Posts Tagged ‘brown grass’

Dry spring weather delays lawn greening

Published by mrgrass on May 6th, 2013 - in Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Uncategorized

 

Have you noticed most lawns are just not greening up the way they normally do?  The lack of rainfall and continued dry weather has significantly reduced spring green-up and recovery from winter.  With minimal soil moisture, dormant grass is unable to push out new leaves made up primarily of water.  The resulting drought has stalled the normal lush growth expected in late April or early May.  Dead grass leaves from last year remain brown or white at or near the ground level.  This visually looks bad, with some minor new leaves but a brown or white tint below.  Lots of folks are asking if they should rake up what they perceive as dead thatch.  I say “no” because tearing up dead plant material will do more harm than good to a lawn not yet fully growing or recovered.

Dry spring lawns won't green up

Dry spring lawns won't green up

I am seeing lawns all over NH and VT “simmering”, not really green, not really dormant – a time typically reserved for dark green lush growth.  Any rainfall or irrigation can help push out new growth and get things going; after all summer is just around the corner and high heat usually spells trouble for New England grasses.  A spring dry period can reduce any lawn’s ability to recover after a normal winter possibly followed by snow mold or ice damage.  Some nice soaking showers or a few days of rain can help turn our brown lawns around and get the grass green and growing strong. 

Anyone with irrigation should most certainly be using it by now and those who can water with a sprinkler and hose should consider doing so to help revive lawn areas which are just not doing well.  Sunny areas may be dry, but so may areas with lots of tree roots.  Remember your lawn’s hot spots and those areas which tend to brown first given the heat of summer.  Target those sections first because they will most certainly be under stress, perhaps more than other lawn areas.

If rain does not arrive in the next week or so, I would strongly advise anyone who has a lawn care company to irrigate where possible to push new growth and help dissolve any granular/liquid products remaining on the surface of the lawn and move into down into the soil. 

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A look back at the 2012 lawn care season.

Published by mrgrass on October 15th, 2012 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Broadleaf Weeds, Compost Tea, Crabgrass, Fertilizer, Lawn Care Companies, Lime, Seeding & Overseeding

There is little disputing the 2012 growing season was a record breaker in more than one area.  Extreme heat and corresponding drought caused widespread damage to even well cared for lawns.  The effect of these weather phenomena then led to massive explosions of pests like grubs and chinch bugs.  Even with November fast approaching, the pest issues will spill over into the spring of 2013, and if left untreated, will continue to cause turf damage.  There is little that can be done for physical lawn repairs at this point in the growing season like bringing in new loam or trying to establish a lawn through seeding.  However, beneficial turf treatments applied now like potassium, lime, compost tea, sea kelp, and slow release fertilizer can help both a damaged and healthy lawn.  Lawn repairs ranging from small to full renovations should be explored now or at least during the winter months as landscapers and lawn care companies will be overwhelmed this spring by sheer volume of repairs necessary never mind pest treatments.  Timing could not be more critical in terms of seeding and treating for damaging turf and ornamental pests than the spring of 2013.  Even if the weather pattern returns to a more “normal” or stable pattern, the repercussions of this season’s heat and drought will continue into 2013.  Although brown grass in October can be a result of past drought and exposure to dry weather, it can also spell bug troubles in the surrounding lawn as grubs vigorously eat fast growing root systems.

Don't wait until the spring to make your lawn plans

I am seeing grubs in record setting numbers and on lawns which have never had a past issue.  While a curative treatment is only a short term fix, a preventative treatment in 2013 may well be in order for more lawns than previously expected.  I do not normally endorse the use of materials to preventatively protect against grubs, which in a normal year are rarely a huge issue unless past history indicates a problem.  However, I will be firmly endorsing both curative and preventative grub control on a case-by-case basis for 2013 because of the high risk factors recently experienced in New England.  Furthermore, another mild winter would further enhance tick populations in 2013 in addition to hundreds of other outdoor pests.  Make a note on your calendar to explore the potential health issues this winter and make plans, if deemed appropriate after speaking to professionals in the industry, such as Chippers.

