Monthly Archives: June 2015

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Aeration Benefits

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Aeration Diagram

Aeration Benefits

 

 

 

What is aeration? (Mechanical Core Aeration)

  • Aeration is the removal of small cores of soil and the breakdown of thatch from your lawn.

 

Why aerate your lawn?

  • Aeration is beneficial for your lawn in a number of ways.
    • Aeration will reduce compacted soil.
    • Compacted soils will make it difficult for roots to grow by, limiting the movement of air, moisture and fertilizer through the soil.
  • Aeration will reduce water requirements.
    • By relieving soil compaction, water penetration is increased and water run-off is reduced.
  • Aeration will disrupt the thatch layer and reduce risk of insect and disease.

 

How is aeration done?

  • Aeration equipment consists of a series of 3 inch hollow coring tines.
  • The cores of soil and thatch are pulled up by the machine and left on the lawn.
    • Soil cores contain beneficial microorganisms that help break down the thatch as well as more air exposure.
  • Cores will disappear back into the lawn in 7 to 10 days or with the first mowing.
    • Raking the cores to break them up will speed up their disappearance from the lawn surface.

 

When should aeration be done?

  • The frequency of aeration depends on the condition of the lawn.
  • Aeration may be done 1 or 2 times a season. It is usually done in the spring and in the fall when the soil is moist.

 

Why aerate

  • Creating an Enhancing the development of a deep root system will be healthier and better able to withstand drought, disease and insect stress.

 

Thatch

  • Thatch is a layer of un-decomposed living and dead plant parts which restricts root development.
  • Harbors disease and insects.
  • Thatch can reduce the amount of oxygen and compete for essential elements.
  • A desirable thatch thickness is ½ inch or less.

 

To find out the Benefits of Aeration first hand call today 651-456-9696

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags < aeration MN , MN aeration , core aeration MN , Minnesota aeration , Minneapolis aeration >

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Red Thread Lawn Disease

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Red Thread

 

 

 

 

 

Red Thread Lawn Disease :

This lawn disease is a parasitic form of plant life called fungi. Fungi live in the soil, thatch and dead leaves all year round. These fungi feed off the grass by drawing nutrients from it. The disease spreads throughout the lawn in the form of spores. These spores are spread by wind, air, water and humans. The disease is especially severe on slow growing, nitrogen deficient turf. Blue grasses, rye grasses and bent grasses can be affected. Fine leafed fescues and some rye grasses are particularly susceptible.

Identification:
The first noticeable symptoms from Red Thread are water soaked patches of grass in the spring. Infected grass blades soon die and fade to a black-tan color when dry. The infected blades are often interspersed with healthy blades, giving the lawn a ragged appearance. In humid weather the fungus grows visibly on the infected blades and leaf sheaths. The fungus produces thread like strands or web like areas of coral pink to deep red color on the tips of the brown grass blades. The strands can protrude up to ½ inch up from the blade and are easily seen, hence the name “red thread”.

How can Red Thread be treated?
Invasion of the red thread fungus is quick and grass blades may begin to die as soon as two days after becoming infected. This makes red thread difficult to control. The best treatment is to use proper cultural practices to encourage a healthy lawn. Some of the beneficial practices to keep in mind when dealing with red thread are:
• Nitrogen deficient lawns are more susceptible to this disease. Regular applications of Weed Man’s specially formulated slow release granular fertilizer will provide a sufficient amount of nitrogen to the lawn.
• Avoid over watering. Do not water in the late afternoon or evening. Leaving the grass plants wet overnight will allow the disease spores to spread more rapidly, causing greater damage in the long term.
• Thin out shaded areas. This will help dew and other moisture evaporate.
• Provide good soil drainage and do not allow thatch levels to accumulate. This allows moisture to stay trapped at the surface in the thatch layers and assists the disease spores in spreading. Core aeration will help relieve compaction and the thatch layer. This will help improve water absorption and air circulation to the root zone.

If you have any further questions about red thread lawn disease in your lawn or have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at 612-405-2660

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Sod Webworm

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Control of Sod Webworm

in Home Lawns

 

 

 

Description: Sod Web Worm

There are several species of caterpillars called sod webworms that can be highly destructive pests of Minnesota lawns. Damage to grass is caused by the feeding of the larval or “worm” stage. The damage first appears in early spring. The damage shows up as small dead patches of grass among the normally growing grass. The summer generation of the Sod Web Worm (webworm) may cause general turf thinning or even irregular dead patches in late June into early August. Sod webworms prefer sunny areas and the larvae are often found on south facing, steep slopes and banks, where it is hot and dry. Heavily shaded turf is seldom attacked by the larvae. Sod webworm adults are about 3/4-inch long, cigar-shaped and white-colored moths. The moths are easily identifiable as they tend to fly up from their resting spots when disturbed. You may notice them while mowing or when walking through your lawn. Simply spotting these moths does not necessarily mean you have a sod webworm infestation. However, if you notice the moths as well as the damaged areas in your lawn, you could have a sod webworm problem.

 

 

Control Strategies for the Sod webworm:

  1. Cultural Control - Use Fertilizer and Water - Damage can often be outgrown if water is continually available. Considerable damage may occur if irrigation is not possible during periods of drought or close mowing is used.

  1. Insect Control - Sod webworms can be easily controlled with Weed Man’s insect control. The best control is achieved by applying in the day so that the larvae ingest the product during their peak feeding times.

