MANAGING AND RECOVERING FROM CHINCH BUG DAMAGE

USE RESISTANT TURFGRASSES

Overseed areas that have historically been damaged by chinch bugs with perennial ryegrasses, fine fescues and tall fescues that contain entophytic fungi. Endophytic grasses deter chinch bug feeding.

USE PEST CONTROL

Chinch bugs are rather easy to detect in turf and targeted insecticide applications can be applied to reduce populations which appear to be building to damaging levels.

Talk to your local Nutri-Lawn about Integrated Pest Management principles effective for controlling chinch bugs.

RECOVERY FROM DAMAGE

Slightly damaged turf will recover rather quickly if lightly fertilized and watered regularly. Heavily infested lawns may have significant plant mortality because of the toxic effect of chinch bug saliva and reseeding will be necessary.

Major damage caused by chinch bugs is often mistaken for drought stress and not treated accordingly. It’s important to identify, treat and eliminate chinch bug infestations before they multiply and chinch bug damage becomes extensive to a lawn.

Call Darrell Kline with Intracoastal Turf Professionals, 910-338-0331 https://itplawncare.com/
Chinch bugs
The Dreaded Chinch Bug

Best Time to Re-Sod Your Yard

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Have you been sitting out on your porch, feeling forlorn about your heat-scorched grass? Around this point in the gardening season, do you feel stuck about how to proceed? If you are wondering if you can remedy the problem and re-sod during the intense heat, the answer is: Yes!

Benefits of Plan to Re-Sod Now

Some homeowners may think that we are in a no-planting zone because of the intense heat. With 40 years of experience, the experts at Superior Sod & Gardening Supplies can produce outstanding results anytime during the year! If you are disappointed because your entire garden has literally gone to seed, now would be a perfect time for new grass installation.

Here are some of the advantages of planting sod immediately:

  • Extend the season for your enjoyment outdoors
  • Property enhancement for activities during the upcoming months
  • Easy way to create positive surroundings for family, neighbors and visitors

Tips for Successful Sod Installation

At Superior Sod and Gardening Supplies, we have the knowledge and experience to ensure a successful sod installation at any point during the year. One important key is proper preparation, which our team will ensure. We often recommend Zoysia grasses, which are easy to take care of and resist brown patch.

Big Al made this choice for his own yard, which delivered great results after installation during the winter. By spring, the grass had knitted together completely. At any time of the year, making a quality choice is the key!

Watch Our Video, and Contact Us With Any Questions

Have you been wondering when to plan a new sod installation? Are you searching for a way to ensure a problem-free and pleasant experience? For more tips, watch our video: When is the best time to renovate my yard?

If you still have questions, contact us!

Treatment for Mole Crickets

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The experts at Superior Sod have uncovered a serious problem in Porter’s Pointe: damaged areas from mole crickets. To verify our suspicions, we sent photos to two other turf specialists.  

Our observations were confirmed.

Widespread Damage

Adult mole crickets are a challenge to eliminate right now. You’ll recognize them if you spot the following:

  • Light grayish brown color
  • Length up to 1.5 inches
  • Wings allowing up to 40 feet of travel

Mole crickets feed during the evening on the roots of untreated Bermuda grass. Here are details about the extensive damage, which they can cause:

  • Initial dead trails between 1 to 2 inches wide
  • Power to destroy up to 2 square yards
  • Ground surface gnawing 1/2 inch down

During this path of destruction, mole crickets will feed on the upper roots and then target the crown area, which kills the turf grass. Our current high heat and drought conditions widen their “kill zone.” During the day, you’ll even find these relentless creatures working their way into:

  • Cooler mulched in garden beds
  • Driveways and sidewalks
  • Soil as far as 6 inches down

Effective Solutions

To stop mole crickets from eating through your lawn and garden, you can use an insecticide now. Our top recommendations are from Farmer Supply on Oleander Drive, which carries Top Shelf and Talstar. The latter is the least expensive and needs a good watering.

Right now, you can’t destroy these devils, but you can slow them down. Next spring, retreat your lawn every 3 weeks starting in mid-March, when the night time temperatures are in the 60 degree range. Then, continue this process through mid-June, and treat your lawn every spring for mole crickets.

Contact Our Experts for More Treatment Advice

Do you have questions about treating mole crickets or the fungus called dollar spot? With 44 years of experience growing specialty crops like turf grass, produce, strawberries, we offer reliable advice. Contact a USDA registered soil scientist who has worked with many farmers to increase their production!

