Hi Amy - I was told that we should apply compost to our lawn by one company. Then, I spoke with another company and was told that it's too late in the year to add compost and that our lawn would "burn" if we did compost now (in April 08). Is it true that it's too late for compost? Thanking you in advance for your response. If you spread the compost at no more than one quarter to one half of an inch you should be able to compost the yard until late May. Just remember to keep it watered regularly. |
I want to put out Green Sand on my Zoysia turf grass. Your bags indicate how much to use for a given sq ft, but give no indication as to a suggested spreader setting. I use a Scott broadcast spreader. Do you have a suggestion as to what setting on this spreader would aprox the recommended amout? E.J.
For the application of greensand through a Scotts spreader use setting number 10. This will ensure an even application of product over your turf. Don't forget to fertilize with our Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2. That product will be at setting number 10 as well. |
Amy, I live in Tyler, Texas and I am considering zoysia for my lawn. Is zoysia a good type of lawngrass for this part of the country? If so, which varieties do you recommend? I have virtually no shade since all trees are not yet matured, and I am looking for a dense dark green lawn. Most of the information I have found on zoysia mentions that it needs to be mowed with a reel mower. Can a rotary type mower not be used on zoysia? Please help. Jon,
Zoysia is a great type of grass, it is good with drought and with traffic. JaMur would be a good type for you to use since you have trees that will eventually shade the lawn. As for mowing, you can mow with a rotary mower just make sure you do not mow any lower than two inches, it would be a good idea to make sure the blade is sharp also. |
Amy, We bought a new house SW of Austin. The bermuda grass was already installed when we moved in. Crabgrass and nutgrass is all thru the yard. What can use to kill it without harming the yard or the landscape plants. Thanks Derrick Derrick,
The best thing to do is pull the existing weeds in the lawn, after the weeds are gone spread a half inch layer of compost over the yard and follow up with an application of a good organic fertilizer. Garden-Ville has a product called Premium Compost that would be an excellent top dressing for your yard. We have a store located at 2212 Ranch Road 12 in San Marcos that carries the Premium Compost as well as fertilizers. If you have any other questions please let me know. |
I live north of fort worth, texas, moving and plan to sod alittle less than a half acre, have kids and dogs which do you recommend the jamur or the amazoy, have clay rock soil and no trees at this time but will plant red oaks later. Thank you Texas Vicki,
I would suggest JaMur, it is a fast growing turf that is great for high traffic areas and a variety of soils. Plugs are planted at one foot centers and will usually germinate at around 18 weeks. Don't forget to amend the soil with compost and fertilizer if possible to increase the root structure and reduce the stress on the grass. |
Hi Amy, I live in Saint Louis, Mo. and own an inner city 2 1/2 story brick home built in 1899. I have a small front yard approx. 400sq ft. I would lke to kill curent vegetation with Roundup and start a new lawn with Zoysia seed and possibly a combination of seed and plugs ...any suggestions on procedure and products?... and will Roundup hinder germination of seedlings? Lance,
I would suggest you use 20% vinegar instead of Round Up to kill off the vegetation, with the vinegar there will be no residue that could possibly keep the new turf from becoming established. Once the vegetation has died off till compost into the top two inches of soil and plant the grass, if sowing seed be sure to mix the seed with fertilizer to give the seed nutrients to germinate.
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I LIVE IN SOUTH TEXAS DOWN BY MCALLEN HAVE 1 ACRE AND I BURNED THE YARD WITH A WEED AND FEED. SHOULD I USE COMPOST AND WATER IT WELL? Esmer,
Yes adding a 1/2" layer of compost will help rejuvenate the soil by adding the organic matter and microbes into the soil. Follow up with an application of our Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2 and water it in with Medina's Soil Activator and you should see results. If the yard is totally gone then you will want to either lay new sod or broadcast seed to start the lawn off this spring. |
Amy, Planted a sod Bermuda lawn last summer, and it came in great. Now as we warm up and it comes out of dormancy, when is the best time to cut it low for the first time? Thanks, Barry Jones Cary, NC Barry,
The best time to remove the dead material is when there is going to be a constant pattern of warm weather. Apply a half inch layer of compost and a good organic fertilizer to the grass after you mow to help the lawn through the spring and summer months. If you have any other questions please let me know. |
We live in San Diego Ca, are in the process of tearing out an 24 year old Bermuda lawn that was in poor condition after a remodel 3 years ago. My husband wants to replace it with regular grass. any suggestions? Vickie,
There are many varieties you can choose from:
Tif Green 328 / Tif Way 419:These hybrid Bermuda grasses have a dark green color, fine textured leaves, and are tough and durable. They are low growing resilient turfgrass that are highly tolerant to heat, drought and heavy traffic. They are ideal for homes with full sun, pets and children, since they can take abnormal abuse and recover from the damage.
Bermuda-Excellent drought tolerance, Excellent wear tolerance, Tolerates low mowing (extremely low for ultra dwarf varieties), Heat tolerant, Salt tolerant, Establishes rapidly, Usually poor shade tolerance, ideal for homes with full sun, pets and children, since they can take abnormal abuse and recover from the damage.
Zoysia- Dense turf prevents weed invasion, green dense turf in summer when cool-season grasses are off-peak, moderate to Excellent shade tolerant, good salt tolerance, resists many insects and diseases, heat tolerant, good drought tolerance, excellent wear tolerance, tolerates close mowing, excellent cold tolerance.
