Monday, September 28, 2009

New Fall Special - Free Fall Fertilizer

Get your lawn in shape for Next Year. Start now by calling in for a Free Lawn analysis.
We will recommend a Lawn Care Program for tailored to your needs and for your lawn for the next lawn season.
We can also recommend what you should be doing this fall to get a head start on spring.
Book now for next year, receive a Free Fall Fertilizer now.

We use a 75% slow release, fortified organic fertilizer to keep your lawn healthy and green.
Now is also an ideal time to aerate your lawn and to seed your lawn to thicken it up.

If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN, the King of Lawn Care:
or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
Follow us on Twitter  http://twitter.com/turfkingofgreen
Join our Facebook page  

Copyright 2009 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.


Thursday, September 24, 2009

Powdery Mildew on Lawns

Also found some Powdery Mildew on a lawn today. Just in a corner. Shady spot by a fence where there is likely little air movement. Even though we have not had much rain in the last 3 weeks, we did get a quick sprinkle the other day. Plus we have been getting heavy dew.
That may be just enough moisture to allow the Mildew to grow.
Powdery Mildew is another lawn disease that is not normally fatal. It does discolour the blades and can be unsightly. Grass blades that are severely infected may turn yellow and die.
Often the mildew attacks the lawn because of the conditions in that location. If it is a shady area, increasing the amount of sunlight that penetrates will reduce powdery mildew. This can work if you trim a tree or shrub. The trimming may also increase air circulation in that area. Much harder to do much if the shade is caused by the garage or the house.
Lawn care disease treatments are not normally needed for powdery mildew on home lawns.
Overseed the affected area with a more shade tolerant turf species. Or perhaps, rethink the need for lawn in that spot and replace it with a shrub, mulch or ground cover.

If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:
or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
Follow us on Twitter  http://twitter.com/turfkingofgreen
Join our Facebook page  

Copyright 2009 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.



Rusty Shoes from the Lawn


Walked across a lawn this morning. My shoes come out looking rather "rusty."
Reason: This lawn had a good crop of Rust Disease. Rusts are prevalent on lawns this time of year. Good thing my shoes were dark brown and not white. If they had been white running shoes they would have been really orange in colour. The disease is not sporulating. The grass blades are covered with the spores of the rust. They are getting ready to be blown away to land on some other lawn down stream.

Rust disease is not usually a fatal problem. Often it is due to the weather and other factors. Right now, I would say the dry weather we have been having has caused some stress to grasses. Their growth has slowed down and the Rust has had a opportunity to invade the turf tissue.
Here's another lawn where there is a big patch of Rust disease.

Solutions- Normally this disease will grow out and disappear. In the meantime it does discolour the lawn and give it an unhealthy appearance.
1 Mow the lawn higher to allow the grass to start growing
2 If necessary water the lawn to help it to start growing. Especially this year, as the last few weeks have been extremely dry. Avoid watering in the evening.
3 Depending on when you last applied fertilizer, an application to encourage the grass to grow will help the disease to be "grown" out. Make sure to use a fertilizer that is mostly slow release.
(Turf King uses a 75% slow release product-this is the best, but a 50-60% slow release is adequate for this time of year.)
4 Aerating the lawn will also encourage new roots to form. This will in turn encourage more top growth.
If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:
or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
Follow us on Twitter  http://twitter.com/turfkingofgreen
Join our Facebook page  

Copyright 2009 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.


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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Lettuce be Thankful

Lettuce is such an easy vegetable to grown. It germinates readily. Perhaps too readily. It's best to thin out the seedlings so that they will be able to grow well. When they are young, we will pick the plants that are growing too close to gether. These tender plant are great tasting. If the weather is co-operative, (not too hot, sunny or dry,) transplant some plants to spots in your garden that have some extra space. Here the transplants will have enough room, water and sunlight to grow into something worthwhile.

As Thanksgiving is just around the corner, we should be grateful for the abundance of food we have to nourish us. Perhaps, we are overnourished. Look at the obesity rates for this day and age. Try to share your thankfulness by sharing your abundance with those who have less.


If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:
or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
Follow us on Twitter  http://twitter.com/turfkingofgreen
Join our Facebook page  

Copyright 2009 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.



Fall Lawn Tasks

a List of things to do in the Autumn for your lawn

  • Seeding thin, bare and weak spots
  • Seeding areas where crabgrass is prevalent to help crowd it out next year
  • Seeding the lawn overall to increase its density
  • Topdressing to improve soil conditions
  • Fall is a good time to aerate the lawn- do it along with seeding and/or topdressing
  • Soil tests can help determine what nutrients are lacking
  • Add horticultural lime to areas of acidity (eg under evergreens)
  • Rake moss away and seed
  • Fertilize now for winter hardiness and better spring colour
  • Continue to mow regularly at 3 inches high
  • Lower the mowing height for the last cut to prevent winter diseases
  • Watch for insects- white grubs- damage will be visible now.
  • Watch for crane fly adults- an indication of future problems with leatherjacket (larvae)
  • Chinch bugs - are around but not for long
  • Remove fallen leaves from trees before the snow comes
  • Think about pruning trees to allow more light into shady areas
  • Apply gypsum to areas that may be subject to salt damage -near roads, walks, etc.
Call a Lawn Care professional to set up a Lawn Program for this fall and next spring.
If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:
or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
Follow us on Twitter  http://twitter.com/turfkingofgreen
Join our Facebook page  

Copyright 2009 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.




