The Lawn Care Academy Blog

Important Grass Care Facts And Information

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:25:31 -0400

A resource of helpful grass care information and related tips to help develop a clear understanding of lawn grasses, how they grow and how they are used

Building Living Soil for Super Gardens

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:26:09 -0400

Building living soil is the foundation of organic gardening. See how AgriGro is leading the way through all natural biostimulants

Grow Amazing Turf with AgriGro Turf Formula Biostimulant

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:20:47 -0400

See how easy it is to grow amazing turf. This video documents how well AgriGro Turf Formula really works.

Fine Fescue grass

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:26:26 -0400

Fine fescue is a known for its exceptional shade and cold tolerance. Learn what the adaptation zones are, as well as how to plant and use this grass.

Hardy Lantana Confetti Plants

Sat, 11 May 2013 21:24:27 -0400

Lantana Confetti are beautiful, very hardy, drought tolerant plants that flower all summer long.flower all summer long. Check out our Confetti info.

Tall Fescue Information and Care Guide

Tue, 7 May 2013 19:48:56 -0400

Tall fescue is an important cool season grass with many desirable characteristics. It is the choice of many homeowners and turf professionals.

Not Using a Biostimulant - See What You Are Missing!

Tue, 7 May 2013 12:09:19 -0400

Organic biostimulants have come of age in professional turf management and in agriculture. Virginia Tech and many other universities have been studying them for years. The general public, however, still remains largely unaware of the importance of biostimulants or what they can do. I have written about many of the benefits, but here are more documented results.

What are Biostimulants and What Do They Do

Organic biostimulants enhance the plants ability to increase health, while producing better fruit, flowers, and foliage without the need of additional nutrients or chemicals.

They may include naturally occurring plant hormones, amino acids, trace elements, natural substances produced by plants and beneficial bacteria, and more.

When used properly, biostimulants can increase plant health, improve root growth, provide greater disease resistance, increase photosynthesis, improve nutrient uptake, reduce effects of environmental stresses, and more.

Here are some practical results from university research. Most of the research mentioned here is from Virginia Tech, Turfgrass Pathology*

Pretreating plants, including turf, with biostimulants can trigger the plant to continue producing antioxidants during stress periods, thus lowering stress effects. (R. E. Schmidt and E.H. Ervin, Virginia Tech)

Herbicides can have greater efficacy with less product when mixed with a biostimulant or when the biostimulant is applied separately. In other words, you can reduce the amount of herbicide you need by one third or more, yet still get the same effect when a biostimulant is used.

Plants treated with a biostimulant retain more moisture than plants not treated. This is a great benefit during drought stress periods. The biostimulant must be applied before the stress begins.

Biostimulants increase nutrient absorption and movement through the plant.

Certain organic biostimulants can also increase disease resistance. The products containing salicylic acid (AgriGro Products) increases the resistance to injury and helps repair damage caused by injury and disease pathogens. (Virginia Tech, Turfgrass Ecology and Physiology)

Organic biostimulants can increase the activity of soil microorganisms making soil nutrients more available. This can allow for a decrease in nutrient additions.

Mixing a biostimulant with a Plant Growth Regulator (PGR's are designed to slow foliage growth), the biostimulant (designed to increase growth) will force the roots to put on new growth, while the canopy or plant foliage remains slow.

Where to get a Biostimulant

You can check out the AgriGro Biostimulants on our Products Page. They contain much of the hormones, amino acids, complex carbohydrates, nutrients, and others ingredients to give fantastic results.

Bountiful Harvest Biostimulants are smaller sized for the homeowner. However, if more is needed, we have 5 gallon boxes of a variety of biostimulants used in the home and commercial markets. Get yours today.

* To see more academic research on biostimulants, click Answers to Questions Golf Superintendents have About Organic Biostimulants.

Important Thoughts on Purchasing Mason Bee Cocoons

Fri, 3 May 2013 23:14:23 -0400

Your particular area may not have too many native mason bees. For example, the Midwest does not have as many as other parts of the country. In addition, any part of the country can have a bad year for mason bees. However, mason bee cocoons are for sale by bee vendors should you need some. Do you know what the rules of purchasing mason bees are?

Here's the Scoop on purchasing Mason Bee Cocoons

The western mason bee (west of the Rocky Mountains) is genetically different from the eastern mason bee (east of the Rocky Mountains). The differences are not extremely great, yet still they are different. Each species is very much adapted to its location.

Many bee ranchers will gladly send bees where ever the buyer needs them, regardless of their geographical location. Since western bees and eastern bees will freely mate, it is destroying the genetic differences between the two species.

I talked to a person not long ago who was willing to sell western Canadian mason bees to Florida buyers. This is not good. The Canadian bees are not geared for the hot humid tropical conditions of Florida, plus the pathogen and diseases of Florida may be different from Canada. Some researchers feel this could harm the native bees should exotic pathogens be introduced.

Always try to purchase bees from a local source, if possible.
If not a local source, then you should purchase western bees west of the Rocky Mountains, if you live on the western side.
Purchase eastern bees east of the Rocky Mountains, if you live on the eastern side.
Try to find bees from a source on the same USDA Plant Hardiness Zones as you are in.

Advice For Top Dressing Lawns

Wed, 1 May 2013 15:47:52 -0400

Step by step guide for top dressing lawns. Top dressing enriches soil, increases beneficial microbes and helps build a better soil structure.

Several Ways to Find Our Website

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:08:50 -0400

Hello everyone, Thousands of people everyday read the Lawn Care Academy website. We are extremely grateful and are very thankful for everyone of you! This is just to let you know that you can type our name into the browser without the dashes and still reach us.

www.lawn-care-academy.com – I know the dashes (-) can be a pain sometimes, especially if you are in a hurry, so we also have it without dashes, too.
You can simply type our web address into your browser without the dashes like this: lawncareacademy.com
You can also do a direct internet search for “lawn care academy” which will bring up many pages.

Thank you so much for visiting our site. We exist for you. Have fun in the yard and garden this year and thank you for making us a part of it.

