SUMMER 2004 ONLINE NEWSLETTER

Your Lawn

Again, as is ‘normal’ for this area, another season of unpredictable weather.
The recent bouts of rain, thunderstorms, and the overcast skies have triggered a crop of mushrooms in many lawns. This is not a cause for concern. Actually it is good news. It means there is abundant organic material in your lawn. Once the sun begins to shine and things dry out a bit, the mushrooms will disappear. There is no need for any further treatment.

With rain being an almost daily occurrence, it has been hard not to mow tall wet grass. This may cause the clumping of clippings which in extreme cases could result in suffocation and turf grass death. Take care not to allow heavy clippings to lie. Hopefully this situation will be slowing up with the start of summer. Try to follow these simple rules when mowing:

• Mowing height should be 3 - 3 1/2 inches

• Mow during the coolest part of the day

• Always mow with a sharp mower blade

• Mow only if necessary

To help your grass grow evenly and look like a smooth carpet, vary your mowing pattern each time you mow.

Grubs

Now is the time to be on the lookout for the beetles that produce the grubs. We have seen high populations of grubs over the past several years. This season’s rain will surely cause the grub population to soar. If grubs are treated now, a full season of control can be expected. If you are not already scheduled for the grub control treatment and you would like to do so, just give us a call at 301-831-3731 to get set up.

Fun Fact

Hanging baskets frequently dry out in the middle. Restore moisture by soaking the containers in a large tub of water for 30 minutes. You can use a kiddie pool with 4 inches of water to do a larger number of baskets at one time.

Your Ornamentals

The cicadas are wrapping it up for another 17 years. You may notice that the leaves on the tips of your branches are brown. This is where the females cut into the twigs and laid their eggs. No treatment is necessary. Mother Nature usually takes care of pruning these over time. On smaller ornamentals, you can prune the ends if you wish.

Now is the time to clip the faded flowers from your annuals, perennials and shrubs. Not only will your beds look neater but the plants will use their energy in new growth and result in stronger plants.

Aeration and Seeding

Its time to start planning for fall services on your lawn such as aeration and seeding. Aeration is very beneficial to your turf by allowing more air, water, and nutrients to get to the roots of your plants. This makes them stronger and healthier. Aeration also helps break up heavy clay-based soils and reduces thatch build-up. Fall is the best time to over seed your lawn. Over seeding will help fill-in thin areas of the lawn. It will also help introduce different varieties of desirable turf grass into your lawn. If you would like additional information, please contact us.

We hope that you got a chance to check us out in the Frederick Business Week section of the Frederick New-Post on May 17. They did a nice feature and actually spent a morning with Jim on his rounds. In case you missed it, we've posted the article and pictures here on our website. [CLICK HERE]

Remember - the proper mowing height is 3 - 3 1/2 inches.