Thanks joepyeweed and soccer dad, I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I didn't want to add too much information in the first post and overwhelm. Cultural Practices: Yes, I mow at the highest setting and water deeply and infrequently. I am still learning how to measure fertilizer in #/1000sqft instead of using Scott's rotary spreader and throwing it on the lawn, but I think the lawn has plenty of Nitrogen. Using the Scott's 4 step program in the past, I've started with step 1 in late April/early June when the ground temp is 50-55F and I see Forsythia bloom. Other Scott's steps have followed 6-8 weeks after the previous one. As I read more on this site I find steps 2 and 3 are not so good and my constant use of fungicide in the past has probably killed the good fungus too. After reading up on healthy soil I'm betting mine is lacking at this time. While I know it is great to mulch I have bagged since my fungal problems started and, very unfortunately, mulching simply spreads the lawn diseases. I may mulch my leaves this fall. I pull weeds by hand or use weed-B-gon to spot treat. pH: The pH has been a long issue and I'm not sure why. I've had several tests from the local Coop Ext as well as my own solution tester. The back yard has been between 5 and 5.6 for the last 5 years and the front has dropped from 6.8 to 6.2. I do test before I apply lime but I don't know why I can't keep the pH up. This is one reason that the organic method appeals to me - less pH testing and liming. Fungus: I agree with your assessment that N is too high. I should go test that with my solution tester. This is another reason to not follow Scott's program to the letter and go with organic or something hybrid for my lawn. In the past I was uneducated regarding NPK/ compost/ microbes/ bacteria/ good fungus/ and simply followed the steps not knowing if I was putting down a 30-2-4 or a 4-15-10 (just throwing out numbers). Grubs: In year 3 when I applied 24hr control I did have a problem and the grass came up like a carpet. Since then I have used the 3month control (July/Aug/Sep) every year. I don't want to go through that issue again. My area is notorious for grubs and moles and I'm reluctant to skip grub treatment for fear that they will return and I will be unaware until it is too late. Overseeding: Aside from re-seeding small and large(30'x40') patches I haven't overseeded the lawn. I've seeded over some thin areas with some luck by hand and am considering renting a slit-seeder this fall to try and fill out the thin areas. I may wait until next year for this if it takes some time to amend the soil before seeding. Organic: I've been reading lots of posts here about organics and the FAQ is great too. I am going to search my local big box stores and feed stores for corn gluten meal, soybean meal, corn meal and alfalfa meal. And maybe even Scott's organic lawn food (I have lots of gift cards to Lowe's). I understand corn meal is for disease and I'd like to apply it now. How will it affect my current year schedule: Late April: Scott's step 1 Mid June: Scott's step 2 I don't want to over N the lawn again. I don't know much about compost and will read more. 1td/1000sqft sounds like a lot. I have a bad back, is there any way to spread compost other than by hand? A drop spreader? I've read how great compost is but I haven't seen it in any annual schedule. Is that because composting is a one time shot to get microbes and bacteria back in to the soil? How often should one apply a layer of compost? I definitely realize this isn't a quick fix but I'm looking to take the lawn in the proper direction. As long as my practices are good, I'm confident the lawn will respond in time.

Many of our medical people have not yet accepted that exposure to many of the poisons sprayed on land that is "conventionally" farmed can cause chronic health problems even though they recognize they can cause acute health problems. Exposure to more then one could cause a symbiotic relationship that is not healthy. That some people are more susceptible to adverse reactions to these poisons is also a known and if that person is exposed to more than one of these potential allergins can cause even larger problems. Unfortunately the only way to find put if a person is suscetible to any substance is to expose them to that substance. While an allergist can, and will, test someone for these types of allergies it will only be done if there is good reason to suspect there is a need. So alaria121 if you are still able to please update us on what, if anything has been found.

I had to direct sow last year after my zinnia seedlings failed and the daffs flopped. So I never did get it too look like what I had in mind. But this year is different. Jean, I know zinnias need lots of sun and the get lots of sun there all afternoon from about noon on. Just shady earlier in the morning.

Yuck! Been a battle for me the past couple of years :( ============================================ Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Tospovirus Symptoms: Young leaves show symptoms as turning bronze and many small, dark spots. Tips may dieback and stems may be streaked. Stunting usually occurs with drooping leaves and wilting. If infected early, no fruit will be produced, and if fruit is produced, there will be symptoms of chlorotic ring spots (Figure 8). The concentric rings on green fruit are faint becoming more obvious as the fruit ripens. Favorable Conditions: Since this virus has over 800 hosts, the optimal conditions for TSWV are weedy fields with a high thrips population. ÃÂ (Thrips are an insect that carry the disease from plant to plant as they feed. ) Control: Once infection has occurred, plants must be removed. Control weed populations and use reflective mulches to repel thrips. Insecticides are ineffective against thrips. ============================================ http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1285.htm So this year, out of 115+ varieties, some with TSWV "resistance" are going in "bad" places and new ground is being broken elsewhere. Look for BHN 444, Amelia, Sophya, Mountain Glory etc ... I may end up with cardboard 'maters from this spot but I hope to end up with 'maters! I tilled the area up in the fall and planted winter wheat so hopefully that will help. ===================================================== In Georgia, TSWV and thrips vectors have had a tremendous negative impact on the yield of various crops including peanut, tobacco, tomato, and pepper, causing an estimated $100 million in losses annually across all of these crops. In tomato, TSWV can often reduce marketable yields by 50% besides greatly increasing the incidence of irregular-ripened tomatoes. The thrips species primarily responsible for transmitting this virus in tomatoes are western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), tobacco thrips (Frankliniella fusca), and others (for example, Frankliniella bispinosa and onion thrips, Thrips tabaci). ======================================================= http://wiki.bugwood.org/Thrips_and_Spotted_Wilt_Management_in_Tomato Serious stuff :(