Lawn Care Program

Warm Season & Cool Season Lawn Program

Winter Application

Warm season grasses such as Bermuda and Zoysia each receive a pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control in the first application to control broadleaf and grassy weeds. This application will form the protective barrier in the lawn preventing crabgrass and other annual weeds that would otherwise cause an infestation later in the growing season.

Fescue, being a cool season grass, will receive a pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control in the first application to control broadleaf and grassy weeds. This application will form the protective barrier in the lawn preventing crabgrass and other annual weeds that would otherwise cause an infestation later in the growing season.

Early Spring Application

Warm season grasses received their second feeding of pre-emergent and post-emergent to control broadleaf and grassy weeds. This application will continue forming the protective barrier in the lawn preventing crabgrass and other annual weeds that would otherwise cause an infestation later in the growing season. Fescue turf will receive their second application of pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control to control broadleaf and grassy weeds. It will also receive a high nitrogen fertilizer to enhance a dark green color as well as enhance turf density.

Spring Application

As the spring temperatures rise, warm season grasses will receive a quick release fertilizer to promote faster green up of dormant turf. A slow release fertilizer will promote a healthy root system and a thicker turf density. Grassy and broadleaf weeds will be spot treated with a post-emergent and the last pre-emergent will be applied to warm season turf this spring. Fescue will receive a slow release granular fertilizer to promote a dark green appearance and will promote a healthier root system. Broadleaf weeds and grassy weeds will be spot treated. Core Aeration is recommended for warm season turf this time of the year.

Early Summer Application

Warm Season grasses thrive having good color and growth during these next few months and can be easily maintained with proper watering and mowing techniques. A specially formulated feeding of slow, time-released fertilizer is applied to promote a golf course quality lawn. Our trained technician evaluates the warm season and cool season turf with each visit and will treat any grassy or broadleaf weeds on an as needed basis in the spring and summer. Fungicides are recommended for lawns during this time of the year. Our cool season turf will receive a 100% natural and organic product that produces the highest quality turf color and density, with root systems that run deeper and thicker, and soil quality that retains water better and allows the lawn to resist drought. We thrive to provide our customers superior lawn care. Since Fescue lawns like cooler climates, they are most prone to climate stresses and fungus during the warm moist months in Georgia. Executive Turf Care offers lawn fungicide applications and a Fungicide Program for many different diseases that occur in Bermuda, Zoysia, and Fescue.

Summer Application

Warm season grasses received their last high nitrogen feeding. This is a custom formulated slow-release application to promote a robust greener lawn. Our trained technician evaluates the warm season and cool season turf with each visit and will treat any grassy or broadleaf weeds on an as needed basis in the spring and summer. All Fescue turf will receive a Lime application, a soil amendment to balance the pH and to condition the soil. Fescue turf is prone to climate stresses and fungus during the warm moist months. Executive Turf Care offers lawn fungicide applications and a Fungicide Program for many different diseases that occur in Bermuda, Zoysia, and Fescue.

Early Fall Application

As your warm season grass slows its growth rate to prepare for cooler temperatures, we will apply a “blanket” application of pre-emergent preventing winter annual weeds and post-emergent for existing broadleaf and grassy weeds. Your technician will advise you to raise the mowing height on your mower to give your grass that extra protective blanket it will need for the cooler weather to come. During this difficult time of the year for fescue, your lawn will receive a granular feeding of fertilizer and replenishing nutrients to help it recover from summer stress, drought and heat. Upcoming aeration and over-seeding will replace grass in areas of the lawn where damage may be visible from summer stress.

Fall Application

Your warm season grass will receive their second pre-emergent application for winter annual weeds. It will be the last “blanket” application of pre-emergent preventing winter annual weeds and post-emergent for existing broadleaf and grassy weeds. This is the time of year that we recommend a preventative fungicide program on Zoysia and Bermuda lawns, they are especially prone to disease. Please call our office for more information. Your fescue lawn will receive a feeding of a specially formulated granular fertilizer that promotes germination and root establishment in newly seeded lawns. Weed control will not be applied until your new grass is established and has been mowed 3 to 4 times after seeding.

Early Winter Application

Warm Season turf will receive Lime, a soil amendment to balance the pH and to condition the soil. This application will allow the nutrients provided to be taken up more efficiently by the root system. Broadleaf weeds and grassy weeds are spot treated. For the final application of the year, Fescue will continue receiving specially formulated granular fertilizer designed to feed your grass during the winter months. Broadleaf weeds will be treated in mature fescue only.

