FHP Motorist Advisory: The Florida Forest Service will be conducting up to a 7000 acre prescribed burn Tuesday January 21, 2020 through January 23, 2020 in Goethe State Forest inLevy County. This burn will be emitting initial & residual smoke over the next several days, and the following roadways: US 19, SR 121, CR 336, CR 337; as well as surrounding roadways.Motorist in this area sould reduce their speed, use low beam headlamps at night and in theearly mornng hours, especially during variable weather conditions.

Fertilizer or dinance in effect for Hernando County

(Brooksville, FL) Starting January 1, 2020, a fertilizer ordinance will be in effect for Hernando County through March 31, 2020. This ordinance regulates how, where and when fertilizers can be applied to grass. During this time period, only professional applicators who are trained, certified and registered according to the terms of the ordinance may apply fertilizer. The only forms of nitrogen fertilizer that may be applied during this period are those that are labeled as slow- or controlled-release. The applicator must be able to verify the fertilizer product used and provide the verification upon request.

Studies conducted by the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection have determined that one of the primary causes of water quality issues in Weeki Wachee Springs and the Weeki Wachee River comes from inappropriate fertilizer use. When applied incorrectly, excess nutrients wash off lawns into neighboring water bodies causing excessive algae growth and stressing aquatic insects, amphibians and fish.

Here are tips on how residents can help: Do not fertilize your lawn from January 1 through March 31 unless you hire a certified landscape professional Ask your fertilizer professional if he or she has a certificate of training through the Green IndustriesBest Management Practices Program Watch the weather and don't fertilize when the National Weather Service calls for a heavy rain, flood, tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning, or when the soil is still saturated Hold off fertilizing new plants, turf seeding or sod until at least 30 days after planting Do not fertilize within 10 feet of a water body. It is recommended to use plants that don't require fertilizer for these areas Immediately clean up fertilizer that spills on your driveway, sidewalk or street. Never allow fertilizer, grass clippings, pet waste, plant debris, gasoline or oil to be washed, swept or blown off sidewalks or roadways into stormwater drains, ditches, canals, water bodies or wetlands Follow the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences best management practices for landscapes. For information, contact the Hernando County UF Extension office at (352) 754-4433 or visitfyn.ifas.ufl.edu

Important contact information: Call the Hernando County UF/IFAS Extension office at (352) 754-4433 for more information about the ordinance Visithttp://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/hernandoco/2018/02/01/hernando-countys-fertilizer-ordinance/to read the full ordinance Call the Hernando County Permitting office at (352) 754-4050 if you are a professional applicator who needs to register with the County

Sergeant Lea Mills Boulevard temporary road closure

(Brooksville, FL) The Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport will temporarily close Sergeant Lea Mills Boulevard in Brooksville from December 30, 2019 through January 17, 2020 for scheduled roadway repairs. The public is asked to use alternate routes during this time.

Contact the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport at (352) 754-4061 for additional information on this temporary road closure.

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Springstead leads 5A District 6 for Boys Basketball, but Zephyrhills is Right on their Tail - Hernando Sun

It has been years in the making, but work is finally underway on the new Guelph Turfgrass Institute.

The institute, which studies things like pesticide use, grass species, seeding methods and sports field construction, is managed by the University of Guelph under a partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The universitys board of governors approved the move from the current facility on Victoria Road to the new site back in 2015. Work had originally been slated to begin in 2017, with a fall 2018 move-in date.

However, Rene Van Acker, dean of the Ontario Agricultural College, told the Mercury Tribune in September 2018 that the delay was due in part, because of additional environmental assessments for the new site.

The current Victoria Road property is part of a parcel of provincially-owned land currently up for sale. That land, under city plans, will one day become the Guelph Innovation District.

In March 2019, city council approved plans for the province to sell the land but permit the city a seat at the table for helping narrow down a buyer.

At the time, council was told the land would be in the hands of its new owner(s) by March 2020.

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WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?: New U of Guelph institution under construction - GuelphMercury.com

By Andy Villamarzo

Hernando Sun sports reporter

There were many experts surrounding the NFL heading into the 2019 season predicting that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be nothing more than a 3-13, 4-12 football team. That record mightve been nice in terms of positioning in the 2020 NFL Draft, but instead the Buccaneers took an entirely different route.

Tampa Bay finished with a record of 7-9 and are now faced with some big decisions when it comes to their own unrestricted free agents. The Buccaneers are coming off Year No. 1 under quarterback whisperer Bruce Arians and one of the first orders of business will be to make a decision on signal caller Jameis Winston. Theres others that must be decided on like outside linebackers Shaquille Barrett and Jason Pierre Paul and wide receiver Breshard Perriman.

