Lawn care tips from whereBEAUTIFULthingsBEGIN.com, nursery, plants, flowers, shrubs, annuals, grass, sod, trees, soil, dirt, planting, growing, crabgrass

LAWN ISSUES

Grub Control

Grubs, unfortunately, are commonplace throughout the country. It’s not surprising, considering the success of this insect group. They flourish in nearly every climate on earth where they can find food. Lawns provide an excellent source.

Due to the larval stage of May; Oriental, Asiatic Garden and Japanese Beetles, widespread damage can occur each year. Large, brown patches in the lawn that can be pulled up easily are usually evidence of a grub problem. To be sure, lift up a patch of the grass. If grubs are the culprits, they’ll be visible. They’re C-shaped, grayish-white with a brown head and may be up to one inch in length.

Grubs feed on grass roots, cutting off the leaves’ supply of water and nutrients

and causing the grass to discolor and turn brown. Life cycles vary among the different grub species, but generally, grubs migrate to the turf root zone in April to feed. In late spring through early summer, the grubs pupate and emerge from the soil as adult beetles. In summer, the adult beetles feed on trees and shrubs, and by mid-summer the females begin laying eggs in the lawn. As these eggs hatch, the larvae (grubs) begin feeding on the turf roots. The grubs migrate deep into the soil when cold weather approaches, but in the spring the cycle starts all over.

Our partner stores carry a variety of products that are very effective in controlling

grubs. Insect Control and Grub Control products should be applied from early April to May and again from mid-July to early September. For best results, remember to water in well.

After treatment, the damaged patches of turf may return to normal, depending

on the severity of the grub problem. If, however, the turf was totally brown, it

most likely will need to be replaced.

Crabgrass Control

Crabgrass is a grassy weed that forms broad, flat clumps in thin areas of the

lawn. It germinates from seed in spring & grows rapidly throughout the summer,

rooting easily at stem joints. It produces seeds in summer through fall, even

in a mowed lawn, and is killed by frost. All of these seeds then lie dormant,

waiting for next spring to germinate.

An excellent way of dealing with crabgrass is with a high quality Crabgrass Preventer with Lawn Food. Even better if applied as part of a 4-Season Lawn Care Program. It prevents crabgrass from growing in the first place, and is generally applied in early spring, right about the time forsythia are in full bloom. (Forsythia is a yellow-flowering shrub, one of the first shrubs to bloom in spring.)

So if crabgrass isn’t a problem and you’d like to keep it from becoming one, or if it has been a problem in the past, this is the way to go.

Bonide MSMA Crabgrass Killer is a selective, post-emergent control that

is applied directly to the crabgrass. That means it works on actively growing

crabgrass only, not lawn grasses. Bonide MSMA Crabgrass Killer kills

crabgrass, lawn weeds, dandelions, nutgrass and clover. For best results,

apply Bonide MSMA Crabgrass Killer when the blades of the weed are

one to two inches tall. Apply it when the blades are dry, but the soil is moist.

Older weeds can be controlled with repeat applications.

The dead crabgrass can be removed easily, but bare spots may remain if the plant was large enough. These areas will have to be re-sodded or seeded. Refer to the product label for recommended length of time to wait before re-seeding or sodding. Bonide MSMA Crabgrass Killer can be used on newly-seeded lawns,

but only after two mowings. At this point the lawn is considered to be mature.

Lawn Weed Killer

Weed...a plant that’s simply growing out of place; not valued where it is growing. Clover, dandelion, plantain, chickweed and ground ivy are common broadleaf weeds that invade our lawns. When weeds pop up in lawns, they not only ruin the look, but they compete with the grass plants for food & water.

The objective in lawn weed control is to kill the weeds without harming the lawn.

And our nursery partners have some great products that do just that, like Weed-B-Gon for example, a liquid concentrate that you mix with water. Its also available in a ready-to-use or ready-to-spray form, no mixing or measuring involved. One application is sufficient for most broadleaf weeds, including those re-appearing dandelions. Formulated for use while weeds are actively growing.

You simply spray the weeds according to package directions; they will shrivel up and die, but the lawn grows as healthy as ever.

Another method of dealing with weeds is with a granular Weed and Feed product. Applied with a spreader, this product not only destroy weeds, but fertilizes the lawn at the same time. Some Weed & Feed products contain TRIMEC, an effective weed control combination available to home-owners. One of the three weed controls in TRIMEC is 2,4-D. After applying a product with 2,4-D, you may notice a big growth surge in the weeds. But don’t worry, that means the product is working. It actually over-feeds the weeds to the point they literally grow themselves to death.

Weed controls are effective when they are applied correctly. You want to cover as

much weed leaf surface as possible, so avoid mowing the lawn prior to application. Make sure your lawn has been watered recently and isn’t suffering from drought or water stress. The product must stick to the grass to be effective, so apply liquid products to dry grass blades and granular products to wet grass. The lawn should not be watered, nor should rain be in the forecast for 48 hours after application.

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