Pests & Problems | Prestige Shrub & Tree

	Product Recommendations \| Service Area \| Employment \| Contact
	Horticultural Sprays, Fertilization and Consultation

Common plant problems in the Atlanta area

PESTS & PROBLEMS

Atlanta’s growing season provides plants with almost year around growth. Because of this long growing season pest populations can build to thresholds where plant damage can occur. The natural and man-manipulated environment in Atlanta can also cause stress and eventual decline in our landscapes and forests. The following is a list of some of the more common pests, cultural problems and environmental problems we may encounter year to year.

HOME

SHRUB & TREE

LAWN CARE

LARGE TREE SERVICES

PESTS & PROBLEMS

FAQs

Dry spots or disease?

dry spot in bermuda small.jpg In many instances, especially during hot and dry conditions, areas in the turf that appear to be disease activity are simply dry areas we call "hot spots" (To check for disease look closely at the individual grass blade and see if there are any leafspots on the leaf. This may be disease. Fescue Disease Example. If the leaf blade is just brown then you have a water related issue). Checking the soil in these areas will quickly show that the soil is excessively dry. The reason these spots develop especially with irrigation is a simple problem called sprinkler over throw. Each head must be checked to insure that not only is it working but that it is properly distributing the water. Note the arc of the stream "overthrowing" the dry, brown area. The remedy is fairly simple. Adjust the head so that the stream is "feathered" and that adequate water is actually falling beneath the arc of the water stream.

sprinkler overthrow small 1.jpg Initially, if a hot spot occurs, spot water the affected area for 1 - 2 hours to rehydrate the area. Your watering schedule should be 1X per week to yield ~1" of water during most of the year and X per week to yield 1" of water per application when temperatures are above 90 degrees.

Also, to help manage dry spots or hot spots in your turf, we recommend either John Deere/Les co Ecosential Moisture Manager® or Hydretain®. Here is the website for information on this product; http://www.hydretain.com . This product is quite amazing as far as helping with water penetration and retention, especially in very compacted soils. It is available in a convenient hose end sprayer that can be refilled from a bulk container. The hose end sprayer is pre-calibrated to take out the guess work. In Georgia Hydretain® is available at Howard's Fertilizer Company. The contact number for Jay Fountain, the company rep, is 404-597-6774.

Go Back

Site by the 30/90 Group