Ice, ice, baby

Spring has arrived, although it doesn't look much like it.
I tried to do some assessments this week with out much luck due to the white blankets that still cover most lawns.


With most properties now seeing 75 plus days of ice on their turf there is cause for concern. Snow as an insullator is one thing, ice is quite another and can cause serious damage to grass on a cellular level if it remains too long.


Some golf courses had aerators out on the ice in a panic to try and break things up.

Is your sky falling yet?


Look, we just went through the worst winter in twenty years and sure, there's ice below the snow and frozen soil beneath that, but we've been through extreme weather before.


The Guelph Turfgrass Institute didn't seemed overly concerned when I read their blog. They noted there was no detectable smell when they chiselled through the ice, but it was still too early to determine the effect of winter hardiness on fescue and perennial rye grasses.



Truth is, until we finally see what the damage is, no one should join the line of lemmings running periously toward the precipice. Grass is a resiliant beast and bare areas can be reseeded, so chill out....no pun intended.

It's not too cold for cold calling

Are you thinking about your lawn under all that snow and ice? To tell you the truth, neither am I. However, don't be surprised if there's a knock at the door soon- if it hasn't happened already- and you open it to find some doe-eyed, high school student with rosy cheeks and a fluorescent vest, asking you if you'd like a free quote for lawn care.

I don't begrudge someone of the younger generation trying to make a buck. Au contraire, I applaud their fortitude to be out in these temperatures hoofing it from to door to door. That's a tough job for little pay.

Perhaps that's part of the initial sell- making you feel sorry for some kid shivering and freezing in the cold trying to make quota?

I am also not trying to tell you who should step foot on your lawn if you want a particular service...there are plenty of lawns out there for everyone...so, whatever turns your crank.

I do however, like to educate those willing to listen. I have worked for the big guys so I speak from experience when I say, I have witnessed the deception and empty promises first-hand.
The best advice I can pass along is: be aware of what is involved when you sign on the dotted.
Understand what you are getting into before you get into it...or in other words do your homework.

It's quite simple really. A few minutes on the web checking sites like Homestars, or the Better Business Bureau website can save you a pounding, financial headache somewhere in the not-to-distant future. There are great reviews revolving around both positive and negative experiences with most companies that can help you decide your course of action.

If you don't have access to a computer then ask around. Talk to neighbours and let them weigh in before you decide.

Remember not all companies operate in an underhanded way and with a little investigation you can uncover those who put customers ahead of the cold-call bottom line.

Don't fall victim to a numbers game that many of the bigger companies play and protect yourself first.

Otherwise your, "yes" to a free quote, may become, "yes" to a quota, where service/billing will begin in late March despite your protest.

A lawn time coming

This year's IPM Symposium captured my attention...which is saying quite a lot since past years have seen me nod off repeatedly.

So what was the difference?

The 2014 offering had information I felt was useful. I actually left with a feeling of hope for the lawn care industry.

Yet, the symposium also had a few Debbie Downer moments as well. So, here are the good, bad and ugly of the day in question.

The good:

The news of new bio-pesticides and herbicides either already approved by the PMRA or pending, was plentiful and as long as they perform to their fanfare things are looking up in an otherwise bleak industry.

Although we've heard this before...dare I say Fiesta and *gulp* Sarritor, the Phoma Macrostoma that we've waited for, what seems like eons, is finally in production mode as a granular. The spray is still in development and not ready for commercial launch, but hell...I'll take whatever.

I am also told, the product can be applied as a post, or pre-emergent, does not prevent grass seed growth, and when applied as a pre-emergent it works for the season with 80-100% control of broad leaf weeds. Those are pretty favourable numbers close to the effectiveness of the 2-4-D days...if it works?

However, let us not go cutting the cake just yet and licking the icing off our fingers. There was no idea of a launch date, or price point and the ugly little whispers I heard were that Scotts, who own the rights, were interested in a domestic release only and not a commercial grade product for us working stiffs.

Other inspirations came from a product called Opportune. Up to now we've had very little success controlling crabgrass, so this pre-emergent bio-herbicide would be welcomed if it has suitable suppression of the weed. It too, carries the 2014 launch date, but I can't be more specific than that at this time.

For grubs we are waiting for Phyllom Grub Gone granular and there is also enhanced bio-insecticide seed coatings being tossed about. As long as I can replace nematodes some where down the line I don't care what the product is. I also need a high efficacy rate for this pest and not the 50% control we hope for now.

The bad:

The Met 52 EC we had such high hopes for with chinch bug control didn't impress in the least. In fact this fungus comes across as a rich man's nematode and nothing more. There are just too many variables; product must make contact with the host, timing is temperature sensitive and only 50% mortality in the first 48 hours. After that it drops off dramatically.

