How to get rid of the ‘skunk’ effect on your lawn
Last year we had to replant a strip of lawn after construction. Now we have weird stripes of bright green grass and yellow-green grass. Will this go away? The lawn care company swears it planted tall fescue, and I know the old lawn was tall fescue. How do I get rid of this ‘skunk’ effect?
Tall fescue is the best turfgrass for sunnier Maryland lawns, so improved cultivars (varieties) are being developed all the time. They are even more drought-tolerant and less coarse-bladed than old cultivars. Also — relevant to your situation — greener.
Your new patch is a new cultivar, achieving a rich, deep green that contrasts with the old fescue. To make them blend better, overseed the old area with the newly used cultivar or a similar new cultivar This is best done in late summerearly fall (the premier time of year to seed lawns.)
Right now, do a soil test to check on fertilizer and lime needs for the whole lawn. Lime can be added anytime except when ground is frozen or in drought. A light nitrogen fertilization in mid-May, then the regular fall fertilization ensures the old fescue is up to snuff. For successful overseeding, first search ‘lawn renovation
and overseeding’ on the HGIC website.
When is the best time to ship raspberry and blackberry plants via mail, so I can plant them right away? I’m assuming
when ground is thawed but I’m new to gardening and, embarrassingly, do not know.
No need to be embarrassed, we all learn new things each day. Ideally,
plant dormant brambles (no open buds or leaves) between late March and early April. But spring gardening depends a lot on early spring weather. Whether your planting area is already prepared (turf/weeds killed, soil loosened, compost added) or not, you must wait until soil is ‘workable’. Do not dig in wet soil. To test that soil is ‘workable’, grab a handful and gently squeeze into a ball. It should break apart when bounced up and down in your hand or pressed.
While you wait for soil to thaw or dry, hold dormant plants in a garage or protected outside location. Open the box and plastic covering as soon as they arrive to allow air to circulate. Plants must be kept cool, ventilated, but also hydrated. Wrap moist shredded newspaper or growing media around root systems. You can also temporarily ‘plant’ the root systems under soil or mulch in a shallow trench in your garden until the site is ready. This is known as ‘heeling in.’
University of Maryland Extension’s Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information at extension.umd.edu/hgic. Click “Ask Maryland’s Gardening Experts” to send questions and photos.