Mites caused damage to lawns throughout the Front Range this year. Mite damage is most often on the south of west exposure. Seriously affected areas are irregular shaped & stiff, straw colored patches. Most sever areas border sidewalks, driveways, or sloped areas. It is difficult to know how extensive the damage in the lawn is until the following spring, when the remaining, healthy grass turns green. This could be anywhere from minor thinning to complete kill depending on the severity of the infestation. Damaged areas may need to be renovated if these areas don't recover in the spring. Cooler temperatures mixed with moisture (snow & rain) may reduce mite activity to the point where turf injury does not occur. Applying miticides to the injured areas will help to a certain degree, but sometimes the best treatment is a thorough spring watering of the affected areas when the weather permits (above 40 degrees is a good rule of thumb).

Spring Weeds. Early spring is the time to apply preemergent herbicides to prevent annual grassy weeds like crabgrass, foxtail and barnyardgrass. Crabgrass is effectively controlled by the most commonly used preemergent products: pendimethalin, dithiopyr, prodiamine, and trifluralin/benefin (The Green Scene, April 2006). Each is sold under the various product names, and all are available in sprayable or dry formulations. They are most effective when applied at the proper time (usually by April 15th ), evenly applied, and at the correct rate according to the label. If the products are not evenly applied, it may result in weed "escapes", requiring additional applications to those areas not properly covered the first time. Applying too much product may injure roots of desirable turf, especially bluegrass and fine fescue. You may not notice the damage until later in the summer.

Dry winters, low rainfall and record heat will stress turf, in particular bluegrass. Large patches that are affected during the dry winter season may die back, and thin out. This creates openings for summer annuals like crabgrass, foxtail, spurge and purslane to invade and replace the bluegrass. These weeds are very aggressive, and have the ability to grow very fast and to outcompete the bluegrass. Proper watering of areas that are exposed to full sun year round - is an important tool in fighting these weeds. Winter watering of these exposed, easy-to-dry-out areas, is part of an effective weed management program.

We continue to stress the importance of protecting your spruces and pines from the IPS beetle - again, in the Front Range area. Other species of bark beetles are more common in the foothills and mountain forests. The chemical to treat these various species is the same, but the timing of the application(s) is different. It is important to have an arborist inspect your trees and determine an affective plan to prevent and control these threatening insects. For the most part, IPS remains the main target of our treatment in the Denver area. As spring approaches, treatment for highly valued specimens is recommended, such as those trees that add aesthetic value to your property. In addition, any trees stressed by construction (root damage, soil level changes and soil compaction) are more susceptible to IPS attacks. Please call us if you would like additional information on this insect problem, or request a free inspection if you are in our service area.

Planting problems are killing more trees than all insects and diseases combined. Approximately 56% of all landscape tree deaths are caused by improper planting depth. Planting too deep often slows root establishment and some trees fail to establish altogether. Planting depth is also the cause of trunk-girdling roots that leads to decline and death 12-20 years after planting (The Green Scene, April 2006, CSU Extension & GreenCo Foundation).

The top of the root ball should be about 1-2 inches above the surrounding soil level. This maximizes soil oxygen levels necessary for rapid root growth. A saucer shaped planting hole that is 2-3 times the diameter of the root ball is ideal. Squeezing a root ball into a tightly fitted planting hole is cause for failure. You do not have to dig to China after all, but you do need to put the effort into making the planting site as wide as possible. This loosens up the soil, and incorporates more air flow for the roots to begin their migration out of the root ball horizontally, then downward with proper watering practices. (Please see our winter watering guidelines for additional information). You may also check additional detail on tree planting standards by referring to CSU Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet #7.833. The Science of Planting Trees, available on line at www.cmg.colostate.edu.

If you have any questions, we'd be happy to help you, just give us a call.