When we get new tools often someone on our staff can't resist the chance totry it out.

Paula loves this tool

It is a trowel, opens potting soil and soil conditioner bags, has a 1' measuring tool, weeds, cuts sod and string.

She finds it convienient to use and tough.

It sells for $17.98

No, this is not about growing cannabis in your closet. It's about having a green lawn.

Over the last several years people have moved to turf type fescue lawn. Their advantage is their toughness. However, along with toughness comes an inability to absorb nitrogen in cold weather.

This means that your lawn needs a good supply of fertilizer as it goes into winter time. You need to fertilize now so your lawn is green going into winter and can keep the green color. A good feeding with Fall and Winter Fertilizer is due right now!

In addition to fertilizer you do need to keep an eye on moisture levels. It is common to see lawns that brown out because they run dry in the winter.

It feels strange to talk about watering in the winter when I spend a lot of time talking to Garden Crew clients about cutting down winter watering schedules. Ideally you would occasionally go outside and check the moisture level around you lawn in dry weather. Remember, that to get enough water into the soil, you need to water a full water cycle. Cut back frequency of watering not the amount of time.

Since sod became popular we often get calls to remove old lawn and start over.
Sometimes this is the right answer. Usually when the grade is wrong, the surface is irregular or when the weed problem is just out of control. Often overseeding is a simpler and les disruptive solution. In addition is is less expensive!

If your lawn is looking tired or thin it might be time to over seed. Over seeding thickens the lawn, which allows it to resist weed invasion better. In many cases where the lawn was originally a blend of different grasses the lawn will patch. This is where one kind of grass will dominate in some areas and another in other areas. Over seeding gives you an opportunity to make the lawn more uniform.

The process is simple. You start with a close mowing of the lawn removing the clippings. You are leaving the clippings on the lawn usually aren’t you??

Next you spread the Master start fertilizer on the lawn followed by the lawn seed. Here you want to pick a seed that will blend with the old lawn or in the case of shade lawns will grow in the shade.

If you have open areas you need to mulch with a thin covering of Gold Rush. In any case go over the lawn with a light rake to brush the seed down to the ground.

Now you need to keep the seed moist. This often means two to three short waterings a day until the seed has all germinated. If you used a Gold Rush mulch a trick is to keep it dark at all times to be sure.

Don’t mow for a couple of weeks and then start by mowing at about 1 ½ or 2” tall. Don’t use weed control products until the new lawn has been mowed at least three times.

October and November are ideal times for over seeding! If this is something you don't want to try, let the Garden Crew do the dirty work for you!