lawn-care-643561_1280When most people look at their lawns, they see grass, the occasional tree, and possibly some shrubbery. Your lawn is much more than grass, though. It is its own ecosystem, teeming with plant and animal life. Sometimes, when its requirements vary too widely, such as too much rain, not enough full sun, or an overabundance of fungus, your lawn may turn from a lush, verdant green to a lawn riddled with brown patches, weeds, or yellow circles of dying grass. These signs of lawn problems are often preventable with the professional help of your Orlando lawn care team at Apex Pest Control.

 

  • Sign of Lawn Disease: As summer approaches and your turf reaches its full capacity, conditions become ideal for lawn diseases. In Florida, there are two prevalent diseases: brown patch fungus and grey leaf spot disease. Brown patch fungus is caused by the Rhizoctonia fungus. At its onset, the blades of St. Augustine, Bermuda, Bahia, and centipede grasses yellow and are generally easy to pull from the plant. As it spreads, the virus affects a larger, circular area, and new blades at the center of the circle recover sufficiently to grow, giving a “bull’s eye” appearance. The second disease is grey leaf spot disease caused by Pyricularia grisesa, and it appears as a patch of grass with olive green or brown, moist spots on the blades of grass, predominantly St. Augustine. In time, the spots tarnish to a velvety grey.
  • Plagued by Weeds: Weed maintenance fluctuates with the changes of the season; weeds that dominate cooler spring weather may completely disappear in summer, only to be replaced with another variety that thrives in full sun and warmer temperatures. Understanding the cycle of the weeds helps to combat them. The application of an herbicide specific to the season and the weeds most common to your area and turf is essential to hinder the emergence of weeds, then follow-up treatments throughout the growing season prevent weeds from both recurring and new varieties from appearing.
  • Your Lawn is Dry: Plants need water, but how much? For most Florida lawns, the recommendation is 1-1.5” of water per week. To determine if your lawn is receiving the proper amount of water, place a shallow pie pan or pet bowl-sized container on your lawn and turn on the sprinkler system. If you can measure 1/2”-3/4” of water, your lawn is being watered sufficiently if you irrigate your yard three times a week. Any amount greater than that may cause undue stress to you lawn, or may simply be wasted since the grass is saturated. Remember to turn off your irrigation system if rain is in the forecast.

 

With good practice, your lawn can look beautiful throughout the year. Call (866) 675-4070 to speak with the Orlando lawn care experts at Apex Pest Control concerning a lawn maintenance program that will keep your turf healthy and happy in every season. Read our past blogs for information pertaining to turf pests and diseases, maintenance, and tips for a greener, lusher lawn.

No related content found.