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Raising Soil pH & Other Lawn Dilemmas
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Soil conditions in the northeast tend to be on the acidic side. This is because many millions of years ago, North America east of the Mississippi River was covered by an ancient pine forest. Over the millennia, thousands of generations of pine trees grew, died and rotted, acidifying the soil. Turf grows best at a soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8. The lower the number is, the lower your pH. Weeds persist well in soils of lower pH. By raising soil pH, you help fertilizers to work more effectively, minimize weed populations, and enhance the appearance of desirable turf.
Lime, popular for years, used to be the best way to increase soil pH. My MAG-I-CAL is a new product that effectively makes lime a thing of the past. MAG-I-CAL is an excellent source of Calcium, which is just as important to turf for cell structure as it is to us for healthy bone formation. 
MAG-I-CAL is a soluble form of Calcium, combined with an organic acid so it reacts quickly and effectively, raising soil pH and helping fertilizers to work more efficiently. It is easy to apply, it's just like pelletized fertilizer, and is not dusty like lime. It is much easier to apply than lime, with a 22.5 pound bag equivalent to 5 bags of lime. What better way to improve your turf with the minimum amount of work? You can even use MAG-I-CAL in your garden, it's all natural! |
 You asked Jonathan Green about Moss...
Several readers asked questions regarding moss, its' causes and how to eradicate it.
Moss generally grows for one, or all of the three following reasons. Moss likes acidic soils-low soil pH, shaded areas and, or damp/wet areas. Most people do not want to remove trees, but trimming lower limbs, or thinning branches allows additional sunlight into the areas. Allowing light in also tends to dry out damp areas. Lastly, acidic soils can be treated with MAG-I-CAL, which quickly raises soil pH, sweetening the soil.
For severe moss problems, we recommend an application of Moss Out or another quality Moss killer, followed by an application of MAG-I-CAL. Once the moss turns brown, scratch up the soil and seed with a seed mix designed for the area you having problems with, such as Sun & Shade, Dense Shade, Shady Nooks or Black Beauty Ultra.
Some readers asked about remedies for a brown under layer that only shows up after mowing their Kentucky Bluegrass lawn. This is a very common problem with thick turf, especially in the early spring. Grass tends to grow very quickly in the spring, in response to fertilizer and warmer weather. The brown you are seeing on the lower parts of the turf is normal, though unsightly. The best way to minimize this is to mow the grass more often at a higher mowing height. In other words, do not let the turf get too long, and then mow it down. Mowing more often and removing less of the leaf blade with each cut will help to remedy this problem.
Grass responds very quickly to fertilizer in the spring, causing the leaf blade to grow quickly. High nitrogen fertilizers are especially troublesome for this situation as they cause heavy leaf growth. Start fertilizing with one of my organic fertilizers, with an application of MAG-I-CAL. My Natural Beauty Organic Lawn Fertilizer, or my Organic Lawn Fertilizer will help to develop the microbial activity in the lawn soil, which in turn will digest the thatch layer. |
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You asked Jonathan Green about Grubs...
Several
of you had similar questions about grubs. The first to thing to
remember about grubs is that every different type of beetle has its own
grub, not just Japanese Beetles. Each grub species matures at a
different time of the year. However, there is hope. Jonathan Green
Grub Control is ideal for controlling all grub species when they emerge
from the egg. It is a season long grub control that acts as an insurance policy, protecting your turf in
times of need.
My recommendation is to apply my Grub Control
to grass from the end of May through the end of July. The active
ingredient will control the newly emerging grubs this fall once they
begin to feed. These newly emerging grubs are the ones that devastate
turf. Nothing prevents grubs from hatching; control is achieved when
the grub starts to feed on the roots of grass. My Grub Control is
stored in the roots of the grass plants. |
Thank you again for responding to the first Jonathan Green survey. I hope that by answering many of the excellent questions which have been submitted we are providing quality information on lawn care to the Jonathan Green Timely Tips audience, who may have similar questions regarding their own lawn but did not write in to ask them.  Jonathan Green Seedsman
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