Since it is Aug already and hot here in NJ, what can I do now to stop
the weeds and crab grass. I did the Scotts steps but seem to have had
some bad luck this year. My front is about 5% crab grass and the back
is about 50/50 with grass to weeds. Also, when is the correct time to
overseed and can I get the back yard back into shape over the next
couple of years by overseeding?

Thanks

Guitarist511 wrote:
Since it is Aug already and hot here in NJ, what can I do now to stop
the weeds and crab grass. I did the Scotts steps but seem to have had
some bad luck this year. My front is about 5% crab grass and the back
is about 50/50 with grass to weeds. Also, when is the correct time to
overseed and can I get the back yard back into shape over the next
couple of years by overseeding?

Use liquid crabgrass killer now to kill the plants before they drop
their seeds. Then use pre-emergent crabgrass preventer in the spring
(March).

Water, water, water. Strengthen your lawn and it will crowd out the
crabgrass and weeds.

Over seed in the spring and fall will help. But keep it wet so the the
sprouts don't die. But if it is a really wet spring or fall, you might
risk the seed rotting.

As suggested I would kill the crabgrass with liquid CG killer. At the end of
August, early September, I would core aerate, top dress with compost. Wait 2
weeks after the aeration, then overseed.

"Guitarist511" wrote:

Since it is Aug already and hot here in NJ, what can I do now to stop
the weeds and crab grass. I did the Scotts steps but seem to have had
some bad luck this year. My front is about 5% crab grass and the back
is about 50/50 with grass to weeds. Also, when is the correct time to
overseed and can I get the back yard back into shape over the next
couple of years by overseeding?

Thanks

Sir Topham Hatt wrote:
As suggested I would kill the crabgrass with liquid CG killer. At the end of
August, early September, I would core aerate, top dress with compost. Wait 2
weeks after the aeration, then overseed.

"Guitarist511" wrote:

Since it is Aug already and hot here in NJ, what can I do now to stop
the weeds and crab grass. I did the Scotts steps but seem to have had
some bad luck this year. My front is about 5% crab grass and the back
is about 50/50 with grass to weeds. Also, when is the correct time to
overseed and can I get the back yard back into shape over the next
couple of years by overseeding?

Thanks


If you are applying fertilizer to cool season grasses in summer, as per
the Scotts program, you are asking for trouble. Nitrogen, hot temps,
humidity, and water are a prescription for fungus and disease.
Generally, one application of fertilizer plus pre-emergent control in
Spring is all you want till Sept. In NJ, that should go down about mid
April.

As to what you have now, it's questionable what to do about the
crabgrass. You can kill it, but it's not going to be easy now, as the
plants are fairly large. A month ago, it would have been much easier.
If you want to kill it, I recommend Acclaim, which is very effective.
For the other weeds, use a broadleaf weedkiller, like Weed B Gone.
Don't apply either when it's going to be 85 or above, or when the grass
is stressed due to lack of water, etc. Unfortunately, again, current
conditions aren't favorable.

Sept is the ideal time to seed. Depending on how big of a mess you
have and whether you have undesirable grass present, eg coarse rough
stalk grass, disease prone grass, etc, you may want to kill the whole
thing and reseed. To do that, use Roundup in late Aug, then reseed
about 10 days later, using an appropriate and high quality seed. Get
the soil tested and adjust the PH as needed.

For an established lawn, you should fertilize twice in Fall, once in
early Sept, again in mid to late Oct. And don't overwater. More lawns
have probably been killed by overwatering than by lack of water. The
lawn should be watered every 4-7 days, depending on soil and temp. You
want to give it a deep watering, not shallow infrequent. I'd go with
about 3/4" at a time.

wrote:
Generally, one application of fertilizer plus pre-emergent control in
Spring is all you want till Sept.

Where do you find a lawn food that gives you seven months of nutrition?

Steveo wrote:
wrote:

Generally, one application of fertilizer plus pre-emergent control in

Spring is all you want till Sept.


Where do you find a lawn food that gives you seven months of nutrition?

at yo mamas house

Scott Gilbert posting as Jose wrote:
Steveo wrote:
wrote:

Generally, one application of fertilizer plus pre-emergent control in

Spring is all you want till Sept.


Where do you find a lawn food that gives you seven months of nutrition?

at yo mamas house

Hi Scott Gilbert.

