]]> http://www.weedpro.com/Blog/uncategorized/the-best-day-of-fishing-ever/feed/ 0 http://www.weedpro.com/Blog/uncategorized/happy-new-year-january-garden-tips/ http://www.weedpro.com/Blog/uncategorized/happy-new-year-january-garden-tips/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:58:24 +0000 weedpro http://www.weedpro.com/Blog/?p=1333 Choose a nice sunny day and fertilize your winter pansies, violas, and ornamental cabbage. It’s also a great time to deadhead any unsightly or damage flower heads. Be sure to also remove any seed pod stems. Fertilize your winner flower displays with products that contain “nitrate nitrogen” for plants growing in cold soil.

Mower maintenance is upon us! Don’t procrastinate! Drain and completely replace the oil in your lawn mower and check the spark plug and blades. Also, check the air filter for debris’s or clogged up pre-filters. If this is a task you don’t feel comfortable with, local mower shops usually are slow during January and can help with your lawn mowing maintenance needs.

Bare-root roses will arrive in nurseries this month! Start designing your landscape plan to incorporate spacing for each plant. The plants come in a wide variety of colors and textures to choose from. Just remember, when configuring the total square footage you will need. The basic rule of thumb is four feet wide and twelve inches deep for each plant to include new soil.

Now that leafs are gone in the Atlanta Metro area, it’s easy to see the limb structure of trees and a great time for limb pruning and shaping. Crape Myrtle’s are a very popular landscape variety in Georgia and are usually pruned during the months of January and February. Just remember to remove any unsightly or over hanging areas while trees are dormant. It’s also, a great time to complete any large tree pruning projects.

Don’t be in a hurry to fertilize poinsettias until March. Only water the plant as needed when the soil becomes dry. If you have difficulties determining if the plant is dry are not, use a moisture meter to assist you. Place the plant in a bright sunny area with cool temperatures for best results during Atlanta Georgia’s winter months or by your head.

The cool temperatures we have been experiencing coupled with the dying back of kudzu, its preferred host, are likely causes of the mass migration. The same phenomenon was seen in the late fall of 2009 and 2010 when the bugs moved from kudzu in search of sites in which they will spend the winter in a mostly inactive state. In the spring these adults emerge, lay eggs on sprouting kudzu, and begin building large populations of the insect. These may also infest soybeans and a number of other legumes found in the Georgia landscape (including beans and peas in home vegetable gardens).

Unfortunately, there have not been any significant developments in controlling this nuisance pest in suburban and urban environments. Research on its control will continue. We are hopeful that the large numbers of these insects we currently see reflect a “colonization effect” of these recent invaders from Asia. If so, we will likely see kudzu bugs reach an ecological equilibrium in which their numbers are not as high as we see now. Until then there are a few tips to consider:

• Seal, with caulk or screen, all cracks around windows and doors, and make sure there are no gaps under doors and around soffits. Install doorsweeps on all outside doors, if necessary.
• Kudzu bugs should not be killed inside. They should be vacuumed if found inside to prevent the noxious odor/exudate from penetrating and perhaps, staining indoor surfaces.
• At this time of year (mid-October to mid-November), kudzu bugs are most active in the afternoon as temperatures warm up later in the day. As such, plan outdoor activities in the morning, if possible, or move activities indoors.
• Kudzu bugs can be killed with pyrethroid insecticides applied directly to the insects, e.g., while resting on outside walls. However, given the peak of flight activity currently occurring, homeowners should expect significant re-invasion within a day or so. If you use an insecticide, read and follow the product’s label (it’s the law), and never use a pyrethroid insecticide in an area where it might contaminate water as these insecticides are very toxic to fish and other aquatic life. No traps have been commercialized (and shown to be effective) in attracting and killing large numbers of kudzu bugs. Effective chemical attractants have not yet been identified.
• The flight will subside, based on our experience, in late November, but the bugs will once again become active, and mildly troublesome in the spring of 2012 as they awake from their winter slumber. In light of this, if kudzu can be removed from the property, it is recommended that this be done in order to eliminate potential problems once again in October 2012.