Mow the lawn & bag the clippings?

Clippings should be left on your lawn. They add organic matter to improve the soil. Clippings also contain a significant amount of nutrients that can be returned to the lawn that would be otherwise lost if removed.
When mowed correctly, your clippings will quickly disappear from the lawn's surface and then decompose. Do not mowing when the grass is too damp. The clippings tend to bind together into clumps that not only slow down the mower but can smother the lawn and look unsightly.

When mowing it is best to remove not more than one-third of the blades at one time. This will reduce the likelihood of the clippings clumping together. If necessary, go over the areas with the longer blades a second time.

In extreme cases, either use the lawn mower's bagger or else rake up the clippings afterwards. Clippings, once raked can be composted or used as a mulch around other plants.

Unsightly grass clippings spoil the look of a lawn.


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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Hamilton Spectator Readers' Choice Awards Vote Sept 16-25

Thanks to all who nominated us in the Hamilton Spectator 2009 Readers' Choice Awards in the Lawn Service Category. From September 16 through 25 you can vote for us as the Finalists are chosen.

At www.thespec.com Thanks for voting for us.

Still finding lots of Crane Flies. Some call them Daddy long legs. They look like Giant Mosquitoes.

If you are finding a lot of these adults . . . . we recommend treating this fall. Crane Flies females can lay up to 300 eggs. These eggs will hatch in a couple of weeks and start feeding on lawns. They nibble on roots, stems and crowns.

Here is an article from the UK where it is a huge pest. Not all of it applies, but it does give more information.


September is the time to thicken the lawn with Overseeding . Fall is nature's seeding season for grasses. Spring is also a good time, but is always second best.

There are several ways to seed the lawn. One way is to truck in a lot of soil to topdress the areas you want to seed. After adding the soil, sprinkle the grass seed, then rake lightly. Keep well watered and moist for 2 weeks.

Another method that we generally favour is to do a core aeration first. Then apply high quality grass seed. When grass seed falls in the holes, it has a better chance of growing than seed that just sits on the surface. In the holes, it is less likely to dry out. It is better protected from the birds, too. And aerating and overseeding is a lot less expensive than moving a lot of soil.


Top dressing is a great way to improve the soil conditions in a lawn. Turf King has a new method of applying a top dressing that is less costly than the traditional way. When you get a load of soil to topdress the lawn, you are paying for a lot of moisture in that soil. It makes the load you get bulkier. Then you need to move the soil plus the moisture to the back yard.

Better to use our Top OM Dry Topdress. This method uses materials that have been dried out. By drying out the material, there is a lot less moisture. It is less water to transport. And it can be applied with a spreader. This keeps the cost down. The lawn gets all the goodness of the OM (organic material) without the weight of the water.



We are also seeing some Rust Fungus Disease at this time of year. I drove down one street. This lawn (not a customer's) was so heavily infested, the lawn had a big patch of orange in one corner. Maybe it was just the way the sun was facing, but it was very noticeable.

Normally, it is not that noticeable until you have walked across an infected lawn and you notice that your white running shoes are all orange. The spores from the fungus will easily come off onto your shoes.
Thankfully, Rust disease is rarely fatal. The weather conditions have a big part to play in causing this problem. Normally, we recommend raising the mowing height and if needed apply some fertilizer to help the lawn grow past the problem.


Please call or email if we can be of any help.


See our web site www.hamilton.turfking.ca

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Trillium Award

Congratulations to one of our customers, Martin & Maureen who have won a 2009 Trillium Award from the City of Hamilton. They have been customers for 13 years. Turf King is proud to have been a small part in helping them to win this honour.
Thank you also to Martin and Maureen for their long association with our Lawn Care over the years. Thanks to thelm also for doing their part with mowing and watering.
Turf King Hamilton is the King of Green
905.318.6677
http://hamiltonturfking.ca/
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Crane Fly Adults Emerging


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Our technicians are finding loads of Crane Fly adults. And so are the customers. Certainly all the rain we had earlier this year has probably increased the likelihood of the larvae surviving the heat and drought of the summer.

The Crane Flies can be a nuisance as they flit and fly around, often by the hundreds. They do not live very long. Mostly to mate and lay eggs.

Those eggs soon hatch into larvae. The larvae of the Crane Fly is called a leatherjacket. These leatherjackets feed on the roots, stems and crowns of grasses. Enough of them and the lawn can be severely damaged.

