Zoysiagrass Lawns are Among the Best

    Since we are well into spring, warm-season grasses like Bermuda, centipede, and Zoysia, have come out of dormancy and turned green.  Zoysia is one of the most beautiful of these grasses. Even though it is not planted as much as some of the others, more area homeowners turn to this type of grass for their lawns. Its coarse to fine texture, bright green color, and ability to form a dense stand of grass has many positive attributes. Zoysia is sometimes referred to as the “Mercedes” of turfgrasses because of its excellent appearance, its higher cost to establish, and its requirement of a higher level of maintenance than other turfgrasses. Even when it turns brown and goes dormant during the winter, it still maintains a neat and tidy appearance.   

   Zoysia needs full sun, although it is tolerant of light shade; however, it will thin out and deteriorate in deep shade. The lawn requires moderate levels of fertilizer; a soil test will help determine what amounts are necessary. Supplemental water is needed during prolonged dry spells, but the soil needs to have adequate drainage - if the water puddles after irrigation or rainfall, the grass will suffer and decline. Zoysia is prone to develop thatch, especially if heavily fertilized. The lawn should be aerated every two to three years with a hollow tine aerator to reduce thatch and to alleviate soil compaction.

     Zoysia is established by sod or sprigs and should be installed during warmer weather when the grass is green, not during the colder weather when it is dormant. Zoysia has a slower growth rate than other types of grasses and takes more time to become established. Thus, it requires less mowing. However, if scalped or damaged in any way, it takes longer to recover. Ideally, Zoysia should be cut with a reel mower, but a rotary mower with a sharp blade will provide an attractive cut. The grass should be mowed at the height of one to two inches. During hot, dry weather, raise the mowing height one-half inch.

     Several varieties of Zoysia are available. ‘Meyer,’ one of the most popular, has a medium texture, is tolerant to cold temperatures, and spreads more rapidly than other Zoysia hybrids. ‘Emerald’ Zoysia is an attractive fine-textured hybrid with a dark green color and is best suited for high-quality lawns with a good maintenance program. However, it does tend to develop excess thatch at a more rapid rate, and it is less tolerant of extreme cold. ‘El Toro’ is a relatively new hybrid that was developed in California. It has a similar appearance to ‘Emerald’ and grows faster than other Zoysia hybrids. ‘El Toro’ is the most tolerant of being cut with a rotary mower and produces less thatch. ‘Zeon’ has an intermediate growth habit, excellent drought tolerance, and is adaptable to different soil types.

     If you are willing to make the investment and provide the appropriate care, consider growing Zoysia. It will thrive and beautify the home landscape. With Zoysia, your lawn can be the envy of the neighborhood.

                                            

Seeds from China Appearing in the Mail

Please see the following news release from the Georgia Department of Agriculture:

CONSUMER ADVISORY

Beware unsolicited packages of seed

The Georgia Department of Agriculture has been notified that several Georgia residents have received unsolicited packages containing seeds that appear to have originated from China. Recipients are strongly advised not to open the packages or plant the seeds. “At this time, we are not sure what the seeds are and therefore are urging everyone to be exceedingly vigilant,” Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black says.  “If you have received one of these packages in the mail, please use extreme caution by not touching the contents and securing the package in a plastic bag.” The types of seeds in the packages are unknown at this time and may be invasive plant species. The packages were sent by mail and may have Chinese writing on them. Invasive species wreak havoc on the environment, displace or destroy native plants and insects and severely damage crops. Taking steps to prevent their introduction is the most effective method of reducing both the risk of invasive species infestations and the cost to control and mitigate those infestations. Anyone who has received unsolicited seeds in the mail from China or any other country is encouraged to contact the GDA Seed Lab at 229-386-3145 or email SeedLab@agr.georgia.gov

Murder Hornets Facts: They are not Present in Our Area

Asian Giant Hornet aka 'Murder Hornet.' Photograph by Hanna Royals, Museum Collection, USDA-APHIS-PPQ

Recent news reports about ‘Murder Hornets’ appearing in the United States have many people concerned. We need to separate fact from fiction regarding these insects. The hornet is actually called the Asian Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarina) and is native to East Asia. They get their name for preying on honeybees. The hornets can grow up to two inches long and can inflict painful stings. They have appeared in a few areas of Washington State and nowhere else. No reports of them from our area. Sometimes people mistake the European hornet and the cicada-killer wasp for murder hornets, but they are not.

