Lawn Tips from Mark Wilson

Is there any type of lawn maintenance I should be doing during the winter months (January- February) to prepare for the spring grass growing season?
Dormant seeding has become very popular recently and can be done in January and February.  Aerification can also be a maintenance procedure that can be accomplished, if the ground is not frozen.  You can also accomplish any sodding procedure if sod is available and the ground is not frozen.

When is the soonest I can begin applying fertilizers and grass seed to my lawn after the winter months?  Should I use pre-emergents and what kind?
Good question in the sense that , if the seeding is done, a pre-emergence program must be planned differently or not done at all.  The pre-emergence product you buy will have a label telling you how much time is needed after seeding.  There are a lot of pre-emergence herbicides that will do a decent job, but 100% control is sometimes unrealistic.

I have leftover fertilizer and grass seed from last year.  Are they still good to use this year?
I have not known of a fertilizer going bad, but grass seed can have a lower percentage of germination as it gets older.

My neighbor says you should feed your lawn four times a year.  Is this really necessary?
There is no set fertilizer program since everyone's soil may be different.  You may want to have a complete soil analysis performed on your lawn.  You will then be given recommendations of fertilizer needs for your soil.  Every part of the country's turf has different timing and plant requirements, and you may want to check with your agricultural county extension agent for more specific recommendations.

This winter was really hard on my lawn.  I've noticed a lot of heaped up spots- really bumpy and uneven.  Is this where the ground has buckled from the frost and snow?  What can I do to smooth it out?
I think the best approach is to hand rake and level these areas.  Some seeding or sodding may be needed.  As the spring lush growth comes, most of these areas will disappear.

My children bought me a Lawn Roller for Christmas.  I was wondering if it would hurt my lawn if I used it now to smooth out the areas where it's really bumpy and uneven, or should I wait until the ground softens and the grass greens up?
Being a golf superintendent I can tell you that rolling has become quite popular in most recent years.  I think rolling has it benefits any time of the year.  Just remember not to roll when the ground is wet.

Last year I had a bad crabgrass problem.  I'm wondering when I should begin treating my lawn this year to prevent the crabgrass from coming back.
A thick, healthy turf is your best weed prevention.  Crab grass controls are normally applied at soil temperatures of 55 degrees, although some of the new pre-emergences like "Barricade" can be applied in late fall.

When is the best time to aerate my lawn?
You can aerate at any time because it helps provide oxygen to the soil, but the best time may be when your turf is growing the greatest percentage of roots, which is spring and fall.

Can you explain the difference between spike aerating and plug aerating, and the reasons why I need to aerate?
Spike aerating makes a slit in the soil, while plug aerating pulls a plug of soil from the earth.  Both methods help provide oxygen and loosen soil, but the soil from plug aeration, once incorporated back into you lawn, helps in the microbial activity in the soil and thatch of your turf. (Microbial activity is the natural decay of dead mass in turf.)

If I want that "golf-course" look, what type of grass seed or sod do you recommend I plant?
Actually that golf course "look" or "turf" is not a good recommendation because it means you must cut your lawn shorter and, therefore, requires higher maintenance.  The lower the height of cut, the more you have to cut your lawn.  Several lawn turfs are acceptable at higher heights of cut; i.e., Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, and St. Augustine, and they only require mowing once a week.

My lawn has a lot of clover.  What pesticide do you recommend to get rid of it?
The most common herbicide used for clover control are MCPP, Dicamba and Clopyralid.  The hard part of controlling clover is its waxy leaf and getting the herbicide to stick.  The use of a sticker with your herbicide may help.