January 2019 News From Fairway Green

Winter Annual Weeds

Winter annual weeds can be prolific this time of year.  These weeds germinate in the fall, grow through the winter months, and reproduce in the spring. The most appropriate time to treat these weeds is when they are young and actively growing.  They become difficult to control once they start to flower.

Broadleaf weed control could be difficult this spring due to many Fescue lawns being thin and not completely tillered. Tiller simply means the fescue plant adds additional leaf blades thickening the plant and increasing the ability to compete against broadleaf weeds.

Research has proven that maintaining a mowing height of 3½” – 4” on fescue drastically reduces the amount of crabgrass in the lawn. Mowing at this height will also help promote healthy turf and help control broadleaf weeds.

Summer Crabgrass Control Starts Now

Fairway Green and many other turf care managers will start their first application of pre-emergent Crabgrass control this month through early March.  Crabgrass will usually start to germinate in late March or early April throughout the Transitional Zone. Germination will occur when soil temperatures are about 53 degrees and 3 to 4 inches deep. Crabgrass germination will be seen first in bare spots with little desirable turf and in full sun. The first application must be completed before Crabgrass starts to germinate. It is always best to control Crabgrass, when possible, before it germinates.  Controlling it once it matures is often very difficult. Fairway Green utilizes a split three application pre-emergent process on cool season turf to offer the best summer Crabgrass control possible. This process is used based on local research from NC State University.

Deep Root Fertilization for Ornamental Trees & Shrubs

This is the time of year that Fairway Green starts deep root fertilization on ornamental trees and shrubs. This specialty fertilizer is applied at a rate to feed the plant for the entire growing season. Typically, this product will not create flush heavy growth.  This product is more of a vitamin for the plant adding in plant health. This can be especially helpful during times of stress or poor soil conditions.

Is your Fescue looking a little tan or yellow?

Fescue turf may have receive desiccation of the leaf tissue during the winter months (a yellow or brownish color on the leaf blade).  Frost damage causes the tips of the blade to turn yellow, giving the lawn an overall yellow color. This is caused when the moisture in the grass blades freezes and ruptures the cells at the tip of the blades. This will grow out as spring arrives and temperatures become more favorable for Fescue growth.  An increase in temperatures along with the early spring application will help the plant recover and flourish.

Mole and Voles

Mole and Vole signs tend to increase this time of year because the soil has better moisture and is easier for the moles and voles to move around. Think about how difficult it is to dig a hole on your property in July and August. Mole control can be frustrating and time consuming. Many people believe that a grub treatment will rid their lawn of moles.  However, trying to control moles by controlling grubs is usually ineffective because moles feed heavily on earthworms and other insects. There are chemical options to control Moles in North Carolina now. Several products are now registered for use in our state.  The two products that people have had success with are Tomcat Mole Killer and Motomoco Mole Killer. These products are available in home & garden centers like Home Depot and Lowes (don’t forget to patron local hardware or nursery stores). A very good website for additional information on Moles and Voles is The Mole Man. We do not offer a mole control service at this time.

Chance to save 7% on your next season’s service.

Keep an eye on your emails starting in January to save 7% on your annual Programs. Starting in early January, Fairway Green will emai our special prepay offer. This is an excellent opportunity to save 7% on your annual programs.

Thank you for your business.