Frequently Asked Questions
I just got a treatment, how long should I wait before I can walk on my lawn?
The standard re-entry time is 2 hours. This is the amount of time that is recommended on the product label, that allows for proper drying time and adequent time for the product to soak into the plant. This holds true for both liquid and granular applications, because remember, even though you may have had a granular fertilizer, you are also getting a spot treatment of liquid weed control on any existing weeds in your lawn.
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I just got a treatment, and now it’s raining?
At Lakeland we like to provide the best service possible. Our trained technicians are always aware of the weather conditions and use their best judgement when applying your treatments. In general, all technicians will stop applying treatments 2 hours prior to a heavy rainfall to ensure effective results. This holds true for applications that may be affected from the rain. Keep in mind, some applications benefit from rainfall. If you have any questions or concerns whether your treatment will be affected, please feel free to contact the office.
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What is crabgrass and can it be controlled?
Crabgrass is a widely distributed annual that germinates throughout the summer. Seedlings sprout quickly, forming a clump with extensive roots where soil is moist. Once established, it is difficult to weed out because it roots at the nodes. The large crabgrass seedling is pale green and covered with coarse hairs. Plants form open clumps up to 2 feet tall. Smooth crabgrass can be distinguished from large crabgrass by its shorter, wider leaf, and lack of hairs; it is most often found in turf grass.
The best time to control crabgrass is in spring, generally before May 15th. At that time, a pre-emergent is put down that sets a barrier on the soil to prevent crabgrass from germinating.
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What is quack grass and can it be controlled?
Quack grass is an aggressive perennial that is classified as an undesirable grass and commonly mistaken for a weed. It can invade lawns from surrounding ditches and farm fields. Quack grass can also be introduced into the landscape via contaminated sod or with the soil of other landscape plants that are planted into or near a lawn.
Quack grass is not controlled with weed control, so your regularly scheduled weed control & fertilizer applications are not going to rid your lawn of this undesirable grass. A few ways to control quack grass is to either pull or dig out the areas of your lawn that are affected. Round up can be used to kill of areas of larger concentrations of quack, so reseeding can be done. The best practice in controlling quack grass is to keep your lawn nice and thick. A thick lawn leaves little room for unwanted weeds and undesirable grasses to take over. To maintain a thick, lush lawn regularly scheduled lawn applications are recommended along with proper routine maintenance.
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What is tall fescue and can it be controlled?
Tall fescue is a grass that is often used as a lawn grass, but will cause a weedy appearance when mixed with bluegrass or ryegrass. A bunch grass, it forms unsightly, coarse clumps in lawns. Also used in agriculture, it can invade home lawns from agricultural lands, ditches, or when lawns are planted on former agricultural land. Contaminated sod may introduce it, and it is often planted by the unwary homeowner by using low quality seed.
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I have ants! How do I get rid of them?
Our Lawn Pest Control Program is guaranteed control of ants, fleas, ticks, spiders, earwigs, etc. in your lawn when you use our 4 application program.
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Why do I need aeration?
Aeration helps lawns by breaking up the thatch layer. Too much thatch may house insects and diseases, prevents pesticides from reaching the pests in the soil such as grubs or crabgrass seed, and reduce the effectiveness of fertilizers and watering. Thatch is a layer of undecomposed and partially decomposed plant material tightly interwoven with living tissue between the soil surface and green vegetation. A moderate layer of thatch (less than 3/4 inch thick) is good. It protects the growing point of the grass, and moderates changes in soil temperature.
Aeration also reduces compaction problems. Compacted soil reduces the amount of oxygen to the roots, restricts root growth, and limits water absorption. Aeration creates holes in the soil allowing oxygen and water to get deep into the soil, which encourages a deeper root growth. Deeper roots improve nutrient and water intake, which encourages grass growth and results in a denser turf that helps to crowd out unwanted weeds.
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When is aeration needed?
- When soil is compacted
- When the thatch layer is more than a half inch thick
- Before overseeding turf
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I hear a lot of people talk about grubs… what are they and why should I be concerned?
Grubs are c-shaped, white or gray larvae of beetles that feast on the roots of your grasses. If they are not treated properly they have the potential to leave nothing behind but dead turf.
If you suspect a grub problem look for: large irregular brown patches in the grass that can be rolled back like a loose carpet. If 2-5 grubs are found per square foot, an insecticide applications should be applied. Moles, skunks, or raccoons in your yard can indicate a grub problem because these animals feast on grubs. Damage is common in midsummer.
