Brown patches in your Gainesville, FL Area lawn and pests that find their way into the house can be signs that you need professional help. When finding reliable pest control and lawn services seems overwhelming, knowing the qualities you need in a superior lawn care company can help. Protect your outdoor spaces so you can head outside with confidence. 

Related: Protect Your Space With Expert Pest Control in the Gainesville and Alachua, FL Areas

Lawn Care Services 

If you are spending too much time trying to figure out why your grass isn’t green or how to treat brown patches, chances are it might be time to enlist professional help. Not only do they understand grass health at all levels but they have the applications and tools to make your lawn the envy of the street. 

Fertilizer Applications 

Fertilizer applications can improve the health and appearance of your lawn by providing the nutrients it needs to thrive. If you notice your grass is wilting and developing brown spots in some areas, it might need a fertilizer application to withstand the heat of summer. Fertilizer also accompanies new grass planting methods in the fall when the lawn care professionals aerate to give the new grass time to establish roots before winter. 

Overseeing Irrigation 

The Gainesville heat can quickly ruin your lawn and landscape without proper irrigation. As the lawn care team comes to mow, edge, and blow the lawn, they can assess for irrigation adjustments. There can be times when a sprinkler head breaks or points the wrong direction and these are issues that can affect the quality of your grass. Constant oversight can prevent wasted water and areas that are struggling without ample moisture, ensuring a uniform green lawn. 

Top Dressing the Lawn

The process of top dressing which spreads a thin layer of nutrient-rich soil over the grass can be an essential way to fill in bare spots and provide a quick boost of food. It generally works best in the growing season to accompany new grass seed planting and other services to create a lush carpet of grass. 

Pest Control Services 

Fleas, ticks, ants, and other insects can ruin your outdoor time and cause you not to enjoy your yard. The right pest control approach can have a two-pronged process. 

Prevention is the first way to control pests in the lawn and landscaped areas. Preventive applications can stop insects and other pests before they can take hold so this can be an important measure. 

Among the pests that can affect the health and growth of your lawn are chinch bugs, webworms, mole crickets, and grubs. 

Treating active pest infestations is the second way a lawn care service addresses pest problems. As they care for your lawn on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, the team can treat ant hills, bees, and other pests that can attempt to make a home in your lawn. 

Keeping the insects and bugs out of the yard can keep them from entering your home, too. 

Pet and Child Safety Guarantee

A reliable lawn care service understands your concern for your children and pets as they play and ramble in the grass. This is why they utilize all organic products that won’t harm pets, children, or the surrounding environment while it works to effectively remove pests. 

Related: Protect Your Home and Family with Professional Pest Control Services in the Alachua and Newberry, FL Areas

Are you tired of the constant buzzing and biting of Mosquitoes ruining your outdoor space?
Transforming your yard into a mosquito-free zone is easier than you might think. Those pests don't have to ruin your outdoor fun! With these five approaches, you can reclaim your outdoor space.

Say goodbye to stagnant water, keep your lawn in check, make use of scents mosquitoes hate, invite their enemies over, or let the pros get involved. Your pest free outdoor space awaits!

1. Remove Standing Water
Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. The eggs hatch into larvae about three days later, and about 12 days after that, adults emerge and fly away. Considering that each female can lay up to 400 eggs and the life cycle is complete in about two weeks, you can see why mosquito populations can increase so quickly.

Reducing the amount of standing water around your home will minimize breeding sites and reduce the number of mosquitoes. Some places to look include children's toys in the yard, clogged rain gutters, tree holes, old tires, discarded cans, and the saucers of your outdoor flower pots.

Here’s a list of a few of the most common sources of standing water around your home that mosquitoes love.

After eliminating the yard's water collectors, ensure your lawn has functional drainage. Eliminate wet spots in your yard that are prone to flooding or where stagnant water collects.

You can eliminate these areas through the use of gravel, stone pavers, or more advanced landscape solutions like adjusting the pitch of your yard or installing a French drain.