On the bright side, the recent rain and cooler weather in combination with fall lawn treatments are helping damaged and weak lawns recover to the maximum degree possible before winter.  Don’t dismiss potassium, compost tea, and aeration after the harsh growing season we experienced this past year.  All of these treatments can be done well into November in most of New England so long as the ground does not freeze.

White grubs are eating your lawn without you knowing it!

In closing, don’t forget the millions of crabgrass seeds which were deposited in record numbers along driveways, patios, and walkways because of drought or insect damaged lawns.  Although a thick, healthy lawn is your best defense against crabgrass, some areas will not be up to the task without additional help of a preventative crabgrass barrier in the spring of 2013.  Timing will be key and a lot of good can be done in an eight week period next spring, so don’t file your lawn contract when it arrives this winter, review it carefully and setup a proactive plan to both protect and perhaps restore your home lawn for the investment it truly is!

 

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Your brown lawn may have more than a color problem

Published by mrgrass on July 26th, 2012 - in Broadleaf Weeds, Crabgrass, Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Lawn Pests, Bugs & Insects, Turf Disease

High heat and lack of rainfall has NH & VT lawns turning brown

 

The summer of 2012 is shaping up to be one of record heat, sun, warmth, and drought in many areas across the USA.  While this is fabulous vacation weather for the beach and outdoor activities, your lawn may have gone brown months ago depending upon your location.  In New England, we are experiencing dry weather not felt since the 1950’s.  I don’t imagine Elvis would be pleased to have a brown lawn upon his return home from touring.

At any rate, severe lack of moisture can create other problems beside the straw colored grass you see below your feet.  Extended dry periods cause the soil temperature to dramatically rise, which in turn causes crabgrass and other noxious annual weeds to germinate in earnest.  While your cool weather-loving turf is asleep trying to just survive, weeds can pop up and seemingly grow inches a day.  This is especially true of crabgrass, even with a preventative treatment applied in the spring since the product’s life span only lasts into late July or early August in NH or VT.  Super heated soil creates an ideal growing environment for crabgrass, even in the best cared for lawns.  A light touch is the best course of action until September arrives and restoration efforts can begin.

A more serious side to drought is the fact it attracts all kinds of heat- loving insects like Japanese beetles, chinch bugs and sod webworm to name just a few.  Damage can be occurring right under your feet without a hint of the battle raging in the soil or on the hot brown surface of your beloved lawn.  Left unchecked, fall rainfall comes and your lawn never recovers, which might be attributed to small grubs feeding from late summer right into fall.

Even those grassy areas lucky enough to have irrigation or some shade are not immune to the heat and humidity.  I have seen plenty of brown patch disease rising up overnight due to humidity and wet grass, with the resulting damage visible the next morning.  Mowing grass already in drought conditions or during the heat of the day is like pushing a friend over a cliff with the flu, just plain mean.  The best advice in a hot summer with a significant lack of rainfall is to stay off the lawn if possible, watch and treat for insects as necessary based upon population levels, and irrigate if possible in the morning – even if only for a short period of time.  Even a little water is better than nothing when it comes to keeping the dormant growing point of your grass alive.  Like an IV in a sick patient in the hospital, any moisture applied is better than none in an absence of rainfall.

Any fertilizer used should be at a low rate, slow release, and generally granular in nature.  With autumn only a month away, we are at the top of the roller coaster and things should slowly begin to improve as August fades into September.  If your lawn has taken a hit like many have, plan now to have restoration services lined up in order to take advantage of the best growing time of year for grass – fall!  Services like core aeration, overseeding, lime, compost tea, and organic or natural fertilizers can bring a lawn back to life in preparation for 2013.

Enjoy the heat now because your lawn sure hates it, at least in New England.

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Lawn watering, from green to brown

Published by mrgrass2 on June 8th, 2011 - in Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Misc.

