Central Virginia is simply not a satisfying shoes to produce a grass lawn . This is thwarting for all of us , but especially for those novel to the area . I spoke with the Master Gardener Program Chair for the Healthy Virginia Lawn Program in Albemarle County , Diane Lowe , who suppose she often hears , “ I never had trouble growing grass in Michigan , Ohio , Illinois , etc . ” Says Diane , “ Boy , if I had a nickel for every time I heard this ! ”
The problem ca n’t be blame alone on our acidic , Lucius DuBignon Clay soil . Mostly , it ’s the fact that newcomers have landed in the dreaded “ transition zona ” of the Mary Jane - growing world — too cool for warm- season grass varieties , and too hot for nerveless - season grass , which be given to go hibernating in our summertime heat . Our area just does n’t provide the right conditions for either warm - season or cool - season assortment of dope . No marvel it ’s frustrative .
Here in the transition zona , most of us are growing ( or trying to grow ) one of the nerveless - season mixed bag of grass — typically , tall Festuca elatior or Kentucky bluegrass . The warm - season grasses , such as zoysia green goddess , will go inactive during our cold winters , but that ’s a reasonable trade - off for some people . My neighbors have a zoysia lawn in their kidskin ’ fun area , and it is thick-skulled and healthier - look than any other lawn around — but it turn brown in winter . If , like most of us , you have a tall fescue lawn , it has a tough clip with our spicy summers and with our clay filth , specially if it ’s compacted . As a result , it often gets tenuous and is vulnerable to weed invasion . Those of us who ’ve been struggling in the transition geographical zone for yr can feel your pain , Newbies . But there are a few thing you’re able to do to improve your turf .
Perhaps one of the most important steps you could take to better your lawn is towork on your lawn primarily in the gloaming , not the spring . The experts at the Virginia Cooperative Extension are on a mission to get us homeowners to stop focusing on our lawn in the springiness and to swop our lawn - connect efforts to the fall . This Extension article — “ Breaking the Spring Seeding Cycle ” — is well deserving a read.ext.vt.edu//turfandgardentips/tips . And the cease - and - desist sweat are orchestrate not just at outflow grass seeding , but also at fertilizing and weed mastery . plainly , it ’s just instinctive for us to go forth from winter and gaze expectantly at our lawns , eager to green them up and ready them for picnics and ball games . However lifelike it may feel , it ’s the wrong season for these activities , despite the presence of lawn source and fertilizer at the garden stores !
September is the pefect meter to work on your lawn . Fall is the season to improve your filth and to fertilise , if require . Take a look at this helpfulMaintenance Calendar for Cool - Season Turfgrass Lawns in Virginia : VaTech / edu / Pub . No . 430 - 523 . It indicate the right times to fertilize and to employ a pre - emergent or post - emergent weed weed killer , if you ’ve determine to do this . There ’s a sustainment calendar for affectionate - season grasses as well.pubs.ext.vt.edu/Pub.No.430-522(2014 ) .
By the way , if you ’re take care for analternative to the standard lawn weed intervention — the chemical weedkiller 2,4 - D — you ’ll be interested in new smoothing iron - ground herbicides whose active factor is just chelate iron — the same affair that is used to treat iron lack in plants . Apparently green goddess can tolerate an overdose of iron , but most dope ca n’t . Check out this new variety of weed treatment for lawn in “ Iron - Based Herbicides : alternate Materials for Weed Control in Landscapes and Lawns,”Univ . Md. Extension.umd.edu / md.edu
overspread Compost on your Lawn
Yup , you read that right ; compost ON your lawn . Spread as little as ¼ inch ( not more than 1/2 in ) of compost on your lawn double a class , and your soil — and as a final result , your turf skunk — will bit by bit improve dramatically . Compost will improve your grease ’s structure , reducing densification and raise moisture retentiveness , and because it contain nutrients normally found in fertiliser , it will reduce the want to fertilize , thereby reducing fertilizer run - off , a menace to our ecosystem . To learn more about lawn compost , watch this brief video prepare by a turfgrass expert at Va. Tech.ext.vt.edu/lawn-garden/turfandgardentips/pete-dye/index.html . This is an entire series of lawn fear telecasting entitle “ A Lawn to Dye For ” that were prepare at technical school ’s Pete Dye Golf Course , and all are worth viewing . You ’ll have to scroll down a moment to find the one on lawn composting .
overspread lime , if needed . Spreading lime on the lawn is a regular project in this surface area because our soils tend to be acid — not the optimal pH for most turfgrass — and dolomitic limestone increase the soil pH to make land more alkaline . A soil test will tell you how much quicklime your lawn grime need so that necessary nutrient are actually usable to the locoweed .
right fertilizationwill indeed help your grass , butthe best time to fecundate is free fall . That ’s because “ fall gift farm circumstance conducive for improving turf density through the development of new shoots and stems , increased carbohydrate storage ( i.e. , food for the works ) , and enhanced ancestor production . ”Va . Tech . Ext . Pub . No.430 - 520 / FallLawnCare . So diminish is THE time to thicken your cool - season lawn ! And thicker sward will just naturally keep the Mary Jane down .
