40,000 square feet? An Acre?? Okay. Apply any preemergent you can find when the forsythia are in bloom. I don't like products that mix materials like herbicide and fertilizer together. I think you get more bang for the buck by sticking with the single products and timing them specifically for their target capability. Fertilize any time after you have mowed real grass (not weeds) for the second time. In Maine I would wait until Memorial Day. Why? Because the nutrients developed in the soil over the winter will be mostly exhausted by then. If you fertilize before the grass starts to grow you are wasting fertilizer on the early weeds. If you fertilize just as the grass starts to grow, then instead of having grass growing at twice the normal rate, you have it growing at 3x or 4x the normal rate. That means a LOT more frequent mowing to keep it under 3-4 inches. If you acre is under automatic sprinkler system (which I doubt), you can do yourself a favor and cut the frequency back to no more than once a week during the heat of summer and once a month up until it gets hot. That will allow the surface of the soil to dry out which stops weed seeds from germinating. Set your mower to the highest position. That will develop deeper roots to get you through the hot part of summer. Then when it gets hot, stop mowing altogether. Wait until the heat breaks and come back to mow carefully so as not to scalp it. Tall grass also provides more shade to shade out any weed seedlings that might have sprouted. The watering and mowing described above should be a strong deterrent to crabgrass. An acre of grass? Have you considered alternatives to so much grass? I have a long list of alternatives that can break up your expanse of turf if you are interested. I know this is the lawn forum, and lawns are my hobby, but to me there is not much that is less interesting than an unbroken acre of grass.

Well, I think this has been a very good thread on David Austins. I appreciate everyone's input. I have made up my mind what I am purchasing this year, but I'm sad that I can't buy about a dozen more....lol. I had already decided to stick to just one order from Pickering this year and they were sold out on my favorites, so I finally decided on Harlow Carr, because of it's disease resistance, it's 'old rose' fragrance, it's ability to repeat bloom and according to the David Austin site, possibly tolerant of part shade. I have just the place for it. It is not my first choice by a long shot. Not the glamourous beautifully formed, quartered and buttoned blossoms that I really love, but I think it will suit my purpose for the time being. What has happened though, is that now I really want to grow more roses and I am very interested in growing more David Austins. So I am keeping my list and I'll just have to see if I can figure out a way to squeeze them in somewhere so I can buy more. :-) zack, thanks for saving me from Geoff Hamilton which I would be unhappy with I believe. Sharifa Asma will go on my list. rosecorgis, Glamis Castle is gorgeous and I would love to try it. I hope you will post photos this summer. Jubilee Celebration, I think I will have to check with others who might have tried to grow it in my area. From a photo, I love the color and form of that rose. dublinbay, I really dislike the BS problems and the loss of foliage that goes with it, so I appreciate knowing the problems you've had with it. York Rose, I really did want to try an Alba. Especially since I have less than full sun in an area I want to try one. I was hesitating because of the 'once bloom', but I am growing clematis too and I had forgotten that I could combine the two. So I am going to buy one Alba. I narrowed it down to Felicite Parmentier and Mme Plantier and I needed a white, so I ordered Mme Plantier. Thanks for the reminder and the link. I have not ordered from the supplier on Cape Ann, but I am going to take a good look at what they are offering this year too..... Thanks for pointing out the size of semi-plena. zyperiris, thanks for that reminder about the Dr Huey rootstock. That will keep me away from ordering DAs at the nursery. I am ordering from Pickering who uses a different rootstock I believe? Maureen, oh how I wish I had room for a large rose like that! You make a great point about looking for the added benefit of 'four season' interest on a once bloomer. Thanks to all! I think the question of whether David Austins do well in New England has been answered. Feel free to keep the thread going on your favorite David Austins. I am still making a 'wish' list as I'm sure others are as well. I was wondering which Austin is the most fragrant, which Austin repeats the best, are there any Austins that don't have droopy flowers, which blossoms last a long time? :-)

Pop it out when there are no leaves on. If you have severe cold fronts blowing in early in the winter there, wait until end of winter.

The way most folks do it is to pot it out and put in a sheltered spot encosed porch or any non windy sheltered place or garage ...water a little during warm periods and your good to go. Some folks do bury the pot but again it should be in a secluded place. Some folks keep their plants potted and shelter them like this several years before planting out to acclimate it but this I don't totally comprehend ...but it is done.. Fire glow is supposedly HARDY to -20 by some accounts. You don't say how big it is.. but from your statement that it is a sapling i assume it is small. If you have the time to pot it why not just plant it out and mulch it well you can even put a wire cage around it and cover the outside so it gets wind protection... If it is hardy it should do fine...many young trees are planted this time of year ...in fact many think it's the best time to plant JM's although there is disagreement in this as with zones, hardiness, and as you will see overwintering... David