1.      Lawn Renovation– Winter is an excellent time to do lawn renovation.  From filling holes or just leveling areas, dirt work can and is of often done in early winter.  You’ll have to remember that seeding this time of the year is considered as dormant seeding and you will not see germination until the soil temperatures warm up in the spring.  Be sure to cover the seed to protect from animals but rest assures that the freeze thaw will help seat the seed for the following spring.

2.      Pick Up Your Leaves– Often in the winter months I see where people have left rows or piles of leaves in their lawn.  Doing so will cause areas of your lawn to either get a fungus disease or most likely kill the lawn in these areas.  Preventing these dead spots for next year will help in weed reduction.

3.      Mow Your Lawn- Be sure your lawn is mowed at the proper height going into winter.  If your grass is too tall it will mat over in the winter causing fungus and disease problems to kill these areas.  Also, a short lawn can make your yard more susceptible to winter kill.  The best height to keep your lawn at all year is 3 inches.

4.      Crab Grass Prevention– Another thing to remember is that your lawn has millions of crabgrass seeds in it ready to germinate next spring.  Therefore, you want to be sure to apply crabgrass preventer on your lawn before April 15^th of 2012.  Although not typical, some crabgrass preventers have a very long life in the soil and some can be applied now for the following spring.  Be sure NOT to apply this preventer in any area that you have dormant seeded or it will not come up next spring.

5.      Pruning- December is a great time to catch up on some pruning but be sure the day time temperature is not below 32 degrees.  Trees and roses can be trimmed and thinned now since it will help with next year’s production.  Also, thin fruit trees so they are not overloaded during next year’s fruiting process.  Here are some trimming techniques to follow:

• Clean from the inside out, removing crossed branches.
• Thin branches so they do not become too heavy with next year’s fruit.  Pick quality branches to keep.
• Do not simply sheer branches of trees or shrubs.

6.      Insecticides- Dormant oil is a great insecticide to use during dormant periods.  Containing no chemicals, this is an effective use of natural ingredients against insects.  Apply at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and after your winter trimming.

7.      Flower Beds- Winter is a great time to clean up flower beds from the summers old flowers.  This cleaning of leaves and dead plants will help with next year’s crop.  This will highly reduce your risk for fungus and disease.

8.      Planting- Winter is a great time to plant bare root material as well as rooted material.  Often not understood from many, planting this time of the year greatly reduces the amount of watering needed done by the homeowner.  Bare root plants are far less expensive and easy to acclimate in the winter.  Typically, if you can dig a hole in the soil go ahead and plant.

9.      Have some indoor plants- Many people miss having flowers and green plants in the winter and need some way of remembering what the summer months were like.  Indoor plants are a great way to battle cabin fever and they often put smiles on your faces.  House plants are great for your indoor environment and even better for your winter mood.

10.    Contact a professional landscape contractor- It’s always important to contact Countryside Landscape in the winter before our busy season begins.  Now is the time to begin landscape designs for next year and a great time to schedule next year’s lawn program.  The earlier the better for planning for next spring’s projects.

As a professional lawn care applicator, I tend to have many people questioning the importance of fall and winter fertilizing.  For many people it simply makes no sense to apply fertilizer on the frozen and sometimes snow covered lawns in November or December.  The truth remains that these applications are truly the most important of all lawn fertilizer applications.

Many people tend to measure a healthy lawn by achieving the darkest green lawn in the neighbor.  Although esthetically pleasing, dark green lawns do not always equal the healthiest lawn since fertilizing in the warm seasons can promote rapid green growth while doing nothing for the lawns root system.  We should always try to promote a healthy lawn by achieving a lawn that has moderate growth and good density.

Turf grass, although dormant, still photosynthesizes throughout the winter.  It is through photosynthesis that your lawn will take up the nitrogen that you applied in the fall and winter and turn it into energy for the root system.  Since your lawn is not actively growing, all of the energy created throughout the winter is not used for excessive leaf growth; rather, all of the new growth is pushed into the root system.  This not only equals a dark green lawn in the spring, but more importantly, a  dense lawn with a well established root system that we need to combat drought and other stress conditions throughout the following summer.

