Summer is waning and the cool temperatures of fall will be with us soon.  Those summer annuals tend not to thrive as nights cool.  There are, however, beautiful flower options that come into their own at this time, and they're more than just your common mums and asters!  These workhorses of fall should not be discounted but there are many others available to play a major supporting role.  Some of the best are million bells, verbena, osteospermum, African daisies, as well as the old standby pansies. And your color doesn't have to just come from flowers!  

   

    Ornamental peppers are also a great way to get color into your fall landscape without flowers.  Coral bells, a perennial, have been bred for a vast array of color and texture in their foliage.  Sedum is another perennial that is a great option for fall plantings and containers.  These ornamental peppers can be both planted upright as well as trailing, and they offer a variety of foliage colors as well.  

    Grasses and sedges are also a great way to get different colors and textures into a planting.  There are varieties that can give you height, and sedges can also give character with their bright colors and unusual curled or spiral growth habit. When you feel that your summer flowers are fading, give us a call and let us plan some bright fall color for your property!

   Spider mites are very small pests- more closely related to ticks and spiders than insects, and they can cause serious damage to certain landscape plants.  Spruce trees, particularly Alberta spruces, are especially susceptible to mites.  The damage these pests cause can mimic that caused by drought, so it is best to have your trees evaluated by a professional to determine what is causing the browning of the foliage.

    Black legged ticks are also extremely active at this time;  as this is the period in which the Nymph stage are actively feeding.  These ticks are small; no bigger than a sesame seed, and are the stage most likely to transmit disease due to being overlooked as a result of their tiny size. Mosquito populations are building as well, which increases the chance that an individual will encounter a mosquito carrying EEE or WNV.  

    All of these pest problems and even more can be addressed by our sister company, Grassmaster Plus.  Our highly trained and educated staff can diagnose and treat your plant pest problems as well as perform tick and mosquito control for your property.  If you are dealing with any or all of these pests, don't hesitate to call us, and we can arrange an evaluation of your property!

    One of the best cultural practices to improve the overall health and vigor of your lawn, is to complete a core aeration treatment.  The removal of plugs of soil with a specialized machine can assist you in achieving a greener, happier lawn next year!  Getting more oxygen down into the roots of the grass results in healthier roots and consequently healthier shoots above ground.  Water and nutrients are better able to infiltrate into the soil as well, so that there is less run off of chemicals and fertilizer into surface waters where they can cause pollution.  If you have not had your lawn aerated in at least the last two years, give us a call and we can get you a free, no obligation quote for the service.

Shaunna Guy Leighton

Client Services Manager of Grassmaster Plus

(978) 769-3595

www.grassmasterplus.com

[email protected]