Beautiful Crepe Myrtle
Horticulture Hotline 07/10/24
By Bill Lamson-Scribner
The summer is going by in record speed (and record heat)! The football, volleyball, fall soccer, and deer seasons are right around the corner. Soon we will be enjoying cooler weather! Soon your grass will not need mowing every 3 days! For now, we are fighting chinch bugs, mosquitoes, fire ants, lace bugs, mice, rats, fleas, roaches, flies (all kinds), biting / stinging insects, gray leaf spot, and many other Lowcountry critters. Love the Possum and let them cross the road!
The one pest that has got my attention the most this past week is the mosquito. I had one in my refrigerator of all places! Never seen that before. All the dry and windy (mosquitoes are very weak flyers) weather seem to keep them in check. It is always interesting how some people get bit more than others. Luckly, I must taste bad compare to some people that I am around.
Lace bugs on lantana is very common right now also. The dry weather has relocated the sucking bugs out of the dry woods and into our irrigated landscapes. If your lantana has stopped blooming and has mottled, dry, crispy leaves, there is a good chance that you have lace bugs. If you look on the underside of the leaves, you will see the sucking bug. Lace bugs are well camouflaged, so look closely or maybe use a hand lens. If you spray, watch for pollinators. I like the drench products (Dominion, Tree and Shrub drench) that last a whole season.
There are still some other things to take care of this summer. Try to find a source of gas for your lawn mower that does not contain ethanol. Use ethanol free gas in your small engines, boat motors, and generators (have you tested your generator recently?). Your mower will be happier next spring if you use ethanol free gas.
The mower blade needs to be inspected this time of year. Always remove the spark plug wire from the plug and tape it to the side of the mower to avoid accidently starting the mower when you turn the blade to inspect it (or remove the plug and inspect it). The mower blade works like an old-time airplane propeller, if you spin the blade, it will start the engine.
In the old days, we use to sharpen our mower blades ourselves. Now days, there is a lot of aerodynamics and engineering that goes into these blades, so you are better off buying a new blade. Be sure to buy a replacement that is suited for your mower. These blades move at high speeds, so be sure they are balanced correctly like the tires on your car.
You want a nice sharp blade that has not run over pine cones, small sticks, gum balls, the hose, or any other foreign object. A nice sharp blade will give your lawn a better cut (look) and the leaf blade will have less entry points for disease.
While you are checking out your mower, how clean is the air filter? If your air filter is not clean, a lawn mower can produce some nasty air pollution. Mowers do not have all the emission controls that our cars have, so a clean air filter is important. I guess a dirty air filter would be like your mower having an asthma attack – the engine needs good air flow.
The other main thing to check would be the engine oil. When was the last time it was changed? Have you mowed enough hours that it is time to change?
If this sounds like a Saturday morning of fun, have at it. If not, take it to your local small engine repair shop!
Always read and follow product label.
