The number one mistake we see when clients try to create a lush lawn or garden is not having their maintenance and improvement processes "on the same page". Of course, factors like shade from trees and structures on a property, along with a lack of rainfall can make it a difficult endeavor for some, but the [...]

Chinch bugs will suck the life out of your lawn---literally. These pests suck juices from plant tissue while injecting chemicals, clogging the vascular system of plants. A yellow halo around damaged areas is typical of chinch bug infestation. In spite of record temperatures during our recent heat wave, don't assume that temperature alone is responsible [...]

Mulch is Your Garden's Best Friend! A mulch is any material, organic or inorganic, that is placed on top of the soil in a garden or landscape.  Mulches are one of a gardener’s most valuable tools and an essential component of low-maintenance landscapes. Benefits of Mulches Aside from their decorative value, mulches offer many benefits [...]

Lyme disease is caused by a tick-transmitted bacterial infection. Most of the ticks that transmit Lyme disease are“deer ticks.” Historically, ticks have proven difficult to control. The complex biologic and ecologic attributes of ticks have made it nearly impossible to significantly reduce any tick population using a single approach. Fortunately, the incidence of Lyme disease […]

    Deer spread ticks infected with Lyme disease, yes. But it is these same ticks that get Lyme disease from mice, not deer. Ticks Tubes rely on “the natural nesting instincts of mice to deliver tick-controlling permethrin directly to this host animal and the ticks it infects.” Cardboard tubes, filled with permethrin treated cotton […]

We are seeing a rare phenomenon recently that is affecting decades old established broadleaf evergreens. Due to the extended winter-like weather the ground is not thawing. The tops of shrubs are breaking dormancy and seeking water, but the roots are still in frozen ground and can’t access water. Coupled with the very long drought we […]

By Scott Williams on March 17, 2015. Clients are always asking me when they should prune their trees and shrubs and cut down their ornamental grasses. For spring blooming shrubs most often you should prune right after they flower. On the other hand, for most trees, summer blooming shrubs and ornamental grasses the time to […]

Storm Prep Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios are in working order. Have a supply of extra batteries. Weather updates and news on restorations of electrical service can be heard on most local radio stations. Does your car have emergency supplies? Consider sand, shovel, flares, booster cables, rope, ice scraper, portable […]

UConn Home & Garden Fact Sheets

Symptoms: The larvae of this fly feed on the tissue between the outer surfaces of the leaves. This feeding results in blotch shaped mines in the boxwood leaves. The infested leaves appear blistered from late summer through the following spring. New leaves do not show signs of mining until late summer when the larvae are larger. […]

Symptoms: In heavy infestations the feeding damage results in rapid desiccation and discoloration of the foliage. A heavily infested tree may die within four years. What causes damage: The adelgids over winter as adults. In March and April they begin to lay brownish orange eggs underneath the body of the female which is covered with woolly white […]

Got Grubs?  What does grub damage look like? Grub injury causes turf to turn brown in large irregular patches. Talk about a visual- These areas can be pulled up and rolled back like a carpet, exposing the offenders. What do they look like? Well, there’s nothing pretty about them, as their name suggests. They have [...]

Symptoms: Damage appears as irregular yellow patches of turf.  These areas turn reddish brown and eventually die, while the chinch bugs move outward into healthy turf. A yellow halo around the damaged area is typical of a chinch bug infestation. Damage from chinch bugs shows up first in sunny areas with heat or drought stressed grass […]

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of […]

Winter weather conditions are very conducive to snow mold! When the snow disappears from your lawn, there may be areas of weak or dead turf. Often this damage is caused by a disease known as Snow Mold. What Is Snow Mold? – There are two types of snow mold, Gray Snow Mold (Typhula spp) and Pink […]

The weeds that appear in hot weather are some of the toughest to control. They show up when the lawn is under stress from heat and dryness. These summer weeds have some very good defenses that are hard to crack. TINY LEAVES WITH VERY THICK SKINS – Summer weeds usually have very small leaves with a […]

Crabgrass is an annual weed. This means it dies completely every year and sprouts new from seed produced the year before. A healthy crabgrass plant produces up to 4,000 seeds during its short one-season life. WHY IT’S SUCH A PROBLEM – Crabgrass is a very fast-growing plant. It has to be because it only has one […]

Thatch is the layer of living and dead stems, roots, and crowns that forms a type of blanket over the soil of your lawn. A small amount of thatch (one-half inch or less) is acceptable and even good for the lawn. But when thatch accumulates to over one-half inch, it can become one of a […]

Aeration is one of the most important maintenance practices we can employ to help the lawn remain healthy and help ward off problems. It is estimated that over two-thirds (2/3) of residential lawns are growing on compacted soils. Many times, there is no evidence of insect or disease activity, but the lawn seems to be […]

More people are asking for information regarding organic lawn care. Many people want to decrease or eliminate the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in their home lawns. There is concern some products may be harmful to humans, beneficial insects, wildlife, and pets. This is not necessarily true however. With proper use and common sense […]

The most common watering error is not providing enough! Too little water creates a multitude of problems such as a shallow root system, slow growth, and eventually the death of the plant. The need for watering depends mainly on the plant, your soil, and of course, the weather. Rainfall is never guaranteed. Light showers and […]

Many people who want a beautiful lawn do not realize just how important the job of mowing really is. There are five dimensions of mowing to be considered. (a) cutting height (b) mowing frequency (c) mowing pattern (d) mower operation and (e) disposal of clippings. Cutting height of different varieties of grass is mentioned below. […]