Get off my leg you over-medicated freak.

http://www.insurgent.org/~kook-faq/scott/index.html

Steveo wrote:
wrote:
Generally, one application of fertilizer plus pre-emergent control in
Spring is all you want till Sept.

Where do you find a lawn food that gives you seven months of nutrition?


It's not 7 months from mid April to early Sept. And in summer, cool
season grasses do not want to be agressively growing. While extra
nitrogen in summer will make the lawn greener, it also makes it a lot
more vulnerable to disease and fungus. IMO, for the typical lawn, the
tradeoff is not worth it. You could put down another application in
late May, but I definitely would not be applying fertilizer in mid
summer.

wrote:
Steveo wrote:
wrote:
Generally, one application of fertilizer plus pre-emergent control
in
Spring is all you want till Sept.

Where do you find a lawn food that gives you seven months of nutrition?

It's not 7 months from mid April to early Sept. And in summer, cool
season grasses do not want to be agressively growing. While extra
nitrogen in summer will make the lawn greener, it also makes it a lot
more vulnerable to disease and fungus. IMO, for the typical lawn, the
tradeoff is not worth it. You could put down another application in
late May, but I definitely would not be applying fertilizer in mid
summer.

We are feeding with 70% slow release now. Out of the 2000 or so that we
feed every six weeks, we've had to apply a fungicide to less that 50 of
them.

Insect damage is much more of a problem in the summer months, especially
chinch bug right now.

On 4 Aug 2006 13:30:04 -0700, "Guitarist511"
wrote:

Since it is Aug already and hot here in NJ, what can I do now to stop
the weeds and crab grass. I did the Scotts steps but seem to have had
some bad luck this year. My front is about 5% crab grass and the back
is about 50/50 with grass to weeds. Also, when is the correct time to
overseed and can I get the back yard back into shape over the next
couple of years by overseeding?

Thanks


I concluded the crab grass preventer I used, is gone. The pounding
rain has reduced its barrior. Maybe if you can find pre-emergance
crab grass killer again (sold out around me). and use spot killers to
clear up your lawn, might help.

I guessed too hot for, reseeding. Plus, I'm trying to use Bayer's
Weed and Crab Grass killer, in a sprayer, which says not to reseed too
soon.

later,

tom @ www.NoCostAds.com

I had a lot of luck with Milorganite. I re-seeded early in the spring in
North-West NJ. So I used starter fertilizer with crabgrass preventer the
last week in March. The lawn was getting yellow compared to my neighbor's.
So I put down the Milorganite June 1. Even today the grass is a deep
green. It also has iron in it. $10 40 lb. bag covers 2,500 sq. ft.
"Tom The Great" wrote in message
...
On 4 Aug 2006 13:30:04 -0700, "Guitarist511"
wrote:

Since it is Aug already and hot here in NJ, what can I do now to stop
the weeds and crab grass. I did the Scotts steps but seem to have had
some bad luck this year. My front is about 5% crab grass and the back
is about 50/50 with grass to weeds. Also, when is the correct time to
overseed and can I get the back yard back into shape over the next
couple of years by overseeding?

Thanks


I concluded the crab grass preventer I used, is gone. The pounding
rain has reduced its barrior. Maybe if you can find pre-emergance
crab grass killer again (sold out around me). and use spot killers to
clear up your lawn, might help.

I guessed too hot for, reseeding. Plus, I'm trying to use Bayer's
Weed and Crab Grass killer, in a sprayer, which says not to reseed too
soon.

later,

tom @ www.NoCostAds.com

All great comments. I too started using Milorganite. I think a crab
grass preventer though is really needed at the beginning, and I'm going
back to the chems.

Anyway, I got some of that Weed-be-Gone Crab Grass Killer. I sprayed
the front lawn. I don't know if it'll really do much, but I read the
crab grass dies anyway every winter and its the seeds you have to worry
about. If I use a crab grass preventor in the spring, I think I'll be
okay. Scotts says it works all season.

As far as reseeding, I really don't want to kill everything I have in
my back yard. My property is a good size and that I feel would be too
costly. Every feels that the fall is a better time to overseed than in
the spring? If I did do it in the fall, September is the time to do it
or can I push it say to Oct or Nov? Also, is watering required for
overseeding in the fall or no because soon after the seeds would be
dormant?