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In This Issue
August 2009
Turf
Is your lawn feeling the heat?
Did you know that late-August/early September is the best time to overseed? Yes that's right, the months of August and September are the most optimal climates for seed germination in cool season lawns. We are currently performing our yearly lawn analysis. This month your turf manager will be stopping by your home take a closer look at your lawn. He will be giving you helpful hints and facts about the condition of your turf.
Recommendations will be given to what should be done this fall to keep your lawn the envy of the neighborhood. We will also be closely inspecting the lawn for drought, grassy weeds, disease, & insects. If your turf manager notices any of these problems during his visit, he'll alert you immediately. Please be sure to keep your eyes open for the following types of problems this month:
FUNGAL DISEASES including brown patch, dollar spot, summer patch, smut, & rust are all fungal diseases affecting fescue & bluegrass lawns. Please be aware these diseases can often be confused with drought stress. If you have any questions, please contact the office immediately.
INSECT damage most common during August is white grub damage. Damage from grubs is relatively easy to diagnose by simply tugging on the surface of plant. If the sod is easily pulled up as if pulling up a rug, take a closer look! If you notice white c-shaped grubworms below the root zone, you've got a problem. Immediate attention is recommended, especially during high stress period in the summer.
DROUGHT STRESS damage is the most common & damaging occurence during August. As temperatures begin to approach 100 degrees +, it's imperative that you're practicing proper watering techniques.
--Warning signs, pictures, & descriptions can be found by going to the Links page of our website and clicking on the K-State horticulture site icon.
Design & Build
"Let's make a deal!"
Summer is here & we're offering can't miss specials on landscaping projects
during the month of July. Outdoor kitchens, patios, walls, are perfect July projects. Plant installation is
still an option, although irrigation is highly recommended to keep new plants moist until a healthy root system has had time to establish.
Drainage solutions should be performed now while the soil is dry and easier to work; get your drainage problems fixed now before the rains return this Fall. Aspen lights up the night with our low voltage outdoor lighting options. Lighting up your most important investment isn't only safe & practical; it also creates an ambiance & inviting appeal making your home the perfect place for entertaining guests this summer
HOT SUMMER SPECIALS!
- FREE Winterizer with new enrollment to Annual Turf Program
- 50% Quarterly Pest Control Program
- FREE start up & shut down when your friend or family installs an irrigation system
- FREE Aspen Rain Gauge with full service estimate
- $200.00 OFF your next project (minimum $2000.00)
Landscape Maintenance
Need our help in the garden?We would just like to remind our customers on the maintenance program that if they have any extra jobs they would like the the team to do during our regular visit, please call the office with details. We are more than happy to remove extra debris for you or even pick up small outdoor tasks that you haven't found time to accomplish. The teams focus this month will be bed weeding, deadheading, & pruning. We will be adding miracid to hydrangeas, azaleas & rhododendrons. If we tend to your vegetable gardens, we are using a new organic plant food for vegetables from the producers of Miracle-Gro.
Mowing
Help your lawn beat the heat! Mowing height should remain
high this month. Recommended mowing heights are 3.5"-4.0". Mowing high during drought like conditions reduces the stress on the plant during unfavorable conditions. Cutting 1-2" off the plant during high heat is the equivalent of shaving your head & standing in the full sun all day...it will burn!
Changing directions when you mow during stressful periods will prevent the plant from laying over in the same direction and causing damage to the turf.
Be very careful when trimming or weedeating to not scalp the turf. Concrete edges & along foundations are going to be especially hotter than other areas, thus burning much easier when scalped. If you would like information on our "custom mowing," please contact the office.