Check with some local nurseries to see what varieties they would recommend. |
When we moved into our new home the homebuilder said there was compost and Bermuda grass over it. We have now learned that it was nothing but fill dirt from the construction and very little if at all compost. Short of tearing up the yard what can I do. A neighbor said he used an aerator and then filled the holes with compost and top dressing? Juan Juan,
Don't tear up the yard just yet, your neighbor was correct. Aerate the lawn and apply a 1/2" layer of compost along with a good slow release organic fertilizer like our Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2. Aerating will allow air, fertilizer and compost to get down and help break up compacted soil delivering nutrients to the grass roots. |
Hi, We bought a house in Round rock last fall. The lawn was not fertilised in spring and also in fall last year. In winter we started growing a lot of weeds ( dandelions, crab grass and another weed that more like a vine.) Though I did pull out most of the weeds, infact we tilled one part of our lawn because it had too many of the vine weeds, they grew back though slowly. Could you please let me know what i need to do to get rid of the weeds and fertilise my lawn? Thanks. Since your yard is so stressed due to lack of nutrients I would suggest you aerate the lawn and apply a 1/2" layer of compost and fertilize the yard with a good slow release organic fertilizer like our Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2. Until you build the health of the soil the grass is going to be invaded by weeds, keep pulling the weeds that come up and make sure you water regularly during the hot dry summer months. Visit our store in Georgetown (250 WL Walden Road 512-930-1715) talk to Gordon tell him what is going on and he can get you the right products for the job. |
How long after applying pre-emergent to kill sand burs can I plant bermuda grass seed? Ron Ron,
When using an organic pre-emergent you can plant Bermuda grass seed after a good rain or a couple of watering cycles. |
I live in Austin Texas and have St. Augustine grass, does this grass need to be cut down to 1 "t after the first freeze and clippings bagged? Sherry,
When mowing St. Augustine you will need to keep it around 2", for the first mowing of the season I would recommend you bag the clippings to remove the blades that are brown and follow up with a good 1/2" layer of compost and application of an organic fertilizer on the entire yard to ready it for spring and the hot summer months to follow. Our Premium Compost is a great compost to use on lawns since it has nitrogen, trace minerals, and organic matter that lawns need at this time of year. You do not want to "scalp" the yard because it will allow the grass to become susceptible to disease. If you have any other questions please let me know. |
I live in Austin Texas and have St. Augustine grass, does this grass need to be cut down to 1 "t after the first freeze and clippings bagged? Sherry,
When mowing St. Augustine you will need to keep it around 2", for the first mowing of the season I would recommend you bag the clippings to remove the blades that are brown and follow up with a good 1/2" layer of compost and application of an organic fertilizer on the entire yard to ready it for spring and the hot summer months to follow. Our Premium Compost is a great compost to use on lawns since it has nitrogen, trace minerals, and organic matter that lawns need at this time of year. You do not want to "scalp" the yard because it will allow the grass to become susceptible to disease. If you have any other questions please let me know. |
I live in Orange, Texas where hurricane Rita took her toll not only on our homes but our yards! The Bermuda grass from a neighbors yard has invaded my yard, flowerbeds and when I try pull it up by hand, it has little runners everywhere. How do I kill this mess so I can replant my San Augustine without using some heavy duty chemical like Round Up? That is what one of the landscapers said he used and I told him "no thank you"! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Danna,
To kill off the Bermuda in your beds I would suggest you use either our Natural Weed Control or 20% Vinegar, the Natural Weed Control is a mixture of the 20% Vinegar and Orange Oil (used as a surfactant). Each product is a non selective herbicide and will kill everything it comes in contact with, so when applying make sure you keep any overspray from coming in contact with plants you want to keep. As for the lawn, if you want to kill off the whole lawn and start over you can use the two products mentioned above, once the grass is dead till it in along with a 2-3" layer of compost and lay the sod. If you do not want to go to that extreme you can spot treat with the vinegar or Natural Weed Control and plug the areas with St. Augustine. After you lay the sod broadcast a good organic fertilizer like Garden-Ville's Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2 and water it in with Medina's Soil Activator. |
Amy, we live in the Northwest part of Ausint, on the mesa. We have very shallow topsoil. We have lived here 30 years. in the past the St Augustine grass has been healthy and lush. beginning last summer we began to have large patches die off. Added compost, tilled, and sodded. No effect. Now we have dallar weed for the first time and othre areas are thin and sickly. We sent a soil sample to A&M and the reply was that we did not need to add any fertiliser and the soil was balanced. Suggestions? The yard is ringed with large oaks. Lynne,
When you tilled the soil you brought up dormant dollar weed. I would recommend you purchase some corn gluten meal and broadcast it this spring to take care of any spring time weed seeds from germinating. As for the existing weeds, if they are still alive right now I would spot treat the lawn with Natural Weed Control or 20% Vinegar while your grass is dormant. As for the grass, I would suggest spreading more compost this spring and fertilizing with a good balanced organic fertilizer like Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2, you can also spread our Greensand out on the lawn to give it an iron boost. If the oaks are cutting into the sunlight throughout the day I would also look into trimming the trees back. Make sure that you water the grass at least once a week for 10-15 minutes in the summer so the roots do not dry out. We have a Garden-Ville store located at 10624 N. FM 620, stop by one weekend and talk to Eric, check out our soils, mulches, and other great natural products Garden-VIlle has to offer. Hope this helps out. |
My yard is predominately St. Augustine. I have spots where clover and I believe it is dollar weed are abundant. Will application of corn meal gluten prevent the germination of these weeds next spring? The application rate of corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent is 20 lbs per 1000 square feet. If you have thick patches of clover and dollar weed I would suggest using our 20% Vinegar and kill it off completely. Then in the early spring you can fill in the dead areas with compost and the St. Augustine will run to the good soil. |
