Landscape Advisor - Ryback Landscaping

Landscape Adviser
Central Jersey Region
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Spring 2014
Controlling Pesky Weeds in Your Lawn
They’re unsightly for sure, but weeds do more in turfgrass
than simply look bad; they also compete with your healthy
grass plants for light, water and nutrients.
Many broadleaf weeds that invade lawns respond readily to
weed control applications. As weeds do tend to reappear, it’s
important to follow up with subsequent applications,. These
weeds may include dandelions, broadleaf plaintains, thistle,
spurge, knotweed and chickweed.
This is also prime time for crabgrass, which emerges in
spring and moves quickly to fill in any holes in the turf left
from winter disease or other causes. The best way to control
crabgrass is to prevent it from ever appearing with preemergent weed control.
Our Healthy Lawn Plan includes using TruGreen’s proprietary
dual-line spray system to apply weed control only when and
where it’s needed on a lawn.
We inspect your lawn for weeds and apply appropriate
broadleaf weed control products through the dual-line spray
system, while simultaneously applying a liquid fertilizer. If
Protecting Your Turf From Damaging Insects and Disease
thatch layer. Damage from these insects
sometimes doesn’t appear until late summer and
can be confused with drought stress.
Subsurface/Soil Pests – These pests attack the
root zone of the turfgrass, and they’re more
difficult to control because the grass and thatch
layer provides a level of protection from control
product applications.
If your turfgrass is exhibiting symptoms of
disease or drought stress – but there’s no visible
evidence of disease and plenty of water – you
might be looking at an insect infestation that
needs to be treated.
We divide insects into two categories based on
where they damage turf – surface and subsurface
(soil) pests – and the treatment depends on
which type of insect is present and active.
Surface Pests – These insects – some examples
are sod webworms and chinch bugs – and they
feed on the leaves and stems of grass or in the
908-482-9552
Subsurface pests tend to be more damaging than
surface pests: while grass plants can generally
survive the loss of some leaf blade material cause
by surface pests, heavy damage to the root zone
by subsurface pests can kill the plant.
Unless you’re a lawn care professional, it may be
difficult to diagnose a problem with your
turfgrass. Our lawn care treatment plan includes
surface insect control, and we also offer
subsurface insect control. Please talk to your
TruGreen specialist to determine if your problem is
insect or disease –related, preventative measures
you can take, and how to promote recovery in
damaged areas.
we apply a granular fertilizer, the weed control will be
administered using a spray wand, but in both cases, our
systems allow for on-demand weed control applications to
areas identified for treatment.
Some weeds are more difficult to control and may require an
extended application period or customized approach:
• Selected herbicides may be effective against many difficult
perennial weeds, but they may require repeated, well-timed
applications which may extend over several growing seasons.
• Some annual weeds may require more than one application
of a pre-emergence herbicide, with the second application
timed to coincide with secondary flushes of germination.
The first and best
defense against any
type of weed is to
maintain a healthy,
vigorous lawn through
proper fertilizing,
irrigation and mowing
techniques.
Protect Your Lawn with Proper Mowing and Irrigation
Proper mowing and watering can greatly
improve the overall health of your lawn. We
recommend the following best practices for
mowing:
• Cut your grass to the recommended height.
Grass that’s cut too short is more susceptible
to disease, weeds, drought stress. It’s
particularly important to mow high during dry
weather. Suggested mowing heights vary by
grass variety, so check with your TruGreen
specialist to determine the best height for your
grass.
• Mow frequently. With each mowing, no more
than 1/3 of the leaf blade should be removed.
Frequency will change depending on weather
patterns and your grass type.
• Return clippings to the lawn. Return your
grass clippings to the turfgrass to add extra
nutrients.
• Sharpen your mower blade. A dull mower
blade will diminish your lawn’s appearance. If
your lawn has an overall white appearance,
your mower blade may need to be sharpened.
• Mow in the evening. Mowing in the cooler
Greg Ryback
is proud to team up with
America’s expert on professional lawn care solutions
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part of the day during the hot summer months
will help prevent your lawn from turning brown.
Proper irrigation is critical too. Adjust your
watering schedule as needed based on
seasonal weather variations, but remember
most grasses require between 1” to 2” of water
per week, depending on soil type and weather
conditions. Some additional tips for watering:
• Reduce the effects of drought stress. If your
lawn is showing signs of drought stress –
wilting grass that doesn’t spring back, colors
changing from bright green to gray or bluegreen – water at the first signs.
• Water in the morning. Although time of day
for watering isn’t critical, watering in the
morning is the most efficient in terms of water
usage.
• Aerate. Lawns with thatch or compacted soil
will less efficiently absorb water, so aeration is
recommended to improve water infiltration.
• Watch for problem areas. For grass near
large trees, additional water may be needed to
offset water absorption by large roots.
Ryback Landscaping
908-482-9552
rybacklandscaping@gmail.com
www.rybacklandscape.com