This is the first of a series of 3 blog posts about steps to a great lawn this spring. The first step is having your lawn aeration completed every spring season.

Lawn aeration is a fairly simple process. All you do is punch thousands of small holes in your turf. Whether you want to do it yourself or hire our Lawn technicians to do it for you boils down to the amount of time you want to invest and if you have the proper equipment to DIY it.

But make no mistake, you should be aerating your lawn annually. It is a vital part of your lawn's overall health, especially in Gainesville yards with our compacted soil from traffic and mowers and areas of clay soil that do not allow roots to penetrate without assistance. The longer you go without aerating your lawn the more the soil compacts. The reason this is a problem is that it makes it hard for your lawn to take in three critical items: Water, oxygen, and fertilizer.

If you have traffic on any areas of your lawn, whether it be mowers, people, or pets - the problem only increases. That's why golf courses aerate their greens and fairways several times a year.

As a homeowner, you don’t need to go that far, but it is a wise investment to aerate your lawn every spring. The end result will be a much healthier and more beautiful lawn when you combine aeration with your ongoing lawn fertilization program.

The Master's Lawn Care would love to handle your annual lawn aeration this year and I'll take $20 off the cost if you schedule your lawn aeration visit by the end of this week, Friday, March 9th. If you'd like more info or the cost for your lawn give us a call at 352-378-5296 or info@themasterslawncare.com.

Late February into early March is not the best your Gainesville yard will look this year. Lawns are semi-dormant now and certainly aren't at their best, yet. However, it is the best opportunity to pro-actively prepare for spring. 3 things you should look at doing for your lawn in March are:

1. Starting a pre-emergent weed control program to keep weeds from re-seeding
2. Lawn Aeration  to help water and fertilizers reach the turf's roots faster
3. Irrigation check-up to keep dry spots from happening in the upcoming dry season

The fact that lawns don't look their best is especially true this year, since the severe cold in January forced St. Augustine and Zoysia yards into total dormancy. (It often stays partially green through the cold season in North Florida.) Still, it's well-worth looking over the lawn now and considering a plan that will help it to bounce back and be healthy this summer.

If your lawn has been declining in vigor recently, it's time to determine the cause and consider how to put things right this spring. There are several common causes of lawn problems - including weeds, drought stress, insects, fungus, traffic wear, poor soil conditions, poor drainage, and too much shade. The lawn damage you see now is generally old damage that happened during the prior growing season rather than an active problem occurring now.

1. Pre-Emergent Weed Control

A lot of people are currently concerned about the growth of cool-season weeds, which may appear to be taking over your yard now. The winter weeds that most people have been calling about this year are very aggressive broadleaf weeds, and regularly have little yellow or white flowers. The bad news is that means they're re-seeding. The good news is they're easily controlled with a long-term lawn health application program that includes pre-emergent weed control application. We offer this service, so feel free to contact us if we can be of service.

2. Lawn Aeration

Over time, your lawn becomes stressed by compacted soil from foot/mower traffic, poor drainage, and increased thatch build-up. Aeration mechanically removes small plugs of soil and thatch from your entire lawn, helping your lawn breathe and creating ideal conditions to increase nutrient flow to it's roots for healthier, thicker, and greener grass growth. You can rent an aerator from a local tool company, or you can hire it to be professionally done. Just watch out for your sprinkler heads!

3. Irrigation Start-up

Almost every spring season in North Florida means two things for certain - abundant Azalea blooms and an upcoming dry spell. Historically, Gainesville's driest season is late March to early June. If your sprinkler system isn't properly adjusted and set to run with the right timing, your lawn will struggle with drought stress, which create many other problems such as susceptibility to chinch bugs and weed pressure.

By doing these 3 things, you will be setting your lawn up for a great spring. If we can help you with a weed control lawn application, aeration service, or a spring irrigation check-up, contact our office by call/text at 352-378-5296 or fill out the contact form at the top of the page. Below are some other early spring topics we usually get questions about.

Spring Fertilization

It's too early to fertilize your lawn with heavy nitrogen now. Research has shown that turf grass does better if you wait until it greens up before you start the fertilization program. So, wait at least until mid-March to make the first application of nitrogen. This includes weed and feed products that contain herbicides to kill weeds along with the fertilizer. Do not apply weed and feed products, yet.

