July Questions

Q. What can I do to stop my Crape Myrtle's leaves from turning black ?

A.  The Crape Myrtle Aphid is causing the leaves to get a black coating . Crape Myrtle Aphids are small pale yellow insects that feed on plant sap. These insects secrete a sugary substance called honeydew as they feed. The black coating that you see is is called sooty mold. Sooty Mold forms on the honeydew secretion not directly on the leaves. To stop the problem you can kill the aphids with  Insecticidal Soap, Ortho Systemic Insecticide, Hi- Yield Malathion or SunSpray Ultra-fine Oil.

Q.  What is causing my St. Augustine grass  lawn to yellow and die in patches that are in the sun on good well drained soil?

A.   The problem is likely from the feeding activity of Chinch Bugs. Chinch Bugs are very small insects that you are not likely to see without  closely inspecting the grass. Dig up a section of the declining grass and shake it hard over a sheet of newspaper. If Chinch Bugs are present you should be able to see them rapidly move about on the paper. You can also bring us a sample of your lawn for inspection. To control Chinch Bugs we suggest spraying with Acephate 75 and spreading Turf Ranger granules 2 weeks later.

Q.  What can I do to control weeds in my lawn this Summer?

A.  During the Summer heat most lawn weed killers should be avoided to prevent injuring the grass. The herbicide Image is an exception to this general rule. Image can safely control a number of difficult weeds such as Dollarweed, Nutsedge, Bahiagrass, and Dandelions in Bermuda, Centipede, St.Augustine and Zoysia lawns. Bring us examples of the weeds that you would to like to control to see if they are labeled. Several of the weeds that Image can control  will require repeat applications spaced 6 weeks apart.