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So far Frankie has created 27 blog entries.

July Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:54:01-06:00July 9th, 2020|Categories: Newsletter|

Summer Reminders for Southeast Texas Lawns Until temperatures cool back down and consistently stay below 90 degrees, lawns cannot be blanketed with herbicides; there will be spot treatments only. Follow summer watering guidelines; 1-2 inches of water should be applied to the lawn stemming from a combination of natural rainfall and manual irrigation. Water Read More >

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June Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:53:43-06:00June 9th, 2020|Categories: Newsletter, Uncategorized|

Be on the Lookout for Warm Weather Turfgrass Pests As our east Texas temperatures continue to rise, the likelihood for the appearance of commonly found pests in turfgrass also rises. Some pests to look for along with descriptions of possible damage to the turf, and a description of the pests themselves are included below. Read More >

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May Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:53:21-06:00May 20th, 2020|Categories: Newsletter|

Gray Leaf Spot Gray Leaf Spot is a common disease found on lawns at this time of year and into early summer, typically on St. Augustine grasses but it can be found on fescue, bermudagrass, centipedegrass and ryegrass as well. It is caused by a fungus in areas experiencing long periods of prolonged moisture and Read More >

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March Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:53:06-06:00March 13th, 2020|Categories: Newsletter|

Soil and Organic Matter Healthy soil is the foundation of healthy plants. Plant nutrients are obtained naturally either through organic matter or minerals. Besides providing nutrients, organic matter also improves the water holding capacity of soil and loosens tight clay. Almost all types of soil can be improved by adding organic matter. Some common organic Read More >

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January Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:52:47-06:00January 20th, 2020|Categories: Newsletter|

Winter Weeds Winter weeds are not only unsightly but can be damaging to desirable turf as well. They compete for sunlight, moisture and soil nutrients and frequently overrun lawns by starving the healthy grass. If this occurs, lawns can be left with bare or thinning areas once the winter weeds die, often causing lawns Read More >

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December Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:52:25-06:00December 5th, 2019|Categories: Newsletter|

Soil pH in Texas The pH in soil is tested to measure acidity or alkalinity, with a 7.0 being neutral. Soil measuring below 7 is more acidic and above 7 is more alkaline. Two factors determining pH are the composition of the soil itself and the amount of rainfall the area receives. Although the effect Read More >

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November Newsletter

By |2019-11-05T09:00:34-06:00November 5th, 2019|Categories: Newsletter|

Tips for Winterizing Beds Add organic matter (decaying animal or plant material) such as compost, green manure, leaf mold or animal manure. These are beneficial soil amendments that improve the structure of the soil. Avoid fertilizing. Adding fertilizer late in the fall promotes new growth that will be damaged in winter weather. Keep beds moist Read More >

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October Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:51:58-06:00September 30th, 2019|Categories: Newsletter|

Fall Watering Cooler weather, shorter days and increased chances of rain are signs of autumn in southeastern Texas. Along with the change in season is the possibility of finding Brown Patch Fungus in our lawns. This is the time of year turning off irrigation systems is generally recommended. Additional water should be applied only Read More >

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September Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:51:37-06:00September 4th, 2019|Categories: Newsletter|

Benefits of Core Aeration and Compost Topdressing Compost topdressing is the process of adding a thin layer of organic material, typically ¼ inch to ½ inch over grass and usually goes hand in hand with an initial core aeration. The process has been found to be so beneficial, it could easily be considered the foundation Read More >

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August Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:51:16-06:00August 13th, 2019|Categories: Newsletter|

Summer Watering Along with sunshine, proper mowing and maintenance, adequate watering of turf grasses is required for a lawn to be the most eye-catching part of any landscape. East Texas rainfall amounts generally provide abundant volumes of natural water annually, however Mother Nature cannot be relied upon to provide needed moisture in a timely Read More >

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Virginia Buttonweed

By |2020-09-17T10:47:54-06:00July 4th, 2019|Categories: Lawn Care|

One of the most prolific and invasive turfgrass weeds found in East Texas is Virginia Buttonweed.  It is a vining, low growing plant that can survive mowing at even the lowest blade settings.  This broadleaf weed found most frequently in moist to wet areas produces a white, four star-shaped petal. Overwatering or excessive rainfall during Read More >

