Tree Banding Grants Available

In the Charlotte metro area, most of us have heard of cankerworms. If not, you've probably wondered what those black wraps are around the trees heading up Providence Road. This pest feeds on deciduous trees. In our area, the population of cankerworms is growing. According to Charlotte Mecklenburg's website, last year, more than 73,000 acres in Charlotte were infested with cankerworms (more than 40%). The City did a preventative aerial spraying in 2008 and recommends banding trees in the fall to keep the cankerworm population down. Banding prevents the female cankerworm from climbing the tree, thereby preventing her from laying eggs on the branches. The hatchling caterpillars feed on the leaves and can defoliate a large tree.

The good news is that the efforts seem to be working. Previously as many as 3000 female cankerworms could be found on a single willow oak in the Charlotte area and now those numbers average less than 100. As an incentive to support tree banding, the city of Charlotte is offering neighborhood matching grants to communities in locations identified as within or adjacent to the Cankerworm Infestation Area to assist with the cost of banding trees. This includes trees located on private property. Charlotte has recognized that "it takes a village" to make an impact on cankerworms.

For more information on these grants, see the Charlotte Mecklenburg website at: http://www.charmeck.org/city/charlotte/nbs/communitycommerce/Pages/TreeBanding.aspx
For more information on the importance of tree banding, see our blog at: http://aatexlawn.blogspot.com/2010/11/protecting-city-of-trees-canker-worms.html

We'll be sending out tree banding proposals to our clients soon. With the possibility of a matching grant from the city of Charlotte, there is more incentive than ever to add this service. Applications for a Neighborhood Matching Grant need to be submitted by October 21^st, so time is of the essence. Let us know if we can help.

Thanks,
The AA Tex Lawn Team

Drab Winter? Not if you add cool season annuals to your landscape!

 As the heat of summer winds down, it doesn't mean that we have to resign ourselves to drab landscapes during the winter months. The begonias, impatiens, and other summer annuals have done their job, but they can't handle winter's cold. So now it's time for a change.

There are beautiful annual flowers that do very well in our mild winters here in the south. Some that we particularly like are violas and pansies. Kales and cabbages can also be added as accents for texture in your beds. You can use snapdragons for height. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what's available:


Sorbet Purple Duet Violas

 

Penny Citrus Mix Violas


 

Monet Mix Pansy



Blueberry Thrill Pansy



Penny White Violas



Red Russian Kale

 

Winterboor Kale



Snapdragons


With the multitude of varieties available, you can really give yourself a nice winter look. In the fall beds we prepare for our clients, we rely on violas and pansies as our mainstays because of their hardiness. With hundreds of varieties available, the possibilities are endless. This is just a sampling of the cool season flowers that are available in our area. Check your local greenhouses for availability. For more information on the services we offer, give us a call at 704-821-0708. We're happy to help.

We do recommend that you apply a systemic fungicide and systemic insecticide at planting. You also will want to fertilize multiple times during the growing season for maximum blooms. We use an organic fertilizer and a granular type at installation. Then we also add a liquid bloom producing fertilizer similar to the type you find at your home improvement stores. For more tips on bed prep, check out: http://aatexlawn.blogspot.com/2010/11/add-color-to-your-landscape-during.html

As an added note, it is almost time to plant bulbs for that burst of early spring color! Depending on weather, bulbs can be planted in the October/November timeframe when the soil temperatures start to fall. Who doesn't love to welcome spring with beautiful tulips, lilies, and crocuses!


