All posts in “hoa”

Weeds everywhere

Weeds everywhere

Weeds everywhere, this is the time of year early spring and again in the fall. Weed seeds are pushed around by the wind and deposit on lawns everywhere. I’m amazed at the amount of weeds that pop up on my lawn. The trick is to have it sprayed twice a year spring and fall. We use a post emergent (kills the actual plants) and a pre emergent (kills the seeds as they begin to grow). Now its really is important to water the preemergent into or pass the stones. The herbicide needs to get to the soil where the seeds are their transformation into a plant.

I think we all think of Dandelions as a weed, but you can eat some part of the plants and make wine out of the flowers.

Spurge is an obnoxious weeds, similar to puncturevine.

Russian Thistle is a weird type of plant, it has stickers and if you see old west shows its the tumbleweed. The City of Chandler puts up a tumbleweed Christmas tree each year downtown.

 

There are numerous types and yearly cycles of weed activity. Knowing when they germinate and how they reproduce is helpful of getting rid of them. For example Russian Thistle seeds fall of as they tumble, that is their main way to replicate. So its really important.

Weeds galore

OK so Weeds galore can be a real problem especially with HOA communities. Grasses can be an extra challenge as they will grow anywhere and are persistent in growth. There are two basic types of weeds grasses and broadleaf plants.

Now killing them or preventing them, which do you choose? Depends on how much work you want to put into it. Just a few weeds and you can use a hoe, shovel or you can just pull them. If you have a lot then you need some extra help, give ProBest Pest Management a call at 602-249-7378. The cure to lots of weeds is to have a Professional licensed company. Make sure they use a Post Emergent = kills the weeds present and a Pre-emergent = kills the seeds before they germinate. Now the only issue is large rocks – the pre-emergent needs to get to the soil. So you must water it in, it helps a lot.

Remember if you do it yourself. Always read and follow label directions exactly! Wear Personal Protective Equipment, better to Be Prepared than not!

pocket gophers

Pocket gophers can cause serious damage to plants and vegetation.

Pocket Gophers can really do some serious damage to our lawns and properties. Along with their damage they can create holes which people can fall into and often times could lead to broken bones or physical damage to young or older people. I have heard some people say “well they really don’t harm things so lets just leave them alone”? They will damage landscapes including bushes, trees and create unsightly holes and that alone should be enough to stop them from further damaging your lawn. Bushes and trees cost money and if someone falls because of a hole, how much is that doctor or urgent care call?

One of the biggest concerns is damage to playgrounds, soccer fields and areas where children run and play. They actually perform a good service aerating the soil, but the damage often seen is the dying vegetation. They rarely leave their underground complex and most damage is done to the roots of bushes, since they only feed on vegetation. They get all their water from the vegetation they consume. They breed during the Spring to early summer and often have up to 7 babies per year. So has you can see that family can grow quickly causing more damage. It is possible to have 2 -20 gophers per acre of course depending on food availability. Gophers may live up to two years and the majority will be young adults. Gophers are not known to be a significant source of any diseases transmittable to humans or animals. People can trap these critters which is time consuming or use bait injected into the ground and hidden away from prying eyes. Many additional critters may use their tunnels for their benefit including lizards and toads.

Call ProBest for more information or to schedule a visit 602-249-7378

pocket gophers

pocket gophers

pocket gophers

pocket gophers

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