We're getting closer but we're not quite there yet. The soil temperature has to be at least 55 degrees to germinate seed. That usually occurs in mid-April. Seed can be planted anytime from then on until fall, but the success rate is much higher when the temperatures are cooler. The seed must be kept damp until germination, and that is much easier to do in spring and again in September - October. Thank you for your question - and also for stopping by our booth.

On the "Dealer Locator" page on our website, you can select the product you are looking for and the city. It will tell you the closest garden center to you that carries the grass seed mix. Thanks for your interest, and thank you for writing in.

Fairy ring is a best controlled with a combination of wetting agents and aeration; deep aeration to allow water to percolate down to the roots. Also, fertilize a bit more often with organic fertilizer like Richlawn 5-3-2 (every three weeks, lighter than package recommendations) to mask the symptoms. If areas are really bad, dig the infected areas and resod or reseed. You will need to remove the whitish-gray mycelium or root structure to be sure you've got all the disease spores.

Hopefully you seeded with a variety of grass seed (not a patch or grass mixture) that will match the current sod; give it time to fill in and mow accordingly. New grass in trenched areas where the soil was disturbed is generally more vigorous due to the good aeration and drainage.

Discover the secrets to successful gardening in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region in John's books, Rocky Mountain Gardener's Guide and Month-by-Month Gardening in the Rocky Mountains (Cool Springs Press). Follow your lawn, garden, and landscape scheduled activities throughout all the seasons. Look for John's books at your favorite bookstore.

Richlawn fertilizers are organic-based and do not need to be watered in immediately after application, unlike the fast-release synthetic fertilizers. Of course, if you can water it in with a hose sprinkler, before the sprinklers are activated, this will help get the Richlawn to activate and start greening up the lawn.

The most effective way of preventing damage from female or male dogs is to train the pet to relieve themselves in a specific area rather than “Rover going all over!” Dogs are never too old to be trained. Otherwise, use a wetting agent like Revive after you thoroughly core-aerate the dog spots. This will dilute the urine and allow the spots to start regrowth and fill in. Also, to mask the spottiness appearance in your lawn , fertilize with Richlawn to help mask the darker green spots so everything blends in.

Continue to fertilize every 4 weeks with the organic-based Richlawn products at the recommended rates. Also, if the lawn has not been core-aerated, have that cultural practice done in the spring before the weather gets too hot. If you desire to reseed, do this after aeration so the grass seed will lodge in the holes left from aeration. This will allow the seeds to germinate more successfully. If there are dead areas from NRS, dig these out and replace with soil amended with compost.You can do sections at intervals, but seeding is best done now while it is cool and moisture is available.

This problem with euonymus is likely a virus that is not treatable. It is best to remove the infected plants and replace with healthy ones. To verify you may pursue the assistance of a plant pathologist at CSU.

There are some great choices from Gro Rich to fertilize both vegetables and roses. Among my favorites is the Gro Rich Rose and Perennial Food. It can be used on vegetables, too. If you desire, Gro Rich has a special vegetable fertilizer blend. Both are organic based and provide excellent results.

It is most likely bunches of tall fescue; the safest control is to dig the clumps out with a sharp shovel and repair the areas by planting fresh sod cut to fit the areas. Keep watered daily and it will have rooted in. Fertilize with Richlawn Turf Food to help mask the discolored portions. If this coarse grass is all over the lawn, you may consider starting over or live with it.

Sounds like a very interesting concept. Not gonna do it! Tall tomato plants are more costly if you have the budget. Bigger plants don’t necessarily outperform smaller transplants. I prefer the smaller plants that acclimate quickly and often catch up with the larger plants very quickly.

To match the current soil conditions I recommend a mixture of EKO Compost and some of your garden soil; 50 percent EKO and 50 percent native soil from a vegetable garden or other area in your yard. The areas can then be reseeded with seed varieties that will match your current lawn grasses.

It is best to wait until the new seeded lawn has been mowed at least three times before trying to control the clover. However, clover is an old-fashioned nurse-crop that adds nitrogen to the soil as a natural way to maintain a nice green ground cover. If you must use a commercial herbicide labeled for clover, read and follow label directions exactly as not to harm the new grasses.

When Richlawn is applied properly and at the recommended rate there is no problem with "burning", even if the organic-based fertilizer is not watered in immediately. It is when spills or an over application occurs that a slight burning may appear. However, the grass will grow back.
Your problem with large areas dying is much more likely a fungus disease which often occurs with high moisture, or possibly an insect infestation. I recommend that you have the lawn checked by a reputable lawn service or your county agent.

If the lawn was fertilized with a commercial grade synthetic, wait four weeks until you apply Richlawn. The issue of the lawn being a mix of clump grasses is not an easy one to solve. You may just have to live with it or if your budget allows, start over and plant a new lawn. You can also kill the clump grass areas one at a time using a Glyphosate product, and then re-seed the area with Richlawn EZ Seed mix.

