Spotlight Area

"Getting Your Grass in Gear"

Featured in the March/April, 2004 Newsletter

It's not too early to start planning for a plush, green lawn. The first step in a good lawn program is to apply a lawn food with crabgrass preventer. This product needs to be applied about the middle of April to mid-May-when the Forsythia flowers are starting to fall and the lilacs are starting to bloom. Crabgrass doesn't begin to germinate until the ground temperature reaches 56 degrees. The product should not be applied until that temperature has been reached. How will you know? At Campbell's, we take the ground temperature every few days, so we can tell you when it reaches the mark. But you can do this yourself, too. All you need is a soil thermometer. Poke a hole in the ground somewhere in the middle of your yard (not in the shade) and stick the thermometer in. Most people are probably familiar with the Campbell's 4-Step Lawn Program. The four products-a crabgrass preventer, weed and feed, fall fertilizer, and winterizer-are applied in mid-April, end of May, September, and October/November.

A newer program is the 2-Step Program-the Greenview Fairway Formula. The spring application contains both a crabgrass preventer and a weed and feed while the fall application contains both a fall fertilizer and winterizer. The applications are time-released. Although the same price as the 4-Step, the 2-Step Program requires just half the labor. Be sure, also, to pay attention to water requirements. Fescue requires about one inch per week, while bluegrass requires about one and a half inches per week. Over-watering will cut down on the effectiveness of these products. While you're waiting for your bluegrass or fescue to start greening up, turn your attention to your mower. According to Briggs & Stratton, a spring tune-up can reduce emissions up to fifty percent and fuel consumption up to thirty percent.