Grass I hope you don't mind...I reran the spell checker and caps checker, fixed a few commas, and basically left everything else the same. I put it into an HTML format for posting here. Grass, please write to me from my member page. Here's Grass1950's message from the link... Credit and apologies to Texas_Weed for plagiarism and following his lead, but some concepts are just darn good ideas and some facts are, well, facts. What follows is a generic calendar of recommended lawn care practices designed to help you care for a Kentucky Bluegrass (KBG) lawn. Please understand this is generic and time tables may have to be adjusted for you geographical location. With the exception of "organic", the use of the term "fertilizer" means synthetic fertilizer, either slow or fast release will do with the exception of the last fertilizer of the season= urea 46-0-0, which, to my knowledge, is only available as fast release and is applied with that property a priority. March through May Mowing Mow when it first turns green or when you first notice growth as the grass comes out of winter dormancy with the mower set at 2 to 2 1/2 inches. Mowing at his height will encourage KBG's early prolific spring rhizome and spreading ability. Practice mulch mowing, aka grass re-cycling, which means simply leaving grass clippings on your lawn. Grass clippings decompose quickly and can provide 1 percent of the total weight of the clippings in additional nitrogen and potassium and another .4% of the clippings weight in phosphorus. That can be 25% or more of the lawn's fertilizer needs. If prolonged rain or other factors prevent frequent mowing and clippings are too plentiful to leave on the lawn, they can be collected and used as mulch. Fertilization Apply 1 pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet around May 30- June 1st. This will supply nutrient needs of the grass into the heat of summer and allow the grass to store carbs for survival during summer dormancy. Use a complete nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) turf-grade fertilizer with a 3-l-2, 4-1-2, triple 12 or triple 19 ratios (for example, 15-5-10, 20-5-10. 12-12-12, or 19-19-19). Let a soil test be your guide to select a proper ratio of NPK to adjust for any deficiencies. To determine the amount of product needed to apply 1 pound of' nitrogen per thousand square feet, divide 100 by the first number in the fertilizer ratio. For example, for a 20-5-10 product, divide 100 by 20. The result is 5.0 pounds of product per thousand square feet. Weed Control Apply pre-emergence herbicides to control crabgrass, goose grass, foxtail, etc. by the time the forsythia are in full bloom. Irrigation In many of the areas in which KBG grows best (temperature zones 4,5 and 6), Mother Nature will often take care of the irrigation needs of KBG in the spring; however: water should be present to a soil depth of 4 to 6 inches. Probe with a screwdriver to determine moisture depth. KBG needs a weekly application of about 1 to 1 1/4 inches of water. On sandy soils it often requires more frequent watering, for example, 1/2 inch of water every third day. It may be necessary to irrigate an area for 3 to 5 hours to apply 1 inch of water. (It requires 640 gallons of water to deliver 1 inch of water per thousand square feet.) Because clay soils accept water slowly, irrigate just until runoff occurs, wait 1/2 hour until the water has been absorbed, and then continue irrigating until the desired depth or amount is obtained. Best watering frequency for conservation is determined by looking for temporary darkening- bluish gray color, foot printing, wilted, folded, or curled leaves indicate that it is time to water. Proper irrigation may prevent or reduce pest problems, environmental stress and drought/heat dormancy. Thatch Removal Even if proper water, mowing, and fertilizing techniques are followed thatch can be a problem with KBG. Before thatching, make sure you actually have a thatch problem. Thatch is not detrimental unless it exceeds 1/2 inch. Some thatch accumulation is beneficial as it insulates the roots from heat and helps retain moisture. If needed you may vertically mow or mechanically plug aerate in late March to early May to remove the thatch (layer of un-decayed grass) BEFORE applying a