Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Minneapolis Lawn Pest The Grub and Japanese Beetle
Minneapolis, MN Japanese Beetles
Early Grub Warning
The Minneapolis, MN summer season is practically synonymous with insects. A few harmless beetles shouldn’t be a cause for concern then…right?
Unfortunately, Japanese beetles should set off warning bells if you happen to take pride in having a healthy, green lawn. While the beetles themselves do not cause damage to lawns, their larvae (white grubs) pose a major threat to most Minneapolis, MN turfgrass species. White grubs will aggressively chew on a lawn’s root system until there is nothing left, causing the lawn to turn brown and roll back like a carpet or newly-laid sod. Consider the presence of beetles on your property a red flag – or, at the very least, a reminder to schedule your preventative grub control treatment.
While your Minneapolis, MN lawn is relatively safe in the pre-larvae stage, surrounding foliage on your property may be at risk. These green and copper-colored beetles feed on about 300 species of plants, devouring leaves, flowers, and overripe or wounded fruit. They usually feed in groups, starting at the top of a plant and working downward. They are highly mobile and most active on warm, sunny days, and prefer plants that are in direct sunlight.
Life Cycle
The majority of white grubs and Japanese beetles complete their life cycle in one year, while others require three years. White grubs survive in the winter as larvae in the soil. In the early spring they begin to feed again. Later, in the spring and summer, they enter a resting stage (pupae) and then hatch into adult beetles. The presence of many Japanese beetles on your Minneapolis, MN property can mean a grub problem down the road, as there will be higher populations to reproduce.
Weed Man Minneapolis, MN Can Help
Grub damage is most severe in the spring and the fall, when grubs are actively feeding near the surface of the root zone. As the lawn’s root system is eaten away, the grass will start to discolor. Left undiagnosed, grubs can devastate a lawn in a short period of time.
Adult Japanese beetles often return to the same area year after year to mate and lay eggs. If you’ve had grub problems in the past, you will most likely need an annual preventative control program to help eliminate grubs and prevent further damage to your Minneapolis, MN lawn. Your Weed Man Minneapolis, MN professional is trained to recognize grub damage and potential threats to the health and vigor of your lawn.
Brought to you by Weed Man Lawn Care Minneapolis, MN. Call (651) 456-9696 or request an online quote to find out how we can help your lawn look its best.
Providing lawn care from Stillwater to Plymouth, Savage to Farmington and in between. Minneapolis Weed Man of the Twin Cities.
The Beetles are Back! JB or Japanese Beetles on your Roses! How to get rid of beetles on your rose bushes?
There are several methods to get rid of Japanese Beetles on your rose bushes or other ornamental plants. Weed Man uses somethig called Demand CS which has had amazing results with the beetle, ticks, mosquitos and other anoying insects.
I personally had my yard treated. I went from being outside for 1 minute being bit by 15-20 mosquitos to 3-5 every 5 minutes. A very dramatic change. I am a believer in this product. Good bye mosquitos hello afternoon tea on the deck.
The Minnesota Rose Gardener blog has a very well written blog and includes great information about getting rid of beetles on you rose bushes. He explains why not to squish the bug, which is what I would have thought to do. You should read it! Really great information.
http://jack-rosarian.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-beetles-are-coming-beetles-are.html
Thank you Jack Falker for your great blog information.
Jess
Weed Man Lawn Care of the Twin Cities.
651-456-9696
Friday, July 25, 2014
Mushrooms in my Yard? How to Get Rid of Mushrooms?
I have mushrooms in my lawn!
Mushrooms: (See complete article)
The mushroom is an above ground fruiting or reproductive structure of a fungus.
Many of the species of fungi that produce mushrooms feed on decaying organic matter in the soil.
It is common to find mushrooms growing on lawns that have dead and buried stumps, roots, boards, excess thatch and other organic debris.
Mushrooms help decay buried organic matter.
Mushrooms range from 1-12" (2.5 - 30cm) in diameter and tend to appear after heavy rains or watering.
Some mushrooms are foul smelling, some are poisonous and for the most part are undesirable on home lawns because of their appearance. However, it is important to note that they do not cause any damage to turf.
The fungi that produce mushrooms over winter as mycelia spawn in the soil and decaying organic matter.
Fungi reproduce by spores and spread by wind, water, and lawn equipment.
Control
Control of mushrooms can be achieved by doing the following:
Where practical, carefully dig up and destroy rotting stumps, roots, or other organic debris.
Remove mushrooms by hand, with a lawn mower or stiff rake.
Mushrooms will disappear naturally only when the food in the soil becomes exhausted. This process may take several years.
If you have further questions about mushrooms on lawns, contact your local Weed Man.
More information from wikihow...The 4 Ways to kill mushrooms
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Found a great article about seven fall lawn care ideas via the U. of Minnesota! Fall lawn care; getting the lawn ready for winter.
