Author: Wendy Holtz

Fall Lawn Treatments to Get Rid of and Prevent Weeds

During Florida’s hot, humid summers, weeds experience a growth spurt just like grass does. As temperatures cool down in fall, it’s an opportune time to attack weeds while they’re at their most absorbent.

Here’s a brief guide to the best weed prevention treatments for Florida yards in the fall.

Pre-Emergent Herbicide

Eco-friendly pre-emergent herbicides prevent weeds from sprouting and growing when it’s applied to your lawn before the seeds germinate. In Florida, pre-emergent herbicide application is most successful in October and November, when the soil temperature generally drops to around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once the soil reaches this temperature, your lawn care professional can apply the herbicide whenever the need arises, but herbicides usually last between 6-12 weeks. Any weeds that appear after treatment can be handpicked, but the chance you’ll encounter them after a professional herbicide application is low.

There are several pre-emergent herbicides available depending on your turf type and the kinds of weeds you’re dealing with. Working with a professional lawn care company pays dividends. Your treatment expert can determine the type of grass you have, which is crucial, since what works on zoysia grass may not work on other common Florida grasses like St. Augustine grass. By understanding the type of lawn you have, your treatment professional can choose the best pre-emergent herbicide to ensure a weed-free spring.

Post-Emergent Herbicide

If you deal with pesky perennial weeds like clover, dandelion, knotweed, or plantain year after year, speak with your lawn care experts about a post-emergent herbicide. A fall application sends killing chemicals right to the roots, so you won’t have to deal with these troublesome weeds when spring arrives.

Fertilizer

As fall approaches, grass growth slows throughout Florida. Most Florida lawns feature warm-season grasses like Bermuda grass, bahiagrass, St. Augustine grass, or zoysia grass. By applying the proper fertilizer to your Florida lawn in the fall, you’ll encourage the grass to grow healthy and full the following spring. Fertilizer encourages root growth and development, so you can count on lush, dense turf when temperatures get warmer. Maintaining a thick, healthy lawn is a great way to keep weeds under control, since they’ll have no room to sprout and take root.

Free Your Lawn from Weeds This Fall with Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control

With the rainy season in the rearview mirror, it’s time to prepare your Florida lawn for fall and winter. The best way to ensure your grass grows healthy and green next spring is by applying the right treatments to control and rid your lawn of weeds for good. The lawn care experts at Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control in Leesburg are here to help! We’ll determine the best course of treatment based on your turf type and the weeds you’re dealing with, so you can count on a beautiful lawn the moment spring arrives. Call us today at (407) 880-6655 for your free consultation!

4 Tips for Keeping Ants Out of the Kitchen

Warm weather is a constant in Florida, which means pests like ants never take an “off” season. Ant infestations are tricky to deal with, and while most species aren’t dangerous to people or pets, they can spread bacteria and can even structurally damage your home. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to prevent an infestation.

Follow these simple tips to keep ants out of the kitchen, all year round.

1. Put Food Away

It’s common knowledge that ants are attracted to food, and even though it can be challenging to keep your kitchen spotlessly clean, it’s the best way to prevent an ant infestation. Make sure there’s no exposed food in your kitchen and put your food back in the refrigerator when you aren’t eating. You should also invest in airtight containers with tight-fitting lids so that ants can’t get inside to snack on your food. Eliminate the food source and eliminate the problem.

2. Keep Floors Clean

Ants are attracted to even the tiniest amount of food—even small crumbs and spills on the floor can be a magnet for ants. Make sure to clean up floors right away when spills occur and sweep and mop regularly. Depending on the severity of your ant problem, create a clean routine to keep ants at bay. Ants often enter homes through cracks around doors or holes around where piping enters the house—the floor is a high-traffic ant highway, so keep it clean.

3. Take Out the Trash

Ants are attracted to garbage, especially if you’ve got empty soda cans or candy wrappers lying around. If you’re dealing with an ant problem, or you’re working to prevent one from occurring, empty the kitchen trash every day. Your garbage bag might have a hole in it, and ants will smell the food, find a way into the opening, and feast on your trash. Make composting, recycling, or taking out the trash part of your daily routine to deter ant activity in your home.

4. Develop a Pest Control Plan

The best way to keep ants away—or deal with an infestation—is to develop a relationship with your local pest control experts. Your pest control pros will visit your property, inspecting the problem and determining the best way to remove ants and keep them away.

Keep Ants Out of Your Home with the Help of Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control

Aside from keeping your kitchen neat and tidy, there are few things you can do on your own to prevent an ant infestation. The best way to keep your home ant-free is to work with the pest control experts at Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control – Orlando. Using eco-friendly, sustainable pest control methods, we’ll keep ants out of your kitchen for good! Call us today at (407) 880-6655 for your free consultation.

Why Does My Lawn Keep Getting Fungus?

Who doesn’t want a lush, green lawn? While weeds are the in-your-face culprits that can drag down the appearance of your yard, turf diseases are sneaky. Once a fungus takes hold, you’ll notice patchy sections that spread throughout your yard. If you’re wondering why your lawn keeps getting fungus, here’s what could be causing it, as well as what you can do to prevent it.

