Rainy Season: Signs Your Lawn is Getting too Much Water

Rainy season is here. That means it’s time to turn down your irrigation.

Rainy season in South Florida runs from May 15th to October 15th but it’s also the hottest time of the year. Our sandy soil combined with South Florida’s hot days of summer can mean your lawn needs more water than usual but watering your lawn too much will only cause other problems. Too much water interferes with healthy grass growth and makes the lawn susceptible to pests and diseases. So how do you know when you can skip a round of watering? Here are some signs you may be over watering your lawn.

Growing Like Weeds

If weeds are invading your lawn with alarming speed, that could be a sign of over watering. Weeds like sedge and crab grass thrive in a too-wet environment.

 

Crabgrass is a summer annual that germinates when soil temperatures reach a consistent 55 degrees. A crabgrass plant can produce 150,000 seeds.

Thatch Patch

Excessive watering can cause your lawn to develop a thick, spongy mat called thatch. Thatch is a layer of partially decomposed plant material, roots and stolons that forms a dense mat on the soil surface. Over-watering prevents beneficial organisms from breaking down the thatch and promotes shallow root development that leads to thatch buildup. If the thatch is more than 3/4 inch thick, it prevents oxygen from reaching grass roots and provides a habitat for fungal and insect pests. Infrequent, thorough watering helps prevent thick thatch because it promotes deep root development.

 

Dethatching lawn with a lawn rake in the spring garden

Insect Activity

A waterlogged lawn that promotes thatch buildup can also be an ideal habitat for insect pests. The moist layer of intertwined weeds provides a fertile breeding ground and may even offer protection from insecticides for several lawn pests. For example, armyworms and cutworms create irregular, spreading bare patches as they chew and cut grass blades at the base. White grubs, which are the larvae of May and June beetles and masked chafers, feed on grass roots and cause wilting and grass death.

Fungus

Fungi may appear on a new lawn as a result of frequent watering – which is needed to aid a new sod in producing a deep root system – but will normally disappear once the interval between watering sessions increase. In older lawns, excessive thatch may prevent proper drainage and hold moisture that promotes fungal diseases. Thin, weak, reddish-orange grass is a symptom of rust fungus, which occurs in stressed lawns. Anthracnose infects wet grass at temperatures between 80 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit and causes irregular brown patches in the lawn. Brownish spots and brown, spiked fruiting structures appear on the leaf blades.

If your lawn has been affected by the negative consequences of over watering, you may need to adjust your automatic sprinkler system or consider installing a rain sensor so you aren’t watering when it rains. Over watering a lawn is much worse than under watering  because a lawn that is watered too much will starve the soil of oxygen. A good rule of thumb is if you had to open an umbrella, turn on your windshield wipers, or step over a puddle, it’s a good day to skip a round of watering.

And remember, you can always call the experts at Island Environmental for advice on any of your lawn and ornamental needs.

Earth Day: Sentricon® is the environmentally responsible termite treatment

Today, April 22, is Earth Day!  Many people may think that the pest control industry and any event celebrating the earth and the environment are probably at odds with one another. We’re here to tell you that this is simply not the case.

Island Environmental is committed to environmentally-friendly lawn care and pest control techniques which don’t rely on unnecessary or irresponsible pesticide use. In fact, we offer many green solutions for home owners. And, since it is termite swarm season, let us give you the low down on why the Sentricon® Termite Colony Elimination System with Always Active Technology is such good news to Earth-lovers around the globe.

Right now in Florida, subterranean termites are “swarming,” leaving their colonies to form new ones. Now, you can enjoy termite control that works and leave a smaller footprint on the environment.

“The Sentricon System is environmentally responsible because it uses just grams of termite bait to eliminate termite colonies,” says Dave Maurer, portfolio manager for the Sentricon®System.  “Every home treated with the Sentricon System instead of a liquid chemical treatment helps reduce the impact of pesticides on the environment.”

By choosing to protect your home from termites with the Sentricon® System, you’re also helping the environment. Sentricon eliminates the entire termite colony — and it can do so with just a few grams of active ingredient. Good news for you. Bad news for termites. Sentricon is limited in the environment and removable:

    • Over 2.5 billion pounds of dilute liquid termiticide have been displaced by 20+ yrs of Sentricon use
    • Recipient of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award by U.S. EPA.
    • First EPA registered product under their Reduced Risk Initiative
    • Only grams of active ingredient are needed to control an entire termite colony
    • Recruit HD® termite bait has no EPA designated Signal Word
    • 65% post-consumer recycled materials are used in our packaging
    • Our green plastic stations are made of #2 recyclable plastic
    • All Sentricon stations, components, and the Recruit bait matrix are manufactured in the U.S.A.
    • Annual service interval for Sentricon Always Active reduces trips and lowers your carbon footprint
    • Sentricon has no PPE (personal protective equipment) gear or special clothing requirements
    • 10 million gallons of water annually saved by Sentricon use which displaces traditional liquid treatments

Now you can see why we at Island Environmental love the Sentricon System for termite protection. No longer do you need to apply dangerous termiticides around the foundation of your home. The bait used in Sentricon works by preventing termites from molting. If termites can’t molt, they die. Because we don’t molt, the bait is completely safe for your family – including your furry members!

We hope that you join in the Earth Day celebrations this year and help us all protect and celebrate the home we all share: Planet Earth. For more information on our eco-friendly Sentricon® Termite Colony Elimination Systems in West Palm Beach and throughout Palm Beach County, contact us today and one of our friendly services representatives will be happy to assist you.

And from our families to yours: Happy Earth Day!