"So my questions are, since my lawn is primarily KBG and aeration will be again performed around september 1... is a starter fertilizer mandatory and beneficial just after considering I'll be putting down the 4th step come end of September..." Starter fertilizer is high in phophorus and potassium, it's generally used when "starting" a new lawn either from seed or sod. It isn't necessary to use it every year unless you have soil deficiencies. I suggest you get a comprehensive soil test (Logan Labs) to see what your soil needs. "should I be cutting the grass below 3" before putting it to bed here in Michigan and do I need to lose any sleep over the 3 8" diameter "dollar spots" i've aquired over this hot summer?" For a lawns final mowing for the season, it is generally suggested you cut it lower than normal. Fungal disease is pretty common. If all you had this summer was 3 8" areas then consider yourself fortunate. KBG should fill in those areas this fall if it's well feed and your soil is in good shape. "Do I live with the fact that I can't grow grass UP TO the neighbor's pine trees even though I've limed them and rake the needles every month?" This is probably more a function of shade than anything else. If you think it's a soil issue due to the pine trees, then test that area separately. " Will I ever be able to say I don't have to cut it every 3 days but can still enjoy this quality? Does any homeowner really have a PERFECT lawn from all aspects at the end of the day or do they focus on the parts they like... cause i'm getting close!" Seems like every three days is a little too often for KBG. Either you are over-fertilizing, or you are just cutting too soon. If you cut to 3", then you can wait till the grass is 4.33 inches high before you have to mow again. No lawn is perfect, but some people come pretty close. A perfect lawn should be one that you are happy with, and takes the amount of time you are willing to put into it. A golf course might be someone's idea of a perfect lawn, but those have teams of people that provide daily maintenance, a lot of water, fertilizer, and other chemicals. If you focus on improving you soil, then you lawn will follow suit.

My lawn is ~5000 ft2. Would a Turf Hound aerator be feasible for a lawn my size or is it a suicide mission? The Hound Dog is really attractive because itÂs only $25 or so, no gas, easily stored, and donÂt have to rent it so thereÂs the convenience of aerating whenever I decide to on a whim. I donÂt mind spending a few hours out there with it, but if itÂs an all day project, forget it. Then again, I suppose I could still get it regardless and just split up the work between several days and still get the benefit over a gas rental. Just trying to get an idea of how the Turf Hound rated on the Âbackbreaking scaleÂ, or this 5k ft2 project would rate on the Âcrazy scaleÂ. ;)

Plug aeration and shampooing--pros and cons. First, they are tools/aids that are available to serve a purpose. Just because they are available doen't mean they need to be used. I own a hammer-drill but I don't go out once or twice a year and drill holes in my sidewalk. I also own a bottle of Clorox liquid bleach, but I don't add a cup every time I do laundry. Identify the problem, find a solution, and use the correct tool to impliment the solution. Plug aeration. Removing cores/plugs from the the soil. The machines typically available for homeowner use remove a plug either 5/8 or 3/4" in diameter from the top 3-4" of the soil Usually the spoon is fixed to and rotates on an axle. These aerators are available as self powered walk behind models or riding mower/garden tractor pull behind. In very rare circumstances, a cam style serator can be available for rental--but vary rarely.Professional aerators (used on golf courses) have a variety of spoon sizes available ranging from less than 1/2 to almost 1", both hollow and solid tine, and can remove plugs over 8" deep (some solid tines can penetrate 24") and are usually cam actuated. This discussion will be based on home-owner style aerators. Pros: Will reduce the effects of soil compaction, thatch, hydrophobic soils allowing the turf to thrive or at least, recover. With topdressing and possibly the addition of dragging/raking, ammendments (peat moss, lime, gypsum, OM, sand, etc). can be added into the root zone. Water and air can be intoduced deep into the soil. Improved drainage in areas of standing water. Rhizomes can be cut separating daughter plant from mother and inducing the daughter to "mother" its own daughters. Cons: To be effective, a minimum of 20 holes per sq ft is recommended. As most home-owner available aerators produce 5-10 holes per sq ft per pass, that can be a lot of passes to get a bare minimum of 20 per sq ft. Even at 20 holes, you are pulling up soil cores and creating holes in less than 10% of the soil (although the collapse of the hole and the pivot action of the spoon as it travels through the soil will effect a greater area than the area of the hole for purposes of counteracting compaction or for aerifying the soil.) The plugs look like a flock of geese reside at your home. The aerator just dosen't pull up soil, it pulls up turf that will not survive and the action of the spoons puts significant stress on the turf--this is an aggressive action, Unwanted plant seeds (both weed and grass) can be brought to the surface and germinate. Aeration can spread nutsedge and rhizomeous (sp?) weeds like poa triv, and quackgrass (if present, either don't aerate or avoid those areas when aerating.--while most unwanted plants can be controled with post or pre emergents, these have no cure short of "maybe" RU) It can be expensive, especially if you rent or hire it out. Shampooing (aka (erroneously) liquid aeration) The use of a surficant to reduce water surface tension and allow water to easily penetrate soil, to remain in soil voids for future use by the turf, and keep the soil moist to improve absorbtion of subsequent waterings. Shampoo is recommended as an inexpensive surficant source. Pros. It's cheap. It effects 100% of the soil surface. It's easy- can be applied with a hose-end sprayer. It's fast to apply and if it's the right tool, will show results within a couple of weeks. Nearly everyone who has tried it, reports improved screw-driver test results over extended periods. Creates very little stress or damage to turf/grass. No unsightly residue and your lawn smells like a baby. It may be the only action needed to resolve hydrophobic conditions not due to compaction. It's practicaly idiot proof. It's CHEAP. Cons: It's cheap and easy--you'll need to convince yourself it can work. People will ask why your lawn smells like shampoo. (Questions can be reduced dramatically if you have a doobie hang outa your mouth.) It does little if anything for compacted soil. It can be counter productive if used on sandy soil. Personally, I have had mixed results. I have sandy-silt soil. I applied 36oz over 3k sq ft over a 3 week period. (so above the recommended rate). I had inproved turf reults on the hill section, but completely lost the turf on the flat areas. It could be that there is the possiblity (contrary to what the advocates say) of over applying shampoo, or the surficant effect adversly increased the leaching of water through the already sandy soil, or it's possible that the surficant treated water when obsorbed by the turf plant has an adverse affect on capilary function or other biological processes. If used in modration, shampooing may have a positive affect on hydrophobic soil (due to crusting or microbial causes) with little to no adverse affects. At 20 cents per thousand plus the cost of water--there isn't much down side even if it fails to work. My philosophy is: Do whatever it takes to create healthy turf and roots. Strong prolific rooting will eventually take care of soil compaction, OM, and water penetration and retention issues.

In lawn equipments like trimmers, a few Ryobi and Craftsment are the same except of the cosmetics. Take a close look at the two, maybe they are the same. Craftsman is not exact a good brand, it's just marketing, Sears. In fact, Sears Kenmore appliances were very good, Few years ago, when I remodeled my kitchen, I forgo fancy brands and got all Kenmore appliances.....Fridge, stove, dish washer and washer & dryer. Except the dryer, EVERYTHING BROKE DOWN. The fridge don't make ice, no cool water. One of the heating element in the stove stop working, it's a ceramic cook top, not as easy to change. The dish washer got clogged once, the cloths washer broke a part inside..........They are NOTHING like 20 years ago. Am I regretting buying Kenmore. They used to be so good, they lasted a long time......not any more. My Ryobi cordless tool survived my abuse where Dewalt failed miserably. They survived earthquake retrofit three houses where the Dewalt all burned after just one!!! You get my drift?