LAWN INSECTS BUG ME Part 2 Pests That Feed on Leaves and Stems or suck juice

Pests That Feed on Leaves and Stems

Sod Webworms

Sod webworms are about 3/4 inch long and light brown. Their bodies are covered with fine hairs. Sod  webworms are the larvae of lawn moths. The adults are small, whitish or gray moths (or millers). They fold their wings closely about their bodies when at rest. They hide in the shrubbery or other sheltered spots during the day. In the early evening, they fly over the grass and the females scatter eggs over the lawns. The worms are active only at night. They live in protective silken webs or nets that they form about their bodies. As soon as they are hatched, they start feeding on the grass leaves. When they grow larger, they build burrows or tunnels close to the surface of the soil; they reinforce the tunnels with bits of dirt and pieces of grass, then line them with silk and live in them. They cut off blades of grass and eat them. Some species feed on the grass crowns at ground level and on the roots. As partly grown larvae, they overwinter in their silken webs.

Sod webworms prefer new lawns. They attack bentgrass, bluegrass, fescue and other grass. Irregular brown spots are the first signs of damage. If the infestation is heavy, large areas of grass may be damaged severely or destroyed in only a few days. Several species infest lawns. The dirty white sod webworm larvae live in  silk-lined tubes about 3/8 inch in diameter that extend 2 to 3 inches into the soil. You can find the worm by pouring a soap solution of two teaspoons of liquid dishwashing detergent in a gallon of water over a 4 foot-square area. If there are four to six or more of them,  apply an insecticide.
 
Armyworms

Armyworms are the larvae of moths. They are 1-1/2 inches long; they are greenish and have blackish stripes along each side and down the center of the back. The adults are brownish gray. Their wings measure about

1-1/2 inches across when expanded. The armyworm and the fall armyworm are common species. When they are numerous, they may devour the grass down to the ground. Their feeding causes circular bare areas in lawns.


 
Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers do not feed on the grasses of a well-kept lawn except when they are very numerous and forage is scarce. They usually migrate to lawns from croplands or wastelands. Control measures in lawns are seldom necessary.

Frit Fly

This is insect is present in a number of states across the

country. It occasionally attacks lawns. The adult fly is black and

about 1/16 inch long. The female lays eggs on the grass and the

hatching maggots bore into the stems.


 
Pests That Suck Plant Juice

Chinch Bugs

Most chinch bug damage is caused by the young bugs, or

nymphs. Yellowish spots appear in the infested lawn; they turn

rapidly into brown, dead areas.

Nymphs hatch from eggs laid by the female adults. At first a nymph is about half the size of a pinhead. It is bright red and has a white band across the back. As it grows, it sheds its skin four times. The full-grown nymph is black and has a white spot on the back between the wing pads. The adults are about 1/6 inch long.

The species Blissus leucopterus hirtus, the hairy chinch bug, infests lawns in the eastern part of the United States. The adults overwinter in thatch or leaf litter and lay eggs in the leaf sheaths or on the roots in the early spring. The eggs hatch in the spring and nymphs infest lawns until late fall.

False Chinch Bug

The false chinch bug is frequently mistaken for a chinch bug. It feeds on grasses in the same way as the chinch bug, but rarely is a lawn pest. The nymphs are greenish-gray; the adults are gray. 
Leafhoppers

Leafhoppers are tiny triangular or wedge-shaped insects that fly or hop short distances. They are less than 1/5  inch long and are green, yellow or brownish gray. Many species of leafhoppers infest lawns. They suck the sap from the leaves and stems of the grass. New lawns may be damaged so extensively that reseeding is necessary. Damage to established lawns is evident in whitened patches. It is often mistaken for damage due to dry weather or disease. 
Mites

Several species of mites attack grasses. They suck the sap and cause the leaves to be blotched and stippled. Severe infestations can kill the plants. The Banks grass mite occurs throughout most of the United States and occasionally attacks lawns. It is not ordinarily a pest in well-managed lawns. Clover mites feed on clover and other lawn plants. They are very tiny and brown. Although they feed only on plants, they are a nuisance when they enter homes. This usually occurs in spring and fall.

