If you're going to start a renovation, then NOW is the time to get a good (including micronutrient) soil test out for processing. This will give us time to review the results and make "potion" recommendations before the seed starts drawing hard on the soil. My experience is that new lawns draw micro...

I was not in the mood to send him off on a scavenger hunt for "ROOTO", "20 Mule Team Laundry Soap" and a bag of Goslarite.

Unforfunately, Swampdonkey won't have those spiffy shirts though that KOG and PJD have...

I don't know if the link is copyrighted, so I'm linking to this "Non Sequitur" Cartoon instead of pasting it here. It's worth clicking. I think the guy is Turf_Toes.

Swampdonkey: Sorry I took so long to get back to you. They say bad luck comes in threes. Last night the central pump on my 135g aquarium failed. This morning we had a power hit, and it fried the main Router on the home network. So this evening I go to get a new Router, and as I back up the car, I ba...

I know, I know, I had an aquarium disaster tonight - main pump went out. I'll figure it out in the morning...

I hate Boron problems...

KOG:

That is awesome --- nice work!!!

Post the pictures (close-ups are best), and call your county cooperative extension and ask them for the link to the best weed identification guide (with pictures) for common weeds in Western Washington. The WSU guide was terrible, and pointed to the Rutgers (NJ) site. I know what NJ weeds look like....

Did you try some Milorganite over the Cracked Corn to keep the birds away? I found that the birds stayed away for 7-10 days when I put down Milorganite. I wasn't even trying to keep them away - I was hoping for some effect against deer (it works for 2-3 weeks) and squirrels (doesn't work).

I've come to the conclusion that I've got a homemade formula for keeping deer and rabbits from eating bedding plants like hosta, tulips and lillies. It imitates the ingredients of several of the better commercial products, as well as following the rather-impressive research of Auburn University. If ...

Yeah - and the "thickening" part of it makes manual reel mowing like trying to push it though steel wool. I am getting one hell of a workout, but the scissor-cut look of a reel mower is just out of this world. I hear that KOG is in some kind of lawn "beauty contest". He should really reely consider ...

Thanks to all that offered advice. I think the Jury is in on this. The wet period that is mentioned in the topic has continued, and it turns out that the "brighter green" area is spreading quickly. It is now almost the entire lawn. After research, I found several articles about how too much water ca...

I can attest to the success of David's soaker hose technique, and attest in spades. I ran the soaker hose regimen last year, and the soil changed dramatically. It has remained changed. While my soil is not a clay soil, it loosened and became alive. To this day, I can push a Weed Hound into the soil ...

Wow! I didn't know that any of the big-boxes had the Pennington product - now that's cool!!! It's a real Calcitic product and a great high Ca:Mg ratio. That could change the landscape. The answer is that the recommended application rate is 6 lbs per 1000 sq ft, and its roughly the same as 50 lbs per...

Sorry - maybe I wasn't clear. I currently have a bunch of germinating Emblem KBG in the lawn (day 20 - just emerging). That's why I can't hit it with weed killer.

It's ground-hugging and not killing the grass (yet).

I have a pretty unique situation going on. Following a Late Summer, 2008 renovation, I am experiencing a weed that I haven't had much problem with in the past. It's chickweed. It started with small clumps but as I have done an overseeding (and the requisite shorter mowing height) it has spread. I'm ...

Swampdonkey: As for the test area (ammonia, dishwashing soap, epsom salts, water) I very nearly followed all the directions laid out by Andy. Yeah...almost. Instead of just adding the ironite to the test area, I also put down the Milorganite. Does this negate the test? No problem. By the time the Mi...

I've noticed chipmunks like to root around in my mulch - I'm not sure what they're looking for. I have no idea if you have chipmunks down by your area. I found that Milorganite keeps the deer (rats on stilts) away for about three weeks. I'm not sure whether the "got used to it" factor ever kicks in ...

I'm not worried now, I'm on the Andy program 8-) Oh, pull-eezze!! I'm not paying for your Lime no matter how you try to boost my ego. To repeat - Here's the way the dumb computer makes recommendations: "Now, for everyone - why the thing about Calcitic and Dolomitic Lime is bouncing all over the pla...

Interestingly, Glenforest forwarded me a copy of the soil report, and there IS a recommendation about maximum lime in a single application. It's on the comments page and buried. It says that if the recommended amount is greater than 100 lbs, then split it into two applications 4 to 6 months apart. T...

Diclemeg is roughly 50 miles E of NYC and I'm 50 miles N of NYC. Following the extended period of rains last week, there have been a good number of powdery mildew cases around here. I saw a tiny area of my lawn start to show it, but the mildew went away on its own with the drier weather. Others have...