Red Hen’s 2 Choices for an INSTANT LAWN: Red Hen’s Kentucky Bluegrass Sod vs. Red Hen’s Tall Fescue Sod

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Posted on May 31, 2022 by Red Hen Turf Farm

One of Red Hen’s Kentucky Bluegrass Sod Fields

Article Last Updated 03/02/23

Did you know that Red Hen Turf Farm produces and sells 2 kinds of sod?

Since 2018, we have carried both our flagship 100% Kentucky Bluegrass Sod, and more recently our “Tall Fescue Sod”.

Of these 2 choices, our Kentucky Bluegrass Sod is a more popular cool-season turf grass that is specific to our Midwest region.

By far, the majority of sod we sell is our Kentucky Bluegrass Sod.

So what are the main differences between Red Hen’s two types of Sod, and why might you choose one over the other? We get this question a lot.

FOR A QUICK SUMMARY…
Our Red Hen 100% Kentucky Bluegrass Sod (aka KYB Sod or Bluegrass Sod) is a beautiful, lush, and finely textured natural grass. It is a blend of four high quality, top performing seed varieties, and is widely used on golf courses, athletic fields, and home lawns.
Our Red Hen Tall Fescue Sod (aka Fescue Sod or Tall Fescue Sod or Red Hen Fescue / Ky Blue Blend Sod … etc) is MAINLY comprised of Turf-Type Tall Fescue and a bit of Kentucky Bluegrass. Red Hen’s Tall Fescue Sod is grown for its superior density, dark color, and fine leaf texture. The fescues in this mix provide increased spreading ability, deep rooting, and are drought tolerant. The fescues and Kentucky Bluegrass in this mix provides lower irrigation requirements once established.

But, to dive in deeper, let’s start by focusing on Red Hen’s KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS SOD …

Continue reading →

MAY REMINDER! Fertilizer, Crabgrass & Broadleaf Weed Control

Posted on May 2, 2019 by Red Hen Turf Farm

Whether or not you applied a crabgrass pre-emergent or perhaps a straight fertilizer in April, early to mid-May is usually the time for an application of either a fertilizer or a “weed and feed” (a “weed and feed” refers to a fertilizer that also has a herbicide in it).

* * * A word of warning when applying a “weed and feed” to newly seeded grass OR to an area you are planning to seed… Herbicides typically inhibit the germination of grass seed, so you should always read the label of the product to find out the recommended waiting period between applying the herbicide and planting grass seed. Typically, you will need to choose one or the other – seed in the spring or apply a product with a herbicide in it. * * *First, we always recommend Soil Testing, and then working with us to develop your fertilizer program with your soil analysis and your goals in mind. When you don’t have a soil test or a custom fertilizer program in place, for a May application, consider these 3 options…

OPTION 1 …
NO NEED TO TREAT WEEDS?

A product without any type of added herbicide, like our 25-0-10 fertilizer, would be appropriate. Our 25-0-10 gives you a boost of Nitrogen to green up your lawn and make it more lush, and a higher level of Potassium than most of the products you can buy at the local garden centers, which helps promote root growth, heat and drought hardiness, wear tolerance, and disease tolerance. Wait 6-8 weeks from the time of your last application, or if this is your first application of the year, you can make your first application now.

OPTION 2 …
NEED A SECOND (or first?) APPLICATION OF CRABGRASS PRE-EMERGENT?

Frankly, the window of time to get the most bang for your buck with a crabgrass pre-emergent has passed so we don’t usually recommend treating for Crabgrass at this time of the year, but we realize some people may want to give it another shot. A very small percentage of crabgrass seeds MAY still be lurking. If you did an application of crabgrass “weed and feed” 6-8 weeks ago (like Crabgrass pre-emergent PLUS fertilizer), you might be considering a 2nd application. If you choose to do this, you’d want to get the crabgrass pre-emergent applied ASAP for this product to be as effective as possible (in other words, BEFORE those few remaining crabgrass seeds have reached the germination stage).

OPTION 3 …
WANT TO BATTLE THOSE PESKY BROADLEAF WEEDS?