Spittlebugs

Spittlebugs seldom damage well-managed lawns. The nymphs live inside masses of spittle and suck the juices from the plants. The adults resemble leafhoppers in appearance and habits, but they are more robust. Two species are sometimes found in lawns. The meadow spittlebug is found in Tennessee. The nymphs are yellowish green. The adults are about 1/4 inch long, are gray or brown and have dark-brown markings. They usually feed on clover or weeds. The two-lined spittlebug occasionally infests lawns in Tennessee. The nymph is ivory and its head and thorax are brownish. The adult is about 3/8 inch long, is dark brown or black and has two orange stripes on its wings. These insects feed on bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass and several other plants. Thatch control is important in preventing and controlling spittle bugs in lawns. Proper dethatching and fertilization practices can disrupt the humid conditions essential for spittlebug development. Chemical control measures in lawns are seldom necessary.

Pests That Inhabit but Do Not Damage Lawns

Earwigs

Earwigs are beetle-like insects. They are about 3/4 inch long and are reddish-brown. The insect has a  prominent pair of forcep-like cerci at the rear of the body. The cerci of the male are curved. Earwigs hide during the day and forage at night. These insects are found occasionally in lawns. Sometimes they breed in enormous numbers in piles of lawn clippings. They feed on all kinds of food.

Ticks

Several kinds of ticks infest lawns. They drop on the grass from dogs and rodents. Most of them attack people. Pain may result from their bites. Some ticks transmit diseases, including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Human Monocytic Ehrlichiosis, Lyme Disease and tularemia.

Chiggers

Chiggers, or "red bugs," invade lawns from surrounding grassy or woody areas. These mites are annoying to people. They attach themselves temporarily to the skin and release a poison that causes severe irritation and intense itching. They are very tiny and are seldom seen. 
Thrips

Thrips are found in lawns and sometimes in homes. They come from nearby grass or flowers. These tiny black or brown insects may inflict painful bites on people working about the lawn. Control measures in lawns are seldom practical.

Slugs and Snails

Slugs and snails may often move about on the lawn and may injure adjacent plants. They are night feeders and leave mucous trails on plants and sidewalks, but the will damage Yostas.

Millipedes and Centipedes

Millipedes (thousand-legged worms) and centipedes (hundred- legged worms) are dark brown and have many segments. Most of them coil up when disturbed. Millipedes and centipedes do not usually damage lawns.  Occasionally, millipedes congregate in yards after heavy rains. Their food is chiefly decaying vegetable matter.

Some of the larger centipedes may bite people. Most species are not dangerous. Control of centipedes in lawns is seldom necessary.

Sowbugs and Pillbugs

Sowbugs and pillbugs are light gray to slate-colored; they are1/2 inch long; they have segmented bodies and seven pairs of legs. When disturbed, pillbugs roll up into tiny balls.Sowbugs and pillbugs are usually found on damp ground under stones, boards, dead leaves or in damp basements. They feed on organic matter in the soil and sometimes on grass and other plants. Control measures in lawns are seldom necessary; if they

should be needed, apply one of the insecticides recommended for control of grubs.

Spiders and Scorpions

Spiders are found about the lawn, on flowers, plants and shrubbery. Most spiders are harmless to people and are even beneficial because they capture and devour large numbers of harmful insects. They do not damage the grass or other vegetation.Two poisonous spiders  are the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider. Consult a physician at once if bitten by either of these spiders.

Fleas

Fleas occasionally spread to lawns from infested dogs, cats or nearby animal quarters. They may attack people or pets.

Control

The user is cautioned to read and follow all directions and precautions given on the label of the pesticide formulation that will be used. Insecticides are sold under various trade names by garden supply houses, and hardware, seed and drug stores. Granules are ready-made formulations that are used dry. Apply them with lawn fertilizer spreader. Wettable powders and other formulations are used in sprays. Mix the purchased product with water and apply with a garden type compressed-air sprayer or a knapsack sprayer. The quantity

of water to use depends on the type of sprayer you have. If a wettable powder is used, agitation of the mixture is necessary. A quart jar attachment for a garden hose will provide good distribution of an insecticide on a lawn. Use an attachment that delivers a coarse spray and large volume of water. Usually a quart jar full of an insecticide mixture will cover about 500 square feet of lawn. Baits are usually purchased ready mixed. Control of soil insects is sometimes difficult. Therefore, it is important to apply the pesticide at the time of the year when the insect is most susceptible to control. This information will be on the pesticide label. To control underground lawn pests, apply an insecticide and, immediately afterward, water the lawn according to label.

