Do your neighbor a favor: prevent a grub and kill a beetle…

Since 1830, when a guy named Edwin Budding invented a lawn mowing gadget at a time when only the very wealthy could afford to maintain a lawn, there were grubs. From the 1800’s to the 2000’s and probably beyond, turf-lovers, lawn cultivators, and gardeners have always and will forever have to endure the persistent destructive force of the white grub and Japanese Beetle.

Grubs are insect larvae that live in the soil and feed upon roots and rhizomes. These are the very worst of the turfgrass pests because they are so difficult to control with surface-applied insecticides. To reach the insects, the insecticide must penetrate the turf, continue through the thatch and down, down into the soil. So be sure to rake and possibly de-thatch your lawn prior to treating it for pest problems like these, and water well so the insecticide will penetrate deeply into the turf.

The timeframe of the initial emergence of grubs varies throughout the country, but in the heartland, these dreaded parasites can appear from early to mid-June and peak in mid-July. Although the white grubs are young beetles, unfortunately, wiping out the grubs does not always solve your adult beetle problem. Why? That’s simple, because they fly! The flight of the adult Japanese beetle can take them as much as one or two miles around the neighborhood.

However, despite this issue of flight, prevention is a very good place to start and will certainly diminish your adult beetle infestation. To prevent white grub larvae from destroying your lawn in the first place, use our Greenview Grub Preventer and Killer (Mach 2). (This formula will also prevent damage from Northern and Southern masked chafer, European chafer, cutworms, armyworms and sod webworms). The recommended preventative process begins with minimizing the thatch. Then apply the product with a spreader prior to grub egg hatch (generally in late spring through mid summer). Especially if your lawn is in a drought condition, water it in thoroughly. If it’s too late for prevention, use Greeniew’s Grub Control (Dylox) as a curative. This product is an easy-to-use, clean granular formula that you apply after de-thatching and mowing your lawn. For a truly effective “cure,” after applying with a spreader, don’t forget to water in the product thoroughly so that the granules reach the soil where the grubs are hungrily feeding on the roots of your precious turf! For those in New York State, where there are certain restrictions, we recommend the use of Grub Control Dylox as a curative.

My Personal Beetle Story…

As for those pesky adult beetles, my own “beetle story” might be an amusing and illustrative tale. The use of Greenview Grub Preventer and Killer (Mach 2) is an excellent solution for the grub problem that  plagues our lawn year after year here in the Garden State. However, in my family, in addition to our strong love of the lawn, there is a tradition of rose cultivation. Maybe it’s because mom’s name is Marie Rose and as a gift to her, my father worked hard to grow the most beautiful varieties of tea roses with a scent that was at once amazing and relaxing. Their distinctive perfume made me recall those memorable evenings on the back porch with mom and dad, sipping iced tea and admiring his lawn and gardens and particularly the latest rose cuttings arranged in trumpet-shaped vases. Little did I realize the amount of time and effort that went into growing those precious rose bushes.

Several years ago, in memory of my dad and with uncommon enthusiasm, I began to plant my own rose bushes in the perennial garden that frames my lawn, and I expected a similar result of tender buds turning to the bloom of fragrant tea and heirloom roses each and every spring.

Instead, I quickly became engaged in the “Battle of the Beetle!” Just as the buds began to appear between the leaves of the fragile new rose buds, the adult Japanese Beetles appeared en masse! They munched on my rose bush leaves voraciously! I was losing the battle and my pock-marked roses looked nothing like dad’s. I will emphasize one point to you in particular—those expensive and smelly Beetle Traps don’t work!! They should re-name these contraptions Beetle resorts! These traps will attract beetle colonies from miles around and you will have so many more than you ever imagined! Only one thing works for me on these horrid adult bugs—I knock them off the plants one by one in early morning when they are most sluggish, and I collect them in a jar of soap suds.

