Lawn & Plant Health Care

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Lawn & Plant Health Care

A beautiful lawn is the backdrop to a beautiful landscape! When it comes to the care of your lawn – from establishment to maintenance and troubleshooting – Environmental Pest & Lawn Services is your one-stop shop for professional Lawn Care services and technical expertise. Whether you are in the planning phases of a new landscape, looking for an environmentally responsible Lawn Care service, or are unhappy with your current provider, we are your local experts for your Central Florida lawn.

Our Lawn Care Services Are Second-To-None

  • To start off, you can get to know your service technician. That’s right – the same knowledgeable, veteran of the industry professional each service. Your technician will get to know your lawn over time, allowing for better management of predictable issues.
  • Your lawn will be evaluated at the time of each service for a customized approach to your Lawn Care service.
  • We only use professional, Florida-friendly and Lake-friendly fertilizers designed to address known nutrient deficiencies in Central Florida soils. The form and analysis of the fertilizer applied will depend on your lawn’s needs at the time of service.
  • Insecticides are used as needed – both preventively and curatively. We choose our insecticides carefully depending on the insect pests targeted at the time of service. For example, Acelepryn – an insecticide selected for management of lawn caterpillars such as sod webworms and army worms – will only affect them and therefore spare beneficial insects, birds and mammals.
  • Weed management is an important part of our Lawn Care service. Selective herbicides are used for manageable weeds in the lawn. The products used for weed management are carefully-selected for their environmental safety record and turfgrass tolerance. This is the right way for approaching weed management, and we wouldn’t do it any other way.
  • We approach turfgrass disease management from both cultural and chemical management. In most situations, fungal-diseases are an indication of improper cultural or environmental conditions. We will discuss the cultural modifications required for management of the disease present. Application of carefully-selected fungicides may aid in recovery along with the improvement in the cultural conditions.
  • So whether your lawn is St. Augustinegrass, Zoysiagrass, Bahiagrass, Centipedegrass, Bermudagrass, or Seashore Paspalum, we are your local experts for the care of your lawn. Call us today for a complimentary evaluation and proposal – you will not be disappointed!
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Light-Green, Fine-Textured

Zoysia Grass

Several varieties of Zoysiagrass have gained popularity as alternatives to St. Augustinegrass in Central Florida in the past few years. The most commonly available Zoysiagrass variety is ‘Empire’, which has been advertised as a “miracle grass” that requires little water and is pest resistant. While Zoysiagrass may be a good choice for many landscapes, the following unbiased information will provide you with the most up-to-date facts about zoysiagrass for Central Florida.

Zoysiagrass is a light-green, fine-textured grass, which is softer and much denser than St. Augustinegrass. It makes for a beautiful lawn that can be the envy of the neighborhood. Zoysiagrass is soft, dense, and unlike most St. Augustinegrass varieties, feels great to run through barefoot. The variety ‘Empire’ is preferred for residential landscapes as it can be mowed with a typical rotary mower. With proper care and the right growing conditions, Zoysiagrass can make for an exceptional lawn that will complement your property.

As with any turfgrass, Zoysiagrass is susceptible to insect pests and diseases. Unlike St. Augustinegrass, Zoysiagrass is resistant to chinch bugs but is susceptible to other insect pests including armyworms, sod webworms, billbugs, mole crickets, and scale. In addition, Zoysiagrass is very susceptible to root-rot diseases, and large patch fungi, and is often damaged by plant-parasitic nematodes.

‘Empire’ Zoysiagrass will not tolerate shady conditions long term, so it must receive a minimum of six to eight hours of sunlight per day. While other varieties of Zoysiagrass that tolerate shade well are available, they must be mowed every 2-3 days with a reel mower, making them unsuitable to most residential lawns.

‘Empire’ Zoysiagrass is best maintained when mowed at 2-2 1/2 inches. Higher mowing heights exacerbate thatch accumulation and encourage insect pests and disease problems. This lower mowing height often requires a more frequent mowing than that of St. Augustinegrass. In addition, the course grass blades and dense nature of this grass require more frequent sharpening of the lawnmower blades for a clean cut.

