blog

Grubs! Now what?

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 07:51:09 -0500

This is the time of year where we start getting calls from homeowners asking us to stop by and see why patches of their Michigan lawn is dead or torn up by some type of animal. Well, the damage is almost always caused by grubs. Grubs feed on the roots of your grass until the grass plant dies. Lawns that are torn up are caused by skunks or even turkeys looking for and eating grubs hiding just under the grass. You may also see large numbers of blackbirds poking around dying areas of your lawn. They are looking for grubs as well. To find grubs, simply grab areas of grass where the damage is taking place and it should pull up easily and reveal grubs underneath. Sometimes it takes a little digging around. Grubs are only active in the Spring and Fall. Grubs in the Spring transform into beetles. These beetles mate and lay eggs in the Summer. The eggs hatch and form new grubs which can damage lawns in the Fall. The Fall grubs dig deep into the soil to overwinter then emerge in the Spring to start the cycle over again. Once you have determined that there is a grub problem, it is a simple process to control them. Apply a curative grub control application to effective stop any more damage from occurring. Then apply a preventative grub control application in the Summer to stop the grub life cycle in its tracks. The Summer grub preventative application will keep grubs out of your lawn for a full year. Areas damaged by grubs may come back on there own depending on the severity of the damage. However, I always recommend overseeding to get your lawn back in shape as quickly as possible. Have a great weakend!

A couple pointers about crabgrass

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:00:17 -0500

I would have to say that crabgrass probably ranks number #1 as the most vilified weed/pest in Michigan lawns. Dandelions are a problem, but they tend to be easily controlled with simple weed control applications. Crabgrass on the other hand is a problem that isn't necessarily easy to solve. Here are some pointers to help you solve a crabgrass problem. #1 - Crabgrass does not like thick beautiful well maintained lawns. If your lawn is properly watered, mowed & fertilized, you probably don't have a crabgrass problem. MStill make sure an application of crabgrass preemergent is made in the Spring. #2 - Crabgrass thrives in lawns that are thin, lack proper fertilization and are not properly watered. If this dscribes your lawn, addressing these issues will help in the long run. Applications of crabgrass preemergent to lawns in poor condition will work in a limited capacity. It is still worth it to apply the crabgrass preemergent, just know that it is unlikely to prevent all crabgrass from germinating in the summer. #3 - If your lawn has a crabgrass problem and is thin, overseed in mid August to mid September. This allows for an application of crabgrass preemergent in Spring. Crabgrass preemergent should not be used on a newly seeded lawn. That is why you should establish new seed in the Fall so the new grass plants are mature enough prior to a Spring crabgrass preemergent application. #4 - Crabgrass preemergent can be applied to a Michigan lawn from mid March to Mid May. Current preemergent products are very good and last a long time. #5 - If you believe you have crabgrass in your lawn in the Spring or in the Fall, get it checked out by a professional. You are probably looking at clumps of Tall Fescue. Crabgrass germinates during the Summer and dies in Fall after the first frost.

3 things you can do to help out your Michigan lawn this Spring.

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:35:01 -0500

Here is a list of 3 things you can do for your lawn right now to help it ease into Spring... #1 Rake your lawn. Raking your lawn can be beneficial in several different ways. You may have areas of snow mold damage. While not permanent, raking these areas will help your lawn recover faster. Another reason to rake would be to remove dead grass from areas affected by voles. This will also help the grass plants recover quicker. Lastly, raking any areas that are covered by leaves. Oak trees tend to lose their leaves later in the Fall or during the Winter months. This is a great time to get the leaves off of your lawn. #2 Overseed thin areas. If you have areas that are thin from heavy traffic or shade. Now is a great time to seed. While the seed won't germinate right away, it will once soil temperatures rise. Beware! Plan ahead and don't apply crabgrass pre emergent in the areas that you are overseeding. Crabgrass pre emergent will negatively affect seed germination. #3 Apply lawn fertilizer. Now is great time to apply fertilizer to your lawn. While it has been a cold Spring, the cold snap will be gone soon. You may want to use fertilizer combined with crabgrass pre emergent if you have had a crabgrass problem or if you want to make sure you don't have one. Don't apply too much. More isn't always better. Just follow the instructions for a Spring application. Cheers!!!

Why is core aeration good for my lawn?

