Fertilizer for Southern Fescue Lawns

…..Fertilizing fescue in the summer is not recommended. Fertilizing in hot weather robs food from the roots of the grass and makes it more susceptible to drought and disease. Do not be tempted to fertilize a fescue lawn like you would a bermudagrass lawn. If your fescue turns a bit yellow in July, apply a product that contains water-soluble iron ...

Crab Grass Prevention

…..Crabgrass is a summer annual grass that germinates in the spring in eastern North Carolina. It competes with lawn grasses and grows faster giving the lawn a bad look before the lawn grass needs mowing. Germination of crabgrass occurs when the soil temperature is 55 degrees for 3 days in a row. Around here it usually happens in March. Crabgrass ...

Treating for Mites

Introduction On a world-wide basis, mites are important nuisance pests and some are capable of transmitting disease agents. Fortunately, the mites that we commonly encounter in North Carolina do not transmit disease agents that affect people. The majority of mites are free-living, but thousands of species are parasites of animals or plants. Most of these are external parasites (i..e., they ...

Flea and Tick Prevention

Biting insects, mites and ticks are a part of our environment. Whether we are hiking in woodlands or gardening in our backyard, we are potentially exposed to these pests. These bloodsucking animals are attracted to people by a number of chemical and physical factors, including carbon dioxide from our breath, body heat and chemicals in our sweat and on the ...