God Bless!

Russ James
Lawn Care Academy

Introduction to Cool Season Grass

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 15:36:35 -0400

Cool season grass is a term given to various grasses that grow best in the cooler areas of the country. Each grass has unique qualities and preferred zones of adaptation.

Pictorial of Agrigro Test Results

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:53:08 -0400

Here are some original Agrigro test results from the 80's and 90's not seen anywhere else. Agrigro's, all natural bio stimulants have been extensively tested and documented around the world.

Bill Bader Interview Discussing AgriGro Biostimulants

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:57:46 -0400

In this Bill Bader interview, I discuss his 20 plus years of using AgriGro Biostimulants on his farm. Bill owns the largest peach orchard in the Mid-West.

Senate to Vote for Nationwide Online Sales Tax

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:17:33 -0400

I am writing to alert you that the U.S. senate is about to vote on whether there will be a nationwide online sales tax. The bill is called the "Marketplace Fairness Act". (Anytime the government uses the word "fairness", it usually is not fair.)

If it passes it means that everything you purchase online will be charged a state sales tax, regardless of which state the company you purchased from is located.

Currently, if you purchase something online from a company in the same state you live in, sales tax is added. This is fair since the tax stays in your state and you use those services.

A nationwide bill for online sales tax will allow another state to charge you tax on out of state purchases. "Each retailer must become a tax collector and keep track of nearly 10,000 separate state, local, and municipal tax jurisdictions", according to Heritage Action.

The cost of implementing and maintaining this tax collecting burden will break many small businesses.

This is a costly expense and an extreme burden on retailers. Local companies will be mandated to charge tax on companies in other states and those out of state companies have no representation. This goes against a supreme court decision that states that a company must have a physical presence in a state to charge sales tax.

It has been suggested that unscrupulous business owners will take advantage of this law and charge heavy tax in the amount they want and then pocket it.

Many online business that can afford to do so will close their companies here in the U.S. and set up outside our borders, such as in Mexico, Canada or other places to avoid the expensive compliance demand. Other companies will just go out of business, according to Heritage Action.

This definitely favors large businesses such as Amazon, for example, whom is for the new tax. They make approx. 7 million every hour and have the resources to make it work for them, while the small business sinks under the burden.

If you think this is not good business for us, please call your state representative and tell him to vote no on the "Marketplace Fairness Act" and that such bills will hurt small businesses.

Russ James
Lawn Care Academy

Bermudagrass Lawns

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:14:49 -0400

Bermudagrass is the most commonly used warm season grass in the U.S. See what makes this grass so popular and the many varieties to choose from.

See How Clover can Add Significant Nitrogen for Plants

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:30:41 -0400

Did you know that clover can reduce or eliminate the need to add nitrogen to soil?

How does this work? The family of legumes, including clover, alfalfa, peanuts, beans, and other plants, have the unique ability to remove large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen and fix it into the soil to be used by plants. Clover is the best choice as ground cover for providing nitrogen to the soil.

Therefore, if you have an orchard, for example, scatter clover seed throughout the orchard. A thick stand of clover will out-compete most grasses over time. The thick stand of clover will provide as much nitrogen as the trees need.

Clover is environmentally friendly, is low growing, and will cut down significantly on nitrogen additions.

Something to think about.

Centipede Grass Lawns

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:03:50 -0400

Centipede grass is a low maintenance, low fertility and slow growing turf grass. Its adaptation zone extends from Florida and along the coastal regions of the south as far as central Texas.

Actinovate - OMRI Certified Organic Fungicide

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:43:48 -0400

We are currently looking into Actinovate organic fungicide. From what we see so far we are very pleased with how it works. So often the claims do not match the results, but not with Actinovate. We hope to be offering it to you soon.

Plant diseases are so frustrating. A couple of the problem with using chemical fungicides is that some are very toxic and pathogens can build up a resistance to them. In addition, the effectiveness is questionable for some fungicides.

Actinovate is an organic naturally occurring bacterium called Streptomyces lydicus. It is the same bacteria that is used to make certain antiboitics.

It can be used on vegetables up to the day of harvest. It is especially effective against mildews, but is also effective for pythiums and other root rots, rhizoctonia (brown patch, large patch), verticillium wilt, and others.

It can be applied with a hose end sprayer or pump sprayer. If you are looking for something as a preventative or curative, this is it.

We will have more on this later.

Researching Native Bees in Missouri

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:51:11 -0400

See how we are researching native bees in the Missouri Ozarks and learn how to do this on your property.

Weeds are Bad This Year. Here's What to Do.

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:18:16 -0400

In the areas that were hit by the drought last year, the weeds are about as bad as I have seen them. In much of the U.S. where the spring has been delayed for a few weeks, now is the time to spray.

Cool season weeds (winter annuals) like chickweed, henbit, and others can spread fast. The best time to spray is when they are still small, before they harden later in the spring. Once that occurs herbicides have much less ability to control them.

Most of the winter annual and winter perennial weeds will naturally die back in May. Cool weather clovers will not, however.

Although I have never eaten it, henbit is part of the mint family and is edible. Just make sure you do not spray it if you plan to try eating some. Make sure it is actually henbit since many weeds are not edible.

First Mason Bees of the Season in Missouri

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:01:29 -0400

Spring has been delayed about 3 weeks later than normal this year in many parts of the country. (Much better than last year where it was three weeks early.) The first male mason bees were out yesterday in Southern Missouri, but right now there are no blossoms on the trees yet. The buds are just now breaking.

This is the best reason to harvest your mason bee cocoons each fall. If left to nature and the mason bees are out before the blossoms are on the tree, the bees will starve, unless they can find substitute nectar.

If you harvest your cocoons, you can put them out when your trees are ready. This is one of those times where stepping in and assisting the bees will actually guarantee a better crop, while assuring the next generation of bees.

Sugar water like that used for hummingbirds is a good substitute in a pinch for a substitute nectar. Dandelions are out right now and that is also a good substitute. Mason bees prefer fruit tree pollen, but will use pollen and nectar from other sources if no fruit trees are available.

