Blog

Early Pre-Emerge?
Tue. Feb. 7, 2012

Under normal conditions we recomend making your pre-emerge application after Feb. 15 but before March 15. This year in the middle TN area, we have been unseasonably mild so soil temps have not gotten as low as normal. This means the soil will likely warm up faster and thus bringing on the germination of those hard to control summer anual grassy weeds like Crabgrass, Goosegrass and Dalis Grass. The best way to control these weeds is by making a pre-emerge application BEFORE they germinate. As I said before, soil temps will most likely rise sooner this year, so getting that pre-emerge out a little early is a must this season. I would recomend making this application between now and the end of February. This will ensure that you get a jump on those summer anual weeds. I do not think that we are out of the woods as far as winter goes, but remember, soil is a buffer and it is resistant to drastic changes, so even if we do hit a cold snap the soil temp change will be minimal. The best way to approach the frist application of pre-emerge with fertilizer this year will be to get it done early. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by email Brad@DickensSupply.com, I will be more than happy to help you with your pre-energe needs and questions and I can help you put together a program for this application and for the rest of the season. Have a GREAT SPRING!

Broadleaf Weeds
Fri. Jan. 20, 2012

Broadleaf or winter annual weeds are going to be bad this early srping and spring season. If you have cool season turf you have probably already noticed theese weeds in your lawn. We had a great and extended fall season which allowed theese weeds to germinate and begin to grow. We have been experiencing a mild winter which has allowed theese weeds to continue to mature. Under normal conditions theese weeds don't begin to show up until the spring green up, but with mild and wet conditions this year they are flourishing early. You can begin to control theese weeds now. With the right conditons and product you can get a jump on theese weeds now so that they will not take up space, nutrients, water and sunlight from you desireable turf grass. Come by and see us at Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply and we will give you the what and when on how to get the jump on theese ugly winter annual weeds. My nmame is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com. Thanks!

Start the new year off right....
Tue. Jan. 3, 2012

We hope that all of you had a very happy and safe holiday season. As we move in to the new year, now is a great time to soil test, or to come by Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply for a jump start to your application schedule and plan for next year. We recommend a "dormant feed" for January with a 100% organic fertilize. This is to replace valuable nutrients in te soil now, so when the spring green up comes, they will already be in place. We will sit down with you and answer all your questions and we will put into writing exactly what and when you need to do to have the best lawn and landscape on your block. We will give you this schedule so you will know throughout the coming seasons what and when to apply. We will explain what each will do, what you can expect to see from that application. If you wait until spring gets here, you will be behind the 8 ball so get ahead of the game and come by and see us now. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com. Thanks and Happy New Year!

*BIG NEWS*
Mon. Nov. 21, 2011

DICKENS TURF AND LANDSCAPE SUPPLY IS SOON TO BE YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL OF YOUR TURF AND LANDSCAPE NEEDS AS WELL AS TORO, SHINDIAWA AND ECHO POWER EQUIPMENT IN HENDERSONVILLE! We are fired up about opening a new location in Sumner County. We will be just North of Indian Lake at Saundersville Road. More information on this new location as it becomes available. Thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving from Dickens Supply
Mon. Nov. 21, 2011

Hello to all. I want to take this oportunity, on behalf of everyone at Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. We are all very thankful that you have chosen Dickens Supply for all of your turf, landscape and equipment needs. We are also very thankful that each of you help us spread the word about our company. At all 3 of our locations, we are constantly having new customers come in and tell us that their neighbor or person they work with or person they go to church with etc. has told them about us and they come in for thier own needs. This is the best advertising any comapny can have, the word of mouth, and we thank all of you very much. Again, we hope all of you have a great and safe Thanksgiving and if there are any questions concerns or needs that you have let us know. My name is Brad Wilkinson and I manage the Cool Springs location of Dikens Turf and Landscape Supply. You can reach me at 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com

Fall Feeding
Wed. Oct. 26, 2011

I am posting another blog about fall feeding for cool season turf because I know how important that it is. I also understand that this time of year it can be tough to remember to keep the fall feeding going. With football, Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, the last thing on most of our minds after overseeding is to continue to fertilize. But I can tell you from first hand experience as well as many, many studies, feeding properly now will give you better results and performance next season. Your new turf wants to grow in and mature right now and mother nature is working in our favor as well so make sure you provide the proper nutrition to those plants, soil and roots and ensure that they are on or ahead of schedule. Starter fertilizer is not enough! You need to feed now with an organic based ferilizer and again in 4 to 6 weeks with a winterizer. This will put all the needed nutrients in place and as spring and summer roll around next year, your turf will be prepared. Please contact me if you have any turf or landscape needs or questions. Brad Wilkinson, Brad@DickensSupply.com 615-371-2493.

Don't quit now....
Wed. Oct. 12, 2011

If you have already aerated, overseeded and put out your starter fertilizer then you are in pretty good shape. The new plants are growing and looking green and healthy. If you have not started your fall cool season turf rennovation, now is the time. Hesitate no more, it is just a matter of time before the window closes. And, do not let the starter fertilizer application be your last. This is a very common mistake that you will not see the effects of until the heat of next summer. Mother nature takes care of a lot things right now, including good growth and green color. Nutrients, organics and some slow release fertilizer are the things you need to add. Make sure to follow the starter application with a sceond feed and then a winterizer. This will ensure you have the proper nutrition avaialbe for your new turf grass to thrive and mature properly, to produce that deep root system that will be needed next summer. If you follow that starter application with an organic based second feed and a winterizer or if you don't, I guarantee that it will show up under the stress of next summer. Get in touch with me and let me show how it all works and how you can be sucessful growing cool season turf in the transition zone, Brad@DickensSupply.com, 615-371-2493.

Keep the Water Flowing
Fri. Sep. 30, 2011

If you took advantage of the perfect conditions in early September, This blog may not be for you. If you got ahead of the curve, chances are you are on your second feed, you may have already mowed the new grass or you are getting ready to and you have went back to a normal watering plan. If that sounds like you, congratulations! Your early bird mentality is paying off now and will pay off next summer as you will have a well established turf when the heat and humidity hits. If you waited to see, if you thought the perfect weather could not be here for good, if you waited unitl mid to late September which is usually the way to go anyway then welcome to the club, come on over and join me! If you are in the latter of these two boats chances are that you have a good stand of freshly germinated or week to week and a half old newly germinated turf. This is great as well because even though we chose to wait a little bit we too experienced perfect conditions. The problem is the next 7 to 10 days and the weather forecast. No rain, low humidity and wind. This equals dryness, extreme dryness. DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOUR WATERING. This is the most crucial time for those new plants to have plenty of water. If you have irrigation, leave it set to water light and frequently, like 3 to 4 times a day for 5-10 minutes per zone. I know this is not cheap but it will even out next summer when you have a deep healthy root system and you are not watering as much. If you do not have irrigation and you have to drag the hose and sprinkler around your lawn, hang in there. I understand this is a pain and it gets old after a while but keep it going as you too will reap the benefits of a strong, healthy turf next summer. With the dry condiotns that we are facing for the next few days you need to stay on top of your watering schedule to ensure the new palnts survive. Don't forget to follow up germination with an organic based starter fertilize and 4 weeks after the starter you will want to make an organic based application that is belended with a little amonium sulfate. If you have any questions about cool season turf, warm season turf or anything else in the turf and landscape category, my name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by email Brad@DickensSupply.com

Perfect Timing
Wed. Sep. 21, 2011

Timing is everything. In sports, a blink of an eye can make a huge difference in success or failure. The same is true in turf maintenance, to a degree. We have what we call "application windows" based on average weather patterns and soil temps. This means that typically we have 3-4 week windows to get our work done in the yard and still have great results. When it comes to cool season turf rennovations in the fall, you want to get your aerifiction and overseeeding done as early as possible. This allows the turf the maximum amount of time to mature in preperation for next summer. Each day, week, or month that you can take asdvantage of good growing condions, the better off your turf will be. In middle TN, for whatever reason, this year has been exceptional. the temps cooled off quickly, the soil temp got where it needed to be, it has been raining and the forecast is for more of the same. It is not too late to start your fall lawn rennovation, we still have a few weeks of favorable conditions. But, my advice to you is to take advantage now. Do not wait any longer. Every day that goes by is a day of root growth and overall plant matutity that we have lost. The more time your cool season turf grass plants have to establish a strong root system and grow, the better the turf's preformance will be under the stress of next summer. Let the Turf Team at Dickens Supply show you how a Top Choice turf plan will make this process easy and affordable. My name is Brtad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location, 615-371-2493 by email Brad@DickensSupply.com or by "liking" us on Facebook. Happy Fall!!