To control above ground lawn pests, apply an insecticide to the grass. Follow label directions on whether to irrigate or not after application.  
Use of Pesticides

Pesticide use is governed by a federal law which is administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This law requires manufacturers to register pesticides and makes it illegal for people to use them except in accordance with the instructions on the label. You may, if you wish, use less of any pesticide than the

maximum amount the instructions permit. However, always remember: (1) Be sure the pesticide comes in contact ONLY with plants or areas you intend to spray, and (2) be sure to spray the pesticides uniformly.

LAWN INSECTS BUG ME Part 1 Pests That Infect Soil and Roots.

Many insects and insect-like pests damage lawns and other turf. They cause the grass to turn brown and die, or they build unsightly mounds that may smother the grass. Some pests infest the soil and attack the plant roots, some feed on the plants' leaves and stems, while others suck juice from the plants. Other insects and insect-like pests inhabit lawns, but do not damage them. The pests are annoying and some of them attack

people. These pests can be controlled with insecticides and other methods.  
Pests That Infect Soil and Roots

White Grubs

White grubs are the larvae of several species of beetles. They are whitish or grayish, have brownish heads and brownish or blackish hind parts and are usually found in a curled position when disturbed. They hatch from eggs laid in the ground by the female beetles. Most of them spend about 10 months in the ground; some remain in the soil two or three years. In mild weather, they live 1 to 3 inches below the surface of the lawn; in

winter, they go deeper into the soil. They burrow around the roots of the grass, then feed on them about an inch below the surface of the soil. Moles, skunks and birds feed on the grubs and may tear up the sod in searching for

them. You can estimate the grub population of your lawn. Do this in early to mid- August or in the spring after the soil warms up and the grubs are near the surface. With a spade, cut three sides of a strip 1-foot square by 2 or 3 inches deep. Force the spade under the sod and lay it back, using the uncut side as a hinge. Use a trowel to dislodge soil on the overturned roots that might contain grubs. Count the grubs in the exposed soil. Replace the strips of sod. In the same way, cut strips of sod in several other parts of the lawn, and count the grubs under each strip. To calculate the average number of grubs per square foot of lawn, divide the total number of grubs counted by the number of strips. The average number of grubs per square foot is a measurement of grub density. Economic thresholds based on grub density is  a personal decision.  
Insect Control. The parent beetles differ in appearance, distribution and habits. The following are important in lawns:
May Beetles. -

These beetles are brown or blackish-brown.

More than 200 kinds are found in the United States. Sometimes

they are called June beetles. The adults of the species emerge in

the early spring. Most species begin emerging in May or June

and can be active throughout much of the summer. Eggs laid in

July and early August soon hatch into young, which are called

white grubs. Some of them remain in the soil two or three years and may feed on the grass roots during several seasons.  
Japanese Beetle

- The beetle is about1/2 inch long and has a shiny metallic-green body; it has coppery brown wing covers and six small patches of white hair along each side and the back of the body, just under the edges of the wings.

The adult insect feeds on many different plants. These insects are found mostly in the Eastern States. The

adult beetles begin to appear in late May and are active for four

to six weeks. The young are sometimes called annual white grubs because the life cycle of the insect is completed in one year.  

Asiatic Garden Beetle

- The beetle is about 1/4 inch long, is

chestnut brown and has a velvety appearance. The underside of

the body is covered with short yellow hairs. The insect flies only

at night and feeds on various kinds of foliage. They are most

abundant from mid-July to mid-August. They complete their life

cycle in one year.


 
Oriental Beetle

- The beetle is about 5/8 inch long, is strawcolored

and has some dark markings on the body. The beetles

have been recently detected in East Tennessee. At present, the

distribution of this pest in Tennessee in uncertain. They appear in

late June and July. Grubs prefer unshaded lawn and short grass.


