Nature's Landscape Services

Lawn Care providers are often temped to apply nitrogen to Bermuda or zoysia lawns during early Fall, to achieve improved color.  However doing so may predispose the respective lawns to disease, as both Bermuda and zoysia are vulnerable to diseases which are more likely to occur when high nitrogen levels exist this time of year.

In the case of Bermuda lawns, Spring Dead Spot disease, which as the name suggests manifests as dead spots the following spring, is more likely to occur when nitrogen levels are high in the fall.

In the case of zoysia lawns, Brown Patch disease is encouraged with high levels of nitrogen this time of year.  Brown Patch can also be problematic on Bermuda lawns as well.

So to achieve good color without encouraging disease, only use a fertilizer with a relatively low amount of nitrogen, but supplemented with iron.

Application of a potassium fertilizer this time of year will contribute to “hardiness” of lawn.  This is the main component of what is often referred to as “winterizer fertilizer”.

We use 5-10-31 with 10% Iron, which satisfies all the above.

                Members of the Natures Landscape Services Lawn Care division recently got the oppurtunity to attend the 2010 Turfgrass Research Field Day at the University of Georgia college of Agricultural & Enviromental Sciences. This was a great day filled with literally acres of information on cutting edge practices and new products in turf care technology. One of the many things that stood out specificly in my mind  was the presentation on a new and exciting Bermuda grass called TifGrand. If you have Bermuda grass in your lawn, like I do, then you know that one of the most frustrating things about Bermuda grass is that in areas of less optimal light Bermuda tends to thin out and in extreme cases and leaves nothing but soil in areas where you used to have a thriving lawn. One of the main characteristics of TifGrand is that it will thrive in areas with 60% to 70% shade. The Grass was Developed by Wayne Hanna, a University of Georgia Researcher  and professor of plant breeding and genetics at UGA’s College of Agricultural and Envriomental Sciences. Not only will TifGrand thrive in areas of shade but it will also thrive in areas of full sunlight, Which makes it an ideal alternative to Zoyzia in lawns that have bothshaded areas and areas of full sunlight. There are many other great features of TifGrand. It also has excellent insect resistance and fewer seedheads than other types of Bermuda. It is a very attractive dark green turf with fewer needs for nitrogen fertilizer and water.The new Bermuda grass will be licensed to a select number of growers beginning this summer and is expected to available in the general market next year.    Learn more about this topic at  http://www.ngturf.com/varieties/bermuda/tifgrand.aspx . 

 Written By Nature’s Lawn Care Team Member Eric Phillips

Every year in the late summer, caterpillars damage lawns all over the state.  Fall Armyworms are the most common species and their favorite turf to attack is Bermuda.  They hatch out of eggs on the soil surface and the tiny larvae feed on the foliage of the turf.  As the worms eat, they continue to grow in size while causing severe damage to the turf.  Most of the damage is just aesthetic and will recover relatively quickly once the Armyworms are controlled.

 If your lawn is all of the sudden thinning and looking brown, or you see numerous caterpillars in the canopy, you may have Armyworms.  It is important to contact us immediately if you suspect that you may have them because they move extremely fast.

 Please contact us for a complimentary evaluation and if necessary a quote to eliminate Fall Armyworms.  info@naturesls.com or 770-461-4156

Assuming that you have supplied adequate phosphorus, potassium and iron to your Bermuda or zoysia lawn, consider applying a slow release source of nitrogen to provide color and vigor for the remainder of the growing season.  Doing so will prevent temptations to green-up your lawn in the fall by applying additional nitrogen, a practice which encourages Spring Dead Spot Disease in Bermuda and Brown Patch Disease in zoysia. 

By applying a slow release form of nitrogen, Bermuda and zoysia lawns can better handle the stress of summer.  For slow release nitrogen doesn’t encourage excessive growth, which demands additional water.  Rather, slow and steady growth is encouraged.  Also, by maintaining nitrogen levels, a common summer disease recognized as “Dollar Spot” is less likely to be a problem.

Watch out for lawn disease too, as the hot and humid weather experienced the past several weeks has resulted in disease related decline of several lawns.

We advise that fertilizers or other products not be applied to a lawn that is in decline unless it has been determined that doing so will be beneficial, as opposed to exacerbating the problem.

Apply fertilizer fortified with Iron to maximize color of Bermuda and zoysia lawns.  We are fertilizing respective lawns with a slow release granular fertilizer containing Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, but it’s the iron that really intensifies the color.

There are several fertilizer blends appropriate for Bermuda or zoysia, but check the label prior to buying because not all contain Iron.

We’re using a 40% slow release blend of “30-3-9” with 2% Iron, and though you don’t have to use such a high grade product, something similar should be considered for best quality.

Be careful to blow fertilizer off of walks and drives, as the iron can stain hard surfaces.

Scalping is a common practice used to prevent thatch accumulation. It is most often done before the spring greenup. This removal of dead turf will also encourage early spring growth of the grass. This process may cause a temporary reduction of turf quality but all Bermuda & Zoysia grasses should respond positively to this cultural practice.  Lower the blade on your mower enough to take off the top layer of turf.  We recommend lowering to a 2-2.5’’ blade height.  All lawns are unique and it is recommended to start the blades high and slowly lower them to ensure that you don’t damage the turf by starting the blades to low.  This may require you to run the mower over the lawn several times to get the desired height.  Make sure to remove all the clippings off the turf after completing this project.

