This has been a unique “spring”. Soil temperatures far below normal averages are driving us to delay the typical applications of products like Crabgrass Control to insure success.
This means if you normally apply your crabgrass control in end of April, you will need to wait! Crabgrass application delays due to cold spring temperatures will push this date back to at least May 15 of this year. Therefore, if you already applied Crabgrass Control plus Green Up prior to May 1st, you will need to take extra precautions.
Crabgrass germination starts at 55 degree F soil temps and we are below that. Not to worry! In order to keep the pesty crabgrass away apply Veri-Green Crabgrass Preventer plus Lawn Fertilizer in conjunction with an application of Love Your Soil® six weeks after your initial control application. This will maximize your control of late germinating crabgrass throughout the summer.
As weeds pop up through May, do not re-fertilize your lawn (Weed & Feed) for 4 weeks after a prior fertilization. This could burn the lawn and promote leaf spot and patch disease. Treat the weeds with Jonathan Green Lawn Weed Control granules. Remember weed control only works on an actively growing weed, so if more dandelions pop after time, you need to treat them. Try not to treat weeds if conditions are dry and temps are mid 80-‘s or above.
Outside of ticks, insects should not be a problem until mid-June at the earliest. We have had reports of ticks already so, if you are concerned, apply Jonathan Green Organic Insect Control. It does a nice job controlling ticks.
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Red thread fungus is the major spring fungus. No need to apply fungicide, it is a Nitrogen deficiency disease. Just fertilize your lawn with Green Up and it will grow out.
Remember, if you do this, do not fertilize again for four weeks if using a synthetic fertilizer.
With projected air temps not reaching much above 80 degrees F in May, you lawn will have a cooler transition this year. Don’t be impatient with your spring seeding germination rate. It will come up, just a bit slower than we are used to.
Enjoy the mild weather and be safe!