Guaranteed Turf Care Educational Blog

Slit Seeding Video

2011-06-23T10:14:00.001-07:00

Spot Seeding Video

2011-06-10T10:08:00.001-07:00

Core Aeration Video

2011-06-07T08:40:00.001-07:00

Improving Turf Density - Seeding

2011-05-10T09:33:00.000-07:00

Seeding should be considered to be part of your regular maintenance program. The effectiveness of the seed germination rate will partially depend upon the quality of seed soil contact achieved from the seeding application method. Typically a mechanical slit seeding in conjunction with over seeding into an appropriate top dressing will deliver the best results. Guaranteed Turf Care’s consultants will determine the best cultivars for your growing conditions as well as the best application methods.

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Improving Turf Density - Topdressing

2011-05-10T09:23:00.000-07:00

Topdressing is a mechanical application of a variety of soil correction materials to improve the growing power of your soil. Guaranteed Turf Cares consultants will examine your soil to determine the most optimum topdressing, selecting from topsoil, compost, sand, gypsum, or lime. The top dressing is applied with our mechanical top dresser which is fast, economical, and damage free.

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Improving Turf Density - Core Aeration

2011-05-10T09:22:00.001-07:00

Improving turf density is a function of improving the growing power of your soil in conjunction with a continuous seeding program. Improving the growing power of your soil is accomplished with core aeration and topdressing maintenance services.

Core aeration is a mechanical process that places seven finger size holes into the soil every square foot. The holes immediately fill with oxygen; these oxygen rich holes encourage immediate expansion of your root system into the open air spaces and improve the availability of water and nutrients to the plant as well. Applying a top dressing into the holes after a core aeration is an effective way to correct the growing power of the soil.

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Spring Raking

2011-05-06T11:56:00.001-07:00

The raking of your lawn will be your first spring task. Use a flexible spring rake. Rake up any loose or matted grass from snow mold activity or voles. Don’t worry, the roots are still alive and will grow new grass blades. Another good objective for a light spring raking is to stand up the matted grass to improve air circulation. Make sure the grass and soils are dry for best results.

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What is a Thatch Layer?

2011-05-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

Thatch is made up of dying grass parts that have not decomposed. A thatch accumulation is not visible on the surface as it builds up in the root zone; detection can only be determined with a soil probe. A thatch layer becomes a health hazard to your lawn when the thatch becomes one half inch or more in thickness. A thick thatch layer is a real problem for healthy turf growth because your turf’s roots are partially growing in thatch rather than a healthy soil. The following are some of the many health hazards of too much thatch: Poor water retention, poor nutrient retention, breeding ground for insects and lawn diseases. The best method for correcting a thatch problem in your root zone is a combination of core aeration and topdressing materials to increase the decomposition rate of the dead grass parts.

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Snow Mold

2011-03-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

As the extended snow cover from last winter melts from twin cities metro lawns, evidence of gray and pink snow mold disease became apparent. Snow molds are fungal diseases that flourish under snow, especially when the ground is not thoroughly frozen and snow cover is present for extended periods. Snow molds are named for the webby material that grows over circular patches of matted grass. (Photo1).

Gray snow mold has been prolific this year and probably makes up over 60 percent of the affected turf this spring. Susceptible turf species are bluegrass, fescues, ryegrass and mainly bentgrass. Gray snow mold is caused by the fungus Typhula incarnata and other Typhula species. Yellow to white circular patches of damaged turf are visible right after snow melt (Photo 2). Patches vary in size and may overlap to blight large areas of turf. The fungus produces yellow/orange structures (Photo 3) called sclerotia that when mature are dark-brown to black color, are easily visible and persist through the summer and in late fall. These structures start colonizing grass leaves again 30-45 days after permanent snow cover has left. Gray snow mold damage occurs in winter and early spring. The best thing you can do for grey snow mold, aside from improving your soil aeration and bioactivity is to lightly fluff up the dead grass with a rake. This will allow it to dry more completely and will also allow the sunlight to reach the soil and promote new grass growth. This disease rarely kills the grass and fungicidal treatment is not warranted. If lawns are being reseeded consider planting resistance turfgrass cultivars.