Take a look at this unusual way to stop Annual Bluegrass, also known as Poa annua, this spring on Walter Reeves’ website.  It is becoming one of the more difficult lawn weeds to control and this is a different approach to removing the weed if you have a little time on your hands.  I should also point out that staying on a regular weed control program with regular pre-emergent applications throughout the year is the best defense against this weed.   If you’ve missed this application, give this idea a shot and let us know how it works. 

“Another way to control annual bluegrass in Bermuda grass is to wrap an old cotton towel around the end of a garden rake. Tie in place with string and dampen the towel with Roundup. Use the tool to “paint” weed killer onto green weed foliage while avoiding the turf grass. Discard the cloth when the job is finished by wrapping in plastic bags and putting it out for your municipal garbage collection.” Walter Reeves

 Source: http://www.walterreeves.com/lawns/article.phtml?cat=27&id=98

Though mine may be a biased point of view, a career in the landscape trade has convinced me that for the average homeowner wishing to achieve a good looking lawn in an environment conscious way, hiring the services of a “professional” lawn care company should be considered. 

By virtue of the fact that a lawn care company must control cost while at the same time provide a good value to customers, their success rides upon the ability to provide well timed applications, without the use of excessive materials.

There are a number of factors to be considered.

Application procedure has environmental impact.  For while “non-professionals” applying materials to a given lawn may strive to make an application properly, professional lawn care companies use well calibrated equipment and are exact with application.  This results in efficient use of material, as opposed to an inefficient and wasteful use of material that may occur otherwise.

Technology is a factor as well, as technology has provided products, used by professionals, which are designed to reduce environmental impact.  One example of this technology is the development of “adjuvants”, products which actually improve efficiency of materials used.  There are a variety of adjuvants that behave in a variety of ways, and though their chemistry is too complicated to explain here, the result of their use is the ability to use lower rates of materials while maintaining effectiveness. 

Another virtue of using a professional lawn care company, regards timing of needed applications.  For a well timed lawn care program will, more often than not, minimize the “chemical” use required for the lawns care, while a poorly timed program will result in the need of additional treatment. This is very important, as using the highest grade materials available is useless, if not applied at the correct time. If treatments are not well timed, or if materials used are mismanaged, results will be marginally effective at best.  

Finally, by using a professional lawn care company, a homeowner isn’t left with a myriad of partially filled bags and containers of fertilizers and herbicides, the disposal of which is problematic.  These can also pose a safety hazard.

Certainly, a studious homeowner can care for a lawn themselves, but using a professional lawn care company may prove to be better for the environment.

When to apply pre-emergent herbicide to prevent crabgrass and other lawn weeds is a question often asked.    Proper timing is indeed critical, as applying pre-emergent either too early or too late is likely to result in a weed problem.

A common practice is to apply pre-emergent with a single application prior to germination of crabgrass and other lawn weeds.  This is an effective means of applying pre-emergent, but minimizes margin of error in regard to the timing itself.  For if application is made too early, the efficacy of the pre-emergent may diminish while weed pressure still exist.  On the other hand, if application is made too late, there will be nothing in place to prevent weeds. 

Though a single application isn’t what I recommend, if I were to apply pre-emergent with a single application in the Atlanta area, I would target March 1 – March 15 as the window of time for it to be made.

There is a superior means of achieving weed control, in my opinion.  To lengthen duration of crabgrass control with pre-emergent herbicide application, and to ensure that treatment is made on time, the pre-emergent dosage can be “split”.  In splitting the application, half of the dosage is applied well before risk of germination, and the other half is scheduled to occur when the efficacy of the first is expected to be weakened.  The result is both insurance against early germination, and an extended window of control.

The timing of the first application should be February – early March, with the second occurring 6-8 weeks later.

Remember, the objective isn’t to put out more herbicide overall, but rather to split the intended dosage in half to gain a longer window of control with the same amount of product.

There are environmental benefits to using the split application method, as a lengthened window of control may result in less use of “post-emergent” herbicides.

Make sure to read the entire label of any pre-emergent used, and use common sense.

America is experiencing a rapid paradigm shift on sustainability and the environment.  “Going Green” is one of the most popular trends in our society today.  Most people love the idea of “Going Green”, but are unsure of how they can contribute.  Many “Green” initiatives involve a cash expense above and beyond normal.  For instance, a recycling bin is an additional cost above a regular trash can.  A hybrid automobile cost more than a traditional one, and “Organic” groceries are typically more expensive than non-organic.   So where does that leave us?  Well, as it turns out, many of you lawn enthusiast are “Going Green” and you didn’t even know it.  According to The Lawn Institute, “If one compares a well managed lawn to a poorly managed lawn or unmanaged grasslands, the net carbon intake of a well managed lawn is five to seven times higher than the carbon output of mowing.”  What does this mean?  It means that managed “Green” spaces are good!  Even though your lawn mower may produce carbon while mowing, your lawn intakes up to 5 times that amount, resulting in a net reduction of carbon.  So whenever “Going Green” comes up in a discussion, be sure to inform your friends of your environmental stewardship in your own back yard!  Learn more about the benefits of turf grass and managed “Green” spaces at www.lawninstitute.com