Guess we play the waiting game once again and see what Bioceres has to offer when that little piggy comes to market.

You must also keep in mind that the release information is sparse at best and there is no idea if these products will be cost prohibitive, like Fiesta was, when they hit the market.


The ugly:

It always seems to come from the Ministry of the Environment, who in their infinite wisdom are considering retesting all licenced applicators every 5 years. Great! Like I don't have enough on my plate, I have to acquiesce to another cash grab and that test was not easy to pass in the first place. Any more news like this from M.O.E. and I'll expect Larry and Curly to accompany these stooges at next year's IPM Symposium.

My advice? With the various classes of licences out there, this is not a smart idea. DON'T DO IT.

In all, This year's IPM was an upbeat day. However, looks like we'll have to hang on a little longer to see if the results will match the fanfare and weather it will be "live lawn and prosper", or "so long profits."

Invaision of the mind snatchers

Today's tale of horror is better told by someone else. Click on the link to hear Brian Lilley's thoughts on the pesticide ban.

The one part I found scariest was the Big Brother approach Quebec is now incorporating to make sure homeowners aren't cheating with illegal pesticides.

Canadian horror story

Mr. Johnson and his wife were happy with their new house and the pride of ownership it brought them. They decided one of the first things they were going to do was hire a lawn company to attend to the up-keep of his grass and keep the turf weed-free.

Not knowing where to start he hired a company that he'd heard of before and signed up, paying in advance. Together he and his wife waited anxiously as the spring exhausted winter sure he was in for a long season of healthy green grass.

One day Mr. Johnson returned home from work to find a lawn flag jammed askew on his front lawn and an invoice of work completed in his mailbox. "Spring fertilizer," it said in big bold letters, "no extra care is needed."

He found this odd since the gate to his backyard was locked and no one had phoned from the company, as he had requested, to let him know they were coming. Yet, he told himself, "They're the professionals," and never gave it a second thought.

Four weeks passed and again Mr. Johnson found another sign on his front lawn. This time the lawn said, "Notice," and "Fiesta weed application." Again there was an accompanying invoice and again no phone calls had been made to let him know to unlock the gate.

Mr. Johnson began to feel a little annoyed, but decided to wait to see if the weeds were affected by the application. However, the weeds did not die as he was promised by the company. On the contrary, they seemed to multiply and thrive changing what was once green to a sea of yellow and white.

Mr. Johnson tried to call the company and after repeated attempts to get the right person, was assured someone would be out shortly to respray.

Two weeks passed before Mr. Johnson noticed the "Notice" sign, sticking out of the middle of the lawn this time. Again he found an invoice in the mailbox billing him for the extra application and like previous times no call had been made to unlock the back gate. Although the weeds on the front lawn seemed to turn black and whither the weeds in the backyard were unaffected.

Mr. Johnson in his disgust grabbed a weed puller from his garage and began to hand weed his backyard. As he labored he noticed an old man watching him from the chain link fence.

"Trouble with your lawn?" the old man enquired.
"Trouble with my lawn company!" Mr. Johnson spat.
"I used to have 'em...you know...the same company working my lawn."
"Really?" Mr. Johnson said as he rapidly pulled weeds.
"Yup...and I know your problem."
Mr. Johnson began to slow down and stopped pulling as he leaned on the tool and looked at the old man.
The old man spoke, "You've been seeing ghosts."
"Ghosts?" Mr. Johnson seemed dumbfounded.
"Yup...your lawn looks the way it does 'cause no one has done anything to it...well except you. They've just put their sign on the lawn and left you the invoice."
Mr. Johnson could not contain his rage. He marched into the house, picked up the phone and cancelled his account with the company that very day.

Next spring when winter finally lost its battle to a new season Mr. Johnson came home from work to find a lawn sign on his property and an unpaid invoice in his mailbox.
It was from the very same company he'd fired and told never to come back...and that's when the phone calls finally started!

The endophyte is near

If you haven't thought about seeding yet, you should. Next to core aeration this is one of the most important practices you can do for your lawn on an annual basis. The more you over-seed, the healthier the lawn and the less likely you'll have to deal with insects and weeds etc.

Now, don't think you can just throw any old dollar-store seed down and get fantastic results. The cheaper the seed the more you are inviting weeds to encroach on your lawn. Cost effective seed usually carries weed seeds in it, so you want to check the bag to make sure it has been tested and is virtually weed-seed free. Most "name brands" will have seed meeting this criteria.

Like-wise be careful if you are using top soil with your seed. Too many times this year I witnessed lawns seeded with bad top soil and there were more weeds than grass popping up. I use compost, or peat moss mainly because there are just too many weed-seed properties in top soil no matter how screened they say it is.

