Welcome to Lawns
Why grow grass? You may have asked yourself this question at one time or another. It's like a child's question such as: why is the sky blue? We grow grass for one reason: we can mow it and it survives, even thrives. Any other plant, even most other grasses would die after being mowed with any regularity. There are over 10,000 species of grass, yet only about 50 of those are suitable for use in a lawn.
Why can lawn grasses be regularly mown without dying, and still maintain a healthy and attractive appearance? Unlike most plants, lawn grasses grow from the base of the plant, well below the sharpened rotating lawn mower blade. Other plants grow at the tips that don't respond well to being repeatedly cut.
The process of mowing is actually reducing the plants leaves and cutting down its ability to use photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process that takes carbon dioxide from the air and turns it into carbohydrates that the plant uses for food. When the plant looses some of this ability, it overcompensates by producing additional leaves. The result: an even thicker, denser lawn.
So, the answer to the question "why grow grass?" is: because it's the one plant that adapts best for the environment we've created for ourselves.
Grass, lawns, yards, grass and turfgrass: everyone has a name for that green space, but what it really is, is your own little piece of the earth. You own it, you take care of it, you're responsible for it. Your lawn needs you! And, you need your lawn.
Our lawns have become a major player in our eco-system, after all lawns cover about 50 million acres in America (2003 estimate). That means what you do is multiplied thousands of times over. So it's important to do things right and not because that's the way you've always done it.
Taking steps like soil improvement, being careful with herbicides and pesticides, fertilizing the lawn. Identifying disease, pests, or lack of maintenance.
Macgyver Services is here to help care for your lawn. To provide professional service for each and every situation your lawn goes through every month, season to season, we encourage your lawn to grow to the best it can be. We have the resources you need to get your lawn growing so you can enjoy it worry free.
A Few Examples of Common Fungus and Insects
Chinch bug damage to a St. Augstine lawn
Dry weather enhaces survival of chinch bug nymphs and eggs by reducing the incidence of disease. Also, drought-stressed lawns are more susceptible to chinch bug injury, therefore, proper irrigation is crucial to Chinch bug population control.
Grub Worm Damage
The best time for treating grub worms is in late summer or early fall while the grub worms are still small and close to the surface. The damage in the photo above was the results of the grub worms eating at the roots of the grass on their journey up from the deep soil to appear as "June Bugs" or as some call them "Japanese Beetles" The lawn pulls back like loose carpet with no roots.
Grub's Life Cycle
Brown Patch
Brown Patch is most common to Bermuda, Kentucky Bluegrass, Centipede Grass, Bentgrass, St. Augustine, and ryegrasses in regions with high humidity and or shade. Brown patch is a fungal disease that presents a serious threat to St. Augustine each spring and fall. Brown patch commonly starts as a small spot and can quickly spread outwards in a circular or horseshoe pattern up to a couple of feet wide. Often times, while expanding outwards, the inside of the circle will recover, leaving the brown areas resembling a smoke-ring. This fungus will generally occour in the same areas of the lawn each year. The spores become active in the fall as temperatures drop and there is excessive moisture available for the fungus to develop. Scarring from the damage will usually remain until new spring growth fills in the area. Always be aware that watering your lawn at night when temperatures are favorable can also produce this fungus. Only water between the hours of 5am to 9am so that your lawn has a chance to dry out during the day.
Grey Leaf Spot
Leaf spots first appear as tiny brown to ash- colored spots with purple to brown margins that enlarge and become elongated or diamond-shaped. Sections of the leaf blade will also turn yellow. In severe cases, lesions develop on stems and spikes and the leaves wither and die. Turfgrass may have a burned or scorched appearance resulting from death or spotting of the leaf blades. The condition is usually cause by excessive moisture especially in shady areas of the lawn where an abundance of nitrogen is located. Avoid watering in the evening hours especially in shady areas and never water at night. Only water between the hours of 5am to 9am to give the blades time enough to dry before nightfall. Never water during the heat of the day.
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Texas Grasses
- Raliegh St. Augustine
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Raleigh grass, which is a cold-hardy St. Augustine grass cultivar, was first discovered on a lawn in Raleigh North Carolina and released to the public by North Carolina State University in 1980. It has a medium green color with a coarse texture. It is susceptible to chinch bugs, but this variety of St. Augustinegrass can be planted in northern Florida due to its tolerance to lower temperatures. It is also susceptible to brown patch disease. During peak summertime heat, Raleigh has been noted to yellow and to not grow as aggressively as during cooler temperatures. Supplemental iron applications can reduce this yellowing tendency. Raleigh is best adapted to the heavier, organic, clay soils with medium to low soil pH in central and north Florida.
Raleigh was well received by sod growers throughout the southeast, but, unfortunately, little university research has been done to date on this cultivar. It is often described as highly tolerant of shade, drought, and cold, but no impartial evidence of these claims exists at this time.
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Fertilization
- The best defense against weeds, diseases and insects is vigoruus turf. Many times a grass plant requires mor of a nutrient than the soil can supply. If deprived of these nutrients, the turf becomes thin, weak and off color. Turf left in this state is vulnerable to infestation of weeds, diseases and insects.
- A porperly fertilized lawn is less susceptible to weed invastion and will better tolerate cold, heat, drought, and traffic. It also has greater recuperative potental from diseases and insect damage. There is NO substitute for proper fertilization.
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- During peak summertime heat, Raleigh grass has been noted to yellow and to not grow as aggressively as during cooler temperatures. Supplemental iron applications can reduce this yellowing tendency. Raleigh grass is best adapted to the heavier, organic, clay soils with medium to low soil pH in central and north Florida.
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Insects & Pests
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Chinch Bugs
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Brown Patch
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Treatments
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Chinch Bugs - Dursban ®
or acephate (Orthene ®). Another is permethrin which can be found in Spetracide ® Liquid Insecticde Spray. Chinch bugs are inactive during winter. When warm weather appears a female can lay up to 300 eggs which hatch within 2 weeks.
Chinch bugs always prefer sunny areas.
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- Brown Patch- Water only as needed and early in the day to remove dew and allow the gress to dry quickly. Avoid over fertillization in spring and fall. Improve the turgrass root system with good drainage and aeration to reduce damage cause by brown patch. Fungicides are most effective when used on a preventive basis.
- Grey Leaf Spot - Water your lawn ONLY between the hours of 5am to 9am. Watering at night will cause grey leaf spot as the water sits on the blades of the talon. Much like Yellow leaf spot on roses when watered at evening or nights. Evaporation must occur to keep the blades dry throughout the night.