DIMENSION Pre-emergent Crabgrass Control (With or Without Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizer)– If you have not applied your pre-emergent crabgrass control this spring (it should be done EVERY YEAR if you want your sunny lawn crabgrass-free), you can still achieve 100% control with DIMENSION, even though crabgrass may have started germinating in some spots of your lawns. DIMENSION, uniquely, will not only control crabgrass seed germination for up to 16 weeks after application, but it can also control seedling crabgrass for up to 2 weeks after seed germination. DIMENSION is the only product available that has this post-emergence ability. When applying DIMENSION in May, remember to water it thoroughly right after. The product is activated by water, and it’s important to activate the control quickly.
Broadleaf Weed Control with TRIMEC Liquid Herbicide– As I mentioned above, we’ve had a huge crop of dandelions blooming this year on lawns left untreated with TRIMEC last fall. Although the main bloom has now passed, dandelions are still growing actively. So are clover, plantain, and all of the other lawn weeds we fight each spring. Eliminate them all now, with one application of broad-spectrum liquid TRIMEC herbicide. Perennial weeds can only be completely removed while they’re actively growing. In May, almost all perennial weeds are actively growing, so now’s the time to take them out. Be sure that at the time of herbicide application, no rain is expected for at least 12 hours, the air temperature is below 85 degrees, and the lawn has not been and will not be mowed for at least 24 hours. Using a spreader sticker (non-ionic surfactant) will help the herbicide cling to the leaf surface better and make it rainfast. If all these conditions are met, one application will get rid of all the broadleaf weeds in your yard. Remember, apply again in September for a weed-free lawn next spring.
Preventative Grub Control (MALLET)– Grubs are the larval stage of the Japanese beetle (and other beetles); they are ½’ long whitish worms that exist in turf areas and feed on grassroots during the spring (May-June) and late summer/early fall (mid-August through October). In large populations, they will kill turf and are doing their damage unnoticed until it’s too late. If you’ve had grub problems in the past, or if you’ve had lots of beetles feeding on roses, leaves of several varieties of shade trees, (linden, cherry, plum, others) or berry plants in your gardens in July and August, or if you want to be sure you won’t have a problem this fall, apply MALLET every year from mid- May through mid- July. MALLET is safe with children, pets, birds, and even desirable insects. It is long-lasting; one application lasts all growing season. Once it’s watered in, MALLET is absorbed into the plant systemically and remains there all season to protect against root-eating insects.
Fertilizing Lawns in May – If you applied DIMENSION with fertilizer in April, you need not feed the lawn again until June. If, on the other hand, you haven’t yet fed your lawn this spring, feed it now with Lawn Depot organic-based, slow-release turf food. This will subtly green your lawns through June while thickening the turf to help crowd out weeds.
Conditioning Lawns in May– Soils in Southeastern PA are typically dense (high clay content) and acidic (low pH). These are not the best conditions for growing healthy turf; the heavy soil resists deep, dense root development, and the acidic soil reduces fertilizer effectiveness. Thus, in order to promote healthy, deep-rooted turf, we recommend that lawns are limed and core aerated each year, in the spring and/or fall. Core aeration can be done whenever turf is growing actively (April, May, September, October, early November), and the ground is soft enough to pull at least 2’-3” plugs. Liming, using pelletized lime, can be done whenever the ground is not frozen. And if you can’t or prefer not to do these jobs yourselves but acknowledge their importance to healthy turf, call us (215-348-5553) for a quote for us to do the job(s) for you, using the best equipment and knowing the proper times to be done.