All Natural AgriGro Product Testimonials Starting to Roll In

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:02:42 -0400

We have had the AgriGro Products on our website for several months now and the user testimonials are starting to come in. Here is the latest one from Southern California.

James was using the Super-Cal Liquid Calcium and the Bountiful Harvest Biostimulant.

And Yes! Bountiful Harvest is Great on Turf, and almost every other plant.

"Hi Russ....

I've been using the Super Calcium and the Bio Stimulant on my lawns for over 6 months. Seeing the spectacular results; I began using the products on my flowers about 3 months ago. During the winter our Fescue grass has stayed dark green and robust. The St. Augustine grass goes dormant and turns a sickly yellow and lime green during the winter months. I found this year the St. Augustine started to turn deep green again but only much sooner than before. In late winter/early spring it was green again and I'm guessing before tax time ...April 15th... it will look fantastic.

Our flowers too look so much healthier and alive. Thanks for some really great products.

James Larsen
Brea, CA"

If you would like to learn more about AgriGro Products, please visit our products page by clicking the link provided.

Our Heroes Need Your Help

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:11:50 -0400

Hello everyone,

There is still no place like America. In this country we have freedoms that many countries wish they had. From the very beginning our nation's motto has been "In God We Trust" and this trust in God has guided many in our country like no other. Our love for Christ is the foundation for our concern for others and we are still the most generous nation on earth.

Won't you please consider a donation of any size to help those who have put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms?

"Heroes on the Water" is a unique organization that helps our wounded warriors by giving them a day away from the hospitals and therapy. They offer our veterans an exciting day fishing. But, not just any fishing, this is kayak fishing! Our heroes learn new kayaking skills under the supervision of highly trained and experienced kayak fishermen.

Heroes on the Water is changing people's lives, giving many veterans new hope, revived spirits, and renewed energy. It is totally free to all our veteran participants.

If Lawn Care Academy has helped you, please consider giving a donation of any amount. Best of all, 50% of your contribution goes directly to help our wounded warriors. The remainder goes toward research conducted by Lawn Care Academy and helps keep this site coming to your free of charge.

Thank you very much and thank you for your support for "Heroes on the Water".

Russ James, Owner
Lawn Care Academy

Buffalo Grass Lawns

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:35:39 -0400

Buffalo grass is the only turf grass native to the U.S. The newest varieties make beautiful lawns that are drought, disease and insect resistant.

Lawn Care Academy's Native Bee Research

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:41:55 -0400

Lawn Care Academy will be involved in native bee research for the Ozarks region in Missouri and Arkansas. As far as I know there is no official documentation of Orchard Mason Bees in this area. If you live in this area, or in somewhat close proximity, this may be helpful to you.

All we will be doing is documenting what is here. I will be filming and photographing my efforts and posting the progress for all to see.

Here is Some Exciting News

Yesterday evening I spoke to a friend who owns a farm near West Plains, MO. I was talking about my plans and about the mason bee. He had never heard of them, which tends to be the case 99% of the time. He told me about some "insect" that every year "plugs his gas lines, plastic tubes, and other openings with mud". I showed him a nesting tube and he said that is about the same diameter and length of the tubes that were plugged. This is encouraging news and I believe the culprit will prove to be the mason bee.

I am a little behind schedule on putting mason bee nesting products on my website. I have finally found what I think is the perfect nesting tubes and am working as quickly as possible to finish production and get them ready for sale. It should be very shortly.

Until then I will be putting more information on native bees for you to read. It is exciting research and I hope that everyone will someday have their own bee house for the gentle mason bee.

God Bless!

Spring in Midwest Still a Few Weeks Away

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:17:48 -0400

The Midwest and sections north are still in the grips of winter. Spring is not too far away, but it still lingers just over the horizon.

This is far different from January when the weather was much warmer and fooled many into believing we would have an early spring. However, this blast of cold may actually a blessing. When we have an early spring it seems to be followed by record heat and very dry summers. Hopefully we will be spared a lot of misery this year. I will certainly be praying for that.

Make use of the cold weather. Get your mowers and equipment tuned up if needed. Most people don't think about lawn equipment until it is time to use them, often leading to a flood of mowers being dropped of at repair shops. By the time you realize you need something worked on the repair shops are weeks behind schedule. It is always best to do this early.

I wrote in an earlier blog that it is time to apply crabgrass preemergents. This is true for the south, but for the Midwest and north where winter is still here, do not apply it just yet. Crabgrass seeds germinate when the soil temps reach 55 degrees for five consecutive days. Soil temps rise slower than air temps. Therefore, the appearance of crabgrass is still several weeks off for most people.

Homeowner preemergents are generally effective for a maximum of 4 to 5 months. If you apply it too soon it may lose effectiveness at peak crabgrass periods.

Checking Out the Bags of Fertilizer on Store Shelves...

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:21:35 -0400

I am amazed at all the fertilizer on the shelves and so much of it is designed to do one thing: Meet the expectations of homeowners, not the needs of the grass.

So isn't the expectation of most homeowners to have a dark green lawn? While this is true, it is often gained at the expense of the grass.

For example, there is a popular fertilizer product containing 35% nitrogen. The bag states, "Can be used all year long without burning your grass." While that may be true, what it doesn't tell you is that you must apply it very differently for different grass types and for different times of the year. Fescue, in the summer months, requires very little nitrogen. If you apply too much you can actually harm or kill your grass. It takes an experienced turf manager to apply higher rates of nitrogen followed by an intensive maintenance program.

Nick Christians, Professor of Horticulture, Iowa state university, and author of "Fundamentals of Turfgrass Management" writes "The management of the nitrogen fertility program will quickly separate the experience from the inexperienced."

You can find all the answers you need to develop and manage YOUR fertility program on the pages of Lawn Care Academy. It is one of the few websites that will instruct all who want to learn about lawn maintenance and more. Enjoy.

Bald Faced Hornet Facts Page

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:27:37 -0400

The bald faced hornet has a well-deserved reputation, especially when defending their nest. However, hornet nest removal is easy following a time-tested common sense approach.