The time is NOW
Fri. Sep. 9, 2011

Today, tomorrow, early next week, all of these are great choices to begin your cool season turf renovation. The temps have cooled and so has the soil. We have finally seen some rain and there are good chances in the forecast to come. You want to overseed and get started as soon as you can in the fall in order take advantage of the superior growing conditions. The sooner you get your new seed out and the sooner it germinates, the sooner it begins to mature and develope the root system needed in order to survive and thrive next summer. You also can take advantage of this time to begin building your soil. You can do this through the use of organics and organic blended fertilizers. These fertilizers are not more expensive, it does not take any more or less of them, and the frequncy of application is the same as it is with synthetics. The difference is that with organics you ensure a healthy root zone enviroment for your turf to build a thick, dense and deep root system. This is the key to long term survival and especialy to surviving the heat and stress of summer. At Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply we are well versed in the science of organics and organic blends. We can put together a plan based on the needs of your lawn. We will get you the proper products and give you a schedule to ensure proper timing. Come by and see us in Cool Springs, Murfreesboro or Nashville and put the "Turf Team" to work for you! My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location, 615-371-2493, you can "like" our facebook page and post or message me there or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com. Happy Fall!!

It is almost here!
Mon. Aug. 29, 2011

Hopefully you have begun and almost completed your late season weed control. It is now time to focus on the actual overseed project. Core aerification is a must. This is the type of aeriation that pulls little plugs of soil out of the ground. This ensures a good gas exchange in the soil and it icorporates the most important soil nutrient, oxygen, into your soil. These holes are not intended for seed to fall in to. Seed that falls in to these holes is likely to not recieve enough sun light to germinate as quick as those seeds that are on the soil surface. After you core aerify, you can run a de-thatcher over the area or drag the cores in with an old pallet or boxsprings or piece of chainlink fence, anything that will roll the cores around and break them up. This dragging will also help release thatch and stand your existing turf up so that more soil is exposed. SEED TO SOIL CONTACT is a must for proper germination. We have many products and tips to help you this overseed season. We can answer your questions, and if you have had problems, we have solutions. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Late Season Push
Mon. Aug. 8, 2011

It is almost time for fall turf renovation, but there are few things to consider between now and then. Weed control. If you made a srping pre-emerge appliction, it is likely running out by now. This is a good thing actually because you do not want that application to carry into overseed time and affect new seed germination. We can help you with your late season weed control in a way that will not interfere with fall overseeding. Also, now is a great time to jump start your soil in preperation for overseeding. A 100% organic feed or a 2-1-10 organic with magnessium would be a great choice for an August apllication. This will help give you one last little push to the existing turf and it will pre-boost your soil for the new seedlings that are to come. Remember, fall is the time for planting cool season grasses and Dickens Supply can give you a complete, comprehensive plan to ensure success in your lawn and landscape. Give us a call or come by and see us and we will get you on the right path! My name is Brad Wilklinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

The Downhill Slide
Tue. Jul. 12, 2011

We are on the back side the summer. I don't want that to depress any one, but the days are getting shorter now. We still have our hottest days ahead of us but in about 3 weeks we will begin to talk about the start of over seeding preperations. Up to this point we have had excellent growing conditons for cool and warm season grasses. Depending on how the next 5 or 6 weeks pan out, this could be one of the most favorable turf grass seasons in recent memory. Hang on tight, the worst of the heat is still to come so make sure you are pre stressed conditioned and keep making those organic based applications. I am interested in how your lawn and landscape is doing this year. Post something on our Facebook wall, or send me an e-mail. I would also like to know your plans for your fall season 'out in the yard! Brad@DickensSupply.com 615-371-2493

Understanding Fescue
Thu. Jun. 23, 2011

As summer sets in, right now is good time to take an assesment of your fescue lawn. Have you followed your application schedule? Have you done the needed weed control and fertilization? Have you used plenty of organics? The list goes on, but ultimately if you have made the commitment to maintaining and improving your lawn, ask yourself if your lawn is in better shape now than it was this time last year. There are many variables that can lead to your turf's condition that are out of our control, but you should still see improving conditions or maybe it is time to make adjustments. As July and August approach, remember that the first two weeks of July are the harvest time for fescue seed producers. This is relevant because it pretains to the life cycle of fescue. Even though in a lawn, we are not harvesting seed and many of the turf varieties are geneticly engineered for high maintenance, the natural life cycle suggests a slow down in growth and plant production after the seed head has matured, or would have matured if not for being mowed and maintained. I say all that to say by understanding the life cycle of fescue in it's natural state (seed production or forage grass) the plant is nearing full maturity and will begin to decline naturaly. The heat and humidity of summer are not the only things that account for summer stress. By keeping a good organic food source available, keeping moderate amounts of soluable magnessium and potassium available, you can keep good color and a steady growth habit and avoid some of this natural decline. I hope this blog helps you understand why fescues do what they do and that you can help your turf get through this natural slump with success. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can come talk to me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply or e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com or call 615-371-2493 or like our Facebook page. Thanks.

Stress Relief
Mon. Jun. 13, 2011

We have been way above normal in the temp and humidity department for the last 3 weeks. We have seen mid summer like conditions since the end of May. Well, it looks like this week will see some relief in the form of cooler and wetter weather. When we have theese little stress breaks, you need to take advantage and get in a summer application on your cool season turf. 2-1-10 organic base with magnessium is an excellent choice. This will provide a good soil builder and root feeder as well as magnessium for good color. Also, you may want to make a gypsum appplication. This wiil provide some soluable calcium as well as a soil flush to clear out some holding space on the soil and get rid of any sodium and bi-carbonate build up. Sodium and a high bi-cabonate level will basically shut the soil down as it gets hotter and the last thing you need when heat stress is at it's highest. If you have any questions as the summer goes on feel free to contact me, Brad Wilkinson, at the Cool Springs location of dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

It is no too late, or too early
Fri. May. 27, 2011

It is never too late or too early to get started on a Turf plan. With a soil test, we can put together an application schedule for your lawn and landscape. This plan will cover 1 year's worth of applications, including aerification and overseeding, and springpre-emerge. It will take you all the way through an entire growing season. Since the schedule that we will put together for you runsfor a whole 12 month period, you can start it anytime. Remember, turf management is a process and it takes some time. I would argue that now is a great time to start if you haven't already because you have the entire summer to build yoursoil through the use of organics and you will be ahead of the game when fall arrives. Come by and see us and let us work out truf plan for you. We are Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply and you can find us in Nashville, Murfreesboro and Cool Springs. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can contact me at the Cool Springs location, 615-371-2493 or via e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com

The Cicadas are On The Way
Tue. May. 3, 2011

The cicadas are coming! The Cicadas are coming! There are some steps you should take to protect young and small landscape trees. You need to cover these trees with netting from the top and close it around the bottom branches. Do not anchor the netting to the ground as the cicadas will find their way under it if it is attached to the ground. Some of the cicadas may still find a way to get on smaller trees but the netting will deter most of them. On larger trees, other than the noise, you prorbably won't know that they have been there. The majority, if any, damage that is done will be cosmetic and not cause long term harm on large trees. There are chemical control options for cicadas, but if the forecast holds true and they show up in the numbers predicted, it will be tough to control them by spraying. The good news is the cicadas will not be here for very long. Take steps to protect small trees and new plantings and your landscape should pull through just fine. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Help Mother Nature Help your turf
Sat. Apr. 16, 2011