Who exactly will Tampa Bay bring back and who will they left go? We take a closer look at some of the free agents that are currently slated to hit the free agent market and what Tampa Bay may end up doing with them.

Quarterback, Jameis Winston: If you want to start up a good debate over the dinner table, talk about if the Buccaneers will be bringing back Jameis Winston in 2020. Its a debate that stirs Buccaneers fans strongly one way or another. For Winston, its been five seasons of work with only one season above the .500 mark and a whole bunch of good and bad. The problem is figuring out if he will ever swing the pendulum fully to the good side. Coming off a season after throwing for over 5,000 yards, 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions, it would seem prudent to give Winston the franchise tag here. A long term deal seems off the table.

Outside linebacker, Shaquille Barrett: Setting records was the big theme for Tampa Bay in 2019 and Barrett broke the franchises single sack record previously held by Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp. Barrett ended the season with 19.5 sacks, ending up leading the entire NFL in that very category. Theres not much of a decision on whether Tampa Bay should bring Barrett back. The better question is will they apply the franchise, transition tags or sign Barrett to a long term deal?

Outside linebacker, Jason Pierre-Paul: In just 10 games played after an off-season of recovering from a scary neck injury that nearly ended his career, JPP came back to prove something and he did. Last seasons sack leader played enough to rack up 27 total tackles and notch 8.5 sacks. Not too shabby for a guy who had an injury that nearly took away not only a season of play but maybe his career. JPP is a leader in the locker and a short term deal seems in order.

Wide receiver, Breshard Perriman: Talk about the take of two halves in a season. Perriman went from a virtual unknown on the offensive side of the ball to being considered a viable No. 1 receiver by the end of the year. Perriman ended the season with over 30 catches for nearly 700 yards and providing Tampa Bay with a boost in the final four games. He made $4-million last season but a pay increase will be expected by Perrimans camp. Perriman could end up leaving in free agency due to the higher price tag he will demand.

Defensive tackle, Ndamukong Suh: Suh has become somewhat of a free agent mercenary when it comes to where to go. When the Los Angeles Rams offered him big money, he went to the big city. When Tampa Bay ponied up big money, Suh took his talents to the Buccaneers. It seems unlikely Tampa Bay will have the cap space to bring Suh back, but mentioned many times by head coach Bruce Arians, he wants to keep the defense intact.

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Biggest unrestricted free agents for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 - Hernando Sun

Its not enough to convince producers to give cover crops a shot there needs to be a game plan.

There are plenty of reasons why. Seed can be expensive, especially if theres no livestock to help recoup that cost through their digestive systems. Many worry the fall seeding window is too narrow to give the crop time to amount to anything, but admit theyve few alternative planting dates to consider.

In some cases experts like Lee Briese, of North Dakotas Centrol Inc., say farmers gave cover crops a shot years ago, and abandoned the practice when it didnt work that year.

Lee Briese of Centrol Inc. discusses the advice he gives cover croppers in North Dakota during the Getting the Most Out of Every Acre event in Brandon in November.photo: Alexis Stockford

A more deliberate approach will shift most of those arguments, Briese says. Many of those unsuccessful cover crops may have been the wrong species mix, planted at the wrong time, or did not have an end goal firmly in mind during the planning stage.

Why it matters: Cover crops can help a farmer accomplish many things, but understanding the end goal is key to the management choices.

Species selection is critically important, he said. So thats the first question for me. If youre planting a warm-season cover crop a little too late, its not going to do well. If youre planting a cool-season cover crop in the heat of the summer, its not going to do well.

The end goal will also be central to species selection, plant timing and seeding rate, he added. A mix tailored to fight erosion will look very different from one planned to fight weeds, increase farm resiliency or improve soil health, he noted.

[AUDIO ABOVE] Joe Gardiner of Clearwater, Man., talks to Alexis Stockford about how he got started with cover crops, what keeps him coming back to the practice and how hes changing up his farm management this year.

Local experts like Yvonne Lawley of the University of Manitoba have echoed the point. Lawley has urged producers to consider the root profile of their cover crop, whether the mix leans to warm or cool season, whether those species fix or scavenge nitrogen, and how they plan to terminate the crop so they are not creating their own weed problem.

The entire process is more art than science, she said, and will be highly individual to a farmers circumstance, equipment, work flow and end goals.

Cover crops have grown incredibly complex on some farms, Briese noted, with some producers putting down something like 30 different species. Thats great for biodiversity, he said, but significantly less so to the producers pocketbook.