Happy Planting,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Composting: A good use of our resources and a rockin’ bon-fire

At AA Tex Lawn, we try to be good stewards with our resources. We look for ways we can keep our operating costs down, as well as help our planet. One way we do this is by contracting with a local tree company to recycle our landscape waste in mulch and compost. Not only does this keep the tree branches, dirt, leaves, etc from going to the landfill, but turns this waste material into something usable. The tub grinder is an impressive piece of equipment. Check out the video of the tub grinder at work on our pile of debris:

After a couple of months this compost is a rich soil amendment or mulch to put in plant beds. Here's how composting works:

Composting is a way to speed up the decomposition (or break down) of organic matter. By putting carbon rich materials like fallen leaves, wood chips and straw in a pile with nitrogen rich materials like fresh grass clippings and vegetable and plant waste, you create a mix of materials that bacteria and other microorganisms will feed upon. These organisms break down these materials into rich mulching and soil amendments much quicker than they would decompose naturally. The process creates heat which also helps with the break-down process (and also kills any weed seeds that may be left from the grass clippings).

Composting needs several things to work efficiently. You need the right ratio of carbon to nitrogen. The materials you put in the compost pile need to be small to provide more surface area to help the material break down quicker. Because of the energy produced by the microorganisms, the compost pile needs to be turned and watered frequently to keep the heat from building up. Watering also facilitates the break-down process.

A compost pile can spontaneously combust when materials self heat to a temperature high enough to cause them to ignite. As strange as this sounds, we actually had this happen to our pile this summer. There is nothing like walking out to a huge smoking mound of (what looks like) dirt! This is not something that usually affects a home compost pile as they are smaller, allowing more airflow with less dry pockets in the pile. Spontaneous combustion is more prevalent in larger piles that are not turned often. We turn ours every 1 to 2 months now. To be safe, if you are thinking of starting a compost bin at your house, locate it away from buildings and flammable structures. (It will also help control critters that are attracted to the organic material.) Be sure to turn it periodically to accelerate the decomposition process and let air into the pile. Also water it to encourage break down.

In a relatively short time, your compost will be ready to use and great for your soil! Although the grinding process is not cheap, we're excited to have this organic material to add to our plant beds and sell at our facility. And we get the added bonus of knowing we're doing something good for our Earth.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Aeration and Seeding… Is it necessary?

Fescue turf has taken a beating this summer between the heat and weeds.  Fall brings a respite to the stressed turf.  However it takes more than cooler weather to get your fescue back in prime condition and to give it back that lush look we all want and love in our lawns.  Aeration and overseeding is a process that alleviates soil compaction and replaces turf lost in summer.  With the hot recent weather in the Charlotte area, it is almost a requirement if you want to get the best look for your fescue.   

Aeration is the loosening of the soil to allow the essential elements (air, water, and nutrients) to better penetrate our heavy clay soils.  It can be done with a core aerator (a machine that pulls plugs of dirt out of the soil) or an aerovator which is a tractor mounted machine that shakes and shatters the top 3 to 4 inches of soil.  Both are effective, but where the landscape allows, we prefer to use the aerovator as the plugs left by the core aerator will be messy and shaking the soil provides a more uniform loosening effect than plugs.  In areas that are too small to maneuver the tractor for the aerovator, we use the smaller core aerator.  Either device will relieve the soil compaction, which with our hard, clay soil is essential for good seed germination.  

Aerovator and Aerator

Overseeding replaces the turf that could not survive the heat of summer.  Fescue is not a spreading grass, so overseeding fills in any bare areas left when crabgrass dies out.  Timing is important.  Typically, we try to aerate and seed in the September/October timeframe.  Doing it earlier as opposed to later gives you the opportunity to touch-up any areas that may not germinate due to a variety of factors.  

Seed and technique matter.  If you are going to tackle this yourself, make sure you are using good, quality seed and take your time to get adequate coverage with the aerator and spreader.  Be careful not to put down too much seed.  Optimally, you want the seed to be about 1 to 1.5 inches apart because as fescue matures, each seedling will form a plant about the size of your fist.  So putting too much seed in one area hinders root growth because too many plants are competing for the same nutrients.  Eventually they will choke each other out.

What can you do to help the process along? 

Before aeration and overseeding:

• Mow:  Mow your lawn at 2 inches tall to allow good seed to soil contact when overseeding.
  
