Prime's Clippings August 2016

August - A Tough Month

When the big faucets in the sky turn off things get hot and dry in a hurry. Luckily the lakes are full and many cities have eased water restrictions, but the next 30 days will likely be the hardest part of our season. Barring hurricane spawned rain events, August is traditionally our hottest, driest month.

So, repeat after me, the Texas gardener’s mantra: Mulch is good, I love my water hose.  In a perfect world we would just skip August in north Texas, but that ain’t happening.

We had a few isolated spots of rain  in July, but keep an eye on tender plants like hydrangeas or newly planted trees and shrubs, and check your sprinklers regularly for clogged nozzles, worn out rotors, low heads, heads blocked by shrubs, etc. It only takes a week or so to do serious damage to lawns and landscapes that are not receiving enough water, so stay alert!

  

Time to Treat for Grub Worms

Don’t forget! August is the time of year to treat for grub worms. Most of our grub damage is brought on by the larva of the June beetle.  Peak flights of the June beetle occur in mid-May to mid-June and eggs hatch about 1 month later. Grubs are easiest to kill at this early stage of their growth due to the fact that they are closer to the soil surface. Not every yard will have a large enough population to cause damage, but if you have had one in the past you may be in a location that is prone to infestation. Lawns close to street lights where June bugs gather are often hit, and ironically they often attack well watered, lush lawns when soil is soft and food (roots) are abundant. They will do serious damage to turf over the next two months, so treat now to avoid losing your lawn.

Prices start at just $24.95 for customers that are already on our 7 step program! 

(up to 5000 sq. ft., prices based on sq. footage of turf, call for a quote)

Planning for Fall Projects

Every year we like to remind customers that Fall is an excellent time for landscape improvements. Everyone gets spring fever and enjoys freshening up their yard in spring, but well informed gardeners know that Fall is really the best season for planting most of our landscape ornamentals.

Trees, shrubs, and perennials that are planted in September through December get to take advantage of our traditionally mild temperatures and regular rains. Plants that go in the ground in the Fall have reduced heat stress now and are better equipped to handle the inevitable dry conditions of next summer. Although most plants will show little or no top growth during the winter, it’s what is going on in the ground that counts. Root systems thrive in our mild Fall weather and grow vigorously all winter, giving you bigger, healthier plants next year.

Use these hot days of August to make plans for your fall landscape projects.

How Sprinkler Heads Get Hit by Mowers

“Your guys hit my sprinkler head with the mower!” 

Believe me, neither one of us wants to hear that.

Our crews mow over 300 acres of lawn each week, passing over thousands of sprinkler heads without a problem. And there is the key- sprinklers are designed and installed as underground systems. A properly installed head should be at or just above grade, and a properly functioning head will retract back into the ground after it waters. In both cases, a lawn mower cannot damage a head that is working properly.

Over time, several factors affect sprinkler head performance and may render the head subject to accidental breakage. The seal around the riser hardens with time and springs wear out preventing retraction.

Soils settle and move, sometimes leaving the head sitting too high. Heads also sink or have dirt build up around them, leaving the head below grade. This is very common and allows dirt to seep into the head around the seal. This grit causes the nozzle to stick in the up position or not retract fully, leaving the nozzle just high enough to be clipped by a mower, but not high enough to be seen.

All of these issues are just routine maintenance and service work that must be performed when the problem occurs, and are not the fault of the equipment operator. Very rarely can you see the head in the tall grass before you hit it with a mower or edger. We will always charge a discounted rate to repair a head that is hit by one of our mowing crews, but please remember that it is not the fault of the mowing service when a sprinkler head is struck.

Tree roots may develop under  a head and as they grow they may push the head up, and eventually it will be high enough to snag a mower deck.

Heads along the sidewalk, curb, or driveway are supposed to be 2-4 inches away from the concrete. Over time they may shift or settle at an angle and touch the concrete leaving no room for the lawn edger blade to pass by.

