Dollar spot is characterized by round, bleached-out or straw-colored spots, ranging from the size of a quarter to the size of a silver dollar. Spots appear as sunken areas in the turf, especially low mown turfgrass (0.5 inches or less). Fluffy white mycelia can be seen when fungus is actively growing during morning periods of heavy dew. Symptoms on individual grass blades appear as bleached-out or tan lesions that are often accompanied by reddish brown bands present at the outer edge of the leaf lesion (except on annual bluegrass). This disease affects lawns during heavy dew periods that are low in nitrogen and stressed by drought.

Dollar spot occurs when daytime temperatures are between 59-8...

Pythium first appears as circular reddish brown spots in the turf, ranging in diameter from 1 to 6 in. In the morning dew, infected leaf blades appear water soaked and dark and may feel slimy. When spots are wet with dew, purplish gray or white cottony fungal mycelia can be seen on the outer margins of the spots. Infected grass plants collapse quickly, and when conditions are conducive, spots may coalesce and large areas of turf can be lost in a short period of time (overnight).

Pythium blight survives in the thatch and soil as a water mold until proper conditions occur for it to become pathogenic. As a warm-weather disease of cool season grasses, the disease is most destructive when temperat...

Take All disease first appears in late spring or early summer, as a patch of bronze or bleached turf. The center of the patch eventually dies and is can give rise to weeds, particularly annual bluegrass. Spots range from 4-6 in. (10-15 cm) in diameter at first, but may grow into large patches, several feet in diameter over a period of years. Plants affected have shallow root systems, and are easily pulled out of the ground. Black runner hyphae of the fungus can be observed on crowns and roots microscopically.

The pathogen can survive on thatch and dead tissue as dormant mycelium. The fungus attacks crown and root tissues of the plant during the cool, wet weather of the spring and fall. It is ...

Round 1 begins today! For our lawn application customers this means we will applying a Pre-Emergent that will help fight Poa Annua and crabgrass. Watering in this application is crucial! 1/4″-1/2″ of water is necessary to be effective.

Timing is everything when it comes to spring weed control. Normally, the blooming of forsythia will approximate the time of crabgrass germination and provide a window of several weeks to apply pre-emergent herbicide.

While the flowering of forsythia is a good cue, crabgrass germination actually occurs after the soil temperature has reached 55ºF for several consecutive days. A pre-emergent herbicide is a weed killer applied prior to the emergence...

The rule in scheduling your irrigation is water conservation; keeping your lawn healthy with the least amount of water. There are many variables involved, so it’s important to understand some basics. First of all, each lawn has unique characteristics like soil composition and exposure to sun. Clay soils and shady areas require less water than sunny, sandy areas. When assessing your situation, make sure you consider these conditions and adjust accordingly. To establish a healthy, drought resistant lawn the roots have to be driven deep into the soil. Your irrigation system should be programmed to water consistently and evenly. If you simply turn your system off when it rains, then back o...

Fertilizer is one of the most important management practices used to determine turf grass quality. Fertilizer will affect the general health of the plant. The healthier the plant is, the better the turf grass can compete and tolerate competing pests, like weeds, disease and insects. A high quality thick turf will naturally cut out weeds and decreasing or even eliminating the need for herbicides. Also a greater number of insects can be tolerated before an insecticide application is needed. Diseases will also become less likely to occur and will have less of an impact on the aesthetic value of the turf. The nutrition of the plant will also control how often of mowing events are scheduled. Most...

Eligibility.

THIS PHOTO CONTEST IS OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE FIFTY (50) UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WHO ARE AT LEAST AGE 18 (OR THE AGE OF MAJORITY UNDER APPLICABLE LAW). PHOTOS MUST BE CLEAN.

Disclaimer.

Facebook, Inc., any participating sponsors, and any of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, professional advisors, employees and agencies (collectively, the “Released Parties”) will not be responsible for: (a) any late, lost, misrouted, garbled or distorted or damaged transmissions or entries; (b) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or other computer- or communications-related malfunctio...

Weed It

Pulling out all your weeds now will reduce your weeding time later. Weeds are smaller and easier to pull out during the early Spring season. Remember, each weed pulled out now can prevent 100 weeds later. Your soil should end up soft and loose. Also, most plants don’t like to grow in clay. Plants’ roots need air pockets and space to grow, and clay does not have air in it.

Prep Soil

Good soil is always the most important factor for a thriving garden. Topdress your soil with a good quality compost. It enriches the soil with nutrients and makes it better for roots to grow. The earthworms will rise to the surface, aerating your soil further down. If your soil is pure clay, dig t...

The weather is getting warmer, which means your lawn will be greening up soon. Some things to look out for with warming conditions are turf diseases.

Three things are needed for a fungus to thrive:

• 
  

  a plant,

  
  


• 
  

  a pathogen,

  
  


• 
  

  and environment.

  
  

Some lawn practices that can help control a turf disease is:

• 
  

  not to water over night; only in the morning,

  
  


• 
  

  and do not over-fertilize.

  
  

B&A has fungicides that can help put the fungus into remission, but please keep in mind, it will not completely eradicate the fungus.

Below are a few of the most common diseases that we deal with every year.

BROWN/LARGE PATCH

Brown/Large patch appears as circular patches, ranging from a few inches to several feet in diameter. The infected ...

Sunlight and shade can determine which grass is best for your yard.

Zoysia grass (Zoysia japonica) and Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) are warm-season turf grasses that thrive at temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and turn brown in their winter dormant periods. Bermuda grass requires full sun, but zoysia grass grows in full sun or partial shade. Zoysia grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 10, and Bermuda is hardy in zones 7 through 10.

Bermuda grows faster than Zoysia, but this feature can be a disadvantage if the Bermuda grass becomes invasive. With a reel mower, mow Bermuda grass to 3/4 inch to 1 inch high and zoysia grass to 1/2 inch high, ...