Home
Page
Nursery
Catalog
Landscape
Services
Garden
Answers
How To
Get Here
Our
History
Site
Search

Send A Question
 
Garden Checklist
 
Xeriscape Information
 
Planting Guides
  Asparagus
  B & B Trees
  Berries
  Cuttings
  Evergreen Trees & Shrubs
  Fruit Trees
  Garlic
  Grapes
  Planting A New Lawn
  Onions
  Ornamental Grasses
  Potatoes
  Roses
  Shade & Ornamental Trees
  Flowering Shrubs
  Vines
 
Garden Questions
  Annuals
  Berries & Grapes
  Bulbs
  Houseplants
  Landscape Design
  Lawns
  Perennials
  Pests
  Ponds
  Roses
  Shrubs
  Soil, Mulch & Compost
  Fruit Trees
  Shade & Ornamental Trees
  Vegetables & Tomatoes
  Vines
  Weeds

Garden Answers

Lawns

What is the right height to leave my lawn over the winter?
How will I know a fungus and how do I treat it?
When should I apply "Bayer Season Long Grub Control" to my lawn?
My garden has seemed to have quit growing. What's wrong?
Is there a product to prevent dog spots in my lawn?
Can I still fertilize my lawn in September?
What is the best fertilizer for my area?
Can I leave the leaves on the ground until next Spring?
What should I do about dry, yellow and brown patches in my lawn?
Is it too late to plant a lawn in September?
What are those little dirt plugs all over people's lawns and do I need them too?
How do I water my yard?!
Can I use weed and feed around my trees and shrubs?
How can I tell if there are grubs in my lawn?
Is there a product I can apply myself to avoid a lot of weeds?
Should I just start over with a new lawn?

Question: I hear different advice about how long to leave my lawn over the winter. What is the right height?

Answer: It's best to leave it a little long. Some folks believe that they should keep the grass short to prevent molds over the winter, but with our climate, that's really not a problem. Winter mold is usually only a problem in areas that have extended periods of snow cover.

Maintaining a longer lawn is an advantage for us here in Grand Junction. Since we don't have a lot of winter moisture, but do have lots of sun and very low humidity, the ground dries out more quickly which can damage our grass. Longer lawns will provide a type of mulch layer which cuts down on evaporative loss and maintains moisture in our soil. Through the season, it's good to have your grass 2-3" tall, through the winter, leave it even a little longer.

Back to the top.

 

Question: My lawn is getting brown patches all over it. I've checked for grubs, but this is something different. Someone told me I might have a fungus. How will I know and how do I treat it?

Answer: When folks call us with questions about their lawn, we usually ask them to bring in a sample representative of what's going on. A piece that's 8"-12" square from the edge of the brown patch which shows the progression of the problem (part green to part brown) with soil attached is ideal. Though fungus problems are common, sometimes we discover insect problems like grubs, cutworms, chinch bugs, and occasionally even mites.

Having said that, it's likely that you might have a fungus problem; something pretty common on our lawns here in the Grand Valley. It's important to keep in mind that our disease problems are stress related problems. The fungus attacks lawns that are weak. While there are several possibilities as to what's brought this on, by far the most common is that of spots in the lawn not getting enough water. Contrary to what many people think, the fungus is more likely to show up in spots that don't get as thoroughly watered.

Let me use my own experience as an example. My backyard had several spots which I sprayed with a fungicide. It cleared up and I didn't give it another thought. Pretty soon it was back again, so I repeated the process. Well, after doing this off and on for 2 years, I thought perhaps I needed to look at WHY those spots continued to be so persistent. I got my shovel and started sinking it into various places through the backyard without any problem until I got to each of the brown spots. That's when I discovered that they were hard as a rock. I'd checked the sprinklers and they were hitting those areas just fine, but for some reason those particular places needed more water than I'd been giving them. I took the hose to them and soaked 'em really well once a month and haven't had a problem since. Now I just know that I need to give those spots some extra water. Once I corrected that problem, the lawn wasn't stressed and I haven't seen a sign of fungus since.

Though watering is the most common problem, there are several others that it's good to be aware of. I mentioned checking sprinklers and their coverage already. Thick thatch can be a problem; the solution then is to aerate your lawn on a regular basis. If you have a high salt content in your soil (usually only a problem in newer lawns), that can cause all kinds of problems. Improper mowing is another cause of a stressed lawn. If the grass is allowed to get long and then cut too short, the lawn will protest. Between 2.5" and 3" is optimum.

