Lawn care 101

So why not yellow clover?

 

It looks like a clover. It is called Black Medic.

So why Black Medic? 

A little research costs nothing but a little time. 

Get your lawn aerated this year. 

While I did not start this post as an advertisement, the above link did bring to mind the one process in lawn care that should be included in any lawn care program; core aeration. Speaking of that if you spend money taking care of your lawn; water is essential to a healthy lawn. TURN ON THE SPRINKLER!  

Delay

Would be on my way to get the work day over but this dang weather, put me on an hour delay. Not real sure the exact reason for the delay, its not raining and though they are calling a 50% chance of thunder storms, that still leaves 50% saying it won't. Well beat me with a stick... its raining, we will just wait this one out, go to work and... well after the rain the humidity is up to about 100% sticky, hot and miserable, but then I am a lawn care tech, part of my job is complaining. 
     While unsightly, this turfgrass disease is not going to kill off your lawn. Fungicide being a bit costly is not the recommended solution. Rather, raise the mowing height, increase watering will usually help the situation.   Another common fungus that is present in lawns. The best rule of thumb to go by to prevent disease damage is "the hotter the higher" referring to mowing. Frequent watering will help, avoid watering after sundown. Well my additional hour is about up this morning, we will continue Lawn Care 101 another time.

Its just my job to inform.

Identification of a particular weed is not nearly as important as knowing the proper herbicide to use. These 2 different weeds are both Dicots, which means a Selective post-emergence herbicide will knock them down. Round Up is a herbicide but not a Selective Herbicide, I am treating lawns, not barren fields, so I want the Turf Grass, a Monocot to survive.

My company by choice uses a product called Momentum.  I have used this product for several years now and quite happy with the results.

The above image is a weed called Black Medic, the one below that is Oxalis or as some call it shamrocks. These 2 are similar but after you see them they are quite easy to identify. Both have similar shaped leaves,  however Oxalis is a heart shaped and Black Medic is oval; the seed pod on Black Medic is the give away; Oxalis has a flower, not a seed pod; though both are yellow.
The bottom picture is of Clover, white and pink clover are both the same plant, one simply has a pink flower rather than a white one, I have yet to see a Yellow Clover. Here is where the leaf shape will help identify this weed. Oval shaped, Black Medic also is oval but the growth habit of Clover is close to the ground where Black Medic grows more upright. 

and now you too know some of what I know and use on almost a daily basis.