We have been having great spring weather the last couple of weeks. Many warm and sunny days followed by cool rainy days. These are optimum cool season turf growing conditions. Your fescue or bluegrass is loving life right now and it will be growing and maturing perfectly. In oreder to take full advantage of these conditions, you need to feed your turf and soil correctly. There is little more to it than just throwing down a bag of fertilizer. Often times you find that "off the shelf" fertilizers contain a high percentage of nitrogen (this is the 1st number represented on the bag). While cool season turf does require nitrogen, most of these products contain too much. If you have used a product like this in the past, you probably saw a quick green up and fast growth for 3 to 4 weeks and then it faded. This response will trick you in to thinking the fertilizer worked when in reality this application did little to help you have a good turf canopy for THE WHOLE YEAR, not just a few weeks. At Dickens we believe in different approach. We know that organic and organic based fertilizers bulid the soil and feed the roots. This is what will ensure survivability when conditons get tough (June, July, August). Offering nutrients like magnessium, the key component in Chlorophyl priduction, for good color, potassium sufate for good root development and for it's soil flushing effect to rid the soil of excess sodium. Organic, slow release nitrogen that will provide a healthy, sustainable growth rate for the entire season, not just for a few weeks. You do not have to watch your lawn burn up this summer, Let the TURF TEAM at Dickens help you work in conjunction with Mother Nature now, in preperation for the stress that is to come. My name is Brad Wilkinson and I can be contacted at the Cool Springs Location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

FACEBOOK!!!
Wed. Apr. 6, 2011

Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply has a page on Facebook. Please go to our page and "like" it. We will be posting updates as well as seasonal specials. We are also going to have some referal photos on our website and Facebook page so you can show off your beautiful lawn!

New Blog Starting
Wed. Apr. 6, 2011

Our blog site has been under the weather for a while, but now we are back on line. I have made my 1st application of pre-emerge, my first application of 9-1-5 and I have done my broadleaf weed control. The front yard here in Cool Springs is a solid 8 out of 10. As the season goes on and it holds it's healthy growth habit and color that rating hopefully will go up. For now it is an 8. The 9-1-5 was my last application. 50% organic to build the soil and roots and a little amonium sulfate is also in this blend for a little tickle of growth and color. Maintaining cool season turf in our climate is like running a marathon. You know that about mile 20 or 21 you are going to hit adversity. At this point you must lean on your training and nutrition to pull you through. You have to have confidence in your preperation. With cool season turf, Mother Nature will be on your side 9 months out of the year, but for those hot and humid 90 days in the summer, your turf will have to rely on it's root system and soil for survival. Now is the time to get your preperation (or training) in so your turf is ready for the hot summer. Organics and organic blended fertilizers are the best way to do this. Mother Nature is helping us out big time right now so make sure you are in turn helping her by feeding your soil and turf grass plants the correct way. When the heat and humidity of summer arrive, what you see above the ground in your lawn will be a direct reflection of what is under the ground. I can answer any question you may have regarding your turf and landscape and if I do not have the answer I will find it for you. My name is Brad Wilkinson and I manage the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

The snow has melted
Mon. Jan. 17, 2011

Last week, we saw about 6 inches of snow that covered the turf completely through Friday. Today when I pulled in the parking lot here in Cool Springs, I not only noticed that all of the snow was gone but I made another observation. The heat tolerant bluegrass is doing a much better job of holding it's deep green color. I say that because you can obviously see it, but I don't want to discount the color of The Gold Standard Fescue. The Gold Standard fescue is still holding a good winter color it's just that the bluegrass is doing better. This is no surprise as bluegrass is well known for it's winter hardiness. We will see as spring and summer approach how the two compare. My next application will be a 100% organic fertilizer like a 3-4-3. This will allow the organic fertilize to be in place well before it is needed so when the time comes that the soil and plants can use theese materials they will be there. Spring weed control will be next on the list in late February. Let Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply put together a plan for your turf and landscape for the upcoming season. The greenest lawn and the healthiest landscape plants start with us! Contact me any time, Brad Wilkinson, Brad@DickensSupply.com or 615-371-2493

Winter Progress
Wed. Dec. 29, 2010

The front lawn at The Cool Springs location is looking great. A pre-Thanksgiving application of 9-1-5 and the green color is holding well, even through the cold temps. The 9-1-5 is an organic base with amonium sulfate. Amonium sulfate is an excellent nitrogen source in cool weather. This helps ensure the turf does not completely go to sleep but continues to grow and mature. The organic portion of this fertilizer will continue to help me build my soil and ensure that I have replenished nutrients that were used up durring the fall growing season. Don't quit on your cool season turf just because it is cold. When the temps begin to rise and then get hot, you will see the difference for doing the correct things now. Contact me anytime and for your ice-melting needs, Brad Wilkinson Brad@DickensSupply.com, 615-371-2493. Happy New Year!!

Winter Turf Management
Tue. Nov. 23, 2010

We have been blessed with an extended warm period early this winter. This means that the soil temps are staying warmer longer too. With the extended warmth, your cool season turf will continue to grow and mature. To take full advantage of this, use organic based products to build the soil as well as provide all the nutrients that your turf requires. A great choice would be Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply's 9-1-5. This a 50% organic base with 50% amonium sulfate, which is an excellent source of nitrogen in cooler weather. We have a huge selection of organics at Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, and if you want to see for yourself how well theese fertilizers work, come check out my front lawn at the Cool Springs Location. I have used only organic and organic based fertilizers and the turf is responding great. Please feel free to contact me with any of your turf and landscape questions or needs. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at The Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 and by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com. HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!!

DELAYED UPDATE
Mon. Nov. 1, 2010

Sorry for the delay in blog posts. We have been having some technical difficulties with the site and we appologize for those as well. As far as the front lawn at the Cool Springs location goes, it is in great shape. I was able to get all the seed germinated very quickly. I have fertilized with 9-12-6 and then with 9-1-5. Both are organic based fertilizers and the turf has preformed beutifuly. I am going to make 1 more application of 9-1-5 and then on the 1st week of December I am going to put down a winterizer of 30-0-15. This fertilize is 80% Extended release and will help keep the turf green throughout the winter. I do have a few scattered broadleaf weeds, but at this point I am going to wait until early in the spring to address this issue. If you want to have a plan of attack to make sure your newly seeded turf survives whatever mother nature throws at us next year, contact me, Brad Wilkinson at the Cool Springs location opf Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brtad@DickensSupply.com.

Fescue/Bluegrass update
Fri. Sep. 17, 2010

Had Gold Standard Turf type fescue up yesterday and Pro-Bluegrass up today!! I can't believe how quick the bluegrass germinated, 7 days is not typical. I will Fertilize it all today with 9-12-6 organic based starter.

**BLOG UPDATE**
Wed. Sep. 15, 2010

I also rennovated our chipping/putting green in front of the office on Friday Sept. 10 and this morning we have new Memorial Creeping Bentgrass plants!! That's right, 5 days and we have germination. The fescue and bluegrass are getting close but they are not quite there yet. 4 or 5 more days and they will begin to come in. I hit the putting green with the 1st dose of organic based 9-12-6 today.

First Steps Completed
Mon. Sep. 13, 2010

The Bermuda Grass and other weeds finally gave in to the Round-up application. I completeley de-thatched, aerified and removed as much of the dead leaf tissue as possible. The ramaining leaf tissue will break down and add to the organic content of my soil. That is a good thing, but I removed as much as I could to ensure good seed to soil contact. I have seeded the yard, half with The Gold Standard Pro-Blue heat tolerant Bluegrass mix and half with Gold Standard turf type tall fescue. I expect both to preform well. I am on a good watering schedule and my next step will be to fertilize as soon as I see germination. If you have started or are fixing to start your lawn renovation, please get a hold of me for any issues or questions that you have. My name is Brad Wilkinson and I am at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Renovation Begins Today
Tue. Aug. 31, 2010

Let it be known that today, August 31 2010, I began a complete lawn renovation at Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply in Cool Springs. I began by spraying 75% of my existing turf with Glyphosate (Round-Up). I did this to rid the yard of any and all weeds including Bermuda Grass. Now, understand, this glyphosate application will not completely control the Bermuda. But, it will burn it back enough that it will not compete with my fall over seeding. I will come back early in the spring to selectively control the Bermuda Grass. The key word there being early. Bermuda Grass is just like any other weed that we deal with, it can be controlled if your timing is right and the correct timing for Bermuda Grass is early in the spring as it breaks dormancy. This is when Bermuda Grass is at its weakest and can be easily controlled. I am going to continue this blog as I go, we are going to do some test plots and try diffent methods, all of which I will disclose as we go. One thing that I can assure you I am doing is following my soil test recomendations. Regardless of the type of grass I am growing, soil fertility is at the top of my list. This has been a long and damaging year in the turf indusry. Myself, sports turf managers, landscape professionals and even golf course superintendents have not been immune, so do not beat yourself up if your lawn has not met your expectations, you are not alone. Now is the time to turn over a new leaf and start your fall renovation project. Call me or come by and see me for more info and to check out my progress in the front yard here at the shop. My name is Brad Wilkinson, my location is Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 1655 Mallory Lane Brentwood TN, in Cool Springs. You can reach me at 615-371-2493 or e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com Thanks and happy fall!