If you have a weed problem that you need to deal with now, use a lawn weed control without fertilizer. Atrazine and Celsius have been shown to be the best post-emergent herbicide treatments for most current weeds.

Other products that contain several active ingredients (2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba and carfentrazone) target a wide variety of weeds and may be used on various types of lawn grasses. Research indicates that these products are more effective when more than one application is made. So, plan on making two applications following label directions carefully. Be very specific to make sure these products are made for your type of turfgrass though, as we get about 25 calls per year from people who have burned their lawn using the incorrect product or mix-rate.

Brown Patch Fungus

Insects and diseases can do massive damage to a lawn quickly. One of the more common diseases is brown patch, which strikes during mild weather and occurs primarily on St. Augustine in late March or April. If you see rapidly enlarging areas of brown grass in areas that green up normally, it's likely brown patch. (Do not confuse this with old damage from last year.) Brown patch disease is caused by a fungus that thrives in cool, moist weather.

This disease can kill the grass, but it is more common for it to just attack the leaf blades and leave the runners alive. So, the grass generally recovers. Active brown patch can be treated when it occurs with a fungicide, but is most often related to cultural practices such as over-watering with an irrigation system, too much shade, or lack of aeration (to break up the compaction of the soil).

Chinch bugs

Chinch bugs are not extremely active now, but could have damaged your lawn last summer, and if they weren't treated, will come back as soon as it warms up for good. They're primarily a problem April through October in areas close to your driveway, curb, or sidewalk (concrete/asphalt). If areas of your lawn died during that time, chinch bugs are a possible cause. Evaluate your lawn in mid March to see if areas that died last summer green up. Unfortunately, these insects often kill the grass completely and sod plugs or new sod installation may be neccessary.

Wear and tear

Lawns that have been damaged by wear and tear from dogs, children, or walking traffic can be helped with extra care. In early spring, aerate your lawn to loosen the compacted soil in the bare areas; fertilize the lawn, including the damaged areas; and water the lawn in that area during dry weather to encourage growth.

Keep traffic to a minimum until the turf has recovered. If the area is large, you may want to lay new sod for faster coverage after loosening the soil. Remember, if the wear and tear continues as before, the grass will disappear again.

All lawns look tired after several years of Florida's brutal summer heat under minimal lawn care. By minimal, I mean doing nothing more than the basics - mowing, fertilizing, pest control, and irrigating.

The problem lies below the surface. Minimal care slowly depletes the soil's nutrients and their fertility. Healthy soil is airy, rich with nutrients, and full of microbial activity. Good soil combines sand, silt, clay, organic matter and a host of beneficial insects to form a growing medium that supports vigorous plant roots. Rich soil holds nutrients and water longer, and makes them available to plants. It also allows excess water to drain off. Healthy soil also holds vital air pockets, providing essential oxygen to roots. It is home to millions of microbes, insect larvae, earth worms and other organisms that break down organic matter, aerate, and improve soil structure.

All of these benefits of healthy soil are started by annual aeration of your lawn in the spring. Creating the holes in the soil is the first step in getting a nutrient-rich soil that increases your lawn's health expenentially. The punctured holes from the aeration service allow your lawn's roots to breathe, thatch (grass clippings and other organic material) to enter the soil and breakdown, and increase the ability of spring's fertilizer to go straight int your soil.

Beyond basic care, there's another reason our soil desperately needs Gainesville Lawn Aeration every spring . As we tramp over lawns to mow, walk, and play and our pets do the same - the soil gets more compacted. This eliminates air pockets and the oxygen grass roots need. Compaction also eliminates water pockets, reducing the soil’s water retention which forces you to use your sprinklersystem more often. The results are predictable: grass browning, thinning, or being choked out by weeds, and lawns littered with bare spots.

A little work each spring can repair the lawn. First, start with the spring aeration. Second, slow down the natural process of soil compaction by avoiding walking on the grass in the same area or pattern and mowing with the same pattern. Lastly, add milorganiite and lime to your lawn health program to increase the soil's fertility and nutrients. This will help you restore your lawn this spring to the Gainesville yard you've dreamed of.