Briese advocates the five food groups philosophy, which he says ensures a diverse species mix while potentially balancing seed cost. A balanced cover crop mix includes cool-season grasses, warm-season grasses, both warm- and cool-season broadleafs, and legumes, he said, and the addition of both warm- and cool-season crops helps ensure that something will grow out of the mix, regardless of weather conditions.

A mix of more than five species may start to see diminishing returns on the balance sheet, he noted, particularly for producers just starting out with cover crops.

Its a good strategy, according to Michael Thiele, co-ordinator of Manitobas Ducks Unlimited grazing club and an outspoken advocate of cover crops as a tool for biodiversity.

I think thats simply practical, but think of that: five species versus what has been one for 100 years, he said.

Michael Thiele is among the local experts urging producers to take up cover crops, but also to have a distinct plan before they plant.photo: Alexis Stockford

Joe Gardiner of Clearwater is one of the producers who, self-admittedly, goes crazy, with his mixes. His cover crops run up to 15 species, which he ties to his goals of maximum biodiversity and biomass both for the sake of soil health and forage for his cattle.

At the same time, he noted, his full-season cover crops mitigate the risk of taking on more species compared to an underseeded or post-harvest mix. Farmers who arent doing that are wise to consider less complex mixes, he said.

That makes a lot of sense for a relay crop or a fall-seeded cover, because youre just not getting the return from the biomass to justify the seed cost, and I get that totally and I understand it, he said. From a full-season cover perspective, the goal is to stimulate biology. You cannot stimulate biology with a monoculture.

Joe Gardiner of Clearwater outlines his cover cropping system during an event in Brandon last month.photo: Alexis Stockford

Gardiner also sources much of his seed on his own farm, further reducing cost. His cattle also make that risk more palatable, he acknowledged. He first got into cover crops as a means to increase fall forage.

Kevin Elmy, manager of Cover Crops Canada and a cover crops consultant with Imperial Seed, has a slightly different approach.

Many producers interested in cover crops forget to add in rotation, he said, particularly when it comes to something like tillage radish.

Tillage radish is a well-known compaction buster in the cover crop world. Manitoba experts, however, have recently raised concern that the brassica might create a bridge for pests like flea beetles and disease, given the local popularity of canola.

Its one reason that Elmy has brought sugar beets into his Imperial Seed mixes. Although more expensive, the beets also fill much the same niche as tillage radish.

I have a triangle, so it is grass, legume, broadleaf, he said. If youre looking from a grass to a brassica (in the rotation), which one are you missing? Youre missing a legume, so you want to try and introduce something like subterranean clover or Persian clover.

Kevin Elmy, of Cover Crops Canada, says rotational considerations are too often forgotten.photo: Friendly Acre Seed Farms

That short legume would be underseeded as a relay crop, but remain under the canopy until the cash crop is harvested and then grow through the fall, he said.

That system depends on an early seed date, he noted, giving the legume time to bloom and set nitrogen.

The system is a harder sell for producers without livestock, he acknowledged, but argued that a cover crop that knocks back weeds, saves a fall desiccation, or over the course of years, increases water infiltration and saves a producer from having to install tile drainage, will more than pay for itself.

Once we set goals, then we can pick species, then we can have a strategy on how to get it done, he said.

Soil health advocates may have biodiversity and soil structure top of mind, but Briese says many of his customers are turning to cover crops as weed control, after nothing else has worked.

In some cases, he noted, those producers are attempting to choke out a herbicide-resistant weed a growing concern in both his home North Dakota and Manitoba he said a properly managed cover crop blend may be less expensive than a herbicide pass.

Theyre realizing that this is a potential opportunity for them. Its not incredibly expensive if done well, he said.

Once again, he noted, the goal will underscore the plan of attack. He pointed to one of his clients fighting herbicide-resistant kochia. As such, that customer actually needed his cover crop to overwinter to provide that early-season competition.

Anyone planning for weed control will want to pick species that establish quickly with good ground cover, Lawley advised.

The other thing thats really important to think about for that criteria is which weeds do you need to suppress and what is the biology of when those weeds are growing or establishing themselves, she said.

In the case of a winter annual, she noted, the producer will want a vibrant cover crop post-harvest to interrupt the weeds life cycle.

Cover crops fighting salinity, meanwhile, should get in the soil as early in the season as possible, Lawley noted.

Even your cover crops may not establish where it turns white. You need to work on shrinking that white area by getting a cover crop established in that wet area immediately around it, she said.

In many cases, that cover crop will be broadcast rather than drilling in what is essentially patch seeding, she noted. As such, Lawley advised producers to choose a small-seeded crop or an easily germinated option like barley.