Getting ready to over seed
Mon. Aug. 16, 2010

It is that time of year when we get to right all the wrongs that mother nature has thrown at us over the summer. This has been a tough year on cool season turf. The wet spring caused weed control applications to pre-maturely brak down, giving us many weed issues to clean up. The hot, humid and dry conditions have given us burned up turf, diseased turf and gennerally stressed turf. As fall approaches, first address the weed issues, then plan on a heavy aerificatin and if possible a de-thatching. This will help relieve the soil and expose the soil for the new seed. The Gold Standard will be your best choice as a turf type tall fescue blend. We will also have bluegrass and rye grass blends. Look for organic starter fertilizer as well as a good winterizer. Come by and see us at Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply in Nashville, Cool Springs or Murfreesboro and let us walk you through a good fall lawn renovation plan. My name is Brad Wilkinson and I manage the Cool Springs location, you can reach me at 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com for any and all of your turf and landscape needs. Thanks.

Insects 2010
Thu. Jun. 24, 2010

We as gardeners never know what we will see in our gardens. Each year is different. At Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply we are always trying to stay on the edge as to what is happening in our gardens or in our turf. We rely on our customers to help us as scouts. The past couple of weeks we have received numerous calls concerning bagworms.
Bagworms are easier to control the younger they are. If you notice foliage disappearing or it looks like your shrub is moving in the still of the day or night you may have small bagworms. Treat them immeadiately.
If you would like advice as to what to use please contact me at 615-227-1111 or drew@dickenssupply.

Bermuda Grass Fertilization
Fri. Jun. 18, 2010

If you are tired of fighting Bermuda Grass in your cool season lawn and you want to give in and grow it, now is the time to hit it with fertilizer. Bermuda Grass needs lots of food to support it's agressive growth. The more hot and humid it gets, the more agressive Bermuda Grass will be and much like a baby or puppy it needs lot's of nutrition. Amonium sulfate is by far and away the best choice as a nitrogen source on Bermuda Grass. Amonium sulfate has a positive affect on the soil as well as feeding the plants. Other nitrogen sources such as urea or amonium nitrate can leave behind by products such as sodium and chlorine as they break down. Bermuda grass also likes to have a high organic content in the soil. You can acheive this by using organic based fertilizers as well. There are pros and cons to growing warm season grass in our area just like there are pros and cons in growing cool season grass. You can contact me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply and we can weigh your options and help you make an informed decision. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Bermuda Grass
Sat. Jun. 12, 2010

One thing that you can count on in the Middle Tennessee area as the summer gets into full swing is the agressive growth of Bermuda Grass. For some, Bermuda Grass is a weed. Bremuda Grass can be very difficult to control in a Fescue lawn, but it can be done. It requires persistance and tenacity, but it is possible. Much like many other lawn and landscape pests, once you get control, you must stay on top of it and continue to monitor it. Bermuda Grass is widely used in our area for golf course faiways and tees, sports feild turf on soccer, football and baseball feilds are largely Bermuda Grass as well. We see more and more homeowners converting to Bermuda Grass every year as well. I like Bermuda Grass, or Zoysia Grass for that matter, as a home lawn turf, but it is not perfect. Bermuda Grass ha its ups and downs just like Fescue and Bluegrass. Come by one of our 3 locations, Murfreesboro, Cool Springs or Nashville or give us a call and we can discuss all the pros and cons to controling or growing Bermuda Grass. We can also help you keep Bermuda Grass out of you landscape beds for good. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Summer Fertilization
Fri. Jun. 4, 2010

There are a lot of myths about summer fertilization, especialy on cool season grasses such as fescue and bluegrass. I am going to discuss cool season this week and warm season fertilization on the next blog. Warm season grasses most common to our area are bermuda grass and zoysia. As far as cool season grasses go, over fertilization and the use of high nitrogen synthetic fertilizers will facilitate brown patch on fescue lawns. You want to use organic and organic based fertilizers durring the summer months. Organic fertilizers feed the soil and they add carbon back to the soil which in turn feeds the soil microbes. These microbes are the living part of your soil that are constantly breaking down and digesting nutrients in order for the plants to take up the nutrients. As the soil and air teperature warm up, this microbial activity can slow down, by adding carbon you ensure that microbial activity remains active durring the warm months. You may also consider a magnesium application as well. Magnesium is the key component in chlorophyll production. By adding magnessium, you can produce a dark green color without applying nitrogen. As fate would have it, native soils in the middle Tennessee area are typically low in magnesium so you can do several positive things by adding magnesium. Bluegrasses will need a little more nitrogen than fescues will. Bluegrass is not susceptable to brown patch, but it can get dollar spot. Dollar spot is a leaf disease so by keeping nitrogen applications up you can avoid the formation of dollar spot. Organic based fertilizers that are spiked with amonium sulfate are good summertime fertilizers for blugrass. A magnesium application on bluegrass would be beneficial too. My name is Brad Wilkison and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply for any and all of your turf and landscape solutions. You can reach me at 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Brown Patch Alert
Fri. May. 28, 2010

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, everyone here at Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply would like to thank all those who have served our country in the armed forces, both past and present. As Memeorial Day comes and goes, the heat and hunmidity will be building as well. With the heat humidity will come Brown Patch pressure on cool season grasses. A good rule of thumb on detecting brown patch pressure is to watch the late news weather report. When the night time low temp plus the humidity percent equal 150 or greater, disease pressure is high. As we approach this number in the coming weeks, it is a good idea to put out a systemic fungicide to prevent brown patch. Like weeds and many other lawn and landscape pests, prevention is much more effective than trying to cure a problem after the fact. We carry this type of fungicide at all 3 locations of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, so as high disease pressure gets closer and closer, come by and see us and let us help you battle brown patch this season. If you have any questions regarding your turf and landscape, do not hesitate to call me, Brad Wilkinson, at ther Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Pay Attention
Mon. May. 17, 2010

As I have said before, if you are in and around the Nashville area right now, your lawn and landscape may not be at the top of your list. For those of you who are at that point and you were able to salvage some turf and plants through the flood, pay close attention to these plants. You may start to see your lawn and landscape "yellow up". This could be caused by several things: 1) simply put, too much water 2) fertilize that has leached away in all the rain 3) a build up of silt on the surface 4) first stages of fungus. All of these things are manageable so if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, do not hesitate to call or come by and see us. Plants in your landscape may be going through some of the same things. As far as they go, I would initially recomend a foilar fertilize application, like Monty's Liquid Plant Food, to help jump start your trees and shrubs to recovery. There are many issues that we will cover over the coming days on this blog to help you through this water-logged season. I am Brad Wilkinson and I manage the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, as always, feel free to contact me with any and all of your turf and landscape questions, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Nashville Flooding
Tue. May. 4, 2010

Dickens Turf and Landscape has been in business in and around Nashville for over 20 years. In those 20 years we have built many relationships and friendships. After all, our business is built on relationships and trust that our customers have in us and the faith we have in them. We are currently in the process of building many new relationships with new customers every day. We feel very blessed to serve a community like Nashville and a state like Tennessee. Many of our friends like Vanderbilt University and The Tennessee Titans as well as many, many commercial landscapers and home owners have been affected by the flooding we have experienced theese last few days. The family here at Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply would like all of you to know that we are thinking of all of you, all of Nashville and the surrounding communities are in our thoughts and prayers. If there is anything we can do, questions we can answer, anything at all please let us know. When the time comes that your turf and landscape becomes a priority again, we will be here. Please let me know if I/we can help in any way, my name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Does Killing Grubs Eliminate Moles?
Mon. Apr. 26, 2010