Time to Apply Preemergents for Crabgrass Control

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:24:55 -0400

Crabgrass is an annual grassy weed that starts from seed each year. It spreads quickly once it germinates and is very difficult to control once it starts growing.

Chemical Preemergents

The absolute best and easiest way to control crabgrass is to apply a preemergent. Preemergents are chemicals that stops crabgrass at the seed stage before it gets a chance to grow. Many spring fertilizers come with preemergence additives already in the bag. Just apply the fertilizer a usual, water it in and you on your way to controlling crabgrass.

Here is the important part. Most preemergents must be applied before the crabgrass germinates. If it is applied after the seeds have germinated it will have no effect. Crabgrass seeds will germinate when soil temperatures reach 55 degrees and hold steady for 5 consecutive days. Southern states will reach that temperature before northern states. In center of the U.S., the time to apply preemergents is about the first of April.

The preemergent with the trade name "Dimension" is the only preemergent that will control crabgrass seeds and continue to kill crabgrass after it germinates, but only to the seedling stage.

Most crabgrass preemergence chemicals will not control broadleaf weeds regardless of what the label says. "Gallery" is one of the better preemergents that will control the germination of broadleaf weed seeds, but is not so hot on crabgrass seeds.

Dimension and Barricade (trade names) will generally last all year controlling crabgrass and foxtails with a single application.

Organic Preemergents

The only organic preemergent is Corn Gluten. It is a natural product from feed corn industry.

It must be applied at a minimum of 10 lbs per thousand and heavier in areas where crabgrass is an annual problem.

The N-P-K is approx. 10-1-0. Maximum effectiveness is about 5 to 6 weeks.

Apply the corn gluten and water it in well. It works be absorbing water so the newly germinated seeds desiccate quickly. It is less effective in high rain areas since soaking wet corn gluten will not absorb moisture from the seedlings.

With 10% nitrogen, the nitrogen needs of the grass need to be taken into account before applying corn gluten.

It has no other weed contolling properties except as a preemergent no matter what you may read.

Most Important Rule for Growing Pecan Trees

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:04:02 -0400

Hey everyone. I have some info about pecan trees I bet you didn't know. Pecan are wonderful nut and shade trees. Growing up in Texas I remember collecting and taking home several bags of pecans from my uncle's trees. I didn't so much like cracking all the shells, but eating the pecans was great.

Do you know what the most important thing your pecan tree needs? The answer: Zinc.

That's right, pecans need zinc, but they are terrible at removing the zinc and transporting it. This means you will need to apply it.

Mixture Ratio

By far, the number one method of applying zinc is to spray it on the tree foliage. The most commonly used zinc is zinc sulfate. Standard ratio is 2 lbs zinc sulfate per 100 gallons of water.

Important Things to Know

Zinc is immovable inside the tree. This means that once the zinc is absorbed and comes to rest in a particular area of the tree, it will not move from there. That application benefits existing growth, so any new growth after it has been applied will not benefit from the zinc application. Therefore, to fix this, commercial growers will spray zinc about every 2 to 3 weeks until the growth period is over, sometime around early summer.

Without zinc you will have a poor pecan crop. Zinc comes in two primary forms. There is soil applied zinc and sprayable zinc. Most should try the spray zinc if you have a sprayer that will reach the top. A hose end sprayer will help.

One thing to keep in mind if using soil applied zinc. First, check your soil pH before applying zinc. If you have high pH and apply granular zinc to the soil, the soil chemistry will alter the zinc making it unavailable to the tree. In those cases, spraying is the only and best option.

Gallinipper Mosquitoes in U.S. - Fierce Jumanji Style Bugs

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 12:52:18 -0400

Did you ever see the movie Jumanji? In one scene, large, fierce mosquitoes came out of the game and starting coming after everyone.

While that is a movie exaggeration, gallinipper mosquitoes are 20 times larger than normal mosquitoes and the bite is extremely painful. They are the size of quarters and said to be very aggressive.

You cannot mistake the bite of a gallinipper. People compare it to being stabbed. Some compare it to a mild wasp sting. There is no venom, so immediately following the bite it stops hurting.

Florida is expected to get a large crop of gallinippers this year. These are floodwater mosquitoes, meaning they emerge after large amounts of rain. The eggs can remain dormant for years until the conditions are right. With the last hurricane slamming the coast, these mosquitoes are predicted to be bad.

Gallinippers have been found from Florida to Canada. I am sure they extend down through Mexico and South America, but my research is primarily for the U.S. and Canada.

Wear strong bug repellent if in gallinipper territory. Light clothing will not stop them. The bug spray may only be somewhat effective. There size and aggressive nature may be greater than the bug stray's repelling power, according to some who have first hand experience.

Click the link for more information on Gallinipper Mosquitoes.

Harvesting Mason Bee Cocoons

Sun, 3 Mar 2013 21:32:52 -0500

Harvesting mason bee cocoons is one of the best things you can do for them. Find out why it is so important to the health and life of your bees.

Types of Mason Bee Houses

Sat, 2 Mar 2013 20:20:35 -0500

A detailed look at the various types of mason bee houses.

CBS News: Honeybees Least Efficient at Pollination

Fri, 1 Mar 2013 09:50:09 -0500

I was just watching the CBS morning news ticker tape while sipping my coffee. It read: "Wild insects more efficient at pollination than honeybees". "Wild insects" include native bees. Native bees that we can easily attract and manage include mason bees and leafcutter bees.

Whenever the news media mentions bees, it is almost 100% referring to honeybees. I have never heard of a report by the news media about native bees.

No doubt, honeybees are wonderful insects. However, for pollination, native bees are much better.

The good thing is that native bees are gentle, do not swarm, rarely sting, do not produce honey, and can be raised by anyone. With a little supervision, even children can raise them.

What do we hope to gain by raising native bees? Lots! More efficient pollination means more fruit and nuts, more flowers, and more bees. With the honeybee in decline, raising native bees actually increases the population. It is very easy.

