It is that time of year again. Tick season is upon us, and the warmer it gets, the more of an issue it seems to become. We are seeing more ticks in the field by the day. As most of you are aware, these pests can carry diseases that it can then pass off on to you or your pets if removed improperly. Simply Green Lawn Care, in the Atlanta Georgia area, wants you to be prepared this season with some knowledge on effective tick removal.

Tick Removal and Care, Step by Step

According to WebMD, the most efficient method of tick removal is by using a pair of fine-tipped tweezers (do not grab tick with your bare hands).

1. First, grab the tick as close to its mouth (the part that is stuck in your skin) as you can. The body of the tick will be above your skin.
2. Do not grab the tick around its swollen belly. You could push infected fluid from the tick into your body if you squeeze it.
3. Gently pull the tick straight out until its mouth lets go of your skin. Do not twist the tick. This may break off the tick’s body and leave the head in your skin.
4. Put the tick in a dry jar or ziplock bag and save it in the freezer for later identification if needed.
5. After the tick has been removed, wash the area of the tick bite with a lot of warm water and soap. A mild dishwashing soap, such as Ivory, works well. Be sure to wash your hands well with soap and water also.

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Usually we swat them away, and if they get in our homes, we squash them. The fact of the matter is, bees are an essential part the complex ecosystem we all live in. Apples taste pretty good on their own, and some would argue even better in a pie, but without the pollination of bees, apples don’t exist. As a matter of fact, 1/3 of the fruits and vegetables that we enjoy, don’t exist. Today is National Don’t Step on a Bee day, and this day is a reminder that not only do bees provide the necessary elements for most of the foods we see in the produce section, but their numbers are dwindling. In some places the numbers have dropped by more than 50%, and all of this is excluding the fact that the economy will take a massive blow if measures are not taken. Many factors come to play when talking about what we now call, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD):

Causes

• Pesticides – Though pesticides keep insects that damage plants away, it is also one of the biggest contributors to the rapidly declining honey bee population. Recently introduced pesticides (1990’s), such as Neonicotinoids, are used as an alternatives to chemicals like DDT, but have proved to be deadly. This pesticide contains nicotine which we use to catch a quick buzz. Nicotine for bees, however, confuses their ability to find nutrition and suppresses their immune system, making it susceptible to parasites.  When a bee brings these toxins back to the hive it often creates a domino affect for the whole hive and can eventually kill off the entire colony.
• Fungicides – As found in a study done by PLOS One, the combination of fungicides and pesticides has created a perfect storm of negative side affects to bees.
• Poor Nutrition -The spread of modern agriculture, along with the destruction of many sources of the bee’s food are making it increasingly difficult to find nutrition. When grasslands filled with wildflowers are destroyed to make way for housing developments and other man-made constructions, the bees loose a source of food.
• Parasites – You may already be seeing a trend here. It isn’t just one factor that has become the demise of many honey bees. It is a mixture of several. Parasites have become an issue where previously, it really wasn’t one. The bees natural immune system has properties to help ward off these pests, but when the pesticides lower their immune systems that becomes next to impossible
  • Types of Parasitic Mites
    • Varroa Mites
    • Acarapis Woodi

Possible Solutions

• Feed the Bees – This is possibly on of the more difficult solutions to execute. Farmers would need to be convinced to use their land differently, and massive efforts would need to be enacted to plant large quantities of wild flowers.
• Find an Alternative to the Fungicides and Pesticides – Though these chemicals work to ward off other harmful elements to a particular crop, they are contributing to the rapid decline of honey bee populations.
• Warding off the Parasites – Scientists in Frankfurt University have devised a way to attack the mites at the entrance of commercial bee hives. Other efforts are trying to come up with ways to turn off the mites breeding cycle.

The life of turf grass is a stressful one. The odds are against your lawn, and many different elements are working to keep it from reaching its full, lush and green potential. That doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it! In the past few weeks we have gone from warm days and cool nights, to hot (we mean, HOT) days and warm nights. The overexposure of heat to your turf can be devastating, and unless you can  block the suns rays, there isn’t much you can do about the heat. Heat isn’t the only stress wreaking havoc on your lawn, however. The other two stresses are lack of water and mowing stress. Though we can’t fix the heat, we can surely do something about these two! Simply Green Lawn Care has these tips to follow to keep your lawn looking great this year!

• Lack of Water – We are starting to see exceptionally hot days with a lack of rain to supplement it. So, if water is not finding its way to your lawn naturally, bring the water yourself! This is the time of year to start deep root watering, but how do we do that? Deep Root Watering – Instead of watering every other day to achieve the needed 1.0”-1.5,” water 1-2 days in a row, then don’t water the next 4-5 days. This provides deep root watering and allows your soil pores to open for oxygen.
• Mowing Stress – The stress your turf is experiencing is not always due to natural elements. Sometimes it is our own doing. Warm season turf should be mowed every 7-10 days. We are seeing issues when homeowners are mowing every 14 days or more which is causing additional stress to the turf grass by removing more than 1/3 of the leaf blade. With Bermuda turfgrass if you mow on a 14 day rotation your lawn will turn brown the day after mowing. Follow these mowing tips to keep from being the destructive force on your lawn:
  • Cut, not tear. Mower blades must be sharp or instead of cutting you will be tearing your lawn. If your leaf blades have brown tips 2-3 days after you mow, your mower blades may need to be sharpened.
  • Rule of thirds. Mow your lawn at least every 7 days in the growing season. Never mow more than one-third of the grass leaf at a time.
  • To catch or not to catch? If you are mowing at the correct height every 7 days, you do not need to catch your grass clippings. Clippings contain beneficial nutrients and do not build harmful thatch.
  • Change directions. Change your mowing direction each time you mow. This ensures a more even cut and grass blades will be less likely to develop into a set pattern.
  • Height matters. Mowing height is extremely important. Know your grass type and mow at the correct height for the time of the year.

