Lawn Care

Growing Fresh Food Part I, Part II

Photos from Debbie’s Last Fall Veggie Garden

We talked about watering and fertilizing last week. Now the fun stuff – watching your garden grow! Each day as you walk the garden, keep an eye out for seedlings emerging and harmful insects and disease, especially as your veggies grow.

Now I must tell you that there will be lots of insects in your garden, most of which are not harmful and many beneficial. Spiders, bees, ladybugs, lacewings, are your garden helpers eating many of the harmful insects. Toads, lizards, and even wasps will prey upon the nuisance critters. So be careful and use caution when using insecticides or fungicides.

In the multitude of choices, I always recommend an organic or non-chemical approach to start. Most common issues are caterpillars, aphids, spider mites, & stink bugs. These are easily controlled with organic products like Thuricide for caterpillars, Neem Oil for aphids, and Spinosad for stink bugs. Serenade is a natural fungicide that controls things like powdery mildew on squash, blights on tomatoes, and black spot on berry plants. A light application of Nature’s Blend around your plants will suppress fungus spores that can splash onto the leaves. Snails and pill bugs (rollie pollies) can be controlled with Snail & Slug Bait or a pan of beer. Of course, You can always be the control….squish!

Nature happens in your garden; lots of good and some not so good but don’t angst too much. It’s ok to have a few bad bugs and few marred leaves. Pick them off, throw them out and treat if necessary. When in doubt, bring us a sample of what’s happening and we’ll help you with the best solution for your situation!

Happy Growing!

-Debbie

The 2 days of freezing weather did not help our lawns at all, but I think there may be more happening than just the cold weather. I am hearing customers finding grub worms in the lawns, flowerbeds and potted plants. I have also seen chinch bugs in lawn samples brought in for diagnosis. I would first check the lawn for insects before treating for fungus or fertilizing. If you are uncertain you can dig up a shovel width sample of soil, grass and all wrapped in newspaper or placed in a box for us to look at.

Once we determine insects, fungus or neither, it is time to think about fertilizing. Once the grass is actively growing to the point you are mowing once a week, then it is time to apply fertilizer. I always say, “you can put a bowl of food by a sleeping dog and he won’t eat till he wakes up.” The same is true for the lawn. Since we want our lawns to recover quickly and look good again, timing is key. We need to make sure it has woke up from winter dormancy.

There are also lots of weeds in the lawn. Pre-emergents such as Weed and Grass Stopper with Dimension prevent weed seeds from sprouting and should be applied in January to stop Spring weeds, but can be applied year around for weed prevention. Existing weeds can be killed with Weed b Gon hose-end spray. It is most effective applied with 3-5 days of warm weather and sunshine in the forecast and no watering or rain for at least 3 days. Also make sure you are watering slow and deep enough since we have had several months of record heat. With a little time , patience and TLC the lawns should recover and look great once again.

-DeAnna

weed-b-gon — **Weed B Gon** kills many different types of broadleaf weeds without harming your grass.

Days are staying warm and our lawns are growing. Now’s the time, sometime in the next few weeks, to get your lawn, trees and shrubs fertilized. Great for the spring application is our Gill 13-1-3 Lawn & Garden Fertilizer for all your trees, shrubs, vines and groundcovers. Also feeds the vegetable garden. One bag covers 6,000 square feet.

Winter weeds many times will just go away once your lawn starts growing. Some lawns, though just have too many weeds and need some pro-active weed killing. Ortho Weed B Gon For St. Augustine is safe to use on Floratam St. Augustine and comes in an easy to spray hose-end bottle and kills many, many different types of broadleaf weeds without harming your grass.

Image is great for grassy weeds like grassburs and also works on nutsedge and some broadleaf weeds without hurting your St. Augustine, also available in a easy to use hose end sprayer.

Post emergent weed killers are best used when it will be warm & sunny for a few days.

turf — Kill weeds before they sprout with **Hi-Yield** pre-emergent.