Watering your lawn is essential if you want to minimize browning

June is typically a transition month from cooler wet weather to warmer and drier weather in NH and VT.  While you may enjoy the warmer weather, your lawn is composed of cool season grasses and disapproves of 80 or 90 degree days.  Your grass is designed to flourish in 60 or 70 degree temperatures, but set the weather to broil and you will have consequences.  For instance, even a healthy green lawn with plenty of water is still susceptible to leaf scorch – a condition similar to taking a vacation in Mexico in January.  The lawn has succulent leaves, full of moisture, and they may not be fully prepared for hot weather.  I have seen lawns turn from a vibrant green to patches of white or tan overnight!  I can hear the phrase “what happened?” echo down the street from front porch to porch.

How can such a thing be prevented?  You can mow regularly with a sharp blade to 3,” not too short as to cause stress.  Don’t over fertilize either because too much of a good thing is never healthy.  A lawn cranked up on the golden juice of high soluble fertilizers is predisposed to stress and what we in the business call the classic “crash.”  This crash is a like watching a nice sports car hit a concrete wall – most unpleasant.  A lawn that is racing in terms of growth can be dangerous, especially if that same lawn runs out of soil moisture and/or hits a period of 90 degree days.  This type of weather can spell all kinds of trouble for what seemed bliss for you as a homeowner. You may see all kinds of white blotching as “hot spots,” as the sunniest areas tend to dry out first and turn a dull purple or off green.

Classic drought stress brought on in June by warm weather and minimal rainfall

Don’t confuse this type of situation with summer diseases which may also be present.  Dollar spot, brown patch, and a hoard of numerous villains await a weak, dry lawn, or one that stays wet overnight due to late watering or humidity.  Drought stress or sun scald can mimic diseases like dollar spot or patch diseases during the summer.  If you are in doubt, have a professional look in order to determine what course of action may be required.

Hot spots in a lawn should receive top priority when it comes to watering

When it comes to watering, anything is better than nothing when it comes to your lawn turning from green, to dull purple, to light tan, to all out brown.  Drought stress, combined with hot weather, can cause a lawn to crash and brown out in mere days if left unattended.  Any irrigation is better than no irrigation in the sense that once your lawn goes brown, it takes weeks to start new growth and push out new green leaves.  Brown grass leaves don’t just rehydrate and turn green for the most part – they are gone and need to be replaced.  Early intervention by watering can either minimize or prevent massive browning if done correctly.  Most turf wants 1” of rainfall per week to continue normal activities.  If you can water in the morning, this is preferred to help minimize disease and evaporation in the day’s heat.  Watering for a soaking is better than a light misting.  In other words, a 1hr soak is better than 15 minutes a day, yet 15 minutes a day is better than no irrigation at all.  Early watering will yield faster results and help the lawn stay green before things turn tan or brown.  Watch for those hazing dull patches, those sections that don’t bounce back after you walk over them so you can still see your footprints.  These are the priority areas that need water versus turf that is still a vibrant green.

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What large piles of snow mean to your lawn this spring.

Published by mrgrass2 on February 2nd, 2011 - in Crabgrass, Cultural Practices, Fertilizer, Lawn Care Companies, Misc., Turf Disease

Snow banks promote turf damage

Many are wondering what sort of impact so much snow will have on the average lawn come spring.  Generally, a decent snow cover protects your lawn from the drying winds and low temperatures common to winter weather.  However, if that same snow becomes compacted by use such as walking or driving; the grass can be damaged while in a dormant state.  Winter-kill or winter damage can often be attributed to ice formation or compaction through use.  New grass planted the prior season is especially vulnerable since it has not had a chance to mature which may result in thinning or dead patches from a harsh winter.

Snow mold is a more widespread problem resulting in various degrees of turf damage and thinning.  As snow banks recede and the weather warms in March, snow mold can thrive on the surface where the moisture level is just right and the temperature remains cool.  Snow mold has a tendency to matt down grass which is why a gentle raking is so important to help dry out the lawn surface once the sun comes out.  Improving the air circulation at the ground level and helping warm the soil through raking is a basic, yet important spring time task.