 
Masked Chafers

- These beetles are 1/2 inch long and

brown. They live in the soil during the day and emerge at night; they are especially active on warm humid evenings. The northern masked chafer

is found from Connecticut south to Alabama and west to California. In Tennessee, the distribution of the northern masked chafer overlaps southern masked chafer, which is common in the Southeastern states. asked chafers appear in late May, June and July and are active one or two months. These annual white grubs have

irregularly arranged spines on the underside of the last body segment (raster).  
Rose Chafer - The beetle is 1/2 inch long and is yellowish brown; it has long spiny legs. Rose chafers feed on almost any vegetation and are very destructive to roses in bloom. They prefer areas in which the soil is light and sandy. They are abundant in June and early July. The grubs are not so harmful to lawns as some of those mentioned above.


 
Green June Beetle

- The beetle is nearly 1 inch long. The body is nearly flattened; it is velvety green and has bronze to

yellow edges. The insects feed on the foliage of many trees and

plants. The females often lay eggs in piles of grass clippings,

mulched plant beds and in the soil. They are active in June, July

and August. They produce one generation a year.

The grubs feed mainly on decaying vegetable matter. Their

burrowing tends to disturb grass roots by separating them from

the soil, causing the grass to dry out and die. The grubs can be especially damaging in newly sown lawns. Damage is most severe in dry seasons and is most apparent in the fall. Sometimes after a heavy rain or during warm nights with heavy dew, the grubs come out of the soil and crawl on the surface of the ground. They have the unusual habit of crawling on their backs.  
Ants

Ants build nests in the ground. Some ants form hills around

the openings of their nests; fire ants can build large mounds. The

anthills and mounds often smother the surrounding grass. If the

ants nest about the roots of the grass, they may destroy them.

Ants also destroy grass seeds in the ground and prevent good

stands. Ants like to feed on the a substance secreted by clover called

Honeydew, and will spread the clover as well as choke out the grass.

Some ants bite or sting people and animals. Imported fire ants and harvester ants are especially vicious.

Mole Crickets

Mole crickets are light brown, with a lower surface lighter than the upper and often tinged with green. They are about 1-1/2 inches long and have short, stout forelegs, shovel-like feet, and large, beady eyes. Mole crickets feed on the roots of the grass. In addition, their burrowing uproots seedlings and causes the soil to dry out quickly. The type of mole cricket found in most common in the U.S. is called the Northern mole cricket. It is not as damaging as some of the species found in coastal states. It can be a pest, especially in golf

course greens.  
Wireworm

Wireworms, which are the larvae of click beetles, are 1/2 to

1-1/2 inches long and are usually hard, dark brown, smooth and

slender. Some wireworms are soft and white or yellowish.

Wireworms bore into the underground part of the stems and feed

on the roots of the grass. The boring causes the plant to wither

and die.

The adults are about an inch long, and brownish, grayish or

nearly black. They are hard-shelled and their bodies taper

somewhat at each end. When they fall on their backs, the beetles

flip the middle part of the body against the ground, throw

themselves several inches into the air and make a clicking sound.


 
Cicada-Killer Wasp

This insect is about 1-1/2 inches long and has yellow and black markings on its body. The wasps dig deep nests or burrows in the ground and mound the soil at the entrance to the nests. The female paralyzes a cicada by stinging it, then places it in the nest and lays an egg on it. When the egg hatches, the larva feeds on

the cicada. These wasps, which appear in late July and August, cause damage to lawns by their burrowing. While they fly around aggressively, they usually do not sting people unless they are provoked.


 
Wild Bees

Some kinds of wild bees occasionally damage lawns by digging up the soil, making holes and forming mounds thatinterfere with the growth of grass.


 
Periodical Cicada

The young, or nymphs, leave many small holes in lawns, especially under trees, when they emerge to become adults. If you hear the daylong song of the cicada in the spring of a year in which a brood is scheduled

to appear in your region, the holes in your lawn were probably made by the emerging nymphs. If a large brood is emerging.
Billbugs

The young, or grubs, are small and white, and have hard brown or yellow heads. They feed on the roots of grass.