I live in the Sierras at the 3300 foot level. Fifteen years ago we had to cut down a cluster of pine trees that had died from bark beetle kill. I ground down the stumps a foot below the surface, leveled and rototilled it and it made a nice vegetable garden with nice soft soil. The yield was great for a number of years. One year I raised a banana squash that measured 35 inches long with a girth of 35 inches. The last few years the yield has drastically reduced in quality and quantity. I fertilize it every Spring before I rototill it and even supplement with additional fertilizer. A few years ago I added a load of horse manure to enrich the soil but it didn't seem to to help it much. I'm at a loss and frustrated at what is happening. Do you have an answer or some advice? Homer Forbes Mr. Forbes,
It sounds to me like you may have a deficiency in the soil that the fertilizer is not taking care of. You might want to take a sample of the soil and send it off for testing, check your local agricultural extension agency for a list of testing facilities in your area. |
I just placed 1000 square feet of jamur sod. I watered like i was supposed to and everything is fime. But I am noticing that the sod came with pathes of crabgrass and I think some other weed called nut grass. I pulled out as much as i could and left a big spot of dirt where the crabgrass was. I know the lawn will heal, but is there anything else i can do. I am very upset with the quality of sod I recieved now that I know. Please help. You may want to contact the supplier of your sod and let them know their grass was contaminated. It is possible that fertilizers they used may have 'awakened' nut grass or weeds that were otherwise dormant in their starter soil. In the future, do not pull out the weeds or nut grass. Treat the areas with our 20% Vinegar or Natural Weed Control. Read the directions carefully and make sure you spray directly on the weeds and avoid any overspray onto surrounding grass because it will harm it. You can purchase these products at any Garden-Ville location or on our website and have it shipped to you via UPS. |
My wife and I bought our house new from the builder in November 2005. We live in Helotes in the back of the subdivision near the top of a hill on a 1/2 acre lot. The builder cut down almost all the trees on our lot. They put down very little topsoil for the bermuda grass that they used. It is next to impossible to dig since my whole lot is solid rock. I have been able to make some nice beds by using compost, but our grass is suffering. In addition, the lot is not level so all the water from the houses on my right runs right through our yard washing away any topsoil that is put down. What should I do to get my bermuda to grow? The depth of soil recommended to grow healthy lawns is between 4 to 8 inches. The best solution, without having to replant your entire, is to topdress with a good compost once or twice a year. The use of compost will build up your lawn gradually and add important nutrients needed to grow healthy plants and grasses. Over time, it may even help loosen up some of that rock and open up pathways for your root systems. You might want to check with a local landscaper on solutions to divert that excessive water coming through your property. |
My zoysia is brown and has a gummy surface on big patches of brown areas. I mowed down to 2 inches to release some of the water and heat in it. As I was mowing little white and big black cricketscame flying out of the grass. I think I have 3 problems. 1. I should not have scalped my lawn, 2. I have something causing the brown patches and subsequent gummy spots. 3. I need to do something to kill the crickets that are destroyuing my lawn. I put corn glutten on when the spots first appeared but they just got worse. That is when I scalped it. I was thinking that my yard was drowning. Have I done anything right? And what do I do now? For the brown patch you should use corn meal and not corn gluten. The corn gluten is to prevent weed seeds from germinating. The recommended mowing height for zoysia is between 3/4" and 2" tall so I do not think that you cut it too close. For the crickets, they are very dense right now due to all of the rain we have been having. Once the rain goes away the crickets will follow. |
A large of area of St. Augustine appears to be dying. It is turning brown with small dark brown spots on the leaves. I thought it was too much rain and would come back, but I am now wondering if it is a fungus that needs to be treated. Any suggestions? Spread out yellow horticultural ground cornmeal at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet in the affected areas. The cornmeal will create a beneficial fungus that will kill off the brown patch in your yard. You can pick up the cornmeal at any local feed store or at any of Garden-Ville's locations. If you are in the San Antonio or Austin area, please call us for the nearest Garden-Ville store. |
I PLANTED TIFF 419 LAST YEAR, I STARTED MOWING THIS YEAR AND EVERY TIME I MOW IT IS BROWN. I THINK I LET IT GET TO TALL AND AM JUST CUTTING OFF THE GREEN. I WAS KEEPING IT ABOUT 4" AND NOW I'VE GOT IT CUT BACK TO AROUND 2" TALL, AND IT'S ALL ALMOST BROWN. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? THANKS SANDY LUMLEY TIFF419 has a recommended mowing height of 1/2" to 1 1/2." Your symptoms can be a result of several adverse conditions, such as lack of nitrogen, lack of sun, thatching or even overwatering. I would strongly recommended a 1/4 to 1/3 inch of compost topdressing in the spring and in the fall to keep your lawn supplied with important nutrients.
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Hi Amy, my yard has a lot of dead, and stressed spots. I used a hose-in weed killer(athrazene) about a 6 weeks ago before all the rains in Houston. The weed killer discolored the grass, and now I think that I have a fungus in my weed infested clay soil yard. Where should I start so that I won't loose any more grass. Thanks, Ronnie Whenever you use any herbicide, you should be careful to use it specifically on the weeds that you want eliminated. Unfortunately, it sounds as if the active ingredients spread to your entire lawn when it rained. We recommend that you pull weeds by hand first and then try using an organic pre-emergent, such as corn gluten, in the spring to keep any weed seeds from germinating.
Try using Garden-Ville's Potassium Bicarbonate to control any fungus. After that application, please add a healthy topdressing of compost, no more than 1/2 inch thick. The compost will add important nutrients back to the soil and is a perfect 'organic' solution to build back up your lawn. |
Our yard was established 2 yrs. ago with compost overlaid with Buffalo grass sod. It looked beautiful this spring, lush & green. To build up the soil, we added 1" of compost, which must have been full of weed seeds. We are now fighting crabgrass. I've tried sprays: they partially kill the crabgrass but also damage the surrounding grass (though it was supposed to be "safe"). Now what can we do with a spotty yard? One of the drawbacks of adding compost to any lawn is that while you are adding important nutrients back into the soil, you can also create a more attractive environment for weeds. In the future, when you topdress your lawn with compost, just use one quarter to one third of an inch. This amount will quickly disseminate into your lawns and help in those 'spotty' areas.
