Pella —
“If you are seeing dead areas in your lawn, don’t expect it to green up later”, says Dale Miller, Marion County Extension Director. Miller has seen many neighborhood lawns showing drought stress damage. He has found that older neighborhoods where trees shade the ground don’t seem to have as much turf loss. While lawns with hills and slopes facing the south have lost substantial areas of turf. Thatchy and sandy soil lawns left un-watered also experienced severe turf loss.
“The green grass of healthy or watered lawns stands out from the dormant lawns that are struggling to recover,” he said. “Many lawns have 25 to 50 percent of the lawns showing some degree of turf loss from the drought and of those injured lawns approximately 25 to 50 percent of the turf in each lawn has died.”
The bad news is that some homeowners are now dealing with dead grass that no amount of watering or rain will make it recover. In fact, those dead areas of the lawn that are not repaired this fall will likely be invaded by weeds next year. The good news is that September is the perfect month to renovate the lawn or at least reseed the damaged areas. Bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are cool-season type grasses that flourish during the cooler weather of the fall and spring seasons - as long as there is enough rainfall or water to nourish the new grass seedlings.
So don’t delay, if the grass is brown it’s probably dead (not dormant) and won’t recover and you will have missed the best seeding window to re-establish a healthy green lawn.
Outdoors
September 20, 2012
Seed lawns now Miller says
- Outdoors
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Fish at Central Park
The Pella Parks and Recreation Department has created a new flower bed at Central Park, in which they hope to take you under the sea.
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Vision Iowa grant sought for sports park
City Administrator Mike Nardini reported at Friday's Community Services Board meeting that negotiations with the Vision Iowa Board will begin next week, regarding funding assistance for the Fields of our Future Sports Park.
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Weather forces road closures
Marion County Engineer Roger Schletzbaum has closed several area roads around the county, due to concern of flooding.
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Ice Fishing Tourney Cancelled
Poor ice conditions
- 2013 Central Iowa Delta Waterfowl Chapter Heritage Fund Dinner planned
- Iowa taxpayers increase donations to wildlife in 2012
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Much to see at annual Bald Eagle Days in Pella - See slideshow
Get an up-close look at a live bald eagle and other raptors. Eagle shows will be presented hourly until 4 p.m. (last program starts at 3:00 p.m.) today (Saturday). Staff from the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center will share amazing details about how these birds "make a living." After that, more live birds await you as Environmental Educator Mike Havlik presents programs about owls, hawk identification and conservation. Other event highlights include wildlife photographer and author Ty Smedes, an environmental fair, wildlife photographer Ron Huelse, and nature crafts. Travel to the Red Rock Dam to spot eagles fishing and flying in the wild. Volunteers will be on hand with spotting scopes in the North Tailwater Recreation Area to assist you. The Red Rock Visitor Center, located on the south side of the Red Rock Dam, will feature showings of bald eagle videos produced right here in Iowa. Admission to Bald Eagle Day is free of charge and is presented by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Marion County Conservation Board, Central College and the Red Rock Lake Association.
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Neal Smith NWR Celebrates Anniversary of King Holiday with Service Project
Volunteers help with tallgrass prairie reconstruction as part of the National Day of Service
- Snowshoe Hike at Neal Smith NWR
- Conservation partners take next step in habitat restoration near Pella
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