With the same chemistry we also find that broadleaf weeds are going through the same processes as turf grass in the fall.  A broadleaf weed will also start storing energy in its root system which makes it more susceptible to broadleaf sprays such as 2, 4-D.  Because of this process one of the best times to kill dandelions and other unwanted broadleaf weeds is in the fall because the plant will quickly take the chemicals of the spray into its root system.

Whether you are not a big fan of fertilizing or would like to simply keep cost down as much as possible, consider fall and winter fertilizing for the vigor of your lawn.  Recommended rates of nitrogen are from 1.0-1.5# of nitrogen per 1000ft2.

Lawn aeration is a widely recommended turf grass practice that mechanically removes soil cores in turf grass.  Many homeowners have asked many question about this practice and these are a few of them:

What are the benefits of aeration?   Answer:  Aerification helps lawn s in several ways by reducing soil compaction.  This allows for breaking down the thatch layer, more access to water and oxygen, increased air movement and overall health and growth to the root system.

When should I aerate?  Answer:  Anytime that turf grass is actively growing is a good time to aerate.  Often this practice is done in early spring or early fall since it will reduce the stress of aerating somewhat.  It is important that the turf grass is not suffering from drought because it will not be able to heal very well from the aeration.  A lawn with good moisture and nutrition is typically ready for aeration.

What kind of aerator should be used?   Answer:  For the maximum affect, lawn should be aerated using an aerator that pulls plugs from the ground and deposits them on top.  These aerators will pull plugs that can range from 2-3 inches and will need to pull approximately 20 holes per square foot.  Machines that slice or drive spikes into the ground are not considered as aerators because the spikes will drive the soil down versus pulling plugs.  Some would argue that the spike machines are causing more soil compaction instead of relieving it.   Most professional lawn care companies will have the appropriate aerators but be sure and ask.

After two very dry summers, many lawns have suffered severely from drought this year.  Lawn aeration, after a couple of good rains, may play a vital role in allowing the uptake of extra moisture and will also strengthen the turf grasses root system going into winter.  Many homeowners spend the time and money to fertilize and mow but most miss what may be the most important maintenance practice of all.  Aeration!!!!

A majority of rust outbreaks will begin in late summer and early fall and I have started to see several properties that have it now.  Low fertility, compaction, and shade will contribute to rust in lawns and it also likes constant night temperatures of 50-60 degrees and a long dew period at night of 10 hours.

Control

The best way to control rust in your lawns is by maintaining a healthy stand of turf that is fertilized late in the summer with moderate amounts of nitrogen (.25-.5# / 1000 ft2).  This application of nitrogen will encourage leaf growth and allow for normal mowing that will keep the spores from your turf grass.  Although there are many fungicides that can take care of the rust disease we often do not recommend the extra cost since the disease will not typically harm your lawn.  Be sure to avoid late evening irrigation so your lawn does not remain wet throughout the night.

I have already begun seeing some trees in our area in which the leaves are beginning to change color and some are actually dropping already.  With excessive heat and humidity a plant or tree finds it difficult to keep up with water and cooling requirements, even if the soil moisture is at a normal level.  The main way a plant cools itself off is by transpiration which is the evaporation of water from the plants foliage.  When our relative humidty is high, traspirations is slowed down and the plant finds it more difficult to cool off.  This problem inhibits the plants ability to take up adequate moisture from the ground and thus photosynthesis is reduced, leaving the plant stressed.

Stressed plants and trees are far more susceptible to many pests and disease than perfectly healthy plants.  Recently we have had very warm and even wetter conditions that will allow for fungal and bacterial spores to beigin attacking stressed plants.  Many plants and trees that are under these kind of stressors will initiate what appears to be fall color change and eventually drop foliage at an earlier time than normal.  If these plants and trees are fairly healthy up to this point they will likely recover next spring fairly well.  The plants that have gotten some of the insect or disease problems may succumb to the stress.  Although we seem to face many issues in our landscape with these extreme environmental factors one thing is certain:  nature repairs itself well and will continue on.

Life Cycle

Yellow nutsedge is a perennial plant in our area and overwinter very well.  Although the plant will die back in the fall like other perennials the nutsedge rhizomes remain underground and survive the winter temperatures well enough to sprout the falling spring when soil temperatures reach 43 degrees.  Most of the rhizomes in the soil will survive 1-3 years and each new plant will produce many more rhizomes throughout the growing season.

