Sunday, December 26, 2010

Winter News

Winter has now arrived and thankfully it was a mild hurricane season with no serious storms touching Florida. Now we have to watch for frost and freeze in regards to our turf and plants.

By now most turf grass have been treated for weeds for the Fall application. Be forewarned that Atrazine, which has been our herbicide of choice for St. Augustine, has relatively new restrictions that result in less weed control.  Also, we still do not have a viable herbicide to control crabgrass, but there are some pre-emergent herbicides that will help reduce the spread of this grassy weed.

There are also new laws and regulations forthcoming regarding fertilizers, especially involving Nitrogen and Phosphorous restrictions. Some of these management practices  are good and have already been implemented by most professionals; others are another example of micro-management from our over-powering government. 

Plants are getting a relief from caterpillars due to the cool weather, but scale insects are on the rise. Do not prune cold damaged plants too soon or remove them thinking that they are dead. Give them time.
We now offer pre-emergent weed control for plant beds. Give us a call for a free quote.

Winter is a good time to see mistletoe (a true parasite) in the trees as they lose their leaves. It is also a great time to have your Arborist perform a tree evaluation for your property. Give us a call if we can be of assistance.

Cold Hardy Palms are becoming more and more popular with the Mule Palm being a leader in sales. Check with us for specials on our field grown material.

Thank You and Happy Gardening,

Ken Miller
813-932-5100