Came accross a really good U of M article about preparing your lawn for winter in Minnesota. Tips from overseeding, aeration, proper water and winterizing ideas. Hope you like it.
Click here to read U. of M. article about fall lawn care!
Lawn Care Discounts in Minneapolis, Lawn Service in Saint Paul discount for prepay customers! Lakeville discount on Lawn Treatments!
If you have lawncare needs from Andover, to Plymouth, Bloomington, to Farmington / Lakeville areas and past Chanhassen then look no further than to Weed Man Lawn Care of the Twin Cities. We offer a discount for senior citizens as well as our Military or former military customers. We are proud of you!
Do I have crab grass? What does crab grass look like? Minnesota has crabgrass!
Minneapolis, MN Crabgrass Crabgrass turns thick, lush, green lawns into thin, weak, patchy lawns. Crabgrass - a troublesome weed grass - infests lawns across the country. Since there are many different weed grasses, it is critical that the undesirable grass be correctly identified.
Click for images and complete article.
Crabgrass
Crabgrass establishes from seed every year.
Crabgrass is an undesirable grass due to the weakness of the plant's structure, its coarse texture and unsightly color. These characteristics do not blend well into a fine-textured, dark green, Weed Man lawn. If the coarse, ugly grass infesting your lawn is green as soon as the snow melts in early spring, the weed grass is not crabgrass. Control measures for annual and perennial weed grasses differ. Discuss these methods with your Weed Man.
Crabgrass is very difficult to identify early in spring since only plant skeletons are present at this time.
Crabgrass is best identified in summer or fall for control in fall or the following spring.
Crabgrass cannot be controlled with broadleaf weed control products.
Crabgrass favors sandy, sunny locations in a weakened condition. Areas damaged by insects or along sidewalks and driveways are prime targets for crabgrass attack.
A strong, healthy, properly fertilized, mowed and watered Weed Man lawn provides the strongest defense against crabgrass. Thick, lush, insect and weed free lawns allow few open sites for crabgrass to establish.
Remember, crabgrass grows from seed every year in weakened, stressed areas!
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Grubs eat the roots of your grass, killing it. The cost of repair and time to repair can be extremely costly. Japanese Beetles tend to be the largest contributor of this problem in Minnesota. Even if you saw one, there is good chance they laid some eggs in your grass. If they do next spring you will likely have a grub problem. I am posting an image so you can know what to be on the lookout for.
We do have a preventative grub treatment for the eggs in the lawn as well as an option to take care of bugs like mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, clover mites and the Japanese beetles.
Call Jess today and ask about our 15% off sale and get a no obligation quote or go to http://minneapolis.weedmanusa.com and refer to the 15% off grub treatment Weed Man Blog offer.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Brown spots in the lawn? Yellow sections in your grass? Have you seen beetles? You may have grubs! Call Weed Man in Minnesota for a preventative treatment and an outside insect solution!
Minneapolis, MN Lawn Alert: Grubs
Your Lawn May Be at Risk
It’s official: the Minneapolis, MN grub season is here! Is your lawn protected? If not, you may need to prepare for costly damage down the road. Read on below for more information from your Weed Man Minneapolis, MN professionals.
Minneapolis, MN White Grub Profile
White grubs (resulting from European chafer, Japanese, May and June beetles) are small, plump, white larvae that actively feed on grass roots. While many Eagan homeowners consider grubs out of sight, out of mind, these larvae can cause severe damage to all turfgrass species. Located underground, white grubs will actively feed on a lawn’s roots. The result is spongy, yellowish turf that can often be rolled back like a carpet or freshly laid sod. An additional source of grub damage comes in the form of digging animals, such as raccoons, skunks, and birds, which feed on grubs and tear through lawns looking for their next meal.
Because the damage caused by white grubs is similar to symptoms of drought or dormancy, many Minneapolis, MN homeowners wrongly assume that their lawn just needs more water to return to its normal green self. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.
Minneapolis, MN White Grub Tips
- Grubs are easier to cure preventatively, so watch for warning signs like flying Japanese beetles
- If you’ve had grub problems in seasons past, it is likely you will have them again
- If watering doesn’t help eliminate the discolored patches on your lawn, you may have a grub problem
- Digging animals often signify a grub infestation
Protect Your Lawn Before It’s Too Late
By August, when there’s more stress on the turf, grubs have often done enough injury to roots to heavily damage a lawn. That’s why Weed Man strongly recommends that Minneapolis, MN homeowners take a preventative approach. Our preventative product is highly effective and lasts 60-75 days in the soil. We guarantee that grub activity will not even begin for the entire remainder of the year – that’s like getting grub insurance for your lawn!
Contact us today at (651) 456-9696 or log in to your customer account to protect your lawn from grubs today. For additional details on white grubs, including detailed life cycle information.