Adult billbugs are beetles 1/5 to 3/4 inch long. They have

long snouts, or bills that carry at the tip a pair of strong jaws or

mandibles with which the beetles chew their food. Their color is

clay yellow to reddish brown to jet black. The beetles burrow in

the grass stems near the surface of the soil and also feed on the

leaves.

Several species of billbugs damage lawns. The bluegrass

billbug is a pest of Kentucky bluegrass, while the hunting billbug

causes damage to Zoysia grass.


 
Earthworms

When earthworms are numerous, they sometimes become

pests in lawns. They make small mounds of castings that ruin the

appearance of the grass.

An imported species, the oriental earthworm, is found in

some of the eastern United States. It is 6 to 8 inches long and

about 1/5 inch in diameter. It is light green on the upper surface

and has purplish-green line down the center of the back. It

throws up abundant castings of soil.


 

The nose knows: Allergy season here with vengeance

There may be a whiff of truth to claims by allergy sufferers who sniffle that this season is, well, a bigger headache than years past.

And now, more bad news: It's also lasting longer, prolonging the misery of the millions of people for whom spring is a punishment, not a pleasure.

Heavy snow and rain in some parts of the country have nourished a profusion of tree pollen, while a sudden shift to warm, sunny weather has made its release more robust. The deluges and, in some places, flooding have pumped up the volume on mold. Add in the wind, and the suffering skyrockets.

Warnings about the difficult season have come from allergy specialists from New York to Atlanta, Chicago to California.

"This past week has been one of the worst ever," rasped Lynne Ritchie, 70, as she bought allergy medicine this week at a Manhattan drugstore.

Dr. Stanley Schwartz hears that from patients all the time — every year, in fact, he noted with a wry smile.

"Literally, every year is the worst year," said Schwartz, chief of allergy and rheumatology for Kaleida Health and the University at Buffalo. "Now it may actually be, but when it's there and you're feeling it, you don't remember what last year was like."

What is certain is that allergy seasons in general have been getting longer and more challenging, said Angel Waldron, spokeswoman for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation.

"We do know that climate change and warmer temperatures are allowing trees to pollinate longer than usual," she said. "Although people feel things are worse than ever before, it's actually because of the longer season. It's a longer time to endure."

Pollen counts and allergy attacks vary widely from region to region, locality to locality and day to day, and no one entity tracks the full complexity of their ups and downs across the country. But everything is ripe this year for a historic season.

It's been an exceptionally rainy spring in much of the country, with several states east of the Mississippi River setting records for the wettest April since 1895. That means luxuriously blooming trees and a similar effect on mold.

"The mold will grow under the fallen leaves from last season," Schwartz said. "So if it's very wet, it isn't just the blooming plants but it's also the mold, and many people are allergic to multiple airborne allergens."

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation lists Knoxville, Tenn.; Louisville, Ky.; Charlotte, N.C.; Jackson, Miss.; and Chattanooga, Tenn.; as its "2011 spring allergy capitals," using a scoring system that measures airborne grass, tree and weed pollen; mold spores; the number of allergy medications used per patient; and the number of allergy specialists per capita.

Four of those five cities are in states — Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky — that all had drenching springs and significant flooding. But the suffering isn't limited to the South.

The highest tree pollen count in three years triggered a dangerous air quality warning Friday in Chicago, where allergist Dr. Joseph Leija warned in a statement: "Itchy eyes, stuffy noses and fatigue will be common among Chicagoans with sensitive respiratory systems."

In Los Angeles, rain, a heat wave and the Santa Ana winds combined for a brutal stretch in February. To north in San Jose, pollen counts are on the rise with the start of grass season, allergist Dr. Alan Heller said Friday.

The National Allergy Bureau shows high pollen counts in the Northeast this week, including Albany and New York City, with their birch, oak and maple trees, and Oxford, Ala., where walnut, pine and willows are in bloom. The bureau is part of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

"It's been a very bad season so far. ... A lot of people suffering," said Dr. William Reisacher, director of the allergy center at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City.

