Penn State master gardeners are here to answer your questions throughout the gardening season.

We're getting lots of questions about lawn care right now. Penn State has a great website called "Center for Turfgrass Science Home Lawns." You can find it by searching the name. If you don't use a computer, call us at the Penn State Extension and we'll mail out information to you.Now to your questions.Q.Our lawn was mostly dirt last fall and now it's just weeds. What should we do?A. Weeds will quickly move into any area where the soil is exposed. Also, weed seeds build up in the soil over time and germinate as soon as they get enough light. When you have bare soil, you need to cover it with mulch to deny light to the weeds. Then you can remove the mulch when you are ready to plant.In Pennsylvania there are two times a year when you can seed a lawn successfully - early spring and early fall. The type of grass that grows best for us is classified as cool season grass. You can read about it on the Penn State Center for Turfgrass Science.We're already into late April, so your safest course is to plant your lawn at the end of summer when the soil is beginning to cool down. In the meantime, you should remove the weeds and cover the bare soil with two inches of compost to bury the weed seeds already present. Then mulch the soil so weeds from nearby don't move in and take over again. The publications online at the Center for Turfgrass Science will give you details on how to proceed.If you don't want to wait until fall, then you need to get started now before the soil heats up. Again, you should remove the weeds and put down two inches of compost. Then follow Penn State's instructions on how to grow a new lawn.Q.What can I use to kill gypsy moths? Is there a systemic pesticide I can use on my oak trees?A. Gypsy moths are hatching right now. I've got them and I feel your pain. The aerial spray program offered by the state is too expensive for most of us, though the soil microorganism called BT used in the aerial spray is the best way to kill the caterpillars. So what are your options?You can purchase BT if you have a way to deliver the spray to the canopy. If not, there are tree services that can spray for you. You may be able to obtain a list by calling Doyle Heffley's office.I don't recommend trying to use a systemic pesticide on your own. Tackling a mature tree is very different from using Round-up on weeds.The only systemic pesticides I am aware of that kill gypsy moths are dangerous to handle and require you to wear protective clothing and a breathing mask when you apply them. Also, you need to be able to properly dispose of any leftover pesticide, your protective gear and the container it came in. Powerful toxins should only be applied by licensed professionals.For most of us, that means using simple methods that don't involve chemical sprays. One of the best times to kill the caterpillars is when they start coming down the trees at night. I have sticky bands to put on my tree trunks so I can monitor when that starts to happen, and I plan to trap them in a burlap apron when they come down.There's a publication called "The Homeowner's Guide to Gypsy Moth Management" that tells you things you can do safely. The PDF is available online or you can have us mail you a copy if you call the extension office.Please send your questions by letter, email, or phone to Carbon County Master Gardeners, Penn State Extension, 529 Lentz Trail, Jim Thorpe PA 18229. The phone number is 570-325-2788, or email

Carbonmg@psu.edu.