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A variety of arthropods act as biocontrol agents or predators of pest insects.
As temperatures rise, Louisianans could witness the emergence of periodical cicadas, as the 13-year cicada Brood XIX is scheduled to make an appearance.
This is a warm-season grass, actively growing from spring to fall. It can grow in a wide range of soils and has a stoloniferous growth habit.
Purple muhly is a perennial, warm-season bunching grass that is native to Louisiana and central and eastern United States, blooming in late summer to fall.
Eastern gamagrass is a warm-season grass that is native to Louisiana. The culms form bunches, making it a good selection as an ornamental grass in the landscape
Chalky bluestem is a perennial warm-season bunch grass that is native to Louisiana, growing from February to October.
A pre-emergence herbicide application can save you time, money and effort by killing the weed shortly after the seeds germinate.
Mondo grass is a relatively easy-to-grow ground cover that performs well in dense shade. Learn more highlights about this maintainable turfgrass.
Fall is not a time to do much to your Louisiana lawn – mow, remove fallen leaves and irrigate as needed. Warm-season grasses are slowing down and trying to go dormant. "We must let them do so," says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.
Diagnosis of plant leaves turning yellow
Imported fire ants inflict painful stings and create unsightly mounds in our landscapes, and most of us would be happier if they weren’t around.
This article looks at helping lawns recover after storm debris is removed. The last paragraph looks at what criteria is needed to become a champion tree.
Boxwood crown and root rot is caused by Phytophthora spp., a funguslike microorganism commonly known as water mold.
Lawns and Other Turf Areas Chemical Weed Control.
Home Garden Chemical Weed Control.
The plant water requirement cannot always be satisfied by natural rainfall. Follow the model "right time, right place, right amount."
Where you see mushrooms growing relates to the amount of organic matter available to the fungi and where, by chance, spores land and grow.
Virginia buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) the number one weed problem in Southern turfgrass.
Don't wait until you see stickers in your yard to start doing anything about it. Now is the time to treat them before they start coming up.
The eastern lubber grasshopper is locally common in swamps, open woodlands, weedy fields, and ditches in the southeastern United States.
(04/06/18) Fertilizing lawns in most of Louisiana is best done in early to mid-April.
October could be argued as the most critical month for lawn maintenance.
Louisianians take pride in the appearance of their landscapes, and weeds detract from this beauty. Along with being aesthetically displeasing, weeds in flower
Symptoms/Signs: Initial symptoms on leaves are noticeable by narrow, dark brown leaf spots.
Definition of Brown Patch disease and control measures in Louisiana Lawns.
Virginia buttonweed is widely considered the most invasive weed infesting turfgrass in the South.
A lawn can be as functional as it is beautiful if planned properly. Recommended varieties, degree of shade, planting and establishment and other site considerations are included. (PDF Format Only)
Centipede grass is a popular lawn grass in Louisiana. This publcation covers factors that contribute to centipede decline: improper plant nutrition, cultural practices, and soil and water conditions. (PDF Format Only)
We often see lawns with mushrooms or doughnut rings of dying or dark green grass. These are referred to as "fairy rings." This publication includes information on how to control fairy rings in your lawn. (PDF Format Only)
Although the earth’s crust is about 5% iron (Fe), we still see iron deficiency in plants. This publication includes tips on how to care for your turfgrass. (PDF Format Only)
In mid-April it’s time to do two things – pay taxes and fertilize your lawn. If you’ve already taken care of the taxes, now you should decide whether or not to fertilize your lawn.
From Saturday night in Tiger Stadium to golf courses, lawns, cemeteries, sod farms, airports, roadsides and parks, turfgrasses provide environmental, economic, recreational, employment, health, safety and aesthetic benefits to Louisiana.
It takes some knowledge and research to select turfgrass species and varieties that are adapted to your site and that will perform well under their intended use and time of planting.
Layering of very different soil types creates root problems. If you can, always avoid sodding a sand-based root-zone area with native-soil-based sod.
Fertilizers come in different strengths and blends, with the three numbers on the bags showing the percentage by weight of the three major nutrients. Understanding the numbers on a bag of fertilizer helps you apply the right amount and ratio your yard or garden needs.
Our warm-season grasses don’t like low temperatures. Some may show off colors because of chilling injury. Don't confuse this with disease and don't make it worse.
Soil salts affect turf mostly by withholding moisture from plant tissues. They may also compete for uptake of nutrient ions. Try these suggestions to manage a soil salinity situation.
A sharp mower blade produces a prettier cut with less stress on the turf plant. Sharpening a reel mower blade assembly is difficult and best left to a professional, but sharpening a common rotary mower blade is not a big problem.
Discusses various types of preemergence herbicides for lawns.
A two prong approach works best to control burweed or sticker weed (Soliva Pterosperma).
Virginia buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) is one of the leading weeds of Southern lawns.
A lawn that’s properly cared for and healthy will resist weeds and other pest problems. Following the best management practices (BMPs) in this publication should help keep your lawn in good condition.
Proper fall lawn preparation can mean reduced turf loss to winter kill.
Many wonder if newly laid sod should be quickly fertilized to help speed establishment.
When attempting to determine the cause of dying patches of grass during the summer, always check the soil first.
Spring has sprung, and the grass is now growing. But, says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske, there is usually no good reason to push early growth with lots of fertilizer.
Acidic soils (low pH) cause more gardening problems in Louisiana than any other soil factor. They affect so many other soil factors in both pest management and soil fertility.
Spring is the time to begin working on a new lawn, and LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske has advice for those undertaking such a project.
Soil salts affect turf mostly by withholding moisture from plant tissues. They may also compete for uptake of nutrient ions. Try these suggestions to manage a soil salinity situation.
