Turf & Plant Health Care

Grub Damage To Turf – What To Look For

• Grubs like warm moist soil in sunny open areas. Heavily irrigated, actively growing turf and warm sunny areas along sidewalks and drives are prime sites for grub damage
• Turf will show browning in irregular shaped areas due to feeding of grubs to the grass roots
• Heavy feeding causes turf to become loose and easily pulls up
• Most grub damage occurs in late summer into fall

Control:

• If turf was not treated with a preventative application a curative treatment may be necessary. This granular application must be watered in within 24 hours
• Due to lateness of adult beetles in our area preventative applications can be made through late August

Pine Wilt Disease

• Pine wilt disease is more prominent at this time because symptoms occur more rapidly during warm months of summer
• All pine species grown in this area are potential hosts, however scotch pine is most common
• Needles turn grayish green first then yellowish green then totally brown
• Because of sudden death or decline within a few weeks or months it sometimes appears as though the tree has died overnight – entire tree turns brown
• This disease is not curable. Trees should be removed and destroyed right away. Wood must be burned or buried to help prevent spread

Magnolia Scale

• Largest scale insect found in North America. Produces large amounts of honeydew which causes “sooty mold” which is visible at this time
• Attacks mostly star and saucer magnolias, however certain cultivars may also be vulnerable

Control:

• Spray an insecticide when crawlers are vulnerable, usually in September
• Also, treat with a systemic Merit soil injection in spring