Heartland turf

With the warm winter we experienced this year, biological experts are expecting a significant increase in insect populations in 2012. The winter’s lack of freezing temperatures failed to kill back insect populations that normally experience large die-offs.   Many of the pests have already come out much sooner than normal.  By the end of March we were already getting eaten up by mosquitos!

This may be cause for concern as insects can damage landscape plants, lawns, and homes.  They can also be just plain annoying when they attack our family and pets.  Luckily, in addition to our lawn care programs, we also have several types of insect pest control treatments available:

 

Perimeter Pest Control – This treatment is applied around the outside of your home and creates a barrier against spiders, roaches, ants, and other insects. One treatment lasts up to 4 months.

Chigger, Flea, and Tick Control – These pests are annoying for your family and pets. One treatment to your lawn will eliminate these pests for up to 4 months.

Grub Control – A preventative treatment that keeps these turf damaging insects from becoming a problem.  This one time per season treatment is applied in June.

Bagworm Control – Bagworms infect junipers and other evergreen shrubs and trees.  They strip the plant of its leaves, and will continue to infest a plant from year to year, eventually killing it.

At this time, we do not treat for termites or insects inside the home. However, our Perimeter Pest Control treatments can help prevent these pests from becoming a problem to begin with.

 

 

What you can do.

Although insects like grubs, chiggers, fleas, and ticks are not easily controlled with chemical-free methods, there are some steps you can take to keep the bugs at bay.

1. Keeping tight-fitting windows and doors; caulking cracks in outside walls, sills and foundations.

2. Inspecting boxes and other containers, emptying them and immediately removing them from the building.

3. Repairing plumbing leaks and venting cabinets located under sinks or near dishwashers in an effort to avoid retention of moisture in these areas.

4. Keeping the premises clean by removing all food crumbs and placing garbage and trash into containers with tight-fitting lids. Clean refrigerator drain pans regularly, as well as spaces beneath refrigerators, ranges, and other appliances.

5. Using a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter vacuum, try to remove as many roaches as possible. This physical removal of roaches reduces the population remaining for chemical control.

6. Removing bagworms from plants by hand and destroying or disposing of the worms in a sealed plastic bag.

7. Storing firewood away from the house.

8. Using products available at home improvement stores.  FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

This odd winter and spring we’re having is already taking its toll on our lawns.  Recently, the effects of dry weather are beginning to show up in lawns that just a week or two ago were green and lush.  Grass is a water loving plant, and it needs plenty of it.  Without rain or irrigation, it’s not long before the grass begins to go dormant and turn brown.  If it goes long enough without water, it will begin to die off.  To keep the lawn healthy and looking great, please follow a proper watering schedule.  Click here to read last year’s blog about proper watering.

As always, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like advice specific to your lawn.

 

This winter we enjoyed mild temperatures and lots of above average days.  What does that mean for our lawns?  So far, we’re already seeing trees that are starting to bud, daffodils are blooming, some lawns are slowly coming to life, and allergy season has made an unwelcome early arrival. All this and its still February! Although the warmer weather won’t have a negative effect on Kansas City lawns, it means spring growth has come early and the timing of maintenance services will need to be adjusted.

This year we are applying our early spring pre-emergent crabgrass control and fertilizer treatment about three weeks earlier than normal.  This will ensure the best weed protection and promote a sooner green-up.  We will also likely have our mowing crews making their rounds about a week or two sooner than average, checking on lawns that may already need cutting.  If any other of our services need timing adjustments, we’ll make them as necessary.

Every year is different when it comes to weather, and the last two years have been no exception.  We’ll keep you updated and informed with any important information concerning your lawn as the season progresses.  But for now, spring appears to have come early in 2012. Enjoy the weather! We’ll take care of the rest.

 

 

 

 

Nutsedge, Nutgrass, Watergrass…

Whatever you choose to call it, it’s increasingly becoming a problem in Kansas City lawns.  Yellow nutsedge is a common weed found in many home lawns. The color, growth habit, and rapid growth rate make yellow nutsedge a prominent distraction in the aesthetics of high quality lawns.

