Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I have two dogs and a small back yard. Now that it's gotten hot, my yard suddenly has lots of dead spots in it. I suspect it's from their urine. Is there a treatment for my lawn that will prevent the grass from dying? R.G.

The gist of it is that there's not a lot that can be done. Sorry. The cause for the damage is the dog's intake of protein which is converted into excess nitrogen and eliminated in the urine / feces. This excess nitrogen is actually a form of fertilizer, but because of the highly concentrated dose, it burns the grass. Usually, only the grass blades die and the roots remain intact and will usually grow back in time. However, when the dogs use the same spots repeatedly, which they probably do if they're like mine, then eventually the grass roots will die as well.

Despite some advertising in popular dog magazines and catalogs, there are no products at this time that you can add to the dog's food to change the outcome. Diluting the urine is the only real remedy which means giving the dog more water to drink or washing down the areas with a hose or sprinkler immediately after they go (not very practical though). There are a couple of grass types that are a little more resistant, but not enough to make much of a difference. If you had the time and patience to train the dogs, it is possible to train them to urinate on command in a specific location in your yard which could be a mulched area or anywhere that doesn't have grass.

You might check their diet and make sure that they're not getting too much protein (raw meats, etc.). In addition, if you feed them only once a day, you might break up the feedings into two meals like breakfast and dinner to help dilute the protein. Don't overfeed the animals, particularly prepared people food.

It would be nice if there was a magic formula / pill / treatment that could stop this, but I'm afraid there is none.

Q: Any helpful tips on gopher infestations? I have tried the poison oats, but they will not eat it. Help!!! any tips would be appreciated. Oh yeah, I tried drowning them out too... ran the water for one whole day and it never did come up out of the ground anywhere. P.F.

Gophers are definitely a tough customer to control. They also can do considerable damage as you're probably already aware. They are strictly vegetarians and most of their tunnels are about 12-18" below the surface, however, they do have much deeper tunnels that can go down 5' or so. Living in Nebraska, you probably don't have access to a few good rattlesnakes, which love gophers and will go underground in pursuit of them. Owls are also good predators. There are some home remedies that have questionable results. One is planting caster bean plants that is supposed to drive them away-I have my doubts though. All of those so-called remedies like the vibrating windmill and ultrasonic devices don't work either. Gophers don't frighten easily. Just imagine how much vibration and noise a lawn mower causes going overhead every week.

Flooding the tunnels doesn't work as you also know--they are good swimmers and can easily plug a tunnel up anywhere along its length when the water starts getting too deep. They do the same when trying to gas them. Poison is an alternative, but not recommended. Before they succumb to the poison, they'll often emerge from the tunnel and die topside. Their carcass could then be consumed by a favorite pet and which would then poison them as well. The best remedy is traps. If you're not too squeamish, the lethal variety, if done properly, will do the job. It may take several tries getting it set just right to nab them. Even though they are usually solitary critters, during the spring, they are usually in an amorous mood and will probably have a mate or two holed up with them so you'll have to keep putting traps in at several tunnel openings.

Find the main tunnel by locating a fresh opening and then determine it's direction by running a rod (or buy a gopher probe--really!) into the ground in a circle. You'll notice a give in the pressure when you hit it. The main tunnel runs underground for a considerable distance. They will then dig up to the surface in various places and these are the mounds you see in your yard. You want to find the main tunnel, not the lateral access tubes.
Once you find the main tunnel, dig a hole that intercepts this tunnel. Set 2 traps, one on each side of the exposed openings so you'll be catching them either coming or going. Normally, you don't have to bait the traps, but some folks claim this helps. If you opt for this you might consider using lettuce, carrots, or slices of apple. Tie a wire to the trap so you can easily remove it. Once the traps are properly set, place some cardboard over the hole you dug and cover with soil so no light enters the hole. If you don't catch one in 3 days, you've got a dead-end tunnel and will need to relocate it and try again.

Once you get the problem under control, be prepared for a re-infestation, especially if you live in an area bordering a vacant lot, or wild lands You might get rid of the ones in your yard, but as soon as that tunnel becomes vacant, another opportunistic critter will take advantage of the already excavated new digs.

Q: I don't seem to be able to get my lawn to look good, no mater what I do. I've been doing it myself for the last three years and it still looks like crap. What do you suggest? T.H.

This sometimes happens. We see the commercials on TV with the homeowner saying how they hate crabgrass, or they hate weeds, and all they had to do was buy this or that product and their lawn looks just perfect. The truth is, that things don't always work out like they do on TV. Lawns involve a complex set of variables that need to be balanced. Just adding fertilizer won't correct everything. Just putting down crabgrass control also won't correct everything. All aspects of the lawn need to be evaluated, particularly the type of grass growing in your particular climate along with an understanding of the soil it grows in. The wrong grass in the wrong climate and nothing you do will make that situation work. The right grass in the right climate, with a soil condition out of whack, and you'll have problems.

The best advice for someone having consistent problems with their lawn, or those who have tried doing it themselves without success, is to call a professional. The savings in aggravation and frustration will be well worth the investment in having a professional take a look see. Usually, qualified and trained pros will have your lawn looking the best it can possibly be in just a full season of care. Some problems take a little longer to correct, like compacted soils. Others may only need a special treatment or two to put it back in balance. The cost of hiring a lawn care pro, compared to doing it yourself, is really not that much different. And, if you were to pay yourself for the time you spend buying and applying fertilizers and weed controls, well, doing-it-yourself just becomes a very expensive hobby.

Q: I have a very large maple in my front yard. The roots of the tree grow up out of the ground like knuckles. This prevents me from getting a nice think lawn. Do I need to cover them with soil and reseed or get rid of them. K.B.

Covering the maple roots with soil and reseeding is one option. Be careful not to put too much soil and don't put it up close to the base of the tree, which will kill it. Also, make sure you don't alter the drainage of the lawn if you add more topsoil.

Another option would be to remove the knuckles. As long as they're at least 6' or more away from the trunk and not too many of them you can just chop them out with a maddox or an ax, then fill the hole with dirt and reseed. Fall is an excellent time to do this. In the meantime, let the grass grow taller 3" (turf fescue lawn) and it has covered up the roots.

Q: When is the best time to water my lawn? J.M.

There are differing points of view on what time of day you should water your lawn. The one point of agreement is DO NOT WATER IN MID AFTERNOON. This is typically when the sun is at its hottest and more water is likely to evaporate. This is doubly important if you're in drought conditions with watering restrictions in place. What this means is that even though you put down 1" of measured watering, a substantial amount of that evaporates before it
soaks into the soil.

If the weather is extremely warm, including the nights (low temperatures typically above 67), then, if possible, water in the evening. This substantially reduces the amount of evaporation and gives the water plenty of time to percolate down to the root zone. However, if nighttime temperatures drop below 65 at night, then early morning watering is preferred. Wet grass in cool temperatures increases the chance of disease infestations.