We recommend pulling up the crabgrass by hand before it goes to seed. It will be easier to pull up if you do this after watering your lawn. You might try using a pre-emergent, such as corn gluten, in the spring which should control further germination of the crabgrass seeds and which will act as a fertilizer as well. |
Last winter (December 06) we had a zoysia yard put in. Without reliving all the gory details (and upsetting myself again), I will say the grass was laid over wet, red clay. Now, some of the grass is doing well, some is barely holding on, but the most disgusting thing, if you should use a riding mower, the effect would be as driving on a rub-board road. From a distance the yard look fairly level but it is awful to walk in. How can we eventually level out the yard, but firstly how can we get it all healthy? I also learned all zoysia is not equal. We used El Toro (I think)for the large area. This spring my husband and I laid zorro zoysia in the front. That pallet was and is the most gorgeous grass I've ever seen. It is thick and lush and dark green. Am I asking the impossible that my poor grass in the back have a chance to be lush and green. Thank you so much, diane Garden-Ville has a product called Sports Turf Plus, it is a combination of compost, washed sand, and green sand (for iron). If you spread out a 1/2" layer of STP every spring and fall over the next couple of years you will have a healthy lush green grass and the sand in the mix will help to level out the areas. You do not want to do it all at one time because you will run the risk of killing off the grass in the lower spots. If you are not in the Austin/ San Antonio Texas area find a soil yard that sells a compost and sand mixture and spread it out. Don't forget to fertilize twice a year with Garden-Ville's Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2. |
Hi Amy! We have St. Aug. grass in our front yard which has developed a 5ft x 5ft bare patch over the past few years. We've had several lawn services come out and some have said it's probably brown patch and others have said it's just compaction. We have since aerated and added a layer of pete moss and compost. Not much has happened so I was hoping you might have some advice. Thanks! Is the area low lying and prone to standing water when it rains? If so then you have brown patch, try using horticultural corn meal on the area and water it in. The corn meal makes a fungus that combats the fungus making the brown patch in the yard. Another problem you may have is grub worms, pull the brown grass up to see if you can get the roots to come up. If not you probably have grubs, for that I would recommend beneficial nematodes. They are a microscopic beneficial predatory insect that feeds on the grubs in the soil. |
I have a St. Augustine lawn. I live right off of South Congress avenue. For the past several years, I continue to get these 6-18 inch brown patches that occur primarily in the backyard where there is poor air circulation and lots of shade. I've tried fungus sprays in the past and it's worked OK. I want to do something organic this year and try to build my yard/soil in such a way that it will learn to "fight" better on its own. Can you help? Go to your nearest Garden-Ville or feed store and pick up a 50# bag of horticultural corn meal, broad cast the corn meal over the affected areas at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet and water it in. The corn meal will create a beneficial fungus that will combat the brown patch. Once the fungus is dead, fill in the areas with compost to help the grass fill in the dead spots. |
I planted our front lawn area with Calimbrochoa(sp?) as a ground cover about 6 months ago. I did not fertilize it through the winter and have just fertilized once so far this Spring. Some of the plants are browning in the middles where the roots are and then dying. What is causing this and what can I do to stop it? The little card that came with the plants indicated that I should use a high nitrogen fertilzer. What can I use that will not kill birds and other wildlife as well as earthworms? Sandy Have you checked the roots to see if you might have grub worms? If you want a high nitrogen fertilizer you can try the Bat Guano or our Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2, with organics you are not typically going to find high numbers like you would find with man made synthetic fertilizers. You can mix the bat guano with water and water the plants or you can spread it out around the plants and then water it in. The 7-2-2 you can broadcast around the plants and water it in, in the meantime I would check to see if you have grubs and if you do check with your local nursery or garden center to see if they have beneficial nematodes. Then nematodes are a predator for grubs and other insects and will not harm the plants in the process. |
Hi. I live in Schertz, TX. I haven't fertilize, weed control or compost my bermuda grass for the last 2 or 3 years. This year a would like to do something about it. What would be the process I need to do for the grass to re-gain its green color and be weed free? I am not good about weed names, but right now it looks just like grass but taller and wider (???) Do I use an aretor first, then use some kind of soil activator, then compost and fertilize? Maybe I can re-seed. Please tell me what to do with my old dry dead looking grass. Thanks for your help. It is recommended that you fertilize at least once every year, being that it has been so long I would go ahead and aerate the lawn and spread about a ½” thick layer of our Premium Compost over the entire yard and follow up with Garden-Ville’s Premium Soil Food 7-2-2. That alone will do wonders for your yard, in the meantime you can try and pull the weeds and if you have a dense enough cluster of the weeds you can spot treat the large clusters with our 20% Vinegar but be careful because the vinegar will kill just about anything it comes in contact with. When the fall comes around get you some corn gluten meal and spread it on the yard to prevent the winter weeds from germinating. You can also spread the corn gluten meal in the early spring to prevent spring weeds. If you are going to re-seed the entire yard you will want to mix the seed with the 7-2-2 and broadcast it all out at one time. If you have any other questions let me know or you can stop by our store on Evans Road (almost in Bracken) and talk to one of our helpful sales staff.
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Hi, What steps do you recommend before laying new sod? I had dead lawn, that I suspect was killed by brown patch. I already tilled the dead lawn. To lay the sod so that it grows strong roots in the soil you will need to bring in enough new soil (I recommend a soil and compost mix as it is higher in nutrients than plain top soil) to cover the area you want to lay the sod in 2-3” deep, after you spread the soil lay the sod squares on the soil and roll them with a sod roller (this will roll the squares flat and ensure the sod will root), after rolling the areas flat broad cast a good organic fertilizer like Garden-Ville’s Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2 and water it in. Keep the area watered (once every other day or so depending on the amount of rainfall in your area) so that the sod squares do not dry out and die. You can come back in the fall and spread a ½” thick layer of compost over the yard to give it a shot of beneficial microorganisms and protect the grass from the cold of winter. |
