TOP 3 WAYS TO LOWER YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM COSTS

Many of our clients are surprised when they realize how much water their irrigation system uses every week. The fact is, the typical residential property uses 2.000 to 5,000 gallons of water per week to irrigate turf and landscape beds. It’s a good thing Michigan is surrounded by the Great Lakes!

What many homeowners don’t know is that water usage can be reduced substantially by implementing simple, smart irrigation practices. Here are three tips to reduce water use by 30% or more and make your watering more effective.

1) WATER EARLY FOR BEST RESULTS

Set your irrigation system to start cycling between 4 A.M. and 8 A.M. In the early morning the winds are usually calm and the sun isn’t out yet, or is low in the sky. This will reduce water loss from evaporation, heat and wind. Soil absorption will be improved, so more water will get to the plant roots.

2) CUSTOMIZE ZONE RUN TIME

When an irrigation system is started up in the spring the timing for each zone is set to the average amount of time to deliver ½” inch of water per week. In the summer this amount should be adjusted upward to 1” of water per week. However, if the irrigation system puts out more water than your lawn can absorb the excess water is wasted through run off.

Each zone in your landscape needs to be evaluated on how long it should run based on factors unique to your property such as soil type, slopes, sun/shade exposure, maintenance practices, and the topography of your property.

3) IRRIGATE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY

Installing some type of sensor that keeps the irrigation system from coming on when it is raining is not only common sense, but it will start saving you money immediately.  There are multiple options here, each with varying levels of complexity and upfront costs.

The least expensive rain shut-off device is a rain switch, also called a rain sensor. Secondly, and more precise, is a soil moisture sensor. Your third option is to install a smart timer that is connected to your local weather station via the internet.

Each of these steps to improve your landscape irrigation will either save you money or make the irrigation you supply to your plants more efficient. By implementing smart irrigation practices you will find that you can have a lush landscape all summer long without breaking your budget.

Call today for a Summer Check-Up of your irrigation system to learn how you can put smart irrigation to work in your landscape.

CHRONOLOGY OF EARLY SEASON TURFGRASS INSECT PESTS

As the grass starts actively growing again lawn insect pests also start to become more active. Lawn insects are hungry after their winter hibernation and your lawn is just too appetizing to pass up. 

The quicker these lawn insects, and their associated damage, can be spotted the more effective our control methods can be. Early detection of lawn insects also means less damage to your lawn.

The following chart provides some guidance on when common lawn insect pests start to become active in southeast Michigan.

INSECT	TIMING	LIFE STAGE/LOCATION
European Chafer	April 20-May 10	Grubs move up to feed on roots
European Crane Fly	April 20-May 15	Leatherjackets resume feeding on roots & leaves
Chinch Bug	May 5-25	Adults become active, deposit eggs
Japanese Beetle	May 5-15	Grubs move up to feed on roots
Bluegrass Billbug	May 10-30	Adults become active, deposit eggs
European Chafer	May 15-June10	Peak damage time, skunks active
Japanese Beetle	May 25-June 25	Peak damage time, skunks active
Chinch Bug	May 25-June 15	First larvae begin developing & feeding on grass
Sod Webworm	May 25-June 10	Adult moths become active

Actual timing of insect activity may be earlier, or later, depending on the general weather conditions this spring.

CONSIDERING HOMEMADE PESTICIDES-READ THIS FIRST!

There are a number of homemade pesticide 'recipes' on the internet, but before you decide to whip up a batch in the kitchen sink read this article from Michigan State University.

There are several reasons that Michigan State University does not recommend pantry-based pesticides. A couple important reasons to keep in mind: It may not be legal and they might not work!

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/are_homemade_pesticides_legal?utm_source=Nursery+%26+Christmas+Tree+-+MSU+Extension+News+-+03-09-17&utm_campaign=Nursery+%26+Christmas+Trees+03-10-17&utm_medium=email

GO AFTER HARD TO CONTROL LAWN WEEDS NOW

Fall is an excellent time for broadleaf weed control for those species which are perennial or winter annuals. This would include two of the hardest to control weeds in lawns – ground ivy (creeping charlie) and violets. These weeds are preparing for spring growth by moving nutrients into their root systems. If weed control is applied the herbicide will be moved into the root system along with the nutrients. The leaves of the weeds might not curl up and turn brown like they do in the summer, but there will be a lot less of these weeds popping up in your lawn next spring.