Cicada Killer Wasps. Photograph by Jessica Louque, Smithers Vincent

European hornet. Photograph by Jim Baker, North Carolina State University

Beware of Herbicide Damage

Most of us apply herbicides to control the many weeds that trouble our lawn and gardens. However, care must be taken to avoid them from coming into contact with desirable plant material. Use care to avoid drift, which is caused by air movement and vaporization during hot weather. Avoid applications on windy days or when the temperature is over 85 degrees. Thoroughly read and follow all label directions.  Some selective herbicides can be applied to some types of turfgrasses and not others. For example, atrazine provides excelent weed control for St. Augustinegrass and zoysiagrass, but is detrimental to bemrudagrass, zoysiagrass and tall fescuegrass. When applying herbicides to lawns, keep the chemicals off the roots of the tree and shrubs since it can be absorbed causing damage. 

A crape myrtle that is suffering from Round Up damage.

In regards to your vegetable garden, avoid any herbicide applications since anything that will kill the weeds can harm the vegetables. Handpulling and hoeing are the best options. 

Tomatoes damaged by the application of 2,4-D herbicide to a lawn.

As with any pesticide, follow all label directions when using.

St. Augustinegrass Lawns Attractive but Challenging

St. Augustinegrass thrives in filtered shade but not deep shade

     St. Augustinegrass is an attractive turfgrass that has large flat stems and broad, coarse blue-green leaves. It forms a dense, thick turf that spreads by long, thick above-ground runners. St. Augustinegrass is similar in appearance to centipedegrass, but its leaf blades are wider, and the tip of it does not have as sharp a point. It is the most shade-tolerant warm-season grass thriving in filtered shade but not deep shade. St. Augustinegrass lawns are established by sod or sprigs, not by seed. When properly installed and maintained, a St. Augustinegrass can be a beautiful lawn for homeowners.

    St. Augustinegrass is the lawn of choice in South Georgia and Florida. In North Georgia, winter temperatures can drop to levels that can potentially harm the lawn.  However, many St. Augustinegrass lawns in our area have survived the past couple of cold winters without suffering from any significant damage. Newer varieties have been developed in recent years that can tolerate colder temperatures.

          St. Augustinegrass have wide leaf blades giving it a coarse texture.
Foliage is blue-green

   It requires low to medium maintenance. It does best on well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Proper and timely applications are essential to maintain a healthy lawn. Have the soil tested through the Gwinnett County Extension office to determine the fertility needs and the rates of fertilizer that need to be applied.  Applying all-purpose turf fertilizer after the lawn has come out of winter dormancy and greened in the spring and again in early summer. Do not use any fertilizer after the end of August as doing so will delay it from going into winter dormancy, thus increasing the chances of cold damage.  St. Augustinegrass should be mowed at the height of two to three inches. Mowing it too low can increase its susceptibility to drought stress, insect, and disease problems. Never remove more than one-third of the leaf blade at one time.  St. Augustinegrass is tolerant of dry conditions, but it will need supplemental water applications during prolonged dry spells for the lawn to maintain an optimal appearance.

      Thatch can sometimes be a problem, mainly if the lawn receives excessive amounts of water, high nitrogen fertilizer, and is mowed too high. Thatch is a layer of roots, stems, and shoots between the soil surface and the leaf blades that have not completely decomposed. If it gets over one-half of an inch thick, it can harbor insects, diseases and disrupt the penetration of air and water. Avoid applications of excessive amounts of water and fertilizer. If thatch is a problem, use a hollow tine core aerator during the growing season to break up the layer. This machine has tines that pull out one inch long cores in a pattern across the soil, thus allowing for improved air and water infiltration and better root growth.

       St. Augustinegrass is highly susceptible to chinch bugs, which are small silver to black insects one-eighth of an inch long. The main symptom of chinch bug activity is patches of yellow to brown areas of dead grass that begins to spread. The insects are most problematic during periods of hot, dry weather and are most active in the lawn areas in full sun.  If you suspect chinch bugs are infesting the lawn, get a tin can and cut off both ends. Push the can into the soil where the green, healthy grass transitions into the affected grass and fill it with water. The chinch bugs will float to the surface. Chinch bugs can be controlled by insecticides labeled for treating insects in St. Augustinegrass lawns. Keeping the grass healthy through proper cultural management methods will improve the lawn’s resistance to chinch bug infestations.

Chinch bugs can be troublesome on St. Augistinegaras lawns.

What to do about That Hornets Nest

A bald faced hornets nest. Photograph by Jerry Payne,
USDA -ARS, bugwood.org

UGA Extension Gwinnett has received calls from several homeowners concerning hornet nests on their properties. They are concerned about them and the potential hazard these stinging insects can pose. The hornets are only a threat when they are close enough to the ground where people can come into contact with the nests. If they are high up in a tree or in another similar location, they are not a threat. Hornets only attack when people mess with their nests or if you try to handle one. In these out of the way locations, they are not troublesome. In fact, the hornets are beneficial in that they consume harmful insects. You best course of action is to leave them alone.

However, if the hornets nests is located where they could sting people, get some flying insect aerosol spray, such as the Raid® products, and apply according to label directions. Wait until early in the morning or later in the afternoon, when the hornets are not as active. Stand back several feet from the next and direct the spray to the entrance hole. Apply enough to saturate it. This action should kill the insects.