I will be posting more pages on native bees and how you can get involved with raising them. Stay tuned!

Daffodils on Ice

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 20:41:35 -0500

If you are looking for some hardy early spring plants, daffodils are a great choice.

I have seen the leaves two inches tall during an exceptionally warm December just to be hammered with ice and 10 below 0 temps in January. Yet they survived with no damage at all.

This is the first time I have seen them with flowers about to open frozen in ice. I am curious to see if they come through okay. I have a feeling they will.

One thing I know, of all the flowers I can think of there is nothing quite as hardy as daffodils when it comes to freezing weather.

Honeybee Decline Threatens World's Almond Crop

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:12:38 -0500

Due to the shortage of honeybees, the almond industry is at risk. California grows 80% of the world's almonds and there is not enough bees to pollinate all the trees. The situation is getting serious.

Colony Collapse Disorder kills billions of bees each year and wipes out entire hives. So far we do not have a cure for this disorder.

California's Almond orchards consist of hundreds of thousands of trees. Orchard owners lease bee hives, which is a huge business in itself. There simply is not enough hives to pollinate all the blossoms. The hives that are still available are not always full. Colony Colapse Disorder is taking its toll.

What is the Solution?

There is no simple solution, but one of the best fixes is to use mason bees. Mason bees are native to North America and are actually far better pollinators than honeybees. Long before honeybees were brought from Europe, native bees did 100% bee pollination.

The California Almond Board is looking into mason bees to assist in pollination.

To check out the original article click on this link. Fewer Bees Threaten World's Almond Supply

Sitemap for Lawn Care Academy

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:16:53 -0500

Lawn Care Academy's Sitemap makes finding information painless. All our pages are listed for easy access.

Calling All Organic Farmers and Home Gardners!!

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:45:53 -0500

If you are a certified organic farmer, a non-certified organic farmer, home or backyard gardner, or even a conventional gardener looking an all natural, well-proven alternative, we have what you need!

A big problem with many organic products is the lack of verified testing. You don't know if they work or not. Agri-Gro products have been extensively tested, not only on vegetable crops, but row crops, fruit and nut trees, flowers, and many other plants.

We have a certified organic formula for organic farmers. The other formulas contain 100% all natural ingredients. They are completely safe around children and pets from the moment it is applied.

Check out the link for the Turf Formula results! You really need to add this to your program.

Contact me via the contact form, leave your phone number and let's talk. You owe it to yourself, your family, and your bottom line to try one of our products.

These are definitely not your grandfather's organics! Check out these certified test results.

A Sample of Certified Test Results (Partial List)

Cotton: Agri-Gro plot produced 119 pounds additional lint/acre over check plot. (test replicated 4 times) University of Missouri 1998

Corn: In a five year independent study, the Agri-Gro plot with a 15% reduction in N and 33% reduction in P & K rates, increased corn yields by an average of 9 bushels/acre compared to the check plot which received full rates of NPK. Missouri research 1994-1998

Soybeans: In a five year independent study, the Agri-Gro plot, with a 33% reduction of P & K rates, increased soybean yields by an average of 8 bushels/acre compared to the check plot which received full rates of P & K. This represents an average of $51.81/ acre more net profit each year. Missouri research 1994-1998

Tomatoes: Agri-Gro increased yields by 122% in weight and 104% in numbers in "Husky" tomatoes. (test replicated 4 times) SEMO State University 1998

Carrots: Agri-Gro increased yields by 113% in weight and 16% in numbers in "Fullback" carrots over the check plot. (Test replicated 4 times) SEMO State University 1998

Onions: In a study comparing 16 different growth additives, Agri-Gro came out on top in all areas, producing the hightest yield, grade, and a profit of $633/acre more than the check plot. (test replicated 6 times) Oregon State University 1999

Snap Beans: In Roma II and Hialeah varieties, Agri-Gro increased yields by 17.4 bushels/acre over the check plot. This represents and increase of $ 144.25/acre in net profit. (test replicated 6 times) University of Tennessee 2000

Potatoes: Agri-Gro increased premium potato yields by 36.8% and grade A potato yields by 26% compared to the check plot. This represented an increase of $815.00/acre more profit. University of Florida / Wetumpka Fruit Co.

Call now to be ready for the planting application. At only a pint to quart per acre, a five gallon box will go a long way. It has a four year shelf life.

Using Vinegar for Weed Control

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:51:49 -0500

Many articles have been written about using Vinegar (acetic acid) as a weed herbicide on field crops to lawn care. It is part of the organic integrated pest management handbook. Here are the pros and cons.

Note: It is not legal to use any vinegar product as a herbicide unless labeled for herbicide use. There are commercial vinegar products labeled for weed control.

Pros for Vinegar Use

Vinegar kills plant tissue quickly by breaking down the cell membranes.

80% to 100% of newly emerged or young weeds will be completely controlled.

Commercial Acetic Acid contains up to 30 acetic acid and at that rate can even temporarily lower soil pH according to Dr. John Teasdale.

Vinegar does not accumulate in the soil and quickly breaks down.

Vinegar is a non-selective herbicide, meaning it will kill whatever plant tissue it touches. Multiple broadleaf and grassy weeds can be controlled.

Cons for Using Vinegar

Any acetic acid concentrations over 5% can be hazardous to your skin and eyes and sensitive membranes, so you should wear the proper personal protection equipment (PPE).

Acetic Acid at or below 5% (i.e. household vinegar) will have a minimal effect.

Acetic acid is a "contact" herbicide, meaning it is non-systemic and will only kill the tissue it touches.

Vinegar will not control large or mature weed effectively.

Any weeds that spread and/or reproduce by below ground tubers, bulbs, roots, etc. will not be controlled effectively.

The USDA recommends that weeds within field crops, such as corn, etc, be spot sprayed to avoid contact with desirable plant tissues.

Controlling Pollen Mites for Healthy Bees

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:37:04 -0500

Pollen mites are a naturally occurring pest of (Osima) mason bees. Here's instructions for removing and cleaning cocoons in the fall to assure your bees are healthy.

