Lawns Archives - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard

Lawns

Can I use Bugleweed in place of Fescue grass lawn? Is it invasive?

Question: I have Chocolate Chip Ajuga Bugleweed on my property. It’s very happy and I really like the look of it. I’m interested in converting most of my lawn to a native grass and perennial meadow, though it will not be 100% native. I wanted to check in with your expert gardeners to see if […]

Is there something we could amend the lawn soil with to help it drain into the ground or dry up?

Question: I have a lawn question. My front yard, approx. a 1/4 acre, creates a “bowl”, we have a drainage pipe that drains the bulk of rain runoff into the woods but half of the “bowl” is still always saturated to the point we can’t mow it and it gets sun almost all day. Is […]

What is the best method to get rid of wild violets without using harmful chemicals?

Question: Wild violets are taking over area of front lawn and garden. What is the best way to rid them without harmful chemicals? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional I’m sorry to hear about the violet problems. Unfortunately, as you can read in this fantastic resource on wild violets from Penn State Univ’s Extension, “[w]ild […]

How should I reseed the bare spots in my lawn?

Question: I have tried to reseed the bare spots in my lawn with little success. I looked online at winter seeding a lawn (Dec.-Feb.) and it shows a germination rate of up to 75% in the spring. Is this something that would work in our zone? If so, what seed mix/manufacturer would you recommend? Answer: […]

What are recommendations for low maintenance, ecologically sound replacements for lawns?

Question: What does recent research recommend as alternative, low-maintenance, ecologically sound replacements for lawns. Is there recommended ground covers for shady areas or extra dry areas that can be planted to reduce lawn area? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Projects Assistant Some common groundcover alternatives to turfgrass include creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis), creeping phlox (Phlox […]

Is there a lawn weed killer that would be safe for the clover growing in my grass?

Question: I wanted to get a lawn weed killer that would be safe for the clover growing in my grass…any recommendations? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Project Assistant Unfortunately, there aren’t great chemical options for weed control in turfgrass that will leave clover unaffected. Most lawn pesticides are targeted at broad-leaved plants, while leaving grasses unaffected. […]

What is a native plant that can be used to replace lawn turfgrass?

Question: We’re looking to replace our lawn grass with a low-growing, low-maintenance native plant. The area is about a quarter of an acre, in full sun. Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Project Assistant Common groundcover alternatives to turfgrass include creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum), creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis), creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera), bearberry (Arctastaphyllos uva-ursi), and Dutch white clover (Trifolium repens), […]

Is “No-Mow May” beneficial?

Question: I heard that “No-mow May” is more harmful than reducing the amount of mowing, or “Low-mow May”, which would increase the number of pollinator plants in the lawn. Which is correct? Answer: Lynne Holland, Horticulture and Social Media Professional The answer to your questions of no-mow vs low-mow May is that “It depends.”. The purpose […]

Is it harmful to water lawns with water that contains low levels of chlorine?

Question: I am looking at reseeding my lawn. I have a lot of places that have died and turned to dirt. Watering is obviously essential. However, I have a water filtration system on my house. Filtering massive amounts of water will kill my filtration system. However, if I turn the filters off, the water has […]

How do you get rid of moss that is taking over the lawn?

Question: Sphagnum moss is taking over our lawn, especially in shady areas. I have tried changing the soil pH with wood ashes and lime, but no success thus far. Is there a better way without laying down poisons? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Project Assistant Moss in the lawn can be very frustrating, and is almost […]

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