Keep in judgement , however , that your skunk is actually just a whole lot of plants , and like any plant , it will fly high only in stain that beseem its needs . Too many of us assume that when it come to fertilizer , “ If a lilliputian bit is good , doubly as much is better . ” NOT TRUE!Before you feed , collect some soil sample distribution in your pace and order a soil test from the Virginia Extension Office(Get the little soil sample corner you involve and direction at the local Extension Office , Fifth St. Extended Building , 460 Stagecoach Rd , Charlottesville ) . If it ’s beenthree eld or moresince you had your lawn soil screen , you ’re due !
The soil run report provided by the experts at Va. Tech ’s Soil Testing Lab will tell you what nutrients your grunge is lacking and if it needs linden and/or fertilizer in edict for yourturfgrass to thrive . Getting these amounts right is decisive to success , and also to the wellness of our rivers and lakes.Ext.VaTech.edu/Pub . No . 426 - 059/”Groundwater Quality and the Use of Lawn and Garden Chemicals by Homeowners”A soil test of your lawn grime will measure and makes testimonial for the come major nutrients need by turfgrass : P ( phosphorus ) ; K ( potassium ) ; Ca ( Calcium ) ; Mg ( Magnesium ) and five micronutrient . In add-on , the test fix the stain pH and makes recommendation on how to raise or lower the pH. The atomic number 7 ( N ) prerequisite for turfgrass can not be dependably determine by a soil trial , but the report will nevertheless contain a nitrogen recommendation for the form of grass being grown . Thus , the report will tell you exactly what to add so that your soil can feed your grass without damage our water supply with plant food streamlet - off .
For detailed info on meeting the nitrogen needs of a lawn , how to calculate measure of N and properly diffuse them , you ’ll want to bet atExt / VaTech / LawnFertilizationVirginia . I ’ll warn you now , there ’s math involved ! Virginia Tech recommends0.7 pound of Nitrogen per 1,000 sq . ft — twice in the declivity . If , like me , you forfend math like a plague , you could simplify this calculation by using the quondam testimonial of 1.0 lbs N/1000 sq . ft . in the fall ( the N endure for atomic number 7 ) .
But you may avoid these calculation by using the Healthy Virginia Lawn avail , which does the calculating for you ! It supply clients with the exact amount of a specific fertilizer they needbased on their total square footage of lawn and the soil test recommendation from Va. Tech . So for illustration , you might be enjoin to spread 140 lbs of a 16 - 4 - 8 fertilizer two times , 4 - 6 weeks apart , in the twilight . If this sounds good to you , can can sign up for a interview with the Healthy Virginia Lawns program . For more information , call 434 - 872 - 4580 or electronic mail hvl.albemarle@vt.edu . Here ’s a tie-in to the booklet . Healthy Va. Lawns Brochure .
think back , those three numbers on a handbag of fertilizer stand for the percent by exercising weight of nitrogen , phosphate ( for phosphorus ) , and potash ( for potassium ) in the fertilizer . Mature lawn often have decent level of atomic number 15 and potassium , so sustenance fertilizers containing only nitrogen are often used on these lawn .
Because coolheaded - season grasses are actively growing in the fall , it ’s a good prison term to air out your lawn , especially in heavy traffic sections and other compacted areas . Soil compaction hinders the eatage ’s root development because it physically restrict root incursion and reduces the oxygen levels required in the land for root development . Core aeration ( removing plugs from the filth is a standard method acting for improve soil aeration . Now ’s the clock time to do it!VaTechExt./Pub No . 430 - 520 / FallLawnCare .
Use the imagination and service of the Virginia Extension Service at Virginia Tech . The resource directed at lawn and turfgrass issues through the Virginia Extension Service are broad . For any question you may have , you ’re probable to line up helper on the Extension website . For example , if you ’re wondering if your lawn broadcaster is by rights calibrated , you ’ll find assist atpubs.ext.vt.edu/Pub . No.430 - 017/”Calibrating your Lawn Spreader ” . For the list of publication that address lawn and turfgrass , seepubs.ext.vt.edu/category/lawns .
reservoir
“ Fall Lawn Care,”pubs.ext.vt.edu / Pub . No . 430 - 520
“ A Virginian ’s yr - Round Guide to Yard Care : Tips and Techniques for Healthy Lawns and Gardens,”www.dcr.virginia.gov / soil - and - water / document / yardcare.pdf(Va . Dept.of Conservation & Recreation ) .
pubs.ext.vt.edu/category/Resources for Lawns
“ instal Lawns,”pubs.ext.vt.edu / Pub . No.426 - 718.pdf
“ Lawn Fertilization in Virginia,”pubs.ext.vt.edu / CSES-135
