SUMMER MAINTENANCE TIPS

Grub Control

Grub control should be applied as close to egg hatch as possible. Eggs can hatch at the end of July or early part of August but this year emergence may be earlier due to the warmer temperatures and moisture availability in the soil. Use of environmentally friendly products such as Mach 2, an insect growth regulator, Imidacloprid (Merit), Allectus and (Merit and Talstar) are very safe for use around of homes, people and pets. Grubs usually feed in localized spots, so treat all areas that have been damaged in the past seasons.

Reducing irrigation during peak flight of beetles, raising cutting height to 3.5” – 4” and remember that mid summer is not the time to fertilize your lawn are cultural practices to consider.

Lawn Irrigation

Cool season grasses often go dormant during the summer when temperatures are high and moisture is in short supply. Most cool season grasses can tolerate up to a month of dryness. If you do irrigate, run your sprinkler less frequently in an area to a depth of eight inches. If you have runoff before this, irrigation should alternate for an hour(s) on and an hour(s) off.

Lawn Diseases

Dollar spot, Brown Patch, Pythium Blight, Summer Patch, Take-All Patch are potentially harmful disease organisms that attach turf grass when temperatures exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day that persist into the evening, along with rainy, humid weather with prolonged leaf wetness. Many of our seed varieties are tolerant to these diseases. Contributing factors include poor air circulation, high thatch (higher than 0.75”), too high fertility levels and extended leaf wetness. There are several effective fungicides available to combat these foliar turf diseases which include Banner MAXX, Armanda, Bayleton, Heritage and Medallion.