These grasses, usually found in the south, grow in areas that typically don’t get too cold in the winter, but are still susceptible to frost. The winters in these locations tend to have less extreme conditions than other locations so the requirements for winterizing are a little different.

Common warm season lawn grasses include:

• Bahiagrass
• Bermudagrass
• Buffalograss
• Augustine
• Centipede Grass
• Zoysia Grass

Overseed with Annual Ryegrass

Warm season grasses go dormant throughout the winter. If you dream of a green lawn all year round, you need to overseed in the fall with annual ryegrass. Ryegrass is one of the fastest germinating and growing annual grasses. Planting in the fall will add color to your winter lawn, then it will die as the next year’s heat starts to increase.

Bermudagrass tends to tolerate winter overseeding more than Zoysia grass, Centipede grass, or St. Augustine grass. It’s best to speak to a professional about what variety of ryegrass will work best for your particular region. You want one that will grow well in your winter climate and start to die back as the summer’s heat increases.

Winter Fertilizing

Warm season grasses don’t receive the traditional winter fertilizer that your cool-season grasses do. These grasses can benefit from an application of potassium (K). The best thing to do is use a soil test to determine if your soil is lacking potassium.

In fertilizer, potassium is typically oxide of potassium called potash. You don’t want to apply any fertilizer with high nitrogen at this time because it will overstimulate your grass. In the winter, warm-season grasses go dormant as the temperatures start to fall. At this time, grass needs to be storing nutrients in preparation for dormancy. Nitrogen will push growth at this time, which could lead your grass to delay dormancy and potentially die.

The best time to apply fertilizer to warm season grasses in the early fall around September. If you are unsure when you should apply fertilizer, call your local extension office or garden center. They can give you information about the best time to do so. However, in places like Florida, fertilization should be done when the grass stops growing for the season. October and November are the best times for feeding the lawn.

When you go to fertilize, make sure you remove any debris or leaves from your lawn. Use a lawn spreader to apply the fertilizer for even results.

Watch for Dormancy

These types of grasses go dormant when the temperatures start to drop below 65 degrees F and lower, which typically happens in autumn. Bermudagrass, Zoysia grass, St. Augustine, and Centipede grass all go dormant as the temperature decreases. Dormancy is a hardening-off process that allows the grass to preserve itself throughout unfavorable weather.

You Still Need to Water

If you live in the deep south, you still need to water your lawn in the winter, but it doesn’t require as much. Your dormant lawn still needs about 1-inch of water per week in the absence of rain. Dormant lawns need to be irrigated to prevent desiccation during windy weather. Those who live in warmer areas typically can cut back to once or twice per week, depending on the current temperature. Make sure you turn off the sprinklers during a rainy time. Overwatering is just as dangerous to a plant’s life as underwatering.

Mowing

Unlike cool-season grasses, warm grasses typically still need to be mowed, but that will depend on your climate and weather. Those closer to the transitional zone may not need to mow, but those in the deep south never get to put their lawn mower away completely. However, you may get away with once a month!

Warm season grasses should be cut ½ inch taller than you cut it throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Cutting it higher helps to promote deep rooting and increases carbohydrate production. An ideal height is between 1 ½ and 2 inches, which is a bit shorter than you would cut in the spring and fall.

Remove Thatch

Too much thatch and compacted soil stop air, water, and nutrients from reaching the grassroots, and that can prevent your lawn from growing and thriving. Thatch is an accumulation of undecayed and decaying plant matter. It accumulates on top of the soil. Removing thatch is an important step! If water is unable to penetrate the soil, it will cause your lawn to die!

Winterizing Your Lawn Care

As winter approaches, you have to take special care to prepare your grass for the upcoming cooler weather. Warm-season grasses require special care and treatment to ensure it lives through the cooler temperatures and thrives in the upcoming spring.

Lack of winterization can endanger the health of your grass in the springtime. Your lawn may not have the nutrients necessary to bring it through the colder months, and a late application might cause your grass to continue to grow when it should be going into dormancy. Proper methods are necessary for the best results and lawn all year-round!

Summer is coming up fast, which means lots of fun in the sun and nighttime campfires. The one thing that always sends people packing back inside are mosquitoes! Keep these pests at bay by planting these 8 plants in your garden! Growing plants such as rosemary and lavender is a great and all-natural way to keep mosquitoes away. If you’re worried about harsh chemicals from sprays, going all-natural is the way to go! Take a look at our list of 8 plants below and pick out your favorite!

1. Rosemary

Not only is rosemary a great herb to use in the kitchen, it also keeps nasty mosquitoes away! Rosemary is a hardy plant that requires little water and lots of sun.

2. Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal flowers look great as a groundcover and they can also be used in the kitchen! It works well in many fish dishes if you’re looking for a special boost of flavor. Butterflies love Pennyroyal – they just can’t seem to stay away!

3. Lavender

Lavender is also an all-natural mosquito repellant! Lavender is an easy plant to grow, and requires well-draining soil and lots of sun. It also makes a great tea!

4. Basil

We all know that basil is the star in every tomato sauce, but did you know that it repels mosquitoes, too? Basil will thrive if you live in a hot and dry climate, and it needs well-draining soil and lots of sunlight.

5. Peppermint

Many bugs hate the smell of peppermint, which is great news for us since peppermint is an herb that is a must-have in any garden and kitchen! Use it to make tea, soothe mosquito bites, or add it to your lemonade!

6. Citronella

Citronella is a common ingredient in most store-bought mosquito repellants. It’s a tall grass that can grow up to 6 feet tall and works great in a climate without frost. If you live in an area with frost, you can simply plant it in a pot and bring it inside during cold weather.