Barley may be among the most common saline-tolerant options, but Lawley argued that there are enough other options for a multi-species cover crop. Sugar beets, camelina and sorghum sudan grass to a certain extent, may also thrive, she said.

Work flow is a challenge, cover crop experts admit, although Lawley pointed out that fall seeding might be done in the morning if a farmer has to wait until the drier afternoon to combine anyway.

Fall seeding is often the easiest to work into a year, Gardiner said, but added that it is also the seeding window most likely to end in failure, since there is little growing time left in the season.

For both Thiele and Briese, the key is both a realistic starting point and commitment.

Cover cropping is a skill and we need to learn it, no different than you would learn to play an instrument, Briese said. You cant play Bach right away. You learn Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star first.

Both Thiele and Briese urge producers to choose a limited number of acres to start, band then attack that cover crop with the best plan possible.

Look, if youre really serious and youre committed, take a field and commit to that field for five years, Thiele said. Youre not going to see the world change in one or two or three years. You need to be committed to this and do it right and be focused and committed and, in five years, youll convince yourself that these systems can work.

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The learning curve of cover crops - Manitoba Co-operator

A new accessible playground and community hub has opened at Canatara Park. Pictured left to right are Todd Murray with Rotary Sarnia-Lambton After-Hours, Rob Collie with Rotary Sarnia, Rotary Sarnia-Bluewaterland's Henry Kulik and Marie Watson, City of Sarnia recreation and planning manager Ryan Chamney, Rotary-Bluewaterland member Pat Boegelin, and Mike Elliott with Rotary Sarnia. Tyler Kula/Postmedia News

An accessible playground, the first of its kind in Sarnia, has opened at Canatara Park.

More than a playground, the wheelchair-accessible play structure atop a poured-in-place rubber base, also features nearby benches with built-in games tables, a stage area for theatre beside the existing picnic pavilion, and exercise equipment.

We just wanted to create a space that, whether youre playing or a caregiver here to watch their kids play, theres something to do, said city recreation and planning manager Ryan Chamney.

The project cost roughly $335,000, and was partly funded with $80,000 and $90,000 in total from all three of Sarnias Rotary clubs.

We got a lot for what we spent, said Chamney.

The Canatara Park Rotary Clubs of Sarnia Accessible Playground and Community Hub project is step one of nine in accessibility upgrades eyed for playgrounds in various city parks, he said.

Tecumseh Park is up next. Work is planned to start there later in 2020 and likely wrap up in 2021, Chamney said.

Accessible swings, wheelchair gliders and other upgrades are being eyed as part of the projects.

Not all the upgrades will necessarily be as big as the hub project in Canatara, Chamney said, but theyll all be made accessible and inclusive spaces.

The initial timeline for the accessibility projects collectively was in 2018 estimated at three to 15 years, depending on funding availability.

Accessibility upgrades are also being worked out for the nearby Canatara bandshell.

Rotary officials with Rotary clubs of Sarnia, Sarnia-Lambton After-Hours, and Sarnia-Bluewaterland said their contribution came from Trip of the Month lottery proceeds.

The project was completed by Park N Play Design Company Ltd, and the design was vetted and endorsed by the clubs and the citys accessibility advisory committee.

That design has also been awarded Playcore national designation for meeting best practices in youth fitness, and for promoting inclusive play and recreation.

The new playground replaces one a plaque says the city and Sarnia-Bluewaterland club jointly opened in October 1994.

That accessible structure was outdated as far as Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act standards, city officials said.

A grand opening to celebrate the new structure and unveil a commemorative plaque is being eyed for the spring, Chamney said, thanking the Rotary clubs for helping make it possible.

Landscaping and grass seeding in the area is also planned for the spring.

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New accessible playground is the first of its kind for Sarnia - Sarnia and Lambton County This Week

When Yvonne Lawley wrote her research proposal for a study of cover crops, she was specific about the wording of the title: Testing the cover crop hypothesis across Prairie Canada.

Its the word hypothesis that grabs you. What could be theoretical about cover crops? Some farmers have been using them for decades to help build soil, reduce erosion, graze animals and more. The practice is common in Ontario and Quebec, as well as in the Northern Great Plains region of the U.S. Whats not to know?

Well, when it comes to the Canadian Prairies, quite a bit, says Lawley, an assistant professor in the department of plant science at the University of Manitoba. Our prairie environment is much more variable and more prone to extremes compared to other areas where cover crops are regularly used.

Lawley says the thinking behind cover crops on the Prairies has shifted since the time they were considered only for green fallow. The reasons why we might want to add cover crops are very diverse soil health, reducing erosion, extending grazing, reducing inputs so there is now a very diverse range of goals.