If we can be help in providing Gainesville yard aeration service or soil ammendments, contact our office by call or text at 352-378-5296 or fill out the contact form above for a free lawn analysis. 

It's not a question of if you need a preemergent weed control in Gainesville, Florida ; for homeowners in North Florida, it’s simply a matter of when. After all, it’s hard to be proud of a lawn that is full of weeds, such as crabgrass, torpedograss, Poa, ground ivy, or dollarweed.

Ideally, you would stop difficult weeds before they even appear, but preemergent weed control is merely one part of a quality lawn weed control program. Your local lawn application specialists know that it takes a mix of proper fertization, watering, and weed control practices in order to help guarantee a weed-free lawn.

Dealing with difficult-to-control weeds

Weeds that we consider difficult to control tend to need ongoing visits or tailored strategies for successful lawn weed control. These sorts of weeds can be either annual or perennial, and cause problems for different reasons. However, a quality pre-emergent weed control program helps eradicate these weed before they get a stranglehold of your lawn.

When to apply preemergent weed control

Preemergent weed control uses products that are designed to work before the seeds germinate in early spring. For difficult annual weeds, multiple applications may be required—first at the start of the spring and then at carefully timed intervals as secondary flushes of germination come on as the seasons progress. Our program includes 3 seperate pre-emergent application intervals for most clients, unless their tailored program for their lawn's needs vary. That is the general rule for our Gainesville lawn health program.

Preemergents can be used effectively as precursors to other weed control strategies that take over once germination is complete. A tailored solution can be used to target existing weeds through area or zone treatment with low volume spray equipment. This can control difficult weeds successfully when applied in the right mixture at the right intervals, usually before the weed in question has produced flowers or seed heads.

A tailored approach to lawn weed control

Masters offers a range of services to meet your lawn’s individual needs. The Traditional Lawn Plan, for instance, includes preemergent weed control that targets a variety of annual and broadleaf weeds in a manner that is safe for both families and pets. It also provides essential nutrients your lawn needs to grow thick and lush, leaving little room for competing weeds to grow.

Trust a Master's licensed and certified lawn specialist to determine everything about your lawn, including which types of weeds pose a threat to your turfgrass. When you sign up for a Lawn treatment plan, your specialist will conduct a Lawn Analysis partnering with UF for the soil test and further tailor a plan that addresses your lawn’s specific needs—including fertilization, preemergent, targeted weed control and other services. Your specialist’s work doesn’t stop there; for as long as your plan is in place, they will return to your property as many times as needed to ensure your satisfaction. That is what The Master's Lawn Care is all about—ensuring you have a lawn you’ll love coming home to.

To learn more about Gainesville lawn weed control or the other services The Master's offers, fill out the form above or call (352) 378-LAWN. 

Azaleas are a popular landscaping plant due to their ease of care and their beauty, but for all their ease, they are not without a few common pest problems. One of those is the azalea lace bug, which is a common Gainesville lawn pest that we see.

These azalea insects can cause significant damage to a plant if not controlled. Lace bug damage to azaleas tends to be cosmetic, but they can ruin the look of a healthy azalea very quickly. Identifying Azalea Lace Bug Damage Lace bug damage to azaleas normally occurs on the leaves and will look like silvery, white or yellow spots that make the plant look faded and losing vigor. This is caused by these lace bugs literally sucking small sections of the leaf dry and killing that section of the plant. As these azalea leaf pests move on across the leaf, more and spots will appear causing the greyish coloring.

You will also know if you have these common lawn pests by looking at the underside of the Azalea's leaves, where the lace bug tends to reside. If you see a sticky black substance or a rust color, this is another sign that you have these azalea insects. You may even find the azalea lace bug on the leaves. The lace bug can be identified by their “lace” like wings, but commonly you will just see small spots which are the juveniles.

The azalea lace bug prefers both our larger and dwarf azaleas in north Florida, but can also attack the deciduous varieties as well.

