Posted by Steve Crowe on Sat, Aug 08, 2009 @ 11:21 AM
Summer usually means heat and drought stress here in the Central Worcester area. Over 10 inches of rain in July of 2009 changed the stress factors affecting lawns. Irrigation hasn't been a problem; it has been getting the lawn to drain this summer that is more important. Fungus problems occur when the lawn is wet for more than 6-8 hours. This has been ideal weather for diseases like Red Thread, Pink Patch and Leaf Spot. Fortunately these diseases do not affect the crown of the turf plant; it is just the leaves that turn brown. Therefore, with favorable weather changes the grass starts growing again and the lawn recovers. As the August temperatures are forecast to be above 80 degrees, the recommendation for treating Red Thread disease is to spoon feed the lawn with fertilizer to help the lawn outgrow the symptoms of the disease. Turf managers who decide to treat Red Thread can use fungicides such as Prostar or Hertiage, which have proven to be far better in UMass field tests.
Lawn Care Tips for mowing and maintaining summer turf.
Raising the height of cut during the summer helps the grass plant have more leaf area to produce food, helps the roots system grow deeper into the soil and helps shade the soil which can reduce the amount of weeds that are able to germinate. Mowing heights between 3-4 inches are recommended in the Summer especially for non-irrigated turf. Having a sharp blade on the mower effects the overall quality of the turf and makes it easier for the mower, saving wear and tear. Dull blades can rip and shred the leaf, leaving a larger surface area for diseases to enter the turf plant. Sharp blades do a better job of mulching the clippings and returning them to the soil where they are able to compost in the lawn.
Consider Seeding and Liming.
If you aren't happy with your lawn's appearance this summer, plan now to seed around Labor Day. Late summer is the best time of year to seed since the soil is still warm and temperatures are cooler. More frequent rainfall usually occurs and the grass and roots develop during the Fall and Spring growing seasons before it has to go through the heat of the summer. Consider introducing new grass varieties to your lawn that will have more disease resistance. Using several different varieties will mix up the turf in your lawn so if one type is not doing well the others should be performing better. Remember to use lime when seeding as grass does better when the pH is optimum, in the 6.5 range.
Enjoy your summer now that the rain appears to have let up a bit.
Posted by Steve Crowe on Tue, Apr 07, 2009 @ 09:55 AM
In UMass's turf update, they revealed the connection between skunks on your lawn and grubs in your turf:
What are the grubs doing? We were poking around on a couple golf courses yesterday and noticed a few white grubs nearing the root zone. The ones we saw were all about one or two inches beneath the thatch (and happened to be either Japanese beetles or oriental beetles). The soil temperature was about 46 degrees at a depth of four inches, so the soil was still pretty cool. All of the grubs appeared to be that creamy- yellow color that indicates they have not yet resumed feeding, but if we get some more days like we are enjoying today (2 April), I expect them to start feeding again very soon. Watch for new skunk or raccoon or crow activity as those grubs get back up toward the surface.
Is there anything we can do to discourage the skunks? My colleague at Ohio State, Dr. Dave Shetlar, reports that broadcast applications of MilorganiteTM have been shown to discourage skunk activity in some situations. Apparently there is something in the product that encourages the skunks to "move on" and bother somebody else. I am not sure of the rates, but for some of you it might be worth a try.
Do you have a grub control problem in your yard?