Hmmm,
I will bookmark and look at those links and purchase that book or try
to find it at my local library.
Thanks for the suggestions,
EB
"Kay Lancaster" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:13:18 -0500, Eliot Bisky
wrote:
Something came over me this year and I am on a mission to
have
a healthy lawn. Over the past few years the lawn at our house has been
wasting away. The back of the yard has "dirt spots" as well call them.
There
My SWAG from your description is that you're probably dealing with
a combination of drought in that region in the last few years, and
probably soil compaction, and probably some bad mowing, and maybe
the wrong lawn grasses for your conditions.
My very favorite book for beginning gardeners is Rodales' Chemical-Free
Yard and Garden, by Anna Carr et al. See:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...l/-/0875966942
It starts with examining your soil, and figuring out what's going on with
it,
then improving the soil, choosing plants that are well adapted to the area
and how much work you want to put in on them, and correct cultural
practices
like mowing. It's clearly written, and there's nothing in it recommended
that will do you or your lawn any harm. My sole reservation about some of
the recommendations for "organic sources of plant nutrients" is that
some are more expensive than need be if you choose to garden by the LISA
model (Low-input, sustainable agriculture) rather than by the strictly
organic model. And yes, I garden on the LISA model.
Also, check with your state's extension service and with local botanical
gardens (you've got one of the premier botanical gardens in the US,
Missouri
Botanical, in St. Louis). They can give you suggestions on strains
of lawn grasses that are well adapted to your area (why drive yourself
nuts trying to grow something that doesn't grow well in your area and
soil?)
and can point you at resources like soil testing labs.
Some extension service links for your area:
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/lawnchallenge/
http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/
Kay Lancaster