Care and How-To - Lawn and Turf
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Effective methods to get rid of ground ivy in lawns and gardens. Discover non-chemical options, herbicide recommendations, and lawn care tips to manage this persistent weed and maintain a healthy landscape.
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When a summer heat wave arrives, it can be stressful for the plants and gardeners alike. The plants of your landscape will require a little more TLC to make it through periods of extreme heat. Below are a few tips to protect your lawn, garden, and landscape when temperatures soar.
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Crabgrass is a difficult to manage weed in the lawn. Learn about control of this annual weed, including when to apply preemergent herbicide for the best control.
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Learn how to manage and repair lawn damage caused by skunks and raccoons searching for grubs. Explore effective strategies including grub control, exclusion methods, repellents, and lawn repair techniques.
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Tall fescue is a popular, low-maintenance grass choice in Iowa. It has the highest heat, traffic, and drought tolerance of the cool season grasses. It is well adapted to wet soils, partially shaded sites, and is often used where a low-maintenance lawn is desired. This type of grass turns green in mid-spring and maintains color into late fall.
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Late summer and fall are great times for planting trees, shrubs, bulbs, perennials, lawns, and veggies in Iowa. Follow these tips to establish new plants in your landscape between mid-August and October.
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When Kentucky bluegrass and other cool-season grasses begin to green-up in spring, some home gardeners are dismayed to see brown spots in the lawn. In some cases, the brown spots are dead patch.
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Most of the time, when we see ants, there is no need to worry; they are quite beneficial. However, if their mounds become a nuisance in the lawn or garden, then there are some steps you can take to manage the mounds (and keep the ants).
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Corn gluten meal is an organic herbicide and fertilizer that prevents weed seed germination. To be most effective, proper timing and use are essential. Learn more about using corn gluten meal as a herbicide.
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Learn effective weed management for your garden. Discover types of weeds, their impact, and tips for controlling them to maintain a healthy landscape.
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Trees provide many benefits but unfortunately, trees and turfgrass are not very compatible. Large trees cast considerable shade. Trees also compete with turfgrass for water and nutrients. As a result, most turfgrasses have a difficult time growing in the vicinity of large shade trees.
If the grass growing in shady spaces is not looking good, you have a few options to improve the appearance of these areas in your landscape. You can remove the turfgrass and plant an alternative species that will tolerate the shady conditions better. You can also remove the turfgrass and lay down mulch. Finally, if you want to have turfgrass growing in the area you have to change the way you maintain and care for the turfgrass to get it to grow more successfully
Each of these options has its advantages and challenges. Consider each to determine which will work best for your landscape.
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Canada thistle is an aggressive perennial weed that spreads by seeds and rhizomes. Control can be difficult, requiring persistence and herbicides to be applied at the appropriate time.
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Watering is one of the most frequent tasks performed in any garden or landscape. Proper watering utilizes water responsibly, reducing evaporation and runoff. There are many ways to make the process easier and better for the gardener and the plants. Use the tips below to water the perennials, annuals, containers, hanging baskets, lawns, trees, shrubs, and vegetables in your landscape.
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Overseeding improves lawn density by sowing grass seed into thin established turf. Best done in late summer or early fall, it involves good seed-to-soil contact and proper care post-seeding.
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Establishing a new lawn requires careful planning and effort. Learn the best seeding times, turfgrass selection, site preparation, and maintenance tips for a thriving lawn!
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Bumpy, rough, uneven lawns are annoying, difficult to mow, and potentially dangerous. Learn about the factors that cause rough, bumpy lawn and how to manage them.
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Choose the right turfgrass for your Iowa lawn based on sunlight, usage, maintenance, and quality needs. Different grasses suit varying light levels and usage types.
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Lawns in Iowa often need irrigation to look their best, especially in summer. Follow these practices help maintain a healthy lawn.
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When flooding occurs in the landscape, its sometimes unclear how to proceed. Can I eat the produce in my vegetable garden? Will my trees die? What should I do to help my lawn recover from flood damage?
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Proper turf establishment after stump removal requires removing wood debris and rebuilding soil to prevent drying, settling, and poor grass growth.