Damage

Nutsedge is a problem in lawns because it grows much quicker than the surrounding lawn and is a lighter green color than the grass, which results in an uneven lawn.  In landscape beds, nutsedge will emerge through mulch and stone causing a weedy landscape.

Management

Removing nut sedge plants is the long term solution to the problem but it is also a daunting task.  The older the plant gets the more rhizomes it has produced.  You may be able to pull all of the plants in a flower bed but do not be surprised when the rhizomes underground begin to produce new plants.  The quicker the new plants can be pulled the less time they have to produce more rhizomes.  Chemical control may be the only feasible control of this weed but unfortunately it is not very effective.  Glyphosate (Round-up) will kill many new seedlings but it does not do very well with more mature plants that have a better, waxy coating on their leaves.  The biggest problem with this control is that the spray is non-selective and will kill anything that it is sprayed on.  Also, it will not have any control on the underground tubers produced by the plant.  Other selective sprays can be applied on your lawn by a professional and this new technology will kill nutsedge plants while leaving your turf grass safe.  Again, these sprays will not control the underground tubers so several, and often expensive, applications will need to be done at the appropriate times throughout the year.  Either way, nutsedge is a problem in East Central Indiana now and will become worse as it progresses.

The Japanese beetle adults pupate from larvae in late spring and they begin to emerge from the ground this time of the year.  Once emerging they begin to feed on what often seems to be only your favorite plants. Plants particularly at risk include those that have been recently transplanted or those that are stressed for one reason or another. Favorites for Japanese beetle include linden, crab apple, plum, and other fruit trees, rose bushes, grapes, and several garden variety vegetables.  Watch out for the plants in your landscape that have red leafs.  Though it’s impossible to protect all trees and ornamentals in any particular landscape, a few select plants can be protect by physical (netting or picking off the beetles each day) or chemical controls (Sevin, Orthene, Malathion, Azadirachtin or any of several pyrethroids). Repeat applications of these insecticides are required to provide protection for the two months or so during which these beetles are feeding.

During the next two months, these beetles will mate and the females will lay eggs in the turf. Females look for areas that can be easily burrowed into, and thus irrigated soils of golf courses, lawns, and athletic fields are often infested, especially in drier years. Adult females also prefer to lay eggs in lower cut turf.  Aside from the physical damage to many plants, Japanese beetles can have a great deal of harm on our lawns as well.  Although there are many grub species in Indiana today, the grubs from Japanese beetles can cause the dying of large spots in our lawns if untreated.  As the new eggs hatch the larvae begin to feed on the turf grasses root system cutting off the water supply to parts of your lawn.  Most of this damage can be seen in your lawn in early September so it is imperative to have a grub control on your lawn before the end of July.  Two very effective grub control products include imidacloprid (Merit) and halofenozide (Mach 2). A more recent addition to the professional market is clothianidin (Arena) and results to date show that clothianidin is just as efficacious as imidacloprid and halofenozide. These products are long-lasting and are most effective if applied from late June through July. As with all insecticides, it is critical to follow the label directions exactly when making applications.

If grub insecticides fail or turf areas are unprotected, symptoms may begin to show up in September. Drought stress, loose turf that rolls up like a carpet, and in the worst case, skunk and raccoon damage are definite symptoms of grub damage. Dylox is the most commonly used insecticide at this time because it will attack the feeding larvae.  Regardless, at this late stage, grub control products must be watered in thoroughly and may require 7-10 days to produce results, so don’t rush to a second application.

Grubs are too large to control by October, plus the returning rains will probably limit damage. As the temperatures cool, the grubs cease feeding and move down as much as 1 foot into the soil profile. Grubs contain a form of antifreeze so even the coldest of winters doesn’t affect survival. Thus, insecticides are no longer recommended at this time.

Although they can be a true pain for any homeowner, Japanese beetles are likely here to stay and there are controls that can limit their damage to our landscapes.  Knowing the critical dates of control along with the correct pesticide is crucial in limiting their damage.  If you have any other questions please reply at anytime or refer to Turf Tip 7/05/06 at Purdue Agronomy.  Article written by Mike Van Horn.