It's also amazing the "stuff" that I've seen that's accumulated under lawns. Mostly I see things left-over from the original construction site including trash, run-off from rinsed out paint brushes, drywall plaster, chunks of concrete…none of which is visible from above and all of which could cause a homeowner to scratch their heads trying to figure out what's wrong with patches in their lawns!

Sometimes we just can't figure out what's stressing the lawn. If you want to treat it just to be sure, we have a great fungicide called Fertilome Systemic Fungicide. You'll want to spray it twice, 10-14 days apart. Spray those brown patches and the healthy grass around them.

To sum it up, most fungus problems are due to a stressed lawn. Discover the source of its stress, eliminate it, and more than likely, your fungus problem will disappear. Sure hope this helps.

Back to the top.

 

Question: When should I apply "Bayer Season Long Grub Control" to my lawn? I currently have no signs of grubs but I want to prevent them as I know once they get started, they can really wreck a lawn in short order.

Answer: Generally, you should apply the Season Long Grub Control towards the latter part of June. I would say any time after the 15th of the month would be okay. Follow the label directions and water it in well. The insecticide in the product is a systemic, so it takes a little time for it to be absorbed by and distributed throughout the plant. The nice thing is that it lasts well in the plant. The timing of the application is important because the adults will be emerging soon, mating and laying eggs for the next generation. You want the insecticide inside the plant and ready when the young grubs hatch out so they can be killed when they're small. (They're much more difficult to kill in the adult stages!)

Back to the top.

 

Question: My garden has seemed to have slowed or quit growing. It started out great but now seems idle. Also I got some of the free trees from the Arbor day and they did fine for a while in the tiny tall pots that they came in but now are losing leaves and seem to be dying back. I have recently moved them to larger pots to see if that helps. Also, do I need to water infrequently and deeply in the clay soil? Seems to run right through. Lawn seems to dry out a lot, even though watering twice a day for 1 hr each cycle.

Answer: Wow, you've got a lot going on there! If you're watering your garden twice a day, I think that you're overwatering. You are right about needing to water deeply but infrequently. Unfortunately, I can't give you a "pat" answer as to what that means for your plants in your particular situation. Watering schedules will vary with the type of plants you're caring for (lawns need more frequent watering than woody plants), soil types, the amount of soil preparation done, presence of mulch layers, slopes, exposure, the weather, etc. I would say that most people water their gardens anywhere from one to three times a week. When you water, you want the soil 12" to 16" down soaked. The best advice I can give you is to do some digging down into the soil and see what's happening. Give the garden a normal watering, wait an hour or two to let it fully soak in, and dig down to see how far the water penetrated. If it's not deep enough, you'll need to water for a longer period of time to ensure that it is getting down there.

Next, you want the soil to dry a little before soaking it again. Check the soil every day or two to see what's happening. I like to dig down 3" to 5". The soil should still be moist (if it's dust dry you've gone too far), but with some dryness showing. I know that this is ambiguous, but I just don't
know of a better way, and I've found that most people have a pretty good innate sense of when the soil needs water. The key is to dig down and check the soil! You don't necessarily water according to what the plant looks like, water according to soil moisture. I would guess that the problems you're having with the trees are water-related as well. I'd follow the same directions I gave you above for them. Typically, you will water your trees more deeply and less often than you're watering your garden.

The lawn may be drying out due to disease problems rather than watering problems. However, the two are probably related. Watering twice a day for an hour at a time should be enough water for any plant on any soil. In our heavy clays, once they get wet, they stay wet for an extended time. I
honestly don't know of any cases where a clay soil requires this watering schedule.

Our lawn disease problems are stress related. That is, they attack lawns that are weak or under stress for some reason. It may be that the lawn is weak from overwatering. Again, do some digging in the soil to see what's happening with the water in the soil. I would say that most people are
watering their lawns one to three times a week right now. I'm watering mine twice a week. Make sure that the soil is getting wet down 10" to 12" for the lawn. How long you water will depend on the type of sprinkler heads you have, their spacing, water pressure, as well as the other factors I mentioned before.

Wish I could give you something a little more concrete. Hope this helps.

Back to the top.

 

Question: I have a female bulldog whose urine is making yellow spots on our lawn. I know why this happens, but I wanted to know if there is a product I can use to help my lawn recover. I've heard of gypsum pellets but I don't know where to get them. Any other ideas?