Calculating Turfgrass Fertilizer Rates

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 12:27:37 -0500

Understanding fertilizer rates can be confusing. Applying a precise amount regardless of the fertilizer type is easy with the right calculations.

South China Pollinates Trees By Hand - Lack of Bees

Wed, 6 Feb 2013 10:00:16 -0500

Did you know that South China has such as decrease in bee populations that their apple and pear trees are pollinated by hand. Yes, the tedious work of using a small artist brush to brush pollen over every blossom.

Don't let that happen here. Lawn Care Academy is taking a pro-active stance on protecting our bees by teaching homeowners about our native solitary bees. They are super-pollinators. Most are non-aggressive and can even be held in your hand.

This is one instance where raising solitary bees actually increases their chances of survival and increases their health when done properly. Best of all it is very easy to do.

More articles are coming along with opportunities to own your own solitary bee house. Stay tuned through February.

First the Honeybees, Now Bumblebees Are In Decline

Mon, 4 Feb 2013 16:58:26 -0500

It's no secret that honeybees are declining in number. Since they were brought over from Europe in the 17th century, they have been the media superstars hitting the front page of news articles. Indeed, they are extremely important and we need to save them.

Are Native Bees Next?

Are the native bumblebees the next to decline? The Franklin's Bumblebee may already be extinct. The last sighting was in 2006.

St. Louis Zoo's "Center for Native Pollinator Conservation" suggests the native bee populations may be declining faster than the European honeybees. Why don't we know about this? It's that the 4000 native bees species in North America get almost zero media attention. However, that is finally changing.

Native bees, such as bumble bees, mason bees, leafcutter bees, etc. are extremely important to plant pollination. They are all super-pollinators. Tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries, sunflowers, beans, and others are mainly pollinated by native bees.

What We Can Do to Help

Many native bees are very gentle and non-aggressive. They can be "managed" by us. Bees, such as mason bees, leafcutter bees, and others do not live in hives and, therefore, do not have the instinct to sting in protection of the hive. Rather, they are solitary bees that live in holes left behind by tree boring insects.

We can actually help our native bees by supplying them with a clean "bee house" - a box containing many holes just the right size and depth. You will learn all about it soon.

Stay tuned, before the end of the month we will have full instructions and teach you how to care for these life-essential insects.

Mason Bee Pollination vs Honeybee Pollination

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:45:49 -0500

The mason bee is many times more efficient at pollination than honeybees. See why mason bees may be the perfect addition to your home garden or backyard orchard.

Have a Barbeque Recipe You Want to Share?

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:02:46 -0500

Hello folks, Spring is still a couple months away, but that doesn't slow down many of us. Our barbeque grills are still getting a workout. Do you have a favorite barbeque recipe? Then please share it with us. Send it to Lawn Care Academy via our contact page (this keeps out spammers). We will post it on the site along with a short bio, if you choose. If you want to send a photo, contact me and I will send you an email address for the photos. Thanks so much. Russ James
Lawn Care Academy

Common Soil Lime Application Errors

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 19:42:32 -0500

Soil Lime Application Facts and Errors

It is funny how fast errors spread and continue to spread. It is also strange that the truth about turf science is easily found and taught in colleges for decades, but for some reason it doesn't seem to get around.

The science of soil lime hasn't changed much in the last 50 years. However, bad advice from store clerks that sell soil lime products persists.

Commonly Repeated Errors

Store Clerk: "You can't put on too much lime. It only sweetens the soil. Lime every year if you like."

Now for the Truth

Here is an excerpt from the textbook first published in the 50's. "Our Soils and Their Management" Roy L. Donahue (Professor of Soil Science, Michigan State University) P.154

"it may be easy to get too much lime at one time on sandy and tropical soils. Too rapid increase in soil pH may reduce the availability of nearly all plant nutrients. Phosphorus, iron, boron, manganese, and zinc are especially sensitive to large applications of lime. It also reduces Potash (potassium) ...Overliming injury is less on clay soils and and on soils with plenty of organic matter...

While the above information is common knowledge for those educated in turf management, it is still not well-known outside of those circles.

A Few Soil Lime Facts

The maximum lime application at one time is 50 lbs per thousand square feet. This is the maximum even if the soil test calls for more than that to bring the pH up to the correct level. It is better to make a couple applications several months apart than to make one large application.

Heavily core aerate your soil before liming will help the lime get into the soil faster.

You can lime any time of the year, but it will need microorganisms to break it down so it can be taken up by the roots. It can take several months to affect soil pH. Microorganisms are most active in warm weather.

Some grass types, such as Centipede Grass, can be harmed by lime. Certain precautions need to be used when liming certain lawn grasses.

Reasons to Start Raising Native Mason Bees

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 18:05:56 -0500

There is a growing popularity in raising a group of specific native American bees described as "solitary bees". Solitary bees include the family of mason bees, along with their close relatives, the hornfaced bees.

they appear to have one primary purpose in nature - the task of pollination. They definitely excel at it. These bees are many times more efficient at pollination than honey bees. In fact, 250 to 300 mason bees can do the job of pollination equal to an entire hive of honey bees. More detailed information about these friendly, non-aggressive bees can be found on my mason bee page.

Most people new to raising bees have concerns about bees stings, so with that in mind, here are a few reasons to raise your own bees are below:

Solitary bees are not aggressive and very rarely sting. Most people will never experience a sting from one of these bees. If they do sting, it is extremely mild.

Mason bees are active in much cooler weather than honey bees and can even fly in wet, drizzly weather.

Solitary bees have no queen and they do not swarm. Therefore, they will not attack, even when handling their bee house. Most stings occur when a bee gets trapped in clothing and pressure is applied to the bee, such as in the bend of the arm.

You can collect bee cocoons, store them till early spring and then set them out when you need the bees to start flying. This is a simple process and easy to do. Over time you can collect hundreds of cocoons from several houses. This translates to an incredible force working your flowers and blossoms. You can sell the excess cocoons to friends and neighbors so they can benefit from these hard working bees.

