Don't listen to the radio ads..... yet

[LwnmwnMan2]

I hear ads for crabgrass preventer on the radio.

Just a heads up, we're A LONG WAYS off from putting down ANY kind of fertilizer.

I checked some skinny areas of grass surrounded by parking lot today, 39 degrees is what I got for a soil temp.

[CJH]

What temps are you looking for to put down the crabgrass preventer?

[RumRiverRat]

50 degrees.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Technically 55 degrees for 3 mornings in a row at sunrise is when crabgrass will start to germinate.

Here's a HSOforum that shows we're not even close....

http://www.greencastonline.com/SoilTempMaps.aspx

[RumRiverRat]

If it has germinated the pre-emergent herbicide will not work unless you put it down at a heavier rate.

You risk killing the entire area if you do that.

That is why I go with 50 degrees.

[LwnmwnMan2]

That's not entirely true.

If you look for a pre-emergent that has Dimension, that has post emergent qualities to it.

It will stop crabgrass up to 3" high (if I remember right off the top of my head), at least until the second tiller (blade). I've never killed any turf by putting down product at label rate.

Even if you do have crabgrass that emerges, there are post emergent products that will allow you to kill the crabgrass without killing anything around it.

Personally I head out when it's been 53 degrees.

Scott's and some of the other national brands do not do this, so you have to be a bit earlier,

Also, if you have different areas, say a large brick wall that faces south with grass right to it, that ground will be warmer faster than the grass out in the middle of the yard.

Remember, if you've never had a crabgrass problem, you're not magically going to have a crabgrass problem all of a sudden.

I always tell people that the large national companies that run ads on TV and radio, as well as send out fliers every week, they're marketing companies before they're lawn / turf companies.

[walleye vision]

LawnMan,

Do you have any recommendations of a specific brand of pre-emergent/fertilizer to use. I go to the stores to look, and I just get confused with all the choices. Is there something specific I should be looking for?

Thanks

[LwnmwnMan2]

What you want to look for, how to know you're getting the best bang for your buck is to look at the active ingredient. A higher percentage of active ingredient means more chemical to do whatever it is you're looking to do.

Also, there should be a percentage of the fertilizer aspect that's slow release. If you use an ag fertilizer from a feed mill or small town supplier, you're going to risk burning the grass.

Some of the large national brands will make the grass grow like mad for 3 weeks, and then it slows down again, coincidetally when the ads start running on the radio again for broadleaf removal or getting rid of moles. Funny how that happens. Then you're supposed to put down step 2,3,4,5.

You'll want a quality fertilizer. Home Depot used to carry "Lesco" which is a version of what 90% of the professionals use. The retail "Lesco" stores have changed their name to John Deere Landscapes.

A quality product will have an active ingredient of .10-.15%. It'll have a slow release of 30-50%.

[tweedlap]

I found John Deere Lanscapers listed in Edina and Burnsville.

tweed

[RumRiverRat]

I have not killed turf either, but the average homeowner does not have the experience you or I do, I worked for a lawncare company for 6 summers.

You are correct that if you did not have a crab grass problem last year you will not all of a sudden have one this spring.

Raise the blade and grow it long is my motto.

I buy all my herbicides and fertilizer from the company I used to work for, they use Lesco products.

That dimension is good stuff for post emergence control.

I really like the Pre-M for pre emergence control, if you spread enough of that yellow fertilizer you eventually look like you have jaundice.

A lot of it is marketing hype with crab grass though, I believe that at least 60% of homeowners cannot even ID crabgrass.

[croixflats]

Quote:

Raise the blade and grow it long is my motto.

Funny you say that. I had a horrible problem with crabgrass and every year I always was to late getting the preemergent down . Last year I neglected my lawn let it grow long, I might have mowed 4 times. The grass was long and it prevented the crabgrass from taking over. Just throwing it out there that the longer grass does help keep the crabgrass at bay.

I know the crabgrass seed is still there and I still need to apply pre emergent if I want a lawn without crabgrass hopefully I'll remember to put it down before it gets to late again.

[half-dutch]

Crab grass is an annual; so it must re-germinate every year, and takes sunlight to germinate, which is why long, thick perennial grass keeps it down. You want your perennial grasses to thicken up in the cooler temperatures before it gets warm enough for crab grass to germinate; so what crab grass seed there is there is shaded, and that helps with a lot of annual broad leafed weeds too, many of which must also have light to germinate. Actually late fall winterizer was you best application last year. Early spring to build roots as well as tops (low nitrogen) is second best and that is now. What you want is the perennial grasses to stool out now and thicken with those intertwined runners cut down the sunlight necessary to let the annuals get started.

[tweedlap]

Is it too early to spray WeedBGone to get rid of broad leaf terrorists

like dandelions and thistles?

tweed

[LwnmwnMan2]

Yes, it's too early to do ANYTHING.

Spraying will work in June, late May.

The best time to spray is late September to mid October, right after a hard frost.

[CJH]

Technically 55 degrees for 3 mornings in a row at sunrise is when crabgrass will start to germinate.

Here's a HSOforum that shows we're not even close....

http://www.greencastonline.com/SoilTempMaps.aspx

I just went out and looked at this and when I zoomed in it looked like Mpls area and east to the WI border was in the solid green (50-55 degrees). Am I reading this correctly? If so, it would be time this week, wouldn't it?

[LwnmwnMan2]

What I've found to be the most accurate, is to use the non-zoomed national map for that day.

If you look at that one, there's no green anywhere near Iowa, let alone MN. If you use the 5 day map, it'll show temps in the 50's for ground temps. That'll only happen if we do get into the 70's like they're saying and no cold rains.

[scsavre]

I am just too anxious to wait. It is so nice outside. I am waiting on most chemicals and pulling weeds by hand. I did sprinkle a little fertilizer on a dead looking spot and it has turned greener, hopefully I didnt promote high roots or anything.

I hit the yard mold right away and now it is just about as nice as the rest of the yard.

This weather is making want to fertilize and overseed. But sounds like every one is waiting. So I guess I will too. Glad I saw this info as I dont want to jsut waste the stuff.

[LwnmwnMan2]

You'll have all summer to work on the yard.

By late August everyone will be letting the grass get to be 6" tall and matted down because they're tired of cutting the grass every week.

[klecker]

You'll have all summer to work on the yard.

By late August everyone will be letting the grass get to be 6" tall and matted down because they're tired of cutting the grass every week.

Haven't even mowed yet and I am tried. That is on thing i truly dsilike. Thank good for my wife.

[CJH]

Our neighbor rode his riding lawnmower and bagged up all of the dead grass yesterday!

Of course he mows 3 times a week in the summer............