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Lawn Fertilizing Service in Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County Michigan. Award-Winning Lawn Fertilizing Service by a Master Gardener. Master Gardener Lawn Care’s lawn fertilizing service has come across this turfgrass alert from Kevin Frank from Michigan State University and we would like to share it with our clients in Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County, Michigan. Master Gardener Lawn Care has also seen some heat tracks on lawns in Macomb, Oakland and Berrien Counties. Like Kevin says in the memo below, the turf will recover once water is applied. It may take up to 3 weeks to fully restore it’s normal color. Try to keep up with proper watering to avoid this from happening to your lawn. Heat tracking damage on lawns Traffic from people or mowers on turf that is under stress from high temperatures may result in heat tracking damage. Published June 24, 2011 Kevin Frank, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences The hot weather from a couple of weeks ago resulted in another outbreak of heat tracking on lawns. For the lack of a better term, I call the damage imposed from any sort of trafficking on heat or drought stressed turf “heat tracking.” Often, heat tracking is the result of mowers running over the turf when it is near the wilting point. The resultant damage may look like RoundUp was on the tires of the equipment. If the lawn is starting to look blueish or you notice foot printing on the turf, it’s likely that any sort of traffic (mowers or people) will result in heat tracking. The only way to really avoid this damage is to avoid mowing during the hottest time of the day when the turf is under stress. Although heat tracking damage can look really bad, the good news is the recent rains and cool temperatures should help the turf recover within a week or two.
Our Lawn Fertilizing Service branch in Berrien County Michigan has an unique issue in that there is a large population of Zoysia grass. Award-Winning Lawn Fertilizing Service by a Master Gardener. Master Gardener Lawn Care’s lawn fertilizing service receives a few calls each spring from clients in Berrien County, Michigan for Zoysia grass. A growing problem in our area is the unwanted spread of zoysia grass. So what is zoysia and why is it a problem? Zoysia is a warm season grass originating in Asia ranging from China, Korea, and Japan to the Philippines. Originally brought to the United States from the Philippine’s as a lawn grass, various species thrive along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic coast of Florida. Korean strands of zoysia work well in southern California while Chinese and Japanese varieties do up the Atlantic coast as far as Maryland. Due to a very deep root system zoysia grass in resistant to drought although they do turn brown after the first cold blasts of the year. In our northern states they are slow to green up. In addition to the deep route system zoysia spreads by both rhizomes and stolons. These are horizontal stems or shoots, below and above ground respectively, which very slowly fill in areas in which it is planted.   When used in these warm climate area’s zoysia provides a thick green carpet of grass that requires little maintenance. So why is zoysia a problem grass? The three main reasons are: it is an invasive grass; in our climate it is brown for most of the season; and it is slow growing. The last of these can actually be a benefit when trying to control zoysia in our growing zone. Zoyzia will not only fill in bare areas of your property, it will crowd out any and all other species you are cultivating. After it has conquered your lot it will begin attacking your flower beds and migrating to your neighbors lawn.  Do you like looking at hay fields? Our cooler spring and fall weather promotes extended dormancy in zoysia grasses. Greening in mid to late June and turning brown with the first cool winds of September zoysia will provide an unsightly mess for half of our growing season. The problem of slow growth zoysia provides to southern growers can actually be a help to us. With early recognition the northern home owner can spot treat at the first signs zoysia is trying to establish itself in their lawn. The best defense against the spread of zoysia is to establish a solid border around the area you are trying to protect. Wide metal edging will work best; it must be deep, at least six inches below ground, and high, two or more inches showing above grass level. This will prevent the rhizomes from traveling underground and keep the stolons at bay ass they try to creep through on the soils surface. When you first discover zoysia has found its way into your lawn is the time to attack. Complete eradication is the only solution to controlling its spread. Spot treatment with a non-selective herbicide such as Round-up will kill every plant in the section treated.  