"A lot of people who haven't suffered in previous years have come in for the first time in several years with symptoms," Reisacher said, noting that the Northeast's sudden change from cold, snowy winter to warm spring has worsened the situation.

Full circle round, back in the South, the Atlanta Allergy and Asthma Clinic has seen no letup since late February, when unseasonable warmth had Dr. Kevin Schaffer describing this year's pollen levels as "off the charts."

Medications used in the past may not be as effective if symptoms are worse this year, Reisacher said. Many of his patients in New York have required multiple drugs, including nasal sprays, oral antihistamines and eye drops.

Madison Sasser, a 21-year-old senior at Belmont University in Nashville, left her doctor's office with two kinds of nose spray and eye drops Thursday after already enduring an allergy-related sinus infection three weeks ago — right before final exams.

"It's been awful," she said. "My eyes have been so itchy and red, and I sneeze and cough. It's just been terrible."

In Dallas, a windy spring is helping to scatter the allergens.

"We've had heavy winds and the tree pollens were in heavy bloom, and all the wind was causing a lot of people a lot of problems," said Jill Weinger, physician's assistant at the Dallas Allergy & Asthma Center, where some patients were returning for treatment after years of absence.

In Louisville, Ky., 20-year-old Jared Casey's glazed eyes scanned the aisles of a Walgreens drugstore Thursday afternoon. He greeted the allergy season with an over-the-counter purchase of Claritin-D at the beginning of February — six weeks earlier than last year.

He switched to Zyrtec at the beginning of May, when his ears began plugging up, and said his symptoms are lasting longer than in years past.

"It's been a lot worse," he said. "My ears have stayed plugged up for two weeks."

Kristen Fennimore of New Egypt, N.J., counts herself among the than 35 million Americans plagued by seasonal allergic rhinitis — also known as hay fever, a condition characterized by sneezing, stuffiness, a runny nose and the telltale itchiness in the nose, roof of the mouth, throat, eyes or ears.

Until recently, the 28-year-old legal assistant said, she was feeling pretty good and thought she might get off easy this year. But pride goes before a fall.

"I was going around bragging how my allergies weren't bad this year," she said. "Then this week, it's been horrible."

The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades but now my grass won’t grow.

Although grass grows best in sunny areas, many people want a nice lawn under and around trees. No grass will grow for long in dense shade, but with proper care, you can grow a reasonably nice lawn in partial shade.

To grow any turf worth having, you need an area that gets roughly 50% sunlight. This can be filtered through trees or it could mean several hours of full sun and the rest of the day, diffused and/or filtered light.

To increase light, prune out branches to thin the trees where possible. Sometimes pruning off the lowest branches helps. If attractive turf is really important to you, you may choose to remove some of the less desirable trees. These steps alone may improve the quality of your lawn.

The next step to growing good grass in shady areas is to make sure you choose shade-tolerant turf grasses. The most shade-tolerant types are fine-leaved fescues, such as creeping red fescue and chewing fescue. These should be mixed with Kentucky blue grass varieties such as Glade, Nugget, Touchdown, or Sydsport which have a slight degree of shade tolerance. A mix of 2 parts fescue to 1 part bluegrass is good for shady places.

The next thing to consider in establishing and maintaining a lawn in shady areas is fertilizer. Grass grows more slowly in shade than sun. Slower-growing grass cannot make use of as much nitrogen but need lots of potassium for root growth. Furthermore, fine fescues, even when grown in good sunlight, need only half the fertilizer that Kentucky bluegrass needs.

Fine fescues are more drought-tolerant than bluegrasses. This is good since trees deflect some of the gentle summer rains, limiting the amount of moisture the grass receives, and their roots compete with grass for whatever moisture does reach the ground. For good turf, shaded areas usually need one heavy soaking a week during the hotter part of the growing season. As weather cools in late August and September, a soaking every 10 to 14 days should be adequate. Ample rainfall can make even that unnecessary.

Since Most trees drop acid in the soil I recommend lots of Lime around 50 lbs./1000 sq. ft. to established turf I recommend this twice a year. additional applications, if required, should be applied three to six months after the first application. Applications of less than 50 lbs./1000 sq. ft. will disappear from the surface after one or two rains, while larger amounts will remain visible for a longer period of time.

