Attack of the Chinch Bugs! What Can We Do About Them?
written by: M.E. Merchant and R.L. Crocker
__One of the biggest turf problems right now drought and chinch bugs. The bad issue with this is they go hand in hand. "In Texas, adult chinch bugs are inactive during the winter. Reproduction begins after the appearance of warm weather in the spring. Under optimal conditions, each female can deposit up to 300 eggs, which hatch in about 2 weeks. This speed of development allows time for three to five chinch bug generations each year. However, as the season progresses generations tend to overlap heavily, with the result that all stages normally are found together. Mouthparts of the southern chinch bug consist of a long, slender beak, which is held close to the midline of the underside of the insect when not feeding. Chinch bug damage is due not just to the direct effects of feeding, but also to phytotoxic effects of the saliva." (1)
__A chinch bug infestation can be identified by noticing "expanding, irregular patches of dead or stunted grass surrounded by a halo of yellowing, dying grass often provide the first clue to the presence of chinch bugs. These islands of dying grass tend to increase in size and merge as insect numbers increase. Damage can develop rapidly, especially in sunny locations during hot, dry weather." (1)
__"Ways to manage the control of chinch bugs starts with proper lawn care. Keeping thatch to a minimum, for example, reduces chinch bug numbers and makes other control methods more effective. Thatch is the layer of dead plant material found between the green tops of the grass plant and the soil below. Thatch provides a protective home for chinch bugs, and chemically binds with many insecticides, making such controls less effective. Good water and fertility management, thatch control, and use of resistant grass varieties dramatically reduce the need for insecticides to control chinch bugs. However, when dead and dying zones in turf-grass are accompanied by the presence of chinch bugs, some corrective action is needed. Chemical insecticides, when used according to label directions, can provide a rapid reduction in chinch bug numbers. " (1)
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For landscape assistance, maintenance or installation, please contact us at:
Houston
(713)682-7442
President
Greg McNabb
gmcnabb@pamperedlawns.com
Vice Presidents
Jason McNabb
Manages: North & Central Offices
jmcnabb@pamperedlawns.com
Kelly (McNabb) Aylesworth
Manages: Southwest & Galveston Offices
kmcnabb@pamperedlawns.com
Maintenance Sales & Marketing
Jared McNabb
jaredm@pamperedlawns.com
Installation/Construction
Jay Hartley
jhartley@pamperedlawns.com
Identifying Plant Problems
written by: Greg McNabb
__Are your shade trees drab and dreary? Are your fern fronds turning brown? Is your bug load on the increase? If your answer to any of the questions above is yes, then you're experiencing a Texas Summer!
__You don't have to manage commercial landscapes too long in the hot Southwest before you discover that insects and diseases will threaten your work constantly. By learning to diagnose those problems promptly and accurately, however, you'll be ahead of potential problems.
Problem |
Symptoms |
Plants Affected |
| Aphids | Distorted growth, honeydew residue | Photonias, Crepe Myrtles, Roses |
| Bagworms | Foliage stripped, small twigs w/bags | Junipers, Cedars, broadleaf plants |
| Borers | Plant decline, water lines cut, holes bored in trees. | Trees, soft and hardwood |
| Chinch Bugs | Turf dry, but doesn't respond to watering | St. Augustine lawns |
| Elm Leaf Beetles | Leaves eaten, foliage skeletonized | Chinese, American Elms |
| Lacebugs | Leaves turn spotty brown, black waxy specks on underside | Pyracantha, Sycamores, Elms |
| Scales | Plant decline | Euonymus, Camellias, Hollies, fruit and shade trees |
| Spider Mites | Leaf tissue dies, also webbing | Marigolds, other flowering plants |
| Webworms | Foliage stripped off major limbs | Pecans, Persimmons, other shade and nut trees |
| White Grubs | Plant roots severed, dead grass on top of ground | Bermuda and St. Augustine grasses |
| Whiteflies | Minor plant damage | Privet, Gardenias, Daisies |
| Anthracnose | Leaf deterioration | Sycamores |
| Bacterial Leaf Spots | Dark-green spots turning brown | General landscape plants |
| Crown Gall | Plants wither and die | Roses, Euonymus, Fruit trees |
| Fire Blight | Twigs and plants die suddenly, look scorched | Roses, Pyracantha, Loquat |
| Fungal Leaf Spots | Spotting, black spores | Lawn grasses and landscape plants |
| Nematodes | Roots form swollen glands, plants die | Ajuga, Gardenias |
| Powdery Mildew | White or gray fungal growth over leaf surfaces | Zinnia, Crepe Myrtle, Euonymus, Photonia |
| St. Augustine Decline | Yellow mottling of turf | St. Augustine |
Don't Bag It
__There is a common misconception about bagging your grass clippings. Many believe that leaving clippings on your lawn will increase the levels of thatch. This is false. Clippings are eighty percent water and decompose rather quickly. This is not the case with thatch. Thatch is composed of dead roots and stems and is most often caused by over fertilizing and over watering.
