Question
QUESTION: I just moved into a new home, with a lovely lawn in front (and smaller beat-up one in back).  There is so much info out there on fertilizing, aerating, seeding, etc.  I'm kind of overwhelmed right now despite having some past experience.  The Internet is good, but the info overload is too much to digest and assimilate.  

Can you give (or point me in the right direction) me some basic fundamentals to follow?  Something like Early Spring: Check Ph level (how?), aerate, fertilize.  I prefer to have a lawn care company handle this, but finances are tight right now and we can't make the annual contract committment (btwn $150-$300 per month to handle nearly everything).  The lawn is in okay shape, but we may have poison ivy (in the back) and weed issues in the summer.  
Talk some sense into me so I might understand what should be done, what can wait, etc.  
Sorry for the very general question, but I need some basic core of knowledge with which to move forward with.  Thanks!

ANSWER: This is all very simple, Len.  Don't let them confuse you with the facts.  This is a piece of cake.

Step Number One: Get a Soil Test.  You have a new house and Grass is growing around the house.  All you need is a Lawnmower right now.  See if they left one in the garage.  If not, you have a choice.

You can get the one(s) at Sears or Home Depot -- Sears is hurting right now, and Lawnmowers are probably going to be priced very sharp to move them.  A wide one will cut down on the number of steps you make when you mow.  On a hot Sunday morning in July, believe me, you're going to appreciate that.

Or you can do the green thing and pick up a precision German Reel Mower that cuts the Grass in silence, which is very nice when you are the first one out of bed on those Sunday mornings and you don't want to wake up the neighbors.  I am one of those people who really likes to mow very quietly.  They're about the same as a gas mower, and they get delivered to your door, no fuss no muss.  They don't need sharpening the first 5 or 10 years and they cut the Grass like a fish thru water.

That's the big step right now, your Lawnmower commitment.

And a Soil Test.

A Soil Test will tell you what, IF ANYTHING, you need to 'feed' your Lawn.  And it will cost you less than a tank of Gas.  Give me your Zipcode and I'll send you the contact details for the Cooperative Extension Soil Testing Lab.  I promise not to show up at your door waving.

As far as Lawn Care 'Professionals', they are not always too good at this.  You'll get better service if you know what needs to be done.  Otherwise they'll be talking you into all kinds of add-ons, coming up with excuses for all kinds of diseases, spraying toxic chemicals all over the place (got kids? got pets?).

For now, all you have to worry about is Mowing and Watering.  The Soil Test will give you more to worry about, and I'll give you some choices about what to do about it.  Which is probably going to be something like, Buy a bag of Lime and apply at 'x' rate.  But you could have alkaline Soil that needs NO Lime.  Find out.

Thanks for writing.  Take a deep breath, and find yourself a Lawnmower.  And don't forget to send me that zipcode.

L.I.G.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I must compliment you on a great initial response. You understood the nature of my e-mail perfectly.  Your answers is very straightforward, too, and that is really appreciated by me.  

Zip code is 22079 (Lorton, VA)

No mower in garage, but they left a feeder.  Good comment on Sears; they are hurting and we'll get a better deal there than Home Depot or Lowe's.

Should I really consider a German Reel Mower?  I'll research it later today.  

Okay, here are some particulars on the lawn:
Total sq ft for lawn is 880, with 700 being in the front (about 88 on side, and back).  
We're on a hill with woods directly behind us.
Scotts Lawn identified the grass: Bermuda (in spots only) and Tall Fescue.  Lots of sun in front, less so in the back.  Thatch is .5 to 1" with clay loam. He identified the weeds as carpetweed, chickweed and clover, with some crabgrass; also moss (in shadier back area).

Bingo, too, on the 'professionals'.  I've entertained about 6 estimates so far, and I'm getting different info from each one, including lots of chemical (regular vs. organic) talk.  I'm glad you're providing some answers; it will help me sort out a proper and comprehensive approach.  

Lastly, and slightly different subject: What about poison ivy?  I'm highly allergic and witht he woods right behind us, we'll have some.  I've tried different weed-killers in the past, but ivy requires more of a root-oriented approach, right?  Any quick thoughts will be very helpful and appreciated.

Thank you so much for your help!!!  Len


Answer
Fairfax County, VA uses the resources of the Virginia Tech Soil Testing Labs:

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/newsletter/soiltest.htm

Your local public library is where you pick up a Soil Testing kit, usually around $7 for the basics.  Get your hands on a schedule and see what they charge for a comprehensive analysis -- pH, CEC, the whole contents breakdown.

Let's talk about your Tall Fescue and Bermudagrass.  And your Weeds.  And mowing.

Tall Fescue -- a Cool Season Grass.  Stays Green all Winter.  Brightens up in Spring and Fall.  Goes semidormant in mid-Summer heat.

Bermudagrass -- a Warm Season Grass.  Pouts through Winter.  Spaces out in Spring and Fall.  Brightens up in mid-Summer heat -- LOVES triple digit temps in mid-July.

Weeds -- specialize in heat, drought and low fertility.  Usually Annual.  The keys to Weed control:

(1)  Mow right often, at just the right height;

(2)  Water your Grass DEEP and LONG to make it vigorous and tough (and anti-Weeds);

(3)  NEVER let Weeds go to Seed;

(4)  Fertilize your Grass at peak growth periods with a gentle, non-toxic Fertilizer.

