Get to work in that yard

It's time to start working on your yard. I know. It's cold out there and there are playoffs going on. Nevertheless, it's still time for you to get started on your lawn. To help you in this endeavor, below is a month-by-month calendar for you to use as a template.

January: If necessary, water your lawn. You can apply herbicides to kill any winter weeds but I don't recommend it. Winter weeds are going to be gone by late spring. But, if you want to go that route, you can use post-emergent herbicides for broadleaved weeds such as 2-4, D, dicamba and mecoprop.

February: Water as needed. In the later part of the month, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to stop spring and summer weeds from getting started. Pre-emergent herbicides include Amaze, Betasan, Haltz, Penulum, Preen and Surflan.

March: If you haven't already, apply pre-emergent herbicides early in the month. Rake up dead leaves. If your grass has already begun to grow, apply a balanced fertilizer.

April: Repair dead or damaged areas in your lawn. Once a fungal disease is in your lawn, you can't cure it. You should apply a fungicide as a prophylactic treatment. Put out an insecticide. Synthetic pyrethroids such as bifinthrin, cyfluthrin and lambda cyhalothrin will last two to three months and will have to be reapplied at least once during the growing season. Products containing imidicloprid, a systemic, will last all year with only one application. But systemics have to be applied when your lawn is actively growing and not before.

May: Apply a second dose of pre-emergent herbicide. Spot treat weeds with one of the mixtures containing 2-4D, dicamba and mecoprop.

June: If you didn't apply an insecticide, start looking for chinch bugs. They start to show up in hot weather.

July: If you have any weeds, use Image (for nutsedge). Any other herbicides have temperature restrictions.

August: Too hot to do anything. Stay inside, consume adult liquid refreshments and keep cool.

September: Apply a balanced fertilizer and pre-emergent herbicide in the later part of the month.

Originally posted here:
Get to work in that yard