THE MOST IMPORTANT LAWN TREATMENTS

Fall lawn maintenance is an important time of the year to help your lawn recover from summer stresses. Turfgrasses shift a good deal of their energy from shoot growth to root, rhizome or stolon growth. This physiological change means that lawns that are thin will increase in density and those with weak or damaged roots will regenerate roots. If you have a thin or weakened lawn, this is the time of year to initiate cultural practices to take advantage of this change in growth habit. Management practices done properly in the fall are our best insurance of high quality turf next spring.

Yard aeration can be done now. Favorable moisture and temperatures along with decreased weed competition make fall the ideal time for yard aeration.

It is also a good idea to fertilize your lawn in the fall to provide the nutrients the lawn needs to recover from summer stress. Proper fall fertility helps increase turf density and takes advantage of increased root development. Nitrogen is the most important element in a fall lawn fertilization treatment. Care should be taken, however, not to over apply nitrogen fertilizer in the fall as high rates of nitrogen have been shown to decrease root growth.

This is also the time of year for broadleaf weed control. Just as with grasses and trees, weeds are translocating and storing nutrients in their roots for the fall and winter. When herbicides are applied they are also absorbed and moved to the root system. When the weather is cool and the weed is growing slowly you may not think the herbicide is working because the leaves aren’t curling, but the plant is taking the herbicide into its root system and you won’t see this weed next spring.

RUST DISEASE ON LAWNS

If you’re noticing orange staining on your shoes or lawn mower there’s a good chance you have rust disease somewhere in your lawn. Rust is a lawn disease we typically see in the fall on ryegrass and Kentucky bluegrass when top growth has slowed.

There are fungicides available to treat rust disease, but if you can put up with it for one or two weeks it will probably go away on its own.

SEEDING YOUR LAWN

We’re quickly approaching the time of year when we can overseed to thicken up our lawns. The best time to overseed your lawn in southeast Michigan is mid-August to near the end of September. Mid-August may sound too early to start seeding, but keep in mind it will take Kentucky bluegrass 2 - 3 weeks to germinate.

Speaking of Kentucky bluegrass, this type of turfgrass is considered the best species for home lawns in southeast Michigan. If you’re going to overseed with Kentucky bluegrass, it’s important to find a grass seed blend that has at least three different cultivars of Kentucky bluegrass. Each cultivar has its strong and weak points, so having more than one cultivar reduces the possibility of your lawn being severely damaged by one particular lawn disease.

Perennial ryegrass is found as a component of most bags of grass seed. This type of grass seed is added because perennial ryegrass germinates quickly, usually in five to seven days. This helps to protect the Kentucky bluegrass after it germinates. One downside of perennial ryegrass is that the seedling is very aggressive. If more than 25% of a Kentucky bluegrass/perennial ryegrass mixture is perennial ryegrass, the established turf will be predominately perennial ryegrass.

Grass seed that is marketed as “shady blend” usually have one or more varieties of fine fescue grass seed in them. Fine fescue is another quick germinating seed. Fine fescues blend well with Kentucky bluegrass and also provide the mixture with some shade tolerance.

The improved turf-type tall fescues have been well received over the last several years for their improved texture and color. These tall fescue hybrids are especially adapted to sandy, drought-prone sites because its extensive root system can avoid short-term drought. Turf-type tall fescue also has good wear tolerance and some tolerance to shade. If you decide to use a turf-type tall fescue be sure to select an improved variety and plant it as at least 70 - 80% of the mixture. This will give your lawn a more uniform appearance once it’s established. DO NOT confuse turf-type tall fescue with varieties such as K-31, which is the coarse-bladed grass that often grows in large clumps.

Once you have overseeded your lawn it’s important to keep the seed moist so it will germinate. After it’s germinated it’s critical to keep the new seedling moist so it won’t dry out. A skipped day of watering could ruin your overseeding project.