Mosquitoes:
The key point to remember is that there is no magic solution for controlling mosquitoes. The most effective strategy is to eliminate the environments in which mosquitoes live and breed. Start by preventing larvae from developing by ensuring there is no standing water. I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping your gutters clean. Maintain your lawn by keeping the grass cut short, taking care of your flower beds, and avoiding overwatering your landscape.
Don’t forget to treat areas such as your bubbler and French drain lines, as well as rain barrels and the saucers of potted plants. You can use products like Mosquito Bits or Mosquito Dunks, which contain the active ingredient BT (Bacillus thuringiensis), specifically the subspecies Israelensis, commonly referred to as BTI.
Encourage habitats for purple martins, bats, and dragonflies. While they may not consume as many mosquitoes as you might think, every little bit helps. Plant a variety of herbs, including citronella, as many have repellent properties.
Consider changing your outdoor lighting from white bulbs to yellow bulbs or lenses, as yellow lights are less attractive to these insects. Additionally, citronella Tiki torches and candles can create a pleasant atmosphere, even though their effect on mosquitoes is modest.
Finally, I recommend two repellents that I find particularly effective: the Patio Egg and Murphy’s Mosquito Sticks.
Spartan Mosquito:
The Spartan Mosquito Eradicator Pro Tech is an effective killing product. The Instructions say it will last 30 days, although I have had them last a bit longer. As always, read and follow the label directions.
The use of sprays and granule repellents in the environment is another option for mosquito control. One of the best all-natural sprays is a cedar oil product called Yardsafe by the Cedarcide folks. Others include citronella, garlic and orange oil sprays. Synthetic sprays include permethrin, cypermethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin. Granulated cedar and garlic work as repellents. Permethrin granules are used as broad-spectrum insecticides. The all-natural repellant sprays will last about 2 days but the granules will last longer. Synthetics, both liquid and granulated will last from a couple of days to a month. Length of effectiveness for all products will hinge on the weather.
The last resort is to hose yourself down with a repellant of some sort. Products that contain cedar (Cedarcide Original) and marigold oils are on the all-natural side. Synthetics include Spartan Go, Deet, permethrin and believe it or not, Avon’s Skin so Soft. They are all effective.
Bermuda:
By the calendar, May is the time to start planting Hulled Bermuda grass. Bermuda seed germinates best when soil temperatures are above 75 degrees. After the soil is prepared, sow the seeds. The seeds should be covered with no more than .25 inches of soil. It will help if the cover soil is then lightly compacted (rolled). Keep the seed bed moist even if it requires watering several times a day. With ideal conditions Bermuda usually germinates within several weeks. But there are many factors that can slow the germination; soil characteristics, temperature, and moisture being the top three. The above method applies whether you have bare dirt or you are over seeding an existing lawn. If you are over seeding a lawn you must first mow the lawn very short and remove as much thatch as possible.
This may sound like a lot of work, but it isn’t. Preparing the soil means removing all unwanted plant growth and roughing up the surface. Sow the seeds with either a spreader or by hand (as evenly as you can). Cover the seed (.25 inch max) with compost or you can rake the seeds into the soil. Keeping the seedbed moist can be the hardest part of this task. If the seedbed dries out, germination will be delayed.
Wells Brothers carries several types of Bermuda grass seed. Common Bermuda is available in a 50# bag and also by the pound. Arden and Blackjack are sold by the pound only. Application rates for Bermuda grass seed range from 1/2# to 1# per 1,000 square feet. My rule of thumb is 1# for every 500 to 750 square feet. (If you are not pressed for time, you can use one seed per acre!). When you buy Bermuda seed (or any other seed) look at the seed tag for the “Pure Seed” and “Germination” ratings. Our Common Bermuda seed is listed as 95/85. That means it’s 95% pure seed and 85 seeds out of 100 will geminate. Bermuda seed is expensive, so know what you are buying and the square footage of the area to be planted.
Bermuda: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/publications/estab.html
TARR & Sulfur:
Take-All Root Rot (Aka TARR) is a fungal disease that mainly attacks St. Augustine grass. When it effects Bermuda grass, it is known as Bermuda decline. The disease will make lawns weak and brown with dead patches where the fungus is or has attacked. It can be fatal if not addressed.
In the Bible, sulfur is called “brimstone”. Sulfur is a chemical element with atomic number 16 and the symbol “S”. In the lawn and garden world it is used as an insect repellent, a fungicide and to lower the pH of alkaline soil.
That last part is important in the fight against TARR. We live in area known for black dirt, which is very alkaline. The pH scale runs from 0 – 14. 0 is pure acid and 14 is alkaline. Native soil in our part of Collin County is in the 8 – 9 range and TARR loves alkaline soil. I believe that it is better to prevent an issue than to react to one, so let’s look into preventing TARR by lowering the pH of the soil. Sulfur, peat moss, and fertilizers high in sulfur like 16-20-0 (12%s), 28-6-6 (12%s) and ammonium sulfate (21-0-0 w 24%s) will also lower the pH over the years. Remember, this is a process, not an event.
When granulated sulfur is used to lower the pH in a garden, till it in at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per 100 square feet. The pH change will be complete in 6 to 8 weeks. You can speed up this timeline by using powdered sulfur. This change is temporary and there are so many factors at play that it’s hard to predict how long this change will last. The problem with employing this procedure in the lawn is that you would have to till and that is counterproductive to growing grass. Eliminating the tilling aspect and applying sulfur to the surface should be looked at as a maintenance item, just like fertilizer. Application rates for sulfur are in the 5 – 10 pounds per 1,000sf twice a year.
Using peat moss as a standalone process is also a very effective way to reduce the pH. Application rate is 1 – 2, 3.8cf bales per 1000sf, 1 -2 times per year. The only problem with peat moss is that it is a mess to deal with. This is where a compost spreader that will spread peat moss comes in handy. It just so happens that Wells Brothers rents such a spreader. It requires dry peat moss and some muscle for this compost spreader to work properly. There are a lot of factors at play here but in good conditions a 3.8cf bag of peat moss will spread from 500 to 800 square feet. You can add compost to peat moss or sulfur for added benefit.
There are also fungicides that are effective treatments for TARR. The two that Wells Brothers offers are Fertilome products. F-Stop is available in liquid and granulated, Liquid Systemic Fungicide is available in quarts and pints. As always, read and follow the label directions.
Happenings:
Wells Brothers Garden Tonic (our version of compost tea) is brewed fresh each week. It’s only available on Friday and Saturday, while supply lasts. It is not a fertilizer, but should be used as a soil amendment and for foliar feeding. Directions are simple: use straight, do not dilute, shelf life is approximately 48 hours.