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Virginia Buttonweed

Nimblewill Weed

By |2020-09-17T10:47:04-06:00July 4th, 2019|Categories: Lawn Care, Lawn Diseases|

Nimblewill weed is a warm season, highly aggressive weed readily resembling Bermuda grass.  However, unlike Bermuda grass which grows with rhizomes, it produces stolons that run along the surface of the soil.  This extremely invasive weed easily spreads vegetatively by seeds if the plant is allowed to flower, and are then commonly transported by birds, Read More >

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Nimblewill Weed

Chinch Bugs

By |2020-09-17T10:46:25-06:00July 4th, 2019|Categories: Lawn Care, Pest Management|

Starting with the hot weather in July and continuing through August and into September, chinch bugs can frequently be found in lawns, especially St. Augustine lawns.  Chinch bugs like hot, dry sunny turf and can quickly cause substantial damage in a relatively small amount of time.  Lawns with an infestation contain large patches of yellowish, Read More >

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Chinch Bugs

Summer Mosquito Management

By |2020-09-16T08:28:45-06:00July 4th, 2019|Categories: Pest Management|

Like all animals, mosquitoes need food, water and shelter to survive.  If any one of these components is missing, mosquitoes will die. Doing away with items such as old tires, plastic pools, sagging tarps, empty buckets and containers from the yard, the breeding sites for these pests will be removed.  Mowing tall grass and weeds, Read More >

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Summer Mosquito Management

Seasonal Alert-Major Weed Issue

By |2019-07-15T13:26:34-06:00July 4th, 2019|Categories: Newsletter|

Due to the record amounts of rainfall we have been receiving, there has been a major issue with weeds all over east and southeastern Texas this spring and early summer, which has led to concerns for golf courses, sports fields and residential properties.  The additional rain causes the chemical design of the herbicide to break Read More >

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Seasonal Alert-Major Weed Issue

July Newsletter

By |2020-09-17T10:49:19-06:00July 1st, 2019|Categories: Newsletter|

July Maintenance Tips For Trees and Shrubs Prune dead and damaged branches. Deadhead roses and apply an iron-based supplement. Hold off on pruning flowering shrubs until next spring but trim any non-blooming hedges. For Lawns Set the mower to the highest setting, 3-4 inches for St. Augustine grass. For Bermuda grass keep it at 1-2 Read More >

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June Newsletter

By |2019-06-03T10:27:01-06:00June 3rd, 2019|Categories: Newsletter|

June Lawns Hotter weather means faster growing lawns. Mowing every 5-7 days, rather than 8-14, allows for clippings to fall back on the lawn as opposed to bagging them. Allowing the clippings to settle back into the lawn recycles the nutrients and keeps thatch at bay. Quick growing, lush lawns are also susceptible to Read More >

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May Newsletter

By |2019-05-01T09:55:25-06:00May 1st, 2019|Categories: Newsletter|

May Bed Maintenance With the hotter summer weather quickly approaching, there are some things you can still do make your beds showy and survive the warm temperatures. Visit a nursery and choose plants that do well for your bed conditions. To add color in areas with direct sun, consider zinnias, petunias, periwinkle, salvia, sunflowers, Read More >

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Spring Care of Annuals, Perennials, Trees and Shrubs

By |2019-04-11T19:13:42-06:00April 11th, 2019|Categories: Lawn Care, Maintenance|

Replenish mulch around existing plants, 3-4 inches in depth and avoiding direct contact with trunks. Check for any diseases or insects that were problematic in the past to get an early handle on them. Divide and move perennials every 3 years to avoid overcrowding. In order to direct energy back into the bulbs, deadhead them Read More >

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Spring Care of Annuals, Perennials, Trees and Shrubs

Good Mowing Practices for St. Augustine and Bermuda Grasses

By |2020-09-17T10:54:38-06:00April 11th, 2019|Categories: Lawn Care|

Begin routine mowing in spring when grass starts turning green using a mower with properly sharpened blades for both types of turf.  Mowers should be set at 1 inch to 2 inches for Common Bermudagrass and ½ inch to 1½ inch for any hybrid varieties.  Where as, St. Augustine grass should have mowers set at Read More >

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Good Mowing Practices for St. Augustine and Bermuda Grasses

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