QUESTION: I moved into a house recently, and the front lawn is nearly nonexistent. There is an irrigation system, and I don't want to wait until fall to seed or overseed. Can I still aerate and sow seeds of fescue now?ANSWER: You have a couple of things to ponder while making this decision. In the souther part of the United States, now is really too late to do expensive renovation of fescue lawns. The young grass will have a difficult time surviving summer heat because the roots will not be well-established. However, with an irrigation system, you might get decent results, especially if summer isn't boiling hot. Still, it is a risk.It would be better to wait until mid-September.However, there is another choice, especially since you have irrigation. That is sod. Sod makes an instant lawn, and a very good one too. You can put it down now or pay someone to do it. Check newspaper advertising for dealers.

QUESTION: I notice we have moss growing in our lawn. This has never happened before. Any suggestions?ANSWER: Moss develops from a combination of conditions, including shade, wet soil, compacted acidic conditions (low pH) and low fertility. A commercial moss killer will do away with the moss, but it will not change the conditions that produced it. If you have an irrigation system, are you using it too much? How long has it been since you put lime on your grass? How compacted is the ground where the moss grows?Get an inexpensive soil pH kit that is sold in garden and hardware stores and test the acid-alkaline balance. You should aim for a pH above 6, which can be accomplished by adding lime to the soil, making the soil less acidic. Dig compacted soil, work in compost and sprinkle grass seeds over the small area.