Show off your Lawn! (2 Viewers)

Thanks for the tip. It’s a mix of fescue and bluegrass, with no zoysia.
Sure!

Top dressing w/compost is one of the best things you can do for your lawn. I’m a fescue guy at heart and fescue loves compost!! Do a 1/4 inch of a really good/fine compost. Feed the soil and your grass will thank you.

I also added some treatment and cultural tips in my post above. Once you get it under control, the cultural practices along with a top dressing in the spring will help keep it at bay.

if you have an irrigation system, time it to end right before/at sunrise. Wet grass at night + humidity = fungus/disease. Also, just feed in the fall and once in early spring, over fertilizing fescue, especially in summer promotes disease as well. It only needs to be fed in the fall, and once in the spring. (Forget summer fertilizer for fescue, it’s not necessary and promotes weak growth)

Here’s a pic of my fescue lawn back in VA. Nothing but compost in the spring and 2 fertilizer feedings in the fall (sept and late Oct)

Soil test is a good idea as well. It will tell you if you have any deficiencies, which can also drive diseases. Most Agricultural state programs/extensions will do it for like $20/$30. VA Tech has a great program that will also tell you exactly what you need and how much to apply, and when.

Sorry for the book, it’s a passion- lol.

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So, @TheTrout how do I get rid of Bermuda Mites..?

What I have tried:
- Bifenthren = Totally ineffective
- Acelepryn = ineffective
- Scalping/bagging = short term knock down, but impractical (I have a big yard and bagging every cut is just not practical)

Ever heard of Bayer “Kronos”? From what I’ve read seems promising and it just got approved for use in TX…?

Thoughts?
 
So, @TheTrout how do I get rid of Bermuda Mites..?

What I have tried:
- Bifenthren = Totally ineffective
- Acelepryn = ineffective
- Scalping/bagging = short term knock down, but impractical (I have a big yard and bagging every cut is just not practical)

Ever heard of Bayer “Kronos”? From what I’ve read seems promising and it just got approved for use in TX…?

Thoughts?
I don’t believe it is labeled for residential applications, so not saying you should apply just telling you what I know has been tested and works. I’ve heard some great talks about mites from very smart turf entomologists.

Active ingredient is abamectin, it’s in Avid, Divanem, and many other products as a generic. This will give you about 60-80 percent control depending on the severity of your outbreak and turf height of cut. We only sprayed this one time during a tough mite year at our course and results were impeccable. I would estimate 90% control or better (turf was between 0.500” and 1” so your milage may vary on higher cut turf)

Cultural practices you can do include mowing lower (mites do no infect turf growing below 0.500”) and maintaining adequate irrigation and fertility. Bagging is great in theory but wasn’t practical on a golf course so we never did it.
 
I don’t believe it is labeled for residential applications, so not saying you should apply just telling you what I know has been tested and works. I’ve heard some great talks about mites from very smart turf entomologists.

Active ingredient is abamectin, it’s in Avid, Divanem, and many other products as a generic. This will give you about 60-80 percent control depending on the severity of your outbreak and turf height of cut. We only sprayed this one time during a tough mite year at our course and results were impeccable. I would estimate 90% control or better (turf was between 0.500” and 1” so your milage may vary on higher cut turf)

Cultural practices you can do include mowing lower (mites do no infect turf growing below 0.500”) and maintaining adequate irrigation and fertility. Bagging is great in theory but wasn’t practical on a golf course so we never did it.
Yeah, I read a university study about abamectin, and it indeed has higher efficacy then Bifen, but I had not seen results that high. Issue with mites is they are already hard AF to kill, and they pick up resistance fast. Good to know on the abamectin, I’ll take a look.

I’m definitely cutting lower, but also have a crappy common sod. I wanted to re-sod with a resistant hybrid, but it’s stupid expensive here.
 
Yeah, I read a university study about abamectin, and it indeed has higher efficacy then Bifen, but I had not seen results that high. Issue with mites is they are already hard AF to kill, and they pick up resistance fast. Good to know on the abamectin, I’ll take a look.

I’m definitely cutting lower, but also have a crappy common sod. I wanted to re-sod with a resistant hybrid, but it’s stupid expensive here.
The last talk I was at said not even to spray bifen because it’s virtually useless for mites. Acelepryn is great for grubs, cutworms, and fall armyworms, but I don’t think any good for mites.

The key for us was we were cutting at 1” or below and we sprayed as soon as we had symptoms in the early spring.

If you know you have a mite problem, spraying preventively in the early spring and then scalping and spraying again if you start to see symptoms is a good course of management.

I noticed that the more droughty areas were much more prone to getting mite infestations. Sandy soiled areas around bunkers and side slopes where water runs off and doesn’t really soak in.

The entomologists confirms this with their field trials, keeping the turf well watered definitely helped prevent mites. This talk was at Clemson’s spring field day in 2022, so the info should be relatively up to date.
 
Serious question my friend. What the heck are you doing?
  • Burning removes organic matter, dead leaves, blades of grass, and other natural material from resting on top of your grass. Organic matter can house harmful insects and disease. It can also hold onto important nutrients preventing them from reaching the soil.
  • The sun will warm up the darkened, charred lawn quicker, increasing the soil temperature faster which will benefit your grass.
  • This expedites bio cycles, enriches the soil, and rocket launches your yard into spring for total neighborhood dominance
 
The last talk I was at said not even to spray bifen because it’s virtually useless for mites. Acelepryn is great for grubs, cutworms, and fall armyworms, but I don’t think any good for mites.

The key for us was we were cutting at 1” or below and we sprayed as soon as we had symptoms in the early spring.

If you know you have a mite problem, spraying preventively in the early spring and then scalping and spraying again if you start to see symptoms is a good course of management.

I noticed that the more droughty areas were much more prone to getting mite infestations. Sandy soiled areas around bunkers and side slopes where water runs off and doesn’t really soak in.

The entomologists confirms this with their field trials, keeping the turf well watered definitely helped prevent mites. This talk was at Clemson’s spring field day in 2022, so the info should be relatively up to date.
Great info and very consistent with what I’ve read as well. Thanks!!

It's always around July when temps hit 100 and stay there when it hits.

We have such crap clay in TX that everything is a constant battle - lol.
 
I’ve added these to my front yard so lawn weed control application is probably on hold for me for the foreseeable future.

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First soil test done and I’ve been in my home for 9 years now. Really just started to get into lawn care as a hobby last year. I will say, it can be as addictive as poker chips lol.
Aerated, over-seeded and top dressed. Will post some pictures once lawn bounces back. Currently having an issue with soil compaction due to heavy equipment driving over part of yard for my swimming pool install. Any tips/advice besides aerating are much appreciated.
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First soil test done and I’ve been in my home for 9 years now. Really just started to get into lawn care as a hobby last year. I will say, it can be as addictive as poker chips lol.
Aerated, over-seeded and top dressed. Will post some pictures once lawn bounces back. Currently having an issue with soil compaction due to heavy equipment driving over part of yard for my swimming pool install. Any tips/advice besides aerating are much appreciated.
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You can use liquid air-8 to help with the compaction, instead of only pulling actual plugs once a season

Also RGS (root growth stimulant) and humic acid are helpful as well
 
View from the bird camera in the front yard. (I'm in the process of trying to befriends some local crows, and observing some behaviors. Don't judge me....)

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Opened the pool yesterday and fired up the grill for the first time this year! Can’t wait for summer
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