How to Get Rid of Azalea Lace Bug

These azalea insect problems are best avoided in the first place by pre-emptive control. The azalea lace bug tends to attack plants that are already weakened due to poor fertilizing or watering, so make sure to take proper care of your plants with an Ornamental Fertilization Program. If your azalea shrub is already infested with these azalea leaf pests, you can try this method for getting rid of them. Lace Bug Pest control involves using insecticidal soaps (some of which are organic) and most off the shelf insecticides will effectively kill azalea lace bugs.

Lace bug damage to azaleas does not have to be devastating to your Gainesville yard. With a little know-how, these landscape insect problems can be dealt prevented and eliminated. Contact our team at (352) 378-5296 or the contact form above if we can help in any way!

During the cooler winter months in Gainesville, St Augustine and Zoysia turf grass lawns are dormant – which means basically resting for the upcoming spring season. The soil microbes are still busy too, doing what soil microbes do – composting – just at a slower pace than normal.

Many are fooled into thinking the soil and grass doesn’t need fertilizer application and water in the winter just – the St Augustine turf and the soil microbes are living, growing and need food and water to stay healthy. Without an active and healthy soil microbe population in winter, the turf grass will lag in the spring, losing valuable time during it's prime growing season.

5 THINGS TO DO IN THE WINTER FOR ST AUGUSTINE LAWNS

1. Water Your Lawn Correctly
2. Apply Lawn Nutrients
3. Mow as High as the Mower will Go
4. Weed Control
5. Be Patient
Master these five activities during the winter and you’ll be rewarded with a healthy lawn this spring and well into the summer months.

WATER YOUR LAWN CORRECTLY

One persistent myth is that St Augustine needs less water in the winter. This is false. Although the St Augustine turf is semi-dormant, it is still living and growing and needs food and water to do so. The soil is teeming with soil microbes that need a moist soil to compost organic matter into plant food. Let the lawn dry out and you kill the soil microbes, starve the turf and turn your lawn into a weed patch.

So remember, the number one determining factor for the health of your St Augustine turf and soil microbes is water – and about 90% of the water your lawn requires will come from irrigation. Therefore, the irrigation system must run, cover the entire lawn and put out enough water to “fill” the soil. If it doesn’t – then fix and repair your Gainesville sprinkler system until it does. 

How Much Water?

Your lawn needs just as much water in winter as the rest of the year. It just doesn't evaporate as fast as it does in warm seasons - so that allows your sprinklers to run less often to achieve the same amount of water in the soil. On average we recommend watering 1 time per week – even in the winter. However, we do not recommened cutting back your zone run times. Turn it back to 2x a week in late February/early March when it begins to get warmer.

FEED YOUR GAINESVILLE GRASS

The main goal of feeding a lawn is not feeding the turf, it is for feeding the soil microbes so that they can compost. Nitrogen, potassium, sulphur, and iron are not readily available in our sandy soils and need to be replenished on a regular basis. – even in the winter.

The Master's winter feeding program focuses on potassium and micronutrients - especially sulfur and iron – to help the roots strengthen as the lawn is dormant. One good lawn application of a fertilizer with a good micronutrient package is sufficient until spring.

MOW AS HIGH AS THE MOWER WILL GO

Winter is not the time to mow low – mowing low does more harm than good in the winter. When you mow low it opens up the canopy, exposing the soil and tender roots and stems to drying sun and winter winds. A dry soil and sun parched stems and roots does not make for a healthy lawn. These winter months are a perfect time to skip a few mowings, allowing the canopy to become even higher and reduce wear and tear. The taller truf also shades the soil to keep winter weeds from germinating in your lawn.

WEED CONTROL IS EFFECTIVE AND SAFER

Winter is the best time for weed control. Focus on the persistent perennial weeds like Dollar Weed, sedges and Day Flower. There are other annual weeds that pop up - but they will melt away with the rising temperatures - so focus on the perennials. I highly suggest a quality pre-emergent weed control program to help play defense against the incoming spring/summer weeds, too.

Be careful with the Weed-N-Feed formulations at the big box stores, as they may have high nitrogen content which could cause a lawn damage in cold temperatures. Read the label and carefully look up information. We get calls from about 1 person a month who has burned their lawn from trying to use Home Depot or Lowe's products and mixed them the wrong way or at the incorrect time, so be sure to use a trusted weed control program.