You can provide a nesting house for the bees and set it up in your yard. This is what most people do. We will be selling a variety of bee houses very soon.

Unlike honey bees, solitary bees do not like to travel far from their nesting house, so they will stay close to your blossoms.

Raising solitary bees is a fun hobby and are fantastic pollinators. More information on mason bees will be coming in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Thinking of Adding Lawn Fertilization to Your Current Lawn Care Business? Read This First.

Tue, 8 Jan 2013 11:02:01 -0500

Interested in adding lawn fertilization to your current lawn mowing or lawn care buisiness? You may have asked "What do I really need to know to be successful?" First, it is important to know that lawn fertilization is in a whole different class than lawn mowing and the knowledge you need to know is tremendously higher. I have often walked new "lawn fertility specialists" through the process of diagnosing problems they never saw coming.

One of the problems with large fertilization businesses is the actual workers that apply the fertilizer and weed control usually do not know a thing about turf science. They do not understand grass fertility, differences in grass types, turf diseases or their causes, etc. They were only hired to apply a certain amount of fertilizer and head to the next lawn on their list. The result is the company is frequently upselling fungicides or fixes to the problems they caused. This is not good business.

Most of what a person needs to know about fertilization and caring for a lawn can be found on the pages of Lawn Care Academy. It is written as an educational resource for that purpose. Continue looking through our pages for everything you need to know for that great looking lawn. What you can't find you can write and ask me.

If you want further information about adding lawn fertility to your program, then please contact me. Since their are few resources on this topic I am considering writing an e-book especially for those looking to advance their lawn care business to include lawn fertilization along with everything associated with it. If you might be interested in reading this, contact me via our contact page and tell me. If I get enough responses I will write the book and make it available on this website.

Understanding the Orchard Mason Bee Life Cycle

Thu, 3 Jan 2013 20:43:11 -0500

Orchard mason bees are the super pollinators of the bee world. Take a glimpse into this gentle bee's life cycle for valuable information you can use to attract them.

The Incredible Orchard Mason Bees

Tue, 1 Jan 2013 20:46:40 -0500

Orchard mason bees are native bees and super incredible pollinators. Find out how to attract this friendly bee to your garden.

Mason Bees - North America's Amazing Native Bees

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:38:55 -0500

The North American native bees are called Mason Bees. (Another name for this bee is the Blue Orchard Bee). They actually do not look like bees, but look more like flies with a blue color. Ever heard of them? They are super incredible little workers. In fact 500 mason bees can do the same job of pollination as 25,000 honey bees.

In case you didn't know, honey bees were introduced a few hundred years ago from Europe. They are wonderful bees in their own right. However, honey bees are in trouble and their numbers are declining. Hence, the renewed interest in America's native bees.

Here are some facts on Mason Bees

Mason Bees are not aggressive and rarely sting.

Male Mason Bees do not have stingers. The female mason bees' stinger is really an egg tube. There is no venom injected and the sting feels like a mosquito bite.

Mason Bees do not swarm and will not attack.

Mason Bees do not produce honey.

Mason Bees are often mistaken for large house flies.

Mason Bees can live in man-made "homes" set up in your garden.

Mason Bees stay close to their "homes" and rarely travel long distances making them your private pollinators.

Being such gentle bees, they are great projects for teaching kids about nature.

Small to large orchards, city gardens, etc are now trying to figure out how to use mason bees instead of honey bees for pollination due to a lack of honey bees and because mason bees are so industrious. Some orchard owners have reported double the fruit since using mason bees. It will do the same for your garden plants are well.

Stay tuned for more info on mason bees. I will show you how to maintain your very own mason bees for your garden. I will also be giving away a free mason bee house that can be set up in your own garden this spring. That information will be in a coming blog.

Winter Snow Can Be Your Plant's Best Friend

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 16:42:14 -0500

Some parts of the country receive a lot of winter snow. Most people don't mind snow as long as they don't have to be out in it, however, it can be used to your plant's advantage.

Nitrogen Content of Winter Snow

Winter snow contains a slight amount of nitrogen. According to Alaska researchers about 12 lbs per acre. This amount has increased since the industrial revolution and increased burning of fossil fuels. The more snow that falls, the more nitrogen enters the ground as it melts. However, in the dead of winter it is not as valuable as summer nitrogen. It may be the most advantageous to legume type plants, like clover, that fix nitrogen. With legumes, the bacteria in the roots that fix nitrogen have very low temperature tolerances.

However, just for fun, it is interesting to know that most nitrogen in the atmosphere is formed from lightening. Researchers say as much as 70% of atmospheric nitrogen comes from lightening. Therefore, thunder snows may contain more nitrogen.

The drawback to nitrogen within melting snow is that nitrogen is one of the most unstable elements in the soil. Nitrogen from winter snow can easily be leached below the root zone before the soil can warm sufficiently enough for plants to use it. Snow melt from mountain areas to lower areas is much better since the lower regions may have emerged from dormancy and can take advantage of the nitrogen content.

Piling Snow Over Dormant Plants

One of the worst things that can happen is when a warm spell draws plants out of dormancy just to have a cold front come through and injure them. If you take the snow from other areas of the lawn and pile it over the plants, it maintains a consistent temperature for a longer period and can save many plants for early emergence. Bulb, flowering shrubs, perennial plants that respond to warming soil temperatures can be delayed in this manner. Of course this may be most practical in northern regions where snow keeps longer.

In addition, many seeds need a sustained amount of cold temperatures followed by warming before they are able to germinate. We have duplicated the process with refrigerators where we can get precise control for cherished landscape plants, but winter snow and then thawing is natures way of performing this function.

You can also view an article from the Anchorage Daily News for additional information on how snow can benefit plants.

Ever Heard of a Zombie Fly? Check This Out.

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:17:10 -0500

As if honey bees didn't have enough problems, enter the Zombie Fly. Zombie flies are parasitic flies that lay eggs on bumble bees and paper wasps. The eggs hatch and eat the insides of the host. However, they have expanded their range and have been observed parasitizing honey bees as well.

