organic clover killer

The Best Time to Care for Your Lawn

The end of summer does not mean the end of your lawn’s need for extra nurturing. In fact, fall is a good time to provide your lawn with the much needed fertilizer supplement, and weed control solutions. The leaves on your trees and shrubs may start turning brown, but it should not mean you let the course of nature take over passively. Though places like Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco, along with other areas in Florida, do not feel what others would call a full blown fall season, the effect on your lawn and plants are still relatively the same.

Giving sufficient amounts of lawn fertilizer during the fall increases the chances of having your grass in full bloom come spring time and all year round. It is recommended that you ask your local lawn care company to feed your lawn during early spring and before the first cold snap. Fertilizers are high in nitrogen and potassium, both of which are important for the recovery and nourishment of grass after the scorching summer heat. You can ask for slow-release fertilizers to avoid nitrogen seepage when the rain comes. Horticultural studies are now allotting much of their energy in formulating fertilizers that are less hazardous to the environment.

The cooler temperature also should not fool you in terms of the watering needs of your trees and shrubs, and your lawn. Water and fertilizers should always work together. Proper mixing of these two helps in the proper propagation of roots in plants. In fact, root growth is quite active during the fall, even if you don’t see a lot of activity up top. Water also helps control the concentration of weed killers you may have applied to your lawn.

On the topic of weeds, fall is also the season for specific weed growth, specifically, broad leaf, dandelion, and clover. These weeds are in the process of building up nutrients and starches during autumn in preparation for the coming cold. This also means that they are at the peak of absorbing nutrients from the ground, and giving them a dose of weed killers will ensure the death of these weeds.

Fall also brings a particular group of pests that can destroy your whole landscape. Some specific areas in Florida like Hillsborough often experience an attack of army worms, grubs, mole crickets, and chinch bugs. Army worms are actually the larva of moths and they heavily feed on turf grasses and St. Augustine grass. Grubs, on the other hand, are the larva of Japanese beetles and are often the first pests on site during fall. Mole crickets are night crawlers and attack after rain. An over population of these insects can destroy your whole grass area in a day. Chinch bugs have the same damaging effect as well.

Ants and the occasional earthworm should not immediately send you running to grab your pesticide sprayer. Sometimes, the presence of these insects can benefit your lawn. Lawn care service companies should best handle infestations because misuse of insecticides and pesticides can ruin everything it touches, including the grass. Both residential and commercial services are provided by most lawn care companies, and pest and insect control is one service you shouldn’t hold back on. Pests are not only hazardous to your lawn, but possibly to you and your family. You can first check your state or county Cooperative Extension Services so you have an idea of what to expect (or ask for) from the lawn care company.

Other lawn care services may include Natural Lawn Care, Organic Lawn Care, Tree and Shrub Care Services, landscaping, Power Seeding, and Mower Maintenance.

Does anyone have a good organic fertilizer/weed killer recipe?

I have a dog and do not want to kennel him just so I have Weed and Feed my yard. Does anyone know of a harmless weed killer/fertilizer concoction to treat my yard. The clover and creeping charlie are starting to take over.

Mow as high as your mower will allow you as frequently as you can stand. Three inches is best. This lets grass grow to a maximum density to shade out weeds and weed seeds. Grass can tolerate repeat mowing so it will do okay but weeds don’t tolerate the stress of frequent mowing. Grass struggles when mowed short because it has no blades for photosynthesis, it fails and weed seeds get to germinate. Mow tall and you leave grass blades but remove the meristemic tips of tall weeds. Creepers are another problem.

Feed; really fertilize the grass with a nitrogen rich fertilizer like HastaGro 12-4-8 Liquid Lawn Fertilizer, get fast growth so the weeds literally grow them selves to death while grass just gets thicker shading the soil more. Leaving the clippings helps feed and shade the creepers out.
Water deeply and infrequently to encourage deeply rooted grass. You need 1 inch/week total unless the temps go really high. Get a little plastic rain gauge for the lawn area. Never let weeds go to seed.
For spot treatment or for small areas of pure weeds, try David Hall’s method of “vinegar sprayed as a foliar spray, not a soil drench. To a gallon of vinegar, mix a tablespoon of liquid dish soap and two tablespoons of molasses as wetting agents. Apply full strength from a hand sprayer. Be careful not to get any spray on you or in your eyes or inhale it.”
To prevent next years weed crop from sprouting try corn meal gluten as a pre-emergent. http://www.lawnandgardenmagic.com/hydrop

http://www.dirtworks.net/Weed-Ban.html

Control Weeds with Organic BurnOut

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Scotts 23614 LawnPro Step 2 Weed Control Plus Lawn Fertilizer, 14.63-Pound $19.98 Kills dandelions and other major lawn weeds (as listed), Builds thick, green turf from the roots up without burning your lawn….

Ortho 0398410 1.33-Gallon Weed-B-Gon Max Weed Killer for Lawns Pull ‘N Spray $21.23 Strongest formula ever kills even the toughest lawn weeds. New foaming action. Visible results in 24 hours. Rain Proof in 1 hour. Kills over 200 weeds. Exclusive LawnGuard formula….