we just had sod layed at our lake house about 5 weeks ago, now we are seeing dollar weed. we would like an organic solution to the problem. what should we do? thanks Since the yard is so new I would not recommend treating with vinegar or anything like that. I would recommend you pull the weeds by hand, and in the future spring and fall seasons spread out a pre-emergent like corn gluten meal. It will keep the weed seeds from germinating you might also want to spread out a good organic fertilizer like Garden-Ville’s Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2 and a ½” layer of compost on the yard to build up the health of the soil and the strength of the grass to choke out any future weeds. |
Live in Cibolo,TX and applied your Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2 in late March on my St. Augustine lawn. Although am seeing growth the majority of the lawn it is light yellow and not a deep green. Advise. You might have an iron deficiency in your lawn. When was the last time you fertilized? If it was recent you might want to get a bag or two of the Greensand and broadcast it over the entire yard at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 sq ft. That should help with the yellowing of the grass. |
Amy, I recently got 4 pallets of San Agustine grass to lay on a red dirt foundation with approx 2" of sand. I have heard mixed ideas on laying the sod. Would you recommend putting spaces between the sections to cover more ground, and if so, what is the best way to accomplish this. Also, how long will it take to fill in. Any guidance appreciated. Thank You, Michael Checkering the sod squares will cover more ground but you will have to wait for it to grow together to have a complete lawn. If you do not mind the wait it would be the most cost efficient way to go. It will probably take 3 months or more depending on the quality of the soil that the sod is laid down on, to help it along you can fill in the voided areas with compost or an enriched top soil and give the area a good application of fertilizer. Don’t forget to roll the squares down so that they will have an easier time rooting into the soil. |
My home/yard in Prosper,TX is 3 years old and the soil is black clay. In March when digging about 1 foot down to move sprinkler lines I didn't see any earthworms. I've read they don't like clay and die out in the heat of summer. Could it be that coupled with the drought of last year, when I basically gave up watering my bermuda backyard,is the reason i'm not seeing any worms even with the good rain we had this winter? Would you recommend I buy some and spread them around the yard or facing a continuing drought would it be a waste of time? Is there a treatment to break up the clay that can be spread on the lawn to help the earthworms? Thankyou for your help. Terry Terry,
Yes I would agree with you that with the drought and lack of watering to the soil the worms left and looked for soil that is cool and moist. You can release earthworms into your soil, but before you go through that you will want to amend the clay soil with compost to enrich and break up the soil. The compost will also help the soil retain water when the drought time comes. Spread a 1/2" thick layer of compost over the yard using the back side of a metal rake and water it in. If you do that once in the spring and once in the fall the condition of your soil will increase and the earth worms will start to come back. Using "organic" fertilizers along with the compost will also give the worms a good place to come back to since there will not be a lot of salt residue in the soil. |
My house faces north to south. My back yard is on the north side of the house. Next to the house my grass does not grow very much, Right now it is mainly dandalyns and clover. I want to plant shrubes in that area since grass will not grow very well. What do I use to clear the dandalyns, clover and little bit of grass so I can plant shurbs in the same area? What shrubs would you recommend for this area since it does not see to much sun? I also want to put compost down on my yard but do not know how to disperce it.Do I use a faterlizer spreader? I have been using organic products in my yard for the past three years and it seem to do a good job. Your web site is a great help. Ben You can spray the 20% Vinegar or the Natural Weed Control. They are both an "organic" way to kill off the weeds and grass in the area so that you can plant your shrubs in the area. Spray the weed control or the vinegar over the entire area and wait a couple of days, after all of the plant life is dead in the area give it a deep watering so that you wash the rest of the weed control out of the soil. You will then want to incorporate about a 1-2" layer of compost into the soil to condition it and get it ready for planting. I do not know what city or state you live in so you might want to take a trip to your local garden center or nursery and talk to the people about what would grow best in your area, that way you can see the plants and get a good idea of what your area will look like once the plants are installed. As for spreading compost on the lawn you can use the back side of a metal rake (not a leaf rake) to spread out the compost without damaging the grass roots. |
hi, i was wondering if you might have a suggestion for killing weeds on a baseball infield. we have been using "round-up" in the past but it seems that we are always trying to catch up to the weeds and it gets very costly and seem to take forever to make any progress. after winter we always have a weed (not sure what it is) already established and manually dig them out but it takes a long time, then the other spring weeds are coming and we just can't get ahead. any suggestions would be great.. thanks very much jason hanes west hants baseball association. Jason,
To kill the weeds you can use the 20% Vinegar, when applied during the heat of the day it will kill just about everything it touches. In the future you should probably spread a pre emergent out in the spring and fall to keep the weed seeds from germinating. A good organic pre emergent that you can use is called corn gluten meal. If you can not find that in your area check with you local garden center or nursery and they can tell you what brands of pre emergent you can choose from. |
Questions & Comments: I cannot make up my mind about core aeration. I have read so many pros and cons. Please help me. My yard is about 7,000 sq ft of turf with 8 matures pecan trees around back and side and two large oak trees in front. Will aeration hurt my trees roots. Can I compost without aeration and get a good result? Thanks. You can apply compost without aeration and it will be beneficial to your yard. The main reason why people aerate their yard is to break up the hard ground to help the compost get into the soil. If your yard is full of trees then it probably would not be a good idea to aerate. A good compost to use would be the Premium Compost, it is a great compost for yards that has nitrogen and other trace minerals. When you apply the compost don't forget to broadcast a good organic fertilizer like Garden-Ville's Premium Lawn Food 7-2-2. |
I live in Phoenix, Arizona and i am resodding my front lawn with tiff. I had Saint Augustine and have removed it and hauled it away. I am looking for something to kill any remaining roots that may be left. Any Suggustions. Thanks, Rich Rich,
You can spray 20% Vinegar over the area and it will kill off any of the roots that are left over. Once everything is dead and before you lay the new sod down you will want to give the yard a good soaking to wash the vinegar out of the soil. By using the vinegar you will not have to worry about any remaining chemicals in the soil like you would if you were to use Round Up or some other type of chemical herbicide. You can purchase the vinegar on our website and have it shipped to your home, or you can visit your local nursery or garden center to find the 20% Vinegar. |