I wouldn’t recommend this gorilla warfare tactic for larger gardens, but in smaller spaces, this laborious process may work for you. If you are lucky, you’ll get the roses you dreamed of, and you’ll also end up with a collection of beetle jars holding a solution that turns to pretty disgusting “beetle juice,” which you can discard or keep as a demonstration to all who ask you that inevitable recurring spring gardening question: “How the heck do you get rid of Japanese Beetles?”

Content and images courtesy of Rutgers University and Purdue University.

Submitted by J. Weinmann

If it looks like a weed, smells like a weed, and grows like a weed, it’s probably a WEED! 

My favorite weed is called “Creeping Charlie.” It boasts such a pretty lavender flower, but oh does that vine spread! I once spent an hour on my hands and knees pulling them out—not a pretty picture for passers-by. Let’s face it, we all find weeds in our lawns and gardens at least some of the time. But the healthier your lawn is, the easier it will be to combat weeds. How do you keep your lawn healthy? First, you select the right lawn grasses for your climate zone and sun exposure, then you choose the right fertilizer and lime (depending on your soil test results), de-thatch and aerate if needed, and lastly, you mow and water.

The absolute best weed preventative is to follow a good lawn maintenance schedule. Using the Greenview Annual Lawn Plan takes the guesswork out of it for you, and will result in a spring lawn that’s weed-free. Just one application of Greenview Fairway Formula Spring Fertilizer Weed & Feed with Crabgrass Preventer 24-2-8 addresses two lawn spoilers: weeds and crabgrass. And believe me…it’s much easier to prevent the weeds from growing in the first place, rather than having to battle them once their roots have well…taken root deep into the soil!

If your lawn is rather thin lawn and struggling to survive, you may find that good old favorite, the  dandelion, invading your lawn here, there and everywhere!

What are the most common lawn weeds?

Well there’s the annual broadleaf weed, like chickweed and knotweed that form a tough mat. Then you have your perennial broadleaf weeds, like dandelions, violets, and ground ivy. Then there are your annual and perennial grassy weeds like crabgrass and foxtail with fuzzy seed heads. There are dozens more, but these are some of the most common.

So don’t wait until the dandelions turn to puff balls and start spreading their seeds all over your lawn. Spring Fertilizer Weed and Feed with Crabgrass Preventer provides both: a slow release nitrogen that fertilizes your lawn up to 12 weeks with controlled, steady nutrition over a longer period of time, and it prevents crabgrass and kills dandelions, clover, viney weeds and over 200 other broadleaf weeds as it fertilizes. There’s no excess growth, you mow less, and you get a healthier, greener, weed-free lawn!

So rise up from your knees and smell the roses instead of the weeds!

Content courtesy of the University of Wisconsin. Pictures courtesy of Love to Know and University of Wisconsin.

Submitted by J. Weinmann

With spring showers and the best Greenview Fertilizer products stimulating the growth of the most beautiful lawn you’ve ever created, you’ll soon be merrily, merrily mowing and watering to keep your lawn looking neat, trim and green.

Besides our desire for the look of a “manicured lawn” that we all admire, why do we mow our lawns? It’s a lawn maintenance practice that’s part of our American culture because mowing regularly and mowing properly is important if you want a weed-free, golf-course quality lawn that is stress free.

Lawn Mowers

And what’s a sunny weekend in the ?burbs without the hum of gas or electric-powered lawn mowers, cutting and vacuuming up the pieces of excess turf? From push-behind, or stand-behind to the sleek and  fast riding zero-turn mowers and tractors, before you buy, examine the most important functions of these common rotary-type mowers. They are: the height adjustments, mulching capabilities for recycling, cutting width, horse-power and innovative features like self-propelled mowers with speed sensing and cruise-control. Whichever mower you use, pay special attention to proper cutting height. Cut your grass too short and it will develop a shallow root system and weakling roots that will be easily stressed in the summer heat. You want turfgrass with a deep, strong root system, and higher mowing heights result in stronger roots and fewer weeds.

How often should you mow?