Read more on drainage solutions here: 5 Solutions to help Drainage in Your Yard

2. Keep the grass cut and plant growth under control
Like how mosquitoes need water to breed, they like to live in an overrun yard. Tall grass, plants, and shrubs are where mosquitoes go to rest, relax and play.

Getting rid of standing water will prevent them from breeding, but if you're dealing with a mosquito issue, keeping your landscape well-maintained will help reduce the existing population.

3. Use Scents to Repel Mosquitoes
Update your landscape plants to include lavender, citrus, basil, lemongrass, peppermint, and geraniums. Some people swear by these fragrant plants that deter mosquitoes from hanging around.

However, you should be aware that the science on this is not settled. While some gardeners swear by them, these plants have not been found in a lab to provide a repellent effect.

Still, thanks to the pleasant smell they make for humans, they're not a bad thing to have in your Gainesville landscape design anyway.

4. Attract natural predators
Predators can’t completely eradicate your issue if you’re overrun with mosquitoes, but if you’re just getting a few unwanted critters here and there, attracting them is worth a shot.

• Many birds are natural mosquito predators, including purple martins, waterfowl, swallows, and migratory songbirds. Setting up bird feeders is a solid step in attracting these birds.
• Or plant a mix of wildflowers and native grasses to a portion of your landscape to attract insects, a crucial food source for many of these birds.
• Installing a bat house can also help. Bats eat up mosquitoes, but you may not want to attract bats near your home.
• If you have a pond, you can benefit from predators like goldfish, koi, and red-eared slider turtles.

Mosquitoes also fall prey to other insects—some you’d be happy to see in your garden and others, not so much. Spiders eat mosquitoes when they fly into their webs and dragonflies gobble mosquitoes right up.

5. Start a Professional Mosquito Control Program
While you may find some measure of success with DIY methods, if you’re dealing with tons of mosquitoes, you need to call in a professional pest control company.

Professional pest control companies have the expertise to kill mosquitoes at all stages of the life cycle and are more knowledgeable about safety practices when applying chemicals.

Our mosquito control program can help to greatly reduce the mosquitoes living directly around your house. Because of their high humidity requirement, mosquitoes like damp and shady areas to shelter in. Regularly treating these areas with an appropriately labeled pesticide can kill mosquitoes and make it impossible for them to breed.

Areas that don't get a lot of sun should be treated regularly. These are the areas where mosquitoes like to rest during the day when it’s hottest, so treating them will greatly reduce the number of mosquitoes and other bugs in your yard.

For effective mosquito control, look no further! Contact us now at (352) 378-5296 or (904) 913-5296 or fill out our form at the top of the page, we would love to help

The best pest prevention control won’t be the same for every home so it is best to have a personalized plan for your Gainesville and Alachua, FL Areas home and property. Protecting your space with targeted pest control can keep your family safe and your home bug-free. Ants, roaches, and other pests don’t stand a chance with expert pest control.

Related: Protect Your Home and Family with Professional Pest Control Services in the Alachua and Newberry, FL Areas

Preventive Pest Control for the Perimeter 

When you need to stop pests from entering your home, the best way to combat them is to have a pest control company treat them around the perimeter. Quarterly perimeter pest control treatments can stop bugs in their tracks and keep them from finding a home inside your home. 

Perimeter applications create a protective barrier that bugs and insects won’t cross. A professional pest control company knows the habits of the common pests that can find a way into your home and they have solutions that stop them from returning. 

Roaches 

The damp, warm conditions of the Gainesville and Alachua areas can form the ideal environment for roaches. The German roach and American roach are the most common types you will find in your home and yard. You might be inclined to grab some roach spray to kill the ones you see but there are likely more that you don’t see.

Plus, spraying roaches can expose your family and pets to chemicals unnecessarily. Expert pest control will treat for roaches inside the house but their perimeter treatments are so effective that it is seldom ever necessary to treat inside your home. This is much better for your family and gets the job done well. 

Ants 

Ants are another pest that can find their way into your home and create a true problem. Once one ant finds its way into your home, there will be more following the trail. Expert pest control services can identify the ants you have and treat them. 