• Irrigation:  If you have sprinkler heads, it is important that you mark your sprinkler heads with flags to avoid any damage by heavy aerators and aerovators.We want to prevent damage to your property as well as complete the job as quickly and efficiently as possible.
  
• Water:  A good watering the night before can make sure the soil is soft for aeration.  Better plugs allow more chance for your seed to grow.
  

After aeration and overseeding:

• Water: Once the lawn has been aerated and seeded it is vital that your lawn receives daily watering to ensure the best germination possible.  The best rule of thumb is to keep soil moist for two weeks after seeding.  Allow the seed to dry out between waterings as overwatering can decrease germination results also.
  
• Mow:  Once seeded, you want to give the young seedlings time to take hold before mowing.  We try to hold off mowing until the seedlings are at least 2 inches tall (typically 10 - 21 days.)  Mowing too soon can pull up the tender shoots.
  
• Traffic:  With newly seeded lawns, you want to avoid stepping on them as much as possible until they are established.  I know that with kids and dogs this is more difficult, but the more undisturbed time you can give the new seed to grow, the better the germination will be.
  

Weeds:  Aeration loosens the soil to allow grass to grow.  By optimizing the soil for seed growth, you also provide a good environment for weeds to grow.  However, herbicides can kill new grass.  We concentrate on getting good germination and improving the density of your fescue.  (As we've said before, the best defense against weeds is dense, healthy turf.)  It is best to wait 6-8 weeks after seeding to spray for weeds.

Just to be clear, this article applies to fescue turfs. If you have a bermudagrass lawn, aeration and seeding typically takes place in the spring before the bermudagrass growing season starts. Hopefully these tips will help you make the most out of your lawn this fall. As always, visit our website or give us a call if AA Tex Lawn can be of any help to you with this process.


Thanks,


The AA Tex Lawn Team

After the Storm… Storm Cleanup

If you live in the Matthews area, you were probably blown away (no pun intended) by the storms in the last couple of weeks. My neighborhood had several large trees felled, lost power for hours, lost our large pool umbrella, and the pool itself had more debris than at the beginning of the summer season. It's always amazing when Mother Nature reminds us who's really in charge. Just like the 3 little pigs, we hope we've built a house to protect us from the unexpected wolves (or storms) that come blowing at our door. Our landscapes on the other hand can take a beating. Rain and wind can fell trees, uproot shrubbery, sweep away mulch, and generally wreak havoc in our yards and communities.

Safety is paramount when you begin the clean-up after these storms. Here are some basic tips to keep in mind:

1. Protective gear: When working with chain saws or disposing of debris, it is best to wear eye protection, work gloves, heavy boots, chaps, and a long sleeved shirt to prevent injury from branches and equipment
   
2. Know your surroundings: Felled trees can land on or near power lines, electrical boxes or other electrical equipment. To avoid risks of shock, if you are working near a downed power line, contact the utility company first to make sure the area is grounded before proceeding. If you are worried about electricity in an area of your house, make sure you either turn off the power at the main breaker or the fuse at the breaker panel.
   
3. Read the directions for your equipment: If working with a chain saw or other equipment, follow all manufacturer instructions. We could write a whole blog on chainsaw safety, but to keep it simple, the instructions come with the equipment for a reason. READ THEM.
   
4. Structures that have been flooded can become unstable. Avoid risks by checking the stability of structures before working on or near them.
   
5. Avoid "Bounce-back": When working with trees or branches that have been bent or caught up under something during wind storms, make sure you know the spring tension for the branch. Branches that spring back can do so with enough force to cause injury to you or a bystander. If you think tension may be an issue, slowly shave the underside of the branch, rather than cutting through it to release tension slowly.
   
