I have been a schlub before, I know what that feels like. It is always self-inflicted. Yes, temps in the upper 90's after a "more is better" application of Weed B Gon on cool-season turf will not only turn your turf into toast, it will turn you into a schlub. And more is better? Lol...how did that turn out for you? Been there, done that. Anyway, I'm not advising this, but if you want to try it, spot spray the weeds with WBG at the label rate. If you get any on your grass, and you probably will, expect to see the same results from 2 years ago on any grass that gets hit with the herbicide. Maybe you'll get lucky with a timely shot of cooler weather. Do not water for 24 hours after the application if you want it to be fully effective. If possible, apply early in the morning.

thanks to everyone for the comments. i posted this original item partially to help some beginners to avoid some of the pitfalls of lawn care (which this website allowed me to do) and partially to get some advice from the experts (i am no expect, me and my lawn are both works in progress). i am simply trying to fine tune my annual maintenance schedule and may post it when it is finalized. as far as chemical vs organic, i do have a 13 month old so am trying to transition to a more organic approach. but for crabgrass and poa control i will likely stay with pendamethalin (halts/dimension) and keep her off the lawn for a week or so. for antifungal, i will try to stay will fine cracked corn, but if major parts of my lawn are dying i reserve the right to treat with a more potent, target specific chemical (i realize then i will lose the option of using cracked corn/corn meal for 2-3 months). in the past i have been too quick to use chemicals for dollar spot/leaf spot when only a few small areas of lawn have been impacted, less than 1ft diam. spots turning brown/melting out.

Champ - I check mine every 2 weeks. Toro recommends using newspaper to check the sharpness. However, I use typical computer paper as suggested by several golf maintenance guys. If it doesn't cut it, I'll backlap it. I typically backlap 2-3 times a year - at most. I usually take it in for a grind every year or whenever backlapping doesn't cut it (no pun intended). I always pick up debris with my rotary and bag it before I use my reel. The worst part comes after I topdress the lawn. That is what causes me to get a grind - backlapping does nothing at that point. Champ/Sherm - I get seed heads every now and then, but that is the nature of the beast. They pop up quickly. My grass is said to be sterile since it is a hybrid, so I collect the clippings when they are up to reduce the thatch build up - plus, it makes the lawn look ugly when they are laying all over. turflife419 - I need to put down some PGR next week. I'll be out of the country for two weeks - so it will look like a jungle when I get back. It will probably be two weeks of constant mowing to ease the grass down to where I want it. The PGR will hopefully help if we don't get too much rain (like recently). I don't trust anyone else to mow my lawn or use my equipment for that matter. I'm in the process of getting it to 0.325" before I leave so I have some sort of a head start. dchall - I use milorganite twice a year. I've tried the alfalfa pellets before, but then the dogs end up eating it (and sometimes they eat the milorganite or just roll around in it). I'm sure if I used corn gluten meal, soybean meal, or sugar, they will be snacking that up. I have 3 dogs - one lab and two mixes. They are pretty good about peeing once outside (per trip), so I just use pin flags to mark the location and heavily water the area. Every now and then, one will do it behind my back. I don't think they like it when I stand there staring at them until they finish.

What I read about pendamethalin says it should be safe after about 7 days, the other, Vessie, contains products that are purported to be safe when dry although I would not allow children to play on grass so treated for 7 days as well since most organic sources recommend not using grass clippings from such lawns in a compost pile for at least two cuttings. If the owner of the at fault "lawn care" company does not offer to pay your natural lawn care company for tat least the rest of the summer there is very little you can do since the mind set for most people today is that those products are generally recognized as safe even though we know they are not. The play structure can be hosed down several times to wash off any of the product that may have attached to it. kimmq is kimmsr