After a thorough inspection to locate ants inside and outside, they treat the entry spots to stop ants from coming inside. The baits they apply on the outside perimeter of the house can halt the ants. They can even treat fire ants and guarantee that they are out of your yard for a full year. 

Spiders 

Spiders can live in wood piles, the corners of your house exterior, and other areas where it is quiet and undisturbed. From brown recluse spiders to black widows, spiders can be a real problem in Florida. 

Some spider bites are harmless but others can cause a sometimes serious allergic reaction so preventing them from living around your house can be a pest control priority. A pest control professional will inspect for spider webs and other indicators of spider habitats around the house. 

They will close up any areas that can allow spiders and other pests to enter your home which combine with pest control treatments to give you confidence that the pests and insects are handled. 

A solid pest control plan can start with identifying the pest problems you have so they can develop a preventive plan and schedule that keeps your home and landscape free of bugs, insects, and spiders. Backed by a guarantee that they will come out at no charge if the problem is not fixed, this is what pest control should be. 

Related: The Top Signs That You Need Pest Control Services in the Jonesville and Gainesville, FL Areas

If you are confused about how often routine pest control is needed for your Gainesville and Newberry, FL Areas home and lawn, an experienced pest control company can set up a plan that releases you from the worry about pests. Prevention is the key to effective pest control and they have the products and treatment schedule that stops pests in their tracks. Here is how routine pest control will protect your home and family.

Related: Protect Your Home and Family with Professional Pest Control Services in the Alachua and Newberry, FL Areas

A Customized Pest Control Plan

Every home doesn’t have the same pest problems so a customized plan can be an important way to keep them out of your spaces. Regular bi-monthly or quarterly pest control can rely on the right products and timed applications for the most effective treatments. 

The most common pests that enter and stay in your home are roaches, ants, silverfish, and spiders, none of which you want. A targeted pest control plan can ensure none of those take up residence and stay.

Targeting Pests

The most effective way to control pests is to have a pest control company target each type. 

Roaches: An expert pest control company can find out if you have roaches and deliver the best plan to eliminate them from your home and property. Results show that professional pest control products and applications are the most effective way to kill roaches and prevent their return. Stopping roach infestations before they start can help you maintain a clean, safe home for your family.

Remember that the same conditions that make Gainesville and Newberry appealing to people are the ones that make this area appealing to roaches, too. There are several cockroach varieties that love the moisture, temperatures, and availability of food so it can be crucial to ensure your pest control treats for all of them.

Ants: Unfortunately, ant invasions in Florida homes are all too common. There are over five ant types that can take up residence in your home so you need a pest control professional who is able to identify the specific type for the most efficient treatment. 

Ants venture in from the outdoors in search of food and water which can often be found in your kitchen. Once they have located food (even if it is just crumbs on the floor), they will be back with the rest of the ants. While ants are not dangerous, they are a real pain to deal with so preventing them from entering is key. 

Silverfish: When you see a silvery insect crawling across your floor, it is likely in search of a humid, warm place with food available. While treatment is the best prevention, you might also need to have some windows and doors sealed to stop their entrance. A pest control professional can help you determine what should be done for the effective prevention of silverfish. 

Spiders: Any spider is an unwelcome pest in your home. Since there are so many spiders in the Gainesville and Newberry, FL areas, they can find a home in your house and outside in corners of the exterior. 

You want to eliminate them from all areas of your home and in the landscape because the bite of some spiders can cause serious health problems. A pest control professional can eliminate spiders so your family and pets are protected. 

Related: The Top Signs That You Need Pest Control Services in the Jonesville and Gainesville, FL Areas

Spring has sprung and our schedule is filling up fast with homeowners seeking our help to turn their lawn around.

To lend a helping hand, we've gone through our archives of past lawn success stories and asked our team to choose their favorite ones to share some before-and-after pictures.

These turnarounds include a range of improvements, such as fertilizing, aeration, topdressing, and irrigation - which can transform an unhealthy or patchy lawn into a lush, healthy, and vibrant green space.

