http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/category/lawns.html en Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/PPWS/PPWS-15/PPWS-15.html Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:47:00 -0500 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/PPWS/PPWS-15/PPWS-15.html Garden & Landscape Design Garden Plant Diseases Garden Insects / Pests Gardening & The Environment Trees, Shrubs, & Groundcovers Lawns Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/PPWS/PPWS-14/PPWS-14.html Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:47:00 -0500 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/PPWS/PPWS-14/PPWS-14.html Garden & Landscape Design Garden Plant Diseases Garden Insects / Pests Gardening & The Environment Trees, Shrubs, & Groundcovers Lawns Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-016/456-016.html Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:24:00 -0500 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-016/456-016.html Agricultural Insects / Pests Beekeeping Crops Fisheries Forestry Fruits Fruits & Vegetables Grapes & Wine Lawns Nursery & Greenhouse Pesticide Education Plant Diseases Turf Vegetables & Specialty Crops Weeds http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-017/456-017.html Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:44:00 -0500 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-017/456-017.html Agricultural Insects / Pests Beekeeping Crops Fisheries Forestry Fruits Fruits & Vegetables Grapes & Wine Lawns Nursery & Greenhouse Pesticide Education Plant Diseases Turf Vegetables & Specialty Crops Weeds http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-018/456-018.html Thu, 14 Feb 2013 01:40:00 -0500 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-018/456-018.html Agricultural Insects / Pests Beekeeping Weeds Fruits & Vegetables Garden Insects / Pests Garden Plant Diseases Gardening & The Environment Lawns Turf Home Pests Pesticide Education Alternative Agriculture http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-002/430-002.html <p>Lawn aeration involves the removal of small soil plugs or cores out of the lawn. Although hand aerators are available, most aeration is done mechanically with a machine having hollow tines or spoons mounted on a disk or drum. Known as a core aerator, it extracts 1/2 to 3/4 inch diameter cores of soil and deposits them on your lawn. Aeration holes are typically 1-6 inches deep and 2-6 inches apart.</p> Sat, 01 Dec 2012 01:00:00 -0500 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-002/430-002.html Lawns Extension e-books http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-43/CSES-43.html Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-43/CSES-43.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-42/CSES-42.html Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-42/CSES-42.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-41/CSES-41.html Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-41/CSES-41.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-40/CSES-40.html Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-40/CSES-40.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-39/CSES-39.html Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-39/CSES-39.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-38/CSES-38.html Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-38/CSES-38.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-37/CSES-37.html Mon, 29 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-37/CSES-37.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-36/CSES-36.html Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-36/CSES-36.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-35/CSES-35.html Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-35/CSES-35.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-34/CSES-34.html Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:47:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-34/CSES-34.html Lawns Turf Videos http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-17/CSES-17.html Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:33:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/CSES/CSES-17/CSES-17.html Turf Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/BSE/BSE-39/BSE-39NP.html Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:28:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/BSE/BSE-39/BSE-39NP.html Lawns Pesticide Education Turf http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/2802/2802-7027/2802-7027.html <p>Annual white grubs (WG) are early-season pests attacking corn seeds and seedlings (Figure 1). Heavy WG infestations can cause stand and yield losses of up to 20%. Because grubs occur in the soil, their presence in fields and subsequent damage to corn may go unnoticed until too late. Also, 30% overwintering mortality in WG densities is typical in VA. Insecticidal seed treatments such as clothianidin (Poncho^TM) and thiamethoxam (Cruiser^TM) are the tools of choice for controlling soil insect pests. Growers typically must decide whether to purchase insecticide-treated seed well in advance of spring planting.</p> Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:55:55 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/2802/2802-7027/2802-7027.html Crops Agricultural Insects / Pests Turf Garden Insects / Pests Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-350/430-350.html Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:04:07 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-350/430-350.html Turf Soils Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-536/430-536.html <p>There are thousands of species of moss worldwide. These very simple plants lack the typical leaf, shoot, root, and seed-forming systems of most higher plants; however, they are some of the hardiest living organisms on the planet (Figure 1). Lawn moss can reproduce sexually (spores, etc.) or asexually (breaking off into smaller pieces that divide and multiply), and their numbers can increase rapidly under the right conditions. They are tolerant of extremely low mowing, so regular clipping of the grass will not remove them. It would seem that these plants would not offer much resistance to our efforts to manage or control them, but as Mother Nature often shows, their simplicity in design and function correlates well with their ability to colonize and persist in some of the most inhospitable growing conditions around your property: sidewalks, driveways, and yes – the lawn.