During periods of active turfgrass growth, your lawn may require mowing more than once per week. Mow about 1/3 of the leaf blade during any one mowing. Generally, you should mow when the grass is dry, but if it rains quite a bit and the grass becomes too wet for timely mowing, the turfgrass may shoot up and become quite tall. In this case, do a “double cut,” mowing at the highest setting and once the lawn dries, mow again to the recommended height. And don’t forget to vary your mowing direction to avoid the “rut” effect.

Some additional tips for proper mowing:

• Mow your grass at the right height during the summer, about 1 to 3 inches (it actually varies by grass type.)
• Each mowing season, tune up your mower and keep the blade sharp.
• If you let the grass grow too high, then cut it too low, such scalping can cause your grass plants to go into shock, making them susceptible to drought and disease.
• Mow during the coolest part of the day to avoid browning.
• And don’t forget the headphones—lawn mower engines can be loud!

As with any gardening task, stop mowing and watering occasionally….just to smell the flowers. Enjoy the view!

Content courtesy of Ohio State University Extension. Image courtesy of Green Pro.

Submitted by J. Weinmann

Your human body is composed of over 70% water, and a healthy grass plant contains even more water—from 75 to 85 % of its weight! In many climates, high sunlight, temperature, wind and humidity can rob your grass of most of this precious life-sustaining liquid. Without water, new seeds can’t germinate and new grasses can’t absorb their required nutrients. And worse, your grass can wilt, become susceptible to disease and eventually die of thirst. Don’t let this happen to your new or established lawn!

Depending on the rainfall in your area, (and this is easy to measure by placing an empty can outdoors, marked at one inch) you may have to water weekly. However, it is just as easy to over-water your turf as it is to under-water it. An inch per week is a general guideline for most grass types. You’ll know if you have over-watered because your lawn will grow too rapidly, you may see evidence of fungal diseases, and you’ll be mowing more frequently. Over-watering wastes water anyway, and is usually prohibited in drought-prone areas.

Under-watering will result in your lawn going dormant. Your turf will lose its deep green luster and some  grasses could die and you will need to re-seed in fall. Your lawn will signal thirst by becoming a purple-bluish color and it will be easily crushed underfoot. For the southern-most states, warm-season grasses can better withstand most drought conditions.

Some additional watering tips…

• Water deep and infrequently for a healthier root system and fewer weeds.
• Water early in the day (5:00 to 10:00 a.m.) to avoid evaporation.
• Plant drought-tolerant grass—especially in dryer areas of the country.
• For cool-season lawns, apply Greenview Fairway Formula Fall Fertilizer 29-2-10 in the late summer or early fall for better root growth and drought tolerance.
• For a newly sodded or seeded lawn, water more frequently for the first month until your lawn is well-established.
• Aerate to loosen compacted soil and allow water to get to the roots.

For those of you who prefer to water with in-ground sprinkler systems, careful planning, design and installation will ensure an efficient irrigation system. Test for uniform water distribution of your sprinkler heads and adequate overlap to diagnose and prevent either dry or saturated areas that can lead to an unhealthy turf. Testing will also help you figure out how long and how often to run your sprinklers to deliver the right amount of water to your lawn. And lastly, monitor any run-off, and be aware of local regulations to keep your environment clean as a good neighbor should.

Content courtesy of Ohio State University Extension. Images courtesy of Quick and Simple, Virginia Cooperative Extension and My Vine.

Submitted by J. Weinmann

Your lawn is the canvas; your landscape is the finished work of art. A well-designed landscape can bring you unending pleasure on many levels. Your community enjoys the view, you increase your property’s resale value and the colorful birds of the air seek sanctuary in your yard. The cardinals, chickadees, finches and other birds specific to your locale are feeding in the spring, so be sure to have plenty of Lyric Wild Bird Food on hand. Hours and hours of enjoyment are yours when nature is your entertainment.

So you have a lawn and it’s beautiful. Planting trees, shrubbery and plants around the lawn may seem pretty straightforward. But if you attempt this without a plan, you may end up with less than picture-perfect results.