I live south of Seguin in the sand and would like to find a way to fertilze about 15 acers. Mostly native and costal grasses. You can either fertilize with molasses (liquid or dry) or you can use a normal fertilizer. For our fertilizer the recommended application rate is 10 pounds per 1000 sq ft. and the molasses application is about the same in dry form. The liquid mixture is 1 ounce of molasses per gallon of water. The other alternative that is more expensive but would yield great results would be to apply compost to the area at a 1/4-1/2" thick. This will replenish the microorganisms and the organic matter in the sandy soil, to cover your area you would need about 2500 cubic yards. If you have access to a manure spreader it would speed up the project. |
What is my best option for installing Zoysia grass seed with existing winter grass (rye grass) in place?? Will I need to kill off the winter grass prior to seeding or can I overseed?? I had a swimming pool installed in my backyard last September, and after the installation was complete the yard was pretty much a wreck. Actually the bermudda grass that was there before was in sad shape. Once the contractors were done I killed off the existing lawn, and a few weeks later removed all the dead grass and thatch. At this point I purchased 20 yards of your topsoil and leveled out the yard as needed, and spread winter grass seed (rye grass) to keep the soil in place. The yard is established now and looking great after several mowings. Knowing now that the grass will die off once the cool nights end or summer heat is upon us, I'm wanting to start a new lawn with Zoysia seed. Can this be accomplished by overseeding?? Would I have better results with plugs?? Should I kill off the winter and lay palets?? What is my best alternative??? Pleas help. Thanks, Ben Ben,
I would recommend that you over seed with the Zoysia since your yard is leveled out, but if you want instant results and do not mind paying more then laying the sod squares would be the way to go. If you do decide to use the seed I would recommend that you mix the seed with a good organic fertilizer like the Soil Food 6-2-2 and broadcast it over the yard. As for killing off the grass, I would not spend the time and money to kill off the grass that will die in a month or two on its own. Either way just make sure that you keep the area watered to help the grass seeds or squares take root. |
I was wondering what your thoughts were on "weed and feed" products. I have a problem with yard onions and I have to get rid of them. With organics there is really no weed and feed application, the organic way to rid your yard of weeds is to build up the health of the soil so that the grass will become stronger and choke out the weeds. One preventative measure that you can do is to apply corn gluten meal in the fall and spring to keep the dormant weed seeds from germinating, top dress the yard with a ½” layer of compost and follow up with an application of a good organic fertilizer like Garden-Ville’s Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2. In the meantime you can pull the weeds by hand or spot treat the areas with 20% vinegar, just remember to try and avoid overspray as it will kill any other grass it comes in contact with. |
We have St. Augustine grass in our backyard that was put in last August. There are a lot of weeds that have emerged in one side of our backyard(mostly chickweed, pig weed and crabgrass). We did not apply the pre emergent weed killer(corn meal gluten) which I regret not doing. I'm trying to hand pull the weeds but there are just too many. Is there any weed killer that I can use to spot treat these weeds and not damage the lawn? What should I be doing right now to keep the lawn healthy. I was planning on spreading compost through the lawn, do you think it is necessary to aerate before spreading compost? Also which fertilizer would you recommend. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Uma,
Aerating, spreading compost, and fertilizing with a good organic compost are 3 great ways to build up your turfgrass. As the grass becomes stronger it will choke out the weeds in the lawn. To kill off the existing weeds that are very dense you can get the 20% Vinegar and spray it directly on the weeds to kill them off, just watch the overspray because it will also kill the grass around it. You might also try getting a broad leaf weed killer like Image or Green Light's Wipe Out, they are safe for use in turfgrass lawns and should get rid of the problem. For a good fertilizer try Garden-Ville's Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2, it is a great fertilizer to get the beneficial microbes in your soil active to promote a healthy lawn. Garden-Ville has locations in the Austin, San Marcos, and San Antonio area to serve your needs. If you have any other questions let me know. |
I was wondering what your thoughts were on "weed and feed" products. I have a problem with yard onions and I have to get rid of them. With organics there is really no weed and feed application, the organic way to rid your yard of weeds is to build up the health of the soil so that the grass will become stronger and choke out the weeds. One preventative measure that you can do is to apply corn gluten meal in the fall and spring to keep the dormant weed seeds from germinating, top dress the yard with a ½” layer of compost and follow up with an application of a good organic fertilizer like Garden-Ville’s Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2. In the meantime you can pull the weeds by hand or spot treat the areas with 20% vinegar, just remember to try and avoid overspray as it will kill any other grass it comes in contact with. |
Hi, I have several questions. About 3 years ago we purchased a bag of DE from you. We still have way too much. How long is a bag (huge bag) good for? Does it lose it's effectiveness over time? The reason I ask is it's not killing the fleas outside anymore. This year will be another bumper crop of fleas of all types in Texas. I live in Cibolo near San Antonio. I don't want to use harmful chemical because we have pets and wildlife. The fleas are "atomic" anyway and don't seem to be killed by anything (past experience). I'm thinking of getting some beneficial nematodes from you to control fleas and insects. Might this help? Any other suggestion? We do vacuum all the time, treat the pets, but need to control the environment to get a handle on the fleas. They are eating Mom's dog alive... Thanks! Cheryl Cheryl,
The Diatomaceous Earth will lose its effectiveness over time due to moisture. I talked to Delphine Beck who is Malcolm Beck’s wife and she told me that to rid your yard of fleas effectively to spread out dusting sulfur providing no body in your family is allergic to sulfur. Malcolm mixed sulfur with liquid molasses and sprayed it on the yard and in their chicken coop and it took care of the fleas. You can pick the sulfur up here at Garden-Ville or at any feed store. Nematodes are a good step to take because they will kill the larvae of the fleas as well as fire ants. |
i have a problem with earthworms they seem to come out on my patio in mass numbers when and after it rains i am terrified of them i am looking for something i can do not to kill them but to keep them away and off the concrete patio and walk ways any help would be appreciated thanks Having earthworms is a good thing earthworms are beneficial to the soil in your yard. Aside from putting a rock landscape border around your patio there is not much you can do to keep them off of your patio without hurting them. |
