Weeds & Insects

I stopped at the building that abuts my office the other day and noticed that weed control is not a high priority for the owners. They went to great expense about three years ago to remove the old, grub-infested lawn that had all but died. A great deal of time and effort went in to loaming and seeding this lawn but other than occasional mowing, it has received no maintenance. It is only a matter of time before the new lawn is in the same condition as was the old. Pity. However, it makes for a great photographic study for us - we can learn from their mistakes.

Crabgrass

Today’s blog article is about spreading the knowledge of ticks and Lyme Disease. Tick populations have been growing year after year, especially in the Northeast parts of the United States. As minuscule as these pests are, it’s important to have an understanding of the threat they pose to humans and pets.

White grubs are a soil-inhabiting insect. A grub is simply the larval stage of over 150 species of beetles. They damage lawns by feeding on the turfgrass roots. Active grub damage can be spotted by signs of wilted, dead or dying grass. As the grubs eat the root system of the lawn it gradually turns brown and can be easily pulled back by hand to expose the grubs.

It’s dandelion season and our favorite springtime nemesis is busily popping up all over the place.

Humans and dandelions go back a long way together, but none of that is important when your lawn is a sea of yellow when your goal was a carpet of green.

It’s a Cruel, Cruel Summer…

The hot, dry weather conditions we have been experiencing this summer are perfect for certain insects that infest home lawns.  One such insect is the Chinch Bug.  This surface-feeding insect (as opposed to a sub-surface feeding insect such as the White Grubs) is native to North America and is a pest not only of turfgrasses, but also of grains, such as corn and wheat.  Indeed, it is one of the oldest identified pests of crops in the United States having been documented in the late 1700’s.