Does killing grubs eliminate moles? I hear this question almost everyday. If I eliminate the mole's food source, won't they leave my yard? This is another very popular question. Killing grubs will not eliminate your mole problem. Moles will eat grub worms but grubs only make up 5 to 10% of their diet. If all the moles are eating in your yard are grubs, then your turf will roll up very easily and it will be straw-like, dried up and dead looking regardless of soil moisture. This is because grubs feed just below the surface on the roots of turf grass plants. Moles are primarily eating earthworms. But, grub control is important. Grubs in the soil now, will mature and come out of the ground as adult Japanese Beetles, June Bugs and Turfgrass Aetinious Beetles and many other damaging beetles. So effective grub control will in turn decrease the population of beetles in the summer. And if you decrease the beetle population this summer you decrease the number of eggs laid that will become grubs next spring. So grub control is very important, but it will not do much in eliminating moles. If you have any questions regarding moles or any other issues in your turf and landscape, my name is Brad Wilkinson and I manage the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply. You can reach me at 615-371-2493 or mby e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Mole CONTROL
Mon. Apr. 19, 2010

Moles are a pest in the turf and landscape. They fall into the same category as disease, insects and weeds. As with any pest, the best we can hope for are good control methods. It is impossible to completely eliminate pests or the threat of these pests. As far as mole control goes, understanding why they are there in the first place is key. They are there to feed. As we discussed earlier, they are most likely feeding on earthworms. Most of us can not do anything to eliminate earthworms as the controls are resrticted use. On that note, earthworms are very beneficial to the soil as well so let's control moles and not the earthworms. Talpirid is a mole bait that mimics an earthworm. It is the most effective mole bait available today. It was developed by Bell Labs after extensive research in the lab and in the feild. Bell Labs found that moles would eat Talpirid 45% of the time, even when a natural food source was available. Come by and talk to me, or give me a call so we can discuss how to use Talpirid. My name is Brad Wilkinson and i am at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply and you can reach me at 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com. Thanks.

Moles, Moles and more Moles!
Tue. Apr. 6, 2010

Today I am going to start a series on Mole control. I say control and not elimination because as long as you have a healthy soil enviroment, with organic content, you will have a food source for the moles. If you have a food source, the moles will find it and be present. I am going to attempt to dispel some of the myths about moles as well. The first is that moles feed on grubs. While this is true, grubs only comprise 5 to 10% of a moles diet. Now, that being said, a grub contol application can be beneficial in other ways. Grubs mature into beatles, so by doing a grub contol application you will reduce the population of Japanese Beatles, June Bugs and Turfgrass Atenious Beatles. These beatles then return to the ground in the fall to lay eggs that turn into more grubs and then more beatles. Grubs can also cause extensive plant damage as they feed just below he surface on the roots of plants. So, while controling grubs will not in turn control moles, it is still a good idea. As for the moles, they would much rather eat a nice, juicy earthworm. Since moles like earthworms, and earthworms love a healthy, highly organic soil, if you have good soil conditions, moles will be an issue for you. Earthworms are far more beneficial than not, and there is not a good way to control them, so we will focus on controling the moles, not the earthworms. If you have questions on moles, or anything involving your lawn or landscape, my name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Making the Commitment
Mon. Mar. 29, 2010

When you step outside and look at your lawn and landscape, do you like what you see? If not, do you know what you can do about it? Everyone is not born with a green thumb and doing yard work can be intimidating. That is what Dickens Turf and Landscape Suypply is here for. We understand that you may not know where to start and we can help. We can help you identify problems and then we can assist you in coming up with the solution. Even if you do have experience doing work on your lawn and landscape but maybe you are frustrated with the selection of products and support available to you or if you feel you are not getting your money's worth where you shop now. We can and will talk you through any project you are looking at from the first timer to the seasoned vet, come by or give us a call, Nashville 615-227-1111, Murfreesboro 615-869-0210 or you can reach me, Brad Wilkinson at the Cool Springs Location 615-371-2493. Let us help you find the solution you are looking for so that the commitment you have made to beautifying your lawn and landscape can be realized.

Granular Broadleaf Control
Wed. Mar. 17, 2010

I want to start by saying that I am not a fan of granular braodleaf control, allow me to explain. Granular broadleaf control is nothing more than a fertilize granual that has been coated by some sort of selective broadleaf herbicide (usually a 2-4D type product). The same selective herbicide you can buy in concentrate and spray. You must time your application perfectly. There has got to be moisture present on the plant, a heavy dew is best, with no chance of precipitation for 24 hours. The granual must stick on the leaf surface and the moisture present has to "melt" the herbicide off of the granual and then the herbicide has to enter the plant through the foilage in order to get control. Most all granular broadleaf controls are on fertilizer carriers as wel, hence the term "weed-n-feed". If you have used a pre-emerge herbicide on a fertilizer carrier, you now run the risk of over feeding your turf or you must wait to apply the broadleaf control and by the time your first fertilizer has worn off, you are most likely over run with broadleafs. To top it all off,if you use a granular broadleaf contol you have just applied a selective herbicide to your entire lawn when the only areas that needed and application were the weeds. You can use a pre-emerge herbicide and fertilizer combo product, and then immediately follow up by spot spraying your broadleaf weeds and you will have much better success. If you have any questions you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com. Thanks.

BROADLEAF WEED CONTROL
Mon. Mar. 8, 2010

We are coming off the nicest weather weekend of 2010 and do not be surprised if you begin to see those winter annual broadleaves, such as clover and chickweed, popping up. Even if you have made your pre-emerge application be aware that this will not kill anything that is already there. Our recomendation for spring broadleaf control is to spray them out of your turf. There are many selective broadleaf herbicides on the market. Selective in that they will not hurt your existing turf grass, they will only kill the broadleaf weeds. These herbicides can damage cool season turf if you do not follow all label directions, so make sure you understand how to mix and what rate to spray before you get started. If you are not 100% confident you can always call Dickens Supply and we will walk you through it. If you have warm season turf with broadleaf issues, you need to hurry and apply, or wait until after transition. Again, the label will tell you that you should not spray a selective broadleaf herbicide to warm season turf while it is in transition. We recomend a pre-emerge with fertlizer followed by liquid broadleaf control as needed. We do carry a granular weed and feed product but you need to understand how this product works and when to apply. I will discuss granular weed and feed next week, in the meantime apply your pre-emegrge with fertilizer and enjoy the spring warm up. If you have any questions concerning your lawn and landscape, my name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Pre-Emerge Application Timing
Tue. Mar. 2, 2010

I think it is safe to assume that all of you are as eager as me for spring to get here! This has been a long, cold and snowy winter. I do enjoy the snow, I mean if it is going to be cold, there might as well be snow on the ground. As the first of March is now here, I am ready for warmer, sunnier weather. That spring warm up also means the beginning of weed control season. It is much easier to get a handle on weeds before the fact with a good pre-emergence herbicide application than it is to wait and try to control them later in the season. Normally in our area, we recommend a pre-emergence application from mid-February to mid-March. But, much like our weather, nothing is normal about this year. The label on Dimension, for example, gives until April 15 to make an effective application. So this year, as spring is taking it's time don't be in a huge rush to apply your pre-emerge, there is still time. Now, if you want to go ahead and put out your pre-emerge, that is ok too, but just be aware that the window will have an extended opening this year. Do not forget that you will need to make a follow up application later in the season as well to get those late season and second generation summer annuals. If you have any questions regarding pre-emergence herbicide or anything related to your turf and landscape, my name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Dormant Pruning
Sat. Feb. 13, 2010

Eager to get back outside? Well...during the warmer days of winter is a great time to prune ornamentals. Now through mid-March is the ideal time for this kind of project while plants are going through their natural hibernation. Pruning while dormant helps to reduce stress and forces new growth to rejuvenate in the spring. This is especially beneficial to plants that have a tendency to become overgrown like Abelia, Viburnum , and Privet. "Thinning out" ornamental trees like Crape Myrtle to open up the canopy allows for increased light and air circulation. When a plant becomes too dense...this can jeopardize the health and appearance of plants. Be careful of pruning those flowering shrubs such as Lilacs, Forsythia, and Rhododendron for they bloom on previuos seasons' wood. Prune these after bloom. However, shrubs producing flowers from new wood respond very well to dormant pruning...creating vigorous bloom. Ornamental grasses need to be cut back this time of year also. Here is a landscapers' tip for cutting back larger grasses: Tie up grasses with a piece of twine gathering all of the threads together in a tight bundle...then cut across about 6 to 12 inches from the ground depending upon the size. This makes the job and clean-up a lot faster and easier. I'm Jessica Deras with Dickens Turf & Landscape Supply and I can be reached at the Nashville location (615-227-1111) should you have any questions regarding dormant pruning. Dickens also carries a wide variety of tools to help you with all of your pruning needs!

