Expert posts by:

Mark Marino

I am Mark Marino, the founder, owner, and operator of Lawn Phix. With a passion for lawn care and turf nutrition for over a decade, I've dedicated countless hours to correcting soil and perfecting lawns. Today, my expertise, backed by formal courses at UMass Extension Pesticide Education, allows me to offer top-tier services. I am a fully licensed and insured pesticide applicator in Massachusetts, specializing in comprehensive turf nutrition, and weed and pest control. My license number is AL-0053865. Contact me at [email protected] or +1 (508) 500-8402.

frozen cool season lawn in november

Lawn Care

When Does Grass Stop Growing?

By the time harvest season arrives, some property owners begin to wonder, “when does grass stop growing?” Temperature impacts grass growth, so once the weather becomes cool enough, you can put your lawn mower away ...
Winter_Grass

Lawn Care

Why You Should Cut Your Grass Shorter Before Winter

Tis the season to discuss and debate many end-of-season lawn care tips. The main ones I continue to see and hear at the end of fall and near winter are: I have tested these different ...
Lawn Phix 2024 Turf Nutrition Plan Banner

Lawn Care

2024 Turf Nutrition Plan by Lawn Phix

At Lawn Phix, I constantly learn from podcasts, university extension studies and publications, and my own trial and error. I enjoy testing and experimenting with new products each season and am always improving my turf ...
creeping_charlie_weeds-closeup

Lawn Care

Fall Is The Best Time To Control Lawn Weeds

It’s always a sad time for lawn care enthusiasts like me and you to watch the leaves fall, temperatures drop, and early morning frosts on the lawn. We’re all eager for winter to hurry up and springtime ...
lawn_phix_yard_and_sign_with_halloween_skeleton

Lawn Care

Fall Lawn Care Checklist – A Quick Start Guide for 2023

Our 2023 lawn care season is ending rapidly here in New England. We have about one week left to get our lawns dialed in for Halloween and just a few short weeks after that, when ...
Poa-Trivialis

Lawn Care

Light Green Patches in Lawn

It seems to be every year – particularly in the spring and early fall – that lots of questions about “patches in my lawn” pop up. I professionally treat over 15 acres of turf and ...
Fall_Leaves_on_Lawn(1)

Lawn Care

When to Apply Fall Fertilizer

A fall lawn fertilizer application can support the health of your lawn. Apply fertilizer in the fall to support a greener lawn, improve root growth, and reduce dead spots or lawn diseases. With a fall ...
Spotted lanternfly

Pests

How to Get Rid of Spotted Lanternflies (Kill Lanternflies in 2023)

Have you spotted an unusually bright-colored moth near your home? You’re likely seeing a new invasive species: the spotted lanternfly (SLF). Native to China, India, and Vietnam, this unwelcome pest was discovered in the US ...
green-kyllinga-sedge-bunches-

Lawn Care

Kyllinga vs Nutsedge (with Pictures!)

Kyllinga, also popularly known as green kyllinga, and nutsedge are both perennial sedges that are native to Asia and have a reputation for spreading quickly. Both are also known to spread rapidly when conditions are ...
Induce pH Non Ionic Surfactant

Lawn Care

Methylated Seed Oil vs Surfactant (MSO vs NIS)

Landscapers apply an adjuvant and herbicide spray solution to ensure that a post-emergent herbicide works effectively. Adjuvant spray solutions help boost herbicide performance in one of two ways: they either enhance the activity of recommended ...
Bermuda-grass-taking-over-lawn

Lawn Care

Stolons vs Rhizomes (and Tillers!)

Understanding the difference between rhizomes and stolons is important to know how plants and some cool and warm season grasses propagate and spread. Bermuda grass, St. Augustine grass, zoysia grass, and centipede grass all spread ...
dallis_grass

Lawn Care

Crabgrass vs Dallisgrass (Identification, Differences & Similarities)

Difficult to control, both crabgrass and dallisgrass are grassy weeds that can be difficult to identify and manage. Once they invade your healthy lawn, either grassy weed may prove tenacious and tough to eradicate. Although ...