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The Citizen, 1997-05-07, Page 23THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 7,1997 PAGE 23. Surprises to be found in spring lawns By Pam Charbonneau OMAFRA Turf grass Specialist Recently, you probably had some time to inspect your yard and lawn. There are usually a few surprises. What you may have encountered on your lawn were either large, irregular dead looking areas or areas with roughly circular patches that had a pinkish tinge to them. The large irregular areas would be a result of winter injury. Depending on the turf species and the extent of the injury, those areas may or may not green up. The roughly circular pink patches are caused by pink snow mould. Pink snow mould is most prevalent in areas where snow has piled'up due to drifting or along roadways and sidewalks where it has been shovelled into piles. The pink snow mould damage appears to be wet and slimy at first. As the grass dries up those areas become bleached and the dead grass becomes brittle. Luckily, pink snow mould damage on home lawns is almost always superficial and as soon as the conditions are right for the grass to green up and start growing, the snow mould scars will heal. If you do have winter injury of snow mould, rake the lawn to encourage the slimy grass to dry up. At the end of April you can put on a light fertilizer application to encourage those areas to heal. Avoid a heavy application of fertilizer at this time of year because it can encourage leaf spot diseases later on in the spring. The best time to apply your spring fertilizer application is at the end of May. The main complaint from homeowners to date has been about mole damage on home lawns. Moles spend almost their entire You’re worth it Continued from page 22 as a spa water sample taken every time the water is changed to ensure the proper chemical balance. Make sure you take your sample to a professional spa dealer. Your local Bio Guard Authorized Pool and Spa Dealer will analyze your sample free of charge and prescribe a treatment and maintenance program especially for your spa and your lifestyle. When investing in a spa, always keep in mind you're worth it! So kick off your shoes, take the plunge and lavish your lifestyle. For more information about the effective use of your spa, see your local Yellow Pages for the Bio­ Guard Authorized Dealer nearest you. lives underground. Damage is most extensive in the spring and fall during cool, moist periods. They are insectivores. They must consume from 70 - 100 per cent of their own body weight daily. A mole's diet consists mainly of beetles, grub larvae and earthworms. The common mole in Ontario is most likely the star-nosed mole. It does not leave long snaking ridges in the grass. Instead it tunnels, leaving numerous and frequent mounds that are often found in a row. Moles do not leave any trace of the entrance to their burrows the way gophers do. The star-nose mole prefers wet, poorly drained sites. Trapping and baiting are recommended for control of moles, but neither of these methods is very effective or practical. Another animal which causes similar damage to moles is the chipmunk. They too feed on insect larvae in the ground and they leave smaller mounds in the turf. The other calls coming in have to do with those other four legged pests of turf - skunks and raccoons. As with the moles, the skunks are hungry after a long winter without food. They are very aggressively looking for grub larvae. They can easily destroy areas of turf by tearing up and uprooting the grass plants. Their feeding is most common during the fall and early spring. When sod is turned over as if a plow had gone through the turf, this is the result of raccoon damage. Raccoon damage makes skunk damage seem insignificant in comparison. It just wouldn't be spring without mentioning European chafer grubs. The grubs that were feeding on your lawn last fall will probably return to the upper part of the soil and resume feeding soon. Luckily, these grubs will only feed briefly (until late May). At that point, they will go into a resting stage (pupation) until late June or early July. We do not recommend spring insecticide treatment for grub Continued on page 24 Our greenhouses are overflowing with gorgeous flowers and plants Including ■ hanging baskets ■ flowering bags ■ rose bushes ■ climbing vines ■ mixed containers, perfect for a deck or patio ■ perennial lilies /if' ■ nursery stock ■ annuals ■ perennials & more... DON’T DELAY OFFER ENDS MAY 24/97 It's going to be a hot sticky summer. i i USE Wins OTWW EWooo 5% OFF CARPET CLEANING OVER s75.00! Call GAVIN'S CARPET CARE today to book one of Huron County’s most recommended Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning firms. Example: 12 x 24 = 288 sq. ft. x 27* = ‘77.67 less 15% - ‘66.10 + G.S.T = ‘70.73 Coupon must be presented at time of cleaning. Coupon may not be used in conjunction with any other discounts Offer expires May 31, 1997 ~ We do not telephone solicit Cool off with no payments on air conditioners 'til September '97? Purchase your new air conditioner or heating system before May 24 '97 and don't pay 'til September '97. •We Do Not Telephone Solicit '-if* GAVIN’Cleaning & Restoration Services 524-2440 or 1-800-450-4333 186 Rich Street, Goderich Duizer Plumbing & Heating Londesboro 523-4359 or 482-5267 t DEFERRED PAYMENTS AVAILABLE TO UNION GAS RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS ON APPROVED CREDIT THROUGH UNION GAS AND MEMBER UNION GAS HEATING DEALERS. ALL OTHER OFFERS NOT APPLICABLE. OFFER VALID FROM APRIL 7 '97 TO MAY 24 '97. THERE ARE NO SET-UP FEES OR EARiY PAYMENT PENALTIES FOR FINANCING.