Answer: I don't think gypsum pellets will help you. In the past, we've given our female dog a vitamin C tablet each morning and though it didn't eliminated the problem, it seemed to help a lot. I'd check with your vet before doing it though. Mine told me that sometimes there can be kidney problems with too much vitamin C in some dogs. Your vet might also have something else you could give the dog. Another possibility is to add some baking soda to your dog's water. Wish I could give you something more concrete.

The other part of the problem is pH. If the urine is very acidic, it burns more. I've heard of people putting a couple tablespoons of baking soda in their dog's water dish to neutralize the acid. I haven't tried it, so I'm not sure how well it works. Sometimes just the opposite is true. The urine is very alkaline.

Back to the top.

 

Question: Can I still fertilize my lawn in September?

Answer: If your lawn's looking a little anemic right now, a light feeding is okay, but be careful not to overdo it. In general, I tell folks to hold off on feeding now and focus on doing a winterizing fertilization later in the fall. Later this fall, there are a couple of fertilizing choices you have. For decades, people have applied a fertilizer lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium (usually applied in October) on their lawns in the fall. We have folks come in to the nursery who swear by it. The problem with using such a fertilizer here in the valley is that our soils already have pretty high amounts of both phosphorus and potassium, and adding more can sometimes create more problems than it solves.

There's been some recent research that suggests we need to feed a little differently than what many of us have been used to. This research suggests that we use a fertilizer high in a faster release nitrogen (like Ammonium Sulfate or our standard Lawn Food) and spread it on twice as heavy as the directions say. The most crucial point in this is the timing: this winterizer needs to be applied AFTER the lawn STOPS growing, but while it's still green (easy to determine when you're suddenly not mowing as often and not picking up much). It also needs to be thoroughly watered in. This is where many folks have problems, because typically this means applying the fertilizer and watering it in anywhere from late October through November when most of us no longer have irrigation water. That usually means dragging hoses around and manually watering the lawn. Watering is a MUST, and we simply can't count on rainfall here in the valley to get the job done. Personally, I've used this method in my lawn and am very pleased with the results. Hope this helps.

Back to the top.

 

Question: What is the best fertilizer for my area?

Answer: We actually carry a line of fertilizers that we have formulated specifically for this area. We call them Bookcliff Gardens Choice. There are several formulations, and it depends upon what your lawn needs and the time of the year. If your lawn is looking a little anemic, I'd give it a light feeding with our Lawn Food. If the lawn is doing okay, I'd wait to fertilize it until later this fall. Then, you have a couple of choices. The first is to apply a "standard" winterizing lawn fertilizer. We have one called Bookcliff Gardens Choice Winterizer. It's lower in nitrogen and higher in Phosphorus and Potassium. You want to apply this in October and be sure to water it in well after you apply it.

The second choice is to do what is called a "late fall fertilization". Here, you apply the fertilizer later in the fall, after the lawn has stopped growing but while it's still green. That's usually very late October through November. You'll want to use a high nitrogen, fast release fertilizer like out Lawn Food or Ammonium Sulfate, and you apply it twice as heavily as directed on the bag. The only problem with this is that you still have to water it in well after application. That time of the year, most people don't have irrigation water to do it, so you'll have to drag hoses around to soak it in well. Personally, I've done it this way the past couple of years and I've been pleased with the results. I put the fertilizer on the very end of October just before we lose ditch water in our subdivision. Relying on Mother Nature to provide the water usually doesn't work out as we are usually applying between 1/2" and 1" of water to the lawn each time we irrigate. Hope this all helps.

Back to the top.

 

Question: I've been raking leaves all fall and am sick of it! Can I just leave them on the ground until next Spring?

Answer: I hear you; I've been raking off and on this season too. Trees such as Sycamores, Oaks, and Mountain Ash hold their leaves for an extended period instead of dropping them all at once, making it seem like the raking never ends. Leaf drop for these trees varies from year to year depending upon the weather (wind, storms, etc.). That said, don't let them lay on the grass for very long. The problem is that leaving them down forms a mat that covers your growing grass. Lots of folks believe that only the larger, leathery leaves will damage your lawn, but I left some of my Silver Maple leaves last year and discovered patches of dead grass that I had to deal with in the spring. Though it's a cold job this time of year, I still think it's worthwhile to get them up now.

Back to the top.

 

Question: My lawn is looking awful. There are dry, yellow, and brown patches scattered throughout the lawn, and they're getting bigger every day! What should I do?

