Spring Time Lawn Care

Everyone's lawns are looking bad right now after this hard winter. I have bur bur clover and brown patch.

Bur clover is hard to get rid of after it sets in. I've been paying a couple of guys to come over and weed, which is helping, but not completely solving the problem. Some "experts" recommend an herbicide. And in the fall, you can put down a pre-emergent weed killer that prevents seeds from germinating. However, it is too late for this season's weeds. And keeping the grass/bur clover moved to keep it from flowering helps.

I don't know if you have brown patch (appears as big round areas of brown, dead grass) or not, but it is caused by cool temperatures combined with wet conditions. Several fungicides can also be used for the prevention and control of brown patch.

My concern is run off into the bay. We have noted a severe decline in fish and crabs since we moved here in 1996. I know a lot of it is caused by too many chemicals running off into the bay. So if I use, and generally I don't, something on my lawn, I make sure it is organic, and less harmful to the bay. I'm going to give you some websites that I think can answer your questions. And I know that Moore Than Feed located here in Rockport sells a lot of organic lawn/yard products. I stay away from all of the Monsanto products. I use neither weed and feed products nor Roundup to kill weeds. I have found that pickling vinegar 9% works just as good on weeds, especially if sprayed on a sunny day.

Check out these sites.

http://m.caller.com/news/2010/feb/27/time-now-broad-leaved-weed-control/

http://aggieturf.tamu.edu/answers4you/index.htm

http://aggieturf.tamu.edu/turftips.htm

http://www.naturalgardeneraustin.com/ladybugbrand/

http://www.garden-ville.com/

http://www.spray-n-growgardening.com/

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/Gardening-Handbook/index.htm