have found lots of black (hardshell?) bugs throughout my yard..Just learning organic...what should i use to eradicate them? (san antonio 281/bulverde area) thanks.... jr Garden-Ville has a product called Organic Insect Control that you can spray through a hose end sprayer that will take care of beetles and other insects. You can purchase a 3# container for $20.99 and mix it at a ratio of about 1 pound per gallon of water and spray it over the entire lawn. |
We just bought new home in Florida that has St Augustine grass.When sodded by builder grass was more brown than green.The landscape contractor told me to that i had a fungus that was causing the tips of the green blades to turn orange and recomended i spray a funguside which i did.The grass still didnt gree up so he told me to fertalize with Scotts Bonus Weed and Feed 29-3-4 which I did about 4 weeks ago. The lawn has irragation but still hasnt shown any sign of greening up.The PH is 6.75'I dont know if the grass is dead or what .It is greener close to edges of house and some green throughout yard but mostly yellowish tan.If you can suggest anything I can do I would appreciate it.I likt to take care of my own yard if possible. Some of my neighbors have outside chemical companys but I dont want to have to use them.But there grass is greener by a wide margin. Thanks L H Mc Queen With out seeing the grass it sounds like you have an iron deficiency issue. Have you applied any iron to the grass? Also, next time you fertilize try using a fertilizer with a higher middle number to try and help establish the root system of the yard. |
I have bermuda grass that's being taken over by my neighbors St. Augustine. How often and for how long would you recommend I water my lawn? I've heard that there are certain times of the year that watering is not necessary. Could you answer the question taking into account the different months of the year? I have a sprinkler system that I can set automatically. Thanks so much for your help. A good rule of thumb is to water deeply once a week for 15-20 minutes before sunrise. |
How can I control the yellow nut thatch grass in central Illinois. To control nut grass in your yard you might try a product called Manage, it is an herbicide for nut grass that is safe to use in turf grass lawns. |
When is the best time to add compost to my St Augustine lawn? And when is the best time to apply beneficial nematodes for grub control? The best time to add compost to your yard is in the spring and fall, the best time to add nematodes is when your soil is still wet. You need to make sure that the soil does not dry out this summer, adding the compost will help keep the soil temperatures down and the moisture in. |
I live in the Ingram Mall area and I would like to help my yard be healthy, since it suffered a lot from the drought. It is a mix of St. Augustine and some Bermuda. Do I need compost or your 7-2-2 fertilizer or both? Also, I would like to get rid of the Bermuda, which is coming from my nekghbor's yard and trying to take over the St. Augustine. What are your suggestions for getting rid of it? Thanks It is going to be hard for you to get rid of the Bermuda since it is a weed by nature you can try spot treating the areas that are heavily infested with Garden-Ville’s Natural Weed Control, after the grass has died bring in compost and lay St. Augustine sod squares on the areas and keep them watered so they can establish root systems, don’t forget to fertilize with the 7-2-2 soil food . The compost will help break down the thatch in your yard and promote growth of the St. Augustine in your yard. |
I live in North Central Arkansas and I have trouble with what I call sand burs, in my yard. How can I get rid of these? You need to broadcast Corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent in the spring and add an organic fertilizer or dried molasses, the best way to keep the grass burrs out is to build the health of the soil by adding organic fertilizers and compost. Other than pulling the existing weeds you can try a product called Image that is safe for carpet grasses. |
Is the Canada Green Grass Seed a good seed to plant for yards around the San Antonio area and west? The paragraphs below are from the Iowa State University’s Horticulture and Pest News website, I am not familiar with the grass type but it sounds to me that you would be better off planting a Sahara Bermuda, TIFF 419, or a Buffalo variety.
Canada Green
Advertisement: Amazing grass seed mixture guarantees you a lush, green lawn quickly and easily! Guaranteed to grow green, hardy and spread fast in just days in any climate. Developed in Canada where temperatures range from 20 F below to 100 F . Guaranteed to choke out crabgrass and unsightly weeds.
Fact: Canada Green is a poor quality grass seed mix that contains annual rye, Kentucky bluegrass, and red fescue. Annual ryegrass is a quick germinating, cool-season, annual grass. Use of annual ryegrass in seed mixtures is discouraged because its aggressive growth prevents the establishment of the more desirable perennial turf grasses. Home gardeners can buy good quality turf grass seed mixes at their local garden center for about half the cost of Canada Green. |
Can you aerate and then treat yard with pre-emergent in the early spring? I am in Ohio. Yes you can, if you are going to aerate your lawn I would suggest top dressing the lawn with a good ½” thick layer of compost to put back the organic matter that decays away over time. Aerate then put the pre-emergent out, and them top dress with compost. |
I have an old garden in my back yard that has been fallow for a number of years. About 8 years ago, the area was double-dug to a depth of about 2 feet, and since then, has the best thatch of grass in the yard. I want to get back to a vegetable garden - what's the best way to get rid of the current thatch on that plot? You can try spraying the Natural Weed Control or 20% Vinegar on the area and then till the ground up. |
I had sod laid last February in my back yard. I have a lot of trees and shade. The lawn did great till the summer then started to get thin in places. I continued to water and now i have a few areas that are just dirt. I have top dressed with compost in October and had used a commercial fertilizer in june. I would like to re-sod that area but am afraid to. The soil is hard I would like to put down a 4 way mix on top till it in, but am unsure what St Augusting will grow in the shade. The grass in the shadier spots is still nice. St. Augustine usually has a hard time growing in the shade. If the soil you are planting on is hard then it might be difficult for the roots to grab hold of the dirt. Before you lay your sod again in the bare spots I would look into getting the trees trimmed to let some more light to the ground, after that rent a tiller and till in about 2” of compost to break up the soil and condition it to help the sod along the way. You did right initially by topdressing the sod with compost, which you will see a difference in the near future. When you fertilize the grass try to use a fertilizer that is balanced not too high on the nitrogen, Garden-Ville has a 7-2-2 fertilizer that is good on the nitrogen and is a slow release non burning organic fertilizer. You might try getting a bag of the 7-2-2 and spreading it on the lawn after all of the work is completed. |
I live in central New Jersey. Every year toward middleof June when the weather turns hot and humid, My lawn gets what I believe is nutgrass (light green grass that grows taller than the rest of the grass and you can't pull it out my hand, because it has nodules underneath the surface. Is there anything on the market that can kill it. There is a product on the market that I have heard is really effective called Manage. |
When is the best time to fertilize? What if I have a combination of grasses, St. Augustine and maybe a bermuda mix--not quite sure what it is. Right now. I would recommend you use Garden-Ville's 7-2-2 fertilizer for a good quick green for your lawn. |
