PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) – They say the grass on the other side of the fence is always greener, but that may not be the case for many this spring.
At the beginning of spring, you may get frustrated with the look of your lawn. Randy Martin of the Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District says insects are one of the reasons grass can look the way it looks.
“If you are one of many people who have had bug beetle problems on your lawn and you have large dead spots, it has only come to our area in the last 3 or 4 years. Beetle beetles are a type of June beetle in this family. June beetles are not the ones who chew your grass roots, but the beetles. “
Martin says knowing the pH of the soil can help determine what your weed needs.
“Lawn grasses like a pH of 6.5 to 6.8 and once you have that range you don’t need to add lime. If it’s lower, 5.8 to 6, consider adding lime. It’s best to add lime in the fall as we get a lot of rain in the fall and you can’t work that into the ground so it has to be flushed in. ”
If you settle lime in autumn, Martin recommends fertilizer at this time of the year.
“You can hit it with a very light 10-10-10 fertilizer. That’s 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, 10% potassium. Perhaps you would like to start a little there, just to give a jump start in the spring. ”
Now if you add lime: “It will wash away at some point, but it takes about a year for the effects of lime to develop due to the soil chemistry and the slow action. So whatever lime you put on now will basically benefit from it next year. “
Martin recommends testing your pH with a soil sample to find out which chemicals you need. He adds that the process can take some time, but it will be worth it in the long run.
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