Archive for lawn tips

Moles, Oh My!

Posted by lawnsouth on
 October 1, 2020

mole in lawnDo you have a mole issue?   And we’re not talking about the ones on your face.  We’re talking about moles that can wreak havoc in your yard.

More About Moles

Moles are mammals that are adapted to living underground. They have cylindrical bodies with very small, inconspicuous ears and eyes.  Compared to voles, moles are larger, reaching four to size inches not including the tail.  Moles are great diggers due to their webbed toes.  They look like a member of the rodent family, but they are more closely related to bats.

They create intricate tunnels underground and this is where they spend their time.  It’s not uncommon for homeowners to never even see a mole, but only know they are present due to the raised ground/tunnels in their lawn.  Though their tunnel building can damage plants, a mole’s real goal is to find food–worms and grubs. The tunnels make for an unsightly lawn and can be a trip hazard if you walk among the tunnels.

mole vs vole damage

How To Get Rid Of Moles

1. Moles are tunneling in your lawn for food, so remove the food source. Grubs are easy to remove with a lawn grub insecticide, best applied in the spring. Worms are beneficial and usually not something you should be removing. Grub control will remove some but not all.

2. Trap them. There are numerous traps available online or at your local hardware store. We don’t recommend this if you have small children. And removing the dead animals is not for everyone.

3. There are the “farmers” remedies, which include vibrating stakes, coffee grounds in tunnels, spearmint gum in tunnels, castor oil pellets, moth balls. We have no evidence that any of these work.

4. Call an exterminator.

If you have more questions about moles, we’re here to help.  Contact us today.

Photo credit: https://www.gardenfundamentals.com/

Autumn Lawn Care Tips To Use Now

Posted by mil-admin on
 October 19, 2014

lawn care RoswellNow that fall is officially here, there’s a tendency here in Atlanta to begin to ignore the lawn (because weekends are made for football, right?). Well, that’s actually a really bad idea. Taking care of certain lawn chores now can actually lead to a greener, healthier lawn in the next spring. These tips can help you get there.

Sure, you can cut back on the mowing and the watering which will help ease your water bill, but your lawn still needs some attention. Most yards still need about three-quarters of an inch of water every ten days or so just to stay healthy. Keep track of rainy days which will help satisfy your yard. The amount of water your yard needs will decrease as winter approaches, but watering every so often will give the yard what it needs to grow through the winter.

Here are some other tips:

Keep Mowing
This is a common mistake among homeowners- they put the mower away until spring. Sure, you’ll want to move less often, but getting your lawn mowed every other week or so will go a long way to maintain a healthy appearance in the warmer months.

Now’s The Time To Control Weeds
This is the right time to apply pre-emergent weed control products to address any weed problems throughout the fall and winter months. In most yards, this should seriously reduce any problems you may have. If you do see any, feel free to pull them by hand. Talk to us about applying any post-emergent weed control applications because in certain situations, your yard may actually stay healthier without it.

Pest Control
In most yards, insect problems persist only during the summer. Fall is the time where you may see critters like mole crickets. If you do see a problem, call us, and we can help take care of the problem. Many homeowners just go pick up the first pesticide they see at the store which could seriously hurt your yard, so give us a call. We’ll help you address the problem and keep your yard healthy.

A well maintained yard will store up everything it needs to survive the winter months. We’ll help your yard develop a healthy root system while it spends time recovering from an active growth season. Paying attention to these tips as well as some of the other things we’ll suggest for your individual lawn will ensure that your lawn stays healthy throughout the year.