Soil Testing and Disease Control

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With the high temperatures frying lawns to a crisp, you may be searching for ways to deal with brown patches. Some advanced planning may help you avoid these complications. Here are some tips for dealing with lawn problems.

Soil Testing to Pinpoint Problems

Does the dirt in your yard look like clay? Does endless watering still leave you with dry-looking soil? If so, you can improve this situation with soil testing.

Professional analysis of the soil in your yard will help you understand:

  • Deficiencies
  • Characteristics
  • Contents

Without this information, you are literally working in the dark. You can keep knocking yourself out in an effort to grow a healthy-looking lawn. However, you will experience success after learning how to achieve the proper balance.

In addition, you will need to consider external elements including:

  • Air temperature
  • Insects
  • Moisture frequency
  • Timing

When you finally know all of these details, you can apply the correct remedies, based on a professional’s advice.

Disease Control For Warm Season Grasses

In the heat of summer, diseases will present one of the most challenging problems. The following elements encourage these complications:

  • Excess nitrogen
  • High thatch content
  • Increased humidity
  • Moisture
  • Warm temperatures

In our area, brown patch thrives during the summer and early fall months because of these common conditions. How can you get this problem under control?

If you catch the problem early, fungicides like Daconil 2787 or Bayleton will work. However, watch closely for 2- to 3-inch brown patches. When you treat these areas before they get out of control, you may win the damage-control battle. Otherwise, less than healthy grass will be more vulnerable during the cold months.

Contact Us for Lawn Care Advice

Do you have questions about your lawn problems? The grass experts at Superior Sod & Garden Supplies have the answers. Contact us!

Quality Sod to Create Outdoor Living Space

Pic New Sod NurseryWith many homeowners interested in increasing their outdoor living space, quality sod is a key that can make or break this project. For example, some may have struggled for years with stubborn brown patches of lawn. Others feel frustrated because of years battling grass-resistant blocks of dirt.

The experts at Superior Sod & Garden Supplies have a long track record helping customers develop the yard of their dreams. The following are just a few selected examples of these success stories.

Lush Grass Transforms Backyards

One of the most gratifying aspects of helping our customers is receiving their glowing testimonials as well as before-and-after photos. When you take a look at these transformed backyards, you will visually witness the effectiveness of our top-quality sod. If you use our products, you can similarly experience the following benefits:

  • Decreased time struggling with unattractive areas
  • Increased sense of pride in your home
  • Inviting place for your friends and family to gather

Instead of spending hours fighting against nature, you can kick back and enjoy a new outdoor living room. For the best results, take a look at some of our favorite choices.

Value of Sod Suggestions and Detailed Advice

As you can see from our customers’ testimonials, they value our recommendations and guidance for installing sod properly. Our team loves sharing our knowledge and educating others about the best grass varieties including:

  • Empire and Zorro Zoysia: Generally, our vote for the best turf grasses
  • Bermuda (Celebration): Rated #1 by NC State for wear and overall turf quality
  • TifBlair Certified Centipede: Easiest-to-maintain and drought-tolerant selection

Share Your Before-and-After Photos

If you have enjoyed success installing our sod, we would love to share your before-and-after photos. Do you have additional questions about maintaining your outdoor living space? Contact the experts at Superior Sod & Garden Supplies now!

3 Tips for Creating a Welcoming Entrance With a Healthy Lawn

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During the summer months, when you have outdoor garden parties, you want to create a “wow” factor when visitors arrive. The minute guests land at the bottom of your front steps, they will quickly scan the appearance of your front lawn. Like many aspects of your home that may have started to deteriorate over the years, you may have turned a blind eye to the condition of your lawn.

Ground-Level Appearance

If you want to convey a genuine “Welcome!” to anyone who visits your home, here are some tips for starting at the ground level with a healthy lawn.

  1. Create a grand, sweeping entrance: Would you like to create the effect of a grand, sweeping entrance, as visitors walk up to your front door? The secret for creating this type of impact is placing large sections of fresh sod without any interrupting lines. Similar to the open concept, which is popular in the interior of many homes, you want to create sight lines that are free of “clutter.”
  2. Follow curves framing winding walkways: To soften the look of straight edges, many homeowners favor a gently winding path as their preferred entryway. Cutting healthy sod to follow and frame these curves precisely creates a striking appearance, which will stand out on your block.
  3. Wrap flower beds and tree bases: If you want to maintain expansive views of your great-looking lawn, your flower beds and trees are probably forming interesting shapes close to your house. For the most dramatic impact, cut new sod in clean lines around these areas to achieve a completely manicured look.