Grass which is severely stressed, or perhaps growing in the shade may in fact be further damaged by a pre-emergent crabgrass barrier while in a weakened state.  Most manufacturers of crabgrass barriers recommend a reduced rate or waiting until recovery has begun in May versus a March or April application.  In some situations, providing a basic natural or slow release fertilizer can speed up the recovery time as the soil warms and the material gradually takes effect versus a quick flush of growth from conventional fertilizers.  Since there are many variations to winter kill, ice damage, and snow mold within the same lawn and surrounding neighbors- a single solution is often not practical.  Each lawn should be evaluated individually, not treated with a cookie cutter approach where one product fits all situations.

So, before you apply a hundred pounds of fertilizer mixed with a crabgrass preventer this spring- consider the additional stress you may add to an already weakened lawn.  If you have thin or bare sections created from snow mold or winter kill, once that crabgrass barrier is down, there is no turning back and no seeding until fall.  There is a saying that goes something like “think twice, then think again, then act once” . . .

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Ten Reasons to improve your lawn in NH or VT

Published by mrgrass2 on January 25th, 2011 - in Lawn Care Companies, Misc.

 

The Environment #10 and #9

#10  A healthy lawn reduces water runoff and soil erosion which in turns protects our lakes and streams from sediment moving from the land into the water.  Turf is a living filter which protects ground water quality through a vast network of roots, thatch, and leaves.  There are many lawn products that can be used close to or up to the water without harming that ecosystem such as lime, kelp, and further back slow release products.

#9  A healthy lawn will absorb 6 times as much rainfall as a common hay-field.  A healthy lawn entraps pollutants and with the help of soil microbes, biodegrades them safely.  Coating grass seed with mycorrhizae improves turf defensive capabilities against insects and disease issues often reducing the need for fertilizer in a calendar year.  Compost tea is a perfect example of how to improve the soil and help your lawn simultaneously.

 

Functional Benefits #8 thru #4

#8  A healthy lawn dissipates heat and reduces the energy required to cool homes and buildings- thus saving energy.

#7  Turf grass abates noise and reduces glare.

#6  A mown lawn decreases disease carrying ticks and reduces fire hazards near wooded areas.

#5  Well maintained turf grass reduces injury from sports played at home, school, or elsewhere.

#4  A well cared for lawn is actually a low-cost asset that can be physically used or enjoyed for pure viewing pleasure.

Health  #3 thru #1

#3  Studies show the cycle of growing grass and the color green lift human spirits and provide both thoughts and feelings of happiness, privacy, and serenity.

#2  Well maintained turf is known to have therapeutic effects on humans as measured by heart rate and blood pressure- increasing recovery rate of hospital patients.

#1  Hiring a licensed, experienced turf professional will help you accomplish some if not all of the benefits above while insuring the job is done correctly.  Free up valuable time and spend it with your family or friends!

As you can gather, grass is simply more than just a lawn!  Winter is the perfect time to explore the advantages of utilizing the skills of your local turf care provider.  Perhaps this is the year to explore natural or organic products?  Stop guessing and wondering if you are putting down too much or too little material while wasting your valuable Saturday or Sunday.  Send that e-mail or make that phone call today and get your lawn on the right path in 2011.

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White grub suppression in your lawn

Published by mrgrass2 on December 6th, 2010 - in Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Lawn Pests, Bugs & Insects

White grubs, a lawn problem

 

I say white grub population control because most folks will reach for the rifle the instant they see 1 or 2.  The fact remains that many more grubs should be visible before conducting warfare (9-12/sqft).  There are about 8 major types of grubs in NH/VT that cause turf damage ranging from the classic Japanese beetle to a masked chafer.

As always, the best defense is a good offense.  Healthy turf can withstand root pruning and even minor damage without a pesticide being applied.  Proper cultural practices also help keep your lawn cooler and less desirable to adult beetles like irrigation and a high mowing height.  Overseeding with resistant turf varieties can also help the turf taste less desirable, not necessarily for grubs but their buddies above ground like chinch bugs, sod webworm and such.