Dandelions and other broadleaf weeds are among the most troublesome turf pest problems in lawns, and it looks like this spring will be an especially bad year for them. Wait 6-8 weeks from the time of your last fertilizer or weed-and-feed application, or if this is your first application of the year, now would be a good time to get something down. That said, we offer several ways to effectively control broadleaf weeds.

One method is by applying a product like Trimec 22-0-5 + Iron, which is a post-emergent broadleaf “weed and feed” with added Iron to give your grass a richer, deeper color. The active ingredient, Trimec, needs to be absorbed by susceptible plants in order to be effective, so for best results, mow one to two days before application and then water lightly or apply in the morning for proper adhesion to plants.

Another very effective product that Red Hen Turf Farm carries is a newish selective herbicide called Tenacity. Tenacity does NOT contain any fertilizer, so if this is the herbicide you choose, you’ll likely want to also do a fertilizer application in May (refer to Option 1 above). When properly applied, Tenacity will destroy the weed but not harm your grass. Tenacity can be used both as a pre-emergent and post-emergent to selectively control 46 weeds and grass species, including dandelions, clover, creeping bentgrass, perennial ryegrass, or fine and tall fescue. And it’s safe to use on established or newly seeded turf. Tenacity works by inhibiting photosynthesis, so it does turn the targeted weeds white, and it may also cause temporary whitening of your turfgrass (for a few weeks anyhow).

CLICK on this Screenshot to READ Purdue Extension’s FREE PUBLICATION, “Control of Broadleaf Weeds in Home Lawns”

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Please call Red Hen Turf Farm, or come in to get advice on which is best for your situation… 574-232-6811 is the number.

What a pain in the crabgrass!

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Red Hen Turf Farm

When is a good time to apply a pre-emergent crabgrass preventer?

So we never have an “exact” date on when to apply the crabgrass pre-emergent since every season is different. We monitor the weather and soil temperatures. Crabgrass germinates when the soil temperatures are consistently 60° F degrees for 3-5 days at a 1/4″ level. To be effective, crabgrass pre-emergent must be applied at least 2 weeks prior to germination. Here’s a great (real time) link we use for crabgrass germination and optimum times to apply pre-emergent from Michigan State University. GDD Tracker.

As you may know, the best crabgrass prevention is a dense, healthy turf, but because crabgrass has a massive reproductive & survival capability, it is common to have some in your lawn. Some of you may have seen more crabgrass come up several weeks after your first application last year. Here’s a tip: To prevent that second flush, simply apply another crabgrass pre-emergent to your lawn 7 weeks after the first treatment.

Regular fertilization should help thicken turf along with proper watering and mowing. Water deeply and infrequently. (Light and shallow watering will encourage crabgrass growth). Do not mow more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at one time. If you mow below 2.5-3 inches (depending on the turf species) it will increase crabgrass populations.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW: If you are planning on seeding or have completed a dormant winter seeding, we do not recommend using a crabgrass pre-emergent until the new seedlings grow (at least 2 mows at 3 inches high). If you apply it too soon, it will likely end up killing any new grass seedling growth. There are a few options for crabgrass treatment if you have planted grass seed or plan on planting this spring.

For example, a very effective product is a selective herbicide called Tenacity. Tenacity herbicide can be used for pre- and post-emergence control of a wide range broadleaf weed and grass species, including CRABGRASS (well, up to the point where the crabgrass has 4 tillers or fewer).

Here is a picture to show the tillering stages of crabgrass.
SOURCE: Kansas State University

Tenacity’s active ingredient, mesotrione, which is based on a naturally occurring compound produced by the bottlebrush plant that inhibits photosynthesis in susceptible plant species. The mesotrione is absorbed by weeds you are targeting through the roots, shoots and leaves and distributed throughout the plant by “translocation“. Because the targeted weeds are blocked from using photosynthesis, it does turn the targeted weeds white, and it may also cause temporary whitening of your turfgrass (for a few weeks anyhow).

