As we approach spring I want to give everyone a few tips to help assist in the transition process. Transitioning from ryegrass back to a warm season grass can be difficult, but if you follow the instructions provided you will have no trouble getting your lawns perfect for the summer. Read the rest of this entry »

Installing Fresh BOBSod into a Home in Casa Grande

In my last blog I talked about a few weeds that are starting to appear in your lawn that are perennial problems. This week I want to talk about getting down a pre-emergent herbicide on your lawn before all the spring and summer annuals start to show their faces. Weather obviously plays a key role in everything we do concerning turfgrass so it is important to get the timing right. Read the rest of this entry »

This has been one very mild winter so far and with the early break in the temperatures we are starting to see the emergence of some weeds. While most people will not really begin to have a war with the weeds for a few weeks I have started to notice Poa annua popping up in several neighborhoods, parks, and fields. If you’re not familiar with Poa annua it is can be an annoying weed that is spread by the seeds it produces. Read the rest of this entry »

Now that all the holiday decorations are down and you’re getting those tax refunds back it is time to make your outside space come to life. If you’re ready for the extreme yard makeover, and want to do it on a tight budget then follow my instructions and I will save you time and money. The tips I am going to lay out today will save you money now and down the road. For any of you who have had to do this two or three times you now know just how important the soil prep is to your lawn. Read the rest of this entry »

In my last blog I discussed the advantages of using a foliar fertilizer during the winter months and today I produced a short video explaining these products and show you exactly how to use them. Before taking a look at the video I want to give you a few reasons why I am telling you to use these products, how they will help your lawn, and where you can buy them at.

1. During the winter months the soil temperatures often drops down far too low to allow for nutrient uptake and retention in the plant. A foliar application allows the fertilizer to get into the grass plant leaves and it is translocated down to the root system for plant uptake.

2. There are three different foliar products and these are designed to help promote root and shoot growth, and get nutrients such as calcium and magnesium into the plant to get a quicker green up.

3. Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, and Magnesium are the kick starters for grass and these nutrients are essential for plant growth all year round. Iron can be found in many products but be careful because it will stain everything it touches. The Soil Burst products were designed to be non-staining so you don’t have to worry about limestone, flagstone, or getting rust spots all over your walkways.

4. The granular 5-15-10 is a great starter fertilizer or pre-plant for a new sod application. It will mix well into the soil and become viable if done during tillage. As the soil temperature warms up you can use this for spring green up, anytime throughout the summer, and as a late fall fertilizer. I highly recommend using this before any new sod application.

5. The Soil Burst line can be ordered online through www.westernsod.com or www.westcoastturf.com, picked up from Sprinkler World and select Ace Hardware locations. Our Scottsdale farm offers sod, fertilizer, and seed pickups. For directions and office hours 888-454-TURF.

6. You want a product that is easy to apply with no mixing and will ensure the correct amount of fertilizer without damaging grass. These products come with the easy to use hose adapter and the granular has a shake top lid making life much easier and saves you money from buying back pack sprayers that break down quickly.

7. The foliar fertilizers are $14.95 per bottle and the granular starter fertilizer is $19.95 per container. Sod can be picked up from the farm for $.29 SF, please call ahead for availbility.

Take a look at the short video on Soil Burst and if you have any questions please email them to me at info@westernsod.com.

Thank you and have a great holiday!

Well I haven’t written a blog in a while since everything is normally status quo after overseed until we start to peak into late November. Since most people overseed their lawns for the winter I will touch on that today and give just some brief directions to those that do not overseed as far as water, fertilizer for the winter months but nothing major. The average household drops their overseed around October 1st each year so usually around the 6-8 week mark is when the grass starts to show its first signs of stress. If you followed my previous overseed directions and put down all three applications of fertilizers this will not apply to you because you will be the one with bright green lawn in the pictures above. Now that December is fast approaching and we are certain to get some hard freezes in the next few weeks how do you prevent your lawn from turning that oh so pretty lime green/yellow color that I often see around town? Read the rest of this entry »

In my last blog a week ago I mentioned that we were still a little warm with the nighttime temperatures to drop seed, but we are in the clear now. The month of October is a great time to drop seed and you should see your ryegrass popping out of the ground in 5-7 days. I know the temperatures will climb back up into the 90′s again during the day, but it is the nighttime temperatures that are most important at this time of the year. If you have already put down seed and are 7-10 days out, it is time to get the second application of fertilizer down. I am going to keep today simple and short, just wanted to give everyone some reminders.

Our overseeded sod will be available at the farm on October 18th.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Jay

We are quickly approaching the best time to overseed your lawn, but I also know that many people don’t have a choice and need to get their lawn done sooner than later. This can present a few potential problems, but I will give you a few ways to help you get healthy turf if you need to drop seed this weekend. The best time to seed is when night time temperatures dip into the high 60′s, and we start to cool off a little bit during the day. It is always nice to be out of the 100′s before beginning the overseed process, but it’s okay to start prepping now in order to get ready for the season. A couple weeks ago I gave you the easy 1,2,3 fertilizer and seed steps, and today I want to talk a little more about what needs to be done with the prep work.

Read the rest of this entry »

We’re getting closer to the overseeding process! I am sure many of you reading my blog have started to see perennial ryegrass arriving in stores by the truck full, but we are still a little early. It isn’t too early to start some of the initial prep work, but it is still a little hot to drop seed. I realize that some of you won’t have a choice in the timing of overseeding, but if you do have a choice it is best to wait. Today’s blog is going to give you 10 easy steps on how to overseed and establish a great lawn for the winter. I have also attached a short video on doing so. http://www.youtube.com/ Read the rest of this entry »

We’re getting closer to the overseeding process! I am sure many of you reading my blog have started to see perennial ryegrass arriving in stores by the truck full, but we are still a little early. It isn’t too early to start some of the initial prep work, but it is still a little hot to drop seed. I realize that some of you won’t have a choice in the timing of overseeding, but if you do have a choice it is best to wait. Today’s blog is going to give you 10 easy steps on how to overseed and establish a great lawn for the winter. I have also attached a short video on doing so. www.youtube.com

Read the rest of this entry »