By Sam Bauer

For over a month now I’ve been receiving questions that go something like this, “I know I missed the best time for seeding my lawn which is mid-August to mid-September. Can I still seed even though it’s October and temperatures have been mild?” My response is always the same, “Just wait, dormant seeding in November will be your best option.” It is very true that if temperatures are warm during the month of October, you could get some seed to establish prior to winter, but temperatures are unpredictable and could change drastically within a day.

Purchasing Turfgrass Seed

High quality grass seed can be difficult to source.  For this reason, we have compiled a list (below) of vendors that distribute turfgrass seed in Minnesota.  Please be sure to keep in mind the basic principles in purchasing turfgrass seed before deciding on a mixture for your situation.  These principles are explained by Dr.

By Sam Bauer

By Sam Bauer

Perfect and Low-Maintenance?

By Sam Bauer

It’s 8 a.m. inside the WCCO-AM studios and callers are already in the queue, seeking expert help from University of Minnesota Extension and Master Gardeners as “Smart Gardens” begins.

And expertise is available in droves during “Smart Gardens,” WCCO’s new hour-long hit show covering gardens, lawns and more. A sampling from a recent show:

Last year’s heat and drought and this year’s late spring have added extra stress to lawns.

With buds finally starting to bloom on trees in the southern part of Minnesota and ice still stubbornly floating around on lakes in the north, it’s a good time to take stock of a strange year of weather and its effect on our lawns and vegetation.

To rehash the recent weather history that many of us may be trying to repress, we had an exceedingly wet and warm spring in 2012, followed by a summer and fall of extreme heat and certifiable drought. That took a toll on grass and trees—not to mention crops—all around the state.

By Sam Bauer

2012-13 has been a year for the record books with extreme heat and droughts across the state in the summer and a winter that never seemed to end. Consider: 

By Sam Bauer

For those of you who are wondering when to put your preemergent summer annual grassy weed herbicides down, NOW IS THE TIME. Soil temperatures are near 55 degrees in the upper profile and crabgrass will be germinating at 60 degrees. Any preemergent applications made after crabgrass has germinated will be ineffective. This application can be combined with fertility for increased density and spring turf greenup. Be sure to apply at the correct rate as directed by the herbicide and fertilizer label.