Michael Murray of Organic Soil Solutions recently posted an excellent blog entry on his web site regarding Needham Lawns are Filled with Clover. It is true that clover likes cool damp conditions early in the spring to get its start. We certainly had that this year in the Northeast.
Yet it is surprising to me that, as Mike commented, it actually appears to be more of a problem in the synthetically treated lawns than in those lawns that have been organic for some time.
Last week the President’s Cancer Panel with the support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute released its report on Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk. The findings and comments found in this year’s report should come as little surprise to those concerned about environmental risks of cancer. In a nutshell there are many potential sources that one should be informed about and aware of. The current way we test chemicals for possible carcinogenic effect is inadequate. (more…)
Hard to believe but the window to overseed in the Northeast is closing fast. This spring has seen temperatures c lose to 10⁰ higher than those experienced last year. With warmer temperatures and bare soil we will likely experience greater weed pressure earlier in the season.
This spring has produced some of the wettest weather on record in the Northeast. This March was notable for its lack of snow. Four of the normally snowiest cities in the region: Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse, NY and Concord, NH, did not see any measurable snow during March. While areas like Boston, MA, Providence, RI and Portland, ME saw their wettest month ever. At the Blue Hills Observatory outside of Boston 18.81 inches of rain were recorded during March. The previous record was 18.78 in August 1955. (more…)
Now is probably a good time to start scouting for white grubs. Certainly the weather we’ve received this season has made it difficult to guess the appropriate time to begin scouting. However, if you’re likely to see grub damage this season they are going to have to start feeding soon.
Normally we would begin looking for evidence of white grubs in our residential lawns at this time of season. However given the extremely wet summer we have had in the Northeast this year I think you are probably safe to hold off your scouting activities for a couple of weeks. (more…)
As I drive around town I notice that the recent heat has brought out the crabgrass. What are you suppose to do especially if you want to have an organic all natural lawn. First I believe it best to understand a bit more about crabgrass. (more…)
Pretty soon it is going to be time for the athletes to come back to school and begin their dreaded double sessions of the preseason. So now is the time for you to start your preseason. Assuming that you allowed your sports field to grow taller over the summer to increase their root mass and make them heartier for the coming playing season now is the time to begin lowering the mowing heights of the fields so that they will be at playing heights once the student athletes arrive back on campus.
Remember you never want to take off more than 1/3 of the shoot height when you mow. Mow more frequently if you want to get the height of cut down quicker. As an example: To get your field hockey fields down to 1 ½” playing height is going to take you roughly 30 days to get there assuming you start at a height of 3 ½”.
Over the years we have come in contact with a number of landscapers and equipment suppliers that think July is a great time to aerate. The grass generally isn’t growing so why not go out and aerate. After all we need to do something! WRONG!!
This season we have been called out on several occasions to consult with facilities and grounds directors that are experiencing poor growth rates with their turf. Due to the steady rainfall we have been experiencing in the Northeast this season the problem has been inevitably associated with soil compaction. (more…)