Also whether you are sowing by hand, or using a drop seeder make sure you have good seed to soil contact and the seed is uniform in your application. Too much is a waste and not enough doesn't help either. I could say, about 15 seeds per square inch, but instead, use your best judgement when raking it in.

Grass type is also very important. If you get a lot of sun you need a seed mixture heavier on the perennial rye side. We like CPR- creeping perennial rye. Ryes are the workhorse of the grass world. They germinate quickly and take a pounding from heavy traffic i.e. kids, pets.

If you are dealing with more shade, then a mix with a high concentration of fescue is more appropriate. We use Eco Lawn- a blend of seven different fescues, but you have to be patient as the germination takes longer -approx. 3 weeks. Fescues tend to be less maintenance as they are slow growers and drought tolerant. The more diverse the blend the healthier your lawn will be in the long run. A blend of fescue and rye like Pickseed's Enviro 2000 is a good choice as well.

I also advocate using very little Kentucy Blue Grass, if at all, in your seeding. Yeah it looks great, but you want seed that will delve deep roots and KBG isn't a good choice for that reason alone. You must also consider insect problems somewhere down the line. Whether grubs, or top feeding insects, they all love that grass type. You might as well yell "come and get it" once it has germinated. Ever wonder why all those newly sodded subdivisions have grass that is dead and dying a year or so after installation? You'll be told you didn't water it enough, but the real truth here is sod is 90% Kentucky Blue with it's shallow root system on crap soil that is sending out dinner invites to every insect in the neighbourhood.

If you have a rather large lawn to maintain perhaps you should consider over-seeding with clover- known back-in-the-day as the "rich man's weed." We use Huia Grasslands that doesn't flower the way Dutch White does. It's drought tolerant, is less maintenance, keeps bugs at bay and feeds nitrogen into your lawn. However if you are considering clover, hold off until next April before over-seeding.

You should also concentrate on grass seed that is endophytic. An endophyte is a naturally occurring fungus that keeps insect damage to a minimum and is mainly found in rye and fescue seed. Remember, which ever way you choose to go there's nothing I consider bullet proof and persistence of repeating this ritual every fall is the only golden ticket.

One school year begins as another ends

Last year I did an end of season report on the lawn care class room and the products we use to control each issue.

Now, realize that this is my opinion and you don't have to agree with what I say. I mean, maybe you sell some of these products and you don't want the public knowing the truth? Personally, I embrace it, to the point I've lost a considerable dollar amount suggesting to customers, if they really want something that is absolute they should seek advice from a minimum wage employee in a garden centre south of the border.

Do I suggest breaking the law is the way to go in lawn care...absolutely not, but an exacerbated home owner should be aware of all options open to them. If I can't guarantee results they should know what can.

So here we go.

Mother Nature- C+
At first I was excited to have this student in the class when I saw the long-range Farmer's Almanac prediction of a cooler/wetter summer, but she became a playground bully around mid July and by the end of August Mother Nature had terrorized more than her fair share of lawns with crabgrass, chinch bug and cut worm. Having seen the forecast for next year as "hotter/dryer", the marks for Mother Nature look like they are headed south.

Crabgrass- D-
There is still no effective treatment on the horizon to combat this class clown who repeatedly skips school then shows up magically when the weather turns hot, causing a disruption for all the other students. Some will preach corn gluten is the way to go to tame this beast, but I have found through trial and error you'd get better results from raising your mowing height and keeping you soil temperature as cool as possible because this is one weed that doesn't care how much time it spends in the principal's office.

Chinch Bugs- D-
The sudden heat in July led to a charge of this insect across many a lawn this year. The damage was easier to spot because until late August the lawns never had a chance to go dormant. F.Y.I. no nematode trials have ever shown any effect at controling this insect, although the very same nematodes have been effective at parting you from your money. Every heard of that saying,"there's a sucker born every minute"? Looking forward to getting Met 52 in my class next year and saying goodbye to nematodes, hopefully forever.

Fiesta- B-
This student did a reasonable job this year keeping weeds in check as long as it was applied on a consistant basis, but the wet weather meant many repeated applications. It's no 2-4-D, but right now it's all we have so I give it a passing grade this year. Say, what ever happened to that foreign exchange student, Phoma Macrostoma? Weren't we promised that weed control in 2012?....Bueller....Scotts....anyone?

White Grub- A
Combined with a colder winter, a cooler/wetter spring and a dry August, grubs weren't much of an issue this year unlike the classroom disruption they've been in previous semesters. It made for one happy teacher that didn't have to rely on nematodes in 2013.

The Home Owner- B+
It's taken some time, but people are starting to understand, in order to have a healthier lawn, mowing heights have to be raised and weekly watering is needed. If you want to cut your lawn like a putting green, open a golf course. At least you'd have access to the good stuff...

...and I'm not trying to bring politics into this post. Those dunces were expelled from the classroom some time ago.