Today I would like to talk about divot repair. So far you have done a good job of using the sand bottles to repair the divots. Believe it or not, over 5 tons of product have been used in our efforts. However, not all are being repaired correctly so I would like to take this opportunity to illustrate the correct way to repair your divots.
#1 Take a divot
If a divot exists always find it and replace it. Then topdress around the edge of the divot, using the divot sand to seal it off and protect the edges from drying out.
Then smooth out the excess material into the turf and you have a nicely repaired divot.
If the divot is fractured fill the divot with sand mix and smooth out.
For the do it yourself homeowner:
If you have fruit bearing trees, you should be thinking about a fungicide spray to protect your crop. This should be done once monthly until harvest.
Round two of fertilizer should now be going down on your lawn. A slow release product will prevent burning and to give you control for a couple of months.
It is a great time of year to control young broadleaf weeds. If you wait too long the plant often grows a waxy substance on the leaf that makes control very difficult during the summer months. Please follow label directions, many times people think if a little is good, more is better. That is not the case in turf chemicals.
Tulip bulbs can be dug up and dried for summer storage. In the fall they can be divided and replanted. Many of your perennials can now also be divided for added benefit to your gardens.
If you have an interest in bird watching I encourage you to think about joining Audubon International or look at this web site for some more information: http://www.auduboninternational.org/homepledge/index.htm
Lastly if you have seen this in your yard last fall it is called “summer patch”
Summer patch is an infectious disease that can become a problem in sodded lawns for several years after sodding, especially where sod has been laid over compacted soil. The visual symptoms show up during summer drought/heat stress due to a deteriorated root system infected by the disease. Patches of droughty turf 6-12” in diameter can develop with green turf in the center forming a classic “frog eye” appearance.
If you have seen it you can control it using a DMI fungicide. You can purchase a granular product and then apply it yourself. The time to do this is now even though you might not see the disease until late summer. This is a soil borne pathogen and for the fungicide to be effective you need to water it in with ¼” of water to get the chemical to the soil interface.
Rick Tegtmeier