Tenacity does NOT contain any fertilizer, so if this is the herbicide you choose, you’ll likely want to also do a non-herbicide / straight fertilizer application (like our 25-0-5 fertilizer) in May. When properly applied, Tenacity will destroy the weed but not harm your grass. And it’s safe to use on established or newly seeded turf.

8/29/20 UPDATE: You might also give a herbicide Red Hen carries call Q4 a shot (as long as the crabgrass is at the earlier smaller stage of no more than 3-4 tillers), and can read more about that option HERE.

Just give us a call and we can go over the products to use. Use caution when using post emergent herbicides and ALWAYS read the label. 574-232-6811 is the number to call.

Pick your battles. You shouldn’t plant grass seed AND apply crabgrass pre-emergent at the same time. If crabgrass was a problem for you last year and you want to treat it, apply the crabgrass pre-emergent and save your seeding for fall. That is the best time to seed anyway. (Typically around August 15-September 15 … again, every year is a bit different … Purdue explains more about seeding in their free publication – CLICK HERE).

Here’s more info from Purdue Science: Crabgrass Control

Know when to give up. Crabgrass can be a pain if it is not taken care of early enough. If you wait until summer and you realize your crabgrass is out of control, you may as well let it go until it dies off with the first frost. There are post emergent herbicides that you can use but they are more difficult to use than the pre-emergent products, they cannot be used in the heat of the summer, are expensive, and are only effective on smaller crabgrass plants – which you probably don’t see anyway.

If you are looking for crabgrass pre-emergent + fertilizer (13-0-5), come see us! We have quality fertilizer in stock at great prices AND you get free expert advice!

Don’t forget to visit us on Facebook to see all of our updates including office hours and our first harvest of the season!

We have a ton of crabgrass topics! Check out our previous blog posts that touch on the topic of CRABGRASS by CLICKING HERE.

Until next time!

The Red Hen Crew

Straight from the RED HEN FAQ VAULT – If it’s BROWN, Mow it DOWN … and More EARLY SPRING GRASS TIPS

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Red Hen Turf Farm

Red Hen’s 1st 2018 Harvested Pallet of Kentucky Bluegrass Sod – WINTER IS HOLDING ON STRONG! Harvested 4/9/18

You’ve noticed that in the winter months, your lawn’s grass typically will turn brown, right? This is a normal response to winter conditions — your grass has simply gone into a dormant or resting stage. Though your grass may look dead, it is alive and is waiting for the air and soil temperatures to rise in late March to early April. Once this happens, the turf color will begin to green up and start growing again.

So what can you do besides wait for warmer days?

Well, if your grass tips are brown, go ahead and mow them down. That’s right … By doing an early spring mowing and removing the brown tips off of your grass, this naturally brings out the greener grass blades, and it may even help to stimulate growth. While you’ll still need to plan on simply giving the grass more (WARMER) TIME to green up, a good mowing certainly won’t hurt, at any rate. For an established lawn, remember to mow grass to 3 to 3.5 inches high, which makes it less prone to insect, disease, and weed problems. In general, you should mow frequently, cutting off no more than a third of the height each time. Also, by mowing frequently and only when grass is dry, this will prevent clumping, and allow for leaving the clippings on your lawn. Save yourself time and money by NOT bagging or raking up your clippings. The grass clippings will break down and return valuable nutrients to the soil — in a way, it’s Mother Nature’s Free Fertilizer … However, if you do end up with clumps of grass clippings, you will want to rake, bag, or mow again so they don’t smother / shade the grass.

What else can you do?

An early spring application of fertilizer may do wonders in speeding up the green-up of your lawn. As I write this on April 12, 2018, the ground is no longer frozen, so it’s a fine time to start off with either a Fertilizer + Crabgrass Pre-emergent (like our 13-0-5). By around May 1st depending on when we start seeing consistent 60+ degree days, you may decide to treat for broadleaf weeds with a Fertilizer + Broadleaf Post-Emergent like our 22-0-5.

TIP: Remember, if you’re planning on doing some Spring Grass Seeding, as a general rule you will want to keep any herbicides away from those areas.

Not sure what approach to take? Every year is different, and every yard is different… Give us a call and we can chat about different options.