A common misunderstanding of Zoysiagrass is its ability to tolerate drought. A unique property of this grass is that it goes dormant during periods when water is less than adequate. The grass turns brown in response to drought but grows back green when enough water is available. This natural mechanism allows the grass to survive short-term drought periods that would be critically damaging to other turfgrass species. While this tolerance to drought is a great advantage of Zoysiagrass, it is not uncommon for brown areas to appear intermittently throughout Zoysiagrass lawns. This is often due to poor irrigation coverage, inconsistencies in soil water retention, and/or damage by root-rot diseases and nematodes.

A significant advantage of Zoysiagrass over St. Augustinegrass is its natural tolerance to weed invasion due to its dense growth habit. In addition, we can more easily manage weeds in Zoysiagrass, including crabgrasses and other grassy weeds, with commercially available products. There are many factors to consider when choosing a turfgrass for your landscape. Please contact us with any questions about your existing or future investment in your lawn. We are your trusted source for unbiased advice and professional recommendations.

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Turfgrass Of Choice In Central Florida

St. Augustine Grass

St. Augustinegrass has been the turfgrass of choice in Central Florida for several decades. There is a good reason for this as this is a grass type that thrives in the predominately sandy soils of Florida. With proper care, few grass types can compete with St. Augustinegrass for durability and attractiveness. The following unbiased information will provide the most up-to-date facts about St. Augustine Grass for Central Florida.

St. Augustine Grass requires proper watering. This grass simply will not survive severe drought and will be weakened or damaged from intermittent drought. When you hire EPLS as your Lawn Care provider, we will inform you if your lawn is receiving adequate water or if your irrigation should be evaluated.

Popular varieties of St. Augustinegrass include Floratam, Bitterblue, Classic, Palmetto, Seville, and Captiva. Floratam is the best choice for full sun. Others generally perform well in broken sunlight and semi-shade. None of these varieties will tolerate dense shade. The variety ‘Captiva’ was recently released as a chinch bugs-resistant variety. Each of the St. Augustinegrass varieties has its benefits and drawbacks. It is important to take into account cultural as well as pest and disease susceptibility factors when selecting a St. Augustinegrass variety for your property. Consult with us before making your final decision to maximize the success of your lawn for many years.

Many weeds can infest St. Augustinegrass. Some weeds are easily controlled, some are more difficult, and others cannot be selectively controlled at all. That is, treatments that would kill some weeds would also kill the St. Augustinegrass. Grassy weeds, and in particular crabgrass, are particularly troublesome due to their fast growth rate and lack of available herbicide management options.

Disease-management requires:

  • Experience and technical knowledge to recognize the limiting factors associated with the growth of the grass.
  • Accurate identification of disease-causing pathogens.
  • Implementation of a comprehensive treatment plan.
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Cinch Bugs

Chinch bugs are the primary pest of St. Augustinegrass. Chinch bugs will cause the grass to die in a short period of time and must be controlled in a timely manner. Chinch bugs populations in our area have developed a resistance to certain insecticides. In fact, EPLS has been working closely with University of Florida researchers in monitoring and documenting resistance patterns. The choice of insecticide for chinch bugs management is important for mitigating further resistance potential and to assure success of the treatment.
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False Chinch Bug

Many insects, such as big-eyed bugs or false-chinch bugs, may be confused with chinch bugs. Some of these look-alikes are actually beneficial insects that prey on chinch bugs and other insect pests! We are your local experts for correctly-identifying and treating for chinch bugs – call us today if you suspect a chinch bugs infestation in your lawn.
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Fall Armyworm Larva

Other insects that often damage St. Augustinegrass include Tropical Sod Webworms and Fall Armyworms. Infestation by these caterpillars is usually seasonal, and significant turf injury may occur within 24-48 hours. The adults are moths that do not damage the grass. We offer both preventive and curative treatments for Tropical Sod Webworms and Fall Army Worms. Best of all, we use products that specifically-target caterpillars and spare other insects and beneficials.
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Lance Nematode