And thats why I put the word hypothesis in there because farmers are hearing about cover crops everywhere, but here in this environment, we dont have a lot of data to show how they actually work. So with funding from Western Grains Research Foundation, Lawley is leading a team of scientists and graduate students for a new five-year project that aims to find some answers.

To generate this data, Lawley has set up a large-plot crop rotation experiment at four sites across the Prairies (Carman, Man.; Lethbridge, Alta.; Saskatoon and Redvers in Saskatchewan) representing a range of soil types and moisture conditions.

There are two main treatments at each site a four-year annual crop rotation that includes cover crops and the same rotation without cover crops. Third and fourth treatments will act as checks and reflect typical farming practice a two-year short wheat-canola rotation and a four-year planting of alfalfa or alfalfa-grass mix).

For the first two treatments, cash and cover crops were chosen to reflect regional practices, with wheat and canola at every site, plus a second cereal crop and a legume suited to each location (soybeans in Manitoba and pea in Alberta and Saskatchewan, for example). Cover crops include legumes (like clover), brassicas (such as radish) and grasses (fall rye, for example). All sites will use direct seeding and minimum till, although the Saskatoon site includes one high-disturbance crop (potatoes) for comparison.

In some ways its very simple were comparing two rotations, one with and one without cover crops, Lawley says. Whats not so simple is that the rotations are fully phased at each site. This means that all crops will be present in all years of the study, thereby removing weather as a factor in the results.

Lawley and her team believe this work will help to definitively show if cover crops can be reliably grown on the Prairies in the first place and if so, their effect on subsequent crops in terms of yield, nutrient availability, input costs, pest control and soil health. Were going to be doing an economic analysis and look at the impact on crop production and the soil, she says. Whats the benefit of that living root? Were going to try to put some numbers to that.

The experiment also offers a golden opportunity to study the effect of cover crops on nitrogen cycling. Nitrogen needs to be available in the soil when the crops need to use it, and researchers want to know if cover crops help or hinder that process.

The study will also look at the effect of cover crops on greenhouse gas emissions. We want to know if storing nitrogen in cover crop biomass living or dead impacts nitrogen loss in the early spring, which is when most N2O emissions are generated, Lawley says.

In some ways, we already know we can do this, Lawley says, explaining that early adopters of cover crops have shown it can work on their farms. But others are still wondering if its worth their time to grow cover crops, so were doing this work for them, and also to produce information for agronomists, who get asked questions about cover crops all the time, and need local research to refer to.

The team has just wrapped up its second field season, so its an exciting time for the data crunchers. In the first year we got baseline samples, says Lawley. Were at the point now where grad students are coming on board to do the intensive sampling and getting all our measurements.

And farmers dont have to wait until 2022 to find out what Lawley and her team are learning along the way check out #PrairieCoverCrops. Social media is a real enabler of cover crops and soil health information for farmers, Lawley says. Its key for knowledge transfer and for researchers to know what questions farmers are asking. People with good ideas could be so isolated before social media its been a game-changer.

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Finding the value of cover crops for Western Canada - Country Guide

1. Clear the area. Kill weeds and any remaining poor-looking grass with a non-selective herbicide about 2 weeks before you want to seed your lawn. After everything is completely dead, rake the area to remove the debris.

2. Prep for success.Now is a great time to core aerate the area if your soil is really compact. (Learn more about aerating here.) After aerating, rake the area level and loosen the top inch of soil. Then add a 1-inch layer of Scotts LawnSoil evenly across the entire planting area. Its specifically formulated with a blend of rich, composted materials to provide an excellent growing environment for young seedlings.

3. Select your grass seed.Choose a Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed that is right for your location. Do you live in the north and need a grass type that stays green in cooler temperatures, or do you live in the south and need a grass type that stays green during the hot summer months? Be sure to also take into consideration the growing conditions in your area: How much sun? How much wear and tear from children and family pets? If you need help finding a grass type that matches your growing conditions, check out our Identify Your Grass article.

4. Spread your grass seed.Once youve selected your grass seed and your soil is prepped, its time to seed. This is the easy part. Just fill up your Scotts spreader with grass seed, adjust the spreader settings according to the label directions (use the New Lawn coverage rate) and apply.

5. Feed for growth.After youve spread your grass seed, apply Scotts Turf Builder Starter Lawn Food for New Grass to provide developing grass seedlings much-needed nutrients so the young root system can grow deeper, faster. If you're reseeding with Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrasses or fescues, apply Scotts Turf Builder Starter Lawn Food for New Grass Plus Weed Preventer instead. It not only gives developing seedlings needed nutrients but also prevents listed weeds like dandelion and crabgrass from sprouting for up to 6 weeks.

