Make your Crepe Myrtle blooms last all season! Cut back the seed pods on your Crepe Myrtles after they have bloomed out to get an extra bloom cycle. You can do this in early summer to late fall. If you are lucky, you can get 3-4 bloom cycles instead of just one.

Chinch bugs or Grubs? Most people start to get Chinch bugs in late May or June, but many times they can show up all summer during hot, dry periods. If you have a Chinch bug infestation they are easy to spot. Most of the time you will see dozens crawling at the surface or all over your sidewalk or driveway as well! If you are unsure, take some soapy water and soak the area affected and watch the critters come crawling out. Many people mistake grub damage for Chinch bugs. A telling sign that you have grubs is if you can grab your St. Augustine sod with your hands and pull it up like a carpet. If this is the case, take a spade and dig up an area and you should find your grubs. Some insecticides will kill both, but some of the more effective treatments for grubs aren't labeled for Chinch bugs, so be sure and read your labels when purchasing any product.

Brown Patch! If you have a healthy St. Augustine lawn and live in the Houston area, chances are you will get the ever persistent fungus we call Brown Patch. Almost without fail the last week in September, we will get a couple of cool, wet nights into the low 50's and rain. When that happens, chances are you've already got Brown Patch. Be prepared to treat your lawn preventively around that last week of September. Watch your labels of the products you buy as some will last only 7-10 days and others can last up to a month.



Back to Tips and Tricks....