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Mole Control and Your Lawn

March 16, 2012 By 4 Comments
Picture of a rodent mole

The Mole

Moles can drive anyone crazy! Have you looked out in your yard and seen several holes and tunnels? They are most likely from moles. Moles are woodlands animals in nature, but can easily end up in many residential properties if they are not handled properly. Due to the fact that moles need a well-established tunnel in order to survive, not letting these moles familiarize with your yard and make their tunnels is most important. The most effective way to get rid of moles would be trapping, but due to the number of people that do not want to take the time to trap, moles can be everywhere in your yard!

Moles are insectivores, not rodents. They survive off of grubs, ants and adult insects but what most people don’t know is the mole’s primary food source is the earthworm! Moles can fluctuate throughout one’s yard depending on where the nearest source of food is located. They can be in one corner of your yard for a while and two weeks later they can be tearing up your yard in a completely different area. Moles also are very disruptive to the root systems of garden plants. Moles are most common in the spring and fall, especially after episodes of rain.

In order for your yard to look the best it can look, getting rid of moles is very important. From the way they tear up your yard to your mulch beds looking like a tornado had just been through, moles are very unattractive and most importantly uninviting.

At Custom Spray we use a 100% all natural, non-toxic mole repellant. When applied in 5 week intervals, this 4 application mole control program can drive the moles out of your yard, returning your property to the beautiful landscape it deserves to be.

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Weed Free Lawn and Vegetation Control

March 1, 2012 By 2 Comments

Keeping ones landscape looking as beautiful as possible is on the top of many peoples to do lists now-a-days.

From the weekly mowings to the day to day care of maintaining your nursery needs, each action plays an important role. While doing the simple actions that are necessary to keep your yard, mulch beds or even driveways looking nice, many people tend to overlook one option that saves time and money, an effective vegetation control program.

Weeds grow either from seeds or they reproduce from their roots. When the roots grow from the parent plant, many new plants tend to grow causing many unwanted plants. This is a process that will continue and cause weeds to thrive throughout the year. In order for these weeds to be controlled and not visible, vegetation control is needed. There are many types of vegetation controls. The way you put down your mulch or driving to your local home improvement store to purchase Round-up are a couple of different ways of vegetation control. Depending on what route you choose to go when ridding targeted areas of weeds is up to you.

Effective vegetation control programs can keep your mulch beds, gravel driveway or any other bare areas, such as wood lines or brick patios, free of weeds. With all of the options available, one program is not right for everyone. If you have only a very small area that is in need of control, then a vegetation control product from your local home improvement store may be the best option for you. However, areas bigger than just a brick patio typically are better controlled with commercial products and programs.

At Custom Spray, our typical residential vegetation control program consists of a pre-emergent spray followed by 2 Round Up sprays throughout the year. For most homes, this program will work very well. For commercial areas, a year long soil sterilant in lieu of the pre-emergent herbicide may be an option that suits your needs best.

With vegetation control programs such as these at Custom Spray, the prime focus is not only to kill the unwanted weeds, but to ensure that they will not come back up for several months. With the summer slowly approaching, it is never too early to call and set up a vegetation control program. Be weed free!

Filed Under: Lawn Care

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October 4, 2011 By 1 Comment

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The Importance of Aeration and Over-Seeding your Lawn

September 4, 2011 By 2 Comments

Lawn Aeration and Over-seeding – An important part of the overall health of a lawn is the soil condition.  Most of the yards around Northeast Ohio have hard compacted soil. This compaction does not allow the roots of the grass to grow freely, and also restricts the movement of water. Even with irrigation or wet weather such as this year, the compacted soil will cause the water to run off leaving the roots of the lawn dry.

Another factor in the root health is the thatch layer. The thatch is the layer of organic material between the grass and the soil. It is comprised of grass clippings, stems, leaves and other matter. Overtime this layer will build thicker and thicker and will begin to choke the lawn. Thatch can constrict the movement of oxygen, water, and evaporation. This can cause a lawn difficulty when trying to move and make its food. The trapped moisture in the thatch layer will contribute to fungi and diseases that can damage the lawn.

The best way to fix and prevent these problems is to have the lawn aerated at least once per year. With aeration, 2-3 inch deep plugs are pulled from the soil and then left on top. This breaks up the compaction of the soil as well as the thatch layer. Oxygen and water is then able to move freely throughout the plant and the roots are able to grow freely.