Mowing is another lawn care practice that differs for shady lawns. Since the main limiting factor is lack of light, shady grass needs more leaf surface for photosynthesis. Keep grass a bit on the long side; usually above 3". Cut the grass before it gets to 4 ½" high. Because fine fescues are a bit thin and wispy, they tend to lie down in front of the mower, so be sure to keep your mower blades sharp.

The final lawn care practice that really helps shaded lawns is prompt leaf removal in autumn. Shady lawns are easily smothered by heavy leaf fall. Fine fescues are rather shallow-rooted and prone to growing in clumps, so hard raking can tear them out. It's best to use a light-weight bamboo or plastic rake, or a blower or yard vacuum. Remove the leaves several times in autumn and again in the early spring to allow as much light as possible to reach the grass.

core-aeration may be useful each fall.

No matter how well you care for it, shaded grass may thin over the years. The best time to overseed is between August 15th and September 15th. You could also seed in early spring before trees leaf out, but competing weed seeds will be stirred up. The resultant weeds will compete with seedling grass. Or check out my article http://www.yourdreambackyard.net/2011/02/valentines-day-red-hearts-think-green.html (Many annual weeds pose much less problem in shade than in a sunnier location.)

If, after a few years of effort, grass still doesn't grow well enough in your shady area, try shade-tolerant groundcovers Sometimes referred to as "living mulch," ground cover fills in to form a dense planting that discourages weeds, holds moisture, prevents erosion, and is easier to care for than a lawn.

Many ground cover plants flourish in sites hostile to lawn grass, such as deep shade. They are also more environmentally friendly than lawns, requiring less energy, water, fertilizer, and pesticides to stay well groomed. Trees, shrubs, flowering perennials, and bulbs can grow through most groundcovers.

Ground covers are also lovely to look at.  Some bloom, some produce berries, and some are evergreen. Lily-of-the-valley, vinca, sweet woodruff, bishop's weed, ajuga, pachysandra, and buttercup are favorite ground covers.

When planting ground covers, spacing young plants properly is crucial in them to fill in quickly. It usually takes a year or two to achieve the desired thick cover.

Help me! Mushrooms are for Pizza not my lawn!

Question I'm being overwhelmed with mushrooms at home... not just a few but fairly organized rows of them about 1' wide and 6-8 feet long growing about 6+ inches above ground
Is there a way to get rid of them 'shrooms'? They're light brown with heads(?) about 4" in diameter and stems about 1" diameter and there's thousands of

Mushrooms are the spore-producing reproductive structures of certain kinds of fungi. Each mushroom has a large cap at the top of a stalk.

Where Do Mushrooms Come From?

Mushrooms, sometimes called toadstools, are the reproductive (fruiting) structures of some kinds of fungi. Other reproductive structures sometimes found in lawns include inky caps, puffballs, stinkhorns, and bird's nests. Many fungi do not produce visible fruiting structures, including those that cause many lawn diseases. Most fungi in lawns are beneficial because they decompose

LIFE CYCLE OF A FUNGUS

Fungal fruiting structures release tiny spores that are easily carried on air currents to new sites. When spores reach a favorable place to grow, they germinate and send out long, thin filaments called hyphae. Hyphae decompose wood, fallen leaves, and other organic matter, absorbing a portion as food. A single hypha is too small to be seen without magnification; however, in soil or beneath bark, groups of hyphae are sometimes visible as a mass of white or dark, threadlike growth known as mycelium.

When mycelium has developed sufficiently, fruiting bodies such as mushrooms can be produced. Fungi generally survive in soil for years and only produce fruiting structures when conditions are favorable, such as after periods of prolonged wet weather.

MUSHROOMS IN LAWNS

Because mushrooms are merely the fruiting bodies of fungi, removing them does not kill the underground mycelia from which they are growing. Picking mushrooms, puffballs, stinkhorns, or other reproductive structures soon after they appear may prevent their spores from spreading to new sites. However, because most spores are wind-blown long distances, they can easily come into a lawn from neighboring areas. The primary reasons for removing mushrooms from lawns are to keep them away from children and pets and to improve the lawn's appearance.