Plant-parasitic nematodes often affect the roots of the grass and limit its ability to withstand other stresses. While often overlooked as a potential problem, nematodes are one of the most destructive pathogens to St. Augustinegrass. We are experts in evaluating, sampling and interpreting the potential damage that nematodes may have on St. Augustinegrass. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our in-house graduate nematologist.
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Lance Nematode

Fungus diseases affecting St. Augustinegrass range from mildly damaging to severe. Dollar Spot, Large Patch, Gray Leaf Spot, Pythium Root Rot, and Take-all Root Rot are all diseases that can affect the health of the grass. Many of these diseases infect the grass in conjunction with adverse cultural conditions and/or other pests and pathogens. Disease infections are often not easily-remedied without addressing the underlying limiting factors affecting the grass. Examples of disease-conducive cultural problems include improper soil pH, intermittent drought, over-irrigation, poor drainage, compaction, lack of available sunlight, and improper mowing practices. Weather and growing conditions will often determine how susceptible the grass is to these diseases, and whether or not treatments are successful.
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Lance Nematode

The professionals at EPLS are experts at taking care of St. Augustinegrass. An important part of our service includes the technical knowledge and the troubleshooting skills that we offer. You can call us for any questions you have about your St. Augustinegrass lawn.

A beautiful and healthy St. Augustinegrass lawn is a source of pride for most homeowners. With the right cultural conditions, maintenance and care, your St. Augustinegrass lawn will be the envy of the neighborhood!

Environmental Pest & Lawn Services, Inc.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Often Should I Water My Lawn?

Water your lawn on an as-needed basis. Each lawn is different and may require a different watering schedule. In Central Florida, water restrictions are enforced year-round. Remember that just because you are allowed to water twice per week, it doesn't mean you should. Conversely, the allowed two-days-per-week watering may not be sufficient during prolonged dry spells.

How Long Should I Water?

Water your lawn the length of time required to supply 3/4-1 inch of water per zone.

How High Should My Lawn Be Mowed?

Mowing height is different depending on the variety of St. Augustinegrass. The varieties Floratam, Palmetto, Classic and Bitterblue should be mowed at 4-4.5 inches. Seville and Captiva should be mowed at 2.5-3 inches.

How Often Should I Mow My Lawn?

Mow at the recommended height frequently enough to not remove more than one-third of the leaf blade. For example, Floratam St. Augustinegrass that is maintained at four inches should be mowed when no higher than six inches.

I Have Brown Areas In My Lawn & I've Been Told That I Have Chinch Bugs. What should I do?

Contact EPLS at (407) 532-8188! Chinch bugs are the most serious insect pest of St. Augustinegrass. But browning areas in your lawn are not necessarily caused by chinch bugs. Oftentimes unscrupulous sales people may try to coax a sale by claiming that chinch bugs are causing damage. Always request to see the chinch bugs prior to buying a treatment.

I Have Weeds In My Lawn. Why is my lawn not weed-free? What am I paying for?

Weed-management is often one of the primary reasons for homeowners to purchase a professional Lawn Care service. Proper fertilization, insect pest and disease management, along with proper mowing and watering go a long way towards a healthy, manicured lawn. Weed-management products are tools that are used as part of a comprehensive Lawn Care management plan. It is important to understand that no lawn is 100% weed-free and not all weeds are manageable in all situations. Contact us if weeds are problematic in your St. Augustinegrass lawn. We are here to help.

I see thousands of moths flying out of the grass and shrubs. What are they and what should I do about them?

The moths are likely the adult stage of Tropical Sod Webworms. They may be observed in May through August. Homeowners are often concerned about these moths flying out of the grass and shrubs in very large numbers. These moths pose no threat as they do not feed on the grass or shrubs. Therefore, insecticide applications for moths-management is impractical. Tropical Sod Webworm caterpillars feed on St. Augustinegrass grass for one to two months. Treatment for these caterpillars may be required to avoid significant damage to the lawn. Contact us if you suspect Tropical Sod Webworms activity in your lawn.

