Common Problems

Below are some of the common insect, weed, and disease problems found in southern Michigan lawns. If you are experiencing any of these problems, contact Pure Green for assistance and a free analysis.

 

Insects

  
Adult Japanese beetles are metallic green beetles with copper-brown wing covers, feed on about 300 species of plants ranging from roses to poison ivy. Group feeding by many beetles can cause severe damage.

Grubs are the larva stage of the above Japanese beetle and are C-shaped, off-white in color with a dark head. They eat the roots of grass, causing irregularly shaped patches of wilted, dead or dying grass in April and May, and again in August to mid-October. If the damage to the grass is not too severe, the grass will recover with normal watering and fertilizing. Lawns that are heavily damaged by grubs will have a yellowish tinge and will feel spongy when walked on.
Cinch Bugs can ruin a lawn quickly. They invade lawns every summer and are at their worst during dry, hot summers. Symptoms of bug infestation include irregular areas of yellow and brown in sunny areas usually adjacent to sidewalks, driveways, curbs, or patios. Yellow and brown spots will also appear on leaf blades and stems.

Weeds

  
Dandelions are the most common and easily identified weeds in the United States. They do not die at the end of the growing season and resurface again the following spring. To completely eliminate the plant, the root has to be killed.
Crab Grass is a grassy weed commonly found throughout most of the United States. It dies in the fall just before winter, but it drops thousands of seeds before then which germinate in the spring. The two most common species of crabgrass are Large Hairy Crabgrass and Smooth Crabgrass. Crabgrass is considered a weed because of its coarse appearance and the unsightly texture patterns it gives to lawns.
White Clover has a white clover-like blossom, and there are three leaves per node. The structure of the clover is low-growing with cheeping stems that root at nodes. Its life cycle is perennial. The leaves are dark green with white crescent, and they are in groups of three. Flowers are pea-like, white, growing in clusters 3/8" to 5/8" wide. It looks like other clovers. It likes to grow in areas such as fields, roadsides, and lawns. It grows spring, summer, and fall. The best time to treat it is post-emergent, or when growing in fall or spring.
Ground Ivy has creeping stems several feet long that root at nodes; small blue-violet flowers. Its life cycle is cool-season perennial. The leaves are nearly round, toothed, on long stalk. The flowers are funnel shaped, lavender, grow in clusters; they bloom in early spring. The rooting are at nodes of creeping stems. It sprouts where drainage is poor, either sun or shade. The growth period are in spring, summer, and fall. Treatment period is post-emergence, in spring and especially in fall, whenever weed is actively growing. It is hard to control.
Broadleaf Plantains are low-growing rosette of large round, very slightly tapered leaves; seed stalks rise from rosette. The structure is a rosette of large oval leaves that lies flat and tends to suffocate grasses. Seedstalks 5" to 10" long rise from center of rosette. The life cycle is perennial, and it reproduces by seeds. The leaves are large, rounded by wavy edges , 3" to 6" long. The leaves may be smooth or hairy. The flowers are numerous, with inconspicuous petals, in spikes on ends of stems. It grows in damp, rich soils, especially where shaded. It grows through June and October. The treatment period is in fall, or whenever there is good soil moisture and weed is growing vigorously.
Buckhorn Plantains are tall stalks with "foxtails" at the tip, growing from a rosette of elliptical leaves. The stalks grow from 1 to 2' tall; rosette is full rather than prostrate. The life cycle is perennial. The leaves are long, narrow, elliptical, and they are slightly pointed. Ribs or veins are prominent. The flowers are in a "foxtail" shape, 3/4" to 2" long. A circle of 1/4" stamens moves upward as it blooms. Roots are taproot with strong lateral roots, which will sprout new plants if severed and left in soil. You can find these on the sides of roads, lawns, and undisturbed areas. They grow April through July. You want to treat them in the fall, early summer, or when there is good soil moisture and weed is growing vigorously.
Bull Thistles are tall clusters of spiky leaves and stems, eventually bearing large purple blossom. It is a bushy clump of spiky leaves in first year. The life cycle is biennial. The leaves are pale or woolly on bottom, very spiny; taller then musk thistle. The flowers are large; one, two or three per stalk; reddish purple, with rigid yellow-tipped spines on bracts. The roots are taproot. They grow by roadsides and fields. They grow in late spring, or whenever weed activity is actively growing.
Wild Violet have heart-shaped leaves, small pansy-like flowers, it is blue-violet to lilac or white in color. The structure is 2 to 5 inches tall. The life cycle is perennial. The leaves are heart-shaped, often cupped; scalloped on the margin, not lobed; hairless or nearly so; all basal. Flowers are pansy-like, less open and smaller then birdsfoot violet. It may be purple, yellow, or white. Side petals hairy on inside near base. The roots are dense, and a fibrous system. The Wild Violet looks like most other members of the viola family. They grow in shady, moist, fertile soil. It blooms in March-May. Grows best when cool. It is best treated in May-June; fall; whenever weed is actively growing. This weed is hard to control.

Diseases

  
Rust, in most instances, is considered as only a minor annoyance. Even though grass blades are flecked with orange and slightly discolored, there is little concern, for the disease generally disappears with a change in the weather, or fertilization. Many times this is true, but a neglected rust problem that lingers for days can often result in the loss of good turf. Rust seldom becomes a problem until the grass stops vigorous, active summer growth. This generally occurs after an extended dry period.

Brown patch will affect all grass types in temperate climates. The disease is favored by excess thatch, high temperatures (75° - 95° F), high humidity (99 - 100%), excess moisture, and lush growth caused by excess nitrogen. Closely mowed turf and particularly the bentgrasses of golf courses are especially susceptible and easily damaged by brown patch. In addition, it can be extremely destructive to St. Augustine grass from fall to early spring. Moisture on the grass blade is essential to the spread of brown patch.

 
Snow Molds are patches up to 12 inches across that start to appear in early spring as snow begins to melt. One kind is Typhula Blight which consists of gray-colored dead patches with tiny tan to black spherical fungal sclerotia. This disease develops only under snow cover, especially when soil is unfrozen. The other kind is Fusarium Patch which consists of pink-tinged or pink-bordered patches that fade to tan as they dry. There are no fungal sclerotia, and this disease occurs with or without snow cover.
Red Thread kills grass in patches that are 2 to 8 inches in diameter. The disease may occur over large areas without killing the plants. A pink web of fungal threads binds the leaves together. Look for pink, gelatinous fungal crusts projecting from the leaves to help identify this disease.