Plant Description

Yellow nutsedge is distinctive and relatively easy to identify.  The stems are erect, triangular shaped, and yellow-green in color.  The leaves are also yellow-green, wide bladed with a thick mid-vein.  Each plant can also produce tubers which can give rise to additional plants.  Yellow nutsedge is a warm season perennial plant.  The above ground foliage does not survive winters in Kansas.  However, as soils warm during the late spring and early summer, germination of tubers and seed produced by the plants from previous years are capable of producing new plants.  Heavy infestations of this weed become readily apparent in July and August.

Management

Unlike most lawn weeds, yellow nutsedge is not controlled with applications of traditional annual grass weed or broadleaf weed control products.  This weed is a member of the sedge family and requires the use of very specific herbicides to achieve satisfactory control.  Even with the use of these herbicides, a few weeks time may be required to eliminate the plants that are present and repeat applications to control germinating tubers may be necessary at a later time.  Unfortunately, total eradication is very difficult.  Herbicides can control the weed temporarily, but will rarely kill off the tubers or seeds that blow into the lawn. Because of the seed and tubers that remain in the soil, repeat infestations in subsequent years should be anticipated. However, if control is provided over several consecutive seasons, significant weed reduction can be achieved.

What you can do to help

Nutsedge thrives during periods of frequent watering from rainfall and irrigation.  We recommend watering no more than three times a week during the summer.  So rather than watering every day for 10 or 15 minutes, water every third day for 30 to 40 minutes.  When the surface soil has time to dry out between watering, it will slow the growth of the weeds rhizomes and tubers. For additional watering information and guidelines, view our watering blog post by clicking here.

Treatment options from Heartland Turf and Landscape, LLC

In the past we have treated nutsedge on an as-needed basis. This season we began offering optional scheduled nutsedge treatments in addition to our regular program.  Two seasonal treatments are necessary for significant control.  It is important to know that this will not eradicate the weed from your lawn, but it will dramatically reduce it’s appearance.

To get a quote, or to sign up for scheduled treatments, click here or call us at 913-238-9278.

 

 

 

Special thanks to William E. Pound and John R. Street

Summer weather has arrived!  Soon our lawns will need to begin regular watering schedules.  But how often do you need to water your lawn? With the proper watering regimen you can keep your lawn healthy while reducing the risk of diseases and limit summer weed growth.

Most lawns in our area have a mixture of fescue and bluegrass, both cool season grasses.  As the weather gets hot and dry, they will begin to go dormant and their root system will start to recede.  In order to maintain proper root health the soil should be moistened to a depth of 6 to 8 inches, then allowed to dry out before the next irrigation cycle.  We recommend watering 2-3 times a week, for 30-45 minutes per zone as a starting point. If necessary, you can adjust the watering times from there. This will promote deep root development, and will compliment a proper fertilization program.  Our summer fertilizer is a premium product with root stimulators and micronutrients added to help maintain a healthy lawn during this harsh part of the season.

Also, water in the early morning.  During the morning the wind is calm and the temperatures are cooler so the water will be absorbed into the ground before it has the chance to evaporate.  Then as the temperature and wind picks up, the turf will dry out quickly and minimize conditions ideal for disease growth.

Frequent watering cycles, such as every day or every other day, for example, can contribute to several lawn problems. It will encourage shallow root development, increase the risk of lawn diseases, and promote the spread of Yellow Nutsedge.   Lawn diseases are a variety of fungi that thrive in lawns that are consistently damp.  If the top few inches of soil is allowed to dry out between irrigation cycles, the risk of these diseases will be reduced.  Also, by letting the surface dry out, it will restrict the spread of nutsedge(an increasingly problematic weed in Kansas City lawns).  Nutsedge spreads in two ways; by seed and by rhizomes just under the soil surface.  With regular mowing, the seeds are never given a chance to develop.  However, mowing will not limit the spread below the surface. By allowing the surface soil to dry out, rhizome spread will be greatly restricted.

Although disease and nutsedge can be treated with chemicals, it can be expensive and difficult to achieve great results.  Proper watering and lawn maintenance will provide the best benefit to your lawns health.

This is the first post.