Soil Testing...again.
Tue. Feb. 2, 2010

It is that time of year when, even though there is snow on the ground righ now, we must begin to prepare for the growing season. As far as your turf goes, your first round of pre-emerge is just around the corner. Remember, weed control applications such as pre-emerge have little to do with soil test recomendations and balancing soil nutrients. With that being said, now is an excellent time to have your soil testing done. If you made a dormant feed application, theese nutrients should already be soluable and you are just in front of your spring pre-emerge application, this is the perfect soil testing time. This is a perfect time because you will not be sending in fertilizer with your soil test. We already know the analysis of the fertilizer you applied. So, just before your next application is the perfect time to take a soil sample to avoid sending in a dose of fertilizer that will give you misleading results. One of the services we provide at Dickens Supply is to put your soil test recomendations in calendar form so you know what, when and how much of each product to apply to maintain adequate soil nutrient levels. Don't let the weather lull you to sleep, in turf and landscape management you must think a season ahead! if you have any questions about soil testing or anything else in reguards to your turf and landscape, my name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs Location of Dickens Turf and Landscape supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com

Dormant Feed
Mon. Jan. 25, 2010

Now is an excellent time to dormant feed your turf. Cool season grasses such as Fescue and Bluegrass and warm season grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia will all benefit greatly from a dormant feed. A dormant feed should consist of a 100% organic fertilize. By applying this much needed organic matter and carbon you are replenishing the nutrients that were used up durring the last growing season. It is a good idea to make this application between now and mid February. By hitting this application time frame you ensure that the much needed nourishment will be in place when the soil warms up and the turf begins to grow. Also, with the spring pre-emerge application coming up you do not want to run the risk of over fertilizing. If have any questions about dormant feeding or any other turf and landscape questions, you can contact me, Brad Wilkinson, at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com. Thanks.

Dormant Oil Application
Mon. Jan. 18, 2010

I hope that all of you had a great holiday season and let us be the last to wish you a Happy New Year! You can expect a weekly blog update from now on. As spring gets closer there are going to be several time sensitive applications that you will want to be aware of both in the lawn and landscape. Today we are going to talk about a very important landscape application, the application of dormant oil. And, you guessed it, now is the time. Dormant oil will help smother out any eggs that are on your plants waiting on warmer weather to hatch. Dormant oil is very affective on scale and a lot of other hard to control insects. Dormant oil is a very affordable insurance policy that will help you avoid a great deal of in season insect damage. You will want to make this application now and again in mid February. My name is Brad Wilkinson and I work at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply. You can reach me at 615-371-2493 or Brad@DickensSupply.com. Thanks.

Equipment Maintenance
Tue. Dec. 29, 2009

The staff here at Dickens Supply hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday and wish you a great new year! We want to thank you for your business in 2009 and look forward to serving you in 2010 for all of your turf, landscape, and equipment needs. After all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season...the harshest months of winter begin and things start to settle down a bit. During these slow times when work is not as plentiful and lawn needs are limited...it is the best time to have equipment maintenance taken care of. The last problem needed during the beginning of spring take off is cranky equipment. You're lawn mower and two cycle equipment will be thanking you and rewarding you in the spring if the right steps are taken now towards proper winterization. Our certified mechanics are here to help you with a thorough tune-up which includes: check spark plugs and air filter, change the oil and oil filter, sharpen blades, bearings /throttle cables lubricated, tire and wheel check, and belt condition. Fuel is another area of concern for both four and two cycle engines. Old fuel should be drained to prevent damage to lines and carburetor. Or an alternative to this is to add a gas stabilizer into the tank to keep gasoline fresh longer. Once all of the internal parts are conditioned...lastly... giving your equipment a good cleaning on the outside will promote longevity as well. Oil build-up and caked on grass will affect air cooling efficiency and trap moisture causing rust. So take this as a simple reminder that just beacuse it's the dead of winter doesn't mean you can't do something for your lawn! We are happy to help and should you have any questions concerning your equipment tune-up...John Jordan can be reached at our Murfreesboro location...869-0210, Brad in Brentwood 371-2493, or Richard in Nashville 227-1111.

Winter Time Look
Mon. Dec. 7, 2009

I hope that all of you had a nice Thanksgiving and I hope you are gearing up for a wonderful Christmas. This is a great time of year to look outside at your lawn and landscape or drive by your house in both directions and make note of what you see. If you have a warm season turf, is it clean with no green showing? If not, you can apply a glyphosate based product, like Round Up, right now to kill any unwanted weeds without harm to your warm season turf. If you have a cool season turf, does it look weathered and weak? If so this is an excellent time to apply a high nitrogen fertilizer with a slow release component to liven up those wilted blades. An even better choice may be to use an organic based fertilizer that is blended with some readily available nitrogen, not only to liven up your weathered looking turf, but also to aid in building your soil with organics in preperation for the upcoming growing season. Now is a great time to finish any leaf removal from those hard to fall leaves. If you have some decidious trees and shrubs this is a good time to prune and shape. A freshing up of your mulch would make things look a little newer as well. If you are planning on having a get together this holiday season at your house or if you just want things to look as nice as possible these are some good starting tips. If you just let things go, no one will notice as it is winter and things are supposed to be dormant looking, right? While this may be true, you can keep things looking manicured and fresh all season long. It is so nice to notice a lawn and landscape that looks great this time of year, when it shouldn't. My name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply at 615-371-2493 or by e-mial at Brad@DickensSuipply.com. Thanks!

Thanksgiving
Mon. Nov. 23, 2009

The holiday season is already upon us. This has been an odd year to say the least. We had a long cool spring, a mild and wet summer, and a very friendly fall with above normal temperatures. This has also been an up and down year economicly. All that being said.... you all have continued to support Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply. You have trusted us to bring you the solutions that you need. From all of us here at Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, we say thank you! Thank you for your business! We are all very thankful to be at Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply and to be in the position to serve you. Have a very happy and safe holiday season. If you have any questions or comments, my name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Soil Testing
Mon. Nov. 16, 2009

Testing your soil is the most important first step in establishing a healthy lawn and landscape. Think about this....when you go to the doctor for an illness....you have all the symptoms to show for it on the outside but the doctor needs to know what's going on internally to know how to treat it. Often, we tend to focus more on trying to treat the symptoms rather than the problem. Soil testing is a similar process by which elements are measured to determine the correct type and amounts of recommended fertilizer. Testing reveals your soil pH, which if becomes imbalanced...can directly affect the availability of nutrients to plant life. Fertilizers can also be over applied causing harmful effects on the environment. Knowing your soil make-up takes the guesswork out of maintaining your landscape properly and in turn will be cost effective for you... eliminating the waste of money spent on unnecessary amendments. So how and when do you go about submitting a soil sample? Easy. Take a soil probe, spade, or shovel to collect 6 to 8 samples at a 6 inch depth. Samples should be taken in a sporadic pattern throughout your yard or in beds. Note: lawn samples should be seperate from landscape bed or vegetable garden samples. Once you have collected all of the cores from the area...mix together in a plastic bag and submit as is. Soil samples can be taken anytime when soil is workable and preferably in the spring or fall. Fall soil testing will allow ample time for preparing a plan for the spring. Avoid the rush and get your sample in today! Please call me, Jessica Deras, at Brentwood 615-371-2493 or Murfreesboro location 615-869-0210...if you have any questions.