BE PATIENT

This dormant period is natural and very important for the health of the turf – let it do its thing. Pushing the St Augustine turf grass out of dormancy with excess nitrogen will create a false signal to the turf that spring has sprung and cause havoc with your lawn. Don't be tempted to make the lawn green with a parlor trick of high nitrogen fertilizer. Be wise, be patient and let the grass progress from dormant to spring in a healthy way.

WORD ABOUT LAWN SPRAYING

The Master's Lawn Spraying combines year round lawn fertilizations with insect and weed control so you don’t have to experiment with different brands and formulations. We know what to do and when to do it – that is what makes lawn spraying such a good service at a good price. If you are overwhelmed by the massive amount of choices for fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides, you may want to consider hiring a professional. Fill out the contact form at the top of the page or give us a call at (352) 378-LAWN (378-5296). 

I've been getting a lot of people asking me what can be done about all the dove weed, nutsedge, and other weeds they're seeing in their lawn this fall.

The good news is most are summer weeds that will go away soon. The heavy rains from an active storm season made weeds especially prevalent this past year. The bad news is these Gainesville lawn weeds have already left their seeds in the lawn which means they will be back again next year unless something is done over the next few months to prevent them from germinating.

That's why at The Master's, our annual fertilization and weed control program includes fall and winter visits. These are some of the most important visits we make all year, because we are applying preventatives that will keep those seeds from turning into weeds next year.

On these visits we apply a pre-emergent that prevents winter weeds from coming up along with a post-emergent for any broad-leaf weeds that have already sprouted. In late winter, around February and March, we apply a different type of pre-emergent to prevent spring weeds, such as henbit or poa-annual from growing.

All of this means when the lawn comes out of dormancy next April, it won't have to compete with a bunch of weeds and will fill in much more quickly.

Does this prevent all of the weeds? Unfortunately not. There are three types of weeds: annuals (those that come back from seeds each year), biennial (those that have a two-year life cycle) and perennial (those that come back from their roots every year).

Pre-emergents only work on seeds so they are only effective annuals.  The other two, biennials such as dandelions or perennials, such as dallisgrass can't be prevented and must be controlled after they have sprouted from their roots.

Preventing the annuals from growing is a great start though and allows us to focus on just the other two types.

I'm often told that some of the gardeners on the radio say a pre-emergent can only be applied in September and ask if our preventative will work when we apply it later.

They are right, what is available at nurseries is only effective during certain times of the year but what we applies is much different. It is more effective than what is available at stores and is applied later in the season.

Another big factor in the success of our winter weed control depends on watering. We apply our pre-emergent in big droplets which makes it fall to the ground instead of misting and blowing around. Once the drops hit the ground they stay on top of the soil. The pre-emergent only starts working when you water the lawn. The water spreads the droplets out evenly across the ground and pushes it down in the soil where the seeds are waiting to come out. Without watering, it sits on top of the soil for a couple of weeks and then eventually disappears which doesn't do any good.

So what does all of this mean to you and your lawn? Having a great lawn next year starts with how you treat your lawn this fall and winter.

As always, if you have a question regarding your Gainesville, Fl lawn weed control give us call at 352.378.5296 or email us at info@themasterslawncare.com. I love to answer your questions and often turn them into Quick Tips to help teach our customers about all things related to lawn and landscaping!

When it comes to fall lawn fertilization in Gainesville, one size does not fit all. Lawn fertilizer programs and mixes that benefit St. Augustine lawns are wasteful and may even harm Zoysia lawns, even if they're next door neighbors. Also, soils in different areas of town may differ in terms of soil pH and plant-available nutrients such as sand and clay do, which is why we always do a soil analysis through UF's IFAS department here in Gainesville to assure our lawn spraying program is the right mixture for your soil and lawn. 

For our Gainesville DIY'ers, 5 quick tips for your lawn are:

1. Don't guess which fertilizer is best.

Read the label and know your lawn. If you don’t know what’s in the soil or the turfgrass you have, how can you accurately prescribe a fertilizer program that’s most beneficial? When in doubt rely on soil tests to show you the way, especially for new or struggling properties coming under your care. Personnel at the Alachua county extension office can help you with turfgrass identification and soil tests. Their services are very reasonable, and they can also help you read the report, too. 