University of California at Davis does a lot of research on Weeds and Grass.  One point they make over and over about how important it is to mow your Grass right:  'No single height is best for all Turfgrasses... Each Grass species will be healthier and have a deeper root system the higher the Grass is mowed.'  Here's one essay they have published on this matter:

http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8006.pdf

Yardener's Advisor Newsletter posts their advice in 'Mowing The Southern Lawn':

http://www.yardener.com/MowingtheSouthernLawn.html

They say, 'Routinely mowing Southern Turfgrasses such as Bermudagrass... to a minimum height of 1 1/2 inches reduces Weeds because the longer blades block sunlight that ever-present Weed Seeds in the Soil need to germinate.'

University of Illinois did another test:

www.turf.uiuc.edu/research/summaries/1994/94_3.1.pdf#search='university%20test%20mowing%20height'

Their plot was planted with Tall Fescue.  They discovered that Weeds did best when the Grass around them was mowed at 1 or 2 inches.  Lots of people figure that mowing low is a good idea because they don't have to mow it as much.  But there is this unwanted side effect that Weeds tend to love that low mow.  The Illinois authorities observed: 'Crabgrass populations increased as mowing height decreased...'

Got that?

Weeds are low on the ground.  They need light like everybody else.  But with thick, tall Grass all over the place, they get less of it.  And the thick, tall Grass gets more.

Most industry data will tell you to mow Hybrid Bermudagrass at 1/2 to 1 inch.  Tall Fescue is different; you can mow it between 2 to 4 inches and still have gorgeous Grass.

During Summer Drought and Heat spells, mow both of these a half inch higher.

Remember that your Warm Season Grass will grow fastest in the heat of summer.  Plan on doing most of your Bermudagrass mowing then.  Even if it's 110 degrees F in the shade. EVEN IF IT RAINS.  If you mow too high, your warm-season Grass will build up Thatch.  Bad for Grass.  Good for Weeds.  Take the mowing height VERY SERIOUSLY.

The Tall Fescue will be thankfully asleep at the wheel when it gets that hot.

Yardener's Advisor says homeowners often make this mistake:

'Because warm season Southern Grasses have a reputation for tolerating closer mowing, some homeowners mistakenly mow too short.  Increasing the height of your Grass only 1/8 inch adds about 300 additional square feet of leaf surface for each 1,000 square feet of Lawn.  The extra leaf surface enhances Grass growth above the ground and -- even more importantly -- under the Soil.'

Just don't be one of them.

So you see, just mowing carefully will get rid of lots of Weeds.  Most
Weeds.  But you have to know what you're doing.

What else can you do to kill Weeds?

Fertilize!

Nitrogen is one of your best weapons for whacking Weeds.

University of Illinois learned that when it came to fertilizer, the amount of Nitrogen was not what mattered -- just as long as some Nitrogen fertilizer was applied.  Putting down NO fertilizer was visible worse for the Grass: 'Tall Fescue that was not fertilized had significantly higher broadleaf weed populations than Turf not fertilized with any Nitrogen.'

Corn Gluten Meal will slow-release the best Nitrogen money can buy all summer long.  I'll tell you all about that some other time.

Researchers in the study above also said: 'Even a low annual rate of
Nitrogen fertilization can decrease broadleaf Weed populations and reduce or ELIMINATE the need for herbicide control.'

The Texas Cooperative Extension sums up the pro's of Tall Fescue this way: 'Tall fescue is adapted to a wide range of soil and climatic conditions, but performs best on well drained clay soils in the "transition zone." Tall fescue demonstrates good shade tolerance in the southern region and remains green year-round under irrigated conditions.'

There's a whole speech about it on their website:

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/turf/publications/tallfesc.html

About your Poison Ivy problem:  First, NEVER mow them down.  Mowing spits pieces of the leaves all over the place.  To pull up single plants by the roots, wrap your arms in plastic bags, then pull.  This is obviously something you want to get someone else to handle if possible.  The Urushiol Oil is an instant irritant.

I have heard just a few 'cocktail' recipes that have been used, but I confess I have not used any myself -- never had this problem.  The one cocktail I hear the most about mixes Table Salt, Dr Bonner's Liquid Detergent (any flavor), Vinegar and Water.  It wipes out all signs of life everywhere you pour/spray it, so be discrete about where you use it.

Herbicidal Soap Spray

Mix 1 cup salt in 1 gal of Vinegar and heat; stir until dissolved.  Stir in 8 drops liquid soap.  Spray or pour over Poison Ivy or Poison Oak.

Alternately, you can purchase products that you simply have someone spray the Poison Ivy with.  Such products are available from Dirtworks:

http://www.dirtworks.net/Poison-Ivy-Defoliant.html

Very important: Dead Poison Ivy Leaves are LOADED with skin irritants that will cause the reaction you don't want on your Skin.  Always pull these Plants out of the ground, from the roots, even if they are dead and browned.

It takes as long as 30 minutes after contact for Urushiol to begin affecting your skin.  Fast cleanup can prevent a reaction.  Tecnu and Fels Naphtha Soap are both said to be effective at cleaning exposed skin when you accidentally come in contact with Poison Ivy.

See what you can do with a little up-to-date Biochemistry???

No fuss.  No muss.