Published on Thursday, July 02, 2015
Brown Patch is a turf type disease that is running rampant in lawns throughout Southern Illinois this year. What appears to be circular, or even irregular shaped, browning spots in your lawn is probably really a fungus that has developed in your turf. It is caused from over-saturation of turf areas and high night-time temperatures and humidity. The 5 days of constant rain from tropical storm “Bill” this mid June, gave lawns the ugly look of these browning spots.
Products such as fungicides...
Published on Sunday, April 12, 2015
While some of my readers are a do-it-yourself type person, some like to sit back and leave the chore of lawn care, landscape maintenance or gardening to a professional. This month, I’d like to talk about what to look for when hiring a true green industry professional.
First and foremost, hire a lawn care or landscape provider that is properly insured. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 200,000 people are injured each year because of lawn mowers. Operating a lawn mower ...
Published on Sunday, March 22, 2015
Now’s the time of year to start prepping your outdoor landscape for Spring. Simple tasks like cutting back dead growth on plants, cutting down ornamental grasses, clearing the lawn of leaves and gumballs and applying a layer of mulch will make your property look cleaner and help with curb appeal.
As a green industry professional, I highly recommend regularly performing a Spring cleanup of your property. Using a sharp pair of pruners or hedge trimmers, cut back all unwanted growth on...
Published on Sunday, March 22, 2015
Next month is National Lawn Care Month, and the time of year when homeowners turn to the care and upkeep of their lawns with the goal of seeing their yard and landscape flourish. It’s also the time of year when lawn and landscape professionals must address some common misperceptions about when and how to tend to the lawn for maximum success.
My job as a green industry professional is to help advise and emphasize ways to save time and money on lawn care. As a member of the National...
Published on Sunday, September 21, 2014
Did you have thinned out dead spots in your lawn last month? Did you know it was probably from armyworms? Armyworms are stout-bodied, hairless, striped caterpillars that chew the foliage of grasses. The name army applies very well as they move across the ground like a feeding army in the hundreds of thousands. They seem to appear overnight and can basically chew turf grasses down to the crown.
The life cycle of the armyworm is near over, but now is the time to repair any dead patches in...
Published on Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Aeration is beneficial and should be performed annually. Heavily used lawns, or those growing on heavy clay or subsoils may need more than one aeration each year. Again, turf responds best when tine spacing is closer and penetration is deeper. Core aeration can help make your lawn healthier and reduce its maintenance requirements through the following means:
Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere.
Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
Reduced water runoff and puddling....
Published on Monday, April 28, 2014
Winter burn is the discoloration of evergreen leaves or foliage, most noticeably in boxwood and holly shrubs. It is caused when the leaves or needles of evergreens dry out. It has been very noticeable this spring due to our record-breaking winter weather.
During the cold months, evergreens continue to lose water vapor through their leaves (or needles, which are modified leaves). The leaves must replace the water by pulling it up from the roots. But when the ground is frozen, the plants’...
Published on Thursday, January 16, 2014
A common misconception is that grass seed needs to be planted in the Spring or Fall. While this is probably the most ideal time, Winter seeding your lawn is also a great way to help thicken it up for the next growing season.
In late December, January or early February, go out and remove any fallen leaves and twigs from the areas to be reseeded. Apply grass seed to your lawn or any bare spots at a rate of 4-5lbs per 1000 sq. ft. and go back inside and watch TV! Freezing and thawing occurs...
Published on Thursday, May 23, 2013
As a green industry professional, I often laugh at the TV commercials and cable TV shows that are broadcasted to the public. The misinformation that is construed to the public is mostly false when it comes to showing pictures of lawns that are 100% weed free and perfectly healthy. Having a thick lawn in the first place is the best way to control weeds such as dandelions, clover, and henbit but, proper irrigation, fertilization, and ideal growing conditions are a necessity!
Have you ever...
Published on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
With the not so hard winter months, insects will be out in full force this year! I’ve already seen mosquitoes out in mid March! In this month’s Ask Adam article, I’d like to talk on using insecticides as a preventative, which will keep you much happier and bite free.
Consider spraying your trees and shrubs several times this year, preferably 3 times. If you apply insecticide similar to a liquid Seven, you will not only help prevent insects such as Japanese ...