New and old research shows us that some compost tea/seed inoculation treatments actually help grass develop its own immune response to reduce damage from both insect and disease activity.  Beneficial nematodes, although not any easy turf treatment; provides 100% organic control by using these microscopic predatory worms in the spring or fall.  Milky spore disease was developed a long time ago to control only Japanese beetle grubs, not the other 7.  Unfortunately, the spores take years to spread/develop and the cold New England winters don’t allow for this disease to function well at all.  

There are new oil blend pesticides which are also organic or natural in composition which show promising results to white grub population control in a lawn setting.  The more traditional pesticides function in a variety of ways and vary in results.  Utilizing newer products over older ones are important to help reduce chemical resistance over time.  When using any pesticide, whether organic or synthetic- it is always important to read the label and use the product at the recommended rates as good environmental stewards.  Using the wrong product for the wrong pest is not only a massive waste of time; it’s a waste of money and most likely will harm beneficial insects.

In summary, there are lots of ways to help your lawn look great, with the best and least environmental impact being the cultural and day-to-day upkeep of the turf.  Integrating resistant grasses during lawn overseeding/establishment and implementing organic or natural bacterial and friendly fungi are super tools with no harmful side effects.  In my opinion, pesticides should only be used as a last resort or when there may be a history of continual damage in a scale that would outweigh the omission of such products.  In other words, a $400 treatment outweighs a $25,000 renovation for sure!

Control measures come back to each of our own expectations and threshold level of acceptable damage.  Are you willing to accept a little damage and forego pesticides or are you more inclined to try some organic options?  Planning now allows you to look at all available control measures since many have a narrow window of application and good results.

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Last minute fall lawn projects

Published by mrgrass2 on November 22nd, 2010 - in Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Misc.

A wonderful Turkey on a nice lawn!

 

Its quarter to Thanksgiving and you are fully engulfed in travel preparations, shopping, and cooking plans.  As the air cools there is little time to make sure your lawn is ready for winter.  Was the last mowing 2 months ago or in October?  Some projects can wait while others should be done before the snow flies!  Here is a quick five step list that is given in order of importance, with 1 being the most important!

5.  Change the oil on your mower, clean the air filter, inspect the spark plug, and lubricate the blade and undercarriage in preparation for an easy first mowing.

4.  Take the time to review your 2011 lawn health care proposal or contract during the winter so come spring time, your turf will receive the care it needs at the appropriate time.  Like reviewing seed catalogs for your garden, lots of planning can be done concerning your lawn during the winter in preparation for a busy spring.

3.  Mark or have your driveway marked with colored stakes along the edge of the lawn so the plow guy minimizes shredding the edges.  Grass growing along a driveway is prime crabgrass growing area, especially if you need to seed in the spring or replace torn up turf chunks.  Nothing says sadness than viewing former pieces of healthy sod upside down with a light gravel coating in April!

2.  Rake and or remove any debris piles.  Piles of leaves, wood, tarps, branches, gravel- anything that stops an air exchange steps up winter kill and dead patches come spring time.

1.  Mow the lawn shorter than usual. 1.5 to 2” is great.  A shorter cut helps prevent leaves from accumulating in piles as the wind moves them across your nicely trimmed, semi- dormant turf.  A shorter cut helps with snow mold and ice damage and provides a faster green up in the spring allowing the sun to warm the soil quicker.

Wishing each of you a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday!

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Review your lawn contract before renewing

Published by mrgrass2 on October 19th, 2010 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Broadleaf Weeds, Crabgrass, Cultural Practices, Fertilizer, Ice Melt, Lawn Care Companies, Lawn Pests, Bugs & Insects, Lime, Misc., Seeding & Overseeding, Turf Disease

If it seems to good to be true- you may be right

Did your doctor ever tell you to get a second opinion?  Hundreds of commercial lawn care contracts will be mailed out shortly to residential homes in remote parts of NH and VT.  Even more lawn contracts will be mailed out to commercial customers in the hopes that those in the appropriate position will sign, mail, or simply fax it back with no questions asked.  I propose that each contract deserves not only a second opinion, but a thorough examination line by line item.  The national and larger regional lawn care companies typically roll your program over from year to year.