Sometimes when I look at an area of thin grass I try to evaluate whether or not the area needs turf grass or if there is another alternative than a lawn.  Some homeowners may be better off to turn the area into a landscape bed with a shade tolerant groundcover or even mulched or gravel paths.  For many shaded areas it may be more practical and more attractive to use something rather than turf grass.  Unfortunately, some homeowners have large areas that turf grass is the only alternative so I will list a few suggestions to help improve these areas in the shade.

Pruning

Selectively cutting back limbs and removing small trees will allow better penetration of sunlight and also increase air circulation in shaded areas.  This practice can have some success but will need to be repeated yearly or every other year as the areas fill back in. 

Mowing

As with all areas of your lawn, it is crucial to mow at a 3-3.5 inch height.  Mowing at this height will allow for increased photosynthesis and will also increase the depth of the turf grasses root system.

Irrigation

Most often, shaded areas are over-watered versus lack of water.  Deep and less frequent irrigation is more beneficial than shallow, frequent irrigation.  This practice will help reduce disease pressure in these areas.

Traffic

High traffic on weak turf grass is deadly for these areas.  Like all parts of your lawn, increased traffic compacts soil and weakens already stressed turf grass.

Fertilization and Pest Management

Shaded turf grass grows far less than turf grass in the sun thus it needs less fertilizer than a sun loving lawn.  Applying 1.0 # of Nitrogen per 1000ft2 in September and again in November should be plenty for the year.  Unfortunately, weak areas in all lawns allow weed and disease to take over as well.   Shade-loving broadleaves such as wild violets or ground ivy have a huge advantage in shaded areas and will often thrive over turf grass.   These weeds are difficult to control and even when you are successful at controlling them the turf grass is slow to fill the areas back in. 

Over-seeding

Over-seeding may be the only management to this problem but does not always prove to be easy.  Early fall seeding (mid-August to mid-September) is the best time to seed cool season grasses.  If is crucial however to maintain regular irrigation and fertilization to encourage the best germination rate.  Also, be sure to keep falling leaves off of the area to allow maximum sunlight to the new seedlings.  While all turf grasses perform best in the full sun versus the shade, some grass species will perform better in the shade.  In most of the state, tall fescues or fine-fescues are the best choices for shady areas.  Consider using the following mixes for the shade:

100% tall fescue

50% fine fescue & 50% Kentucky Bluegrass

50% Fine fescue, 30% Kentucky Bluegrass & 20% perennial rye grass

Article was written by Mike Van Horn.  If you have any questions please feel free to reply at anytime.  Thanks!!!!

Moles are a gray, furry, mammal that are well suited for life underground.  They have a very high metabolism rate which requires them to search for food virtually all day long, tunneling as much as 100 feet per day.  In this search for food the moles main diet is the earthworm although they do feed on other insects such as grubs.  Controlling grubs in your lawn will not prevent moles since they mainly diet on earthworms, therefore, a grub free lawn will not control them.  Wives tales like this and controlling moles with Juicy Fruit gum and castor beans will only keep homeowners from finding real solutions.  Moles are not rodents and cannot be baited using rodent foods such as poison peanuts or rodenticides that claim to kill moles nor have any mechanism that claim to drive moles away  been proven to be effective.

How do we get rid of them?  There are only two methods that we know of to be effective in removing moles. (1) Use bait that they are attracted to or (2) physically remove them via trapping. 

There is a new bait that is now on the market that looks and smells like an earthworm but has a chemical in it called Bromethalin that is lethal to the mole.  Place this bait in one of the moles runs and they will ingest it assuming that it is part of its typical diet.  Trapping also works very well but may take some practice to master the placement of them.  Find a straight run that may be along concrete or a driveway and check if the mole is using this run by stomping down on it with your foot.  If this run is repaired the next day it is a likely that this run is active and a good place to set your bait or trap.  Either way it may take some work to find an effective way to finally solve this problem that many homeowners face.   Mole baits and traps can be found at most hardware and farm supply stores placed right in the middle of other products that simply do not work.  Good luck!!!

Article was written by Mike Van Horn please respond if you have any questions.  Thanks!!!

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