Photo Credit: Flickr Photo via Denise Krebs

The rose. It is one of the most widely regarded and utilized flowers to ever exist. It is a symbol of love and a truly beautiful plant to look at. Here, at Simply Green Lawn Care in Lilburn, Ga, we love to see a rose bed in one of customer’s yards. Planting and caring for roses isn’t as easy as putting them in the ground, however. There is much care involved in cultivating a beautiful rose, so here are some tips to help you get started! Happy gardening!

Tips From Farmers Almanac:

• Roses prefer a near-neutral pH range of 5.5–7.0. A pH of 6.5 is just about right for most home gardens (slightly acidic to neutral).
• Before you plant, be sure that you choose varieties proven in your climate. When in doubt, All-America Rose Selections winners are good bets. Or check with your local nursery.
• Plant roses where they will receive a minimum of 5 to 6 hours of full sun per day.
• Diligently water your roses. Soak the entire root zone at least twice a week in dry summer weather.
• Use mulch. To help conserve water, reduce stress, and encourage healthy growth, apply a 2- to 4-inch layer of chopped and shredded leaves, grass clippings, or shredded bark around the base of your roses.
• Feed roses on a regular basis before and throughout the blooming cycle (avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides if you’re harvesting for the kitchen).
• Prune roses every spring and destroy all old or diseased plant material.

With the devastating floods wreaking havoc in Texas over the past week, we are seeing the destructive nature an influx of water can have. Unfortunately, we are not always able to accurately predict when severe flooding might take place, and if we see it coming, we sometimes mis-asses how bad it will be. Floods destroy most things in its path, from homes to cars. If you find yourself a victim of this natural disaster, it can be an extremely emotional time.

Many homeowners spend a lot of time and effort to turn their lawns into something beautiful they can look at and enjoy. Making a beautiful lawn and landscape isn’t something that can be tackled in a weekend though. It takes time, and seeing all of that work washed away can be difficult. Here, at Simply Green Lawn Care, we don’t specialize in restoring homes or cars, but we can help restore your turf back to its original glory.

Tips for restoring your turf after a flood

1. After the flooding subsides, give the water time to fully absorb into the ground. This might take 2 or 3 weeks.
2. During this time, and for a time after, minimize the amount of foot traffic on your lawn. The turf is in a very vulnerable state right now, and susceptible to damage.
3. Remove debris. This will allow the turf to breath and absorb more sunlight, and will also give you the opportunity to move forward with whatever might be needed.
4. Feed you lawn. If the flood was bad enough, it will have washed away much of the nutrients your lawn needs to flourish. You will need to replenish those nutrients, and if you are unsure how to go about doing that, a professional lawn care company can help.
5. Once your turf begins to recover, keep feeding it with fertilizer to rebuild those strong roots!

If you are interested in the services of Simply Green, contact us!

The end of May is quickly approaching and the weather has been beautiful for the past couple of weeks! Spring is in full swing, and we are approaching the hot, summer months. To have the lushest turf possible in the summer months, it is crucial to prepare your lawn now. Simply Green Lawn Care in Lilburn, Ga, has a few turf tips to follow this spring for greener lawn later!

Bermuda, Zoysia Lawn Program

• Late Spring: Controlled release fertilization to bring your lawn out of dormancy. Spot weed control.
• Summer: Controlled release fertilization to continue to keep your lawn Green. Spot weed control.

Fescue Lawn Program

• Late Spring: Light feeding with controlled release products to help prepare your Fescue for summer. Spot treat any existing weeds if needed.
• Summer: Bio-Stimulant with a micro-package to help your Fescue turf survive the hot summer. Spot treat any existing weeds if needed.

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Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and Simply Green Lawn Care wants to wish all of the mothers out there the happiest of days! We know a lot of moms out there are gifted with green thumbs, and love spending time on their lawns and gardens. If this is the mom in your life, there are a lot of great gift ideas to choose from! We have compiled a list of some of the best gifts we have seen to help you find the perfect one!

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

• Bird Feeder – This one is for all the bird watchers. Feeders can attract many different types of birds to a yard, and having the air filled with fluttering wings and chirps can be wonderful and exciting.
• Gardening Tools – For those of you who want to give a gift that she can really use, quality gardening tools are a great addition to any gardeners arsenal.
• Potted Plants – Rather than a traditional bouquet, a potted plant can be a beautiful addition, indoors and outdoors. The typical arrangement of  flowers, though pretty, won’t last nearly as long as potted plant might.
• Cookbook – If she is a vegetable or fruit gardener, chances are she enjoys being in the kitchen. Find a nice cookbook that incorporates a lot of the ingredients that she has been growing.

We hope this helps, and happy Mother’s Day!

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The submissions just keep rolling in! To those of you who have already shared your dogs and puppies with us, thank you! We have really enjoyed seeing all of the entries for the Simply Green Furry Friends Contest, and can’t wait to see more! Do you have a dog or puppy that you would like to submit to our contest? Please do, because you could be the lucky winner of a $100 Visa gift card! For details on how to enter, click here!

Take a look at some of the submission we have already received! We are seeing everything from stylish pooches to dogs in weddings, and from trick-or-treaters to good ol’ lazy dogs.