We have had a ton of rain in the Northeast this July and we are seeing a LOT of disease issues this year because of it.  

Pythium Blight is one in particular that we are seeing a lot of this summer. There are many different strategies for treating Pythium.  The one that we’d like to dive into a bit more today is using Phosphites. 

A lot of people when they hear Phosphite, think Phosphate.  These are not to be confused.  Phosphate fertilizers have become banned in lawn care use in CT.  Phosphorus is a naturally occurring and essential nutrient for plants but increased levels of these nutrients can jeopardize water quality in its run-off.

Some customers ask us why they have weeds in the Summer if we have already treated their lawns for weeds in the Spring. Treating weeds is an ongoing process. Why? Because there are different generations of annual weeds. 

Summer annual weeds can be difficult to manage in the Northeast because they are suited to thrive in many of the same conditions that cool season grasses thrive in. 

Coming into Spring, soil temperature dictates just about everything we do in lawn care - especially in the Northeast where we have a lot of cool season grasses.  

What temperature does my soil need to be for seeds to germinate?

Spring seeding and dormant seedings won't germinate until soil temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  A range of 50-65 degrees is optimal (measured at a depth of 2 inches).  Once we reach this soil temperature, the process of germination will begin. 

While these two sound similar, they couldn't be more different.  They are both types of bluegrass. One is desirable and one is not. 

Kentucky Blue Grass yields a beautiful, lush, dark green lawn while Poa Annua (annual blue grass) spreads rapidly and dies quickly, often leaving you with a patchy lawn. 

Fun fact: Many homeowners find Poa Annua undesirable but some golf courses find it very desirable.  It grows low and is easier to maintain in this environment.

How does hard water or soft water affect my soil/lawn performance?

Water that is too hard and water that is too soft can be equally damaging to a lawn. What’s the main difference between the two? Hard water contains minerals and soft water does not. 

With hard water comes nutrients that are beneficial to a lawn, whereas soft water contains no nutrients for your lawn - just salt. 

Rain water is soft. When it travels through the ground before reaching treatment facilities, it picks up minerals along the way in the process of becoming hard water.

A lot of people believe the best time of year to seed your lawn is in the spring.  Seed planted in springtime will germinate quickly but might die just as quickly as it came up. 

• Time of Year to Seed My Lawn [Best to Worst]
• Best Way to Prepare My Lawn for Spring

We are very proud to be able to provide our customers with what we believe is some of the highest quality grass seed in the country. 

Atlantic Golf & Turf, where we get our grass seed from, is very proud to be one of only TWO certified A-list Seed variety blenders in the entire COUNTRY. Right here in the Northeast! 

Winters can put a lot of stress on a lawn if you aren’t careful. To make sure you are ready, take a look at some of the tips below. 

In many cases, these winterizing tips don’t cost much and don’t take up much time but can yield great rewards come Spring. 

Here’s what you can do to get your lawn ready for a cold, New England winter. 

For starters - what is thatch?

Thatch is the layer of organic material between grass and soil that consists of the build up of living and dead grass and leaves. 

A thatch layer of about a 1/4 inch can be beneficial to your lawn and can help soil retain moisture and maintain a steady soil temperature. 

What is Dormant Seeding? 

Dormant seeding is the practice of sowing grass seeds in late fall or early winter when the soil temperature is below 40 degrees.  Grass seed will not germinate when the soil temperature is cold. 

Dormant seeding can be a great option for those of you who have missed the late summer/early fall window to Aerate and Seed.