescue seeded in this fashion sprouts one to two weeks sooner than fescue held until warm weather before sowing.

The biggest enemy of dormant seeded fescue is brown patch disease that comes in May and June. New seedlings are more susceptible to brown patch than older more mature grass plants. Turf-type tall fescue blends such as Heat Wave show excellent resistance to brown patch. Granular Fungus Fightermay also be applied in mid-May to help young plants through this critical period.

A Golf Course Starter fertilizer applied to the new seed in March will encourage the seed to establish quickly. An April application of Tupersan will assist in preventing crabgrass and foxtail in newly planted areas as the grass plants mature. Avoid using broadleaf dandelion weed killers until the new seed has grown enough to have been mowed two times.

Uncle’s secret to crabgrass control isn’t really a secret. Uncle has been telling us since we were knee high to a grasshopper. After fifty years’ experience in sod production, Uncle knows a little about killing crabgrass and when Uncle spoke our customers listened. Uncle’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care begins in spring with an understanding there are two different categories of weeds to deal with in your lawn and each requires a different manner of control. Furthermore, understanding routine, timely feedings not only keep the lawn green but keep it thick and aggressive to fight off weed pressure and disease.

Annual grassy weeds, like crabgrass, foxtail and goose grass germinate each spring from seed. Low growing and prostrate to the ground forcing out weak and summer stressed turf grasses for prime real estate in your lawn. Annual grassy weeds die at first hard frost leaving behind bare spots and seeds for the next generation of weeds.

Preventing crabgrass and other annual grassy weeds start now with an application of PREVENT® before the soil warms and crabgrass seeds start to germinate. PREVENT®, when activated, creates a barrier on the soil to kill crabgrass seeds before they mature. In addition, PREVENT® contains a combination of slow and fast release turf food for spring & summer green up.

The real secret to crabgrass control is using two applications of PREVENT®. Uncle’s two application PREVENT® formula extends crabgrass control through heavy spring rains and dry, hot summers while one step formulas simply breakdown and fade away. They didn’t need to tell Uncle, but University testing has shown that two application pre-emergent formulas outperform one application formulas under Kansas and Missouri weather conditions.

Spread the first application of PREVENT® in Mid-March to Mid-April. The second application of PREVENT®, works as a booster shot, going down in late May to early June. For the best results always apply ½” of water within 48 hours after application.

The second category of weeds are broadleaf weeds. Uncle calls these “salad bar” weeds. Broadleaf weeds like dandelions, henbit, and plantain survive winter. As soils, warm in spring, broadleaf weeds grow and stretch to fill those same bare spots left from dead crabgrass. These two different weeds have a close relationship and help each other to flourish. Eliminating crabgrass will assist in eliminating broadleaf weeds.

The wide leaves of the broadleaf weeds make an easy target for Grass Pad’s granular WEED and FEED, a professional strength broadleaf herbicide plus low nitrogen slow release turf food. Spread WEED and FEED over a wet lawn or morning dew. Apply as needed from April till June on a sunny day when temperatures are above 65°. Do not apply if rain is expected within 48 hours. Do not apply water or mow within 48 hours after application.

Uncle has made lawn care idiot proof. He has thousands of satisfied customers that remind him every year when they come back for their lawn programs. A wise man once said, “Weeds will not make a lawn bad, bad lawns will make weeds.” If you want your lawn to stay thick, lush, and green with fewer weeds, follow Uncle’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program. Come on down to the Grass Pad. We’ve got a lot of friendly folks with a lot of great experience to show you how to be successful in maintaining a healthy lawn. You can’t screw it up; even your husband can do it.

These days, foliage color and texture has become of greater importance in the landscape, container gardens, or in planters. We find ourselves ending up with the same handful of annuals, deciduous shrubs, evergreens, and perennials. We often overlook a plant family who can give us both color and texture; this plant family would be ornamental grasses.

Ornamental grasses hold a focal area in the landscape. Wanted for their foliage appearance; flower shoots (plume), texture, and winter interest. Foliage color among grasses can vary immensely, ranging from leaf colors of green, white, yellow, purple, orange and red tones to stripes, bands, and numerous variegation combinations. Growth habits include mounding, spreading and uprights with heights ranging from 6 inches to 12 feet.

Common uses for ornamental grasses in the landscape are changes in texture and height, softening up vertical edges, and camouflage for your utility boxes and water meters. The texture of the grasses is typically used to contrast broadleaf plants and to soften up the landscape. Grasses are free flowing and help us break the uniformity of highly manicured landscaping, providing a more natural appeal. Grasses can be both eye-catching as well as pleasing to the eye.

Plumes come up on stalks during the late part of the summer to the first part of the fall. The plumes, feather-like in appearance, can range in color from white to cream, black, pink or even a purplish tinge to them. Plumes can vary in size and shape adding even more to a plant that already looks good and brings the total package to any landscape.

Hardy in most conditions ornamental grasses do well in sun, part sun, and some varieties even in the shade. They also do well in moist and even wet conditions making them great additions to rain gardens and bioswales There is practically no place in the landscape an ornamental grass could not fit.

Creating idiot proof winter interest or indoor décor. As the grasses go dormant in the fall, leave the plumes uncut. The results will be a beautiful outdoor feature to enjoy during the late fall and winter. Offering protection from harsh winter conditions, the upright grass blades, are spectacular when snow covered. In addition, can provide shelter for wildlife. For some inside décor, bundle the plumes up, cut them off at ground level and place them in a nice decorative pot inside your home as a showpiece.

Considered low maintenance, ornamental grasses, will need to be cut back each year. Very forgiving, ornamental grasses can be cut back at any time from late December to early spring. Taller ornamental grasses must be cut back to allow new growth to rise from the center of the grass clump. Left uncut during spring growth cycle, the center stalks well be weak and underperforming from a lack of sunlight.

Rejuvenate your landscape adding low maintenance ornamental grasses that will reward you with color, texture, and the benefit of year long interest. Grass Pad nurseries stock a large selection of hardy and decorative annual varieties of ornamental grasses. Bring your catalogs and compare. Buy local and save money at Grass Pad.

Fantastic Five Ornamental Grasses

5. Dwarf Fountain Grass - Slender green leaves and tan, wooly, caterpillar-like blooms from mid-summer through autumn. Drought tolerant. Foliage height is 2' with blooms 3'.

4. Shenandoah Switch Grass - Bright red foliage deepens to burgundy by fall. Blooms begin in color, up by early June. A good substitute for Japanese Blood Grass. Foliage height is 2' to 3' with 4' blooms.

3. Maiden Grass - A tall, graceful, and clumping ornamental grass with slender, weeping, and silvery green leaves that turn golden bronze in fall. White, fan-shaped plumes in fall extend above the foliage. Foliage height is 5' with blooms 7'.

2. Japanese Silver Grass - A creamy-white variegated grass, Reddish-brown feathery seed heads turn to white plumes and contribute to the striking appearance of this grass. Matures at 6' to 8' tall and 4' to 5' wide. An excellent alternative to Pampas Grass.

1. Karl Foerster Feather Reed Switch Grass - Beautiful cool season grass with an upright growth habit. Flowers in late spring starting as bright pink to red and fading to buff. Thrives in poor soils. Foliage height 2.5' to 3.5' with blooms to 6'.

See Related: Top Twelve Ornamental Grasses