Treating a small section and reseeding the affected area will prove easier than postponing the inevitable for a few years. Eventually the ever spreading zoysia will drive anyone who cares about their lawn into action. When the grass has taken over a yard, drastic measures will be needed to eradicate the nuisance grass. In any attempt to rid a lawn of zoysia grass it is important to wait until the hot weather of July and August when the grass is growing. This will ensure the plant is ready to absorb the herbicide. When going for a total kill at least two applications of Roundup Super Concentrate are recommended. The Super Concentrate will cost more but has a 50.2% mixture of the active ingredient Glyphosphate, isopropylamine salt. After mixing the solution per directions thoroughly soak the area to be treated being sure to treat every blade. Do not cut the lawn for two weeks. This allows the plant to completely take up the herbicide. After this time cut the grass and repeat the application. After two weeks it will be necessary to decide if another application is required. It would be a good idea to take this step now rather than assume the plant is dead. The zoysia roots are notoriously difficult to completely kill. Make the third application just as before and again let the grass grow. After two weeks cut the lawn as short as possible and wait at least a week. You will be looking for any sign of fresh growth, if none are found you can be prepping for reseeding or laying sod. About the Author Mark Morris is the founder of Master Gardener Lawn Care Berrien County Michigan.  Mark’s Company, Master Gardener Lawn Care, provides an organic based lawn fertilizing service in St Joseph, Benton Harbor, Coloma, Stevensville and other areas along the western Michigan shoreline. Master Gardener Lawn Care was established in 1991 and provides lawn fertilizing service, core aeration, weed control, soil testing and insect control. For more information on our lawn care and lawn fertilizing services or to request a free lawn care analysis please visit our Free Lawn Fertilizing Service Estimate page on the mastergardenerlawncare.com website Â
 Lawn Fertilizing Service in Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County, Michigan Lawn mowing tip by Award-Winning Lawn Fertilizing Service and lawn care company, Master Gardener Lawn Care. Operating Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County, Michigan . We would like to share this video from our friend Ron Calhoun of Michigan State University. We can not stress enough the importance of mowing your lawn high. All of our clients that mow high have the greenest and healthiest lawns in their neighborhoods.  Scrip from the video: “Hello, I’m Ron Calhoun from MSU Extension and I’m getting ready to mow today and it made me think about the most common mistake that most home owners make and that is mowing their lawn entirely too short. You know the misconception is that if you mow your lawn short you can actually not mow as often. Where the reality is the shorter you mow your lawn, the more often you’re going to have to mow it otherwise you’re going to scalp it. Also, mowing too short is going to lead to more weeds in your lawn. So as we think about raising the mower up. We are actually going to be allowing our self to have a longer interval to when were mowing. It’s going to lead us to fewer weeds in our lawn and were going to have a lawn that’s going to stay greener longer during the summer time. Another advantage of raising the mowing height is that it actually makes it a lot easier to return the clipping into the lawn. Meaning I can get rid of this bag. And take those clippings that have a lot of nutrients in them and return them back into the lawn. For more information go to MSU.EDU.”  About the Author Patrick Wesley is a Master Gardener and founder of Master Gardener Lawn Care located in Macomb County, Michigan.  Pat’s Company, Master Gardener Lawn Care, provides an organic based lawn fertilizing service throughout Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County, Michigan.  Master Gardener Lawn Care was established in 1991 and provides lawn fertilizing service, core aeration, weed control, soil testing and insect control. For more information on our lawn fertilizing services or to request a free lawn care analysis please visit our Free Lawn Fertilizing Service Estimate page.
Lawn Fertilizing Service in Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County Michigan.  Award-Winning Lawn Fertilizing Service by a Master Gardener.  Master Gardener Lawn Care’s lawn fertilizing service has come across this outstanding article by Terry Davis from Michigan State University and we would like to share it with our clients in Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County, Michigan. Understanding lawn grub control products Which products work for grubs and when to use them on your lawn Published April 13, 2011 Terry Davis, Michigan State University Extension, Department of Entomology It is that time of year again. Lawns are starting to green up nicely, especially with the occasional rains. However, I have noticed patches in some lawns that are not turning green. Sometimes, a flock of birds will be observed working around the dead patches. These patches, in non-irrigated lawns, may be due to grubs. Make sure the problem is grubs Before doing anything to control grubs or even to re-seed an area that is not starting to turn green, it is important to make sure that the problem is indeed grubs. If you see a dead patch, dig up a few shovelfuls of soil at the edge of the bare spot and look for 1-inch long, C-shaped grubs. These are more than likely the larvae of European chafer if they are found in non-irrigated turfgrass. European chafer can devastate a lawn with little warning because the adult beetles are not visible to the average person. They do not become active until sunset during late June and early July and can easily be missed as they move out of the soil and congregate in trees. Since they move back into the grass and lay eggs about 11 PM, the average person would never notice them. European chafer grubs can now be found in all of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Japanese beetle grubs also feed on turf roots in home lawns, but they are not as much a problem as European chafer. Japanese beetles like to lay their eggs on irrigated turf like golf