Most lawns are not being examined to determine true needs but rather recycled in archives from prior years like a CD player on repeat.  While this automated process may approach adequate at best, I sincerely doubt you are receiving a turf care program worthy of your hard-earned dollars.  Furthermore, I doubt most existing clients even understand what they are receiving and why versus what is available in their market area.  Let me expand on this theme.

Many remote lawn accounts are labeled and classified as ”commercial”, with most customers unaware of this practice.  These kinds of accounts are processed at a high volume utilizing heavy machines called Turf-Trackers or even tractors.  These machines do a decent job on large properties or fields but are anything but light and are not ideally suited to home lawns or smaller settings.  An inexperienced operator can easily cause damage while running the machine over frost covered lawns, shaded locations, and especially slopes.  Turf can be easily torn, compacted, and ripped up without careful attention from the driver.  These machines make it easy to operate at an aggressive speed as they work to achieve the goals set for them by the larger corporate office.  If these facts don’t cause you to raise an eyebrow, please read on.

Unfortunately, many of these “commercial” contracts are recycled revenue without any fresh investigation data to support the renewal.  In fact, I would wager that most if not the majority of these accounts are seldom looked at beyond the production dollars they represent each year.  Simply put, the large national chains are usually too far away and their attempts to service remote regions often severely stress their limited staff and outsourced customer service centers.  Most national lawn care companies utilize lawn programs like McDonald’s “Happy meals” except without the toy because you get a few fertilizer visits, grub control, and a lime treatment.  Who would question that?

Does your phone call get forwarded to a call center or does a real person answer your call?  Are you able to reach your lawn care office or do you even know where it is?  Are you supporting your local economy or something much larger?

How can these large lawn care services claim and advertise to be local when they drive nearly 2 hrs to service lawns in remote areas of NH beyond their primary service market?  Is that local service?  Again, any company that pre-mixes fertilizer in a liquid medium and then applies it to every lawn in a single day is doing their clients a basic injustice as outlined in my blog post (http://mrgrassblog.net/2010/04/22/price-and-the-…awn-treatments/ ‎).  Mixing concentrated fertilizer into a liquid is an easy and inexpensive way to administer a lawn program.  As I said before, yes it works well for some lawns but not all lawns.  You get exactly what you pay for with this type of treatment, a quick buzz of green.  There are lots of natural and organic alternatives to this kind of turf care.

Before you sign on the dotted line, before you pre-pay for your entire year upfront- get a second opinion from a local lawn care company.  I welcome the questions and the challenge to take your property to the next level.  If you are not in our service area, I have companies I can recommend to you- just leave a comment to this post.  Even if you decide not to make a change, doesn’t it just make sense to get another opinion like a car or house repair?  Don’t just sign without thinking about what things could be like in 2011.  I know it’s easy to just send the lawn contract back, but a free second opinion from any other turf health care company is time well spent.  Make this winter the time where you decide to explore what has been going down on your lawn in the past and why!  Support your local economy and research who services your town for lawn treatments.  Exploring new options can be educational, fun, and you might even receive better results!

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Lawn Pesticides and the rainbow of emotions

Published by mrgrass2 on October 18th, 2010 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Broadleaf Weeds, Crabgrass, Cultural Practices, Fertilizer, Lawn Care Companies, Lawn Pests, Bugs & Insects, Lime, Misc., Seeding & Overseeding, Turf Disease

I normally don’t write on the topic of lawn pesticides because it is so vast, involves emotions, has supporting scientific data on both sides, and has so many people who claim to be ”experts”.  There are some who would request additional laws through legislation given their own unique perspective on an industry I have worked in for over 24 years.  Unfortunately, these very factors create confusion because most people are not aware of existing oversight from state agencies concerning laws already functioning within the scope of lawn treatments and specifically pesticides.  On a happier note, there are already stacks of laws restricting, monitoring, and enforcing the use of pesticides in a lawn setting within the state of New Hampshire and Vermont.  Both states have divisions within their respective departments of Agriculture.  In either state, you must pass a written exam which is very comprehensive in material and substance in respect to the license you desire to obtain.  For instance, if you want a turf license, you must take a turf category exam which tests life cycles and specific pests relative to turf or lawns.  In addition to this, you must also take what is commonly known as the “core” which consists of basic terms and laws relative to using pesticides in each respective state.  Items such as reading the label and rates are covered as well as important safety protocol among lots of other subject matter.  If you wish to get another license, say for treating ornamental shrubs, you must take another exam- but you do not have to repeat the “core”.