Check out our top 5 Lawn Turnaround projects:

1. Project Spotlight: Lawn Health Renovation
We had the pleasure of working with a client who had recently built a home in Oakmont and was fed up with their struggling lawn.

After a lawn consultation, we devised a comprehensive plan of action that included aeration, topdressing with Comand Compost, a Lawn Health Program, and proper weekly maintenance.

And guess what? In just 8 weeks, his lawn transformed tremendously! Check out the amazing before and after pictures.

2. Lawn Project Spotlight: From Stressed and Dying to Lush and Green
This lawn was in bad shape. It was drought-stressed, nutrient-deficient, and pest-damaged, and was deteriorating quickly. But with the expertise of our lawn health and irrigation teams, we were able to turn things around in no time!

We implemented a variety of solutions including proper sprinkler adjustments and repair, soil amendments, lawn fertilization service, weed control, and treating the lawn every 6-9 weeks with our lawn pest control program.

And guess what? In just a couple of months, this lawn went from being down and out to being the star of the show! We couldn't be happier with the results!

3. Lawn Project Spotlight: Zoysia Lawn spreads from Plugs to Picture of Perfection
This concerned client reached out to us regarding their lawn and was seeking help to revive it. They had planted Zoysia plugs in their huge front yard a year ago, but unfortunately, the plugs were being overrun by weeds.

The lawn had become predominantly dirt and weeds rather than lush grass. They wondered if there was anything that could be done to rescue it.

Our lawn pest control team took a soil sample, took some photos, and went to the drawing board to put together a program that would work. Their lawn took off like wildfire!!!

4. Project Spotlight: From Sandy Soil to Lush and Green
With our expertise and passion for transforming outdoor spaces, we were able to make this client's landscape dreams a reality!

We installed an irrigation system to get water to all of his plants as well as the lawn, and spread Comand Soil and Topdressing over the lawn to improve the soil composition. To top it off, we installed beautiful sod over his entire lawn.

And now, he sends us photos of his dogs happily playing in the backyard, showing just how much he loves his new and improved lawn.

5. Project Spotlight: Lawn Health Rehab
This client contacted us in hopes of diagnosing their lawn problems and wanted to see if there was anything to be done that would save it.

After an in-depth lawn analysis, we discovered active chinch bugs were not being controlled and eating away at the turf.

We then put together a lawn program that would help not only control chinch bugs actively, but preventatively going forward as well.

With some patience and understanding of a lawn program, it ended up saving about $10k of sod work because we did not have to add any sod or sod plugs - just proper lawn health and irrigation to keep it growing.

As you can see, with our help, many homeowners have transformed their outdoor living space and our team is proud to show that off! As the trend for outdoor living is set to continue growing this year, use these projects for your own outdoor living inspiration and give us a call! Let's get to work!
 

If you’re looking to extend your outdoor living space, please contact us at (352) 378-5296 or (904) 913-5296 or fill out our form at the top of the page, we would love to help!

Landscape pest control involves two main aspects: First, preventing pests through proper care and secondly stopping existing issues. When your lawn care team is also your pest control experts, they can team up to do both at once.

If there's a pest problem, they can coordinate their efforts to fix it. For example, if the pest control experts find a bug issue, the lawn care team can adjust their mowing schedule or use specific treatments to help get rid of the bugs.

Our lawn health team uses this 5 step partnership approach to prevent pests in landscapes:

1. Maintaining Proper Mowing Frequency & Height

Regular mowing at the appropriate height helps prevent overgrowth and creates a well-maintained lawn. This reduces pest-friendly environments such as stressed grass from scalping or too infrequent mowing. A healthy, well-manicured lawn is less attractive to pests and can discourage their presence.

For example, a scalped lawn can be a big attraction for pests. By mowing your lawn correctly, you reduce it’s stress therefore strengthening the St. Augustine Lawn pest prevention. It's like one of the top preventions from landscape pests - proper maintenance.

2. Ensuring Proper Irrigation

Proper irrigation helps prevent issues like thinning grass, pests, and pesky weeds that invade your yard. For example, too much water is the most common reason for dollarweed in St. Johns lawns, and many other broadleaf weeds as well. 