 

Contact Us for Top-Quality Sod  

Like any project, the quality of the materials that you use determines the final results. The name of our company captures our desire to help you achieve the ultimate look at your home. Contact Superior Sod & Garden Supplies, so you can welcome your visitors with a lush-looking lawn now!

Secret of Winning Large-Scale Sod Projects

At Superior Sod & Garden Supplies, we know how to sod big! Although we enjoy teaching homeowners about creating lush grass at their homes, we get an extra thrill working on large-scale projects. What is our secret for landing this work?

Sod-Growing Experience

During 20 years of growing sod in the extreme climate in Kalispell, Montana, owner Don Curtis started building his reputation as the “Father of Sod.” Over time, he learned why using the correct cultivars and providing his own turf plots was essential. As a result of this experience, he developed a special blend of Bluegrasses, which led to the large-scale project of sodding the University of Montana’s new football stadium in Missoula.

Creation and Success of Special Blend of Bluegrasses

Our special blend of Bluegrasses has contributed to the success of large-scale projects for the following reasons:

  • Drought tolerance
  • Long-term wear
  • Winter hardiness

After the university sod installation project was finished, our company handled the daily maintenance for this massive athletic field. We had only 3 weeks to make sure that the field could withstand the intensity of the university’s homecoming game that year. We are particularly proud that every piece of sod remained intact, which was a major success and complete honor for us!

Golf Courses, Baseball Fields, Parks, Tourist Getaways & More

Besides this athletic field project, we were also selected for many other large-scale projects. Some of these have included:

  • Building golf courses from the initial stage
  • Rebuilding and repairing other tees
  • Sodding many large-scale parks
  • Completing many commercial and residential projects

Photos of Big Sod Work

Sometimes, you just need to see photos to grasp what we mean by “big sod work.” We wanted to share our experiences with you in a visual way. Here are some of the highlights:

  • Completing and reconstructing a sand bunker at a golf course
  • Sodding a park located in Missoula, Montana
  • Reconstructing a golf course in Western North Carolina
  • Using our sod extensively at a tourist getaway
  • Supplying and installing sod on 100-acre fields

Contact Superior Sod & Garden Supplies for Large-Scale Projects

Are you ready to get started on a large-scale sod project? Do you need experienced professionals to ensure that every detail is handled correctly? Contact the “Father of Sod” and “Big Al” at Superior Sod & Garden Supplies now!

Jump-Start Lush Lawns: Tips for Sod Installation & Correct Fertilizers in Wilmington, NC

By the time December arrives, thoughts of landscaping and gardening are often in a resting stage like the earth. However, those of us itching to get our hands back in the soil may have several opportunities readily at hand. With the 10-day weather prediction in Wilmington, NC, forecasting mostly 60s and 70s and the historical monthly average hitting close to 60 degrees through February, you can still install sod during the winter.

Ideal Times of the Year for Sod Installation

Are you yearning to get a jump on beautiful grass for the upcoming season? Are you confused about the best times for sod installation? The perfect time for sod installation is from the last day of any frost, particularly when using Centipede (mid-April) through October.

If you missed that period, You can also install sod when it is going into dormancy or is totally dormant and has no green leaf tissue. Here are other good times for sod installation:

Late fall
Winter
Early spring

When attempting dormant sod installation, one simple step is the key to success. Simply keep the sod pad moist. Fortunately, the rainfalls in our area during any phase of dormancy will do this work naturally for you.

Guidelines for Best Sod Fertilizers and Times

Now that you have the green light on sod installation during the winter, are you wondering about the best fertilizer? Are you still feeling unclear about the best times to fertilize? Here are reliable guidelines from our knowledgeable experts at Superior Sod & Garden supplies:

Before installing your sod, apply an application of 5:5:15 – referred to as a STARTER Fertilizer.
Use approximately 3 # per 1,000 square feet and lightly rake into the top 1/2 inch of soil.
After the sod has knitted down anywhere from 1 to 2 weeks during the growing season, apply a second application of either 5:5:15 for Centipede or 16:4:8 for any other variety.
Irrigate this fertilizer into the soil and off the leaf tissues.

