What's Bugging Your Lawn?

Last Friday marked the official first day of summer in Montgomery County, whether you’re by the pool in Cheltenham or Plymouth Meeting, the summer heat is upon us. With this type of weather we know the lawn is in for a challenging few months.  The season long hurdle is the lack of rainfall which can quickly turn a lush lawn into a barren desert.  During the drought season, it’s easy for other lawn issues to get set aside until the lawn returns to its green state. Most people think once the lawn enters its dormant stage during a dry spell, nothing can go wrong.  Quite the contrary! Insect damage is very common during the drought season. From chinchbugs to grubs, these lawn insects can be feeding on the lawn while you’re enjoying the new Superman movie at the Movie Tavern in Collegeville. 

The first pest your lawn will face this summer is the chinchbug. The chinchbug is an extremely tiny insect that is usually difficult to spot with the naked eye. As someone who inspects lawns for their activity, I will rarely see them in action, since an adult is about 1/6 of an inch long. Chinchbug damage will be the first type of insect damage that you will see this summer.  By early July you will notice areas starting to turn brown at a different rate than other drought stressed lawns.  Chinchbugs usually target lawns with a dense thatch layer that is exposed to constant sunlight from dawn to dusk.  Unlike turf that enters its dormancy period during a drought, this turf will not bounce back after a few strong mid-August storms.  Keep an eye out for irregular patterns in parts of the lawn that are in the sun all day such as in the picture bellow and call your local lawn care technician for advice on how to handle the damage. 

Helpful tips to avoid chinchbug damage

-Use endophytically enhanced grass seed when seeding in the fall. Chinchbugs and other insects avoid this type of grass.

-Maintain a healthy level of thatch throughout the season.  Aerate at least once per year to reduce any excess thatch.  The insects love lawns with a thick layer of thatch!

-Be careful when applying an insecticide.  Most products that you will find in stores are not the same quality as the products that a licensed technician can apply for you.

 Blog Post Contributed by Harry Bambi, Sales Supervisor

It's Tick Season in Montgomery County!

Bites from fleas and ticks are an annoyance for you and your pets.  Currently, more than 25 species of ticks have been identified in Pennsylvania.  Of these, four species account for nearly 90 percent of all submissions to Penn State for identification. The four ticks are: 1) the American dog tick, 2) the blacklegged tick, 3) the lone star tick, and 4) the ground hog tick.  Ticks can be found in most wooded in the area. They are especially common in areas where there are deer trails or human tracks. Specifically, Montgomery and Chester counties have particularly high tick populations. Ticks are especially abundant near water, near meadows, and areas brush or other plants provide woody surfaces and cover.

The Blacklegged Tick can be a common carrier of Lyme Disease

To more effectively control ticks at your property, regularly treat your pets, treat the areas your yard where ticks are most likely to populate.  These include tall grassy areas, along wood-lines, and moist, shady areas.

An effective tick control program, with properly timed visits based upon when ticks are most active, not only follow IPM (Integrated Pest Management) guidelines, but will be a more efficient application.
 

Ask The Tech! Summer Edition

This Friday June 21^st marks the official start of summer.  While many have already made their first voyage to the beach, your lawn and landscape could very easily take a vacation from its beautiful spring state.  We’ve noticed a variety of lawn conditions throughout Montgomery County over the past few years, and here are some of the most common questions people have about their lawn in the summer. 

“My lawn isn’t as green and lush as it was in the spring? What’s happening!!??”

 The summer can be a challenging time for the lawn, especially in July.  From Royersford to Abington, there is usually some sort of a drought, which obviously is a leading cause of a dry lawn.  However, there are a variety of other reasons for a brown lawn.  Insects such as chinchbugs often feed on the lawn in June and July.  Also, Red Thread, a common lawn disease in the late spring usually leaves the lawn with several patchy spots once the pathogen has run its course. Ultimately, there are several common reasons for what people typically call a brown spot.  For more information, please visit our website.

Chinchbug damage typically occurs in the open sun

“Should I water my lawn?”
Absolutely! As I mentioned, the summer months can be very trying on lawns in our area.  Water is a vital ingredient to having a beautiful lawn, yet sadly it’s often overlooked in Southeastern Pennsylvania.  The water bill may jump a little bit, but if you can, I highly recommend watering the lawn at least 4 days per week for 30-40 minutes per zone.  Deep watering encourages proper root development.

“How frequently should I mow the lawn during the summer?”

That can vary depending on the amount of rain we receive.  For the past few summers, July has been a relatively slow time for cutters.  Cutting the lawn in the middle of a drought can put a great deal of undue stress on the turf.  Obviously, the lawn should appear to be maintained, but if it’s a desert out there, hold off at least until some rainfall hits our area.

“You guys are the lawn experts, so you must be outdoors during your down time.  Any suggestions for outdoor games?"

One of my favorite games to play on a gorgeous summer evening is Viking Chess, also known as Kubb. It’s a combination of bowling and horseshoes and is fun for all ages.  There is a good amount of strategy which is a nice distraction from some of the repetitive, tried games of summer.     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubb.

When he isn't playing Kubb, Harry Bambi is the Sales Supervisor for Weed Man, Montgomery County.

Eradicating Nimblewill In Montgomery County...One Lawn at a Time

Recently on some of our older properties in Plymouth Meeting,  Pottstown, and Flourtown, nimblewill has become more and more common.  Nimblewill is a commonly encountered crabgrass-like weed that can be found in your lawn. It is very clumpy and can become a eyesore in a thick, healthy lawn.  

Nimblewill is its active state

In early March and April, nimblewill is very insightly

The key to preventing nimblewill from becoming a problem in your lawn is good preventive lawn maintenance. Here are some tips for preventing nimblewill and other similar grass-like weeds from taking root:

•          Have a professional soil test for a low pH; soil with a low pH is more susceptible to nimblewill infestation.

•          Fill in any low spots in your lawn with top soil to prevent constantly moist soil, which encourages nimblewill growth.

•    Trim overgrown tree branches and shrubs to allow sun light to reach damp areas.

•       Consider overseeding your lawn with grass seed to develop a thick, healthy lawn that chokes out weeds.  
  If nimblewill is causing you problems, Weed Man offers a specific program designed to eradicate nimblewill and other tough weeds, like nutsedge and annual bluegrass.