Gardening tip of the week

Dead patches in the lawn can be caused by a number of factors, fungal diseases, dog urine, root-feeding grubs and improperly applied fertilizer among them. Rather than reach for pesticides, plan to repair damaged areas over the next four weekends by raking dead patches and by adding soil amendments that will improve drainage and correct soil compaction. Seeds of cool-season tall fescue grasses can be sown from early September to mid-October.