6. Water daily.Proper watering is a critical step to seeding success. Keep the soil surface moist by watering daily or as needed until the seedlings reach at least 2 inches tall.

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How to Replant Lawn Grass - Lawn Repair - Scotts

Keeping a lawn lush and green requires consistent mowing, weeding, watering, fertilizing and more. If your lawn is particularly large, it may make sense to hire a full-service lawn care provider. Whether you take a DIY approach or bring in the experts, maintaining your lawn requires a range of tasks.

Plan to mow the lawn often, allowing it stay longer than may seem convenient longer grass is healthier grass. The general rule is to cut off no more than a third of the grass blade. This helps prevent damage to the lawn as well as keeping weeds from taking root. Its also important to remove any weeds, then prevent new ones from growing. In spring, consider spraying a pre-emergent herbicide on your lawn to prevent crabgrass and other types of weeds from sprouting from seed. During other seasons, broadleaf weeds like dandelions can be pulled by hand or sprayed with weed killers. The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning, allowing the sun to help dry the grass. Make sure to thoroughly soak the lawn so that the water penetrates several inches into the ground.

Lawn care also requires feeding; look for a mixture of fast- and slow-release fertilizers that include nitrogen. Some lawns also benefit from aeration, which creates small holes to let air, water and nutrients penetrate the grass roots. Although most homeowners can manage these tasks on their own, a full-service lawn care company can handle them on a regular schedule, taking the guesswork out of maintaining a beautiful lawn.

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The 10 Best Grass Seeding Companies Near Me (with Free ...

When your sights are set on a thick, lush lawn, planting grass seed represents an investment of time, money, labor and hope. From seeding new lawns to repairing rough spots and renewing existing turf, proper timing separates sweet success from something less. Your best time for planting grass seed depends on the type of lawn grass you grow and where you live. Understanding your options and getting timing right helps you seize every opportunity for seeding success.Why Timing Matters

Grass grow fastest and strongest when your planting season aligns with the seeds' natural periods of active growth. Just as with other kinds of plants in your landscape, lawn grasses vary in their growth cycles and regional climate preferences.

Cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrasses and tall fescues, including Kentucky 31 fescue, grow most vigorously during the cool temperatures of late summer and early fall. These grasses flourish across cooler northern climates and into the challenging transition zone," where cool and warm regions overlap.

Warm-season grasses,such as Bermudagrass, Bahiagrass,Centipede grassand Zoysia grass, peak in growth during the warmer temperatures of late spring and early summer. These grasses thrive in southern and western regions and up into the transition zone's southern reaches.

Whether you grow cool- or warm-season grasses, timing your seeding to take advantage of your grass type's natural periods of peak growth helps seed germinate and establish quickly. Your seed gets off to the best possible start and on track for both short- and long-term success.

Fall seeding complements the natural growth cycles of cool-season grasses.

Cool-season grass seed germinates best when soil temperatures are between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This roughly corresponds to daytime air temperatures in the 60 F to 75 F range. An inexpensive soil thermometer, available at most garden stores, can help eliminate the guesswork.

The farther north you live, the earlier cool fall temperatures and ideal planting time come. For example, Minnesotans in the Upper Midwest seed cool-season lawns from mid-August to mid-September.1 For transition-zone lawn owners in central and northern Arkansas, September and October are the best time for seeding cool-season lawns.2

As a general rule, plant cool-season grass seed at least 45 days before the estimated date of your first fall frost, before soil and air temperatures drop to less favorable levels. Your grasses will enjoy a full fall season, plus a second cool, growing season come spring.Your local county extension agentcan help with advice on average frost dates and optimal timing for seeding lawns in your area.

Newly planted seed needs consistent soil moisture, and fall planting offers benefits on that front, too. Fall typically brings more precipitation, which lessens the chance that cool-season seeds may dry out, and reduces the need for extra watering on your part. Using premium drought-tolerant, water-conserving grass seed products, such asPenningtonSmart SeedandPenningtonOne Step Complete, lowers the risk of problems even more.

The second best time to seed cool-season lawn grasses is in the spring, once soil and air temperatures warm back up to their optimal range. However, late-melting snows and early spring rains can keep soil cold and overly wet, giving early weeds an advantage. Grasses also have less time to settle in before higher temperatures inhibit germination and cool-season grass growth begins to slow.

Moderate spring weather helps spring-planted grass seed flourish.

