Your home outside the city limits.
It can be a challenge to have a yard that’s perfect for you as well as for your dog. The primary goals are often at odds… a place to run and dig versus the somewhat fragile beauty of seasonal plants. But with a little bit of thoughtful planning, there are ways to accommodate both. Like... Continue Reading →
Traditionally, we think of seeding lawns in either spring (April-May) or fall (August-September). But increasingly, turf specialists are recommending a new option - dormant seeding. With this method, the area is prepared in fall but the seed is not distributed until after the growing season has ended. Seed remains in place, but does not begin to grow until soil temperatures are... Continue Reading →
Especially at this time of year, if you do much gardening and yard work, you’ll be carrying things. If it turns out to be a lot of things, then consider a garden cart, tote or wheelbarrow. The kind of work you’ll be doing, how often and how heavy the load is will help you choose.... Continue Reading →
Some of the largest planted and managed landscapes in our communities are cemeteries. Though they’re not used for recreation or other large—or even small—public events, they’re historical, necessary and deeply valuable both personally and community-wide. Even more, they have to continue into the future and in some cases are already centuries old. They are extremely... Continue Reading →
Fall Lawn Fertilization Fertilization is a critical step in maintaining a healthy, vigorous turf. Applying nitrogen (N) fertilizer in fall promotes turf recovery, but the type of fertilizer used – quick release vs. slow release - should change based on when your applications are made. Early Fall Fertilization From late August to late September, evapotranspiration, or water loss through the grass leaf surface, is still high.... Continue Reading →
The best time to seed cool season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, is between August 15th and September 15th, so its time to start your site preparation. Getting your seeding done as early as possible is really important, because each week of delay in seeding translates into 2-4 additional weeks required for the grass... Continue Reading →
If you live on an acreage, or a large lot in town, or even a medium sized lot in town, you need a shed. Sure, you could store all of your stuff – mower, tools, seed, mulch, lawn art, pots, wood, etc. – in your garage or basement, but depending on where you put it,... Continue Reading →
So, whether it’s hot or not, these are turf care tips for summer:
One of the most easily recognized insects in the home landscape is the white grub. Almost every gardener has seen white grub larvae in the soil, while installing new plants or tilling the vegetable garden. The term "white grub" actually encompasses the larval stage of several scarab beetles, the most common, and most damaging, being... Continue Reading →
For many years, Nebraska Extension recommended fertilization of high-quality lawns up to four times each year. We often used memorable dates to help homeowners remember when these applications should be made – Tax Day, April 15; Memorial Day, Labor Day and Halloween. However, turf research is ongoing, and our understanding of how turfgrasses grow and... Continue Reading →
Do you like to mow, fertilize and control pests in your lawn? Some of us do, some don’t.
Caring for a lawn and landscape is a lot of work! Mowing, fertilization, seeding and weed control in a lawn, along with planting, pruning and pest management in trees and landscape areas requires more time than many homeowners have available or the equipment to accomplish. Plus, the identification of weeds and pests often needs a professional’s... Continue Reading →