Common Broadleaf Weeds

Bittercress

A winter/summer annual with stems up to 12” high, and leaves mostly at base. The round to wedge shaped leaves have deeply lobed margins with some hair on leaf base and surface. Small, white flowers grow at the end of each branch. Bittercress prefers wet, disturbed areas with poor drainage.

Buttonweed

This perennial has prostrate or spreading braches that form mats, taking root at the nodes and grow semi-erect. The leaves are lance-shaped and can reach 2½” long. The leaves are opposite and can become yellow late in the season. Four-petal white flowers grow from leaf axils and form a star shape. They prefer moist to wet areas of the lawn.

Chickweed

This low-spreading, prostrate winter annual or perennial has weak, shallow roots. It can grow in dense patches almost anywhere. They have small light green leaves, which are short, fat and pointed, with no hair. It produces white flowers with split petals and loves moist shady areas.

Cover

This creeping perennial has stems that root at the nodes. The elliptical leaves are in groups of three usually having a light green or white band like a watermark. The white to pink-tinged flower clusters grow from long stems that usually rise above the leaves.

Dandelion

This perennial has a deep, thick taproot but has no stem. The leaves are hairless, deeply lobed and lance-shaped. The base may have purple in it. Broken leaves or stalks produce a milky white sap. Yellow flowers form on leafless hollow stocks, turning into puffballs.

Dogfennell

This summer perennial has leaves divided into thread-like segments, giving it a fern like appearance. The leaves will omit a foul odor. The stems of dog fennel are reddish in color, hairy and arise from a woody base. They have small, white flowers. The flowers are numerous and are borne on branched panicles. Dog fennel spreads by seed, and regrowth from the woody base.

Henbit

Henbit, a member of the mint family, is an upright winter annual that blooms in the spring. The leaves are rounded on the end with rounded toothed edges that grow opposite one another on square stems. The upper leaves lack petioles. Henbit can grow from 4 to 12 inches tall on weak stems. Although an upright plant, weak stems sprouting from the bottom may lay almost horizontal.

Lezpedeza

This summer annual has three oblong, smooth leaflets, all joining on a common petiole and have a prominent mid vein. The stems are wiry, prostrate and freely branched. The flowers of the common lespedeza are pink to purple and are found in the leaf axils. Lespedeza is commonly found on soils with low fertility.

Oxalis

This summer annual can be perennial is some areas. Oxalis grows on weak stems that branch at the base and may root at the nodes. The leaves form in groups of three leaflets on long petioles, and are alternate on the stems. Although sometimes mistake for clover when not in flower, the leaves differ from clover in that they are distinctly heart shaped. Oxalis spreads by seeds which burst from the pods at maturity and may be scatted several feet.

Fire Weed

An erect summer annual that is prevalent in lawns during spring periods. It is most abundant during rainy periods. The leaves are alternate, light green, ovate in outline, with petioles that reach 1/2 inch in length. Leaves have wavy margins and hairs that occur along the veins of the lower leaf surfaces. Fireweed’s roots are very shallow. The roots often grow in thatch rather than in the soil. The shallow taproot is often, but not always, reddish in color.

Plantain

This winter annual with basal leaves from a taproot has densely-hairy leaves. The leaves are elliptic in shape with slightly toothed to nearly smooth leaf margins and reach 2-4 inches in length. Plantain spreads from seed that is produced from flowers present in late spring. The seedhead is formed in a rat tail shape similar to broadleaf plantain.

Speedwell

Speedwell is a winter annual that germinates in mid-fall. Speedwells have a short tap root to fibrous root systems and branching upright stems. The lower leaves are near round with toothed margins. The upper leaves are more pointed. The plant is covered with fine hairs. Corn Speedwell flowers are small and white to blue in color. The flowers are found in the leaf axis and the seed develops into a distinctive heart shape.

Spurge

This summer annual has freely branched prostrate stems that do not root at the nodes. The stems are smooth or hairy with a “milky” sap that is easy to see when the stem is broken. The leaves are opposite, usually with a reddish spot which is not symmetrical, occurring in any disturbed area.

Wild Geranium

Also called Carolina geranium, this semi-erect winter annual’s stems branch out and are covered with hair. The alternate leaves are on long petioles and are divided into segmented leaflets which are blunt toothed. The flowers have 5 white to pink petals and form in clusters. The seed forms in a fruit capsule that forms a “stork’s bill”.