7. Horsemint

Horsemint grows quickly and loves the shade. It loves sandy soil and its leaves can be used to make a delicious tea.

8. Catnip

For the cat lovers out there, planting catnip is a must! Catnip is a member of the mint family and is super easy to grow. It’s drought tolerant and not only keeps mosquitoes away, but also flies, termites, and cockroaches!

Photos: Deux Dilettantes, Wikipedia, Parfait Image, Everything Lavender, My Everyday Oils, Rawyaelgammal, Garden Guides, Img Arcade, My Medicine Woman.

Mulch is really important for any garden, not only does it conserve moisture and enhance plants, it’s also an erosion buster! If you’re having a weed problem, mulch helps by stopping weeds from taking root. On hot days, the mulch helps shade the roots of your plants.

The first thing when it comes to applying mulch is do you want organic or inorganic? Organic mulch is wood, bark, compost, leaves, and grass clippings. It will eventually decompose and improve the soil as it’s decomposing. Stone is a more permanent mulch. It’s a low-maintenance option but it’s not easy to plant in. When choosing a mulch, you need to decide if you will need to do any gardening that requires digging and moving the mulch around. If so, choosing an organic mulch would be a better option.

Now you need to pick the right mulch, since every mulch is different. For example, bark nuggets can float away if there is heavy rain. Cocoa hulls have an aroma, but are expensive and are toxic to dogs. Most choose shredded bark or wood, as it’s inexpensive and easy to apply. The con is that it doesn’t add as many nutrients to the soil as other mulches.

If you’re on a budget, you can use your yard waste as mulch. Grass clippings, leaves, and compost are all good mulch. Although compost adds tonnes of nutrients, it isn’t very good at keeping weeds at bay. Grass clippings can be effective, but don’t pile them too deeply because they can get soggy. Remember not to use grass clippings that have been treated with herbicides. If you decide to use leaves, make sure to shred them first. Pine needles are a great choice because they last a long time, and work well with azaleas (and other acid-loving plants), since pine needles acidify soil.

Don’t spread the mulch too thickly, and don’t spread it too thinly, either. Spread the mulch 2-3 inches thick. If it’s thicker, it could attract pests. You can apply mulch any time, as there isn’t a specific time you need to mulch your plants. Plants will accept mulch any time of the year. If you decide to apply mulch in the winter, wait until the ground freezes before mulching.

Photos: Eco Pro Mulch, Look Home Design, The Floor Decor.

Getting that perfect lawn doesn’t require magic or even toxic fertilizers. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is! Read our 5 simple tips and you’ll be on the road to a perfect lawn that will make your neighbors green with jealousy!

1. Getting Rid of Yellow Patches

Those yellow patches you see on your lawn are usually just the result of a low spot, which means the dirt there is lower than the rest of your yard. These spots appear after a heavy rain, and the grass suffocates in the standing water. You can try spreading a layer of compost over the spot to raise it up to the level as the rest of the lawn. You should soon see new grass start to sprout. But what about yellow patches from our beloved pets? There is a few things you can do to fix this problem. You can water the area thoroughly after your dog has urinated on the spot, or you can add regular household sugar to the patch. The high carbon in sugar neutralizes the high nitrogen in dog urine. Just throw a handful of sugar over the spot and you should soon see new grass start to grow!

2. Don’t Cut the Grass too Short

Grass cut short responds by growing faster. Don’t cut more than a third of the grass’ height at one time. If you cut any deeper, you’re damaging the grass, and will take a few mowing cycles to recover fully.

3. Leave the Clippings

Don’t bother raking and bagging the clippings – leave them where they fall. The clippings will fertilize the soil, and if you cut your grass often, they’ll be short and work their way back into the grass without leaving a mess.

4. Don’t Mow a Wet Lawn

You should never mow a lawn while it’s wet because the water will compact the soil and then the roots won’t be able to breathe. The grass will die and you will start to see bald patches on your lawn.

5. Water Well, But Infrequently

If you water your lawn daily, it encourages shallow roots and will waste water. Here are 3 ways to check if your lawn needs watering: the grass has a blue tinge, the soil resists when you push a screwdriver into it, and footprints on the lawn remain compressed.

6. Getting Rid of Weeds

The best way to get rid of weeds is to grow thick grass. By taking care of your lawn and observing it closely, the problem can resolve itself. If you only have a few weeds, simply pull them out.

7. Don’t Water Your Grass at Night

The best time to water your grass is pre-dawn or early morning. Watering at night doesn’t let the grass dry out before the dew falls, and prolonged moisture puts your grass at risk for disease.

Photos: Call Northwest, Speciality Lawn Care GA, Go Mow.

There’s nothing more frustrating than putting away a fresh load of laundry, and realizing that the stains on your clothes haven’t gone away! Here are 5 of our favorite tricks for combating even the most stubborn stains:

1. Grease Stains

For grease stains, soak the stain in regular dish soap. Rub the dish soap into the stain and rinse with hot water.

2. Tomato Sauce Stains

Pour boiling water over the stain and sprinkle baking soda over it. Rub the baking soda in and rinse.

3. Blood

You can removed dried blood by soaking it in milk or dabbing it with hydrogen peroxide. Rinse and wash garment as usual.

4. Grass Stains

Get rid of those pesky grass stains by rubbing hydrogen peroxide over them.

5. Lipstick

For lipstick stains, glycerine is all you need, but make sure not to pour it beyond the stain. After, wash the garment with detergent in warm water.

Photos: Your Discount Chemist, Uma Quimica Irresistivel.