Fire Ants - Here to Stay, What You Can Do

Fire ants came out with a vengeance after the October rains. This is a typical pattern, where the ants are less active in hot dry summer conditions and begin foraging and spreading aggressively as weather cools and soil moisture rises. Fire ants cannot be eliminated, they can only be managed. Sad, but true. Queens can fly and move their colonies up to 3 miles and may do so several times a year. It is impossible to keep ants from migrating into a property. Colonies may also dig as deep as 10 feet into the ground, and 3-4 foot deep is common. Other than using bait products that workers can carry to the queens hidden deep underground, it is virtually impossible to poison an entire mound.

Call to schedule a treatment today while conditions are still optimal!

This is a great time to apply bait-type controls. The ants will be very active through the remainder of November – December,foraging for winter, and will carry baits to the queens. Baits have a minimal environmental impact and offer long term control, up to 80-90% effectiveness. The Texas Department of Agriculture’s “Texas Two Step” recommends treating individual mounds that are in problem areas with a mound treatment and to broadcast bait products throughout the entire area. The other proven method is to broadcast fipronil across the entire property or around the perimeters of larger properties to create a chemical barrier effective for up to 8 months. Ants die as they tunnel or cross through the barrier. Fipronil can also offer up to 80% effectiveness and a longer residual effect, but is also somewhat more expensive.

Fire ants are not just annoying, they are destructive and dangerous. They can inflict serious and painful injury to young children and adults who may be allergic, and are renown for colonizing outdoor electrical equipment and shorting it out.

Good Times Ahead

Fall officially began September 22nd as the sun reached the autumnal equinox and our day and night were nearly equal in length. And despite the unseasonably hot and dry September we had experienced so far, the fall spirits cooperated with a nice rain and low temperature of 56. Hopefully September was summer’s last blast. Lots of 90 degree days and virtually no rain really dried us out, but October looks to arrive with milder weather just as it should.

With this latest round of showers we will see bluebonnets and other spring wildflowers germinating. Of course, this means that henbit and a few other less desirable “wildflowers” will be popping up in our lawns and beds. Be sure you have us apply a pre-emergent weed control soon if you haven’t already!

Fire ants are extremely active this time of year, foraging for food to last through winter. This the ideal time to apply bait products. You will see new mounds pop up after every rain. Feeed your ants. Feed them!

Several flowering plants will put on a last big show for the season. Some of our most notables are the cool lavender blooms of Mexican Bush Sage and Blue Fall Aster. The bright yellow of Mexican Mint Marigold is a great companion. Salvia greggi are blooming in pinks, reds and many other shades, great forage for migrating humming birds and butterflies. Texas sage puts on a big purple bloom after rains and Knock-out roses are flushing again. All of these plants are also tolerant of dry conditions and water restrictions.

Salvia Leucantha

The next several weeks should provide some of our most pleasant weather and some great flowers. Get out and enjoy this great time of year!

Salvia Greggi

It's Time To Treat For Grub Worms

Don’t forget! August is the time of year to treat for grub worms.

Most of our grub damage is brought on by the larva of the June beetle. Peak flights of the June beetle occur in mid-May to mid-June and eggs hatch about 1 month later. Grubs are easiest to kill at this early stage of their growth when they are closer to the soil surface.

Not every yard will have a large enough population to cause damage, but if you have had one in the past you may be in a location that is prone to infestation.

Lawns close to street lights where June bugs gather are often hit hard, and ironically, they often attack well watered lush lawns when soil is soft and food (roots) is abundant.

They will do serious damage to turf over the next two months, so treat now to avoid losing your lawn.

Prices start at just $75.00 for lawns up to 4,000 sq. ft., with up to 50% off for customers that are already on our 7 step chemical program!

An actual soil sample from one of our lawns.
This many grubs in 1 sq. ft. of soil is enough to do serious damage.