Copper, yellow, orange band on margins of diseased areas when active. Affects crown, sheath upward
Annual Cycle
Spring
Visible around April as light brown sunken areas recovering slowly from winter dormancy with
Healthy turf around the patches greening up more rapidly. Patches may expand and Exhibit a bright orange border.

Summer
Thatch and soil temperatures are high enough to stop the spread (cycle) of the disease.

Fall
Thatch temperatures lower and the disease becomes active again. In late September to mid-October, roughly circular patches of bright orange discolored turf appear later fading to a tan color. The outer ring of the patch will usually remain bright orange in color as it continues to expand. Examine grass shoots on the outer edge of the patch for reddish-brown to black lesions on the lower leaf sheaths on the plant.

HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE SUSCEPTIBLE MODERATE SUSCEPTIBLE
Emerald Zeon Meyer
El Toro Zenith JaMur
Sunburst

BMP – Best Management Practices
• Improve drainage
• Avoid over irrigation – spring/fall
• Mow at a higher cut
• Thatch at less than ½ inch
• Avoid early fertilization until active growth
• Avoid greater than 2 lb. N per 1000 – no fertilizer after August
• Slow release N
• Higher P and K

Almost two years ago, a tiny immigrant pest arrived in Georgia, and there’s nothing the state’s immigration office can do to make it leave. The bean plataspid, or kudzu bug, munches on kudzu and soybeans and has now set up residence in four Southern states.

Homeowners consider the bug a nuisance. Soybean producers shudder at the damage it causes. And many are hoping it will prove to be a kudzu killer.

Spreading problem
The kudzu bug was first spotted in Georgia in the fall of 2009 when insect samples were sent to the University of Georgia Homeowner Insect and Weed Diagnostic Laboratory in Griffin, Ga. The first samples came from UGA Cooperative Extension agents in Barrow, Gwinnett and Jackson counties.

“The bug can now be found in 143 Georgia counties, all South Carolina counties, 42 North Carolina counties and 5 Alabama counties,” said Wayne Gardner, an entomologist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Last fall, Gardner had to search repeatedly to find the pest in kudzu patches in north Georgia. “Those areas are loaded with bugs this year,” he said.

By studying the pest for the past year, Gardner has determined wisteria, green beans and other legumes are the bug’s true hosts in the landscapes and home gardens. A plant becomes a true host of the insect when different life stages of the insect are found on the plant, he said.

Multiplying pest
Like Asian lady beetles, kudzu bugs seek shelter indoors. They are attracted to light colors, especially white cars and light colored house siding.

Removing kudzu is one way to help control the pest around homes, but that’s not an easy task, especially if the kudzu is growing on your neighbor’s land.

“The bugs re-invade so quickly from nearby kudzu that a pest control operator may have to treat every other day, losing money in the process. A single call that they were paid for might turn into a half-dozen visits, five of which they’d not be paid for,” said CAES entomologist Dan Suiter. “I suspect that the pest control industry will be steering somewhat clear of kudzu bug control unless some smart pest control operator begins to market kudzu removal as part of his business.”

Having a few hundred uninvited houseguests is bothersome, but the bugs are not harmful, and they don’t feed on indoor plants.

Munching on kudzu
No one seems to mind if the bugs take out a 1,000 or so acres of kudzu. But are they?

“We found the bug caused a 32 percent reduction in kudzu growth last year in the plots we monitored,” said Jim Hanula, an entomologist with the USDA Forest Service. He monitored the bug on kudzu plots in Athens, Ga., for the past year.

This may sound like reason to celebrate, but kudzu roots can grow as deep as 12 feet and weigh up to 300 pounds, Hanula said.

“We’re hopeful that feeding by the bug year after year will deplete those roots and weaken the plants,” he said. If the bug’s effect is cumulative, kudzu plants will likely weaken, and patches won’t be as thick.