In both states, your license expires after 5 years so you must either keep up on annual certification credits or retake the entire set of exams.  Each license requires its own set of credits so this often involves a lot of training during the winter months to accrue enough points to renew every 5 years.  In either state, you must have a minimum grade in order successfully pass, become certified, and have a license issued in your particular category.  In New Hampshire, at least one person within a given company must also obtain a higher class license (Supervisory) like a manager who oversees his or her employees who have an operator class license.  The Supervisory level person must then take the exam again, receive a higher score, and pass an oral examination to receive this “Supervisory Level” class license.  As you might imagine, this is most delightful and lots of fun . . . NOT.  As you might have already surmised, all of this licensing and continuing education helps to keep the industry informed on the lates products or issues at hand, monitors product being applied per state and acre by filed reports, and provides a great deal of accountability.  

There are different classes of licenses ranging from commercial, to commercial not for hire, to private.  These classes cover home farms, to golf courses, to commercial lawn companies who treat businesses and residential home lawns.  Each has overlapping general rules in NH but each has specific regulations that must be adhered to as part of best practices when dealing with pesticides.  As you may have concluded by now, there is already a lot of regulation regarding pesticide use in NH and VT.  Bad decisions cannot be prevented by adding legislation already on the books designed to watch and monitor any business involved with pesticides.  However, nothing substitutes or compliments intelligence quite like common sense.  Making good daily decisions on what products to use, where to apply them, appropriate rates, and when not to treat for issues are all very important to a high quality, reputable business.  Simply put, it’s the right thing to do.

Real trouble arises with a lack of experience and businesses who do not become licensed yet illegally apply pesticides.  Real trouble continues when a home owner can purchase similar or the same products at a Home Depot/hardware store and then treats for the wrong problem, at the wrong rate, at the wrong time of year because they did not know the pest life cycle.  I can assure you, there are millions more “Do it yourself” folks out there treating their own lawns or pest problems than all of the commercial lawn companies combined in either state- or the USA for that matter!  The pure volume of these numbers speak for themselves.  Who do you think is more likely to inadvertently make a mistake, the employee equipped with a state license with training or ”Mike” on the weekend?

As for pesticides, I have read that the sole intention of a pesticide is to kill- and by definition this would be correct.  However, vinegar used at a higher concentration is used as an organic herbicide and can burn your cornea or cause serious injury.  It’s still vinegar but it can be used as a herbicide too.  Very interesting.  I believe in using the right tool for the right job.  Should everyone be “saucing” up their lawns just for aesthetics?  Maybe not.  This question is all in the eye of the consumer.  We do live in the United States where choices can be made?  We all have the right to make choices, all within reason- within the laws established by our government.  Perhaps there are alternatives.  There are materials and pesticides that exist which are in fact more environmentally safe than just 5 years ago.  Like colors on the rainbow, the industry of lawn care continues to change in favor of less pesticide use and more education.  This statement means there may be a time and reason for using a particular product, but only after ruling out alternative measures.

For instance, does every lawn have to be weed free?  Most likely not.  You can reduce pesky weeds in your lawn by keeping it properly cut and healthy.  You can reduce nuisance weeds by aerating and overseeding, by doing many little things correctly.  Who is willing to step up to the plate?  What is wrong with treating for weeds maybe once or twice a year to knock back the population complimented by a turf health care program?  What is wrong with living with weeds?  To each his own may best sum this up, with a dash of compromise.

The issue of pesticide use will always be a hot topic, and it should be for many reasons.  However, additional government regulation and control may not be the best and first answer over education and common sense.  Information is power and those who rely on emotions and not real information are at a disadvantage.  This is my humble opinion for today’s post.  I hope you learned something new today, use it!

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