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:37:19 -0500

Core aeration is a process that removes thousands of plugs of soil from your lawn. These soil plugs are usually 1-3" long. Core aeration is done with a core aerator machine. Core aerators have hollow tines arranged around shaft or drum. As the machine moves across a lawn, hollow core aeration tines penetrate the soil and extracts plugs of soil. There are a number of benefits to core aerating your lawn on an annual basis. #1 Core aeration helps manage heavy layers of thatch. Thatch layers that are more than an inch in thickness is haven for lawn disease and holds back moisture and blocks fertilizer nutrients from the grass roots. #2 Aeration allows your grass plants to absorb water, air & nutrients much more efficiently. #3 Aeration relieves soil compaction. If you have high traffic areas soil compaction is probably an issue. #4 Core aeration breaks up soil layering. We commonly see soil laying in residential developments where there is several inches of top soil over a really poor subsoil such as clay or sand. Soil layering is prevalent in sodded lawns as well. Soil layering contributes to shallow grass plant roots, bad drainage and soil compaction. It is best to rent a core aeration machine or hire a company to perform the service for you. Good Luck!

Vole Tunnels

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 07:22:45 -0500

We starting to get some phone calls about little tunnels running across people's lawns. In some cases, these tunnels are pretty extensive and look terrible. What you are seeing are vole tunnels. These little tunnels or pathways are temporary. As soil temperatures rise and your lawn starts to grow again, they will disappear. The voles will always be there, but you will have a harder time seeing evidence of them. A good rule of thumb in dealing with Spring vole damage is to rake up the dead grass and maybe throw down some grass seed. Rarely is the damage so severe that you would have to do lawn restoration. Just be patient and your lawn will recover. Voles are not easy to control. There are some traps and baits available, however, neighboring voles will move in quickly once your resident population has been removed. Good Luck!

Plan ahead for Spring overseeding.

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:30:21 -0500

Spring officially starts in a couple of days!!! Awesome!!! Except for the freezing cold temperatures and the snow coming down. Oh well. It's Michigan. Spring will come eventually so you might want to plan ahead a little bit if you are planning on thickening up thin areas of your lawn. Here are some tips to help you out... #1 Buy seed that is appropriate for where you are planting grass seed. Use shade mix in shady areas. Use sunny mix for sunny areas. Only use Kentucky bluegrass seed on a sodded lawn. As a rule of thumb, you get what you pay for in grass seed. Cheap seed usually equals a bad lawn. If you need advice, ask your lawn care company or seek out a garden center with knowledgeable staff rather than relying big box stores. #2 Make sure that you do not use crabgrass pre-emergent on your lawn prior to seeding. Use starter fertilizer or just regular fertilizer. Crabgrass Pre-emergent products will negatively affect your seed. #3 Rake up the areas where you are going to seed. Raking will help remove any weeds or lawn thatch that might prevent your seed from making contact with the soil. Also, raking will help disrupt the soil surface increasing the chance that your seed will germinate. After spreading your seed, lightly rake the area again to work the seed into the soil. #4 I typically recommend between 6-8lbs. of seed per 1000 square feet of lawn on an established stand of grass. Your seed will have to compete with the existing lawn. More seed equals a better chance of germination. #5 Keep it watered. Even in the Spring when it seems that we have plenty of rain. Make sure to water the seeded areas if the weather is not cooperating. Just keeping the soil moist and saturated is best. #6 Continue to fertilize your lawn regularly. #7 The best time to do this work is typically from mid April to the middle of May. You can can overseed anytime of the year but Spring and Fall are best. #8 Consider core aeration prior to seeding. Core aeration relieves soil compaction and helps work grass seed into the soil for better soil/seed contact. Slit seeders work well also. You can rent both machines or hire a company to do this work for you. Good Luck!!!

Vole Damage

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 08:32:25 -0500

We have already had a number of questions from customers about lawn damage from voles. Here in West Michigan, February was a heavy snow month and the snow is just starting to melt away. This heavy snow cover tends to enhance damage from voles (field mice). Vole damage can basically be described as little tunnels or trails on top of your lawn. Sometimes, these vole highways can be pretty extensive and look really bad. Vole damage looks much worse than it is. The best way to deal with this damage is to rake up the dead grass and kind of fluff up the grass stand. Once soil temperatures rise and your lawn starts growing again the tunnels will disappear. If there are thin areas, we recommend throwing down some grass seed. Voles are always running around in your lawn. A lush healthy stand of grass does a really good job of hiding vole trails. Good luck with your voles and Spring is coming!

Deep Tine Aeration

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:27:26 -0600

This is a picture of our Deep Tine Aerator in action. Deep tine aeration is a sports field specific service that reduces compaction deep into the soil profile, improves drainage & breaks up soil layering.

