1. Mole
Crickets seem to be back with a vengeance! For years there was some chemistry
available to homeowners that kept mole crickets in check. That chemistry is now
not available to homeowners and the mole crickets are back to their old tricks.
Tunneling in the turf, separating the roots of the grass from the soil, then
the grass dries out and thins out your stand of turf. Aloft will provide the
best long term control this time of year. There are many other products labeled
for mole crickets that you could choose from as well. Intice 10% is an effective organic bait.
2. I have already seen the nasty rascal chinch
bug in St. Augustine grass, and in our stores, we are already selling a lot of
flea killing products. If you have St.
Augustine grass, be sure to put out a product labeled for chinch bugs such as Aloft,
Bifen or Lebanon Insect Control. For
fleas be sure to use a growth regulator and treat the animal, the house, and
the yard. Also vacuum, vacuum, and vacuum some more.
3. The
cool, dry nights make powdery mildew on plants and large patch on lawns a
problem. Roses, Crepe Myrtles, Dogwoods,
Verbena and Gerber Daisies are a few plants that I would check for powdery
mildew. Powdery mildew is a white
substance that grows on the tops of the leaves.
As the lawn tries to figure out whether it is still winter (nighttime
temperature still in the 60’s), or summer (daytime temperature in the high
80’s), Large Patch (Brown Patch) is prevalent.
For powdery mildew, Honor Guard, Fertilome Systemic Fungicide, or Neem
PY (organic) will do a good job. For
Large Patch consider Cleary’s 3336, Disarm or Serenade (organic) in active
areas.
4. While
driving through neighborhoods localized dry spots are very evident. These are areas in the yard that turn that
bluish gray color from lack of water.
New neighborhoods with young grass and poor soils seem to be most
susceptible to these dry areas. Exposed
areas with lots of wind and areas at the beaches also are good candidates for
these localized dry spots. Adding
organic matter to the soil (Cotton Burr Composts or SeaHume), wetting agents,
or adjusting sprinkler heads will help with these dry areas. Remember to water in the early a.m. before
the wind picks up, so the grass will dry by nightfall.
5. Moles
seem to be particularly active this spring.
They just had their young in April and now they are tunneling up a
storm. The young moles are hungry! Manage the food source in your yard (grubs,
mole crickets) with Lebanon Insect Control or Aloft and go after the mole with
Mole Patrol.
6. As
with all products, you should read and follow product labels. More is not better when dealing with control
products. Know your square footage and
watch overlapping when applying your products.
You also need to watch the weather forecast to ensure the products have
a proper amount of time on your lawn prior to any rain. If the product needs to be watered into the
ground, a slow watering by a sprinkler is better than a gully washer from the
sky. A very hard rain can wash products
into the storm water drains which are bad for the environment and you have
wasted a lot of money.
Also
sweep or blow fertilizers or control products off of hard surfaces when you
are
finished applying them. In the case of fertilizer this may prevent staining,
and most importantly it will
keep products from washing through storm drains to the marshes.
