Home > Lawn & Garden > Home Gardening > Lawns > Poll Takes Pulse of Home Lawn Care [Image: lawn] Consumer Reports magazine released its second annual lawn care poll in the May issue. See the results. Gypsum to soften hard soil? Probably not… [Image: pie] The reality of the myth that gypsum added to a lawn or garden will definitely improve soil tilth and strength, falls into the realm of agricultural practices being misapplied to ornamental landscapes. Tips Offered For Managing Shaded Lawns [Image: Groundcover] Having a good lawn in a tree-shaded landscape is a challenge since all of the warm-season turfgrasses were developed to grow best in full sun, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske. Investigating Problem Turfs Turf problems can be categorized as cultural (man-made), environmental or pest-related. Often two or more of these factors contribute to the problem.  more articles... Turfgrass Herbicides Recommended for 2009 [Image: spray] This is a PDF chart of 2009 (home and commercial) recommended lawn and turfgrass herbicides and their general usage. Nematodes – The ‘Unseen’ Pest Invisible pests are living in the soil of our vegetable gardens, and these microscopic round worms known as nematodes are problems for home gardeners and commercial farmers. Moles in the Lawn and Landscape Controlling and trapping moles require a little time and patience. Your success with controlling moles depends on locating active runways and the proper placement of a trap. Thin Areas in Summer Lawns [Image: Bare areas] When attempting to determine the cause of dying patches of grass during the summer, always check the soil first. Ounces Equal Gallons: Sprayer Calibration [Image: spray] A simple but accurate way of checking the output of your sprayer is the H 128 method of sprayer calibration. Time to Fertilize Your Lawn [Image: Fertilizer Spreader] In mid-April it’s time to do two things – pay taxes and fertilize your lawn. If you’ve already taken care of the taxes, now you should decide whether or not to fertilize your lawn. Falling Leaves – Pretty, But Dangerous To Waterways [Image: Fall leaves] Grass clippings are a constant in yard maintenance, but fall introduces leaves into the mix. This year the nuisance is worse because hurricanes and storms have defoliated more trees. Results are only as good as sample [Image: spot] The chemical analysis of a soil sample has been worked out and calibrated so that the numbers reported mean something useful to the client. However, the results are only as good as the sample is representative of the area and crop’s root zone. Follow Four Essential Steps When Starting A Lawn Now is the time to begin working on a new lawn, and LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske has advice for those undertaking such a project. Controlling Weeds in Lawns [Image: weeds] Simple and common materials to control weeds in lawns. Click for more information...