Specialty Lawn Treatments
Spring, Summer, & Fall are prime times for your turf to experience issues. The three most common here in North Carolina are turf disease, fire ants, and grubs. Luckily, all are preventable if treated early.
Turf Disease Treatment
What causes turf disease? Mistreatments to lawn like cutting too short, cutting with a dull blade, poor watering practices, as well as other factors out of our control can cause disease to overtake your lawn. Almost all lawn diseases are the result of fungi that infect the blades, stems, or roots of the grass.
When does it appear? Particularly present in the hot months of the year, fungal infections will crush the health and appearance of your lawn.
How to prevent? Fungal infections in your lawn are best prevented/treated with fungicides. 4 applications are required for best results. For Warm Season Turfs (Bermuda, Zoysia) apply treatment in April, May, September, and October. For Cool Season Turfs (Fescue) apply treatment in May, June, July, and August.
Fire Ant Application
How to identify? Aggressive when bothered, fire ants are most easily identified by their mounds. The soil will appear fluffy and worked through, particularly a few days after a heavy rain. The mound will not have an opening in the top center like most because fire ants enter and leave the mound through underground tunnels.
When do they appear? As the weather grows warmer, be on the hunt for their hills.
How to prevent? Treatment is best applied 2 times a year, once in February and again in August. The February treatment is to prevent fire ants from appearing during the Spring/Summer. The August treatment is to keep them away during the Fall.
Grub Control
How to know if grubs are the problem? While grubs live under your turf and are not visible from the surface, there are ways to identify that grubs are your problem. You first might notice irregular patches of brown grass. Double check by lifting up the dead patches. Grub infestation will cause the turf to roll up easily and the roots will not be in tact.
What causes grubs? If you are experiencing a mole problem, grubs might be the real culprit as they are a mole’s main food source.
How to prevent? Grubs thrive in Spring and Fall. It is necessary to apply 2 treatments throughout the year. The first in April to prevent for Spring, the second in September to prevent for Fall.