This is the time of the year that you need to start paying attention to your yard. If you do the following 4 things, you will set your landscape up for success through the remainder of the year and avoid most weeds and sprinting away from fire ants.
1. Neem Oil Landscape Treatment- Spray all trees, shrubs, perennials and ground cover with Neem Oil for the control of over wintering insects and diseases. Neem Oil is a non toxic, organic pest control material that is very safe for use in your yard. This is a homeowner’s dream material. Safe and it works! It is the only product I use in my yard and garden.
2. Summer Weed Prevention- Apply a pre-emergent weed control to all turf and beds now to avoid summer weeds. Treatment times for the year are March15, May 15 and September 15. Apply Halts, Preen or Pre-M. Selective pre-emergent herbicides are mild materials that effectively control weeds without endangering turf and landscape plants that already have existing roots. They kill only germinating weed seeds.
3. Spring Fertilization- Fertilize your turf and shrub beds now with a fertilizer such as Scott’s Turf Builder for Southern Lawns slow release fertilizer with an analysis of 32-0-10. Use a spreader with edge guard to keep fertilizer off hard surfaces. Scott’s spreaders are good to use with Scott’s fertilizers. Any fertilizer you purchase should be more expensive indicating that the nitrogen is slow release. The quick release fertilizers are polluting and not as safe for the environment.
4. Fire Ant Control- Treat your whole landscape (turf and beds) with fire ant control such as Over’n Out at the end of March or in April for 6 month long fire ant control. Apply per label instructions.
Enjoy your landscape!!