2. Now’s the time to fertilize for Gainesville Lawns. 

Gainesville grass is recovering from July and August’s high temperatures and it’s beginning to store carbohydrate reserves, which help it to resist winter injury and disease, and serve as a source of energy for root and shoot growth the following spring. Many professional Gainesville lawn application companies like us offer two late-season fertilizations. They apply one pound of quick-release nitrogen in late summer and another application of Nitrogen in late October or November. The mid- to late-fall application delivers better winter color, enhances spring green-up, and increases root development.

Research at the University of Florida has shown that root growth of turfgrass species occurs during the fall after shoot growth has slowed down substantially. This is because roots grow quite well when soil temperatures are cooling off from our brutal summers. 

3. Look before you treat.

Heed the following caveats when making fall applications of fertilizers. If the turfgrass is obviously not growing and likely dead, don’t waste your fall fertilizer. It’s not going to bring the grass back to health. Install plugs or new sod instead.

Also, don’t apply fertilizer without watering them in or making sure rain is in the forecast because you will be wasting money. While most fertilizers require water to infiltrate the soil, a heavy rain can wash away the fertilizer before it enters the soil, so make sure it isn't a downpour. Don't fertilize to close to water sources or storm drains. Fertilizer will find its way into the water adding nitrogen and potassium to Florida's liquid ecosystem. This can lead to algae blooms and have other negative affects.

4. Fertilize only during growth.

Warm-season grasses such as St. Augustine, bermudagrass, and zoysiagrass are throughout Gainesville.

St. Augustine grass is the most common lawn grass in our region. It is popular because it is durable and recovers rapidly with proper care. Fertilize when it is actively growing, but do not apply nitrogen in December, January, or February.

Zoysiagrass grows by both stolons and rhizomes. It goes dormant with the first frost. Do not apply nitrogen to zoysiagrass after the end of November, advises our local cooperative extension. By contrast, zoysias.com says that while fertilizer requirements are generally lower for zoysia than many other lawn kinds of grass, they do benefit from a fall application as well. 

5. Timing always matters

Fertilization in the Spring, Summer, and Fall are very important - but having the right lawn application at the right time is what makes the difference. Pre-emergent weed controls, preventative insecticides, and proper nutrients all have to be applied with the proper timing to avoid a waste of your time, money, and resources.

Finally, Florida law prohibits applying more than one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet for any application. Follow the rules.

As always, The Master's Lawn Care is proud to serve Gainesville, Alachua, and Newberry with our Lawn Application and Pest Control Program. Please call or text our office at (352) 378-LAWN for a free lawn consultation. 

The major insect pest of crape myrtles in Gainesville Florida landscapes are crape myrtle aphids. Crape myrtle aphids secrete sticky honeydew from mid-summer on through winter, which sooty mold grows in the honeydew.

Crapemyrtle Aphids are Gainesville Lawn Pests that have a narrow host range and is the only aphid species that feed on crape myrtles. Crape myrtle aphids are found from May through September, with peak populations during July and early August. Crape myrtle aphid adults and nymphs are pale yellow-green with black spots on their abdomens. They range from 1/16- to 1/8-inch in length. These aphids generally feed on the undersides of crape myrtle leaves. They feed by inserting their needle-like mouthparts into the soft tissues and extracting plant sap. As aphids feed, they inject saliva into the leaf tissues, which, in turn, causes yellow leaf spots to develop. Heavy infestations can deform leaves and stunt new growth. Buds, branch tips and flowers can also be damaged by the feeding injury.

In addition to direct damage, aphids can damage plants indirectly by secreting honeydew, a sugary bi-product of their feeding. Honeydew is a perfect substrate for the growth of sooty mold fungi and a source of food for other insects such as ladybugs, ants, wasps, and flies. Although unsightly, sooty mold itself does not directly harm the crape myrtle. Instead, it shades the leaves and interferes with photosynthesis. Under heavy infestations, sooty-mold-covered leaves may drop many weeks prematurely. Even the twigs and stems of the plants may be coated in the black sooty mold. That becomes more evident as the plants defoliate.