Arborist's Corner
...and the pest of the month is: Bagworms have stolen
the show once again for August. Historically, bagworms are fairly host specific to Eastern Red Cedar, or more commonly known as Junipers. This summer though, we've seen them on Spruces, Pines, & deciduous trees. Luckily, treatment has been easily achieved due to the active feeding of the insects and improved vigor of host plants due to adequate spring moisture. By now, bagworm damage is becoming very severe and the insects are starting to close themselves into their protective bags. Once this happens, treatment effectiveness is greatly reduced. Sanitation controls are probably best once the insects have stopped actively feeding. Cutting or removing the bag from the plant is your best chance during the latter days of August. Tent Caterpillars are another late summer insect that has made a strong statement this year. These insects are best noticed by the large tent-like structure that is formed on numerous branches in a tree's canopy. These webs form a protective shelter for the small webworms that feed on the trees leaves inside the "tent". The best treatment for these insects is to simply remove the affected branches. Spray methods are not always effective due to the protective webbing formed around the insects.
Round 5 tree & shrub applications have begun. This application will continue to target problem insects on ornamentals. Our main focus during this round will be Spider mite and bagworm control. The "white paper test" is an easy method to test for spider mites. Simply hold the paper under the foliage of the plant & give it a shake. If you notice small mites on the paper, you should treat it immediately. If there are only a few insects, try spraying the bush thouroghly with a sharp spray of water, this will usually knock the mites off the plant. Bagworms, Spider mites, and tent caterpillars are pests to look out for in August, please call the office if you notice any of these symptoms or start seeing leaf damage.
**Hint: A healthy plant that is receiving plenty of moisture will be much less likely to be a favorable host.
Did you know?
To seed or not to seed?
In spirit of seeding season, here are some tid-bits of information about grass seed. Several cool season grasses are grown in Kansas, these include mostly bluegrass & fescue cultivars. Though bluegrass is readily planted in this area, it has been proven that fescue is the best suited to our climates & soil. We recommend fescue solely on the fact that it holds up better to the heat of the summer, and provides better disease resistance than bluegrass. In the past, fescue was thought to be a thick, un-sightly plant. Those were the days when K-31 was the most frequently used fescue seed. Today, there are many new cultivars that provide improved color, density, & much finer leaf texture. Fescue seed's appearance has come such a long way that it's often hard to distinguish it from the historically finer bluegrass plant.
Just in case you're interested, here are the top 27 highest ranked fescue cultivars for the midwest as rated by K-state over the last 5 years : 2nd Millenium, Apache III, Avenger, Biltmore, Blackwatch, Cayenne, Cochise III, Dynasty, Escalade, Falcon IV, Fidelity, Finelawn Elite, Forte, Guardian 21, Inferno, Justice, Kalahari, Matador, Padre, Picasso, Regiment II, Rembrandt, Tar Heel, Titanium, Ultimate, Watchdog, & Wolfpack
Have a safe & Happy Labor Day!
Irrigation
Treat your lawn the way you'd like to be treated!
Please make sure that proper watering techniques are being used right now. 2-3 days of watering is NOT ENOUGH! Watering properly today will save you money later during lawn renovation season in the fall. Recommended run times this time of year for Turf areas are:
Rotors- 4-5 days per week; 30-35 minutes per zone
Pop up's- 4-5 days per week; 10-12 minutes per zone
Note: Please make sure concrete edges are getting good coverage, these are the first areas to dry out in the heat.
Recommended times for your Bedding areas are:
Sprays- 3 days per week @ 5-10 minutes per zone
If you would like us to set your clock for the summer or make seasonal adjustments, feel free to call us to set up an appointment.
Have you heard?
Our Irrigation maintenance programs are our worry-free options perfect for the homeowner who doesn't have time to worry with watering their lawn. We call these programs "insurance for your sprinkler system". You pay a one-time yearly rate for the program, and the only costs you incur are for parts used on any needed repairs made during regularly scheduled visits. The SILVER program includes: annual start-up, winterization, & 2 maintenance checks during the season to make necessary adjustments and/or repairs. Our GOLD program includes all of the above, plus an in-depth system calibration. This calibration is guaranteed to save you $ on your water bill. Call us for more details or to sign up.
Irrigation System Installation Remind us to give you a FREE start up and shut down when your family member or friend has a new Aspen system installed.