It is not too late
Fri. Nov. 6, 2009

If you have been waiting on the weather to break to do your fall lawn renovation and now that we are seeing great weather in the Nashville area you are afraid that it is too late, we have got good news for you, IT IS NOT TOO LATE! Cool season grasses such as Turf Type Tall Fescue, have optimal germination at soil temperatures of 50 to 60 degrees. As I have measured the last few days, our soil temps are at about 57 degrees. A 57 degree soil temperature is perfect for cool season turf germination. At this point in the season, soil temperature is much more important than air temperature. Soil is a buffer, it will resist change and not change a lot over the course of a year any way. So that being said, you can still have great success seeding cool season greasses even this late. Fertility requirements change a little this late in the season and we can walk you through that part of it at any one of our 3 locations, Murfreesboro, Nashville or Cool Springs, or over the phone. If you have any other lawn or landscape questions you can reach me, Brad, at the Cool Springs office at 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Leaf Removal
Fri. Oct. 30, 2009

Autumn leaves are just beginning to fall and now is the time to get started with raking them up. It's tempting to just let them lie on the lawn for awhile, but here are a couple of good reasons why you should remove them. First...if you can't see your lawn, the sun can't either. It doesn't take long for leaf pile up to cause stress. Smothering of the lawn by leaves can cause dead spots that might take most of the next season to recover. Second...neglected leaves on the lawn start a breeding ground for fungi and insects. After hibernating in your leaf pile all winter...they will be ready to have a party at your place in the Spring! This year, start your fall clean-up with a plan. Professionals let equipment do all of the work for them with backpack blowers, vacuums, and mowers. For a homeowner, a simple hand-held blower, rakes, and a tarp should get the job done. However, finding a way to dispose of them afterwards can be a problem. If you're an avid gardener, they can be used for composting. Or...visit your local lawn and landscape supplier to purchase a mulching kit for your mower. After pileing up the leaves...just mow over them a few times to shred into tiny pieces. Mulched leaves can actually serve as a "return of nutrients" to the soil. Should you have any further questions regarding leaf removal and need assistance in gathering all of the necessary tools...please call Jessica Deras at Dickens Turf & Landscape Supply of Cool Springs 615-371-2493 or in Murfreesboro 615-869-0210.

Fall Mulching
Sat. Oct. 24, 2009

Mulching is one of the easiest and most beneficial steps for your landscape. In the spring and summer, mulching helps control weeds and retain moisture. In fall, mulching holds a different purpose. During the winter months ahead, temperatures change rapidly causing the ground to freeze and thaw. This forces the roots of plants up from the soil and sometimes exposing them to winter injury. Mulch acts as an insulation for the soil and plant roots. It retains soil heat, which in turn protects the roots and also helps plants to go into winter with more moisture. Soil under mulch does not freeze as deeply so plants will continue to absorb water throughout the season and avoid drying out from winter winds. Before application, make sure you have cleaned out old mulch because leaving it can cause problems with disease, insects, and can smother landscape plants if too thick. A two to three inch layer is adequate enough and should not be piled high against stems or trunks. Mulching can be done with several different materials such as pine fines, shredded hardwood, pine straw, and compost. Please call me, Jessica Deras, at Dickens Turf & Landscape Supply of Cool Springs 615-371-2493 or Murfreesboro 615-869-0210 should you have any further questions regarding fall mulching.

Planting Fall Flowers
Fri. Oct. 16, 2009

As cooler temperatures approach and the beautiful transformation of fall leaves begins to unfold....the colorful abundance of summer annuals start to look tired and eventually turn brown with the first freeze. I am often asked if anything can be planted to take their place. The answer is yes! Pansies and Violas are a hardy replacement for annual beds. Pansies can be planted now along with your spring bulbs and will last through next spring. Although Pansies will not grow equally in height compared to summer flowers...the pallette of color choices is endless and once established provide a thick, swath of bright blooms. However, it is important to note that there are important things to remember when planting fall flowers because their nutritional requirements differ from warm season bedding plants. First,roto-till bed space and amend with a granular mycorrhizae, preferably endo-mycorrhizae for flowers. Mycorrhizae help the plant absorb nutrients and provide resistance against stress. Second,incorporate a granular fungicide specifically for preventing root rot. Pansies are trying to grow and flourish during cold, wet weather which are desirable conditions for harboring root infections if left untreated. Thirdly, topdress with a nitrate nitrogen based fertilizer. The reason for this is that the warm season soil bacteria that normally make the conversion from ammonical nitrogen to the nitrate form of nitrogen, which Pansies prefer, are dormant. Because of this dormancy, applying ammonia based nitrogen on Pansies in the winter will often result in a buildup of ammonia and toxicity to the plants. Also leaving little to no nitrates available to the plants for food. Once these steps are completed mulch them with a pine fines type mulch and enjoy! Should you have any further questions concerning fall flower planting, my name is Jessica Deras and I can be reached at Dickens Turf & Landscape Supply of Cool Springs 371-2493 or Murfreesboro 869-0210.

Fall Prep for Warm Season Turf
Sat. Oct. 10, 2009

Hello all! With all the talk about fall lawn renovation on Cool Season Turf, we sometimes forget about those brave souls who have jumped overboard and have Warm Season Turf, such as Bermuda Grass or Zoysia Grass, in their lawn. There are some things that need to be done in the fall before dormancy sets in. You will need to apply a pre-emergence herbicide. This will help eliminate any winter annual weeds such as poa-annua. A dormant Warm Season Turf is like bare dirt in the winter and it will not compete with any winter time weeds. It is my opinion that a dormant Warm Season Turf looks nice in the fall and winter if it is clean. Just a few little weeds can make that dormant stand look bad. You will also want to apply a high potassium fertilizer before dormancy. Potassium late in the season offers many benefits to Warm Season turf including helping the plants to harden off in order to survive the winter. If you have had problems in the past with Spring Dead Spot in Bermuda Grass, or Zoysia Patch in Zoysia Grass you will need to apply your fungicide in the fall. The symptoms will not show up until spring but the fungus occurs in the fall and that is when you will need to control it. Once Warm Season Turf has gone dormant you can spray out any weeds with Glyphosate based product such as Round-Up. In the transition zone you are safe to spray Glyphosate in late December through January. I hope this is beneficial information for those who have or are thinking about converting to Warm Season Turf. If you have any questions on this topic or anything turf and landscape related my name is Brad Wilkinson and you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Fall Planting
Fri. Oct. 2, 2009

Fall is the best time for planting... not only for your cool season turf grass but also for ornamental landscape plants. Fall is the best time for planting for several reasons, a few of which I will outline here. Plants transpire much less in fall. This lack of water loss will help the plant avoid tranplant stress. With the heat and humidity of summer behind us, the plants can focus their energy on root development as opposed to just trying to survive. Adequate soil moisture will still need to be applied to avoid drying out from fall/winter winds. Follow these simple steps for fall planting to ensure success. 1. Dig the hole 2x the size of the root ball of your plant. 2. Add any soil amendments to your back fill soil as recommended by your local turf and landscape supplier. 3. Place your plant in the hole so that the root ball is slightly above the soil surface. 4. Add a thin layer of mulch no more than 2 inches deep. If you have any questions you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493, or the Murfreesboro location 615-869-0210 or by e-mail at Jessica@DickensSupply.com

Question of the week?
Sat. Sep. 26, 2009

We have had an outstanding year here in middle Tennessee for growing cool season turf. Mild temperatures and plenty of rain have made for ideal growing conditions all year long. Most cool season lawns (fescue, bluegrass) look wonderful right now. The question I have been asked over and over again as fall lawn renovation approaches is "do I need to aerify and over seed this year or just fertilize what I already have?". The answer is yes, yes and yes. Aerification releaves compaction, aides in the break down of thatch and it allows the most important nutrient in the root zone, oxygen, to enter back in to the root zone. You will also need to over seed at a minimum of 4 pounds per 1000 square feet to compensate for the natural life cycle of your turf grass plants. You will also want to make sure and fertilize your existing plants. The application of a starter fertilizer is primarily to feed your new turf grass plants. You will want to follow this application up with a good winterizer, slow release fertilizer that will feed existing as well as new plants all through out the winter. I hope this information is helpful to you and if have any questions you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com