2020 UGA Trial Gardens 'Plants of Distinction' for 2020

Begonia 'Top Hat' Pink, a winner of the 2018 UGA Trail
Gardens Plants of Distinction 

The University of Georgia Horticulture Department has its Trail Garden located on the main Athens campus behind the pharmacy building. It has been there a long time. I remember doing some work there during my undergraduate studies in the 1980s. Many seed companies send new releases of herbaceous ornamental annuals and perennials to the UGA Department of Horticulture. The Trail Gardens grows the plants and evaluates how well they do in our climate. Then they generate a report to the seed companies on which ones performed well and which ones did not. Then they compare these results to data on the plants grown at other trial gardens across the nation.  Please refer to their website at: https://ugatrial.hort.uga.edu/

     Each year they release their annual Plants of Distinction, which are ones that have the best appearance and overall performance. Click here to see a list of ones for 2020: https://tinyurl.com/yckp4msh.

See the following pictures of the gardens in bloom:

Fire Ants are Troublesome but Their Impact Can Be Minimized

Fire ants can have colonies consisting of large numbers of aggressive ants.

Over the weekend, I mowed my lawn and noticed a substantial number of fire ant mounds in my yard. With the cooler weather and rainfall, they have become more active and visible. Fire ants are one of the homeowner’s worst nightmares. They inflict painful stings on anyone who comes into contact with them. Their bite can cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. The ants also build unsightly nests in lawns as well as forage for food inside homes and other structures. They will aggressively defend their mounds if disturbed. Managing fire ant infestations is possible, although challenging.

      Fire ants are an invasive insect native to South America. They were accidentally imported into this country through Mobile, AL back in the 1930s. They have spread throughout the southeastern United States and are continuing to move north and west.  Our favorable climate has allowed them to become established. Unfortunately, there are no silver bullets for controlling fire ants. The goal of any treatment is to eliminate fire ants where the risk to people is high and to reduce infestations to minimal levels. The main objective of any control measure is to kill the queen since she is the only one capable of reproducing, and without her, the whole colony will die off.

     There are three strategies when using chemical pesticides. The first one involves broadcasting baits, which are insecticides mixed with a food source that attracts the ants. Make sure the ground is dry before broadcasting. Worker ants carry the bait into their mounds and feed it to the queen. Eventually, the whole colony will die. This process may take a week or more.

     The second strategy is treating the individual mounds with an insecticidal drench, which consists of an insecticide diluted in water. The drench is quite effective in controlling the ants if it penetrates to the bottom of the mound.

     The third strategy is to apply a granular insecticide labeled for the control of fire ants. These products can take a few days to a week to work. The application of the granules can help prevent new infestations in the treated area. Remember, when using pesticides, follow all label directions and safety precautions.

     An alternative to using pesticides is pouring boiling water on top of the mounds. Apply when the ants are close to the surface as on a sunny, cool day. The treatment usually kills most of the ants, although sometimes you will have to retreat the mounds will have to. Research has shown grits, and other homemade remedies are ineffective.

     If the fire ants are coming indoors, remove open food sources, and seal any holes or cracks around doors or windows. Locate the fire ant mounds outside and treat them to reduce the numbers that may be going indoors.

     Fire ants can be a real menace, but they can be brought under control by using the appropriate measures. Doing so will reduce the chances of you coming into contact with them and suffering from the painful stings they inflict.

Peaches Troubled by Brown Rot Fungal Disease (Among Others)

Brown rot fungal disease a challenge to growing peaches.

    Many residents who are growing peaches are observing them turning brown and mushy. The cause is brown rot fungal disease. The fungus is quite problematic in peaches and several other fruit trees, especially with the recent rain and high humidity. Please refer to the spray guide for peaches from the Georgia Pest Management Handbook for homeowners at https://tinyurl.com/ycc9evtl. Scroll down a few pages to where you come to the information on peaches. Make sure you follow all label directions when using pesticides.

   Peaches are a challenge for the home gardener in that they suffer from many insects and diseases and must be sprayed on a schedule to ensure your get peaches. Consider planting fruit trees that do not suffer from the level of pests that peaches do such as blueberries, blackberries and figs.

Flying Ants vs. Winged Termites: What is the Difference

The difference between an ant and a termite.

Many area homeowners are observing swarms of small insects in flight by their homes. Are they ants or termites. Flying ants have constricted waists, the front pair of wings longer than the rear, and elbowed antennae. Termites have a straight waist, both pairs of wings the same size, and straight antennae. If you determine they are termites, the insects may or may not be infesting your home. Have a licensed pest control professional do a thorough inspection to determine if a problem does exist and offer ways to mitigate the infestation.