Pink snow mold can be more problematic. Pink snow mold remains active much longer than grey snow mold. It can continue to go until temperatures get into the low 60’s. Pink snow mold is caused by the fungus Microdochium nivale (Photo 4), which produces roughly circular bleached patches ranging in size from 1-8 inches in diameter. The patch will appear red-brown and water-soaked at first then later turn pinkish white with red-brown border (Photo 5). You can see this easily in the morning when there is dew on the ground. As with the grey snow mold, you should lightly rake or fluff up the pink snow mold to allow air and sunlight to the soil. With this type you should be careful to not spread the disease by using the rake on the rest of the lawn. After you rake the pink snow mold you should clean your rake with some alcohol or an anti-bacterial soap.

The following steps can be taken to minimize damage in future years:
-Avoid excessive applications of nitrogen fertilizer in the fall.
-Continue to mow the lawn at the recommended height until it is no longer actively growing. The taller the grass, the more likely it will mat down and encourage snow mold development.
-Rake up leaves in the fall.
-Manage the thatch layer to avoid accumulations of more than ½ inch.
-Spread out large snow piles to encourage rapid melting. Use snow fencing to minimize snow accumulation in problem spots.

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Voles

2011-03-18T05:41:00.001-07:00

With the winter snows melting away many are often surprised to find a series of tiny trails on the surface of their lawns. This is where voles have been active over the winter.(Photo 2).

Voles are often called meadow mice or field mice (Photo 1). While they are similar to a house mouse in general size and shape, they have some important differences. Voles have small eyes and ears, stocky bodies and short tails, when compared to other mice, but even more important is that they very seldom invade homes. Rather, they prefer to live in grassy fields or landscape beds.

Voles are herbivores. They eat seeds as well as leaves and stems of grasses and sometimes other green vegetation and occasionally, roots and bulbs. Often voles are attracted to, and take up residence under bird feeders where the seed is scattered and litters the ground. Removing or limiting this food source will, in turn, limit the voles in that area. Some have found that moving the bird feeders to areas that are less susceptible to vole damage is the preferred approach.

Voles do not hibernate during the winter months. They are active even during the winter and when snow is on the ground they are perfectly happy and actually do very well under the protection of the snow cover. They eat grass as the make their way between the snow pack and ground.

When the snow retreats what is left is a series of surface runways through turf areas. These measure about 2 inches wide and sometimes many feet in length. The reality is that even though these are an eye-sore now, they do not significantly damage the turf grass. Just rake up the loose grass and discard. With the spring growth, these paths will fill in and the voles will soon be forgotten.
Even more damaging than the trails that they make in turf grass is the injury to other plants. Voles can seriously injure trees, shrubs (and sometimes plastic irrigation lines) when they gnaw on them. If controls are required it is important to remember that voles are a major food source of many vertebrates including birds of prey. Their main protection from these predators is dense cover. An effective way to manage voles is to reduce their cover. Mow tall grasses in the fall so that they do not fall over and create vole habitat during the winter. Trim trees and shrubs including low lying plantings plants such as arborvitae, yews, junipers such that they are up off the ground, if voles are active in the area. When possible, use rock mulch rather than bark mulch in the flower gardens and beds because this is much less favorable to voles.

Mouse snap traps, baited with peanut butter and placed in the vole run, also can be used to control small, pesky, populations.

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Guaranteed Turf Care Educational Blog

Slit Seeding Video

Top Dressing Video

Spot Seeding Video

Core Aeration Video

Improving Turf Density - Seeding

Improving Turf Density - Topdressing

Improving Turf Density - Core Aeration

Spring Raking

What is a Thatch Layer?

Snow Mold

Voles