Just remember, giving your lawn too much or too little water can mess with its root system and make it easier for those unwanted weeds and pests to take over.

These pests are more likely to cause damage without proper irrigation:

• Pest of the month: Chinch Bugs - ​​Portions of the turf that have poor irrigation coverage are where you're most likely to see chinch bug damage first.
• Pest of the month: Sod Webworms - Too much irrigation can produce a lawn that is very attractive for female sod webworm moths to lay eggs.
• Pest of the Month: Large Patch Fungus - Turf in Florida is most vulnerable to this Fungus when rainfall, high humidity, or excessive irrigation leave your lawn damp for a duration of more than 48 hours.

By identifying pests or signs of pest damage early on, we can take prompt action to control them. This partnership approach focuses on prevention, early detection, and targeted treatment which reduces the need for excessive pesticide use and promotes a more environmentally-friendly approach to Ponte Vedra lawn pest control.

3. Monitoring “Pest Pressure”

This term is used to describe the level of pest activity in a given area. Landscape Pests can be anything from insects, weeds, or lawn diseases that cause harm or damage to your lawn and landscape. Many people assume pests are only insects, but truthfully a lawn pest is anything ‘pestering’ the lawn.

Our Lawn health and pest control services work together to prevent pest pressure in the first place, and by identifying areas of high pest pressure to determine the most effective pest control strategies to solve the issue.

4. Proactive communication and avoidance of problems

When lawn care and pest control services communicate proactively, we can work together to ensure the techniques work together to move the needle for your landscape. If any problems arise, we collaborate, coordinate, and take action towards a solution..

We also share information about techniques, schedules, and products used to avoid any conflicts and ensure the work does not affect each other's tasks. This way, our lawn care and pest control services can work together effectively and ensure that your lawn is in good shape.

5. Regular lawn maintenance reduces pest pressure on home

When you keep your lawn clean and free of debris, it removes potential breeding grounds and habitats for pests like rodents, roaches.

Regularly mowing, raking, and trimming your lawn can also increase sunlight and air circulation, which makes the lawn less welcoming for pests that like damp and shady areas.

If you do find pests on your lawn, maintaining it regularly allows us to spot them early on and get rid of them before they become a bigger problem. By keeping your lawn healthy and tidy, you can make it less attractive to pests and help protect your home from potential infestations.

By working together, our lawn care and pest control services partner together to ensure that your lawn is healthy and pest-free.

Our team of experienced professionals is dedicated to exceeding expectations and, use eco-friendly products and methods to create a safe and healthy outdoor environment for you and your family to enjoy.

If we can help you with your lawn care and pest control services, feel free to contact us at (352) 378-5296 or (904) 913-5296 or fill out our form at the top of the page!

Pests can cause untold damage to your home and property before you realize what has happened so it can be important to schedule regular pest control services for your Alachua and Newberry, FL Areas home. The protection professional pest control services can provide can give you peace of mind and less stress as you go about your daily life. Consider the benefits of pest control that stops problems before they start. 

Related: The Top Signs That You Need Pest Control Services in the Jonesville and Gainesville, FL Areas

Preventive Pest Control

When you see ants or roaches in your home, this can feel like a violation of everything you work for to protect your family and their health. Plus, these pests can be quite difficult to eradicate. Sometimes it can seem like they are gone only to return in a week worse than before. 

A professional pest control service has the products you cannot buy in the aisle of a big box store. Their pest control team arrives with the best products to kill whatever pests are plaguing your home.

Perimeter treatments are aimed at stopping ants, roaches, and other pests from breaching the barrier of your house. This approach is successful because prevention is the best way to stop them in their tracks. 

Many times, you might think natural treatments are better but the sad truth can be that they are only minimally successful for the pests that can plague the Alachua and Newberry areas. This is why a reputable pest control company first determines the exact pests that enter your home so they can target the treatments directly. 

Licensed, Trained Technicians

Since the treatment products used to eliminate pests from entering your home can be strong, be sure to choose a company that demonstrates training and ongoing education for the team who treats your home. 

