Spring Lawn Care Tips  By, Jerry Naiser                                                        Free analysis and price quote

• Those pesky worms in your Live Oak trees, arrive in mid April. They are known by many names: Loopers, inchworms, Webworms, Bagworms, etc etc. They can be quite devastating due to the amount of foliage they can remove from a tree in a very short time. With out foliage, photosynthesis cannot occur.  Fortunately, they are short lived insects. Live Oaks, like most trees, have the ability to produce several crops of foliage during the season. However, repeated attacks year after year by these nasty little worms will cause tree fatalities. If your trees are prone to heavily defoliation, the best course of action would be our preventative worm program, which we call the Texas Two Step Program.
   

• Post-emergent weed control should be applied right now. Post-emergents kill weeds that have already germinated. Post-emergents are an effective way to control weeds.
   

• Most trees and shrubs should be fertilized mid March thru May. Deep root method with a bio-stimulant is my recommendation, low in potassium for central Texas. When To Fertilize Trees
   

• Treat for Fire Ants Now or you will be sorry next month. Fire Ant Treatment
   

• During the late winter and early spring, the root systems of most warm season grasses decline, and as spring progresses, new vigorous roots develop. This time of year is a critical time in this process and these roots should not be disturbed. Aeration should wait until the grass is vigorously growing,
   

• Mulch your beds now. How to Mulch
   

• After a winter of not mowing, many of us are reluctant to get the mower out and start mowing. Watch the lawn, and if the growth is sufficient, mow.
   

• Never mow the grass short the first few time. This is wrong. Scalping the lawn is never good, and can only lead to a weakened root system, as you are reducing the grasses ability to make food for itself, by reducing foliage mass, and therefore reducing overall photo-synthesis. Also scalping brings sunlight to the soil, causing increased germination of weeds.
   

• Dead spots in St. Augustine grass is often from grub damage done last fall. Grubs feed from the roots, destroying carbohydrate reserves used for spring growth.
   

• You should have already pruned your  flowering plants, trees and shrubs, now it is to late. When to prune Live Oaks Trees - Temple, Belton and Harker Heights Texas
   

• Brown patch often forms in cooler wet temperatures.  Although it is tempting to water to try and green it up, your lawn actually needs very little water this time of year. Brown Patch - Lawn Fungal Problems
   

• Lawn Fertilizers applied this time of year should have low Nitrogen levels to avoid feeding fungal problems such as brown patch and grey leaf spot. Look for lower Nitrogen, but higher Iron levels. (I recommend a 24-5-11 With 6% iron) Avoid any fertilizer ratios higher than 27% nitrogen. example: 27-5-11 or 29-5-11
   

• Too much water can  be devastating to most plants, including trees. There is no need to water established trees. If the weather is mild and dry, water newly planted trees thoroughly, as needed.
   

• Consistent monitoring is they key to healthy plants. Remember, it is easier to keep a healthy plant healthy, than it is to try to rejuvenate a sick one.

• More on Fertilizers (Click Here)

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