Call Weed Man Lawn Care of the Twin Cities for control of these and other insects such as Ticks, Fleas, Mosquitoes, Ants and Japanese Beetles. 651-456-9696

 

 

 

 

Tags: Sod Webworm MN , Worms in lawn , white worms in grass , Minnesota worm , Sod Web Worm , Minnesota Bugs

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Mosquitoes MN - Ticks MN - Ants MN

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Mosquitoes MN

Ticks MN

Ants MN

Oh MY!

Hello this is Jess, I have a confession to make: All: Hi Jess

I am hooked on the Insect Control from Weed Man Lawn Care of the Twin Cities. My story is I live in Lakeville, MN. The home I purchased a few years ago was full of wooded area and I basically had no lawn in the backyard. I had DK Companies landscape come in and clear most of the woods and create a way to carry most rainwater around my house. So now I have a fantastic park like backyard. The neighbors house to the north has a mini rain water run off area for our entire block and is a major mosquito and other insect breeding ground and source of many of our neighbor hood insect woes. This issue of Insects is a thing that all Minneapolis and St. Paul people face at some level. The main problem mosquitoes; the darn Minnesota mosquito was the number one problem for me and my home as well as ticks and some ants. Weed Man was able to allow me to reclaim my backyard and I am so pleased with the performance of there product. I would try to use my deck and I would get probably a bite a minute not counting all the mosquitoes that I would swat away every few seconds.

I have a friend that has Lyme disease here in Minnesota and it can be very painful; and being a parent of four children I am very protective of my kids. The other disease that is in the news all the time called the West Nile Virus which is carried by mosquitoes and now has reached Minnesota, scares me that my kids or wife could simply get a bug bite and then catch this horrible thing. I know the odds may not be good of that happening but why would I not spend a little bit of money to increase the enjoyment of my beautiful Minnesota yard and being able to have a barbecue without a mosquito bite every few minutes? Why wouldn’t I want to protect my children and my wife in my own backyard from the ravishes of Minnesota Mosquitoes and blood sucking, Lyme disease carrying ticks and those darn ants trying to eat my picnic food and infiltrating my MN domicile I call home.

In conclusion if you have ticks, ants, Japanese beetles, fleas or want those MN Mosquitoes taken care of do what I did and have Minneapolis MN Weed Man Lawn Care treat for mosquitoes, ticks and ants in my yard. I give Weed Man a 5 Star Rating!!!

 

*Jess does currently work for the local Eagan, MN Weed Man Office, however his opinion is based off his personal story of how his backyard was reclaimed.

Tags: Mosquito MN, Ticks MN, Bugs MN, Insects MN, Japanese Beetles MN and Ants MN.

 

Pictures:

1.) Deer Tick

2.) Mosquito

3.) Japanese Beetle

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Weeds MN ( Minnesota Weeds )

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Weeds MN ( Minnesota Weeds )

 

612-405-2660

Combating weeds in your lawn in Minnesota lawn can be a challenging thing to do. Whith hundreds of different broadleaf weeds in Minnesota out there how can you keep up with all the seeds in the yard. Not to mention dandelion seeds can be in the soil for 20 years and when the conditions are right, pop comes up the “lovely” yellow flowers.
Other common Weeds in MN
SpeedwellsVeronica spp.
There are many different types of Speedwells that can invade a Minnesota Lawn. Many annual plants that spread via seed and yet many others that would be perennial that can spread and grow by seed, creeping stems as well as rhizomes. All are low lying plants that grow with tiny little leaves. Perennial plant species are typically more difficult to take control of.
VioletsViola spp.
The main two types of violets found most in Minnesota that are found on home lawns are the annual field violet and the somewhat pretty sweet violet which is perennial. Violets are characterized by their heart shaped leave structure and their purple, yellow or white flowers. Both types of violets can be very hard to deal with especially as a home owner.
Creeping Charlie or Ground IvyGlechoma hederacea L. A common type of Minnesota Weeds , This is a persnickety perennial weed that has a intense creeping growth and spreading process. It lays flat against the ground with squareing stems and roots at each node section. Its ugly leave structures are rounded with toothed edgings. A common alert of its presence for this weed is that its leaves and stems produce a mint like odor when cut, damaged or crushed. This weed is more easily taken care of than the two weeds we looked at however, like most of the weeds mentioned, it will take a professional lawn care technician to keep it under control typically.
Other weeds found on home lawns that are considered hard to deel with include wild strawberry, yarrow, mossy stonecrop, field bindweed, knotweed and “elephant ears”. A combination of adequate and proper cultural practices, vital nutrition and a aggesive weed control program that may involve repeated applications of commercial weed control materials tohelp to get these weeds taken care of for Minnesota Home Owners. It may require many additional applications and possibly several years of consistent care by a lawn care professional in Minnesota and the home-owners before absoulute control of these hard to kill weeds is accomplished.
Weeds MN Resistant To Selective Methods of Control
  • Japanese KnotweedPolygonum cuspidatum Sieb. Zucc.
  • Creeping Bellflower Campanula rapunculoides L.
  • Goutweed or Bishopweed Aegopodium podagraria L.
  • Field horsetail Equisetum arvense L.
  • Jack in the Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum
These MN weeds ( Minnesota Weeds ) are seldom a concern in home lawns, however, when they do appear they can present a major problem. All are perennial plants and are extremely persistent. All reproduce by underground stems called rhizomes excluding jack in the pulpit that make them very difficult to control. They cannot be selectively controlled on a lawn using weed control materials. They can, however, be effectively dug out of a lawn as long as care is given to remove entire plants, including all underground reproductive structures (seeds, rhizomes, roots).
Your local Weed Man is a trained specialist. He can properly identify any broadleaf weeds that exist on your lawn and determine the most suitable method for their control.
Article: Weeds MN ( Minnesota Weeds )
Alternate title: Hard to Kill Weeds MN