Understandably, every spring, we get a dozen or so calls from customers who sodded their lawns last year with Red Hen’s 100% Kentucky Bluegrass Sod, because they are worried about how UNGREEN their lawns are while their neighbors’ (non-Kentucky-Bluegrass) lawns are already coming out of dormancy and greening up.

Compared to the perennial ryegrasses and fescue grasses that are typical in our area, Kentucky bluegrass sod needs MORE time, MORE warmth, MORE sunlight, and MORE nutrients to GREEN-UP in the spring. This is simply a natural result of the genetics of the Kentucky bluegrass sod.

On the other hand, the superior genetics of Red Hen’s Kentucky Bluegrass sod gives it excellent disease tolerance against problems like leaf spot and summer patch. Kentucky Bluegrass is by far (in our opinion) the most beautiful cool-season grass you can buy. Once your Kentucky Bluegrass fully greens up by mid to late May, its deep, emerald blue-green color and dense, low-growing boat shaped blades can’t be beat.

More questions? Give us a call at 574-232-6811 … Thanks from Michelle, Lisa, and Jeremy @ Red Hen Turf Farm

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PREFER TO LEARN AT YOUR OWN PACE? Purdue University Extension’s Turfgrass Program offers so much free information about homeowners’ lawn care. This is a fantastic science-based and regionally-focused resource you can feel confident about trusting. You can explore at https://turf.purdue.edu/homeowner.html … Here’s a small sampling of the MANY topics covered:

Establishing a Turf Area
Establishing Lawn Areas From Seed
Seeding a Turf Area in the Spring
Purchasing Quality Grass Seed for Your Lawn
Establishing a Lawn from Sod
Building a Backyard Putting Green

Maintaining a Home Lawn
Don’t Bag It
Irrigation Practices for Homelawns
Mowing, Thatching, Aerifying, and Rolling Turf
Fertilizing Established Lawns
Should I Hire a Professional Lawn Care Service?
Maintenance Calendar for Indiana Lawns
Maintaining Lawns on Sandy Soils
Animal Urine Damage in Turf

Weed Control
Control of Broadleaf Weeds in Homelawns
Control of Crabgrass in Homelawns
Identification and Control of Perennial Grassy Weeds

Disease Control
Turfgrass Disease Profiles: Gray Snow Mold
Turfgrass Disease Profiles: Pink Snow Mold
Turfgrass Disease Profiles: Brown Patch

Insect Control
Turf Insect Management
Japanese Beetles in the Urban Landscape
New White Grub Pests of Indiana
Protecting Pollinators from Insecticide Applications in Turfgrass
Moles

Pesticide Information
The Way to Spray
Pesticides and the Home, Lawn, and Garden
The Benefits of Pesticides: A Story Worth Telling

DISCONTINUED – Red Hen Jumbo Bags of Mulch and Top Soil

Posted on May 2, 2017 by admin

5/02/17 UPDATE: Red Hen Turf Farm has decided, effective 2017, to DISCONTINUE our JUMBO BAGS of Mulch and Top Soil. We no longer carry these items, in bag or bulk. If you need a referral, we recommend contacting your favorite local garden centers.

A SINCERE THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE PURCHASED OUR JUMBO BAGS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS!

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

It was a hard call, but ultimately, we felt that the Jumbo Bags were detracting from where our FOCUS needs to be, which is the production and harvest of Red Hen’s Turfgrass Sod. CALL for a QUOTE TODAY: 574-232-6811

Red Hen 2017 WEED ALERT – The Crabgrass is Coming! The Crabgrass is Coming!

Posted on March 31, 2017 by admin

CRABGRASS
Image Source: Purdue Turf Tips

Just a quick reminder….

It is once again time to get your crabgrass preventer out on the lawn. That is, unless you’re planning on a spring seeding … then you would NOT want to apply any type of weed herbicide.

Our 13-0-5 with crabgrass preventer (the Grey Bag) is a great choice, especially at only $29.50 plus tax. It covers 12,500 Square Foot, at a rate of 4 pounds per 1000 Square Foot.