pre-emergent. It is advisable to wait to address thatch until late September- early October or, if overseeding, late August- early September and incorporate de-thatching/aerating with the overseeding. Weed pressure is dramatically less in the fall and the subsequent spring pre-emergent will help prevent weed seed germination. Aerating is not recommended if you have rhizotomatious weeds like poa trivialis or quackgrass--at the very least, those areas should be avoided. June through August Mowing Increase mowing height. If you will be watering regularly (2-3 times a week as needed for 1-1 1/4" of water per week), or in the event of, extended cool and rainy periods during the summer, height should be 3-3 1/2", -the highest height at which the grass blades will stay upright and allow airflow to prevent disease/fungus. Otherwise, mow at the mower's highest level Fertilization If you are able and willing to irrigate throughout the summer, you can apply 1/2 pound of N/1,000 each month throughout the summer. Use a fertilizer with iron content when available. Whether or not you plan to irrigate, you can use organic fertilizers like Milorganite throughout the summer months--Milorganite has iron content which will improve the color and photosynthesis ability of the grass.. Organics will not harm turf during drought and will provide nutrients when conditions are conducive. Irrigation Follow the March through May irrigation guidelines above. If you are not irrigating regularly and allowing the grass to go dormant, you should water 1/2 to 1" every 3 weeks to keep the grass crowns alive so the turf can recover once cooler temps and rain return. Weed Control Apply post-emergence herbicides through-out the growing season as needed to control summer annual and perennial weeds such as crabgrass, clover, knotweed, and spurge. Products like WeedBgone, WBG Max with Crabrass Control and WBG CCO. Similar products with the same AI herbicides usually control several different weeds in a lawn effectively. Be sure the product is labeled for use on KBG. Use Tenacity to control Bentgrass and Poa annua. Apply post emergence herbicides only when weeds are present. Be sure to follow label instructions and note temperature limitations of product if used. Mid August, if you are not overseeding in the fall, apply a pre-emergent to prevent germination of weeds like poa annua and chickweed etc. if they have been present in the yard. Insect Control KBG grass is most susceptible to insect damage from white grubs and billbugs and to a lesser extent to web worms. Check for these insects and control them if necessary. (e.g. Bayer 24hr grub killer) Disease Control Modern cultivars have increased KBG resistance to disease. Proper blending of cultivars and proper cultivation techniques (mowing, fertilization and watering) can dramatically reduce the incidence of disease and/or disease damage. Identify any signs of disease and immediately take appropriate remedial action. If disease has been a reoccurring problem, take appropriate preventive action as and when needed. September through November Mowing Once the dog days of August end and night temperatures are consistently in the 60's, incrementally lower the mowing height to 2-2 1/2" to encourage fall rhizome growth and spreading and to help prevent winter snow mold. Fertilization Once summer temperatures have moderated and the turf has revived (Late August to September 1st) apply 1# of N per 1000 sq ft. of lawn. A balanced NPK is advised such as a triple 12 or 19 to help prepare the lawn for winter dormancy. A second application of N (1/2-1#/k) is recommended October 1st to insure the turf stays green and photosynthesis continues. Once the turf has ceased or dramatically stopped top-growth (mowing is no longer or barely needed), apply 1# N per thousand sq ft. (k) of urea (46-0-0) for winter root growth, carb. storage, early spring green-up, and spring rhizome production. In addition you can apply lime, sulfur, gypsum, etc. if a soil test indicated a deficiency. Irrigation In zones where KBG does well, fall weather should supply sufficient rain. Otherwise, follow the March through May irrigation guidelines.. Thatch, Aerating and Overseeding See March - May above. December through February Build a snowman and enjoy the holidays.