CAUTION: SOME MUSHROOMS ARE POISONOUS

Do not eat wild mushrooms or other fungal fruiting bodies unless you are well acquainted with the different species. Many species are poisonous and ONLY an expert can distinguish between edible and poisonous species. There are no simple tests that can be used to identify poisonous mushrooms.

Small children tend to put anything, including mushrooms, in their mouths, so remove all obvious fungal reproductive structures from the yard before allowing a child to play there. Pets may also be harmed by ingesting poisonous fungi.

Fairy Rings

Circular or semi-circular green bands of grass in a lawn may be caused by fairy ring fungi. Rings may be from 1 to 12 or more feet in diameter and mushrooms may or may not be present. Fairy rings get their name from the ancient belief that mushrooms grew in circles where fairies danced. All grasses are susceptible to fairy rings and several species of mushroom-producing fungi may be involved. In central and northern California Marasmius oreades is a common species, while in southern California Lepiota species are more common.

Sometimes the only effect of the fungus is to stimulate grass growth in arcs or circles; this growth is caused by the release of plant nutrients as the fungal hyphae decompose organic matter in the soil. In other cases the soil just inside the ring may become so permeated by the fungal growth that water penetration is retarded and the grass in that area grows poorly or dies. Fairy rings often continue to enlarge for many years. As the ring expands, the older portions of the fungus die, leaving a larger area in the center where weeds and undesirable grasses may become established.

Management..When the only effect of a fairy ring fungus is a ring of tall, green grass, increasing fertilizer and irrigation will usually mask these symptoms.

If fairy ring has caused significant dying or dead areas of grass, then lawn renovation may be required. If the grass is not dead, it can reestablish itself if water penetration is improved by breaking up the dense fungal mat of mycelia. To improve penetration, remove cores of soil that are at least 1/4 to 1 inch in diameter and slightly deeper than the fungal mat.

Determine the depth of the fungal mat by probing the lawn area with a trowel, shovel, or long screwdriver. If the mat is less than 3 inches thick, the use of a lawn aerator a few times a year may be sufficient to improve water penetration. Begin 2 feet outside the margin of the ring and work inwards. Sweep or rake up the cores and remove them from the turfgrass.

If the fungal mat is more than 3 inches thick, a lawn aerator may not be able to effectively remove cores of sufficient length. Also, lawn aerators may not be powerful enough to penetrate some soils. In these cases, a soil probe, small auger, or shovel may be needed to penetrate through and break up the fungal mat. Remove as much of the infested soil as possible. Refill large holes with fresh soil that is relatively free of organic matter.

Dead areas in tall fescue or other bunch-type lawns may need to be reseeded. Creeping grasses like bermudagrass will eventually fill in. After treatment, water until the soil is thoroughly wet. Be sure to wash the coring implement before using it in healthy lawn areas.

In general it is more effective to manage fairy rings in the home lawn with the cultural practices mentioned above than with a fungicide. Fungicides or deluded anti bactirial dish soap or just some dirty dishwater.  usually require multiple applications and proper timing over a long period of time.

Where complete eradication is desired, remove the soil and sod to at least a depth of 1 foot and 18 inches beyond the outside edge of the ring. Refill the trench with fresh soil and reseed the area. Be careful not to spill any infested soil on adjacent healthy areas.

For lighter Infestations.

things you'll need: lawn mower and/or weed wacker Thick gloves  Dirty dishwater Plastic grocery bag

Preparation for the death of the mushroom patch

 Using the Lawn mower, or weed wacker, destroy the path of mushrooms.

Cut them as low to the ground as you can.

 Put on the gloves and grab the remainder of the mushrooms that you removed from its source and place them into the grocery bag.

Continued murder of the mushroom patch

After you have finished washing your dishes in the sink

pour what is left of the dirty dish water onto what is left of the mushroom patch.

In time the patch will turn a dark brown. This means that the mushrooms are dying. With time they will be all gone.

All done. The area is cleared and they will not come back in that area for the rest of the summer. If the mushrooms do not turn brown enough within a couple of hours, just add more salt. That will do the trick. Have fun killing them.