As with cool-season grasses, best warm-season planting times vary by location. In California, mid-April to mid-May is prime time for seeding warm-season lawns.3 In central and southern Arkansas, lawn owners plan their warm-season grass seeding for late May through June.2 It's tempting to get out and seed at the first hint of spring, but patience pays off. Wait until all danger of frost has passed and soil warms. Cold, wet soil is a recipe for poor germination, rotting seed and disease. Your county extension agent can help with expected frost dates and timely advice when unexpected weather conditions factor in.

As a general rule, warm-season grasses planted at least 90 days before the first fall frost have time to establish well before winter. These summer-loving grasses go dormant once temperatures drop near 55 degrees, so late-planted seedlings can't prepare for what's ahead. With proper timing, warm-season grass seed gets a natural boost from summer's warmth and a full season of active growth and development before cooling temperatures bring on winter dormancy.

One exception to the spring seeding rule for warm-season lawns is when overseeding with a cool-season grass, such as perennial ryegrass, for temporary winter color. Do this in fall, once temperatures drop and warm-season lawns begin to go dormant and lose color.

Grass types and varieties vary in their natural germination speeds. For example, cool-season Kentucky bluegrass germination can take two to three times as long as tall fescue varieties. Similarly, warm-season Zoysia grass may take two to three times longer than Bermudagrass. In addition, many seed products include a mix of seed types that germinate at different speeds.

Whether you're repairing bare spots, overseedingan existing lawn or starting from scratch, you can generally expect grass seedlings to emerge within seven to 21 days when grown under proper conditions. It may take another three to four weeks of growth before grass is long enough to mow. For fall-planted seed, this can mean waiting until spring for your first mowing. Some grasses, such as Zoysia grass, may need several months of growth to fully establish.

Much of the initial growth of new grass seedlings happens underground, where you can't see it. New roots get grass firmly established, prepared for the seasons ahead, and positioned for strong, rapid growth when their peak season arrives. With proper timing, new grass seedlings compete well for light, water and nutrients and fight off lawn diseases and pests, including lawn weeds.

Time your planting so that new seedlings become established before stressful seasons.

Do your research to understand what's in a bag of grass seed and the company behind the seed. Pennington is committed to producing the finest grass seed products possibleand providing you witheducational resourcesto help your seed project succeed. By timing your lawn tasks properly, you can maximize your advantage and seed your way to the lawn of your dreams.Pennington, Smart Seed and One Step Complete are trademarks of Pennington Seed, Inc.

Sources:

1. Mugaas, R. and Pedersen, B., Seeding and Sodding Home Lawns," University of Minnesota Extension.

2. Patton, A. and Boyd, J., Seeding a Lawn in Arkansas," University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

3. UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program, Planting Times and Rates for Grasses That Can Be Established From Seed," University of California.

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The Best Time to Plant Grass Seed - Pennington.com

Im sure we can all agree that if you are looking for the best grass seed for your lawn, the most important things to compare would be growth rate, average days to germinate, and coverage area.

These were also our top criteria for selecting the best grass seed.

If you are ready to get planting, Top Choices 3-way Perennial Ryegrass seed mix scored high marks in all categories and is our top pick.

A nice, lush, green lawn is desired by most home owners but sometimes it can be quite difficult to achieve. Deciding on the right type of grass seed involves knowing what type of grass grows best in your specific region. Its also important to choose the best grass variety for the sun and shade conditions of your yard. Here weve highlighted the top-rated grass seed so you can eliminate any product that doesnt meed your needs and choose the one that will.

Choosing the right grass seed is just the first step to having a lush, green lawn, but it is an important step. Choose a low quality grass seed and you could end up expending a lot of time, energy and money for nothing. By choosing a good-quality, well-liked, and well-known grass seed, you are giving your lawn the best possible chance to be full, green and healthy.

You also need to ensure that you buy enough grass seed to cover the area you want to seed or thicken. If your grass is just thin, that will involve a lot less work and seed than if you are trying to completely seed a new lawn from scratch. Our information will be a big help for either of these scenarios.

This grass seed from Top Choice is 99.9% weed free. Your results will be a lush lawn and not a mixture of grass and weeds that youll have to contend with.

The easy-to-follow instructions means that you can easily make this a DIY project and the results will be an attractive lawn that is ready to stand up to the demands of you and your family. Top Choice lawns are easy to maintain and durable.

The company offers a satisfaction guarantee so if you are not satisfied for any reason, they will refund your money. The mixture of seed that is used for this 3 way perennial ryegrass seed mix is made up of 34% Stellar GL Perennial Ryegrass, 33% Homerun Perennial Ryegrass and 33% Apple GL Perennial Ryegrass.

If you are looking for a good, high-quality, durable grass seed you dont have to look any further than this seed product by Top Choice. It is perfect for those who want an easy-to-use, easy-to-maintain, good-looking lawn.