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Plant Health Care

Our Plant Health Care service promotes healthy and attractive landscapes. We are familiar with all of the common landscape plants in central Florida. When performing our services we inspect each plant and then apply fertilizer and pest-management products that maximize the potential for that plant. Most plants are fed at least two granular fertilizer applications per year. Many plants, such as palms, for example, require more frequent fertilizer applications and extra secondary nutrients. Mature trees that are a part of a typical landscape usually require no supplemental fertilization. Especially since they are taking in some of the nutrients applied to the turf. When appropriate we can recommend our tree micro-injection service.

All plants are treated based on the “Key Plant, Key Pest” concept promoted by the University of Florida. This means no blanket spraying and instead treating only those specific pests attacking specific plants. Examples of this are treatments for Lace Bugs on Azaleas, and Crape Myrtle Aphids that only attack Crape Myrtles.

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Plant Problems? WE Can Help!

Plant Health Care Services.

Plant health care is often much more complicated than turf care. A typical landscape may have 20 or more different varieties of ornamental plants. These may include hardwood trees, woody shrubs, palms, cycads, citrus, ground covers, and other accent plants. Each plant variety may have special fertilization and pest-management requirements. Our service is an excellent alternative to typical “shrub care” programs.

We do our part to conserve beneficial insects in the landscapes that we care for. Careful inspection of the landscape for potentially damaging pests is time-consuming and requires extensive technical expertise. While this is not the most economical approach, it is the right thing to do! Horticultural oils are used when possible. These are non-toxic plant sprays that will control pests such as scale, spider mites, aphids, and several other plant pests. When other pesticide materials are required, we are very selective about the products that we use. Whenever possible, we use systemic products that are formulated specifically to manage the pest or disease that we target.
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Tulip Scale

Tulip Scale is a scale insect that often infests Magnolia trees. Left unchecked, it can weaken and even kill the tree. Female scales usually infest stems, while male scales infest underneath leaves as well as stems. Scale insects feed on plant sap. This scale also produces a lot of waste, called honeydew, which in turn introduces black sooty mold. Sooty mold is a fungus that grows on the secreted honeydew. While the fungus does not infect the plant directly, it can interfere with photosynthesis. Systemic insecticides are effective in managing this insect pest.
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Florida Red Scale Infesting Holly

Florida Red Scale is a scale insect commonly seen in Central Florida landscapes. We mostly find this scale on Holly shrubs and trees, but it may infest other landscape plants as well. In the 1960s, the Florida Department of Agriculture And Consumer Services (FDACS) published that this scale was eradicated from Florida. Obviously it has rebounded. We look for this scale and other insects pests as part of our Plant Health Care services.
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Blue Aphids Feeding On Podocarpus

Aphids are very common soft-bodied insects that infest most plants. Aphids that infest plants in Central Florida may be green, yellow, gray, or black. Blue aphids are commonly seen infesting podocarpus. An interesting fact about aphids is that they can reproduce asexually – in fact, aphids seen in spring and summer are usually all females! Aphids feed on plant sap and produce a copious amount of honeydew. Black sooty mold is often seen growing on the secreted honeydew. Aphids are easily managed with contact insecticides. But due to their rapid reproduction rate, populations often rebound quickly. Aphids have many natural predators including Lady Beetles (ladybugs), Lacewings, and parasitic wasps. We consider beneficial insects when treating for aphids – if the aphids population is light and beneficial insects provide good control, then we let the beneficials do their job.
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Whiteflies Infesting ‘Dew Drop’ Duranta

Whiteflies are actually classified as scale insects. Unlike most scale insects, whiteflies move about rapidly by flying from plant to plant. Whiteflies are serious plant pests due to their rapid reprodction and ability to damage plants within a short period of time. In addition, whiteflies are known as vectors of plant viruses. Often, whiteflies management can be difficult. Early diagnosis, treating with different products over time (rotation of active ingredients), and removal of overly-infested plants usually leads to successful control. In addition, good horticultural practices such as correct pruning and encouraging air flow helps in management. In Central Florida, whiteflies have been particularly troublesome on ‘Dew Drop’ Duranta.