MY SOIL WHEN IS DRY SEASON IS TOO CRACKED AND TOO MUCH HARD. WHICH PRODUCT I NEED TO IMPROVE YOUR CONDITION? THANKS. If your soil is that hard and cracks, you need to add compost. Add a 1/2" layer of compost to your existing lawn and water it in with Medina Soil Activator. That will help condition and break up the soil. |
We are planting a vegetable garden in our backyard and because we have so much rock we built a 8 x 4 foot box out of timbers. The depth for the garden is approx. 12 inches deep. My question is what type of soil do I use for this type of backyard garden? You would want to use a lawn and garden soil or a rose soil, both are rich in compost. You will need 1 cubic yard of soil to fill the vegetable garden. |
I live in the area Thousand Oaks and Wetmore roads here in San Antonio and plan on resoding my yard with St. Augustine this spring. What variety of St. Augustine would you recommend and when would be a target date for installing it? Floratam or seville are two good types for this area, and a good target time for installation would be right about now so the sod has time to start roots into the soil before the heat of the summer comes. Don't forget to till in 2" of compost to condition the soil so the grass has good rich soil to grow in. |
I have grub worms in my soil. They started appearing last fall. If I dig a one foot square, they'll be four or five worms. Should I be concerned? I practice organic, gardening mulching and using organic fertilizers. Anytime you have grubs in your soil it is not a good thing, I would suggest you get some beneficial nematodes and spray the whole affected area. They will get into the soil and kill the grubs. You can pick them up at any Garden-Ville store. Or if Garden-Ville is not in your area check with your local lawn and garden center to see if they carry the product. |
Looking for Good/Affordable Herbicide??? OR something that will kill weeds (sticker burrs) in Lawn....Thanx for the Help Just before the spring and fall you should apply a pre emergent, a good organic pre emergent I would recommend is called Corn Gluten Meal. You apply it at a rate of 20# per 1000sqft. For existing weeds you might try Image, it is a broad leaf weed killer that is safe to use in lawns. |
Amy, my customer in regards to using Gardenville Natural Weed Killer, will the product kill common bermuda grass or slightly yellow the grass? He will be using it to control dandellion and other common weeds in the lawn. Thanks Mark It will kill just about everything it touches, the Natural Weed Control is a non selective herbicide. Or just pull them by hand. |
I had new sod installed in my Texas yard in October of last year. It came with green clover leaves. We watered as instructed but after watering, we quickly had what appears to be dollarweed. The grass is still dormant, (I hope) where as the dollarweed is well up above the grass is taking over quickly. Tuesday, I covered the yard with sugar and watered it in. Am I suppose to mow the weeds down for the sod is still dormant. Should I spread top soil or wait. Its almost as if my ground is confused and certainly am very green on organic lawns. (This is my first attempt at organic lawn keeping.) My backyard is my families and labradors playground, so I am absolutely anti-chemical. I do have a concern about ants, because I have a 5 year old. But if that is one of the few negatives of using sugar and organic material, so be it. Could you please give me some instruction of what to do from here onward? I hope I haven't waited too long. Thank you so much for all your info and time. God bless you. Shannon C. Shannon,
When you say sugar I assume you mean molasses right? There is a product called Image that is a broadleaf herbicide, spray that on your lawn and the dollar weed will go away. Spread about a ½” layer of our Premium Compost on your yard and that will condition the soil and help build up the strength of your grass to choke out the weeds. If you are spreading dried molasses on your yard that will help keep the fire ants away, for some reason they do not like the dried molasses. |
When spreading compost in my yard at 1/2" to help the soil, do I need to cut it in or just let it settle in on its own? And should I aerate first? Thanks Sean Yes you should aerate before laying the compost down. When you are applying the compost work it between the grass blades with the back side of a rake to help it get to the soil. |
I have a puuting green that is overseeded with winter rye grass. In the spring I want to re-seed it with Riviera bermuda for easier management. What would be your suggestion for this procedure, areating verticutting?? and what would be the best way to appliy the seed?? I do not like the idea of using herbicide to kill out the winter rye, heavier verticutting and more seed are my possible solution. Thanks I would recommend that you aerate the surface, spread a ¼” thick layer of compost and seed with your choice of seed. The winter rye will die off when the weather gets too warm. |
Hi - my St. Augustine lawn in Fayetteville, TX had a serious brown patch problem last summer. You recommended that corn meal be applied along with a mixture of your molasses and water. Is it time to do this application again? How much water should be mixed with the molasses? thanks. Are you having problems with the brown patch again? If not you don’t need to apply corn meal. You can however spray the molasses and water at a rate of 2-4oz per gallon of water in combination with a good fertilization and application of compost. |
I have a 25'X50' vegetable garden that was invaded by all sorts of ants, including fire ants and by all sorts of grasses and burr producing/thorn producing weeds. I don't want to "poison" by garden with chemicals. What should I use to get rid of all these things in my garden and how much should I use? Planting season is almost here for the things I want to grow, so your timely response would be very much appreciated! You should use the Garden-Ville Natural Weed Control, it is a mixture of 20% Vinegar and Orange oil that is great for killing off weeds in unwanted areas. It is a non specific herbicide so make sure that you apply directly to the weeds. After the weeds are dead I would suggest tilling the dead plant matter in with compost to give yourself a good planting area. After you have killed the weeds and tilled in the compost check your fire ant situation, if you are still having problems you can use the Garden-Ville Anti Fuego Soil Conditioner and drench the mounds at a rate of 4-6oz per gallon of water. Green Light also has a product called Fire Ant Control with Conserve. It is a granular that you apply around the mounds. |
We're building an enclosure for the cats and would want to put grass in it. It will be on the side of the house that's pretty shaded. We're in Fullerton, CA. I know weather plays a factor in determining the type of grass that would thrive here. There's some sprinklers in the area already. My yard guy is recommending Kentuckyblue grass. I read about Fescues too. What do you think? If I can get your advice ASAP that would be really helpful. Thanks. Kentucky Bluegrass is by far the most popular cool-season grass, it is a fine-textured grass often identified by its "canoe" shaped blades and greenish-blue color. Commonly found it in the Northeastern, Northwestern, Midwestern, and Mountain regions of the U.S. & Canada. Kentucky Bluegrass is generally best suited for climates with cold winters and generally doesn't respond well to shaded areas and wet soils.
The fescues are cool season grasses that are shade tolerant, stay green all year, and have very good drought resistance. Fine Fescues are mo |
