Weed Prevention… Now Is The Time To Start

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Understanding exactly what you are applying and how it works will help you decide when to get out there and start your lawn care. First, it’s not a race. The first neighbor to unleash the spreader from the garage is not necessarily the winner.

When you start looking at bags you will see words like ‘preventer’, ‘crabgrass’, and ‘pre-emergent’.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

The majority of first lawn applications contain a fertilizer (to make the grass grow) and what is called a pre-emergent herbicide. A herbicide is a chemical that kills plants (in contrast to an insecticide). A pre-emergent herbicide is one that stops a plant from growing. Look at the word: pre (before) –emergent (sprouting).

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HOW CAN AN HERBICIDE KILL A PLANT BEFORE IT IS EVEN GROWING?

A pre-emergent kills the emerging seed of a plant either before or right after it sprouts. So, the weed killer in the first bag you put down is actually a weed PREVENTER. Weed preventers create a barrier where they are applied that blocks growth. But wait, you say. I have put this pre-emergent down before and I still had weeds in the summer. What gives? A pre-emergent will only stop weeds if they are sprouting from a seed. If the weed is sprouting from a root that stayed in the ground over the winter, a pre-emergent will not prevent it. This is common with weeds like dandelions, clover, and ground ivy. Weeds returning from established roots need a different weed killer.  The #1 big battle of this category is crabgrass.

BUT HERE’S THE THING:

Crabgrass doesn’t germinate until it’s warm. And I don’t mean the AIR temperature. Crabgrass germinates when the SOIL temperatures hit the mid 50s. And soil takes a lot longer to warm up in the spring than the air. Think of how long it takes a lake to warm up in the spring and summer. It may be a gorgeous day on the boat but if you jump in that water, you are in for a shock. Soil temperature is similar. It warms up very slowly in the spring. Crabgrass may germinate in late March in our area. Crabgrass preventers can last up to 4 months. We recommend another addition of prevention in late May to get us covered through our hot dry summers.

There are several factors that influence the germination time of warm-season weeds like crabgrass. Every year is different, and every lawn is different. Did you know that we also offer pre-emergent service in our Hillermann lawn program??  So therefore, WE CAN DO IT FOR YOU. 

Stop in or call to let us help you with your specific needs. 

Sandi Hilllermann McDonald

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Bird of the Week - Mourning Dove

MOURNING DOVE

BASICS: A graceful, slender-tailed, small-headed dove that’s common across the continent. Their soft, drawn-out calls sound like laments (the mournful cooing sound that they are named for). When taking off, their wings make a sharp whistling or whinnying. Their plumage is gray-brown with black spots on the wings. The tail is long and tapered to a point, with white tips on the feathers. They have dark eyes and pinkish legs and feet. Males have a bluish-grey crown, a light rose-grey color on the breast and an iridescent purple-pink patch on each side of the neck. Females have a grayish brown crown and a brownish tan breast area and are a little smaller than males.

HOUSING: Typically, Mourning Doves nest on the branches of an evergreen, shade or orchard tree and sometimes in shrubs. They also commonly nest on the ground. They do not mind being near humans and may even nest on gutters, eaves, or abandoned equipment. To attract these birds and encourage nesting in a more convenient location, place a nest cone in a shady part of a tree with branches overhead. Use wire to secure the nest in a horizontal crotch of a tree limb. They may nest two or three times in succession.

FOOD: Seeds make up 99% of a Mourning Dove’s diet including those of cultivated grains, grasses, weeds, herbs and many other plants. Sometimes berries. Occasionally they eat snails, but very rarely any insects. They forage mostly on the ground but will sometimes perch on plants to eat seeds. They will visit bird feeders, often eating on the ground under hanging feeders. They often feed quickly on seed to fill in an enlargement of the esophagus called the crop. Then, they can fly to a safe perch to digest the meal. They regularly swallow grit (small gravel) to aid in digestion of hard seeds.

HOW TO ATTRACT: Scatter seeds, particularly millet, on the ground or on platform feeders. They will also eat sunflower seed and other seeds in songbird seed mix. Plant dense shrubs or evergreen trees in your yard to provide nesting sites. Place nesting cones in trees.

FACTS: These birds are monogamous. Both parents incubate and care for their young. You will rarely see a mourning dove without its partner nearby.