When we have extreme weather in Florida, we usually find that a few things really like the conditions.  This summer it has been the moths and the 'Tropical Sod Webworm,' which just love the wet yards we've had.

It has been so prolific that our phones have rung with people asking what they are and how to they get rid of them.  Perhaps you've seen some fluttering around in your lawn?

How are moths and webworms connected might you ask? Great question! Much like a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, the webworm turns into a moth, and the webworm is what does so much damage to Gainesville lawns. 

How do webworms create the brown spots in the lawn? They chew the grass down to the roots as it's primary source of food, causing a similar effect on the lawn as if it were scalped with a weedeater or lawn mower. 

The chewed or affected areas typically look like brown circular spots in the lawn that are much shorter than the other parts of the yard, and they typically grow overnight, because that's when the webworms are most active. The round pattern comes from the moth's eggs being laid in one place and the webworms eating out from that initial hatching.

Webworms are known for attacking new sod (hence the name 'tropical sod webworm') due to their high levels of nitrogen in the turf from the sod farms using large amounts of fertilizer. They're also known for attacking shaded areas of lawns due to the moths residing in the trees above the lawn and lving the wet areas to lay their eggs.

What can you do to avoid webworms damaging your lawn?

1. Don't set it and forget it - Sometimes modern conveniences like sprinker systems allow us so much peace of mind that they make us think we can eliminte the worry of watering our lawn altogether. However, that really shouldn't be the case. When we experience extreme droughts as we did in March, April, and May of this year, not increasing your sprinkler times to compensate for the higher evaporation (dry air) and lack of rain will cause your lawn to suffer.  Similarly,  when the rainy season comes as we've experieced in June and July, we have to turn the sprinkler settings way down for the opposite reasons, even if you have a rain sensor. Stressing your lawn with too much or not enough water makes it more susceptible to lawn pests and quicker damage. Sod Webworms are very attracted to overly watered lawns, where the grass is weakened for their dining pleaseure.
2. Don't over-fertilize  - The reason that Sod webworms are attracted to new sod is because of the amount of fertilizer sod farms use. This is also the case if you use excess fertilizer to attain a "greener" lawn. More often than not, you will instead find yourself with fungal or webworm infestation damaging your lawn. There's nothing wrong with a lawn fertilization plan - as long as whoever you have doing it understands the need to apply the fertilizer correctly and time it for the right seasonal window to avoid lawn pest encouragement.
3. An Ounce of Prevention - is worth a pound of cure, according to Ben Franklin. It is also true for your lawn. If you're on our Gainesville lawncare pest program, we use a product that basically immunizes your lawn from webworms, as long as it's watered correctly. As I type this, my lawn is completely infiltrated with moths (my neighbor has a ton of webworm damage) but my lawn is protected because one of our experienced lawn care technicians treated it prior to the moths coming into our neighborhood. 

If you do these three things, you can keep your lawn pest-free. If you may have messed up one of the three items above and wonder if you have a webworm problem in your lawn, here are some photos to help you be sure. 

The photo above shows grey leaf spot fungus (from over-watering and common when webworms are active) and the webworms' chewed up grass pellets. Also notice the chewed lower edges of the leaf blades.

The photo above shows a sod webworm feeding on a Gainesville lawn (which gives him the translucent green color)

This photo shows an even closer photo of the webworm in the Gainesville lawn with the remnants of his feeding surrounding him (the green pellets of chewed up grass) 

Have you noticed your lawn turning brown? or noticed moths fluttering through your lawn? Those are warning signs that the Tropical Sod Webworm is about to feast on your grass.

If you think your Gainesville lawn has pest concerns, please don't hesitate to call or text us at (352) 378-5296 or fill out our online request form.  We want to help in any way we can. Below is a video to help you know if you have webworms attacking your Gainesville lawn.

Other Recent Posts of Interest:

• YouTube: Are Sod Webworms in my lawn?
• YouTube: Are chinch bugs damaging my lawn?
• How to get rid of Fire Ants in your Gainesville Lawn