Another important step is to spoon feed your fertilizer–only as needed. In addition, select one with lower Nitrogen because excess amounts will make your grass susceptible to Brown Patch and other diseases.

Reasons to Avoid High-Nitrogen and Weed-and-Feed Fertilizers

When you want a lush-looking lawn, you may mistakenly think that more is better. Chain stores often feed this misconception because they carry fertilizers, labeled for southern lawns, which are too high in Nitrogen (30%). This approach is actually inappropriate for our area.

According to our experts with four decades of experience in the industry, the only grassvariety that can handle this high amount of Nitrogen is in the Bermudas. In Wilmington, NC, this amount of Nitrogen will ultimately send Centipede into a decline. Consequently, your lawn will be vulnerable to the following:

Disease
Weeds
Winter injury or kill

To avoid undesirable results, it is also important to avoid applying a Weed-and-Feed fertilizer before or just after any sod installation. The chemicals used in this formula create a barrier in your soil, which will block seed germination. In addition, they also prevent sod from becoming unified and settling down.

Would you like to learn more about proper sod installation and fertilizers for our region? The experts at Superior Sod & Garden Supplies, who are committed to educating customers, can help. Contact us!

Consider Saint Augustine Sod for your new lawn

Consider Saint Augustine Sod for your spring lawn renovation.
You may have a Ten to Twenty year old lawn that is looking very tired and thin, and may have disease or fungus or has been invaded by mole crickets or perhaps chinch bugs or fire ants.
Your lawn could also be having problems because of trees in your yard that are providing a lot of shade which makes it difficult for many southern grasses to have sustained healthy growth and a strong root foundation.

Well there is a solution for these problems and that is to kill off your old lawn and install fresh Saint Augustine Sod from Superior Sod you will be pleasantly surprised with how beautiful your yard will look after spending a reasonable amount of money which will also increase your property value.

You can do this and we are here to help!

Renovate your Yard

Merits of Empire Zoysia

THE MERITS OF EMPIRE ZOYSIA 

First of all we have a special announcement. We at SUPERIOR SOD AND GARDEN SUPPLY (www.superiorsodnc.com) have been privileged to be an Authorized Grower and Dealer by the developers of EMPIRE ZOYSIA.

EMPIRE ZOYSIA has been our grass of choice for years – as it far exceeds the negative issues found with other varieties that are available and promoted in the Wilmington , NC area. These “off” Zoysia varieties include Crown, Zenith, Jamur, and Meyers. It is always important for a potential Zoysia customer to check into the NTEP Trials (National Turf grass Evaluation Program). There are 28 test sites in the United States, and one of them is located at NC State in Raleigh.

EMPIRE ZOYSIA has been rated as the #1 Zoysia variety today.

EMPIRE TURF is a ZOYSIA grass that has truly raised the bar for warn season grasses. EMPIRE sod combines a soft to the touch, with a lush green color and fine, tight blade growth. VIsually, EMPIRE is an extremely attractive turf grass for any landscaping. Homeowners and Property Managers also appreciate it’s many maintenance, environmental, and cost saving advantages.

You might not expect a turf grass as soft as EMPIRE to be strong, but this incredible ZOYSIA grass accommodates a variety of activities without suffering extensive wear and tear. EMPIRE Turf is as hardy as it is attractive, and has a deep, thick root structure that makes it more drought tolerant than other turf grass varieties and including other Zoysia varieties. In addition, EMPIRE’S slower vertical growth and natural chinch bug and chemical resistance’s mean that your lawn will require less maintenance, mowing, and irrigation. An EMPIRE turf lawn that has been naturalized to the local climate requires minimal irrigation to remain healthy and thriving.

Reduced maintenance needs and durability are EMPIRE’S hallmarks. EMPIRE ZOYSIA grass was originally developed in Brazil, and thrives in both harsh tropical climates such as Southern Florida as well as more temperate regions as far north as Pennsylvania. EMPIRE Zoysia turf is one of the few grasses rated to perform well in all Zones, and it can thrive in varying soils and climatic conditions.

For instance, during a hurricane, we usually experience flooding and salt water over wash of properties. The only grass that we at SUPERIOR SOD (www.superiorsodnc.com) have seen survive such inundation of salt water – even after a week of being underwater is EMPIRE ZOYSIA.

I'm Big Al and I can help you with your lawn

Hi I'm “Big Al” and I can help you with your grass

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