T.B.I. Lawn Care Professionals, Inc.

01/25/2022

Welcome 2022! New Year, New Lawn. Through an integrated 5 step annual program, we strive to build every lawn to sod quality. Incorporating seeding and aeration into our annual program ensures even after the worst summer drought we will repair turf back to top quality. Call us to schedule your free estimate at 703-455-5296 .

04/15/2013

Eastern Tent Caterpillars are voracious feeders that do swift damage if they go undetected. Usually found in fruit trees, they tend to build in the crux of intersecting branches. This helps them to remain undetected until mass breakout. During early instar stages these pests feed and return to the nest, add more silk and enlarge the “tent”. Toward the last phase of their caterpillar stage, or larval instar, they break out and do massive destruction. While partial to fruit tree, the tent caterpillar can also be found nesting in bushes (Laurels, Red Tip Photinia and Roses top the list). Beyond the damage these pests inflict, they also make a mighty mess as gobs of these insects lounge about on your tables and patio furniture.

Remedies: Scan trees and shrubs in early spring to detect visible tents. Decide whether controls are merited and apply insecticides at the earliest stages before the problem increases. Target insecticides to the crotches of branches that way you can use less pesticide than if mass breakout has occurred.

03/20/2013

Spring is here! We are currently working on our spring services. If we haven't been by your lawn already, we will be out in the next few weeks. Remember, for any referred friends who sign up with a 2013 program, you will receive a $25 discount off of your next service! Just tell them to mention your name when requesting one of our free estimates.

03/20/2013

This highly competitive nuisance is the most common in the Bryaceae (moss) family. It can grow in nearly every climate and is native to just about every country. Since it is a global problem, one would expect controls would be readily available; however, this is not the case. The reproduction method of moss makes it difficult to eradicate. Moss can reproduce either sexually, with the transfer of genetic material, or asexually, when a bit of one moss breaks off and starts to grow to form another. Oddly, the commercial cultivation of the plant often results in failure making it by definition a w**d. Although products exist that claim good control, they cannot do the job on their own. These products need the assistance of culture change in order to be effective.

This primitive perennial plant establishes itself in areas of moist, compacted soils that are often accompanied by shade. It is often thought that putting limestone on the area will cure the problem. Although it is true the plant does like a more acidic environment, this is not its only motivating factor. Like every green plant, it loves nitrates and water just like the grass we are trying to maintain. So, in essence, we are both fighting it and promoting its existence.

Remedies: In order to control this aggressive parasite, conditions of the site will need to change. In most cases three things need to occur before moderate control can be established. Reducing moisture, reducing shade, and reducing compaction are all important first steps in this battle. Ironically, gaining more sunlight often will cure the excessive moisture problem. If this is not the case then following some simple watering rules can help. For home lawns, deep watering less frequently is better for the grass and will usually be more cost effective as well. One component of professional lawn care should include a soil test as turf grass enjoys a pH level higher than moss. Correcting soil thru aeration and soil amending should also help. Once these three corrections have been made, the moss will be at a disadvantage and then the moss control products can be highly productive. We use a product designed for control of moss called “Quick Silver.” It can be effective if the cultural conditions have been corrected.

03/20/2013

The Michelin monster once again raises its ugly head. Once this winter damage occurs, it is a Goodyear to make the turf satisfactory again. Other pests in the same family include Bridgestone, Goodrich, and Firestone. This damage is normally by the driveway, but in extreme cases can extend into the lawn. Curb strips also suffer from this and the errant snowplow gouges.

The problem with this winter damage is that during the repair we are not able to put down a quality crabgrass control, so by mid-summer we are now dealing with an unsightly noxious w**d problem.

Remedies: Mark the edges of the drive with tall reflective poles during winter months. Take the bus in inclement weather. Have eyesight checked. If this Pirelli pest is perennial then you may want to widen the driveway. Also, always blame the spouse when an incident occurs. Grading, reseeding, or sodding damaged areas is recommended.

03/20/2013

Wild onion grass is a cool season w**d that becomes an eyesore when it towers over quality turf grass and forms massive clumps. This perennial pest is most unsightly in warm season turf during its dormancy phase. For instance, using the brown backdrop of dormant zoysia grass showcases this bunch plant and really disturbs the appearance of the lawn. This w**d is in the Amaryllis family which includes wild garlic, chives and assorted bulbous flowers. The bulbous nature of reproduction and the waxy coating of the leaves make this w**d difficult to control.

Remedies: Keep turf mown even in the winter as this will help weaken the plant, thus keeping the bulb smaller and less likely to reproduce. Mowing also keeps the hideous appearance to a minimum. Harvesting the w**d by hand can be useful; however, unless the soil is very moist, onion grass is likely to break leaving bulbs to return. Common w**d controls are very effective, particularly after mowing, as the waxy coating has been scarred allowing material to pe*****te.

03/20/2013

Chickw**d is an unsightly winter annual that often makes quality sod look horrendous. Once this w**d emerges, it spreads out mat like and crowds out existing grass. Although easily killed, it is difficult to eradicate due to its prolific ability to produce seed.

Remedies: Keep turf grass very tall. This will provide competition and also block the sun from the soil surface, reducing early germination. When infestation occurs, always collect clippings to reduce the amount of seed distributed.

02/08/2012

A brand new commercial starring some component players of T.B.I. doing what they do best!
http://youtu.be/cTTEEU3jC4o

TBI Lawn Care Professionals http://www.ziplocal.com/page/1-25448294.html 7646 G Fullerton Rd Springfield, VA 22150

02/08/2012

Spring is on the way! We will starting our spring services very soon and we look forward to seeing you out there. Remember, for any referred friends who sign up with a 2012 program, you will receive a $25 discount off of your next service! Just tell them to mention your name when requesting one of our free estimates.

08/16/2011

THIS WEEKS WOES AND WORRIES
Wild Violets
This pretty perennial is one of the toughest w**d problems turf managers encounter. The leaves of this plant are heart shaped with an impenetrable waxy coat. Violets spread through rhizomes and if left untreated can become insidious. Violets compete and crowd out desirable turf grass rather quickly forming unsightly large clumps and eventually a mass ground cover. It could have some use in the landscape if the plants were an evergreen but other than a few attractive blooms it has no redeeming value.
Remedies: Culturally there is not a lot of hope although adjusting the pH level seems to help somewhat. The rhizome or tuber makes it difficult to harvest as leaving a little behind means more violets and not worth the effort.
That leaves us to chemical control which needs to be timed precisely in order to be effective. When the plant is first emerging and/or in flower seems to work best as plants will translocate the w**d controls rapidly. Once the waxy coating has hardened, the best way to get pe*******on is to make herbicide application quickly after mowing and before the vascular system begins healing the wound. Using selective w**d controls containing dicamba or triclopyr claim to work better than other more common w**d control products, but I feel it’s about timing!