“Hopefully, the bug will reduce kudzu’s ability to climb, which would be good for forestry,” he said. Weed Pro Lawn Care would like to thank UGA for this great info…

Hot, dry weather in Decatur, Cumming, Smyrna and Roswell can intensify fall armyworm problems when egg-laying adults concentrate their eggs in irrigated, green turf. At least some cultivars of all warm season grasses are susceptible. Cool season grasses like tall fescue are very favorable for fall armyworm growth and development too, and do not regenerate as readily as the stoloniferous grasses.

Fall armyworm adults migrate northward every year from southern Georgia overwintering areas. Adult armyworm moths are active at night and females lay eggs in masses of 50 to several hundred. These night-flying moths are attracted to lights and to lighter colored surfaces. Egg masses on structures around turf (eaves and gutters, fence and porch posts, flags on golf courses) and even on taller foliage plants can be the first indicators of incipient infestations.

Eggs hatch in a few days, and the young larvae begin to feed on leaf tissue. Damage from small larvae may at first look like skeletonizing, but as the worms grow, the entire leaf is consumed. Small larvae at this time are easier to control and have inflicted less damage than full grown (35-50 mm long) larvae. Full grown larvae will soon pupate in upper soil/thatch layer and will not be susceptible to insecticides at this point.

Armyworm larvae are most active early and late in the day, spending the hotter hours down near the soil in the shade. Larvae feed for 2 to 3 weeks before pupating in the soil. Moths emerge 10 – 14 days later. The entire life cycle from egg to adult moth takes about 28 days in the warm weather of August and September.

If there is any doubt about whether worms are present, pouring soapy water on the grass (1/2 oz. dishwashing soap/gallon water) will bring them up very quickly. Heavily infested turf will also have visible greenish-black fecal pellets on the soil surface. Other indicators of armyworm infestations may include birds or even paper wasps that use the fall armyworms as food.

Control of armyworms and other turf caterpillars is relatively simple once the problem is identified. There are several pesticides from which to choose depending upon the site you are treating. Consult the UGA Pest Management Handbook or your local Extension Agent for recommendations. See the links below for contact information. Read and follow all label directions when using pesticides.

Armyworms are most active late in the day and at night, so pesticide applications should be made as late as practical for best results. It is not necessary to water after application but an application rate of 20 – 25 gallons of solution per acre as a minimum will ensure good coverage. Cutting the grass prior to application may improve control, but do not cut grass for 1 –3 days after application.

In addition to the birds and paper wasps mentioned above, a number of other insects feed on armyworms, including tiger beetles and other ground beetles. Fall armyworms, like many other turf infesting caterpillars can also be heavily parasitized by tiny wasps that kill the caterpillars and cause no harm to humans or pets. These natural enemies can be conserved by spot rather than blanket spraying and properly timing control efforts. WeedPro lawn Care would like to thank UGA for there great educational resourcesand beneficial programs to our students.

The Atlanta Georgia Department of Health provides primary prevention through a combination of surveillance, education, enforcement, and assessment programs designed to identify, prevent and abate the environmental conditions that adversely impact human health. One of the many mandates for the Environmental Health Division Georgia Lawn Care is that of inspecting tourist accommodations in order to “minimize illnesses and injuries associated with unsanitary or hazardous conditions in Georgia’s lodging industry.” County Environmental Health Specialists working for the local health authority inspect these facilities twice a year and when there is a complaint.

Bed bugs are becoming a problem within residences of all kinds, including homes, apartments, hotels, cruise ships, dormitories and shelters. While we associate bed bugs with unsanitary conditions, the problem may be found in the cleanest of homes, hotels or other buildings.

BIOLOGY
Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals. They are sometimes mistaken for ticks or cockroaches. A mature bed bug is oval-bodied, brown to red-brown in color, wingless and flattened top to bottom. Unfed bugs are 1/4 to 3/8 inch long and the upper surface of the body has a crinkled appearance. A bed bug that has recently fed is engorged with blood, dull red in color, and the body is elongated and swollen. Eggs are white and are about 1/25 inch long. Newly hatched bed bugs are nearly colorless or straw-colored.

