Here is some good research done by Eric Bickel the Hallbrook Golf course Superintendant.  These factors show why this has been the worst year in the last 20.

KC Weather Factor, 2010

By Eric Bickel

Extreme heat and humidity have persisted for over four weeks.  The wet conditions this spring coupled with the heat stress have combined for peak turf loss conditions.  The cold spring and wet conditions (33” April through July) was not conducive to healthy deep root development.   The cool season grasses have been surviving for the last six weeks off reserves in the root systems.  Those reserves and the root systems have all but run out.  In addition, high humidity has created constant high fungal disease pressure.

Dew points, temperatures, wind speed, and soil temperature are the key climactic factors which measure the stress associated with cool season grasses ability to perform its basic physiological functions, (respiration, photosynthesis, evapotranspiration).  A brief summary of these factors, their critical values, and their occurrence follows for the period of June through Aug 11^th.

Days with highs of 90 or above                                                        37

Days with a low temperature above 70                                           43

Days with a average dew point above 70                                        46

Days with an average wind speed of 10 mph or less                      65

Days in which soil temperatures have been above 86                    52

When all five of these factors occur simultaneously at their critical values (highs & lows above 90 & 70 respectively, dew points above 70, soil temps above 86, and wind speed below 10), cool season grasses are in a state of full blown decline.  There is no recover for that day.  The plant can no longer perform its basic functions normally.  Metabolic activity is sustained solely at the expense of the root system.  When this occurs for extended periods of time little can be done to alleviate the issue.

Total days in which all five of these factors occurred simultaneously over the last 20 years, (i.e.# of severe root decline days)

Year                90’       91’       92’       93’       94’       95’       96’       97’       98’       99’

# of days          5          8          1          3          2          14        5          10        12        17*

Year                00’       01’       02’       03’       04’       05’       06’       07’       08’       09’      

# of days          9         16        13        9          5          7          11        8          5          6     

*1999 had the most consecutive days with 13

In 2010 this has happened 29 days, (this could hit 32 on Saturday, August 14^th!)

A little side note that I found intersting on this prolific weed is that it is edible and pretty widely used in other parts of the world. Apperantly in Spain the nutlets (called tiger nuts) are used as kind of a sweet tea called Horchata. I knew something this common had to have other uses. Mother nature proves again that everything has its purpose. Just wish it wasn’t in our lawns. You can find out more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyperus_esculentus

"The Weed from Hell"

Yellow Nutsedge with Seed Heads

Nutsedge in a Lawn

Yellow nutsedge (a.k.a. watergrass) is going strong all over Kansas City lawns right now due to the wet spring and hot temperatures.  This weed is the “Weed from Hell” for homeowners and lawncare companies.  Nutsedge is so tough and prolific that even a product that kills everything it touches, like Round Up, won’t control it.

If you notice tall grasses that stick up above your lawn and are lighter in color than your grass, you’ve got nutsedge.  Though it looks like grass, nutsedge (also called nutgrass or swampgrass) is neither a grass nor a broadleaf weed.  It is a variety of weed called sedges.  Nutsedge can reproduce by seeds but it also produces rhizomes (stems that grow underground and sprout new plants) and tubers (which store food and also produce new shoots.)  These tubers are also called “nuts” or “nutlets” and that is where the plant gets its name.  This system of underground rhizomes and nutlets make nutsedge hard to kill.

Unfortunately, once it is established, it is not easily controlled.  According to the latest study from the University of California, Davis, a nutlet can reproduce seven to eight times after each new plant is removed by pulling or spraying before it reaches the six-leaf stage.  After a plant reaches the six-leaf stage it is mature enough to start producing more nutlets, which means more plants next year.

With this new information the latest protocol to control nutsedge is to spray with products like Sedgehammer or Dissmiss and/or pull the plants before they reach maturity.  This is quite the opposite from previous recommendations in which studies found that if you wait until the plant is mature you get better kill and it won’t send up so many new young plants.  Now we understand why we kept having more problems each year, we were trying the win the battle by controlling the top but were losing the war by letting it produce more nutlets for next year.

So, the long and the short of it is – getting yellow nutsedge under control will require a team effort.  We will spray every time we treat and you will have to pull every time you spot one in the lawn.  If we beat it back 7-8 times we will make headway on reducing the population next year.  If you want to read the entire study it can be found here http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7432.html

The White Grub

There is a small window of time at the end of July and the beginning of August when grubs are most easily killed.  If you haven’t gotten your grub treatment down yet, don’t wait.  In a few weeks, you’ll see the damage, but by then it will be too late the damage has been done.  This year, the hatch of the 2010 brood is estimated to be the weeks of July 25^th -Aug. 5^th, based on peak flight of the adult beetles that occurred around June 25^th, according to the Kansas State University Entomology Department.  