I was down south in Alabama last week looking for signs of crabgrass, but the house we rent every year was all weeds.

Jeremy’s vacation view in Alabama

From the websites I use to track turf-related problems across the nation we are starting to see it germinate in parts of Kentucky and Tennessee. It’s a matter of 1-2 weeks and we’ll start seeing this common weed migrating to the north.

Getting your preventer down now will help stop crabgrass from germinating and kill other weeds also. With last year’s 5 weeks of little to no rain I think it might be a good idea to apply a crabgrass preventer twice this year to stay away from the summer flush of crabgrass. HOWEVER, that said, the only way I would recommend to do 2 applications is if you have open turf and have had problems in the past.

Do remember that its need to be watered in and applied at the right rate to be effective. Please always read the label.

Want to learn more about keeping crabgrass under control? Check out our previous blog posts on this topic by CLICKING HERE.

Until next time!

Jeremy and the Red Hen Crew

It JUST SNOWED, right? Well, the Crabgrass is Coming!

Posted on March 14, 2016 by admin

Well we are looking to have an early spring this year. It sure has been nice sitting outside with the neighbors, getting my boat ready and even washing my truck. We even harvest our first semi of sod on Friday. I know last year I was not doing this to much later.
When the phone starts to ring and customers start coming into the Shop, it’s time to look at timing of CRABGRASS.

If you have been in the Michiana area for a while you know we have had an early season like this not too long ago. But it is usually hard to remember how your yard looked by the end of the year.

The last early spring we had some home lawns had breakthrough of crabgrass. We call it the summer flush. This could be the year to apply a CRABGRASS PRE-EMERGENCE (aka a “Weed and Feed”) two times.

But remember not every yard is the same and neither is the weather from year to year.

Looking at the long-term Growing Degree Days (GDD), I would say that the next 3 weeks would be a great time to apply Crabgrass pre-emergence.

Our 50 pound bag of 13-0-5 w/.28% Barricade herbicide (the GREY BAG, front row, farthest to the left) is a GREAT CRABGRASS PRE-EMERGENT that INCLUDES FERTILIZER. It’s only $29.50 and would cover 12,500 square feet when applying at 4 pounds per 1000 square feet. CLICK ON THE PHOTO to be taken to a LINK with the technical specs on our 13-0-5 for crabgrass management.

After your first application is done, perhaps you’ll find that your yard is just not thick enough. A second crabgrass pre-emergent application 60 days later can be beneficial. I do believe the last time I recommended this to all was in March 2013.

Some key points to remember going into this season:

It rained a lot last year in the spring. This year could be different.
Pre-emergent herbicides must be watered in to be effective.
Always follow the label on fertilizer, and don’t forget that the labels can change from time to time.
Ensure even distribution of product especially where you are most likely to see crabgrass.
Thin turf is often a problem in compacted area such as just off a driveway or sidewalk, in non-irrigated areas, and with low-cut turf
Crabgrass can start to germinate when the average daily soil reaches 57° to 64° F. A Crabgrass Pre-Emergent is most effective when you apply it BEFORE the weed starts to germinate. We are at 49° F as of 3-9-2016 at the farm.

Come on out and visit us soon! Our current hours are Monday – Friday, 8AM to 4PM Eastern time.

And – as always – we’re here for questions – 574-232-6811.

Lastly, as a BONUS, you can read some articles from our archives that address CRABGRASS by CLICKING HERE.

Until Next Time,

Jeremy and the Red Hen Team

Crabgrass and What’s Up with Other Weeds in Your Lawn

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Red Hen Turf Farm

So what is up with this weather? This morning’s lake effect snow showers at the end of April was a surprise. I am just glad our employees were ready and more importantly dressed for it.

So what did this weather do to us in the Michiana area in terms of lawn care?

Well we still have time to get our Fertilizer PLUS Crabgrass preventer down before it starts to germinate. I would have this done within the next 2 weeks to get the most benefit out of applying it.

Can you apply a Crabgrass preventer later than within the next 2 weeks and still have at least some effect? Well, yes you can BUT when you buy something why not get the most out of it?