courses and athletic fields. They will live in home lawns but rarely cause turf damage because they avoid dry soils. Both Japanese beetle and European chafer lay most of their eggs in July. The eggs hatch about 10 days later. It is important to realize that healthy turf, especially if there is plenty of rain in the spring and fall can support a grub population of 5 grubs per square foot with no visible turf damage. A lawn should be mowed at 3.5 to 4.0 inches in height and properly fertilized to maximize root growth. If the grub population is high, or if there is a history of damage in an area, it may be necessary to consider using chemicals for grub control. What you’ll find on the store shelves I went to several of the local lawn and garden centers in the Lansing area to see what kinds of products are available that specifically claim they will work to control grubs. The number of products available that listed grubs on the bag ranged from five to nine depending on which store I checked. The profusion of different products can be rather mystifying. I found three types of products that indicated on the bag that they would control grubs: 1) preventive products, 2) curative products and 3) the occasional product that the manufacturers would like to think might control grubs (but won’t). Curative compounds should be applied when the grubs are present and active. Approaching grub control from the curative standpoint avoids unnecessary applications of chemical, but is not as effective as the preventive products. Preventive compounds must be applied at the time of egg hatching or when grubs are small to be effective. The first critical issue is to determine what active ingredient the product contains by looking at the label. Look on the bag at the lower right or left corner to determine what and how much active ingredient is in the product. PREVENTIVE products to prevent grubs next fall (2011) and spring (2012) Products containing imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, halofenozide, chlothianidin or chlorantraniloprole WILL NOT CONTROL GRUBS IN THE SPRING. They are preventive products that work very well on newly hatched grubs, but do not work well for large grubs. There are different recommended timings for application depending on the ingredient you buy. Although the bag often says apply anytime from May to August 15, it is highly recommended that products containing imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin or halofenazide be applied and irrigated into the soil during June or July. If applied in the spring or fall, they will have little or no effect on the grubs currently in the lawn and may degrade slightly by the time the grubs hatch-out in late July. Preventative applications should target the newly hatched grubs. Therefore, it’s best to apply preventative products prior to July 15 so that rainfall can incorporate the material into the soil to control the grubs for that fall and the following spring. There is a new active ingredient called chlorantraniliprole that is also very effective in preventing grub problems, but it is less water soluble than the preventive compounds mentioned above. Since it takes quite a bit longer to move down to where the grubs will be, it is best to apply a product containing chorantraniliprole in late April or early May for it to be most effective when the grubs hatch in July and August. CURATIVE products: What to use in the spring or fall Any product that contains carbaryl (Sevin) or trichlorfon (Dylox) will work well when applied in the spring (from March to mid-May) or in the fall (September 1 to November 1). Our research has indicated that carbaryl has been a little more consistent on European chafer grubs than trichlorfon. Both compounds work equally well on Japanese beetle grubs. These are considered curative compounds as opposed to the preventive compounds in the previous section above, and will kill the grubs currently in the ground. It is necessary to irrigate after applying any curative product to get the chemical to the grubs. Run a lawn sprinkler for at least 60 minutes over treated areas (fill a bucket to 1/2 inch). It will take 10 to 14 days for the grubs to begin to die. One trichlorfon product called Bayer Advanced 24 Hour Grub Control seems to indicate by the name that it will kill grubs in 24 hours. However, I doubt that any of the insecticides will kill grubs in the soil in much less than 5 days unless there is a very heavy rain and very warm temperatures the day of application. Do not apply any curative compounds after May 15 as the grubs stop feeding in late May. These “curative” compounds will typically give 60 to 70 percent control of grubs. If grubs are present in a lawn in high numbers, it is advisable to wait for a week after applying a chemical control before reseeding. DO NOT USE THESE for grub control: Products that will not control grubs at any time DO NOT USE products containing ONLY lambda-cyhalothrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, cyfluthrin or permethrin for grub control. PRODUCTS CONTAINING ONLY THESE INGREDIENTS WILL NOT WORK FOR GRUB CONTROL when applied to the soil surface as the actie compound will bind with organic material and will not move down to where the grubs are feeding. These products work well for above-ground feeding insects that live on the grass leaves or soil surface but not for insects that feed on the roots. There are a few combination products that include one of the above mentioned chemicals and imidacloprid or clothianidin. These products will work because they include a product that will move down to where the grubs are feeding. But I did find one product that said