Who doesn't want thick, beautiful grass covering their yard? We don't know many people who don't want that. However, there comes a dilemma that many people run across…how to grow grass in the shade. It can seem impossible, but your grass's future is about to get a little brighter (literally and figuratively). Get ready to learn some tips and tricks for getting your grass to grow – even if it's in the shade all day long! 

Obtaining a healthy, green lawn can be quite the task. Though it doesn't require you to be in the yard every day, it does require a great deal of patience. One of the hardest parts of getting your lawn healthy is knowing exactly what it needs. It can often feel like you're wandering around in the dark trying various tactics with no success. Here are some ways you can get your grass healthy and keep it that way. 

Many of us patiently wait for warmer weather and are thrilled when we get those first few days of 70-degree weather. We break out the shorts and short-sleeve shirts and before we know it, we're scratching at our skin thanks to pesky mosquitoes. Not only are their bites annoying and itchy, but they can also carry diseases like West Nile Virus, Encephalitis, and the Zika virus. These diseases are all the more reason to combat these blood-sucking insects! 

No one wants grubs…just the word itself doesn't sound too appealing, does it? You may be wondering "what are grubs exactly?" Great question! Grubs are the larvae of Japanese beetles. They look like c-shaped creatures and you are most likely to find them in your soil. They're not attractive little critters and they certainly don't do any favors for your yard – especially when they're occupying it by the masses. 

With spring right around the corner, you're probably daydreaming of blooming flowers, trees sprouting new leaves, and you guessed it…green grass! It's important to know that the green grass you're thinking of probably didn't happen by accident. More than likely, it was a product of hard work, preparation, and a great team of lawn care specialists. The key word is preparation. As we get closer and closer to spring, this is your last call to get ahead on pre-emergent so you can create a yard you love. 

Weeds in planting beds can be an unsightly nuisance and can take hours of your valuable time to control by pulling or spraying. Although there is no way to completely eliminate weeds in your planting beds, bed pre-emergent treatments can greatly reduce weed germination, by as much as 80% to 90%, saving you time and money.

Proper water techniques are often misunderstood. As a general guideline, lawns only need 1″ to 1.5″ inches of water per week. It's best to water 1 to 2 times per week early in the morning to achieve this goal. Watering for a longer period of time less frequently soaking the soil to a 6″ to 8″ depth will promote a deeper root system and improve drought tolerance. Short frequent watering will cause shallow rooting. Shallow rooting will lead to poor drought tolerance and increase disease susceptibility. Its best to water your lawn and landscape plants early in the morning before the sun rises. This will allow time for the water to soak into the soil before evaporation can occur. 

Fireweed is a nuisance weed that pops up every spring in Georgia. This rapidly growing weed has a shallow root system and germinates in the thatch layer of lawns. Although easily controlled by post-emergent herbicide treatments, pre-emergent treatments have no effect on this invasive weed. Proper lawn maintenance practices provide the most effective means of control. Weekly mowing with a sharp mower blade at the proper mowing height will minimize Fireweed infestations. Managing your thatch layer is also important. Compacted soil and improper mowing practices can lead to excessive thatch. Spring core aeration will relieve compaction and help manage your thatch layer.

Step towards a better environment, and a way to help your soil, too

We realize once again that there is no such thing as a free lunch. After enjoying the show, the performers fall down on us and leaf raking time is back. 

The idea of concentrating on prevention, rather than cure, can easily apply to much more than humans. Prevention also plays an important part in the maintenance of your lawn. And one of the best ways to maintain your lawn's health is to practice Plant Health Care. 

As the Weather Gets Hotter, Don't Forget to Water 

Lawns, trees, shrubs and flowers need adequate water to thrive, and the summer months are the time to be especially aware of your landscape's watering needs. Remember that how often plants need to be watered is closely related to how deep their roots are. 

Keeping your lawn thick, green and healthy means doing several things right. The most important is making sure there's enough moisture to maintain growth. This is especially the case with newly seeded lawns.

It Doesn't Have to Be an Uphill Battle

There's no doubt about it…crabgrass is a worthy opponent in the quest to keep your lawn looking its best. This very common turfgrass invader can seriously detract from the beauty and health of your lawn if left untreated. With proper treatments and good lawn care habits, though, crabgrass can be kept under control. The trick is to take care of the problem before the seeds get a chance to sprout.

When you do all the things necessary to achieve a healthy and robust lawn, you also make your lawn incredibly attractive to one of its biggest enemies. Turf grass needs thick juicy roots in order to thrive. The healthier the roots, the more appetizing they are to grubs.

Core aeration. It may sound complex, but it's really simple. An aerator punches out cores, or plugs of soil about a half-inch wide and three inches long, across your whole lawn. This lets moisture, nutrients, and most of all, oxygen reach your turf's roots. Aeration also breaks up thatch build-up – that layer of dead grass and debris between the soil and grass that blocks water and fertilizers.

Ever laid eyes on a grub? If so, you know how ugly these pests are. Even uglier, though, is the damage they can do to your lawn. Grubs are the unfortunate offspring of beetles, such as June beetles and Japanese beetles, and they hatch from eggs laid in the soil. After hatching, the grubs (or beetle larvae) start feeding on turf roots. 

The coming of spring means the coming of a variety of insects. Certain insects such as Grubs, Spittle Bugs, Aphids, and scale can be detrimental to your lawn and landscape. Other insects such as Fleas, Ticks, Fire Ants, and Mosquitoes pose no threat to your lawn but can be hazardous to your health and the health of your pets. 

This time of year, warm-season turf grass, especially zoysia, often suffers from large patch disease. This fungal disease appears as large, circular patches of discolored orange or yellow turf. If left unchecked, it will continue to spread, damaging or killing the turf it infects.

Dollar Spot