Question:
I sprayed Round Up along the cracks of the sidewalk to kill the weeds. It did a great job; however, the over spray killed the edges of the lawn. Is there anything I can do to correct this?Answer:
Unfortunately, it's too late to do anything to save any of the damaged grass.- Once it turns a yellow/brown color the grass is dead and there is nothing that will reverse the effect.
- In the future, you can prevent this problem from occurring by using a cardboard plant shield or barrier. It is simple to use and very effective. As you get close to the edge of the turf, you place the shield or barrier between the edge of the grass and the sidewalk or a driveway.
- Round Up can be sprayed right up to the barrier as it’s a leaf absorbed herbicide that kills only the leaf surface it contacts. It doesn't feather or bleeds out so you can spray in a straight line. If you spray half a leaf that half or portion is the only section that is killed. Round Up is never absorbed by the roots of plants; hence, it’s never sprayed on bare ground. You move the barrier along as you spray. The plant shield doesn't have to be very long and just tall enough to prevent the spray from drifting. Also, it doesn't have to be cardboard, as any solid material will do.
- What to do next to repair the damage is going to be a judgment call on your part. You could do nothing and let the grass fill in on its own. But, you’ll have to be very patient as it’s not going to repair itself this season.
- Reseeding the damaged area with Pennington One Step or Scott’s E-Z Seed is the option that I favor. These products include the seed, mulch, and fertilizer. All you’ll need to, do is rake up the dead debris and apply the material and water.
- Watering is the key as you’ll need to sprinkle the area three to five times a day depending on the temperatures until it germinates which is about two weeks.
- July is a tough month to reseed so you may wish to wait until the fall. The damaged area is probably too small to resod.
Question:
Is there a rule to follow as far as pruning back trees that hang over from a neighbor's yard? Our neighbor's tree stands over 2-1/2 stories tall and it shades out some portions of our yard. Is it OK for me to cut the overhanging branches?Answer:
The general rule of thumb is that you can prune any tree back to the property line, which is usually the fence.- However, the pruning cannot increase the risk of the tree falling over by making it lopsided.
- I might have an arborist come on site to evaluate the tree and make a recommendation. The report then can serve as a valuable document in case there is an issue in the future.