Another great weed management product is pre-emergent Hi Yield Grass Stopper With Dimension. It can be used any time of year to keep weed seeds from sprouting – in the first place!!

We know it’s a lot to learn. Please know we’re happy to help you make the best product choice for your landscape. And remember, it’s always important to read the label before using any lawn product. Come see us!

– DeAnna

Dead patches in your grass? James shares tips on plugging damaged lawn areas with Floratam Sod.

When you begin seeing June bugs flying around the porch light, you wait 5-6 weeks and then treat with Bayer Season Long Grub Control Granules. If you have not fertilized the lawn yet, you can spread Gill Lawn and Garden Fertilizer, then the Bayer Grub Granules and water them both in at the same time. Season long for this product means maximum 3 months, so a follow-up application may be necessary by mid July. Also note, these granules do not bother earthworms!

-DeAnna

Proper watering is key to keeping your plants looking good in the summer.

The best time to water is early in the morning so they are well hydrated going through the heat of the day.

Keeping your plants fed is also very important this time of year.

Nutrients are leached out faster in the hot months since we water more. When we have a stressed plant that has either stopped blooming or has lost its color in the leaves we add Super Thrive to our fertilizer. It is a vitamin additive that helps to give your plant vigor to make it healthy again.

Another way to increase the health of your plants is to add Mycorrhizal Fungi.

What are Mycorrhizae? “ Mycor”and “Rhiza” literally means “fungus” and “root” and defines the mutually beneficial relationship between the plant and root fungus, sold as “Bio-tone, Plant-tone & Soil Moist Transplant Formula“. These specialized fungi colonize plant roots and extend far into the soil.

Mycorrhizal Fungal filaments in the soil are extensions of root systems and are more effective in nutrient and water absorption than the roots themselves. In other words, they grow off the roots making a massive root system which allows the plants to take up water and nutrients much faster and more efficiently. The bigger the root system, the less water the plant requires. Watering less often in the summer sounds like a good thing to me.

-DeAnna

With all the recent rains, mosquitoes are here.

First of all, remove any sources of standing water (that’s where they breed). For your favorite birdbath, use Mosquito Bits in the shaker, for larger ponds or ditches, Mosquito Dunks, both totally safe for birds and frogs.

We have several ways to kill, control and repel them. Mosquito Beater hose-end (Permethrin) is an easy spray to kill mosquitoes, ants, fleas & tics throughout the yard. It is safe to spray on all plants where mosquitoes hide.

We also carry Mosquito Beater Granules which is a combination of natural essential oils to repel. It contains citronella oil, garlic, geranium oil, cedar oil and lemon grass oil. Covers 4000 sq. ft and lasts up to 3 weeks.

Patio Egg Diffuser is an easy safe and effective way to help deter mosquitoes and other biting insects from your patio, porch and other outdoor living areas. It protects up to 200 sq. ft. and comes with enough refill oil to last up to 4 months.

With all the recent rains, mosquitoes are here. First of all, remove any sources of standing water (that’s where they breed).

For your favorite birdbath, use Mosquito Bits in the shaker, for larger ponds or ditches, Mosquito Dunks, both totally safe for birds and frogs.

Mosquito Beater hose-end (Permethrin) is an easy spray to kill mosquitoes, ants, fleas & ticks throughout the yard. It is safe to spray on all plants where mosquitoes hide.

We also carry natural products to repel mosquitoes. Mosquito Beater Granules are a combination of natural essential oils to repel. They contain citronella oil, garlic, geranium oil, cedar oil, and lemon grass oil. Covers 4000 sq. ft and lasts up to 3 weeks.

-Deanna

Lawn Care

Proper watering is key to keeping your plants looking good in the summer.

Keeping your plants fed is also very important this time of year.

Another way to increase the health of your plants is to add Mycorrhizal Fungi.

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