This can show you that their approach is based on science and that they are extremely careful in the application locations to protect your family and pets from contact. Their holistic approach focuses as much on the protection of your family and pets as it does on pest prevention and removal. 

Pest Elimination

At the initial meeting, they will assess your home and property for the pests you can see and locate any that you might not see. This visit will be about killing the pests that are in your home and around the structures. 

Afterward, they can apply perimeter treatments that keep those pesky problems from getting into your home. Rest assured, though, that if some do make it through the perimeter, their team will be out to remedy that as soon as possible. 

Pest Control Satisfaction Guarantee 

A reputable pest control company knows there is nothing worse than having your home treated only to find the same pests a few days later. This is why they make sure that never happens to you with their pest control guarantee. 

If any pests show up inside your home between visits, all you have to do is call them and their pest control team will be out to handle it right away. Best of all, this is at no charge to you!

When you need pest control, you need a company that does what it promises every time, leaving your home and property in pest-free conditions. 

Pests love a warm, humid climate like the Jonesville and Gainesville, FL Areas but the last thing you love is pests. If you see dead bugs or think you might have roaches, you are probably searching as quickly as you can for pest control. Here are some of the signs that you need reliable pest control for your home. 

The best pest control targets specific pests. You might have tried natural solutions or purchased sprays from big box stores but these remedies are no match for the bugs in your home. You need professional help that takes care of bugs the first time. 

How to Know If You Have Roaches 

Roaches can be a common problem in the Gainesville area but you want to be sure this is the bug you suspect. Roaches leave droppings that resemble coffee grounds and they leave dark smears on walls where they are active. 

Another indicator can be a musty smell that is unusual in your home. Along with the smell, you might find some shells or roach skins in areas where they live. Since roaches eat food and other things, you could find parts of a bag of chips chewed away. 

The strongest indicator that you have roaches is when you turn on the light in a dark room and see one scurry away.

How to Know If You Have Ants 

The first indicator of an ant infestation can be when you see a path of ants marching through your kitchen. Ants leave a trail for the rest of the colony so they can find the path to the food. Many times, you will find ants coming under an exterior door and into the pantry. 

You might also find ants on the counters when you have left out food. You could also find ant wings in the window sills of your house and small dirt piles near the floor molding. 

How to Know If You Have Spiders

One of the main ways to know if you have spiders in your home is the presence of spider webs. You might find them in corners of seldom-used rooms or in the garage nooks and crannies. Spider webs look different from cobwebs in that cobwebs are often stringy while spider webs have a pattern to them.

You might see small white sacs with spider eggs in the corners of rooms. Spiders like muggy spaces like basements or damp garages so you can also see droppings in these areas. 

Best Pest Control Options 

The best pest control options are the ones that protect your children and pets from dangerous pesticides. This is why pest control should start outside and prevent insects and bugs from coming inside your home. 

Perimeter treatments act as a barrier to stop these pests before they have a chance to make a home in your house. By using safe, approved pest control products, a pest control company can treat the exterior of your house to stop any bugs from finding a way inside. 

If you notice the first treatment was not as effective as it should have been, they will return for an additional treatment at no charge. This can give you peace of mind when it comes to preventing pests in your home. 

We know that dealing with critters in your yard can be a real pain, but there are things you can do to keep the damage and trouble to a minimum. We want to share some tips on how you can identify and manage pesky wildlife such as armadillos, moles, deer, hogs/wild boar, and mosquitoes.

Identifying and Removing Armadillos from your lawn

Signs that Armadillos are in your landscape:

• Keep an eye out for holes or burrows in the ground that are around 3-5 inches wide and a few inches deep. You might also notice piles of dirt around the burrows, especially near the openings, and the grass torn up in a couple hundred square foot space.

• Damage to your lawn or garden beds. They like to dig around for insects and grubs, so you might see patches of soil that look rooted up or areas of your lawn that have been dug up. And if you spot small, dark, cylindrical droppings around the burrows, it's a pretty good bet that armadillos are to blame.

