Turf Talk from Charlie
The kids are out of school, and the days are longer. It’s beginning to get hot, and summer is finally here! Most likely, so are at least some concerns with water. As we go forward into the 21st century, I can tell you that water issues are here to stay. What does this mean to you?
First of all, you need professional lawn care in times like these – more than ever before.
We will never do something to your lawn that absolutely needs your watering in order to be effective. The worst case is that the products won’t go to work until it rains.
The products that we use are safe in dry or wet weather, and they’ll wait patiently until the proper moisture is in the soil to go to work.
We at King GREEN are committed to providing you with responsible programming to ensure that your lawn looks its best in all weather conditions.
Please remember that even though it’s summer and the “Spring Thrill” is gone from that first mowing, regular mowing with a sharp blade is the single most important thing that you can do to maintain your lawn at its best!
We want you to have a great summer. Enjoy your vacations and the time off from school and work.
Hit the beach, mountains and lakes hard…and have a great time.
We’re here to address any questions or concerns with your lawn, landscape or pest control
needs. Give us a call or visit us on our website at kinggreen.com. Look for our great specials, and
by all means refer us to your neighbor.
Thanks again for your business!
Water Conservation:
Don’t Waste a Drop
Conservation of almost everything is on people’s minds these days. We think this is all to the good. There are lots of ways to save by recycling, careful selection and just plain using less. You don’t have to make your lawn or landscape plants suffer to save water this summer. The trick is to get the most mileage out of the sprinkling you do. One of the big mistakes to avoid is applying light, shallow sprinklings that moisten the surface of the soil but don’t get much water to the root system. This actually wastes water because the water that is applied doesn’t get used efficiently. Other water wasters are the sprinklers that can be seen watering the streets and sidewalks in most neighborhoods during the summer. The spray from a sprinkler can be carried away from the lawn by the wind, or the spray head might just need adjusting – either way, asphalt and concrete really don’t need the water.
Too much overlap in your pattern is another water “leak” you can easily plug. Be careful to water all of the area, but only once. When moving the sprinklers, allow only a small overlap in your pattern.
Water Saving Tips
- Water only when the soil is dry to a depth of 6" to 8".
- Water deeply (usually an hour in each spot). Avoid shallow sprinklings.
- Adjust your sprinklers to avoid getting overspray onto drives, walks and streets.
- When watering, cover each area only once. Try not to create overlap that over-waters parts of the lawn.
- Water larger trees and shrubs very slowly. Let a hose trickle at the base for several hours.
Responsible
Pest Control
While it may be tempting to simply lay down a chemical treatment whenever insects present a problem, this approach to pest control is not always the best solution. In some cases, insecticides (especially when overused) can destroy insects and bacteria that are actually necessary for optimum plant health.
Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is the preferred and environmentally responsible alternative to mass chemical treatments. IPM uses pesticides in combination with other control methods to keep pest damage to a minimum. In general, IPM employs five common practices to achieve efficient and economical control of pests.
Inspection: Plants are checked regularly for signs of insect damage and for the insects themselves.
Identification: Deciding on the proper method of treatment requires firm identification of the specific pest being controlled.
Treatment: Good cultural practices (such as proper watering, fertilizing and pruning) are often recommended in order to improve a plant’s ability to fight off pests. Chemical treatments may also be necessary if an insect population is especially large or if significant damage has already been done.
Prevention: In addition to the cultural practices mentioned above, this may involve selecting plants that are known to tolerate certain pests.
Evaluation: After being implemented, the pest control program is evaluated to determine its effectiveness. If necessary, changes may be made to improve the program’s success.
For more information on IPM, or if you have questions about King GREEN’s Pest Control services, please feel free to give us a call.
For more drought tips, give King GREEN a call today. Or, visit www.conservewatergeorgia.net.