Taking off the Heat

Posted on June 28, 2010 in News Alert

Dr. Matthew Bouchard says seniors — especially with chronic medical conditions — and people on certain medications should consult their doctors for specific advice on how they can stay healthy during the early summer heat wave.

Some medicines for high blood pressure, mental health and allergies can impair the process that allows the body to get rid of heat and could put a person at higher risk for heat-related illnesses, Bouchard said.

“There’s also that element of confusion you find in some elderly people when they’re in an extremely hot environment and can’t find the means to get adequately cooled,” Bouchard said. “A lot of the serious heat-related illnesses we see [at Altoona Regional] are people who are in a hot environment and have limited ability to get into air conditioning. So, if you know someone who may be at risk of that, whether it’s a neighbor or a relative, it’s always a good idea to check up on them during these hot days.”

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Tips on Controlling Bermuda grass

Posted on June 28, 2010 in Garden Tips, Lawn Care Tips

Do Lawn Work in Spring or Fall
Bermuda is the ultimate summer grass. To keep Bermuda grass away from your garden, be sure to fertilize the grass you DO want in the spring and fall when Bermuda grass is less susceptible to take the encouragement as well.

Do Not Fertilize During Summer Months
This logically means that you shouldn’t fertilize during the summer months. Bermuda Grass will thrive off of the fertilizer exactly when you don’t want it to.

Last Resort: Start from Scratch
Most non-selective herbicides will eradicate all plants in your garden, but if any of the plants survive, Bermuda grass, a true survivor, will be one of the most likely to.

Because it is so difficult to get 100-percent coverage of Bermuda grass eradication, only reseed in September when you’re pretty sure all the Bermuda is gone. Some gardeners recommend that you go through several rounds of herbicide before reseeding (in September). The idea being to let the Bermuda grass continue to expose itself until you’ve got it once and for all.

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When Mowing Kills Your Grass

Posted on June 28, 2010 in Lawn Care Tips

First, let’s look at the how and why of proper hot-weather mowing. In the middle of your hottest months, the surface of your closely cropped lawn can easily climb two dozen degrees above the outdoor air temperature. Heat is a killer. So is moisture loss, which occurs when you cut the lawn too frequently during high temperatures. Heat-stressed, dry lawns are extremely susceptible to insects, spotting, weeds, and root disease as they try to heal from literally being scalped.

Properly mowed lawns, on the other hand, retain moisture, fostering deeper root growth, and the healthy blades of grass produce more of the nutrients necessary for your lawn to thrive in difficult conditions.

Sharpen Your Mower Blades, and Your Technique
Sharp blades cut–not shred–your grass. It’s important to realize that mowing actually creates a routine lawn injury. Minimize damage by using sharp blades and mowing in cooler morning or evening hours–but only when the lawn is dry. In summer months, you may have to mow more frequently, but always mow at a higher cut. If you’re cutting more than 1/3 of the total height of the grass, you’re scalping it.

Here are some suggested mowing heights based on your grass type:

  • Fine fescue: 2 1/2″-3 1/2″
  • Zoysiagrass: 1/2″-1″
  • Kentucky bluegrass: 2 1/2″-3″
  • St. Augustine grass: 3″-3 1/2″
  • Centipede grass: 1-1 1/2″
  • Tall fescue: 2 1/2″-3 1/2″
  • Perennial Ryegrass: 2 1/2″-3″
  • Bermuda grass: 1/2″-1″
  • Zoysiagrass: 1/2″-1″

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10 Steps to Become CrabGrass Free

Posted on June 28, 2010 in free lawn care help, Lawn Care Company, Lawn Care Tips
  1. Like all weeds, the number one crabgrass prevention is maintaining a healthy lawn. Make sure that your beautiful grass is thick enough to cover your yard. Without sunlight reaching the soil, crabgrass can’t take root.
  2. Don’t mow your grass too low as crabgrass will take advantage of the increased sunlight at dirt-level. Two and a half to three inches should be about right.
  3. Try to remove crabgrass as soon as you see it. Crabgrass is so fertile that an innocuous appearance can quickly turn into a full-blown grass patch.
  4. Mulch the soil after removing crabgrass. This helps ensure that whatever roots remain don’t take seed and ruin your lawn grass later.
  5. Heavily water the area you are weeding before removing the crabgrass. The dampness will loosen up the dirt and make removal easier.
  6. Make sure you get the entire root. Crabgrass is a tenacious weed. In the right conditions, its roots will grow wherever they touch soil.
  7. Only use chemicals as a last resort. A herbicide that only kills crabgrass doesn’t exist, so other plants will always be vulnerable to chemical treatment.
  8. Pre-emergent chemicals do exist, but it is hard to decide when is best to apply these preventive chemicals. If you apply them too early, their effects will fade, and the crabgrass might take hold later. If you apply the chemicals too late, the crabgrass may already be there.
  9. Always use gloves to protect your hands when gardening, especially when using chemicals,
  10.  Be reasonable. Crabgrass is difficult to ever completely root out, but you can get most of it and enjoy a beautiful grass lawn

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Lawn Grubs, They Eat Your Lawns Roots

Posted on June 28, 2010 in free lawn care help, Insects, Lawn Care Tips

Diagnose the Problem
First, you have to make sure you actually have lawn grubs. If you have moles, it’s pretty much a guarantee you have grubs. If you don’t have moles, but patches of your lawn are dying and easily pulled up (thanks to severely damaged roots) that’s a definite sign too. To make sure, dig into your soil a little. If you see small white creatures that look like larvae, you have grubs.

Treat at the Right Time
You may want to treat lawn grubs immediately, but if you go after them too early in the spring, you’ll spend a lot of time and money without killing many grubs. Around June, lawn grubs hit the stage where they go to town on your lawn, but also where they’re most susceptible to insecticide. That’s the time to treat your lawn.

Go Deep
Lawn grubs can be tenacious little creatures. To really kill them, you have to make sure the insecticide gets down to where they’re hiding out. If you treat your lawn and aerate it, the poison will penetrate down to the levels it needs to. Wearing spike shoes will do the trick too (although you should avoid the spike shoes if you already have compacted soil).

You may have to repeat your insecticide application, but once you’ve taken care of the lawn grub problem, you’ll be both grub- and mole-free.

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