Adult Lanternfly
Early stage nymph Nymph Lanternfly
Later stage Lanternfly nymph
Before we get to the lawn let's talk about the Lanternfly. No doubt you've heard about it, seen it and probably squashed a few. If you haven't seen them in their younger stages, they appear as above. They wreak havoc on vegetation across the region doing extensive damage to trees, plants, and crops and have the potential top destroy whole ecosystems. They also sting. They show no signs of slowing down any time soon. Aside from squashing them, an easy way to kill them is by spraying them with vinegar, or Neem oil if you happen to have it. More on the Lanternfly and county quarantines here. Let's get this bug out of here!
Don't we all wish the lawn could stay as lush and green as this all year 'round? You may be tempted to put down sod but if your lawn isn't looking as good as you'd like, there are a few easy and inexpensive fixes for common lawn issues that can help make your lawn beautiful in every season. Crabgrass Crabgrass settles in areas where sun reaches bare dirt in your lawn. To control it naturally you can:
kill it by spraying it with vinegar
pull it out by hand
overplant the area with grass seed
choose ground cover like creeping thyme to crowd it out
Be aware that ground covers may take a few years to establish so be diligent in removing the crabgrass in problem areas until ground covers take hold Brown patches Brown patches have many causes from actual Brown Patch Disease (usually occurring in fall), to inadequate watering, cutting your lawn at the wrong time, and grubs. Brown Patch Disease occurs in temperate, humid weather when there's a lot of moisture. We can't control rain or humidity but we can control conditions that will help prevent, control or eliminate Brown Patch:
Don't over water - If there is dew on the grass in the morning you don't need to water it
Don't mow the lawn when it's wet
Aerate your lawn twice a year, in Spring and Fall (we can put you on our schedule if you do not wish to do this yourself)
Trim or thin overgrown trees and shrubs to allow for more sunlight to reach the grass
Water Related Issues:
Water in the morning between 5 and 9 before the sun gets too hot - nighttime watering does not allow grass to dry out
Avoid mowing when lawn is wet as grass clumps together and causes an uneven trim resulting in stress to the grass
Avoid mowing in when there is drought or a long dry spell as the blades become brittle and are damaged by mowing
Grubs You can check if you have grubs by digging into your lawn or surrounding gardens. You might even find them in your plant pots. Grubs are beetle larvae and often you don't know you have them until you might notice small patches of your lawn that appear to be dug into. Grubs are a favorite food of skunks who often forage for them at this time of year. The best time to start eliminating them is Spring to Mid Summer by applying GrubEx, a commercial product which does not kill grubs (or other beneficial insects and worms) but prevents the eggs from hatching. Since beetles lay a lot of eggs, it's a good idea to make this part of your seasonal lawn care. Other solutions
With the undeniable advent of climate change we face new challenges - wild and severe weather, and heat to name a couple. Water conservation is key, and one way to reduce the amount of water used on lawns is to consider your planting and landscaping design. By eliminating areas of your lawn (especially in problem areas where it just doesn't grow well ) and adding drought tolerant native plants you can add to your landscape's natural beauty and create a more self sustaining environment. Here is an excellent article to peruse. Please call or text me at (973) 452-0354 for help with: Lawn maintenance Landscape design Grub control Scheduling aerating and fall clean up Thank you for reading and I hope to see you soon! -- Raf
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