If you don't want those pesky armadillos messing up your yard, there are a couple of things you can do:

• Your best bet is to find there burrow, which is easiest to find by looking around the base of your home. They will typically dig a football sized hole under your foundation, HVAC unit, or shrubbery and there will be a pile of dirt next to the hole where they created their home. Once located, trapping is the most successful way to rid your lawn of these pesky critters. Many pest control companies offer humane wildlife trapping services.

• If you cannot find their home, trapping may still be an option, but you might be less successful. Locating their entry point (if your yard is fenced in) may be your second best option. If you find where they’ve dug under your fence, use chicken wire or any type of fencing to keep them from coming back.

• If trapping or excluding them doesn’t work, your last chance for success is eliminating their food source - grubs and insects. We offer a lawn pest and grub control program which can protect your lawn from grubs and help it recover from the armadillos. 

• A handy DIY trick that we cannot confirm works is to try using castor oil or rags soaked in ammonia to make them steer clear of certain spots in your lawn. Exclusion and trapping are the most effective and proven solutions.

Identifying and Removing Gopher Moles from your Lawn

There are a few signs that suggest you might have moles in your yard:

• Look out for raised ridges or mole hills on your lawn, which are created as moles tunnel just below the surface of the soil.

• You might also see shallow tunnels or ruts in your lawn, caused by moles as they search for insects to eat. These can make it difficult to mow your grass.

• Gopher Moles are most noticeable in areas where the grass is thin or they frequently travel, such as against your driveway or sidewalk as their tunnels run along them.

Although they aren’t typically the only cause of the lawn’s struggle - they absolutely do contribute to it by creating air pockets at the roots allowing turf roots to dry out.

• Talpirid mole baits and other similar brands work well if you’re patient, although they do take some time and consistency to be effective. Make sure to put them in the mole's most frequented tunnels (typically near concrete where they tunnel paralel to it) and be sure to use gloves (this keeps your scent off the baits).

• Similarly to Armadillos, our grub and lawn pest control program will help reduce the grubs and help the lawn improve from other struggles helping the mole tunnels become more visible.

• Here's a YouTube video made by our friend, Allyn Hane, the LCN about different types of mole traps to use.

• You can also try this approach (just kidding!) 

Identifying Deer Plant Damage and Keeping them from your Landscape

If you suspect that deer are munching on your landscape, there are a few signs to look out for:

• The most obvious signs are damage to your plants, including bite marks on leaves, broken branches, and completely stripped foliage. New plants pulled out of the ground are also a common sign, as they test them to see if they’re tasty.

• Another indication is the presence of tracks or droppings in your yard. Deer tracks are typically heart-shaped and leave imprints, while their droppings are small and round. 

If you find that deer are treating your landscape plants like a buffet, you've got a couple of options, but know that none of them are simple - especially if you live in the San Felasco area. Those are some of the boldest and most persistent deer we have ever dealt with.

• First, plan your landscape design with deer-resistant plantings such as Drift Roses, Snapdragons, Flax Lilies, Camellias, and Hollies that deer are seldom interested in. Sometimes designing with nature in mind is easier and more prudent than fighting your surroundings.

• Exclusion works well if you want to grow things they will see as tasty - such as a garden or certain flowers. Put up some high fences to keep them out. 

• Another idea is a motion-detected sprinkler head. We have used these regularly in landscape installations where deer are common and may want to taste the new plants - even though they are deer-resistant.

Identifying Hog or Boar Damage and Protecting your Landscape from them.

Signs that hogs might be causing damage to your landscape: 

• You might notice areas of soil that have been rooted up, creating large patches of bare ground. Hogs use their strong snouts to dig for food, and this can create large damage to lawns - significantly worse than either moles or armadillos.

• Hogs may leave behind tracks or droppings in your yard. Hog tracks are typically round or oval-shaped and have distinctive imprints from their cloven hooves. Their droppings are also large and cylindrical in shape.

• Another sign to look out for is damage to plants or crops, as hogs are known to eat a variety of vegetation, which is unlike armadillos or moles. They may leave behind bite marks on leaves or chew through stems and roots similar to deer - but deer do not tear up the lawn.