Answer: You could be having a problem with a fungus. We're having lots of problems with lawn diseases this summer. There are several fungi that give us problems here in the Grand Valley. Fortunately, it's not important to discover which fungus is plaguing you, because they all act about the same. Our fungi are not real aggressive pathogens. They only cause problems on lawns that are weak or under stress. A healthy, robust lawn will rarely have problems with these diseases.

Because of this, we use a two-pronged approach to cure the problem. First, figure out why the lawn is under stress and correct the problem. If you can correct the problem, many times the lawn will heal itself without any other treatment. Make sure the lawn is well watered and is being fertilized properly. Also, avoid scalping the lawn short when you mow and check for a thick thatch layer. Most of the time, however, the problem is a lack of water. Water deeply, and be sure to maintain adequate soil moisture.

Part two of the treatment is application of a fungicide. We recommend Fertilome Systemic Fungicide. Treat the dry spot as well as the surrounding grass twice 10 days apart, following label instructions.

It may not be a fungus, however. There are other possibilities. Chinch bug is starting to show up around the valley or you may be dealing with a variety of grass called 'creeping red' fescue. It's a beautiful, fine grass but doesn't do well in our heat. It's normal for it to brown out to a rusty color. It can be a weedy contaminate that just blew in, or it can be a component in grass mixes. In fact, we use it in our Shady Places Grass Mix. The only sure way to know what you're dealing with is to bring a 12" square sample from the edge of the spot to Bookcliff Gardens for an accurate diagnosis.

Back to the top.

 

Question: We just moved into our new house. My three kids and two dogs are bringing a steady supply of dirt and mud into the house. It's going to be a long winter without a lawn. My husband says it's too late to plant a lawn. It seems warm enough to me. Who's right?

Answer: You are! In fact, fall is the best time to plant a new lawn. Cooler daytime temperatures mean less water demand during germination, and the sun-warmed soils make for good germination, fast growth, and quick establishment. And best of all, lots of the annual weeds just won't germinate now, so your lawn won't have as much competition for water and nutrients. Come by for a planting guide for new lawns.

Back to the top.

 

Question: I'm seeing a lot of those little dirt plugs all over people's lawns. What are they and should I be doing it, too?

Answer: The folks in your neighborhood are having their lawns aerated with a core aerator. Having those plugs of soil pulled out will improve water, air, and nutrient penetration in your lawn by preventing the thatch layer from getting too thick. The result is a healthier and more vigorous lawn.

Early spring is a great time to have your lawn core aerated, but any time is okay. There is little impact on the lawn. Make sure the soil is moist to make the tines penetrate deeper. Just schedule your aerator to come 3-4 days after precipitation or watering.

One more thing, power raking is not the same thing as having your lawn core aerated. Power raking is of little, if any, value to your lawn. And be sure the aerator being used is a core aerator, not the spike variety. Again, the core aerator is the most effective way to gain the benefit of good penetration of all the things lawns need to thrive - water, air, and nutrients. Just add sunshine for a happy lawn!

Back to the top.

 

Question: We just moved here from the southeast where we didn't even have a sprinkler system. This may seem like a dumb question, but how do I water my yard?

Answer: This is a great question! I'm so glad you asked. Even experienced gardeners have to learn how to keep their lawns green and their landscape plants thriving in our dry climate. Besides, this is an especially appropriate question in light of the drought we're experiencing. Water is a precious resource here in Western Colorado, so it's in all our interests to use it wisely.

Let's start by talking about lawn watering. Lawns are thirsty plants, but we want to use our water resources wisely. Here are some things to consider when establishing a watering schedule for your lawn.

The rule of thumb is to water the lawn deeply but infrequently. What that means specifically for your lawn is determined by many variables-the weather, soil type, topography (slopes), grass type, soil preparation, sun exposure, and the time of year. After watering the lawn, check water penetration by digging a small hole or stick in a large screwdriver. Look for good moisture at least 12 inches down. If it's still dry, water longer so the water soaks in, unless run-off is a problem. Then water for several shorter times on the day you usually water.

Let the soil dry slightly before soaking again. Letting the lawn get too dry stresses it, but keeping it too wet causes problems, too. The lawn will get a dull, blue-gray color if it's too dry. The perfect time to water is just before this happens.