This is the time of year that the grubs emerge from their eggs and burrow up into the top layer of soil where they eat the roots of the grass.  They are easiest to kill in this early stage of development.  In early fall, the grubs will begin to burrow four to eight inches into the soil away from the cold. They will return older and hardier in the spring and will cause more damage then. 

White grubs in lawns are the larvae stage of common beetles like the June bug and the Black Masked Chafer. These root eating larvae are found throughout Kansas and are a perennial problem in lawns in the Kansas City area.  We generally don’t see damage from grubs until the end of August or first of September because they feed on the roots you can’t always tell they are there until the damage is done.

Grub Damaged Lawn

If you notice brown patches in your lawn that look a lot like drought stress, you may have grubs.  Because the grubs feed on the roots, the grass begins to die and the ground will feel soft or spongy.  The green grass next to the damaged areas may lift up just like carpet. 

You can check to see if you have grubs by digging up an area that’s showing signs of grass browning.  Dig a one foot by one foot area of your lawn to just below the roots.  Pull back the turf in these suspect areas, in particular the marginal areas where brown grass meets green grass, and look for the grubs.  Usually a population of about 10 or more grubs per square foot will lead to browning of the lawn.  

Another sign of grubs is damage from skunks and raccoons digging up lawns in search of grubs to eat. This usually happens at night. Moles may or may not be feeding on grubs so are not a reliable indicator of grub problems.

If you suspect you have a grub problem the important thing is to do something about it in the next few weeks. That’s when they’re the most susceptible because they are near the surface.  Once they burrow down 4 – 8 inches, they are out of reach.  Call us if you suspect grubs and we can confirm your diagnosis, treat if needed, and start helping your lawn recover.

With simple practices and new technology, existing sprinkler systems can be made more efficient, lowering your water bill, reducing run-off and eliminating waste.  Waterwise habits will result in a healthier lawn and landscape, in addition to conserving water.
Water Saving Tips:
Adjust your system to the weather. You should learn how to operate your controller. Most important is to know how to add or subtract days of the week that you water. Once the times are set really all that is needed is to adjust how many days per week you are watering.
Different plants get different schedules. Flower beds and pots need to be watered more frequently that turf so set their schedules on separate programs. Don’t water everything every day.
Inspect your system monthly. If not more. You should watch your system run so you know if there are problems that should be addressed before they become big problems.
Get a professional audit. Hire an Irrigation Associated certified professional to perform an audit and make recommendations for improvements.                                                                                                                                                   Install a rain-shut off switch. Nobody wants to waste water or be the guy on the corner whose sprinkler runs even when it’s raining. Today a rain shut-off switch can be added to most any system.
Consider drip and microspray irrigation for beds and pots. This efficient style of irrigation keeps water off the house, which minimizes wood rot, and allows you to water only where you want.                                                                                                                                                                      Water in the morning. The best time to water is between 2 a.m. and 10 a.m. when the wind is low and the water doesn’t evaporate so fast. It also helps knock the dew off the lawn which aids in disease control.                                                                                                                                                  Water slowly.  Our heavy clay soil only accepts .25 inches of water per our so anything over that just runs off down the storm sewer.  Use the rain/soak/rain method.  Let your zones run just long enough to deliver .25” of water and then move to the next zone.  Then start over and run through each again about 1 hour apart.  This will deliver a deep soaking that is good for the roots.                                       Water when needed.  Soak the root zone and then let it dry.  It is much better to water deeply and infrequently that to water a little bit every day.  With a few exceptions most lawns can be watered on a Mon. Thurs. schedule until it gets hot and then move to Mon. Wed. Fri.

These tips will keep your lawn healthy, save water, and save money.

Bye Bye Bugs!!!

Bugged by bugs?  Ticks ticking you off?  Wish the fleas would flee?

If you’re tired of being eaten alive when you barbecue or picnic in your yard, send those bugs packing with a lawn treatment.  A simple treatment will get rid of nuisance insects like fleas, mosquitos and ticks plus less obvious insects that can damage your lawn deep down.  One treatment will control bugs for a minimum of six weeks.  Just call us to schedule a treatment today.