Zoysias can be the most beautiful and slow growing lawns, but they can also be big problems. These lawns are very dense and uniform in appearance.
Having a good lawn in a tree-shaded landscape is a challenge since all of the warm-season turfgrasses were developed to grow best in full sun, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.
Tropical sod webworms (Herpetogramma spp.) are creating havoc on home lawns, especially St. Augustinegrass. I am seeing sod webworms and to a lesser extent armyworms in the same yards. At least every other St. Augustinegrass yard in Baton Rouge has some degree of damage. These two moth larvae together have caused more damage than I have ever seen in home lawns.
Weeding and feeding are two different operations. Sometimes they can be done in combination, but not always and not for best results.
Simple and common materials to control weeds in lawns.
We often see lawns with mushrooms or doughnut rings of dying or dark green grass. These are referred to as "fairy rings." This publication includes information on how to control fairy rings in your lawn. (PDF Format Only)
Without good irrigation and resources to do so, allowing your turf to go dormant during extended summer drought may be the best management practice.
A properly designed and operated irrigation system will ensure that the critical factor of soil moisture will be there to sustain healthy plant growth.
(Distributed 08/29/07) To winterize Southern, warm-season lawns, apply a fertilizer with more potash than nitrogren. Potash is represented by the third number on a fertilizer bag, while nitrogen is shown as the first.
Use this poster to help you identify common weeds infesting your lawn and landscape. (PDF Format Only)
Carpetgrass (Axonopus) isn't the prettiest grass, but it will sustain growth in poor soil and shady, damp areas. Its medium-coarse texture and light green color are very similar to centipede grass. I like to say that it looks like starving St. Augustinegrass.
Knowing what is in your soil and what it needs is a basic and first step to a good crop and plant health. This off-season time is a good time to get this information and find the products you will require.
Consumer Reports magazine released its second annual lawn care poll in the May issue. See the results.
The reality of the myth that gypsum added to a lawn or garden will definitely improve soil tilth and strength, falls into the realm of agricultural practices being misapplied to ornamental landscapes.
A simple but accurate way of checking the output of your sprayer is the H 128 method of sprayer calibration.
The chemical analysis of a soil sample has been worked out and calibrated so that the numbers reported mean something useful to the client. However, the results are only as good as the sample is representative of the area and crop’s root zone.
The term ‘topdressing’ is used for both the material used and the process of adding a thin layer of material to the surface of a sod or seed bed.
The good mowing practices are okay with most lawns and tall-cut turf. Tall cut grass often has more abuse tolerance by nature of more leaf area and more root mass. Low-cut turf does not have these extended benefits to draw from and requires the best mowing practices to sustain decent quality.
Grass clippings are a constant in yard maintenance, but fall introduces leaves into the mix.
Fall is the time to treat for brown patch, the most common disease on warm-season turfgrasses.
To winterize Southern, warm-season lawns, apply a fertilizer with more potash than nitrogren. Potash is represented by the third number on a fertilizer bag, while nitrogen is shown as the first.
"A patch of dead grass, even a small one, in an otherwise acceptable lawn can be an eyesore and a weed magnet," says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske. Use turfgrass to patch the lawn. It’s easy, immediate and permanent and checks soil erosion.
Starting a lawn from seed is a tough proposition even when all things are done right. Poor fertility, too much or too little moisture, rain washouts, ants, weeds and disease all can cause havoc during establishment.
Here is a chart of hebicides for home lawn use.
St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is one of our two most popular lawn grasses in Louisiana. It is widely adapted to the humid Deep South.
Landscapes damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita can be revitalized. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill talks about what can be done to repair the damage.
You can trim and edge mechanically with a string trimmer or edger... or chemically with a non-selective herbicide. Dr Dick Parish, an engineer at the LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station, says each method has advantages and disadvantages.
Even though Louisiana falls are usually dry, rain eventually comes. After long, extended wet periods, a sinister looking fungus or slime may appear, attacking lawns in the cooler season ahead.
Will the grass come back and how long will it be before vegetable gardens can be planted were questions on the minds of LSU AgCenter faculty members who recently toured the New Orleans area.
The surge of salt water brought inland by a hurricane can cause a lot of damage to turfgrasses. Follow these suggestions to help overcome saltwater damage to your turf.
Louisianians who winterize their lawns in October need to be especially careful at reading the nutrient label on the fertilizer bag, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.
The cultural activites for lawn care may be the same on warm-season and cool-season grasses, but they are often 180 degrees opposite in timing. This chart covers Louisiana with its two cold hardiness zones. Recommended cultural activities in north vs. south Louisiana will vary by two to four weeks in when they start and end because of the start of spring and fall seasons.
A beautiful lawn doesn't happen by chance. It requires planning and some elbow grease.
All warm-season grasses can thrive in Louisiana. This collection of photos and descriptions can help the home gardener select the right species.
That ‘southern living lawn’ does take a proper game plan and work, but it can be an outstanding landscape feature.
Dry conditions often persist in most parts of Louisiana this time of year and into the summer, but LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske says there are actions you can take to avoid the lawn problems associated with drought.
Bermudagrass may be the plague of flower beds and gardens, but is an important turfgrass species, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.
Nitrogen is the chief nutrient and controller of plant growth in average soils. It is provided in several commercial fertilizer forms.
Controlling and trapping moles require a little time and patience. Your success with controlling moles depends on locating active runways and the proper placement of a trap.
It takes some knowledge and research to select turfgrass species and varieties that are adapted to your site and that will perform well under their intended use and time of planting.
This publication includes information on the life cycle, damage and control of slime mold on turfgrass. (PDF Format Only)
A lawn can be as functional as it is beautiful if planned properly. Recommended varieties, degree of shade, planting and establishment and other site considerations are included. (PDF Format Only)