</p> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-536/430-536.html Turf Weeds Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-533/430-533.html <p>Soil testing. Sampling the soil to determine pH and nutrient levels is always a prudent choice in developing a management program for a lawn, especially if a soil test has not been done within the past three years (Figure 1). Any time of year is appropriate for sampling. A majority of Virginia soils are acidic and need to be amended with periodic applications of lime. For information on how to properly sample your soil, consult Soil Sampling for the Home Gardener, Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 452-129, at <a href="http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452-129/">http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452-129/</a>. For additional soil testing information, see the presentation "Soil Testing for the Lawn and Landscape," at <a href="http://breeze.ag.vt.edu/p36588349/">http://breeze.ag.vt.edu/p36588349/</a>.</p> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-533/430-533.html Turf Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-532/430-532.html <p>There is no time of year that generates as much excitement in the management of lawns and landscapes as spring. Sales of all lawn and garden products soar as many homeowners strive for the best looking lawn possible. However, your enthusiasm for returning the lawn to tip-top shape should be tempered enough so that you make sound agronomic and environmental management decisions. Smart choices now will result in a healthy, dense turf canopy that will better withstand the environmental extremes of the summer months.</p> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-532/430-532.html Turf Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-524/430-524.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-524/430-524.html Lawns Garden Insects / Pests http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-523/430-523.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-523/430-523.html Turf Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-522/430-522.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-522/430-522.html Turf Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-521/430-521.html <p>While we enjoy the beautiful colors associated with fall foliage, we also realize that most of those leaves will soon be on the ground. At this time of year, many turf managers quit managing grass and shift their focus instead to managing leaves. In some situations, leaf removal by way of blowing, raking, or vacuuming is essential because of turf use (e.g. golf course turf where finding a ball in leaves is next to impossible). Another reason to mulch or remove leaves is to improve the turf-growing conditions. A thick layer of leaves blocks sunlight, reducing turf growth because of the shading effect. The leaves also trap and hold moisture in the turf canopy, increasing the potential for turf disease. However, treatment and/or disposal of leaves can be time consuming and costly. In some areas, it is actually illegal to place bagged leaves at curbside for pickup due to restrictions on placing lawn waste in landfills.</p> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-521/430-521.html Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-402/430-402.html <p>Lawn turfgrasses provide many benefits to our immediate environment. Soil erosion control, improved protection of groundwater, improvement of the quality of life through noise and dust abatement, improvements of air quality, and aesthetic and recreational contributions are some of the assets provided by turfgrasses. However, disposal of <b>grass clippings</b> is an ongoing issue that requires the attention of homeowners in order to be a good land steward!</p> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-402/430-402.html Turf Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-017/430-017.html <div xmlns:o="urn:www.microsoft.com/office" xmlns:st1="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags" xmlns:st2="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags2" xmlns:w="urn:www.microsoft.com/word" xmlns:x="urn:www.microsoft.com/excel"><p>There are two basic types of fertilizer spreaders for use on the home lawn: the drop and the broadcast.</p><p>The drop type spreader (shown at left) "drops" a set rate of fertilizer. This type is best suited for a limited space in order to avoid wide dispersal on sidewalks and driveways. The amount of fertilizer that is spread depends on the opening setting, the type of fertilizer used, and the speed at which the spreader is pushed.</p></div> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-017/430-017.html Lawns Tools & Techniques http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-011/430-011.html <p>Fertilization of lawns is essential for the production of quality turf in Virginia. However, exceeding recommended fertilizer application rates or improper application timing can negatively impact surface water and groundwater quality. A well-planned and environmentally sound turfgrass fertilization program will take into account:</p> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-011/430-011.html Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-010/430-010.html <p>Water composes from 75 percent to 85 percent of the weight of a healthy grass plant. It is essential for seed germination, tissue formation, plant cooling, food manufacture, and nutrient absorption and transport. A grass plant loses the most water under conditions of high light intensity, high temperature, low relative humidity, and windy conditions. Without adequate water, the grass plant can't cool itself and becomes susceptible to wilting, desiccation, and death.