All Blog Entries by John Penton

Early Leaf and Needle Drop

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011 at 4:53pm. 38 Views, 0 Comments.

Early leaf drop in deciduous trees is most likely due to the extreme heat and humidity. Otherwise healthy trees will not be adversely affected over the long run.

Early needle drop has been observed in some evergreen trees, mainly pine. Natural needle drop typically begins in September, so this early needle loss is likely due to extreme heat and humidity.  If only the interior needles uniformly turn yellow throughout the tree, this is most likely natural needle drop and no action or control is needed.

Summer Lawn Stress

Saturday, July 30th, 2011 at 10:46am. 53 Views, 0 Comments.

Heat and saturated soil- Very similar to last year, we are experiencing saturated soils and warming temperatures throughout the Midwest and it is fast becoming difficult to maintain cool-season turfgrasses. Much of Nebraska and the north central US is 150-300% of normal precipitation over the last 30 days.  Warm and saturated soils lead to fairly rapid root death. In addition to below ground effects, higher temperatures above ground reduce photosynthetic efficiency while increasing the demand for photosynthetic products via respiration. Photosynthesis cannot keep up with respiration demands and thus cool-season grasses become dependent on stored energy to stay alive. If this heat continues for an extended period, weakened plants will be extremely…

Millipedes

Saturday, July 30th, 2011 at 10:45am. 40 Views, 0 Comments.

Millipedes are one inch long, brown critters with numerous short legs.

They are promoted by moisture and their numbers can be quite high during wet weather or near overwatered mulched beds.

They are commonly seen on the side of homes and may enter homes through cracks and crevices. They are not insects, but are in the crustacean family and so insecticides are not very effective against them. They do not damage plants, pets or buildings.

For severe infestations Penton Enterprises has had sucess controlling Millipedes with certain insecticides applied around the perimeter of the property and the foundation.

For mild infestations they are best managed by caulking cracks and crevices to prevent entry into the home.

Annual Grassy Weeds Beginning to Germinate

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 at 1:35pm. 59 Views, 0 Comments.

Crabgrass, yellow foxtail and other annual grasses have begun to germinate. The best control of crabgrass is prevention; in particular a mowing height of 3” and preemergence herbicides applied during late April to mid May.

For germinated crabgrass, control by hand-pulling or with post emergence herbicides. Post emergence herbicides are most effective when crabgrass plants are small and plant coverage is uniform.

Organic Lawn Care

Thursday, April 7th, 2011 at 12:36pm. 61 Views, 0 Comments.

Organic fertilizers are different from "traditional" fertilizers in that they are actually feeding the soil as opposed to just the plant. The fertilizer provides nutrients to the soil which the roots use to feed the plant with the end result being a healthier lawn.

The organic fertilizer products we use contain humus and organic matter that hold nutrients and water making them available to the lawn when needed.

The key benefits that you will notice with a consistent organic fertilizer program over time will be:

• Reduced water needs
• Reduced lawn disease
• Elimination of surge growth
• Thicker lawn
• Flower beds, trees, and shrubs will benefit with improved flower stand, bloom set, color, and intensity
• Overall healthier lawns with stronger roots systems
• Organic products…

Frost Damaged Leaves

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 at 8:33pm. 265 Views, 0 Comments.

Trees budded fairly early this spring; long before the average frost free dates. If tree leaves are injured by frost, otherwise healthy trees will develop secondary buds and re-leaf without any long term negative effects on trees.

Fall leaves!

Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 3:46pm. 181 Views, 0 Comments.

A recent Michigan State University study has found that mulching leaves into established turfgrass as a leaf litter disposal method will result in an increased spring green up and contribute to the overall reduction of the common dandelion population.

What does this mean for you?  It means that it is not necessary to bag up and dispose of all the leaves on your lawn.  These leaves are beneficial for the overall health of the lawn.

An effective method would be to continue mowing and mulching the leaves back into the lawn through the fall.  It's only necessary to remove them if accumulations are heavy.  By mulching the leaves back into the lawn you are benefiting the turf and reducing unnecessary landfill…

Aeration

Friday, September 18th, 2009 at 8:32pm. 242 Views, 0 Comments.

Due to the high clay content in Nebraska soils aeration is one of the most important steps in maintaining a beautiful and healthy lawn.

Aerating helps prevent soils from becoming compact thereby allowing vital nutrients, water, and air to penetrate the soil and reach the root zone. The roots then penetrate deeper into the soil, which enables the grass to become more drought resistant. Aeration accelerates the natural breakdown of thatch and in most cases eliminates the needs for costly power raking services.

The role aeration plays in establishing a healthy lawn:

White Grub Damage

Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 4:56pm. 269 Views, 0 Comments.

White Grub damage is showing up in Nebraska.

The white grub larvae feeds on turfgrass roots causing lawn areas to turn brown and sometimes die if grubs damage a large percentage of the roots. The majority of white grub eggs have hatched and reports by the University of Nebraska is showing numbers similar to past years.

However, here in eastern Nebraska the growing conditions have been conducive to Kentucky bluegrass and it is likely preventing or delaying damage. Turfgrass should continue to be inspected for white grubs. If birds are feeding in a lawn, areas torn up overnight from raccoons or skunks, or browning occurs, roll or pull the sod back to look for c-shaped, cream colored, red headed larvae.

If eight (8) white grubs are found per square foot, an…

Fall Landscapes

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 at 12:57pm. 240 Views, 0 Comments.

Fall Landscapes

When is the best time of the year to plant trees, shrubs and perennials? Should we wait until spring to install our landscape?

These are the most frequently asked questions that we hear during the fall of the year.

One of the best times to consider new landscaping is from September through November; in some years December plantings will have great success as long as the ground is not frozen.

In the fall, days are cooler, rain is more frequent and plants are headed into their dormant or hibernation period putting a lot of their energy into their root system. We can plant successfully any time of the year as long as the ground is not frozen.

Here are some tips to ensure late season survivability:

1 - Water frequently and deeply this time of year…