Liquid Broadleaf Weed Control in June – Because of the cooler weather we had this spring, we’ve seen lots of broadleaf weeds (particularly dandelions and clover) on lawns that haven’t been treated either last fall or earlier this spring. From now until the dog days of summer hit, it’s perfect weather for getting rid of those pesky broadleaf weeds in your lawns. We’ve got several products to choose from to get the best results. If there are lots of weeds in your lawn, treat the whole lawn; if you’ve only got a few patches, spot treat. In all cases, only treat when the air temperature is below 85 degrees at time of application, when rain is not forecast, and when the lawn has not been/will not be cut for 24 hours.
Mowing Lawns in the Summer – We’re still in the rapid growth phase of spring lawn growing season, especially as turfgrasses produce a profuse amount of seed heads. Overnight temperatures are consistently dropping into the 50s; we have ample rains, and lawns are really growing fast. They should be mowed at least every 5-7 days, and mowing height should be 3-3 ½”. As the weather warms and growing conditions for our cool season grasses become less favorable, raise mower decks to 4-4 ½”, and decrease mowing frequency to every 7-10 days. Cool season grasses will not produce roots in warm soil, no matter whether or not the lawns are irrigated, so to reduce summer stress, we want more grass blade length to shade and protect the vulnerable crowns of the grass plants.
Fertilizing Lawns in June – Because lawns have been growing vigorously for about 3 months now, the fertilizer you applied in March-April has been pretty well used up. The plants are exhausted, especially after an extended period of seed head production in May. In order to promote new tillers as the old ones die back, feed it now, in June, with a slow-release, organic-based fertilizer. The additional nutrients at this time of year will also aid in the recovery of any low-fertility diseases (red thread, dollar spot) we encounter as we transition into summer.
Yellow Nutsedge Control in Lawns and Beds – Yellow Nutsedge is a yellowish-green, fast-growing, shallow-rooted grassy weed (actually it’s a sedge, not a grass), that thrives in warm weather, particularly in moist areas of lawns and well irrigated, well mulched beds. If not controlled (either by pulling it out EARLY or spraying it), nutsedge will aggressively spread throughout the lawn/beds. Nutsedge starts growing in mid to late May and continues all summer. The best way to control/remove nutsedge from lawns and beds is to spot spray with SEDGEHAMMER, SEDGE ENDER or Trimec Platinum herbicide as soon as it emerges. We recommend that you keep a DEDICATED SPRAYER on hand, filled with the herbicide, ready to go for spot spraying on a weekly basis. This way you can stay on top of it and spray areas of nutsedge that have emerged since the last treatment. If you’ll commit to this type of a program, you’ll greatly reduce your nutsedge problem; if not, you may lose control. Start early and continue as long as new shoots sprout.
Preventative Grub Control with Granular MALLET Insecticide – White grubs are the larval stage of Japanese beetles. Adult Japanese beetles emerge from grassy areas in late June and feed on the leaves of desirable trees, shrubs and roses for roughly 6 weeks. While they are annoying and disfigure many of the plants they feed on, they seldom kill them. Grubs, on the other hand, feed on grass roots from late summer (mid-August) through mid-fall (October). Grubs can devastate whole lawns or significant parts thereof if left uncontrolled. Since they feed below ground on turf roots, the first sign of damage is dying turf, and then it’s too late. The safest and best way to make sure you’ll have no grub problems is to treat the lawn every spring (mid-May through mid-July) with granular MALLET/MERIT insecticide (sold either in combination with slow-release fertilizer or alone). This safe and effective, season-long product should be applied to all lawns every year.
Controlling Fleas, Ticks and other unwanted Pests – Fleas, ticks, ants and other unwanted pests can really spoil our backyard fun. One treatment of BioAdvanced Complete Insect Killer (available in granules or hose end sprayer) will keep your yard free of these nasty pests for up to 3 months. Treat now and rest easy knowing that you and your family are protected.
Post-Emergent Crabgrass Control – Those of you who didn’t apply DIMENSION Pre-emergent crabgrass control this spring, may notice areas of crabgrass spreading through sunny sections of your lawns in June and July. If you missed the window for pre-emergent crabgrass control, rest assured that we have you covered. The Lawn Depot sells several very effective liquid POST-EMERGENCE CRABGRASS CONTROL sprays that can be used as either a spot spray or for general, whole-lawn use. It’s easy to use and very effective.