Expert Advice on Home Improvement

If spring lawn care is about getting your lawn healthy and green, summer lawn care is about KEEPING it healthy while temperatures soar and rainfall becomes a fleeting memory. It’s also about maintaining a lawn that can withstand all the barbecues, games, parties, and running feet that summer has to offer. Here are some tips for keeping your lawn in shape over those long, hot days of summer. Read in full.

Carl Jauernig of Wausau, Wisconsin, sent us this solution for keeping the grass growing under a chain link fence at bay. Read on to find out more. Read in full.

Carrie asks, “Are there any soil additives or other recommendations to neutralize dog urine so that it doesn’t kill my grass?”

This is one of those topics that abounds with home remedies, old wives’ tales, and myriad commercial products, all with mixed results at best. Here are some facts and solutions that can help. Read in full.

Last Saturday morning, I had the opportunity to talk with Danny and Allen on Homefront, the nationally-syndicated radio show that Danny hosts. It was a rainy day, and I joked that since I couldn’t work in the yard, I was going to stay indoors and “watch the grass grow.” I don’t often get things done on time, but I did manage to sprinkle some organic lawn fertilizer the day before the rain began, and man did it ever grow! Read in full.

Bill asks, “When is the proper time to apply fertilizer to centipede grass? Should I use a weed and feed product?”

Centipede grass is a warm-season turf grass that can be damaged if weed control products are applied to early in the spring. Here are some tips to help you correctly fertilize and weed your centipede lawn. Read in full.

As the world outside begins to turn green after a long winter, it’s time once again to pay attention to your lawn. Spring is a sensitive time for your yard – the soil is spongy, the plants are tender, and the weather is unpredictable. Your lawn will thank you for being gentle this time of year, but it will also thank you for addressing a few important spring tasks. Here’s how to go about taking care of your lawn in the spring. Read in full.

Ken asks, “What is the best grass to plant in sandy soil that will withstand drought?”

Sandy soil increases the effects of drought by draining water rapidly, which makes it more difficult for lawn grass to survive without regular irrigation. Here are some suggestions for grasses that are better suited to these conditions. Read in full.

In my world, mowing is a chore that offers quite pleasing results, but it’s not one of my favorite ways to spend my time. I know it sounds crazy, but hauling around a big, noisy machine that could cut my foot off sort of interferes with my serenity. So, as I look out the window, my mind is already starting to focus on what I can do this year to make mowing easier. Read in full.

Jan asks, “My lawn is full of holes – it looks like I have aerated, but I have not. What could be causing these holes, and what should I do about it?”

Small holes in your lawn are almost always caused by a digging or burrowing creature, and before you can address the problem you have to identify the cause. Read in full.

Dusty asks, “How do I get rid of crabgrass? I have tried all the over counter products, and I can’t seem to get rid of it.”

Since crabgrass is a grassy weed, it’s not easy to eradicate without killing your grass, too. Read more to find out how to go about it. Read in full.