After aeration is done, it is also recommended to over seed with a high quality mixture of bluegrass, rye, and fescues depending on the environment of your lawn. This seed will germinate since the soil is broken up by the aeration. Introducing new and/or better varieties of seed to your lawn will help with the health, thickness, color, and may be resistant to certain insects and diseases.

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Controlling the Japanese Beetle

July 15, 2011 By 2 Comments

The Japanese beetles are out and feeding! These adult forms of the same grubs that infest your lawn are beginning to feed on some of their favorite plants and trees. They are not yet at their worst, so it is a great time to get them taken care of.

Japanese beetle problem in Ohio

Japanese beetle damange compliments of Iowa State University

Japanese beetles emerge from the turf around the last week of June through July. After emerging they will feed, mate, and lay eggs through the middle of August. During this time period is when you will see them doing damage to your landscape. Japanese beetles skelotonize the leaves by eating the tissue between the stems and veins of the leaf. They can feed very quickly and cause a lot of damage. With over 300 host plants, the list of what they will not eat is shorter than what they will!

Recently beetle bags or beetle traps have become popular in residential landscapes. These traps work by emitting a pheromone to attract the beetles and once they fly into the bag they are unable to fly out. These bags work great at attracting beetles, but that is the exact problem you want to avoid. We do not recommend using these beetle bags as they will just attract more beetles than they will trap. I think the only good use they would have for your beetle problem is when your neighbors use them!

An insecticidal application to the affected/threatened plants and trees is effective in protecting them from damage. Since their feeding lasts only 6-8 weeks one application is usually sufficient to control the damage to a tolerable level. We are currently spraying these applications and are achieving great control this year.

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Viburnum Leaf Beetle

June 2, 2011 By 2 Comments

We are seeing a huge increase in the amount of viburnum bushes affected with the viburnum leaf beetle. The damage from these pests can be quick and devastating.  The beetles “skeletonize” the leaves of the viburnums with damage looking strikingly similar to Japanese beetle feeding, but of course we will not have the pleasure of those pests for another month or so.  The larvae feed on the leaves of the shrubs and in some cases can nearly completely defoliate them.

viburnum leaf beetle damage from larvae

Viburnum Leaf Beetle Larvae

Later this spring the larvae will drop off the leaves into the soil below.  At this point they will pupate and emerge sometime in July as adult beetles.  The adults will also feed on the viburnum leaves.  The adults will then fly (and they fly very well, which allows the pest to spread quickly) and find a viburnum suitable to be the host for their eggs over winter.  The adults lay the eggs in pits that are chewed into the stems of the bushes and they will remain there until the next spring.

viburnum leaf beetles larvae damage

Adult Viburnum Leaf Beetles

Pyrethroids as well as insecticidal soaps and horticulture oils have shown varied control in studies.  We have found the best results from a once per year treatment of imidacloprid.  We now feel we can control these pests with no problems if they are found before too much damage has been done.  This has halted and prevented new damage from occurring in our customers’ landscapes.

Overall, this is a very aggressive pest that can devastate viburnums.  I recommend an inspection of all viburnum shrubs whether or not damage is yet to be seen.  If the beetles and/or damage is found, I highly recommended to quickly find the treatment option that best suits you.

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Protect your Ash Trees from the Emerald Ash Borers

May 24, 2011 By 2 Comments

The Emerald Ash Borer is now established in Northeast Ohio and is making a huge impact.  University agriculture programs recommend that all ash trees be treated whether or not an infestation is currently present.  Once infested with the EAB, an ash tree will die within 3 years.  We have found multiple instances of the Emerald Ash Borer affecting our customers here at Custom Spray.

Fortunately, there ARE options to protect your ash trees.

There are 2 treatment options that we have available to protect your ash trees.  The first treatment will protect your trees for 12 months, and the second option protects your trees for a full 24 months.

Please call us today and speak with our arborist about the options for your trees and receive a FREE ash tree evaluation to determine the best plan for your home.

Ash Trees in Northeast Ohio are being killed by the Emerald Ash Borer

Ash Tree

Identify your ash tree by their leaves and protect from Emerald Ash Borer

Ash Tree Leaf

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