Call now for treatment. Turf King Lawn Care

Monday, September 14, 2009

Not Turf Grasses

Here are a few grasses that are not for the lawn. Ornamental grasses can provide a contrast to the shape and to the visual lines in your landscape.
Some grow taller than the average gardener. Some have varied foliage.
Some have interesting seed heads. This is the time of year when many grasses are the focal points in the garden.
If you need help with your turf grass call the King of Green. 905.318.6677
www.hamilton.turfking.ca
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Friday, September 11, 2009

Leatherjackets have hatched


Lot of Crane fly adults are around, emerging from the lawns.
Mark found a newly hatched larvae Leatherjackets.
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Chinch bugs hate the shade

The King of Green has always said that chinch bugs are "Sunny Weather" friends. They prefer the sun and dislike the shade.
Not sure if you can see this well, but this lawn has a hedge running east-west along the southern edge of a lawn. So the lawn along the hedge is shaded most of the time because it is on the north side of the hedge. The chinch bugs have decimated the lawn. All they have left are the quack grass, crabgrass, and a lot of dead grass. The lawn damage is extensive.

Hard to tell if the weeds are there because the chinch bugs left them behind or if they jumped into the lawn because the chinch bugs destroyed the lawn, and reduced the turf density.

If you look closely you will see that there is a strip of lawn about 2 feet wide along the hedge that (while far from good), is not as damaged as the rest of the lawn.

Call Gerry Okimi at Turf King 905.318.6677.
Lawn care at its best. http://bit.ly/3ehXf

We have treatments available for chinch bugs.
We can also repair the lawn by our overseeding treatments.
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September 11

Our thoughts are with all who have been affected by this particular event.
Let us all pause to reflect on the world we live in. How quickly it can change and how to enjoy life in the meantime.

While driving, I saw a big patch of rust fungus disease on a lawn. http://bit.ly/2ieDhE

Another customer reported they won a Pink Trillium Award. more on that another time.

At a potential customers lawn today. Saw a lawn with low nutrients, except for a few nice green spots along the drip line of a large maple. Perhaps, someone had fed the tree with tree spikes or by deep root feeding as normally this would be done at the edge of the tree. Tree fertilizing can also cause the lawn to turn greener where the tree has been fertilized. However, the spacing was rather irregular and not even.

I had noticed a lot of bird droppings along the sidewalk as I arrived. As I was leaving I realized that the 2 were connected. The green spots in the lawn were greener because they had indeed been fertilized. By the birds. The lawn had turned greener due to the nutrients in the bird droppings. The sidewalk, however did not benefit from this at all. In fact it looked rather dirtied.

The birds sitting on the tree branches have fertilized the lawn and caused their natural, organic by product to increase the lawn's green colour


Call Gerry Okimi at Turf King 905.318.6677.
Lawn care at its best. http://bit.ly/3ehXf

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Mossy Edges


Moss grows where lawns are unable to compete effectively against the moss. This can be in shady areas, or damp spots. Sometimes the soil is too acid. See our Lawn Library.

Here however is an example of a situation that can be rectified. The lawn at the edge has been cut too short with a trimmer. Because the grass blades are shorter than they should be, the moss is able to outcompete the turf in this area. I'm sure if the grass was allowed to grow to 3" high (like we recommend for all lawn mowing), the moss would slowly disappear.


Call Gerry Okimi at Turf King 905.318.6677.


If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:
or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
Follow us on Twitter  http://twitter.com/turfkingofgreen
Join our Facebook page  

Copyright 2009 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.


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Sunday, September 6, 2009

Lawn Repair Time

Fall is an ideal time to get your lawn in shape. Lawn care is especially important at this time of year.
There are several reasons why your lawn can need some help. Now is a good time to thicken the lawn.

Crabgrass can be problem in many lawns. Overseed to help crowd out crabgrass next year. If tthe lawn is thick, crabgrass is less likely to grow. Make sure to mow the lawn at 3" high. A higher mowing height is one of the things you can do to help reduce crabgrass.

Chinch bugs can also devastate a lawn and leave it in need of repair. Sometimes a homeowner says they need weed control. But sometimes it just the chinch bug damage has left the lawn thin and weak. Weeds jump into the bare and thin spots. What is perceived is a weed problem may just be the result of a chinch bug infestation.

Japanese beetles and European Chafer can lay eggs that hatch into white grubs. These larvae feed on the roots of the lawn. The only method of control for grubs is to use nematodes.

One way to seed the thin spots in the lawn is to add some soil to the bare spots. Sprinkle the soil, then level it out. Spread some high quality grass seed over the soil. Rake it lightly to help cover the seed. Water lightly daily until the seed has germinated. Keep watering as needed for a couple more weeks.

If you have a lawn/tree/shrub that needs some Tender Loving Care- get The KING OF GREEN:
or call us at 905.318.6677 or 1.888.TURFKING (887.3546)
If you would like more information, please Contact us
Follow us on Twitter  http://twitter.com/turfkingofgreen
Join our Facebook page  

Copyright 2009 Turf King-Hamilton. All Rights Reserved.