2016 Growing Season Wrap-Up

Chip Harkes

We have come to the end of the 2016 growing season. It was another unique year, but aren’t all years unique? Each year has its own quirks and challenges, but like every year, we make our way through. We had a warm start to the spring. However, spring always throws some roller coaster-like weather at us with a high temperature on April 9 of 34 degrees and one week later…

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Integrated Pest Management

Chip Harkes

Integrated Pest Management, that sounds fancy and confusing. So what is it? It is a way of dealing with pests within an area that involves more that just using pesticides (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, etc.) Integrated Pest Management involves many different methods of controlling pests. When we think about controlling a pest within a landscape, many times it is thought to just treat the problem with chemicals. Chemicals are an option,…

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Driving on the Grass

Chip Harkes

Sometimes driving and parking on the grass cannot be avoided. If it only happens once in a while, and the soil is not overly moist, then there may be very little affect on the grass. However, driving on the grass too much can damage the lawn. Some grass is more tolerant to being traveled on. Perennial ryegrass is better suited to be traveled on over varieties like Kentucky bluegrass and…

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Fireworks and Grass

Chip Harkes

Happy Fourth of July! We live in this great nation where we have so many freedoms. One of those freedoms is the availability of fireworks. However, fireworks and grass can be a bad combination. With the fairly recent loosening of fireworks laws in Michigan, we have seen the number of fireworks in the area increase. With that, damage to property, including grass, have also increased because of it. I just…

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