Hogs and Boar can be a real disaster for your yard, so it's crucial to act fast once you spot them. You've got a few options here, but really only two are successful:

• Put up a fence to exclude them from your backyard. This is common in Nocatee where there are so many natural preserves and hogs are invading backyard lawns neighboring the preserve to search for food. Although it isn’t ideal, the hogs will just move on to the neighbor’s lawn.

•  If a fence isn’t practical for you, the next best thing to do is trap them. Please note than HOAs may have different rules and regulations in regards to this, so contact your local HOA board to request how to address the issue to avoid unexpected violations.

Reducing and Controlling Mosquitoes in your yard:

If you have mosquitoes swarming your yard, it is almost impossible to enjoy your outdoors. Take these steps to get rid of them.  

1. Get rid of any stagnant water around your place.Here’s a few of the most common sources of standing water around your home that mosquitoes love 

2. Ensure good drainage in your yard. Eliminate spots in your yard that are prone to puddling or stagnant water collecting.

3. Start a Mosquito Pest Treatment Program or install a mosquito misting system

For more information on mosquitoes, please feel free to use this resource that goes more in-depth on mosquitoes as a whole. 

When dealing with wildlife damaging your landscape or ruining your time outdoors, it's important to follow local and state laws and regulations. There are many effective methods available for preventing damage from deer or controlling the presence of armadillos or moles that are both safe and humane. Take the time to identify the wildlife in your yard and use the right methods for control to ensure a healthy and balanced ecosystem in your landscape.

If we can be of help to correct or protect your landscape from wildlife damage please don't hesitate to reach out to us at (352) 378-5296 or (904) 913-5296 or fill out our form at the top of the page!

While the weather in Alachua and Gainesville, FL, helps to keep landscaping looking green and healthy, some thought needs to be put into creating the type of ideal outdoor space for playing with the kids and hosting barbecue. The following lawn care essentials can keep your outdoor spaces pristine for all your plans this spring and summer. 

Landscape Design Upgrades

If your landscape has started to look ordinary and you think it needs an upgrade, you may want to consider adding new features—a speciality that some landscaping companies possess. The same company that takes care of your lawn can design and install custom features and landscape plans that highlight your home’s unique style and draw attention to the very best parts of the outdoor environment. 

From the front yard to the back, they have the ideas for upgrades that bring back your joy in your outdoor spaces. 

Weekly Lawn Service 

Entrusting your lawn to a professional service can ensure your landscape is stunning throughout the year. Because they pay special attention to the smallest lawn care details, you can be sure your property will stand out in the neighborhood. You might even have neighbors ask for your lawn care secrets!

Your lawn service can be tailored to your particular needs, including horticultural services to attend to the fine gardening shrubs and plants that distinguish your landscape. 

Sprinklers and Irrigation 

Proper irrigation can be crucial in the summer heat so you want a lawn care service that understands the demands your lawn and landscape have for watering. The ideal time for irrigation tends to be in the wee morning hours well before the sun rises. Since this may be when you are still sleeping, it can be difficult to know if the sprinkler system is working correctly. 

A lawn care service has the training to notice whether the grass and landscape beds are receiving the proper water amounts for them to thrive in the summer heat. The last thing you want to happen is for the plants and grass to suffer when you have so much invested in your custom landscape. 

Knowing they are always on the lookout for problems can give you tremendous peace of mind. 

Lawn Fertilization and Pest Control 

Being proactive with pest control can keep your grass and landscape plants from being consumed by insects but keeping up with the application schedule can be tough. When you hand off pest control and lawn fertilization to a reputable lawn service, they know what to apply at the ideal times to ensure your landscape remains healthy and vigorous. 

After a soil analysis to determine where it is deficient, they help clients love their lawns again with topdressing, targeted irrigation, and fertilizer that feeds their grass the nutrients it needs to remain in great health. 

Fertilizer is essential to feed the grass and plants well. Since the timing of the applications is critical to the most absorption during growth periods, their team can keep your lawn on schedule. The right ratio of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus can boost the grass into a lush, green carpet that complements the lovely appearance of your home.