- peerlesstree
- 29 minutes ago
Hello and happy summer! We hope you have been enjoying the warm weather and sunshine. Peerless will be taking a short summer break during the week of Monday, August 25 until Friday, August 29, with our office and services unavailable until Tuesday, September 2.
If you will need an application or service we provide before August 22, please contact our office as soon as possible so we can get you scheduled. Thank you!
- peerlesstree
- Jul 29
Summer heat may have your lawn stressing, but you don't have to!
Here are some helpful tips for keeping your lawn healthy:
Sharpen mower blades- dull blades create blade stress that will openly encourage various fungal diseases- especially in the heat of summer
Alternate mowing patterns from week to week (although sometimes difficult- it is very beneficial to keep the turf from “getting into a rut”)
Never mow more than 1/3rd of the blade off a time
OK to leave clippings on- they add nutrients and water to form healthy thatch
OK to mow frequently, but especially in sunny, hot areas, try to keep the height at 2 ½ - 3”. This will also help to “shade out weeds”, especially late-season crabgrass!
Water infrequently and heavily
Lawns need about 1” of water per week
It is best to do a heavy soaking every week or so- 6 inches deep into soil
Frequent light sprinkling causes compaction and promotes a shallow, weak root system (avoid)
- peerlesstree
- Jun 12
Due to a wet spring with bouts of hot weather, the population of nymphal deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) has exploded this year. Another species, lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum), have also been growing in number and are found in a very large geographic area. Lone star ticks are an aggressive and active species. They are associated with several pathogens, including the "allergy to red meat."
This condition is real but not limited to red meat. In the scientific community, it is more accurately known as alpha-gal syndrome, or AGS. AGS describes an allergy to the alpha-gal carbohydrate (or sugar molecule). Our bodies do not produce alpha-gal, and naturally produce alpha-gal antibodies. One of these antibodies, IgE, causes a sensitivity to many products, including "red meat" and many other products, such as bacon, milk, ice cream, cheese, gummy candies, and even certain types of medical products.
Right now in the United States, AGS is correlated with lone star tick bites. Frequent bites or bites from many ticks are associated with the development of AGS, but the cause is unknown. It could be caused by the alpha-gal carbohydrate, which has been found in tick saliva. Ticks also produce their own molecules that are structurally very similar to the carbohydrate.
As we head into the warmer summer months, keep up your protection against ticks. The lone star tick can often be found in places where you rarely find deer ticks, such as open fields, as it tends to be more tolerant of dry habitats.
Focus on personal protection methods:
Wear an EPA-registered repellent
Protect fabrics, clothing, and shoes with permethrin
Include a daily tick check in your schedule
Call Peerless!
