I had the chance last week to lie around the beaches of south Maui, and that gave me plenty of time to check out how great the paspalum looks on the lawn areas at the hotels and golf courses, come up with some new things to write about overseeding, and assess my horrible college football picks so far this season.  I know I have covered the basics of seeding and fertilizing, but since these steps are so vital to the success of a winter lawn I am going to tell you how to push the growth and fight off the loss of color when the frost hits.

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As we inch closer to temperatures that are in the overseeding range, it’s important to be ready and prepared for the process.  I am going to draw out a step-by-step process for you today on how to overseed, and attach a short video on doing so.  I think everyone can have a successful lawn this winter, and next summer if you follow these instructions.  A thriving overseed can be accomplished when the nighttime temperatures are in the 60’s, high quality seed is used, and you don’t get too aggressive with the scalping of the lawn. Read the rest of this entry »

As we get into the fall people are starting to get that itch for the ryegrass and the nice color that goes along with it, so I’m going to answer some “frequently asked questions” related to overseeding, general sod, and seasonal issues.  I will post an in depth overseeding manual as we get a little closer to the season and when the temperature decides to dip below 114 degrees.  You and I also know that with the start of the Michigan Football season around the corner there are more important things than overseeding, so maybe I will discuss a little college football also. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve received a lot of questions from paspalum growers who are chomping at the bit to get out there and fertilize their lawn, but let’s remember why you bought this grass.  This is a grass that likes low nitrogen and thrives off micro nutrients such as manganese, zinc, and iron.  The summer stress period brings on different animals for every grass and each grass has its way of fighting them off.  This blog will touch on the cultural techniques you can do at home to keep your paspalum strong, deep green in color, and keep costs down.  Just as is the case with all grasses, a healthy lawn is the best defense for any potential problems out there. Read the rest of this entry »

I know that the temperature is still well into the 100’s right now and overseeding your Arizona lawn  is the last thing on your mind, but it is time to start to think about what you’re going to do this fall.  You need to ask yourself a few basic questions because they will dictate how you maintain your lawn between now and then.  Overseeding is not a cut and dry practice, nor is it for everyone.   Is overseeding is for you? Read the rest of this entry »

I have received many e-mails in the last couple of weeks by homeowners that cannot believe the amount of water it is taking to get their grass to maintain the correct moisture and not exhibit drought stress conditions.  If you’re following all of the cultural practices necessary to maintain a healthy lawn and you are still seeing signs of trouble you may need to take a look under the turf for grubs.  Read the rest of this entry »

Many homeowners in older neighborhoods have seeded their lawns with common bermudagrass to fix areas or to establish new lawns.  Now they have realize they can’t seem to get rid of it when they want to.  This is one of the most difficult grasses to eradicate, but I am going to tell you a way that will save some of the pain and help reduce the problem.  Read the rest of this entry »

The monsoons are upon us, and so is the humidity.  We need to take advantage of it and get our lawns and sod filled in while we have optimal growing weather.   Read the rest of this entry »

Trying to win a battle with nutsedge is one of the most difficult challenges many homeowners face with their lawns.  Many people have noticed that you can spray and spray and spray before you put in that new pristine lawn only to find that the nutsedge just keeps coming back as you start to water.  There is some hope out there to help solve the problem, but patience is going to be right at the top of the list along with a few steps I will outline. Read the rest of this entry »