Watering for trees and shrubs needs to be done differently. You will want to water deeper (longer) but not as often. To check water penetration, dig a hole at least 18" deep it doesn't have to be big in diameter. You just need to see the moisture in the soil. Some folks use a long screwdriver or metal rod to check moisture. Simply press it into the ground and make note of the distance it travels into the soil easily. That will indicate the depth of moisture in your soil. Your goal is to get good moisture 12 to 18-inches deep, so keep track off your watering frequency to accomplish ideal soil moisture. Let the soil dry slightly before soaking it thoroughly again. For best penetration, apply water at a slow rate.

Most watering problems in Western Colorado are related to over watering. No kidding. Folks look at a dry and crusty soil surface and pull out their hose. The only sure way to read a plant's need for water is to use one of the above methods. Your plants will love you for it! We include watering guidelines in all of our planting guides.

Back to the top.

 

Question: I was thinking of using a Weed and Feed for my lawn, but have heard that I have to be careful around my trees and shrubs. Is there a problem with that? What do I need to do?

Answer: Lots of folks like to use Weed and Feed because it’s convenient: one application should do it all. While it is easy, you really have to be careful. First of all, remember that the herbicides in Weed and Feeds don’t differentiate between your weeds and your garden plants; the herbicides affect ANY broadleaved plant, so if you happen to get some on your rose bush, it’ll kill it just as effectively as your dandelions! Another potential problem is that the broadleaf weed killers in Weed and Feeds usually work by being absorbed through the roots and since the roots of your desirable plants will often grow under your lawn, they can be hurt as well.

If you do choose to use a Weed and Feed, be sure to follow the directions carefully. Never over-apply the product (some people think that using more than the recommended amount will work better). I’d be wary of applying any more this year. I’m a little uncomfortable of using a Weed and Feed more than once a year. You can start to accumulate the herbicide in the soil and cause problems with desirable plants in and around the lawn. Also ONLY use a drop spreader which will give you more control over its application.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of Weed and Feeds. I think that you’re better off feeding the lawn with a straight lawn-type fertilizer and just spraying or spot treating the weeds when it’s needed. There are three advantages to doing it this way:

  1. It’s a more effective way of controlling weeds.
  2. It’s much safer for your desirable shrubs and trees. The herbicides in the spray are less likely to be absorbed by the roots of your desirable plants.
  3. You actually save money. It’s usually cheaper to buy the fertilizer and spray than the cost of the Weed and Feed.

Back to the top.

 

Question: My lawn’s gotten a lot of brown, dead patches recently and I've heard you talk about grubs killing a lawn.  If that’s what I’ve got, is it too late for a grub treatment?  If that’s not what’s happening, what could it be?

Answer: You could be seeing White Grub damage now, and there’s an easy way to tell if it’s them causing the dead spots or not. Grubs eat the roots off of the plants, so if you grab a handful of grass and the whole piece pulls up like a rug, you’ve got a grub problem. Often you’ll even see some big, fat, creamy-colored grubs at the soil surface. This time of the year, however, you may not see many grubs as they are probably pupating or getting ready to do so. The adult (a scarab-type beetle) will emerge in late May or June sometime. They will find a mate and the female will lay eggs in the lawn to start the next generation.

If you find you DO have grubs, there’s probably nothing to do right now that will be especially effective. What you should do is wait until the latter part of June and apply an insecticide containing Imidacloprid. (We carry a Bayer product called Season Long Grub Control that has it.) What we’re doing is trying to kill the young Grub when they hatch out during July. Those newly hatched Grubs are small and much easier to kill than the big fat mature ones you see in the fall or spring. Since there’s only one generation of these monsters a year, if you do a good job killing them off in summer, you won’t have to worry about them for an entire year. Once you’ve applied the insecticide, do make sure to water it in well.

Back to the top.

 

Question: I’m trying to care for my lawn and want to avoid a lot of weeding. Is there a pre emergent spray or granular product I can buy and apply myself?

Answer: There is a number of pre emergent herbicides available to you that will do a good job controlling annual weeds. A pre emergent herbicide works by killing a germinating seedling without affecting existing perennial plants. It’s by far the best way to control annual weeds like Spurge, Foxtails, Crabgrass, Chickweed, Purslane, and Goatheads. These annual weeds are plants that die over the winter but leave lots of seed to germinate in the spring to continue the plant.

Preemergents don’t work at all on perennial weeds, so it’s important to know exactly what weeds you’re trying to control. If you’re not sure, bring in a sample of some dried out specimens from last year (if you can find any) and we’ll try to identify them for you. It’s better not to just assume you know what the weed is. A lot of people think they have Crabgrass (an annual weed that is easy to control with preemergents), when in reality they have Bermuda Grass or a Field Fescue which are both perennials and won’t be affected by a pre emergent.