Sarah Lytle

This coated seed is able to feed and jumpstart the seedlings and protects the seeds against disease, keeping the lawn lush and green.

One of the popular features of this Scotts grass seed is the fact that it requires very little sun to grow well. In fact, as little as 3 hours of sunlight is still plenty to see good results.

It resists drought conditions, bugs as well as disease. This makes it a great grass seed for underneath trees where there is little sun.

Grass seed can be very expensive, so purchasing a durable, high-quality grass seed such as Scotts Turf Builder Grass Seed can make all the difference in the world when it comes to having the lawn of your dreams.

This grass seed will grow thicker, quicker and greener than other seed and it has the added benefit of being 99.9% weed free.

Sarah Lytle

Tifblair Centipede grass seed is best used for large landscapes like public parks, large home lawns, around highways, airports, and anywhere else large expanses of tough grass are desired.

It takes 1 pound of Tifblair Centipede grass seed to cover 4,000 square feet of space. It is the perfect turf grass for areas that receive full sun to partial shade and it is resistant to drought as well.

Perfect for regions from the southern coast to the upper transition zone, it is well suited to temperatures that range from extreme to extreme cold.

It is a slow growing grass so it does not require constant mowing to maintain. Another plus that customers like about this grass is that it stays green longer in the fall and gets green earlier in the spring than other types of centipede turf grass.

Of all the lawn grass seed, this centipede grass requires the lowest maintenance and the lowest fertilizers and it even grows well on poor soil. If you are looking for the kind of grass that grows on anything, in many different temperatures and regions, this is the grass seed for you.

Sarah Lytle

These particular brands and choices are great for the majority of people looking to grow a beautiful lawn but if they are not what youre looking for, be sure to continue reading our buyers guide below. It will help you understand a lot more about grass seed and how to choose the right one based on your region, time of year and even the layout of your yard. Following the information in the buyers guide is sure to result in you finding the perfect grass seed for your lawn.

4. Pennington

5. Smart Seed

6. Jonathan Green

7. One Step

8. Chia

9. Fast Grow

10. TriPro

Turf Builder

to Germinate

(sq ft)

Analysis

Well maintained, attractive lawns do a lot to improve the look of your entire home. In addition to the cosmetic factor, a good, lush lawn also provides filtration for ground water, improves your air quality by attracting and absorbing dust and other types of particles, it produces oxygen and reduces soil erosion as well. It doesnt matter whether youre starting from bare ground or working with an existing yard to make it better, choosing the right grass seed is the very first step.

Before starting your search, ask yourself the following questions so you know what types of grass seed to begin looking at.

Knowing the answer to these questions will help you narrow down the many different choices a consumer has when it comes to grass seed. With all of the different varieties of grass seed offered, it helps consumers choose the one that will work for them if they know a little bit about the different varieties and what their characteristics are.

These different characteristics help the grasses perform better depending on the extenuating circumstances such as shade tolerance, cold or heat tolerance, drought resistance, bug resistance, mowing height tolerance and more. Choosing the right grass seed for your location and circumstances is crucial to the success of your lawn.

There are two basic types of grasses that have many difference varieties within the two types. These two types are cool season grasses and warm season grasses.

Cool Season Grasses These varieties of grasses perform the best in temperatures that range between 60 and 75 degrees. These are easily stressed and affected during the high temperatures and humidity of summertime.

Warm Season Grasses As their name states, warm season grasses perform the best during the summer months and become dormant and brown during the winter months where they do not grow either. Warm season grasses tend to be used most often for home lawns, golf courses and athletic fields.

Always look at the label to learn about the different types of grass seed that are in your particular choice. There are straight seed grass seed that is just one type of grass. This is a good choice to make when you are looking for a uniform look. Overall blended grass seed tends to be better at fighting off disease. Follow these helpful tips when you are choosing a grass seed.

There are several different types of characteristics of grass seed that you can expect to see when you start shopping. We have outlined them below.

Knowing how to choose the right grass seed for your lawn makes the whole process of reseeding or starting a lawn much easier. Getting a beautiful lawn takes dedication and work and knowledge too in the aspect of knowing which type of seed is the best for your location and yard type.

With perseverance and patience you can choose the perfect grass seed for your project and then step by step you can follow the instructions and get started on that lawn of your dreams. Once youre ready to get started on your lawn, it is good to read reviews online so you can see what brands and types of grass seed are working the best for customers. Take into consideration the area you live in and that different regions will have different results and different seed types that will work better than others, but you can still get a sense of the overall performance of the seed which will help you make an informed choice.

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Grass Seed Reviews and Ratings - ThoroughlyReviewed