Traditional Preventive Grub Control

Grubs are serious pests that can destroy a lawn!

A grub is a slug-like larva that will develop into a beetle. There are many different varieties, the most common is the white grub. Grubs begin their life cycle in mid-summer to early fall as larvae. While in the larvae stage they live right below the ground surface and feed upon the lawn’s root system. This is undetectable until brown patches of grass develop. Unfortunately, once discovered, an infestation usually has caused irreparable damage to your lawn.

How do I control grubs in my lawn?

A traditional preventative grub control treatment is the best way to prevent grub damage. It is also the most cost effective and will give the best results. Some manufacturers and lawn care companies such as 1.888.Lawntec will even guarantee results. The downside is that this is a chemical that will stay in the soil for a period of time and will be toxic to beneficial insects and aquatic life if applied incorrectly. To be 100% safe and make the product effective it needs to be watered in and dry before adults, kids and pets use the lawn.

Post-emergent products are used to kill a live active problem when the grub damage is happening in front of you. Make sure that you are not using a preventive product to stop the problem, you will need a post-emergent product. These post-emergent products cost more than the pre-emergent grub killers. This is also a chemical that will be...

Mosquito Bite Prevention

The Good, the Bad and the Dangerous

If you’ve ever wondered which mosquito control methods work and which ones will not read on for a summary of the good, the bad and the dangerous.

Good Tips To Help Keep Mosquitoes Away

• Spray for mosquito's, consider a natural product that is safe for people, pets and the environment. 
• Check items near your home that can hold water (like planters, birdbaths or trash cans). Dump out the water and scrub the inside of the item.
• Get rid of things you’re not using that can collect water (like old flower pots, buckets, tires, or old toys).
• Fix any leaking outdoor faucets
• Fix landscape grade to avoid any standing water on your property, ditches, and puddles are excellent places for mosquitoes to breed.
• Clean your gutters and any drainage pipes or catch basins at least twice a year.
• Use screens on windows and doors. 
• Keep pools and ponds maintained.
• Have your lawn mowed as needed to avoid having tall overgrown grass. 
• Get a large fan for your patio or deck. Mosquitoes have weak fragile wings so they are easily swept away by changing currents.
• Look into cedar oil. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes cedar oil as the number one biological insect control agent.
• Increase natural mosquito predators. Bats can eat hundreds if not thousands of mosquitoes a night. So, hanging some bat houses will definitely ...

In 2017, there were 5,092 reported cases of Lyme disease in the state of NJ, the highest yearly total in nearly two decades, according to new data from the New Jersey Department of Health. In northeastern states, the tick infection rate is among the highest in the country. Deer ticks can be carried by deer, mice, raccoons, squirrels, birds, dogs and cats which are in all yards. Most bites occur in people’s own yard. 

Be safe and check out our Tips & Tricks for Tick Prevention

1. Blacklegged ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are a threat any time of year when temperatures are above freezing. Most tick bites occur in May, June, July, August, and September when peak tick population coincides with high outdoor activity. It is always best to take preventive measures to reduce your risk.
2. Avoid tick-infested areas such as wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. Cut down, clean or stay away from these areas.
3. Remove old log piles and debris where rodents can harbor.
4. Consider using bait boxes for mice or tick tubes.
5. Limit deer browsing on your property by replacing plants with deer resistant varieties and/or applying deer sprays, deterrents, netting, fencing, etc.
6. Keep bird feeders along the perimeter of your property.
7. When outdoors on school fields, hiking, camping, etc. consider a spraying a repellent on your clothes. Repeat that's clothes, not skin! Always read the product label before use.
8. Protect your pets...

Your trees and shrubs are an investment worth protecting. Protecting your landscape not only adds to the value of your home but provides pleasure for you and neighbors.

Installing ornamental trees and shrubs can be quite costly and then will take years to establish. If not maintained correctly they can suffer irreparable damage from environmental stresses, insects, and disease. Loss of a long established beautiful tree or shrub can be devastating. There are many stressful environmental conditions and hundreds of different insects and diseases that can infest your landscape. 1.888.Lawntec is here to help.

Here are the best ways to healthy Trees and Shrubs!

Make sure you install the right plant in the right place. There are many factors that need to be taken into account before installing new trees or shrubs. For success, you will need to consider these factors:

• hardiness zone
• location
• sun or shade
• soil type
• soil drainage
• how fast will it grow
• how large will the new plant grow
• distance from other plants mature trees and structures
• what are your expectations
• is irrigation available
• are there deer around

Doing this research will make the difference of having successful healthy plants and a landscape increasing in value or plant decline with ongoing financial and emotional loss and stress.

Reevaluate your existing landscape, this would include all of the factors we listed above. If some plants are not doing well it may be better to...

Leave your lawn & landscape work to a pro.

Hiring a professional lawn care company will save you time, money, aggravation and a possible trip to the doctor. But be aware there are many fly-by-night companies out there claiming they are "professional" and your experience with them may be anything but that. Do some research before you hire.

Why it pays to hire a professional.

1. An aesthetically pleasing lawn &  landscape is the first impression of your home, it can give you peace or stress.
2. Investing in your lawn & landscape increases the value and curb appeal of your home. Realtors will add up to 15% for a home with a maintained lawn & landscape.
3. When the time comes to sell many potential buyers can pass up your home due to its lack of curb appeal.
4. Your lawn and landscape should be something you are proud of and helps you have a sense of well being.
5. Unfortunately, it takes time, knowledge, patience and physical effort to produce a beautiful, healthy lawn and landscape.
6. Hiring a professional lawn care company will take the worry out of lawn care.
7. Improperly applied fertilizers and pesticides are dangerous to the homeowner, landscape and environment.
8. Relieve yourself of the trial and error and risk associated with finding the products that will work to maintain your lawn and landscape.
9. No purchase of confusing fertilizers with pesticides is necessary, and the storage or leftovers of...