Vole Damage

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:40:14 -0600

It is very common for us to receive calls from concerned homeowners about vole damage this time of year. Vole damage looks like little trails or tunnels throughout the lawn. These trails are lined with dead grass. Voles create these tunnel systems under the blanket of snow throughout the winter. As the snow melts, their little kingdoms become uncovered. Vole damage is temporary. Just rake the affected areas and the grass will come back when your lawn starts to grow again. This year we expect that there will be minimal damage from voles due to the lack of snow.

This is typical vole damage seen in the Spring after the snow has melted away.

Mole Control Program

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:22:32 -0600

There seems to be a lot of mole activity this year. Mostly due to the mild winter. If you want to make your lawn a "No Mole Zone", call our office and request an estimate. Our mole control program works great!

Earth Wise Soil Conditioner

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:49:18 -0600

Earth Wise Soil Conditioner is available exclusively at AAA Lawn Care, Inc. We formulated this unique blend of Organic Soil Conditioner and Micro Nutrients to meet the needs of West Michigan soils. Think of this application as a mulit-vitamin package for your lawn. Healthier lawns have less insect, disease and weed problems. You will also notice a nice color response from this special nutrient blend.

Summer heat is a major stress on your lawn. Earth Wise Soil Conditioner will help your lawn through this late summer season and rebound more quickly as we move toward fall.

Necrotic Ring Spot (NRS)

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:57:45 -0600

Does your lawn have "frog eyes" in it? We hope you don't because it is probably Necrotic Ring Spot (NRS).

A common name for this disease is "frog eye" due to the appearance of the patches.

NRS is a nasty turf disease and it is difficult to eliminate from your lawn. NRS is a patch disease caused by a fungus that infects the roots of Kentucky bluegrass. It is most active during the Spring and Fall when temperatures are cool and soil moisture is high. However, you may not notice any problems. During hot, dry periods of weather, NRS will manifest itself as circular areas of dead turf, often with a patch of green in the center. NRS fungi attack the root zone of the grass plant which reduces the plant’s ability to move water. This explains why the symptoms are most severe in mid season, even though that is not when the disease in most active.

If your lawn has this problem, give us a call. We can help!!!

New Referral Program

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:34:20 -0600

AAA’s New Referral Bonus Program is a Win-Win for everyone!

We know your recommendation carries a lot of weight with friends, neighbors, co-workers and family. When you recommend AAA Lawn Care and your “good word” results in a new AAA customer, you win by receiving $20 of credit towards your lawn care program and your friend wins by receiving $20 of credit towards their lawn care program. The Referral Bonus Program is easy and it’s automatic. Just make sure your friend mentions your name when requesting an estimate. Thank you for referring AAA Lawn Care!

Mulch your leaves!!!

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:27:53 -0500

My yard is full of trees. Big ones. Maple and oaks. My maples are beautiful in the Fall. However, big trees equals lots of leaves. I live in a subdivision and getting rid of them can be a real hassle. I don't have woods to dump them in. I would have to pay for disposal bags or find some other way to remove them from my property. I would say a lot people are in this situation. Well, there a very easy solution. Mulch your leaves into the ground. The more you mow the smaller pieces of leaves become. Research is very clear in that mulching leaves instead of picking them up is helpful in building your soil and decreasing weeds.

Mole Control Service

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:36:13 -0500

Moles are busy right now. If you have a mole ripping up your lawn right now, consider our mole control service. Sign up now and receive free service calls through the end of the 2012 season!

The Fall grub season is here!

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:14:52 -0500

This is just a quick reminder that the Fall grub season is here. White grubs damage lawns in both the Spring and Fall. Areas that look like they are starting to turn brown or just doesn't look right may have grubs. It is easy to check. Firmly grasp the turf with your hand and try to pull it back. If it easily pulls back you probably have grubs. Dig around in the areas that you just uncovered or in the roots of the turf you just pulled up. You will see little white grubs. Some may be smaller, some may be plump and juicy. Speaking of plump and juicy, skunks love grubs and will not hesitate to rip up your lawn by pulling back clumps of turf and snacking on the grubs.

One of our technicians was called to a lawn that was not looking right. He pulled up the turf and this is what he found. Grubs. Everywhere.

So you have grubs. What now? You will want to apply a curative grub control product (call a lawn care company or go to your local garden center). This will stop the grubs from damaging more turf. If you catch it early enough, the affected areas will bounce back. However, some seeding may be required. Lastly, do yourself a favor and apply a grub preventative application in the Summer. This will cover you for a year and prevent additional grub damage in the Spring.

Good Luck!!!!

Considering Multi Use Athletic Fields

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:43:29 -0500

Long story short. A group of soccer parents (in another part of the state) were upset that their kids had to play varsity soccer games at an elementary school instead of the varsity football field. The school says it will ruin the field. The local lawn care company says soccer is good for the field because soccer games will aerate the field, etc. I think you get the point.