Also, the pre emergent has to be applied before the weed emerges from the soil. They only kill the seed as it germinates and by the time the seedling has emerged from the soil, a pre emergent won’t do you a lot of good. The time of year to apply a pre emergent depends on the weed as well as the weather we’re having. Warmer weather in February and March will accelerate things, while cold, wintry weather will delay weed seed germination. Also, some seeds germinate relatively early while others wait until later when things have warmed up nicely.

For most annual weeds, the first application of a pre emergent is around the end of March or the first of April. A good rule of thumb is to apply them when the Forsythias are blooming around town. Depending on the weed, you may have to apply the herbicide a second time about six weeks later. The big exception to this is Spurge. This weed is common in lawns, forming dense patches in the grass. The plant has purple stems and very small egg-shaped leaves. This guy tends to wait until late to germinate. We usually start applications in mid-April, and then repeat it again twice at six week intervals.

We carry three pre emergent herbicides. Two of them are fairly specific to the type of weed you’re after. Hi-Yield Crabgrass Control does a great job on annual grasses like Foxtail and Crabgrass. Portrait does an excellent job on broadleaf annual weeds, especially Spurge. Unfortunately, neither does a very good job on the other weeds. We have a product new to us last year called Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper. It’s probably our best general use pre emergent if you have both annual grasses and broadleaf weeds. However, if it’s Spurge you’re after, I still think that Portrait is your best bet.

Finally, it’s usually necessary to water in the herbicide after you apply it. All of these products are granules so they’re easy to apply with a fertilizer spreader, but they can be somewhat volatile and if they’re not soaked in soon after being applied. The Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper is nice because it usually doesn’t need watering in.

Back to the top.

 

Question: I’m trying to get my lawn to look nice, but it’s in bad shape right now. It looks like it is dead even after I water it. There isn't any color or life to it. It’s also covered with wild morning glorys. Is there a way to kill them without hurting the other plants? Should I just start over and try to reseed the entire lawn?

Answer: The wild Morning Glorys you mention are commonly known as Bindweed. Bindweed is an extremely tough weed here in Western Colorado. It grows fast, climbing up fences, up and over other plants or just sprawling out on the ground. Trying to get rid of it by pulling it just never works; it forms a deep and extensive root system that it will simply resprout from if you pull it. Traditionally, we've mixed a couple of herbicides together and sprayed the plant several times to get rid of it. However, last year I discovered a newer Fertilome product called Weed Free Zone that really amazed me.

I had pruned back some shrub roses in my back yard and the ground under them was literally carpeted with Bindweed. As you can imagine, I get a little busy in the spring and I just wasn't getting to that Bindweed to spray it. Week by week it grew and spread. Finally, one evening in desperation I grabbed a ready-to-use bottle of this Weed Free Zone figuring that I might as well try it, and if nothing else, it would slow down the Bindweed until I could really get at it.

Within ten days the Bindweed had pretty much all browned out and was drying up. I figured it would resprout, but about 90% of it never did! There were a few spots around the edges that I resprayed a couple months later (with the Weed Free Zone of course!) and they disappeared as well. I was pretty careful where I applied the spray, just wetting the foliage of the Bindweed and not overdoing it and soaking the soil. Roses are pretty sensitive about this type of herbicide but I saw no problems with mine even though I was spraying all around them and even under some of them.

Later on in early summer, my nice Bluegrass lawn turned white with the blossoms of Bindweed that were growing there (took a lot of flack at work about my “flowering lawn!”). I sprayed the concentrated Weed Free Zone over the lawn in a hose-end sprayer and the Bindweed was gone in a week! The grass looked great this past fall, and I'm planning on zapping any Bindweed that dares show itself this spring in the lawn.

In your case, I'd say that if the lawn is less than 50% alive by late April, I'd plan on digging it all up and replanting a new lawn. We have a garden guide on our web site that tells you how to go about it. Go to www.bookcliffgardens.com/answercenter/pg-new_lawn.htm. Or come on by and we'll give you a copy of it and answer any questions you may have.

Back to the top.

 

Bookcliff Gardens
(970) 242-7766
755 26 Road (North 1st at I-70) • Grand Junction, Colorado 81506
Ask the Expert
©2008, Bookcliff Gardens