You would want the opening on the spreader to be at approximately one-quarter of an inch. That will give you the appropriate amount of fertilizer. When the spreader is empty, open it to that width, and remember that setting. Close the opening, fill with fertilizer and apply.

Richlawn ProRich Turf Food does not expire or lose its effectiveness as long as it remains dry and granulated. It is important to store it where it does not get moisture or it will cake up and render it unusable in the fertilizer spreader.

Gro-Rich Super bonemeal is a great organic fertilizer for container gardening; the low nitrogen gives a boost while the phosphorous will promote healthy stem growth and tomato production.

If the weeds are the annual kinds, simply mowing will eliminate the weeds as the turf grasses thicken and choke out the weeds. If there are perennial types of weeds, spot-spraying may be necessary with an approved herbicide after the first mowing-read and follow label directions; for the organic gardener, dig or hand pull the weeds while they are young and the roots are shallow.

If the lawn is not dead from severe dehydration, start watering to get the rhizomes stimulated and the grass should green up slowly. An application of Pro Rich lawn fertilizer can be applied once you know there is life. Unattended lawns are often too far gone and you may have to start over.

This is difficult to answer as there is no single watering schedule for lawns as soils, drainage, temperature, and exposure will determine the turf‘s need for water. You must check frequently to determine which frequency works best and the depth of water percolation into the soil for your lawn.

Common sense watering practices of watering in the cool of day,(set to come on between 3 to 6 a.m.) and watering long enough to get water to soak into the soil. The length of watering time will depend on the type of sprinkler head and amount of water delivered.

Mushrooms are a result of high organic matter in the lawn which serves as the ideal environment for them to germinate and thrive. Aerate these areas to increase air circulation and reduce thatch buildup.

The three numbers on the front of any fertilizer bag regardless of their numeric value always have the same meaning. The answer to your question is somewhat complex, but here is a simplified explanation: The first number is always nitrogen for top growth. The second number is always phosphorous for root growth and flowering, and the third number is always potassium for disease resistance, healthy leaves etc. Depending on what type of plants you are growing, these numbers will vary. For turf, our 14-2-5 Pro-Rich is an ideal combination of the best ingredients available.

Yes, you certainly can. Apply Iron-Rich first, then Revive, and water normally after your application. Be sure to sweep or blow material off of concrete before watering to avoid staining from iron.

Spruce, pine and other evergreen needles and pine cone mulch is very useful as organic mulch around ornamentals, flowers, and vegetables. It is a myth that using pine needles will make the soil too acid, so use as needed. For more information that pertains to gardening in the Rocky Mountain region, refer to John’s book Rocky Mountain Gardener’s Guide and Month-by-Month Gardening in the Rocky Mountains (Cool Springs Press).

Roses don’t tolerate overwatering and are vulnerable to leaf diseases and oxygen starvation if watered daily. To avoid this take the time to install a drip-irrigation system in your rose garden. This will save you time and your roses.

EKO Top Dressing is finely screened, and can easily be applied using a broadcast spreader. As to filling in low spots, there are two methods and either one works well. The first is to add about a half inch of top soil every few weeks and gradually raise the level of the soil. The other method is to remove the sod in the low areas, level them and then put the sod back in to place. In either case, it is best to wait until spring when the grass is actively growing. The repair will take much less time.

Necrotic ring spot is rarely brought in from sod farms, most farms grow healthy turf or they would not sell it. This disease is already in the soil from an area where the lawn was already infected or there were stress conditions that made the disease opportunistic. Maintenance of the lawn is key to prevent this disease which includes proper soil preparation prior to sodding, good watering practices and regular feeding with a slow-release nitrogen such as the Richlawn products.

If you are a true organic gardener and do not wish to use herbicides, mechanical and cultural control methods are recommended. This means keeping the lawn thick with the Richlawn fertilizers as recommended on the label, five to six feedings a year. Core-aeration at least twice; spring and autumn. A thick, dense lawn will choke out most annual weeds. Perennial weeds are controlled with digging and pulling when the soil is moist; pre-emergent controls such as corn gluten in spring to prevent weed seeds from germinating in mid to late spring. Otherwise, you will need to return to chemical herbicides and spot treat according to the label directions. Select from the more environmentally-friendly weed control products and follow label directions carefully.

The lack of production from the garden this year, and the addition of scrub oak leaves are unrelated. This year has been challenging because our erratic weather. Cool, then wet, and then hot and dry. Oak leaves are great to add to the soil, but if you do add lthem in the future, be sure they are dry so they will break down in the soil faster. EKO Compost would also be something great to incorporate in to the soil.