This morning found some yellow patches on the lawn. Further investigation confirmed that this is slime mould.
Thanks to all who nominated us in the Hamilton Spectator 2009 Readers' Choice Awards in the Lawn Service Category. From September 16 through 25 you can vote for us as the Finalists are chosen. At www.thespec.com Thanks for voting for us. Still finding lots of Crane Flies. Some call them Daddy long legs. They look like Giant Mosquitoes. If you are finding a lot of these adults . . . . we recommend treating this fall. Crane Flies females can lay up to 300 eggs. These eggs will hatch in a couple of weeks and start feeding on lawns. They nibble on roots, stems and crowns. Here is an article from the UK where it is a huge pest. Not all of it applies, but it does give more information. September is the time to thicken the lawn with Overseeding . Fall is nature's seeding season for grasses. Spring is also a good time, but is always second best. There are several ways to seed the lawn. One way is to truck in a lot of soil to topdress the areas you want to seed. After adding the soil, sprinkle the grass seed, then rake lightly. Keep well watered and moist for 2 weeks. Another method that we generally favour is to do a core aeration first. Then apply high quality grass seed. When grass seed falls in the holes, it has a better chance of growing than seed that just sits on the surface. In the holes, it is less likely to dry out. It is better protected from the birds, too. And aerating and overseeding is a lot less expensive than moving a lot of soil. Better to use our Top OM Dry Topdress. This method uses materials that have been dried out. By drying out the material, there is a lot less moisture. It is less water to transport. And it can be applied with a spreader. This keeps the cost down. The lawn gets all the goodness of the OM (organic material) without the weight of the water. We are also seeing some Rust Fungus Disease at this time of year. I drove down one street. This lawn (not a customer's) was so heavily infested, the lawn had a big patch of orange in one corner. Maybe it was just the way the sun was facing, but it was very noticeable. Normally, it is not that noticeable until you have walked across an infected lawn and you notice that your white running shoes are all orange. The spores from the fungus will easily come off onto your shoes. Please call or email if we can be of any help. See our web site www.hamilton.turfking.ca
Top dressing is a great way to improve the soil conditions in a lawn. Turf King has a new method of applying a top dressing that is less costly than the traditional way. When you get a load of soil to topdress the lawn, you are paying for a lot of moisture in that soil. It makes the load you get bulkier. Then you need to move the soil plus the moisture to the back yard.
Thankfully, Rust disease is rarely fatal. The weather conditions have a big part to play in causing this problem. Normally, we recommend raising the mowing height and if needed apply some fertilizer to help the lawn grow past the problem.Gerry Okimi
REEVES: Summer lawn problems noted
By Randy Reeves
Sunday, July 19, 2009
It's that time of year again — time for another season of hot summer lawn problems. As if being able to put out enough water wasn't hard enough, now we add being able to afford to have a high water bill!
Through the first part of September, we will probably start seeing more damage from chinch bugs and grub worms.
Chinch bugs thrive in hot, dry weather and feed primarily on St. Augustine grass, but can also damage centipede, Bermuda and zoysia grass. They prefer areas of the lawn that absorb heat, like areas near driveways, sidewalks or a foundation of the house.
Chinch bugs are thought to insert a toxin that kills the grass while they are feeding. They feed on stems and nodes near the base of the plant, leaving brown patches of dead grass that will continue to grow if left untreated.
Chinch bugs are small. Adults are black with white wings that will show a triangular spot on the back. If you suspect chinch bugs, look at the outer edge of the infected areas and part the grass with you hands. You will have to look quickly, though, because they move fast. Yes, you will have to get down on your hands and knees to achieve this feat!
Some folks claim that they can use a coffee can. With both ends cut out, slip the can on the ground and fill it with water. The insects will float to the top. Well, when I do this, everything floats to the top — soil, small sticks, dead grass and everything but the chinch bug!
Your next question is what to treat with if you have chinch bugs.
There are several products on the market that do a good job — Carbayl (Sevin), Acephate (Orthene) and Bifenthrin (Talstar) to name a few. The first two should be readily available at local farm supply stores in the area. As always, be sure to read and follow the label instructions on mixing and applying these products.
White grub damage can also be one of the causes. Damage from grub feeding is easy to diagnose. They feed on the roots, and the grass will easily pull up like a carpet due to the lack of a root system.
For chemical control for grubs, you can use the products listed above. Products that contain "Merit," which is one of the newer target-specific products, will also work well on grub worms.
If you select and use a granular product, you will need to be sure and water the lawn well to move the product into the root zone where the grubs are feeding. This is another reason the read and follow label directions.
Another problem we are seeing in the area — and I have been to a few home lawns to see this — is our old friend the "Take-All Patch." This lawn disease or fungus infects the roots on the stolons of lawn grass. St. Augustine and centipede grass are the main targets here.
The disease will attack the roots and weaken the turf. When we have a dramatic change in the weather, like 102-degree days and lack of rainfall, the grass is stressed and will show signs of damage.
One method of controlling this disease is to lower the soil pH to a level that the disease finds hard to survive.
One way to do this is to make an application of peat moss at a rate of one 3-cubic-foot bale per 1,000 square-foot area now, then make two to three applications of an appropriate fungicide 14 days apart in the fall.
Fungicides that will or should do a good job are Myclobutanil (Immunox), Fenarimol (Rubigan), Azoxystrobin (Heritage) or Propiconazole (Banner Maxx). Some of these fungicides listed are really expensive and you may get a case of sticker shock. Immunox is readily available, works well and is one of the less expensive ones to use.
For further information on Extension programs, call us at 903-935-8413 or visit us on the web at http://harrison-tx.tamu.edu.
IIf you
have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF
GREEN:
Today, we have finally gotten some much needed rain.
Last evening around 6 pm, we were at a picnic. Just as we started to eat, a few rain drops splattered here and there. It can rain all it likes in a couple of hours, I thought. It held off for the benefit of the picnickers.
This morning early, there were a few more drops, just enough to wet the ground everywhere. Then as I got to the office, it has been raining fairly steady all day (at least until mid afternoon).
This slow steady rain will be much more useful than a quick thundershower that pours down buckets in a short time. Much of that type of rain will not soak into the ground- much will end up running off into the storm sewers. An all-day rain will penetrate deeply.
Just in case the summer continues to be hot and dry here are some watering guidelines for your lawn. On the other hand, if giving you these tips help the rain to fall on a regular basis (once a week, preferably at night) then so much the better.
When watering your lawn, it's best to water at least one inch (2.5 cm) per week, preferably all at one time. Deep watering will encourage deep rooting which will help the lawn in dry weather. Frequent shallow watering discourages deep roots.
Watering in the mornings before the sun gets too hot is more efficient than watering during the heat of the day. A lot of water will be lost to evaporation. If you are paying for your water, why waste it.
Too much water can lead to fungus disease problems. Excessive moisture encourages soft succulent leaf blades that are more susceptible to disease infection.
Mow your lawn high. Set the blade so that it cuts the grass at 3 inches (7.5 cm) high . The longer leaf blades will shade the soil and the roots so less water is lost to evaporation. The cooler soil temperatures are also beneficial to the lawn.
Aerate your lawn each year (spring or fall) to improve water penetration. Apply a high-quality grass seed after the aeration to increase the lawn's density.
