by Bill Scheffler ~ August 25, 2004

Tip #1
Thank goodness for the rain!

Tip #2
Look out for the grubs! Because of our very cool summer, our area is behind about 10 degree days, so grubs should start emerging fairly soon, if not already. What is a degree-day? Plants and insects develop according to the ambient temperature. The lawn care industry charts these temperatures by degree-days, which are an indicator of what the temperature trends are and how they will be changing.

A sure sign of grubs in your lawn is evidence of digging. The skunks and possum are the culprits here in their search for grubs to eat.

An easy way to determine if your lawn should be treated or not is to tug on your turf as you would a carpet. If it lifts right up like a carpet, you can bet that you have quite a few grubs eating your grass. 1 or 2 grubs per square foot is something your grass can probably recover from without the need for treatment. However, if you find 5 or more grubs per square foot, it’s a good idea to start considering treatment options.

Don’t forget the easy options too, like killing the grubs by hand if your yard is small enough.

Tip #3
This is a good time to aerate or overseed grass in preparation for a strong and healthy lawn next year. Grass you put down now will begin to sprout in seven days, however it will have the entire fall, winter, and spring seasons to mature and develop strong roots. It takes grass 12 months to mature so by July of next year, when freshly planted grass is beginning to burn out, this grass will be growing strong and vibrant because of its well-developed root system.

Remember, plant in the fall and develop strong roots! Planting in the spring gives you more top growth but generally only for that season, if it even survives the heat of the summer