__The whole point of leaving grass clippings on your lawn will allow them to decompose and feed the turf as a natural fertilizer. You are essentially are allowing the grass to feed itself.
"Mowing techniques and tips"
- "Any mower can recycle grass clippings. Simply remove the grass catcher! Ask your lawn mower dealer if a special safety plug or adapter kit is needed to convert your mower into a "recycling" mower. You can also have a mulching blade installed.
- Keep your grass mowed to 2"-3" tall.
- Do not remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade in any single mowing. For example, if your lawn is kept at 2" tall, it should not be allowed to grow higher than 3" before it is mowed again.
- Mow when the grass is dry.
- Keep your mower blade sharp because dull mowers tear the grass blade, injuring the plant, and create a brownish cast to the turf.
- If excessive growth occurs between mowing, raise the mower height, mow and then gradually lower it over a span of several mowings. This will help prevent shock to the plants."(2)
Hot Season Annuals
__In a palette of hues ranging from soft, subtle shades to bold color, blooming annuals can add vibrant beauty to the natural tapestry of a landscape. Botanically, an annual is a plant which completes its life cycle in a year or less. Varieties from asters to zinnias fall into this category.
__Warm to hot season annuals which perform well in our regional heat include hardy varieties of lantana, plumbago, impatiens, begonias, caladiums, salvias and shrub rose varieties. They are valued for their long blooming periods and can thrive in full sun with adequate mulching and watering.
__To add height as well as color to a garden setting which receives full sun, consider such choices as asters, poppies and daisies. Select impatiens, certain varieties of begonias, and geraniums for fully or partially shaded areas. Coleus, valued for its colorful foliage, is treated as an annual in this climate and also thrives in partially shaded areas.
Understanding Irrigation Controllers
__Understanding irrigation controllers is not as simple as turning a dial and setting a zone time. It requires knowledge of water movement, plant and root systems and soil conditions. Some characteristics that are beneficial to know about irrigation controllers are:
Pressure - it is the force of water, measured in pounds per square inch (psi). Static pressure is water at a stand still, while dynamic pressure is water that is moving.
Velocity - is the calculated speed of water. Five and one-half feet per second is ideal for landscaping applications. There are certain conditions to not exceed or to watch for and velocity is one of them. The higher velocity rate and the higher chance of irrigations problems arising.
Flow - is measured in gallons per minute, except in drip irrigation where it's measured in gallons per hour. This is important in choosing the right size.
__Understanding the relationship between soil properties and water penetration is necessary in delivering the right combination of water and oxygen to plant roots. Too much water causes soil compaction, chlorosis, defoliation and under-developed roots. Too little water causes surface rooting, disease, salt burn, weakness, wilt, insect infestations and even changes in the plant species itself.
__With the use of more drought tolerant, low maintenance landscaping materials, electronic controllers, pressure regulators, moisture sensors and other products, the job of landscape managers have been simplified significantly. Even better, more effective irrigation scheduling and water budgeting can be done when you hire a qualified contractor, because they would know exactly when and how much to water.
__The climate in Texas is difficult enough to predict without guessing which plants will tolerate our conditions. We suggest you strongly consider these well adapted species when designing or renovating any commercial landscape.
__Native plant materials by definition are adapted to a region's climate and soils. In recent years we are seeing them used more frequently; there are several reasons for this. Most important, is the very fact that they tolerate our state's climate, soil and pests. Although, natives can still be damaged by extremes of weather, highly unusual soil conditions, or insects and diseases. The chances of severe damage are lessened. When minimal conditions exist these plants thrive with little care.
__The use of native or low water demand plants is an ideal way to conserve water since most native plants only require regular watering during the first two years after being planted. By then, deep and healthy root systems are developed and most plants can survive without irrigation, except during a drought.
__Nurseries throughout the state are researching new and improved varieties of low water usage plants which can be substituted for popular exotic plants currently in use.
When to Water?
__"Lawns generally absorb the greatest amount of outdoor residential water use, and studies have shown that folks may inadvertently water twice as much as necessary to keep a healthy lawn. This is easily remedied by knowing when to water. Look for signs of stress – limp or curled, dull green blades of grass, or footprints left behind after walking across the lawn – or use a moisture gauge. In the Houston area, experts recommend watering every five days to apply .75 to 1 inch of water (subtracting any rainfall) during summer months. This amount will wet the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches. Water during early morning or evening hours when evaporation losses will be less than during the heat of the day. Avoid watering in high winds that might send the droplets to places they are not needed – like your neighbor’s lawn or driveway.
__If you want to know how much water it takes to deliver the right amount of moisture to your grass, place some empty cans or jars in strategic places around the lawn, turn on the sprinkler and let it run for half an hour. Add the total inches of water captured in all the receptacles and then divide by the number of cans to get the average. Simply multiply by two if you want to know how much water is “sprinkled” in an hour." (3)