6. When in doubt, call a professional.
   

If you'd like our help in cleaning up after these most recent summer storms, let us know. AA Tex Lawn has the manpower and know-how to help. You can call our office at 704-849-9084 or visit our website for more information.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Defeating the Armyworm

Caterpillars!  Watching them develop into moths and butterflies can be fascinating.  In small numbers they are harmless.  Large numbers feeding on your turf can damage your lawn.  Armyworms feed on the leaves of the grass. In large infestations, they can eat the turf down to the soil. While typically bermudagrass can recover, cool season grasses can receive permanent damage from these attacks.

Armyworms are the larvae caterpillar stage of a light brownish gray moth.  Their name comes from their feeding habits.  They move in groups, consuming all the grass in one area before moving to the next location.  Fall armyworms are not a constant issue in our area, but when they do attack, it can be devastating to a lawn. They are most commonly associated with late summer or fall damage to bermudagrasses, but also feed on fescue, ryegrasses, bentgrasses, bluegrass, and other turfs.



lawn damage from an armyworm infestation

 Since typically these caterpillars feed at night, it can be difficult to explain the brown patches in your bermudagrass at first. There are a few tell-tale signs of armyworms, though. If you have flocks of birds feeding in your turf, you must have something that they are feeding on and this can be an early sign of armyworms. To determine if you have them, inspect the grass for the caterpillars. If you find more than 1 per square foot, you may need to treat for them. In addition, you can do a soap flush to bring the larvae to the surface to make identification easier.

Treatment for the pests is usually effective. A sprayable lawn insecticide can be applied to kill them. Treat in late afternoon when the caterpillars are more likely to be feeding. It’s best to mow before you spray. Then hold off on mowing or irrigating for several days afterward to allow the insecticide to work.

If you think you have an issue with armyworms, give us a call and we can come out and evaluate your lawn and set up a treatment plan for you. As long as you stay on top of the problem you can avoid any cataclysmic results.

Thanks,
The AA Tex Lawn Team

Battling Bermudagrass

Bermudagrass… you either love it or hate it, depending on what type of turf you are cultivating. While it has many positive attributes, if you are trying to grow a cool season lawn like fescue, bermudagrass can become a very invasive weed. Since Bermudagrass is a warm season turf that grows naturally in the soil in this area, it thrives in the summer months when fescue is typically struggling due to the heat. Because it grows on rhizomes and stolons, it runs like a vine straight into your garden beds or through your fescue turf. It can wiggle its way under stones and barriers.

Now (in the late summer months) is the time to think about getting rid of it. If left untreated, bermudagrass will fill in areas where the fescue has failed due to summer heat stress. While this is not as noticeable in the summer months, when the fall hits and the bermudagrass goes dormant, you are left with unsightly brown patches in your cool season lawn. By getting rid of the bermudagrass, you create more seed to soil contact when you overseed in the fall. This will allow better germination of the seed, thereby creating a nice, uniform look for your turf.

How do you go about removing it? It's not easy.  We strongly recommend having the bermudagrass patches sprayed with a non-selective herbicide at least twice.  The second spray should take place a couple of weeks after the first to get any stubborn stragglers as it is hardy and hard to kill. Spraying a second time will increase your chances of getting it all. However, you want to be sure to spray only the affected areas as a non-selective herbicide like Round-up will also kill the desired turf. Once the bermuda is dead, it needs to be removed so that the soil is showing. This way when you overseed, there is no thatch to hinder seed germination. At AA Tex Lawn, we do this in different ways depending on the landscape:  we either scalp the affected area with a mower, rake out the dead bermuda, or de-thatch it.

Taking these steps does not mean you will never have to deal with bermudagrass again. The purpose is to help increase your fescue density, which in return decreases the likelihood of bermuda returning. As we've said before, the best defense against weeds is thick, healthy turf! 

If you take on this process yourself, be prepared for a battle.  We're happy to help.  If you’d like more information  or our rates, contact our office at 704-821-0708. Treatments will be done in late July/early August and then again two to three weeks later.  Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team