As most of you know it is a huge effort to make your lawn perfect. One of the best things you can do is fertilize your grass at least once or twice a year. There is some debate over when you should fertilize though.

Southern Lawn Care: The timing of fertilizing your yard is based on where you live. Shop for fertilizer that has three active compontents: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Nitrogen will help to keep your grass green, if you purchase a fertilizer with higher amounts of nitrogen, the best time to fertilize is in the fall in warmer parts of the country. You will want to fertilize in the fall as temperatures begin to go below 70 degrees if you are using a phosphorous based fertilizer. This will assist in growing a strong root system. Potassium will assist in the health and heartiness of your lawn. Some manufacturers offer mixtures based on where you live.

Northern Lawn Care: In cooler regions, there are two key periods for fertilizer: mid spring when the last frost is over and early fall when temperatures get below 70 degrees. Fertilizing at these times of the year will assist you in less weeds so that you don’t have to waste money feeding them as well.

Grub worms are known for eating the roots of grass and causing brown patches in grass. The can cause serious damage to your turf if not treated, and the sooner the better. Do you have grub worms? Here are some tips.

They are white with a red head, dark at the rear end and are C-shaped about the size of the tip of your thumb. Once you have determined that you have grub worms you should call your local Agricultural Extension Service and ask questions like when they lay their eggs and when they are likely to be active in your area.

Sample your yard for grubs by cutting three sides of a 1-foot square and lifting the grass to see if there are more than 5 worms. If more than 5 then more treatment will be necessary. Nematodes are microscopic organisims that feed on larvae and can be purchased from your local garden center. To use nematodes, follow the directions on the bag.

Keep your lawn lightly-watered to help offset the root damage caused by grub worms.

Why do you have mushrooms in your lawn?

Mushrooms are a fungus, and most fungi are able to propagate when something is decaying. In your lawn, when mushrooms pop up, it usually means something is dead and decaying beneath the surface.

It could be  from buried construction debris, old tree stumps and roots, and even a buried pet that causes mushrooms to appear in your lawn. A popular mushroom pattern seen in lawns is called a “Fairy Ring” which is just a group of shrooms growing up from an old tree stump.

Some types of mushrooms also may grow due to soil conditions and pooling water. Whatever the reason, it is really nothing to be overly concerned about. Mushrooms only look bad, and don’t really cause any harm to your lawn. However, many homeowners are concerned about the presence of mushrooms in relation to their young children or pets and the possibility of them ingesting them.

How to get rid of Mushrooms in your lawn

If you see mushrooms, try to think back about what might have been there years ago. Did you cut down an old tree there? Did you dig a shallow grave for your beloved pet?

Whatever the case, you can try digging up the area and removing the source of decay. In some cases, this may to be feasible, so here is an old home remedy that I used with very good success:

* First, break off the mushrooms with our lawn mower or a shovel.
* Second, mix up some liquid dish soap (about 1/4 cup) in 3 gallons of warm water.
* Third, saturate the mushrooms and surround areas with the mixture. Make more as needed until the entire area is covered with the soapy water.
* Fourth, repeat these steps again in one week.

The dish soap will not harm the grass, but something in it seems to neutralize the fungal growth. This is just a temporary fix, and you may need to try it again in a couple months, but it DOES WORK!

LIFE & LAWN

If you’re looking to add flair and character to an open space or just a corner of your yard - wishing wells make a great addition.

Depending on how you go about acquiring your well, either through Craigslist, buying the lumber, stone, or a prefab – this will dectate how much costs are involved, along with labor.  Odds are, for a no frills wishing well, you’re looking at $20 -400.00.

There are all types of wells out there to choose from.  If you plan to go with a wooden model, we recommend that you make sure the well is constructed out of cedar.  This will give the well a few additional years over pine and won’t require extensive cleaning and treating.

You should know that any wooden well is going to turn after spending some time out in the elements.  Sanding and treating will prolong the look of the well, but ultimately, mother nature will over come all your hard work.  Though, some people appreciate the character given to a weathered well.  It’s up to you.