High Nighttime Temperatures

The weather gets hot in Florida, and temperatures can stay high well after the sun goes down. When nighttime temperatures remain high, it creates the perfect climate for fungus to grow. This often happens from April through September, as high nighttime temperatures keep the atmosphere around your yard warm. Without enough airflow, these conditions can cause fungus to take hold and spread.

Humidity

Florida’s weather is humid almost year-round, which is another common cause of fungal disease in lawns. Humidity keeps grass damp—the perfect place for lawn fungus to thrive. High humidity often causes brown patch fungus, especially in lawns with St. Augustine or Zoysia grass. It appears in the summer and fall when heat and rainfall are at their highest. A targeted fungicide can take care of the problem for good.

Overwatering

Did you know that watering your lawn too much can cause fungus to grow? The common “gray leaf spot” fungus is directly caused by overwatering. Once it spreads, it causes grass to become thin and patchy. It can also cause an orange-colored “rust” fungus, making your lawn vulnerable to other diseases. An appropriate fertilizer application, combined with better watering practices, can help you get a handle on these fungal diseases and restore beauty to your lawn.

Improper Fertilization

Using too much fertilizer doesn’t make your grass grow greener—in fact, it does the opposite. Over-fertilizing and under-fertilizing can make your lawn prone to fungus, like brown spots. Rely on your local lawn care experts to apply an appropriate treatment, then make sure to switch to organic, slow-release fertilizer to take care of the problem.

How to Prevent Lawn Fungus

In addition to fertilizing and watering your lawn at appropriate levels, there are other simple steps you should take to prevent lawn fungus from ruining the appearance of your yard. Always mow to a height of at least 3 inches. Anything below that, and you’ll stress your turf. Anything above that, and you’ll stifle airflow and cause more turf disease.

You should also rely on the help of your local lawn care experts and stick to an aeration schedule. By aerating your lawn at least once per year, you give the turf a chance to breathe, preventing fungus from taking hold.

Say Goodbye to Lawn Fungus for Good

Lawn fungus can be tricky to remedy once it’s taken over your yard. The lawn care experts at Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control in Orlando are here to help! We’ll determine what type of fungus you’re dealing with, as well as how to remove it and keep it from coming back. Call us today at (407) 880-6655 for your free consultation!

6 Most Common Lawn Diseases We See in Central Florida

Keeping your lawn healthy, lush, and green is a delicate business. Not only do you have to mow, water, fertilize, and aerate appropriately, but you also must keep a lookout for troublesome lawn and grass diseases and fungi. In a warm, wet place like Florida, several harmful diseases tend to flourish throughout the year. From brown patch disease to leaf spot fungus, root rot to goosegrass, here are the most common lawn diseases and fungi you’ll find in Central Florida.

1. Brown Patch Disease

One of the most prevalent lawn diseases throughout Florida, brown patch disease is often found in St. Augustine grass and lawns with fescue grasses. The brown patch fungal disease in Florida can be severe if not treated right away, forming when daytime and nighttime temperatures are high. Humidity and rain can contribute to the spread of the disease, which can be tough to treat when it takes hold.

2. Dollar Spot

This common lawn disease feeds on every warm-season grass, so lawns throughout Florida can be affected. When the problem spreads, you’ll notice lesions in silver-dollar-sized spots across your lawn. Maintaining proper soil fertilization can prevent Dollar Spot from harming your grass.

3. Leaf Spot Fungus

Too much moisture and poor air circulation are the typical causes of leaf spot fungus, a lawn disease that creates spots on foliage and grass. Your lawn care professionals will use an eco-friendly fungicide to treat the grass and prevent reoccurrence.

4. Root Rot

While commonly seen in trees and shrubs, root rot can also damage the turf in your lawn. Identifying root rot is difficult, so reach out to your local lawn care professionals to determine the cause of the problem and the best way to treat it.

5. Goosegrass

This unsightly weed is common throughout Florida, and it can drag down the appearance of your lawn in a big way. If you’re noticing weeds with whitish, flattened stems, you’re likely dealing with pesky, invasive goosegrass. If this weed becomes established in your yard, expect to see it year after year. This weed can lead to diseases like Sugar Cane Mosaic, so don’t let it linger in your yard. Instead, call the lawn care experts to remove the problem once and for all.

6. Crabgrass

Crabgrass thrives in Florida’s warm, humid climate. Hot summer days can create bare spots in your yard—the perfect place for crabgrass to take root once the rainy days of hurricane season arrive. Crabgrass is tricky to treat once it’s taken root in your yard, so don’t wait to contact your local lawn care experts, otherwise, the problem will spread.

Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control Can Restore Your Lawn to Perfect Health

No matter what type of lawn and grass disease or fungi may be plaguing your Florida yard, the lawn care experts at Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control in Apopka are ready to treat it, once and for all. Using proven-effective, eco-friendly methods, we’ll restore your grass to perfect health, so you can enjoy the trophy lawn you’ve always dreamed of. Schedule your free consultation by giving us a call today at (407) 880-6655!

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