Crabgrass is the No. 1 weed problem in Pennsylvania lawns and can turn your picture-perfect turf into a real mess by late summer. But crabgrass can be controlled if you choose the right herbicide and apply it at the correct time of year, according to a turfgrass specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

They're alluring, they're glossy and they're filling up your mailbox. The flower and vegetable gardening catalogs have arrived, and a specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has tips to avoid being seduced by a pretty picture while harvesting useful information. The expensively photographed catalogs are meant to mesmerize gardeners who are planning their spring plots while winter's snow still covers the ground. But Ginger Pryor, state coordinator for Penn State's Master Gardeners program, says before immersing yourself in the catalog, take a minute to decide whether you want lots of pretty flowers, a bountiful harvest for canning or a season-long supply of fresh vegetables.