Of the 90 or so species in the family Cimicidae, approximately 7 will feed on human blood, but only 2 are commonly found: Cimex lectularius (bed bug) and Cimex hemipterus (tropical bed bug).

LIFE CYCLE
Female bed bugs deposit 3 to 8 eggs at a time; a total of 200-500 eggs can be produced by one female over her 10 month life span. The eggs are 1/25 inch long and are slightly curved. They are usually deposited in clusters and fastened to cracks and crevices or rough surfaces near adult harborages with a sticky cement-type substance.

The eggs hatch in 4-12 days. The newly hatched nymph is nearly colorless or straw-colored before feeding, and then turns red or purple in color after taking a blood meal. Bed bugs go through 5 nymphal stages before reaching maturity. This usually takes 35-48 days.

Nymphs look like small adults with the exception that adults have minute wing pads; females are larger than males. Nymphs can survive months without feeding and adult bed bugs can survive for 6-7 months without a blood meal. They have been known to live in abandoned houses for at least a year. Under favorable conditions (70-90° F), the bugs can complete development in as little as a month, producing three or more generations per year. Cool temperatures or limited access to a blood meal extends the development time.

HABITS AND HABITATS
Bed bugs are active mainly at night; they reach peak activity before dawn. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices – especially those associated with mattresses, box springs, bed frames, and headboards. Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places. Bed bugs do not fly, but can move quickly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces.

Bed bugs respond to warmth and carbon dioxide when searching for a blood meal, but not to odors. All nymphal stages and adults of both sexes require blood for nutrition and development. Bed bugs ordinarily feed within 24 hours of hatching, once between each molt and once before egg deposition; an average period of 8 days is required between molts. Adult females will continue to take blood meals every 3-4 days depending on ambient temperature and humidity. Bed bugs take up to 10 minutes to complete a blood meal, and will consume 2-5 times their own body weight in blood during that time. Individual bed bugs usually do not feed every night but at intervals of a few days to a week. Once a bed bug is finished feeding, it quickly retreats back to its hiding place. They do not remain on the host between feedings. Bed bugs may also feed on small animals, such as pets.

MOVEMENT
Some of the most common ways new bed bug infestations may be introduced include:
 Spending a night (or longer) in an environment which is already infested by bed bugs (hotels, homes, international flights, etc).
 Having someone visit from such an infested environment (bed bugs can be transported in luggage).
 Renting furniture or buying used furniture or bedding.
 Picking up discarded bedding or furniture from a curbside, trash collection point, or dumpster.

MEDICAL IMPORTANCE
The bite of a bed bug is painless. The amount of blood loss due to bed bug feeding typically does not adversely affect the host. Unlike flea bites, which occur mainly around the ankles, bed bugs feed on any bare skin exposed while sleeping (face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, etc). Skin reactions are commonly associated with bed bug bites, which result from the saliva injected during feeding. However, some individuals do not react to bed bug bites, while others note a great deal of discomfort often with loss of sleep from the persistent biting.

Common allergic reactions include the development of large welts, often >1cm, which are accompanied by itching and inflammation. The welts usually subside to red spots but can last for several days. Blister-like eruptions have been reported in association with multiple bed bug bites and anaphylaxis may occur in patients with severe allergies. It has been suggested that allergens from bed bugs may be associated with asthmatic reactions. Reactions to the bites may be delayed up to 9 days before lesions appear. Reactions may be accompanied by severe itching that lasts for several hours to days. Scratching may cause the welts to become infected.

Bed bugs have been found to harbor at least 28 human pathogens and have been considered in the transmission of a wide variety of infectious agents. However, bed bugs have never been proven to biologically transmit any human pathogen, including HIV and hepatitis B. Although bed bugs are considered more of a nuisance than a health concern, public health officials maintain a level of interest due to the possibility of secondary infections. In fact, the CDC & EPA issued a joint statement saying that “Although bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, they are a pest of significant public health importance.”

For more information, see the Georgia Dept of Health Bed Bug Handbook

Contact Weed Pro Lawn Care directly for help with your landscape projects. Additional reference sources include marietta organic lawn care or suwanee organic lawn care.