Kaylee: I will concur with the response so far and again emphasize that (1) it will be very helpful to note what zone you're gardening in; (2) I will second the suggestion to obtain and/or read the Michigan Gardener's Guide; (3) contact the folks at MSU or your local county extension service; and (4) visit some of the public gardens within the state, such as the Dow Gardens in Midland, the Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids; and a few others. In addition to the books noted in one response, I would also highly recommend the reading and/or purchase of both "The Fragrant Year"by Helen van Pelt Wilson & Leonie Bell and "Green Thoughts: A Writer in the Garden" by Eleanor Perenyi. The former is a little dated, but still one of the best books on fragrant plants in the garden and it is the only book that I've found to date that sensibly discusses the making of both the dry and moist form of pot-pourri. The later book is a gardening treasure and should be in every gardener's library. The chapter on "Failure" in a real gem and is a must read. The former book, "The Fragrant Year" is, unfortunately, out of print, but copies in excellent condition can be found at either abe.com or alibris.com - both excellent sources for books; the later book, "Green Thoughts" is still available in paperback, but hardbound copies can be found at either or the bookseller sites previously noted. In addition to these sources, I would highly recommend that you make use of the "PlantFinder" section of one of the most beautiful gardens in the Midwest - the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, MO. The Meijer Garden pales in comparison! You can access their home web site at this address: http://www.mobot.org. and then search for their PlantFinder section. However, if you wish to have a direct link, I listed the PlantFinder link below. Once you arrive at this gem of a site, you can search by botanical names; by common names; you can search for plants in a particular zone and then for height, width, bloom time, foliage, suitable for butterflies, hummingbirds, etc. and so on and so forth. So that you and other reading this post will have an idea of what's there and what information can be obtain, I'll provide you with a few example below. One of the more interesting plants that I "discovered" while meandering through a rural, small, but exceptionally wonderful garden place north of Manistee was Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' What caught my eye was the color of the fall foliage on this plant. During my late spring through mid summers to this unique garden center, my eye's didn't note much of anything - mostly because, I suspect that the flower wasn't in bloom during my visits and/or had been deadheaded to produce additional bloom. Since this Geranium is hardy throughout all of Michigan, I decided to add it to our garden. Of course, this prompted a search for other varieties that had interesting fall colors and I found another variety and also added it to our garden. So for you and others reading this post, here's the link to Max Frei http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=B466 And here is the link to the other Geranium that I found, which also had a nice fall color, but is only hard to zone 4. Geranium sanguineum 'Album' http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=C880 The unique features of the "PlantFinder" section of the Missouri Botanical Garden came to fore a few weekends ago when Sue and I stayed at one of the most wonderful B & B we've "discovered" not to far from our neck of the woods. It the "Hoods in the Woods" B & B in the general Gaylord, MI area. Here's the link for those so interested. http://www.hoodsinthewoods.com/ In our visit/stay with this most interesting couple, we found out that they were originally from the State of Ohio where they grew a variety of roses and have been rather disappointed in not being able to grow roses in their neck of the woods due to the fact that they are essentially in zone 3/4 - confirm by the "fact" that when we arrived they still have a nice pile of snow that was about 4/5 or more feet tall and the lake/large pond on which they reside was still largely frozen over with only the edges having open water. So I introduced Jan to the PlantFinder section at the Missouri Botanical Garden, bookmarked it for her and briefly showed her how to search for plants suitable for a zone 3 area. She was amazed at what was available. Well, I do hope that this small dissertation is most useful in your gardening endeavors. Best wishes! Bill & Sue Here is a link that might be useful: PlantFinder Search page at the MBO

That would be great Annie. My in-laws bought a fixer-upper cottage in Harbor Springs that I want to check out. And my niece is living in Grand Rapids, so if I head west then north, I could pretty much stop by everyone's (Tamara, where are you in MI? And Nancy... Charlevoix or ? I'm trying to remember), or perhaps meet somewhere in the middle. I'm open. We're heading to Italy on Sunday, so after we get back, I'll start the planning for this trip. Most likely we'll go the 3rd week of August. Ann

Hello Pinkmountain! ShrubBucket has expanded it's market coverage to include Southern Michigan. We currently cover the Southeast side of the state and starting soon, we will cover the Southwest side over to Chicago. We don't have our full assortment of roses online yet, but just our Pre-order items - Rose Pre-Order Collection If what you were looking for is not online, please check back closer to Spring as our growers will be adding more roses soon!