</p> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-010/430-010.html Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-003/430-003.html <p>The best way to determine if your lawn requires certain plant nutrients is to get the soil tested. This test is available through your local Extension Agent. It is easy to do and inexpensive. The results returned to you will include recommendations on the amounts of plant nutrients and lime that would be beneficial to your lawn. Soil tests are not used to determine nitrogen needs. Nitrogen is applied based upon established requirements by grass species, seasons of growth and intended use.</p> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-003/430-003.html Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-719/426-719.html <p>A quality lawn results from using the right grass species and/or variety, proper planting and establishment, and sound management. Planting the right turfgrass for your site reduces the need for pesticides. The most important step for the homeowner is selecting the proper turfgrass for the situation.</p> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-719/426-719.html Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-718/426-718.html <div xmlns:o="urn:www.microsoft.com/office" xmlns:st1="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags" xmlns:st2="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags2" xmlns:w="urn:www.microsoft.com/word" xmlns:x="urn:www.microsoft.com/excel"><p>Producing quality lawns in Virginia can be challenging. Geographically, Virginia is located in what is known as the transition zone for turfgrasses. This means the climate can be hostile to both cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue) and warm-season grasses (bermudagrass, zoysiagrass). However, with proper cultural practices, a healthy lawn can be established and maintained.</p><p>Turf may be established from seed, sprigs, plugs, or sod. The method depends on the grass species desired, the environmental conditions, time constraints, and financial considerations. If possible, use only certified seed and sod. The same requirements for soil preparation apply for all methods.</p></div> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-718/426-718.html Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-703/426-703.html <div xmlns:o="urn:www.microsoft.com/office" xmlns:st1="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags" xmlns:st2="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags2" xmlns:w="urn:www.microsoft.com/word" xmlns:x="urn:www.microsoft.com/excel"><p>Compost is one of the most valuable resources for beautifying your landscape, and it is virtually free. The leaves you rake, the grass you mow, and the branches you trim are some of the ingredients you can use to make compost. Finished compost is dark and has a pleasant smell. It is produced when organic matter — such as garden, lawn, and kitchen waste — is broken down by bacteria and fungi. </p><p>Use compost throughout your landscape: dig it into gardens and flower beds, add it to the soil when renovating your lawn, or put it through a sieve and use it in potting soil.</p></div> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-703/426-703.html Gardening & The Environment Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-717/452-717.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-717/452-717.html Soils Turf Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-540/430-540.html <div xmlns:o="urn:www.microsoft.com/office" xmlns:st1="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags" xmlns:st2="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags2" xmlns:w="urn:www.microsoft.com/word" xmlns:x="urn:www.microsoft.com/excel"><p>This publication is available in a Breeze Presentation. To view the presentation you will need to download the <a href="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash">Macromedia Flash Player</a>.</p><p><a href="http://breeze.ag.vt.edu/p36588349/">Soil Testing for the Lawn and Landscape, Publication #430-540</a></p></div> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-540/430-540.html Soils Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-520/430-520.html <div xmlns:o="urn:www.microsoft.com/office" xmlns:st1="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags" xmlns:st2="urn:www.microsoft.com/smarttags2" xmlns:w="urn:www.microsoft.com/word" xmlns:x="urn:www.microsoft.com/excel">Late-summer to mid-fall is the best time to establish cool-season turfgrass. Warm days and cool nights provide ideal conditions for seed germination and establishment of tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, fine-leaf fescues, and perennial ryegrass. Sod establishment is also favored at this time of year. Understanding why renovation is necessary can help you to avoid the same pitfalls in the future. Is sparse and weedy turf the result of neglect, inappropriate mowing heights, environmental limitations caused by too much or too little rain, etc.? Is there possibly a soil problem such as a nutrient deficiency, an improper pH, poor drainage, or compaction? Might the turfgrass species simply be a poor choice for the site, the climate, or the anticipated use of the turf?</div> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-520/430-520.html Lawns Turf http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-718/452-718.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-718/452-718.html Soils Turf Lawns http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-055/452-055.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-055/452-055.html Gardening & The Environment Lawns