What is backflow?  In water supply systems, water is maintained at a significant pressure to enable water to flow from the faucet, shower, etc.  When pressure fails or is reduced, (if a water main bursts, pipes freeze or there is unexpectedly high demand on the system) water from another source (ground, holding tank, pool, sprinkler system, etc.) can be drawn into the system contaminating the drinking water.  There are over 10,000 reported cases of backflow contamination each year – some of them fatal.  A backflow prevention device keeps this from happening.  A typical device has test cocks and shut-off valves and must be tested each year. 

Missouri requires that you have your backflow device tested every year and so do many of the Kansas water purveyors.  Only a licensed technician can perform these tests.  If you receive a letter requiring you to have your device tested, or you just want it tested for peace of mind, call us.  Three of our irrigation technicians are licensed to perform the tests.  If you haven’t had yours tested for a few years, it is a good idea.  Nobody wants water from their sprinkler getting back into their drinking water.

April 22, 2010
Heritage Lawns and Irrigation Service Day at the Olathe Memorial Cemetery honors both the environment and our heroes. By treating for weeds at the Civil War Memorial and the World Wars Memorial and applying lime to more than 2 acres of the cemetery Heritage is able to give back to the community.  We like to be active in our neighborhoods and the chance to help spruce up something as notable as the civil war memorial that is over 100 years old is truly an honor.  The next step will be some seeding this fall to thicken the turf and let the natural competition help choke out the weeds in the future. 

A special Thank you to the guys for great attitudes even in the rain and to Helena for their donation of the lime.  See more pictures on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3678267&id=106660604309#!/pages/Olathe-KS/Heritage-Lawns-Irrigation/106660604309  

Filling a spreader with limeCivil War Memorial donated in 1893

Civil War Memorial donated in 1893

Brian Haggerty, Lawn Coach

What is a Lawn Coach?  It’s the same guy taking care of your lawn all year long.  Why is that important?  Because Lawn Coaches provide communication. Communication between you and your Lawn Coach is critical.  You’ll get to know him on a first name basis and even get his cell number.  Our Lawn Coaches are professional, licensed and certified experts.  Together, we can get beyond the “see the weed, spray the weed” mentality and start building a greener, healthier lawn that will require fewer and fewer chemicals. 

Not only does our Lawn Coach program allow us to make your lawn beautiful, it also allows us to deliver excellent customer service because of the relationships that it builds. You won’t feel like just another customer.  If you have thoughts, problems or concerns about your lawn, your Lawn Coach will be able to answer them.  He’s familiar with the problem areas and specific issues because he’s been there all season.  It’s just a smarter business model.  You can’t cure lawn problems if you don’t know the lawn.

The Lawn Coach program also helps build a sense of pride and ownership.  Your lawn is a reflection on your Lawn Coach, so he actually cares what it looks like.  He’ll walk it for problem areas, test the soil, talk about your wants and needs and THEN make a game plan. He understands that a thick healthy, green lawn starts from the ground up, not the weeds down.  Plus, he knows he’ll be returning in a few weeks and he’ll be seeing you again.  He wants you to be happy.  Sending out a different guy each time just doesn’t make sense to us.  He’s just a stranger who happens to be taking care of your lawn. 

If you’re looking for a lawn care company that will do more than just spray weeds, you’ll really like our Eco pride System with your own lawn coach.  We work to get the soil in balance first, which is the foundation of the whole Eco-Pride system.  Then, as your lawn gets healthier and healthier, we can use fewer and fewer chemicals because a thicker lawn will choke more weeds out naturally.  Only Heritage gives you your own Lawn Coach and the Eco-Pride system.  And that’s why we can promise great lawns and great service.

Forsythia in full bloom

Well, the countdown has begun. No matter what the calendar says mother nature works on her own schedule and pretty soon those crabgrass and foxtail weed seeds will start germinating. They pop every year when the soil temperature has been 55 for about a week. It is very predictable but the problem is that it very seldom occurs on the same day each year. On wet cool springs it may be April 15 or on hot dry springs it may be April 1st. To make matters even a little more difficult it may happen 2 weeks earlier on a south facing slope than on a north facing slope on the same property. So we have to let mother nature tell us what is going on. We use indicator plants like the forsythia bush. This bright yellow flowering bush is a good indicator of soil temperature. After many years of observation and study we know that to get the best control of crabgrass and foxtail you should have your pre-emergent in place before the forsythia drop their flowers. Since they are in full bloom now we only have a few days left.