With some spring broadleaf weeds starting to grow, it’s also time to get these under control. When our temperatures are going to be as low as weather broadcasters are stating, we have to understand what will work and won’t work. Some products we carry are great for cool temperatures but not for high humidity and temperatures over 85 degrees. (Also, to catch up our past posts on fertilizer and weed control, CLICK HERE.)

So my real TAKE-HOME POINT of writing this post today is that reading and understanding a product label is very important. A few of you have heard me say that just because a product is on a store’s shelf does not mean it needs to be on your yard. Well now you have purchased something from Red Hen’s shelf, so the question becomes, “Is it a good time to put it down?”

Think back to the day that you came in and bought a product. Was the weather different? Was it sunny, raining or cold?

One of my goals everyday is to save my friends, coworkers, clients and family time, money and hopefully both. Read the label and (HERE’s THE KEY) if you do not understand part of the label give us call and hopefully I will save you both.

Take care of yourself and your yard,
Jeremy Cooper

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Straight from our FAQ VAULT … It’s Spring, but why is my Kentucky Bluegrass Sod not GREEN yet?

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Red Hen Turf Farm

Especially for people who sodded their lawns last year, it can be a surprise when the snow comes off and you see your sodded lawn looking very UNGREEN.

While it may be a bit annoying, this is extremely typical.

During the winter months, Kentucky bluegrass sod will go dormant, and needs time, warmth, sunlight, and nutrients to GREEN-UP. In fact, your neighbors’ grass may green up before yours simply as a result of the genetics of the Kentucky bluegrass sod.

The superior genetics of Red Hen’s Kentucky bluegrass sod gives it excellent tolerance of diseases like leaf spot and summer patch. And, as you know, it is a very attractive, dense, compact (low growing) turf with dark green color during the summer.

However, as is the case with certain elite varieties of Kentucky bluegrass, our sod can have a long winter dormancy and slow spring green-up. Cool dry weather can exacerbate this growth response. Full green-up typically occurs by mid- to late-May.

So what can you do besides wait?

An early spring application of fertilizer may very well help speed up the green-up of your Kentucky bluegrass sod. Please note that as of today (March 24th), it’s still a little early to apply fertilizer because the ground is still frozen, but we would expect that applying between April 1 and May 1 will help tremendously.

Another thing you might try is to mow the brown tips off of your grass. This may help stimulate growth, but it will also make your lawn more aesthetically pleasing in the meantime.

I mentioned earlier that you might notice your neighbors’ lawns greening up quicker than your Kentucky bluegrass sod. This is because their lawns may be comprised of perennial ryegrass and/or some type of fescue, which often green-up several weeks earlier than the elite type of sod you have in your own lawn. Perennial ryegrass typically will have the earliest green-up.

More questions? Give us a call at 574-232-6811.
Thanks!

– Lisa, Red Hen Turf Farm

Straight from Red Hen’s FAQ Vault … Should I apply Crabgrass Preventer in the Spring? And WHEN?

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Red Hen Turf Farm

CRABGRASS
Image Source: Purdue Turf Tips

Hi everyone.
I hope everyone is faring well with the winter we have been dealt with this year.

We’re about 2 weeks away from the official first day of Spring, and this time of year one of the most asked questions asked about fertilizer is when is the best time to apply.

My own recommendation for the Michiana area is usually within a few days of what Purdue forecasts, so here we go…

I know in my yard I have a few spots where the turf has thinned and I know these are areas where crabgrass will take over, so I am going to apply 13-0-5 with Barricade (crabgrass preventer) on my yard on April 18, 2015.

But remember your yard can be different than mine. Just a few variables that you should look for include:

Were your sidewalks edged last year exposing the soil?
Is your soil compacted next to the sidewalks, drives and decks?
Is your turf thin in certain areas?
Are you able to regularly irrigate to keep your lawn growing?

If you have any of these problems, I would apply a crabgrass preventer. It is a lot easier to prevent crabgrass before it happens.

If you have any lingering questions feel free to call or email us.

Learn more:

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