Extreme
Lawn Makeover
When It Rains It Pours
This year, a wetter than normal summer, has meant smaller water bills. We all
needed a little relief from today’s higher gas prices. Sure, more rain means more green grass, along with more fungus
and more crabgrass and more bugs what is good for one is good for the other. Now the lawns are full of spotty ugly weeds and
emaciated patches from fungus.
If the majority of your lawn is crabgrass or other weeds and very little desirable grass, Grass Pad's Idiot Proof Fall Renovation Program using Glyphosate should start in August. Short days, cool nights and welcome rain promise
lower water bills in September for fall seeding and sodding projects. Homeowners should take a tip from Mother Nature and
start their fall over seeding program today. August is a perfect time to plant grass seed.
The Right Seed
If homeowners want a soft
friendly feel and lush thick look to their turf, then they should seek out selected bluegrass varieties. Varieties like Envicta,
Nottingham, and Blue Sapphire with their distinctive dark color and growth habit will sharpen
the appearance of the entire landscape. To improve heat tolerance, add West Texas Hybrid to your lawn
mix. For the best bluegrass blend choose Bluemaster.
BlueMaster 
BlueMaster
is a blend of fine bluegrasses specifically blended for the Kansas City area. When pampered it will give your lawn
the soft, well manicured look of a golf course fairway. Bluemaster is an aggressive bluegrass blend that
will fill in routine damage from normal wear and tear. In many seasons it will outcompete fescue turf and give your lawn a
striking green color when zoysia has turned toasty brown.
Stadium Special: If homeowners want to increase wear tolerance and playability
without sacrificing good looks, a fine leafed turf rye blend such as Stadium Special can be mixed with bluegrasses.
These varieties are used on golf courses and sports fields throughout the country for their durability and good looks. For
a fast start choose Amazing. For disease resistance look for Stellar and Apple.
Elite Fescue: Homeowners that place low maintenance at top of their priority list should choose
some of the excellent new turf fescues now available. Avenger and Firebird have developed
a reputation for maintaining a dark green color and low growth canopy. Falcon 4 and Overtime
show improved disease resistance. Cochise III and Cayenne show dark color, root strength
and durability. These seed varieties are significant advances over coarse early fescue types.
Overtime
Overtime: is a top quality hardy fescue blend specifically mixed for Kansas City. Fescue varieties are chosen
for color, wear, heat and drought tolerance. Overtime is blended and tested to be free of noxious weeds.
Weed contamination routinely found in coarse fescue blends is never found in Overtime.
When choosing a grass seed mix, read the label
carefully. Avoid mixes that contain course bladed varieties such as annual rye, perennial rye, K-31 pasture fescue and other
coarse fescue types. In our area, K-31 is a special problem. By itself, it is a coarse bladed grass best suited for pastures
and landfills.