it would control grubs that contained only gamma-cyhalothrin. We tested this product in 2006 and the results were the same as doing nothing at all. A final note about combination products There are several turf products containing two active chemicals: a grub control product and a surface insect control product. They will contain one of the preventive grub compounds and one of the compounds mentioned in the category above as ineffective for grubs. These will work fine for grubs if used as described for the preventive grub control. But if there is no need for surface insect control, it would be best not to use a combination product. There are many insects that are predators of other insects, and there are many species of insects and arthropods that do beneficial things to turf that are all very negatively impacted by unnecessary insecticide applications. In summary Check the bag to determine what active ingredient the product contains. Do not use products containing only lambda-cyhalothin, gamma-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, cyfluthrin or permethrin for any phase of grub control. Do not use preventive compounds such as halfenozide, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, or imidacloprid now. Use them in June or July to control grubs that would be damaging turf in the fall. The preventive compound chloraniliprole should be applied in late April or Early May to control grubs that would be damaging turf in the fall, as it will take longer for the material to move to where the grubs will be feeding in July. To kill grubs in the spring Â(or fall), use carbaryl or trichlorfon and irrigate. Always wear rubber gloves and rubber boots when applying insecticides to turfgrass. Make sure to irrigate the lawn with at least a half inch of water and allow the grass to dry before allowing anyone (or pets) into the treated area. Store insecticides products in a locked cabinet inaccessible to children. Products available Below is a short list of products now being sold for grub control as of April 6, 2011 in the four stores I checked in Mid-Michigan. Gardentech Sevin Lawn Insect Granules carbaryl 2.0% Apply in spring or fall to active grubs. (local distributors name) Lawn Insect Control and Fertilizer Carbaryl 4.3% and fertilizer Apply in spring or fall to active grubs. Bayer Advanced 24 hr Grub Killer Plus trichlorfon 9.3% Apply in spring or fall to active grubs. Scotts Grub-Ex chlorantraniliprole 0.08% Apply between April 15 and May 15 for best results. Bonide Grub Beater imidacloprid 0.5% Apply between June 1 and July 15 for best results. Bayer Advanced Season Long Grub Control and Turf Revitalizer imidacloprid 0.25% and fertilizer Apply between June 1 and July 15 for best results. Bayer Advanced Season Long Grub Control imidacloprid 0.25% Apply between June 1 and July 15 for best results. Bayer Advanced Complete Insect Killer cyfluthrin 0.05% and imidacloprid 0.15% Apply between June 1 and July 15 for best results. Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer Once and Done Granules gamma-cyhalothrin 0.05% Will not kill grubs at any rate.  Master Gardener Lawn Care, provides an organic based lawn fertilizing service in Macomb Township, Shelby Township, Washington Township, Chesterfield Township, New Baltimore, Clinton Township, Warren, Sterling Heights in Macomb County, Rochester Hills, Troy Royal Oak, Berkley Huntington Wood in Oakland County and St Joseph, Benton Harbor, Coloma, Steve in Berrien County, Michigan. Master Gardener Lawn Care was established in 1991 and provides lawn fertilizing service, core aeration, weed control, soil testing and insect control. For more information on our lawn care and lawn fertilizing services or to request a free lawn care analysis please visit our Free Lawn Fertilizing Service Estimate page on the mastergardenerlawncare.com website
Lawn Fertilizing Service and Crabgrass Control in Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County Michigan.  www.mastergardenerlawncare.com Award-Winning Lawn Fertilizing Service by a Master Gardener. Master Gardener Lawn Care is ready to start controlling crabgrass in Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County, Michigan. Master Gardener Lawn Fertilizing Service has the passion for caring for lawns that comes only from a Master Gardener! We enjoy what we do and our clients’ lawns are the proof! This is the time of year lawn fertilizing services start springing into action. It’s great to be outside again! We would like to give you a few turf tips on how to get the best results and a great looking lawn this year, check our website: lawnfertilizingservice.com for our latest advice. For our customers it is time to sit back and enjoy the Spring weather as Master Gardener Lawn Fertilizing Service does the work for you.  Are you a do-it-yourselfer? You can also access our website at: mastergardenerlawncare.com where we will walk you through the lawn care season one application at a time. Keep checking back and you’ll get all the steps you need to get the lawn of your dreams, and keep it all year long. The Master Gardener Lawn Care website will also help inform you about diseases and pests that are active in your area this season. Lawns are what we do and we do them BEST! The end of March is, in Michigan, when we begin to apply Application #1 or the Early Spring Application. In most cases we will be applying a pre-emergent crabgrass control and a special blend of organic based slow-released lawn fertilizer. Timing of this application is extremely important in order to get the maximum benefit of the pre-emergent and save you money in the long term. To control crabgrass that has germinated can be very expensive. Because we apply a professional grade product we have a longer window to apply the product. If you do it yourself the best advice we can give you is not to apply the pre-emergent too soon. Wait as long as possible. Here is your first Master Gardener secret of the year! This is how we determine when to apply the crabgrass pre-emergent to achieve the best control. Two words: SOIL TEMPERATURE!  