With the weather heating up in the Johnson County area, knowing the signs of this seasons pests is essential for defending against them. Whether your home is in Overland Park, Olathe, or Shawnee,check your lawn and landscape plants for the following:
Problem – Dothistroma Needle Blight on Pines
Symptoms – Interior needles missing from the bottom of the tree and lower limbs looking bare. Needles will have scattered spotting and a half needle scorch. The outer needle will be brown, and the inner needle will be green in different locations. Look for dark, fruiting bodies on affected needles.
Problem – Bagworms (Mostly on evergreens)
Symptoms – Look for last years bags and damage. Bagworms are easy to control when newly hatched in mid-June, but they become increasingly difficult to control and more damaging as they mature.
Problem – Galls (Abnormal growth on leaves, twigs, and branches of trees
Symptoms – Galls form as a response to a chemical that a number of wasps, mites and flies inject into plants. This is less of a problem and more of an eyesore. It’s difficult to prevent, not usually harmful, and best to ignore.
Problem – Powdery mildew on lawns
Symptoms – Your grass may look as if somebody recently cleaned a paint brush after using white paint by hosing off on your lawn. Powdery mildew is usually found in shady areas with poor air circulation. It may damage the leaf blades, but rarely causes lasting harm to the entire plant or lawn.
For more information on this season’s pests and how Custom Lawn & Landscape can help, please give us a call today at 913-782-8315. We cover the entire Johnson County, Kansas area.
