Monday, March 8, 2010

Vole Damage even with the lack of Snow

I thought that this year would be one where the voles would not do too much damage to the lawns. We have had a minimal amount of snowfall this winter. Voles (or really field mice) often like to build runways and nests under piles of snow. The snow protects them from predators. I haven't talked to any voles (at least recently), but I imagine that for a vole, the snow pile or snow drift acts as a sort of a dome. It protects them, yet allows light in. Normally, the voles will be found in the fields or under some shrubs where they have protection.

When there are piles of snow, it allows them to spread out into areas that they normally cannot access safely.

But even though we did not have a lot of snow, we did get one heavy snowfall. It was enough to pile up along our privacy fence. Lo and behold when the snow melted, the evidence was there. The little creatures had spent enough time to make some trails and tunnels in the lawn.

What can be done with vole trails? The damage done by voles is usually just on the surface. They take grass blades to fashion nests. The trails are stripped of the grass and create ugly patches in the lawn.
Generally, I recommend a small bag or two of topsoil and a few handfuls of grass seed. Most often the damage will go away and not be noticeable once the grass starts to grow. In some cases, a small portion will not recover without the help of some soil and grass seed. Just to be safe, adding some soil and grass seed will speed up the process.




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Lawn Care for the well informed.




If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:

or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
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FERTILIZER FACTS


FERTILIZER FACTSPrintE-mail
FERTILIZER FACTS
No matter what the source of fertilizer – be it natural, ‘organic’, synthetic, mineral, or processed – the nutrients and their resulting benefit to the plants are all the same.
Following are the three key ingredients in fertilizer formulations.  These major elements are needed by all plants for healthy growth.
Nitrogen:  produces green top growth, aids the ability to recover from damage and stress (heat, cold, drought).
Phosphorous:  promotes good root growth and is a vital ingredient in the plant’s metabolic process.  It is also necessary for seed development.
Potassium:  essential for the growth and development of the plant cells.  Also promotes increased tolerance to foot traffic.
The next three nutrients are known as minor elements and are needed in minute quantities.  But their presence is essential for vital plant functions.
Calcium is a structural element that is also necessary for cell division and plant growth.  Lawns that are calcium deficient are susceptible to disease.
Magnesium is an essential element in the photosynthetic process that allows green leaves to turn carbon dioxide and sunlight into sugar and oxygen.
Sulfur is needed to help plant utilize nitrogen.  It also functions to increase the cold tolerance of lawns.  A lack of sulfur results in stunted growth and may increase the occurrence of fungal disease.
Regular proper feedings can ensure that your lawn has all the nutrients it needs. Soil Testing may also be a means of determining soil nutrient levels and possible deficiencies.
Lawn Care for the well informed.



If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:

or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
Follow us on Twitter  http://twitter.com/turfkingofgreen
Join our Facebook page  
Copyright 2010 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.