Last Minute Weed Control
Fri. Sep. 18, 2009

I am often asked about when the best time to kill weeds would be. My answer is that the best time to kill weeds is when they are present. There are a wide variety of selective weed control options on the market today, most of which when used according to label directions will be quite effective. The only problem with selective weed control this late in the year is soil residual. Most selective herbicides have a 4 to 6 week soil residual that will not allow new seed germination. If you have any last minute weed issues your best bet is to use Round-Up or a generic version containing 41% glyphosate. Glyphosate's soil residual is very minimal. You will only need to wait about 5 to 7 days after application to over seed. Glyphosate is non selective, meaning it will kill any plant it touches. This means you may kill some of your desirable turf grass. This should not be too big of an issue if you are careful in your application and if you getting ready to over seed any way you will be replacing those lost plants and then some. Either way you look at it, using selective or non-selective herbicide you are going to have dead patches of weeds so you might as well use a glyphosate based, non selective herbicide to avoid the extended soil residual. I hope this helps you with your last minute weed control efforts. If you ahve any questions you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Spreader Calibration
Fri. Sep. 11, 2009

As promised in an earlier blog, I am going to explain a simple way to calibrate your spreader for seed and fertilizer applications. You must have a rough estimate of the square footage of your lawn and you need to know how many pounds of seed and fertlizer you want to apply per 1000 square feet. To make this workout for our purposes here, we will use a 10,000 square foot lawn. We have a 50 pound bag of Gold Standard fescue seed and a 50 pound bag of 9-12-6 organic based starter fertilizer. We will assume that we are wanting to apply at a rate of 5 pounds per 1000 square feet of both the seed and fertilizer. First, measure out a rectangle shape out in your lawn that is 1000 square feet (10x100, 20x50 etc.). Next, using a bathroom scale or whatever you have accessable, weigh out 5 pounds of seed. Put this 5 pounds of seed in your spreader. If you are seeding fescue or Rye grass you will want to set your spreader about 5/8 of the way open. For example, if your spreader has settings of 1 to 10, set your spreader on about 6.5. (If you are seeding Bluegrass, call me because your rate and spreader setting will be much different). Next, spread the seed out on the previously measured 1000 square feet. After you have covered the area if you have seed left in the hopper you need to open your spreader up a little more, if you run out of seed too early, you will need to shut your spreader down a little. You are now calibrated for your seed application. You will need to follow the same steps for the fertlizer calibration. The only difference will be the initial setting. You will want to start out at about 3/8 of the way open for your fertilizer application. This is a very basic way to calibrate your spreader. If you follow theese steps but still do not feel comfortable with the outcome, feel free to contact me for more information. I can be reached at the Cool Springs office of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com

Seeding Rates
Tue. Sep. 8, 2009

As fall lawn renovation gets into full swing it is important to know how much seed you need. First of all, you need to know the square footage of your lawn. You do not need know it exact, but a close estimate will do. If your lawn is in really good shape, I mean if you are even thinking that you do not need any seed at all, you should seed at a rate of 4 pounds per one thousand square feet. It is my opinion that anything less that 4 pounds will not give enough seed per square foot to make a noticiable difference. On a cool season turf, you need to over seed at a rate of at least 4 pounds per one thousand square feet every year to compensate for the natural life cycle of the turf grass plants. On the other side of that rate is the "bare dirt" rate. If you have a new lawn or if you are doing a total kill, you need to seed at a rate of 10 to 12 pounds per one thousand square feet. If you have a so-so lawn somewhere between the 4 and 12 pound rate will be fine. A lot of the time, if you are in between rates, you can round the amount of seed you need up or down to fit the size of bag it is available in. I hope this helps, we will talk about spreader calibration in the next blog, Friday, September 11. If you have any questions, you can reach me at 615-371-2493 or by e-mail Brad@DickensSupply.com.

Fall Aerification
Tue. Sep. 1, 2009

It is that time of year again. Cooler temps and football but also fall aerification and overseeding. It is important to remember the true benefits of fall aerification. Core aerification actually pulls a plug out of the ground and ejects the plug onto the surface. This is a far superior method to solid tine, slit type or spike aerification. The purpose of aerification is to relieve compaction, oxygenate the root zone and open up the soil surface for amendment application. The most important nutrient in the root zone is oxygen so you can not "over aerify". You do not want your seeds to fall in the aerification holes. That is an important point to remember. Seeds that are burried that far under the soil surface will rot before they germinate. To avoid this from happening follow these steps: 1. Core aerify the soil. 2. Add any organics or soil amendments. 3. Drag the cores in with an old pallet, box spring or field drag. You could also use a dethatching power rake at this step to bust up and redistribute the cores and dethatch. 4. apply your seed. 5. Lightly drag the seed in to ensure seed to soil contact. 6. Water frequently. 7. Apply a slow release starter fertilize 7 to 10 days later or after you see new seeds germinating. I hope this blog helps you in your fall lawn renovation project. If you have any questions you can reach me at the Cool Springs location of Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply, 615-371-2493 or by e-mail at Brad@DickensSupply.com.

KNOW THE SEED TAG
Fri. Aug. 21, 2009

When purchasing seed for your fall overseeding project, there will some very valuable information on the seed tag that you should be familiar with. First of all, check the varieties. If the bag says "Professional Fescue Mix" you want to make sure that all of the varieties in the bag are fescue. Next is the seed germination percentage. Anything at or above 90% is fine. With 450000 to 500000 seeds per pound of turf type tall fescue, 90% or higher will give you an excellent stand of turf. Next is other crop seed. Other crop seed is any other seed type that may have been found durring testing. This should be 0%. Anything above 5% has to be listed in the variety. Inert matter is dirt, seed hulls and castings that will not affect your seed in any way. Lastly is the weed seed and noxious weeds found. THEESE SHOULD BE ZEROS. You do not want to introduce any weeds, much less noxious weeds into your lawn. When searching for seed, most of the time you will get what you pay for so be careful with the great deals you will see this fall and know you're seed tag! If you have a questions you can reach me at 615-371-2493 or Brad@DickensSupply.com

Planning For the Fall
Fri. Aug. 14, 2009

My name is Brad Wilkinson and I am the location manager for Dickens Turf and Landscape Supply in Cool Springs. It is that time of year where we all in "hold on mode". We are experiencing some of the hottest temps of the season and also we are a bit drier than we have been all year. I have people asking me all of the time about a plan or a program, that is a service that we offer at Dickens Supply and it all starts with a soil test. Bring in a sample and let's get the ball rolling. Also, as overseed time approaches you will need to address any last minute weed control issues. You need to be careful in your herbicide selection this late in the year as to avoid any soil residual that may affect seed germination. Things are shaping up for an awesome fall for everyone! If you have any questions you can reach me at 615-371-2493 or Brad@DickensSupply.com

Nutsedge
Wed. Jul. 29, 2009

I have some nutsedge in my yard now. I am spraying selective herbicide to control the nutsedge and am using another selective herbicide to eleminate other weeds in my turf. My turf, which is fescue, is looking great except for some weeds. I want to eliminate these weeds now in preparing for some overseeding in late August.

What I am doing now
Fri. Jun. 12, 2009

I have started a vegetable garden this year for the first time in 10 years. I have been using Monty's liquid fertilizer and Superthrive. I try spraying in morning, although I have drenched my roots as well. I use Monty's and Superthrive on my annuals and perennials as well. My plants look better than any neighbor. I have plenty of fruit on my vegetables.

Welcome
Wed. Jun. 3, 2009

I'm the owner of Dickens. From time to time we (my employees and I) will be posting relevant issues related to turf, landscaping and turf equipment. If at any time you have a question, concern or comment just email me at info@DickensSupply.com and I will post (if relevant and appropriate). Thanks