TIPS: Provide shelter from raptors and other predators. Baffles and thick evergreen trees and shrubs are good sources for shelter. Keep cats inside - birds that spend much of their time on the ground are particularly vulnerable to them.

Visit Us For These Mourning Dove Favorites!

Bird of the Week - White Breasted Nuthatch

WHITE BREASTED NUTHATCH

Basics: The Upside-down bird! This species often climbs upside down on tree trunks and branches. These birds have clean black, gray, and white markings. Song is a rapid series of low-pitched nasal sounds: “whe-whe-whe-whe-whe.” The call is nasal yank or “yank-yank” and is lower-pitched than the red-breasted nuthatch. They can be found in mature deciduous trees, in forests, woodlands, parks, and suburban areas.

Housing: These birds typically nest in a natural tree cavity or in an old woodpecker hole, although they may use a birdhouse. Leaving some dead tree trunks in wooded areas can be helpful for nesting.

Food: In our backyards, Nuthatches will eat sunflower seeds, peanuts and peanut butter, and suet.

How to attract: Offer the foods mentioned above, water, shelter and nesting sites.

Fact: With a little patience, you can get nuthatches to eat from your hand. Let them get used to you by a feeder, then hold out your hand with sunflower seeds in it.

Tip: They can be quite aggressive at feeders. With wings spread, they will swing from side to side to keep other birds away.

VISIT US FOR THESE NUTHATCH FAVORITES!

Bird of the Week - Black Capped and Carolina Chickadee

BLACK CAPPED AND CAROLINA CHICKADEE

Basics: These two birds are extremely similar in looks, but across most of eastern North America, chickadee identification is simple. Carolina Chickadee occurs in the south and Black-capped in the north. The black capped tends to have a brighter and more contrasting overall appearance. The Black-capped Chickadee is the chickadee you will most likely see here.

Housing: Consider putting up a nest box to attract a breeding pair. A wren house will work for chickadees. Place the house from 8 to 10 feet high into a wooded area well before breeding season. Attach a guard to keep predators from raiding eggs and young. Black-capped Chickadees are especially attracted to a box when it is filled with sawdust or wood shavings. They also prefer an unobstructed path to the entrance hole, without branches and leaves in the way.

Food: Offer suet, peanuts, peanut butter, and black oil sunflower seeds.

How to Attract: Provide food, water, and shelter. Keep cats and other pets indoors. Provide suitable perches near feeders so Chickadees can flit away to a safe spot to eat each seed.

Facts: Individual birds CAN become tame enough to hand feed. Black capped Chickadees are monogamous birds.

Tip:  Plant trees and shrubs of different sizes in mixed clumps to provide better foraging areas.

VISIT US FOR THESE CHICKADEE FAVORITES!

Bird of the Week - Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Basics: This bird can be identified by its white back, black nape, and black wings with white spotting. Another amusement on this species is its quick moves up and down the tree trunks. You’ll find Downy Woodpeckers in open woodlands, particularly among deciduous trees, and brushy or weedy edges. They’re also at home in orchards, city parks, backyards and vacant lots.

Housing: Naturally, these birds excavate nest holes in dead tree trunks that are 6-12 inches deep with an entrance hole around 1-1.5 inches wide. The cavity is wider at the bottom and packed with wood chips for nesting. You may be able to get Downy Woodpeckers to use a nest box. A bluebird house that will open from the top or on one side is a good choice. The only difference for the downy woodpeckers is that you need to pack the interior with wood chips, tamp them down firmly, and position the nest box on the edge of a wooded area.

Food: Downy Woodpeckers are the most likely woodpecker species to visit a backyard bird feeder. They prefer suet feeders, but are also fond of black oil sunflower seeds, millet, peanuts, and chunky peanut butter. Occasionally, Downy woodpeckers will drink from oriole and hummingbird feeders as well. You can get pretty close to these birds as they feed, due to their being quite brave. Add a suet feeder and suet to get a close up view of these beauties feeding near your home!

How to attract: Downy Woodpeckers are attracted to places where the foods mentioned above is abundant.

Fact: This is the smallest Woodpecker in North America.

Tip: Downy woodpeckers look very similar to hairy woodpeckers. However, remember that when distinguishing between the two, downy woodpeckers are smaller, with smaller bills.

Blue Jay Favorites

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