March Outlook

2011-03-19T12:23:00.000-07:00

CRANE FLY

There has already been some damage to lawns in February of this year. As the Crane Fly larvae are ‘cold blooded’, they will stay deeper in the soil when it is cold and come to the surface to feed when it is warmer. This is important as you will not get very good control of the larvae, applying on cold days. Also, it is better to put an insecticide on the lawn in the sunny part of the afternoon to improve control. Timing is 95% of a good responsible use of pesticides. Pets should be kept away from the lawn area until the product has completely penetrated the soil. A dog can walk on the lawn BUT when he walks on something hard, like concrete, he will want to lick his paws and this will NOT BE GOOD FOR HIM.

SEEDING AND OVERSEEDING

Over seeding in general helps tighten up the lawn and helps control weeds by being too tight for weeds to get a hold. This year is definitely earlier than most and my readings on soil temperature are in the low 50’s which means we are very close to the minimum soil temperatures. It would be best to not attempt seeding though on soils that remain soggy after a rain. Grass seeds won’t do too well in bog like conditions. Wait until it dry’s down some.

We are offering a locally developed patented seed for sun or sun/shade lawns called Natural Knit in 50# and 25# bags. It is a rye grass but it weaves itself (semi-stoloniferous) becoming dense. A few advantages: 1) It can be kept to ½” if so desired (looks like a putting green), 2) It is a darker green than most rye’s, 3) It is very dense, 4) It repairs itself, 5) You will use only 5 pounds (maximum) per 1,000 ft. sq. vs. 10# with any other rye, and 6) It does not develop thatch!!!!!

PREEMERGENT APPLICATION ON BEDS

Big Money saver IF done right and timing is the biggest factor. Right now is a very good time to do this. Hand weeding is very expensive and very time consuming.

LIME

The recommended rate is from 5# to 25# per 1,000 ft. sq., twice a year. Apply once in the spring and once in the fall. Both applications should be done when it is raining and the spring application accompanied with aeration would be fantastic.

MOSS CONTROL

The old stand by = ferrous sulfate. Best to get this out of the way before re-seeding.

FERTILIZATION

March and April are the best times to get this initiated as this is typically when the roots start

growing and can absorb nutrients.

NEED ASSISTANCE? JUST CALL OR EMAIL US...

S & H Lawn Products (503) 638-1011

October Outlook

2011-02-17T11:05:00.000-08:00

Seeding

It is getting to be a little too late for seeding. October is considered to be the last month to be able to seed, but with the types of winters we have been having, it will most likely be a fruitless endeavor at this point. Even if the seed came up quickly, there would be little time for it to establish itself firmly enough to make it through winter. Planting now, will give the grass 2 months to prepare for winter. Planting in spring, will give the grass 7 months to prepare for winter. Needless to say, 7 months would be much better than 2 months. If the lawn is an ‘eye sore’ then throw a little grass seed out to cover it up for the winter but don’t waste a lot of money doing it. Save the money for Spring and do it right then!!!!!

Cranefly

Attached below is a brief fact sheet on the Cranefly life cycle. The cycle begins as an adult, then an egg stage, then a larvae stage, and finally a pupa stage then back to adult. The only practical time that the insect is vulnerable to insecticides is in the larvae stage. Therefore, treatment is either in Autumn after the eggs have hatched (First two weeks of November would be the most secure application time if it is warm enough), or spring as the soils are heating up again, which will be in the last ½ of March to the first ½ of April. By April 15th you should be seeing damage if you have a large enough population. As the larvae are cold blooded insects, they will dive deeper to avoid freezing (at which time they will not be doing any damage to the grass) but will come to the surface as it warms up.

REMEMBER: Timing is much more important than how many chemicals you throw at the critters. One application, well timed, is 1,000 times better than 5 applications off timing.

Lime with Aeration

This in one activity you really do want to take full advantage of here in the Northwest. Aerate, rake up the plugs, spread lime at a maximum rate of 25 pounds per 1,000 square feet and let the rains take it in. We also have a new product which combines lime plus humic acids. This will amplify the results from the lime application which is limited by the maximum of 50#’s per 1,000 per year. If compaction and heavy clays are a problem, Pro Choice Red can also be applied to the lawn after aeration along with the lime. Pro Choice Red helps percolation of water through the soil profile and retains ‘humidity’.

Other miscellaneous items

Other activities that can be pursued in October are:

· Winterize the irrigation system. Shut off the water and drain!!!!

· Cut back perennials such as Hemerocaulis, Iris, hostas, etc…. Add material to compost pile!!!

· Reduce the height of the grass. Reducing the height (slowly) will help reduce fungal infections over winter.

· You can plant trees and bushes at this time, bulbs for spring flowering and transplant various perennials.

EUROPEAN CRANEFLY

Crane fly larvae feed on the roots of grasses. Usually very little damage is done as plants have a remarkable ability to compensate for minor root damage. However, when populations are high (estimated to be about 25-30 larvae per square foot) damage to turf areas can be extensive.

The adult crane fly is found in the late summer and early fall. It has long legs and looks very much like a large mosquito (body alone is about 1" long). One common name for these insects is "mosquito-hawk". The adults are harmless. They do not bite nor do they attack like mosquitoes. They are very common at night around lights. The Larvae, sometimes called "leather jackets," live in the soil. Larvae hatch from eggs laid in the late summer (Late Sept. through Early October). They feed during the fall and into the spring of the following year. They stop feeding in May. Damage generally starts to be noticeable during the spring, caused by feeding that occurred the previous fall and winter. Damage can also occur when birds scratch at the lawn surface attracted to larvae. Birds are important predators of crane fly larvae and great care should be taken not to poison birds if insecticides are used. European cranefly are relatively new to western Oregon. In the past we've not had many important turf pests, only occasional insect problems. Now that European crane fly has arrived, it is likely to be a permanent inhabitant of our lawns. Severely damaged lawns may need renovation. It is probably not necessary to treat these lawns with insecticides prior to renovation as normal site preparation (tilling and rotovation) controls larvae. For less severely damaged lawns, treatment should consist of fall (October - November) applications to control larvae before damage is done or spring applications to prevent further damage. If you wish to scout your lawn in the spring, dig a patch about 12" square and about 2 inches deep. Count the number of larvae in this patch. More than 10 - 15 larvae is a sign of trouble. The presence of large crane fly adults in late summer and damaged turf are a good indicator of this pest.

Visit us at www.shbark.com for more information or to place your order today. We are at your service and we appreciate your business!

S & H Landscape Supply & Recycling OUTLOOK

March Outlook

October Outlook