Happy July to all.  Our lawns are green and although a little weedy, generally looking good due to the large amount of rainfall we have received. This month’s newsletter focuses on three things: Bagworms, Japanese Stilt Grass and protecting our pets while mowing.  

Japanese Stilt Grass Found Invading Myrtle

I am finding that Japanese Stilt Grass is becoming a problem all over but it is adding to its aggressive path across Morgantown with its invasion of the ground cover myrtle. This past week, I was at Debra Anderson's beautiful garden and found that the neighbor’s myrtle was full of Stilt grass. The grass on Debra’s lawn has an alarming amount bleeding of Stilt Grass from the neighbor’s myrtle onto her lawn. Look at the close photo on the left up to see what it looks like mowed and then look at it 15 feet away in the photo on the right. It would seem that in good plants like myrtle and grass, there is currently nothing to control the Japanese Stilt grass.  I am experimenting with a newer product to see if it has an effect but it will take time to evaluate.  I believe the only “cure” will be a preventative that does not allow the seed to germinate since Stilt grass is an annual.

Bagworms Are Back…

This week we found our first bagworms of the year and they were located at Suncrest Town Center which is fairly centrally located in our territory. (Video) They are generally only on arborvitae and the taller junipers like the Wichita’s but have also seen them on beech (Video) and ornamental pears. If you see leaves or needles disappearing on these trees and pine cones appearing, please give me a call because none of these trees have pines cones.  Normally, this problem would have appeared about a month or so ago. I am guessing the late frost slowed them down, but regardless they are here now. Since Bagworms are back, I am asking you to please be my eyes.

Protecting Our Pets While Mowing

Diane wants us to protect our pets and also would like to welcome a client’s new puppy. She also wants me to plead for all your pets to be put in the house when the mower starts. When you or anyone else is mowing grass, your pets only safe location is inside. No matter how much fun it seems to be to let them out or how much they complain when you put them in, be the adult and make that decision to keep them safe. Mowers are too noisy and too dangerous to take a chance with our fur kids. One alarming example of how flying debris can injure a pet was when one of our favorite pet friends, Molly, somehow ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. After much grief and expense, Molly ended up with a prosthetic rear leg. 

New Fur Baby

Molly moved on to the rainbow bridge a few years ago but Diane is happy to announce a new puppy with Mr. Eddie Dixie.  Jay is happy to say he has witnessed how Dixie already runs the household and could not have found a better home.  Congratulations!

Weed Issues

All of this rain has created weed issues on our lawns so this week we will be running herbicides in all our non-organic lawns.  Unlike this time last year, the temperatures are still in a safe zone and we will take advantage of that until it changes