This senario is common, but the issue is much more complicated. There really isn't a correct answer because there are so many variables to consider when dealing with an issue like this. Politics is huge in this. Money is huge in this. Available facilities is huge in this issue. But let's get to the core factors that this district needs to consider or at least disspell some myths.

You absolutely can play soccer and football on the same field. It's done all the time. However, a couple of things need to be considered. Increased activities on any given field will require more maintenance which in turn will require more dollars. So, adding soccer will not make the field better because soccer aerates the field. Whoever gave that advice needs to stay out of sports turf. Also, the current state of the football field must be considered (ie. How well does the football field hold up to rain events? and How well is the football field holding up in general?) If the football field is struggling just to make it through a season, then the amount of current maintenance is probably insufficient and the amount of money needed to add soccer games will be even more. On the flip side, if the field is doing great year in and year out, adding soccer probably won't require a huge investment.

This is one of my multi-use football/soccer game fields. Using proper athletic maintenance practices, this field tolerates wear & tear extremely well.

A couple of things about multi use football/soccer fields. Football wear and tear on a game field is considerable and even worse if the field is poorly drained or if games are played in the rain. Usually the grass is cut a little longer to help with wear and tear or to "slow" the other team down. Soccer on the other hand, likes to keep the turf cut shorter so the ball can roll better. Plus soccer players like to have a smooth field without divots etc. So in order to keep a multi use field playable for both football and soccer, the turf needs to be cut shorter and you will need to deal with divots, holes, uneveness from year to year. Shorter cut fields require more maintenance. Also, both sports will need to look at each others field lines.

If the school and soccer parents are serious about finding a resolution, a couple of things need to happen. They need to find a reputable sports turf maintenance company and assess the football field and determine what needs to be done in order to add soccer events. They also need to assess why the elementary school field is not adequate in the soccer parents minds. Is the field bad? Not enough seating? You may find that adding resources to improving the soccer field may be less money than trying to add soccer onto the varsity football field.

There are more variables to consider. There always are. But I hope this gives you a bit of insight in what goes into making desicions about maintenance on athletic fields.

Turn on the sprinklers!

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:32:26 -0500

I have been seeing a lot of dry lawns during my travels around West Michigan. A lot of us have turned our irrigation systems down or off since the weather has cooled off. Me included. So I guess this is just a reminder that your lawn may need a drink until we get significant rain fall.

Also, this is the perfect time to seed your lawn. If you do overseed, make sure to keep your irrigation running until it is time to turn it off in the Fall.

What is Drought Stress?

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:45:26 -0500

Brown patches caused by Drought Stress

Drought stress is a lawn condition that causes areas of your lawn to turn brown due to lack of water. Drought Stress can occur very quickly. Virtually overnight, large patches of brown grass or even tire tracks from the lawn mower appear in your lawn. This is caused by your lawn becoming dry followed by a period of adequate irrigation or rain. Even if you water everyday, drought stress can occur because a weather change (ie. hot weather) causes the irrigation system to fallbehind. Lawns with sandy soil or areas along concrete or asphalt are also commonly affected.

What to do? Don't despair. This is a temporary condition. The grass plant isn't dead. It just needs time to grow new grass blades. Turn up the water. Adjust sprinkler heads if needed. The grass plant will recover and your lawn will be back to new within 2-3 weeks. Also, if you have mower tracks in your lawn, make sure to avoid mowing on your lawn if the grass looked dull and gray. Also, another way to check is to step on your lawn. If the grass plants don't pop back up and you make a footprint, your lawn needs more water.

Below are some pictures of Drought Stress...

Mower Tracks caused by Drought Stress

Brown patches caused by Drought Stress

Crabgrass

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:57:56 -0500

I do not like crabgrass at all. It is a pain in the behind. Not only does it not look very good, it is difficult to manage. Of course, crabgrass just loves the hot & humid weather we have enjoyed the last couple of weeks. Crabgrass grows stronger as your lawn become weaker due to the heat.

We are applying post emergent product to deal with bad infestations. However, crabgrass is better managed with pre emergent products in the Spring. Maintaining a healthy dense turfgrass stand is the best defense. If you only have a couple patches of crabgrass in your lawn, just pull them with your hands. Make sure to get roots. This is what I do on my lawn. Just like everyone else, I tend to get crabgrass along the edge of the road.

If this is your first go around with crabgrass, just remember, it will die with the first frost of the year.

Crabgrass grows close to the ground and is light green in color.