Wild Violet

Wild violet is a winter perennial, growing 2 – 5 inches tall. It can have a tap root or a fibrous root system, and also can produce rooting stolons and rhizomes. The leaves can vary but usually are heart shaped, on long petioles with scalloped to shallow rounded margins. The flowers of wild violet range from white to blue to purple and appear from March to June. Wild violet flowers are pansy-like with three lower petals and two lateral petals on long single flower stalks.

Wild Strawberry

Wild strawberry is a low trailing winter perennial, spreading by stolons. The leaves of wild strawberry are similar to cultivated strawberries. The leaves are trifoliolate on long hairy petioles and have toothed margins. The flowers which are produced from April to June are white with yellow stamens and pistils, and contain five petals. The fruit is a red strawberry with many small seeds in pits on the surface. Wild strawberries reproduce from seed and from runners. Each plant forms multiple runners which root at the nodes and form new plants.

Common Grassy Weeds

Crabgrass

This summer annual has hair over most of its surfaces and a “fat” seed leaf. The leaves are rolled in the bud; the first leaf appears short, wide and blunt-tipped. The ligule is tall and membranous with jagged edges, and the auricles are absent. The collar is broad with long hairs. Crabgrass is light green in color, coarse bladed and will root at the nodes when they touch the ground. A single crabgrass plant can produce up to 700 tillers. It is a bunch type grass. The inflorescence is a panicle of branches, with spikelets in two rows. A crabgrass plant can produce 150,000 seeds. Crabgrass germinates when soil temperatures reach a consistent 55 degrees F but will not germinate in areas lacking sunlight. The first frost will generally kill crabgrass.

Dallisgrass

This warm season coarse perennial is light green in color. The leaves are rolled in the bud, flat and ½” wide. Auricles are absent and the ligule is tall, pointed and membranous. Dallisgrass has hairs on the lower portion of the leaf near the ligule. The seedhead contains 3-6 spikes, with seeds on both sides of the spike. Dallisgrass can form short thick rhizomes, but spreads upright in clumps. This highly invasive plant germinates in soil temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees F and thrives in the hot humid conditions of the southern states.

Fescue

Tall fescue is a deep rooted, cool season perennial grass. It produces short rhizomes but has a bunch-type growth habit. It spreads primarily by erect tillers. The leaf blades are glossy on the underside and serrated on the margins.

Goosegrass

Goosegrass is a prostrate-growing summer annual. The leaves are folded in the bud. Goosegrass grows in a clump with the base of the leaves being distinctively white to silver in color. The ligule is toothed, membranous, and divided at the center. Goosegrass contains hairs only at the base of the leaf. Their seedheads contain 3-7 spikes that form at the tip of the seed stalk. The seeds are attached in a zipper appearance on the spike. Goosegrass spreads by seeds that germinate later in the season than other annual grasses.

Nutsedge

Sedges have triangle stems with a waxy grass-like leaves which alternate. They are not like grass plants, but seedlings may be mistaken for grass. The leaves are waxy and have an up right growth habit and a prominent midrib. They have an underground root system containing rhizomes and underground tubers which accomplish most of the reproduction. Tubers (nutlets) form at the end of whitish rhizomes. A yellow nutsedge tuber can produce 1,900 plants and 7,000 new tubers in a single growing season. Sedges do well where soil has poor drainage.

Orchardgrass

This perennial grass is blue-green in color. The leaves are folded in the bud, the ligule is very tall membranous, and auricles are absent. Orchardgrass only contains tillers, resulting in clumps. Orchardgrass can tolerate close mowing. The roots are very fibrous and dense. The seedhead is a stiff-branched panicle. Seedheads occur from late spring through mid summer. Orchardgrass remains green throughout the year.

Poa Annua (Annual Bluegrass)

Poa annua contains both annual and perennial species. Annual bluegrass forms dense patches that can withstand low mowing heights. Poa has a boat-shaped tip, folded in the bud. The ligule is membranous and auricles are absent. Poa has a small panicle seedhead. Germination occurs in the late summer and early spring.

Wild Onion (Garlic)

Wild onion and wild garlic are both winter perennials. The leaves are waxy, upright, and the needle shaped growing 8-12 inches long. The leaves of wild garlic are hollow and round and have a strong odor. The leaves of wild onion are solid and flat and appear directly from the bulb. Both plants grow from the underground bulbs. The membrane-coated bulbs of wild garlic are flattened on one side and have bulblets. Wild onion bulbs are white inside with a strong odor and are covered with a fibrous, scaly coat. The white to light green flowers of wild garlic develop on short stems above aerial bulbs. Wild onion does not have a stem; white to pink flowers with six eliptical segments. Both wild onion and wild garlic spread by bulbs, seed and bulblets. Both flower from April through June.