(The photo shows a tiny zombie fly laying eggs inside a honey bee. Photo courtesy of zombeewatch.org.)

Originally found in California and along the west coast, they are now found in many states across the nation and their range is expanding. They have only recently been found to include honey bees as their victims.

Honey bees that have been infected by zombie flies will start to behave oddly. The bees will leave the nests and fly at night. They will remain alone until they die. Often they will be seen around porch lights at night much like moths or June bugs.

Here is How You Can Help

If you manage honey bee hives, watch for tiny flies or look for bees acting in odd or erratic behavior. The zombee watch group needs citizen scientists to report back to them where these flies have migrated to.

For more information on zombie flies, click on the zombeewatch.org

How Effective is Winter Overseeding?

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 21:03:07 -0500

Winter overseeding is when a person scatters seed over snow or over frozen ground. I hear of a lot of people doing and recommending this as an easy way of lawn overseeding. However, two years ago I put it to the test and will again share the results.

The philosophy behind scattering seed in winter is that it will eventually work into the soil as snow melts and through the thawing and freezing process, then germinate as the soil warms in the spring.

How I Conducted the Winter Overseeding Test

I overseeded a measured plot of ground directly onto about 4 inches of freshly fallen snow and left the seed. I checked the seed after the snow melted a week later and some of the seed had a translucent appearance, meaning the seed had absorbed water.

It was still far too cold for any seed to germinate. The problem is that seed needs to be kept dry until you are certain it can germinate shortly after.

Results have proven to be about one quarter as effective as normal seeding at a proper time. This is because the seed absorbs moisture when the snow melts, yet is still unable to germinate. Water absorption turns the seed back on triggering the development of hormones, etc. Then the seed freezes again, killing the seed. Most of the seed perished as a result.

Remarkably, however, some seed did germinate the following spring, but it was only a fraction of what was scattered. This small flush of growth is what keeps people recommending this method, probably not realizing only a portion of the seed germinated.

If you purchase high quality seed, it is better to plant at a specific time, water and care for the seedlings as you should achieve better results. If you can purchase some inexpensive seed at a farm store for under a dollar a pound, then you can always seed heavily and try it. Still you will get the best results when seeding at the proper time.

Don't forget that with cool season grasses, grass overseeding in early fall is much better than seeding in the spring, except for cold climates like northern Canada or Alaska. In Alaska summer temperatures rarely get above 85, so spring seeding will work fine.

However, in the lower 48, if you seed in the spring you run the risk of watching the young grass perish in the heat of early summer, since it often takes several months to develop a deep and broad root system capable of handling prolonged heat stress. Lawn overseeding cool season grasses in the fall allows for sufficient time for root development.

How ObamaCare will Affect Small Businesses

Sun, 9 Dec 2012 15:00:32 -0500

Small lawn maintenance businesses probably will be okay... for now. The "Affordable Health Care Act" or ObamaCare primarily affects small businesses with over 50 employees. The rules that cover businesses is called the "Free Rider Provision".

An Example of How it Appears to Apply to Businesses

For a company with 60 employees (10 over the minimum) that does not provide company insurance, and one single employee purchases their own insurance through an "exchange", the company will be charged $2000.00 because he didn't provide that employee with company insurance.

However, under the idea of equality to all, the new law feels if one person in the company has insurance then all should have it at company expense or be fined.

So, without insurance, the company will then be fined $2000.00 for the remainder of the employees (minus the first 30 employees, as some type of government grace) who doesn't have insurance.

Therefore, the company will be charged $60000.00 in "taxes" for not providing insurance to its employees. Here is the breakdown: 60 employees minus 30 employee exclusion = 30 employees X $2000.00 = $60000.00 in fines.

What if the Employer Provides Insurance?

If everyone has insurance, then fine. (You will be taxed for a cadillac insurance plan though, since, in part, the government feels it is not fair to those who don't have as good insurance.)

For every person not covered by company insurance, the fine will be 3000.00 per person who is not covered or the total number of employees minus 30 X $2000.00 - which ever cost is less. If 6 employees do not have insurance, then the lowest fine will be $18000.00 to the company.

What If the Company Hires Only Part Time Employees?

The government accounts for that too. Part time employees who work 30 hours a day - every 120 hours of part time employee work equals one full time employee. Hire enough part time and you will still pay.

The Great Big Giant Glaring Problem!

Many small businesses simply can't afford it. If companies will be charged tens of thousands of dollars in fines, like it or not, many companies will simply reduce employees to 50 or hire employees at less than 30 hours a week. In the end, the employee still suffers, loses his job or reduced hours, and will still be forced to purchase his own insurance at his own expense or risk being fined.

How Grass Fertilizer Prevents Lawn Deterioration

Thu, 6 Dec 2012 16:08:47 -0500

Why is lawn fertilization important? See why the nutrients from grass fertilizer may be the only thing standing between a healthy, vigorous lawn and a lawn that is deteriorating.

Gray Snow Mold. Really? Yep, and How to Avoid It.

Wed, 5 Dec 2012 12:45:35 -0500

Just when you thought nothing else could go wrong, I write about Gray Snow Mold. This disease is primarily a winter lawn disease of northern states and Canada. It is called gray snow mold because this particular fungi has to have a consistent blanket of snow on the ground for over one month for development. It is a disease of cool season grasses.

Southern states generally will not have problems with this disease because of the lack of prolonged snow.

The disease is worse when a lot of snow falls on over-fertilized lawns. It is easy to identify. Round diseased spots will appear after the snow melts.

Over-fertilized lawns are most susceptible. Gray Snow Mold will feed voraciously and spread rapidly on the high nitrogen, succulent grass that received way too much fertilizer in the fall. So, pay close attention to the amount of nitrogen your grass receives each fall. Follow the guidelines on Lawn Care Academy website.

While lowering the nitrogen applied in fall is not a cure, it will help. If you have had problems before, applying a fungicide before winter snow is expected will help. The less amount of time the snow is present on the ground the better. Clearing snow, if possible, from heavy shaded areas also works since they will get hit the hardest.