We actually measure the soil temperature several times a week during the Spring to make sure we are on schedule to get the product on our customers’ lawns in time. To be effective, pre-emergence herbicides must be in place before germination takes place. Pre-emergence treatments are preferred because they are generally more effective for crabgrass control. In general, pre-emergence herbicides should be applied when soil temperatures reach 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 days. A great indicator to help you determine when the soil is getting close to the target temperature is the blooming of the forsythia plant. Forsythias are the yellow bushes you see everywhere in the Spring.  Applying at this time will allow the pre-emergence herbicide enough time to form a barrier before the crabgrass seedlings germinate. Pre-emergence herbicides work by inhibiting the growth of young seedlings.  These products do not eliminate established plants. In Michigan, this is usually around April 15 but can be as late as May 1.  Applications made too early in the spring have the potential to break down before the end of the germination window. So, when you see those yellow bushes, apply your crabgrass control product and you will great control of crabgrass for the entire season!  NOTE: Knowing when crabgrass is likely to be present is helpful in proper identification and control of weedy grasses in your lawn. Homeowners who complain of crabgrass infestations in April and May are usually identifying tall fescue, nimblewill or quackgrass. Crabgrass germination typically begins in early May when soil temperatures reach 62 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of 1 to 2 inches, or about two weeks after the forsythia blooms begin to drop. Therefore it is almost impossible to have crabgrass present in a lawn in April or May.      About the Author Patrick Wesley is a Master Gardener and founder of Master Gardener Lawn Care located in Macomb County, Michigan.  Pat’s Company, Master Gardener Lawn Care, provides anorganic based lawn fertilizing service throughout Macomb, Oakland and Berrien County, Michigan. Master Gardener Lawn Care was established in 1991 and provides lawn fertilizing service, core aeration, weed control, soil testing and insect control. For more information on our lawn fertilizing services or to request a free lawn care analysis please visit our Free Lawn Fertilizing Service Estimate page on the mastergardenerlawncare.com website.
When the Michigan snow melts in Macomb County, Oakland County and Berrien County you might be in for a surprise.  And that surprise is VOLE damage.  The good news is that in most cases this damage won’t require much attention on your part. But Master Gardener Lawn Fertilizing Service will get calls from our clients asking us what is happening to their lawns. So we think it is important to talk about voles. A vole is a small critter that resembles a mouse. If you notice tracks in your lawn after the snow melts that look as if a garden hose was laid on the lawn for a few days, then you had a vole under the snow. (Please see the pictures of a Vole and Vole damage). The picture of vole damage was taken on February 19, 2011 in the Beacon Square Subdivision at 21 Mile Road and Romeo Plank in Macomb Township, MI.  Voles like to create and live in tunnels under the snow.  You don’t have to worry about the damaged, it will fill in as your lawn begins to green up and grow. If you see new tracks or tunnels after the snow has been gone for a few days, then the vole is still in your lawn and should be eliminated. Begin by looking for openings that the vole can tunnel into such as a down spout, black edging or a hole in a stone wall. They love to go into tunnels. They may also create holes in the lawn. But in most lawns in Macomb County and Oakland County that are growing on heavy clay that is unlikely.  Instead they will look to go into the landscaping and even children’s toys. Anywhere there is a possible tunnel.  The tunnel is key in this situation because that what we have to create in order to trap the voles.If you can find the tunnel they are living in then you can insert some vole poison that can be purchase at most hardware stores.  Read the directions carefully. I prefer not to use the poison because of the possibility of other animals such as dogs or cats coming into contact with it. Most of the time voles are not a major problem but if you would like more information or would like to discuss a plan of correction feel free to call or contact us on our website or on face book. We are not licensed to trap voles but can walk you through the process. About the Author Patrick Wesley is a Master Gardener and founder of Master Gardener Lawn Care located in Macomb County, Michigan.  Pat provides organic based lawn fertilizing services throughout Macomb County, Oakland County and Berrien County, Michigan. Master Gardener Lawn Care was established in 1991 and provides lawn fertilizing, core aeration, weed control, soil testing and insect control. For more information on our lawn fertilizing services or to request a free lawn care analysis please visit our Free Lawn Fertilizing Service Estimate page.
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