Expert posts by:
Jaylan Jones
Grass Clippings: Leave Them or Bag Them? (Lawn Guide)
Lawn grass clippings: when to leave them, when to bag them, how much nitrogen they return, and why herbicide-treated clippings stay out of compost.
Drought Tolerant Grass: Best Picks for Northeast Lawns
Drought tolerant grass for Northeast lawns: tall fescue vs bluegrass vs fine fescue, how drought dormancy works, and what not to do on a brown lawn.
Slow Release Lawn Fertilizer: Types, Labels & Timing
Slow release lawn fertilizer explained: coated vs organic nitrogen, how to read WIN on the label, and UMass-backed rates and timing for cool-season lawns.
Lawn Diseases: Identify Lawn Fungus by Symptom & Season
Lawn diseases by symptom: match spots, rings and patches to the likely fungus and season, then follow our treatment guide for each lawn disease.
Cool Season Grass Seed: How to Pick & Buy the Right Bag
Cool season grass seed buying guide for Northeast lawns: the right blend for sun, shade or traffic, how to read the seed label, and how much to buy.
Liquid Lawn Fertilizer: When to Use It and How to Apply
Liquid lawn fertilizer vs granular: spoon-feeding rates per 1,000 sq ft, hose-end vs backpack sprayers, burn risk and Northeast phosphorus rules.
Soil Test for Lawn: How to Sample, Read & Use Results
How a soil test for lawn works: when to sample, how deep, where New England homeowners send it, and how to turn results into lime and fertilizer rates.
Perennial Ryegrass: Where It Fits in a Northeast Lawn
Perennial ryegrass sprouts in a week and takes heavy wear, but it's the least winter-hardy lawn grass. How much to use, when to seed, what to mix it with.
Dormant Seeding: When & How to Seed Your Lawn in Winter
Dormant seeding lets seed sit through winter and sprout early in spring. When to do it, how much seed to use, and the spring mistake to avoid.
Pet-Safe Weed Killer: What That Actually Means
THE SHORT ANSWER “Pet safe” is a marketing phrase, not a regulated category. What is enforceable is the label’s re-entry interval — and for most lawn herbicides that means keeping animals off until the treatment ...
Best Grass for Shade: What Survives Under a Tree
THE SHORT ANSWER Fine fescues are the most shade-tolerant lawn grasses, with turf-type tall fescue close behind and St. Augustine the best of the warm-season options. But extension guidance is consistent that below about four ...
Plants That Repel Mosquitoes: What the Evidence Shows
THE SHORT ANSWER Sitting in a pot, almost nothing. The repellent compounds in citronella, lavender and scented geraniums are locked in the leaf and only released when it is crushed. A meta-analysis of 62 studies ...