The Rowan County Fair is dominating many of the phone calls this week at Cooperative Extension. Please remember that today is the last day to turn in fair entries.
Entry forms can be brought by the Cooperative Extension Office on Old Concord Road or faxed to 704-216-8995. The forms can also be mailed to: 2014 Rowan County Fair, PO Box 66, Salisbury, NC 28145-0066. Be sure these are complete, using the catalog online at http://www.rowancountyfair.net/thumbs/2014Programs.pdf for the correct departments and entry numbers.
Meanwhile, there are a number of people still inquiring with gardening and other plant-related inquires. Below are a few questions posed about fall lawn care earlier this week.
Question: I have a friend that told me I had brown patch in my lawn due to too much water. I don’t want the disease to spread. Is it safe for me to irrigate my lawn now?
Answer: Brown patch is a problem when temperatures are in the 80s with high humidity. When temperatures begin to decline, so does the incidence of the foliar disease. Renovated lawns need water to help seed germinate and grow during the fall. There are fungicides that will prevent the spread of the disease, but early summer is best time for application of fungicides.
Question: I want to reseed my lawn. I have it tilled and ready to plant. Is there a waiting period to adding my fescue seed after the lime and fertilizer has been applied?
Answer: Seeding and fertilization including lime can be done all at one time. The seed is not sensitive to the fertilizer or the lime.
Question: I want to reseed my lawn, but I need to kill existing Bermuda grass. Can I still kill Bermuda grass before I reseed?
Answer: Yes, Bermuda grass is best killed when the grass is actively growing in the heat of the summer and early fall. There are a few days left to control the weed, but don’t wait too long. Once temperatures reach the 60s during the day it becomes difficult to kill this grass. Glyphosate (Roundup and other herbicides) is a systemic herbicide that requires the plant to be actively growing.
Question: What are the seeding rates for fescue seed?
Answer: Over-seeding thin lawn areas use about 3 pounds per 1,000 square feet. A new lawn or bare areas should receive about 7 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Darrell Blackwelder is director of the Rowan County Cooperative Extension Service. 704-216-8970.