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What are grubs… and how can I prevent them from destroying my lawn?
Chances are good, that you have either experienced first hand or know someone that has had their lawn destroyed by grubs. We are pleased to inform you that there is prevention for this problem. We like to call our preventative grub control application “insurance for your lawn”.
White grubs eat the roots of grasses and other plants. Where grubs are few, turf may look healthy because grass plants may develop new roots as fast as grubs eat the old ones. Depending on the grub species, grub populations averaging five or more per square foot can damage the root system and cause unhealthy, turf above ground. Damaged turf will readily “roll-up” like a rug.
Turf grass roots normally grow rapidly in the spring and fall, and slowly during summer. Therefore, problems with grubs are greatest in summer because roots don’t recover normally. Inadequate soil moisture may increase the problem since the few healthy roots have no moisture to take up. For this season, grub damage typically shows up during the normally drier months of August and early September, although grubs may have been feeding earlier in the summer depending on the grub species.
There are two approaches to controlling grubs: preventative (before the damage occurs) and curative (when lawns show damage). Sometimes both approaches are needed to adequately control grubs. Preventative treatments must be in place when eggs are laid. This will provide up to 95% control of white grubs. Curative treatments provide effective control of young white grubs; larger grubs are more difficult to control. Curative insecticides offer 50-75% control.
If you are interested in more information on grubs and our services to control these pests, please contact the office. A quote for the preventative application can be given over the phone. If you are interested in scheduling this service, be sure to contact the office before the end of June. The technicians will be applying the preventative application during the end of June thru mid-July.
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Why would I need to overseed my lawn?
One reason why you might want to overseed your lawn is that your lawn is thin. A thin lawn means more room for unwanted weed or undesireable grasses to make their way into you lawn. By overseeding and existing lawn, you are going dramatically thicken up your lawn making it much more dense, leaving no room for weeds or undesireable grasses such as quack grass to grow. Another reason you might want to overseed is if you had insect damage in the past that has left you with bare areas. Similar to a thin lawn, these bare are leave lots of room for weeds to grow and rapidly spread. The third reason why you might want to overseed is to introduce new species of grass into your lawn. We can customize to you needs and desires. For example, some new species of grass are much more durable than others and they can tolerate the abuse of high traffic and summer stress much better.
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When is the best time to overseeding the lawn?
To get the best results, overseeding should be done in fall. September is generally the best time of the year because the weather conditions are most favorable.
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What is an Invasive Plant?
An invasive plant is any plant that is not native to the environment in which it is found. They are generally considered to be aggressive and act in a manner that is not compatible with other plant species present. These non-native species come to our environment from a number of origins, including those that arrive in the bilge waters of ships from other countries, those that may have been intentionally planted for decorative purposed, and those that arrive through a number of “accidental” means.
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Why is it so important to control Invasive Plants?
Invasive plants in most cases will try to take over the environment in which they have become established by crowding out the native species. They also may corrupt the soil so that in the future other native plants are unable to grow in those locations. In addition, taller invasive plants can even keep native plants from growing by shading the area with their canopy of foliage and keeping the sunlight from providing normal growth patterns.
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How can Invasive Plants be effectively controlled?
The most comprehensive plans for controlling invasive plant species currently include a multi-stage approach. Individual situations and specific plant materials will dictate the best approach for a given control program. An inspection of the property must be made in order to determine the best management practice to be employed. In most cases, a combination of burning, mowing, & herbicide application will provide the most effective management and control of invasive plants.
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What are the most common Invasive Plants in our region?
The invasive plants that we are most concerned about include:
- Phragmites (Phragmites Australis)
- Garlic Mustard (Alliara Petiolata)
- Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus Cathartica)
- Glossy Buckthorn (Rhamnus Frangula)
- Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum Cuspidaturn)
- Common Teasel (Dipsacus Fullonum Sylvestris)
- Dames Rocket (Hesperis Matronalis)
- Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris Arundinacea)
- Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca Sativa)
- Purple Loosetrife (Lythrum Salicaria)
In addition to these species, there are a number of other invasive plants in our area that pose the same threats. New infestations and species are constantly being discovered. It is therefore very important to seek professional help in controlling these difficult problems on our lands and waterways. Lakeland Lawn Care is committed to developing and executing the best strategies for dealing with these complex challenges. -Top- |
