Lawns Archives - Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard

Lawns

Is there an effective, natural way to get rid of ants in my lawn?

Question: Is there an effective, natural way to get rid of ants in my lawn? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional The short answer to your question is, unfortunately, “not really.” The typical “natural” approaches are things like boiling water, horticultural vinegar, etc.–none of them will kill enough of the ants to make a […]

Could you answer questions about garden pollination for an article I am writing?

Question: I am writing an article on garden pollination. 1) What are the (20 or 30) most common vegetables grown in Maine home vegetable gardens? 2) Are there any bats in Maine that pollinate? Bats are often included in native pollinator lists, but I’ve learned most of the species that pollinate are tropical. 3) Aside […]

How do I treat a fungal infection on the clover in my lawn?

Question: I have what appears to be a fungal infection in my clover lawn. I need help identifying it and advise for the proper fungicide. Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional I’m sorry to hear about the clover problems. I believe it’s likely you’re looking at powdery mildew, a common clover ailment in red […]

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), […]

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