You may have seen me on the front page of Florida Today a couple of weeks ago. This was part of an article about a serious issue we are facing in Brevard County. Click here for the complete article.  Nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizers is causing algae blooms which kill the seagrass in the Indian River Lagoon. In fact, up to 70% of the lagoon wide influx of nitrogen and phosphorus is from run-off from lawn fertilizer. The loss of seagrass can have a major impact on fish, crabs and other sea life in the lagoon and intern a major impact on the economy. Brevard County is looking at multiple options to reverse the loss of seagrass including restrictions on lawn fertilizer and increasing the storm water management fee that single family homeowners pay.

This is why it is critical to have a certified professional apply you fertilizer. Many times when fertilizer is spread using broadcast spreaders they wind up on the street and sidewalk and in turn run off into the storm water drains and ultimately the lagoon. We at Eco-One use nutrients that are quickly absorbed into the lawn and are precisely applied where needed. Let’s work together to keep the environment safe! Contact me if you have any questions and if you want Eco-One to take care of your lawn in an eco-friendly way! Check out this video from Florida Today about this issue.

Elongated Twig Ant (Courtesy of University of Florida's Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center)

Have you noticed a big increase in pests this year? You’re not alone! Brevard County officials say the mosquito population is triple what it has been in any of the past five years! The Brevard County Extension Office in Cocoa has been getting a lot of calls this year about stink bugs and other pests according to Florida Today.

There are so many bugs in Brevard County that it actually made the front page of yesterday’s Florida Today and they have an interview with me in the article!  Here’s a link to the article if you missed it. (Click Here)

The heat and humidity this year has provided a great breeding ground for pests plus the fact that some bugs are building a resistance to some of the pesticides used has resulted in the increased numbers you are seeing. I’ve seen a lot of bugs in homes this year that I don’t normally see including twig ants which typically dwell in treetops. Plus there seems to be a big surge in cockroaches.

If you need help with a bug infestation give me a call for all your pest control needs!

There are many articles available on the web on the best eco-friendly ways to control pests in your home. Almost all of them focus on treating the interior of your home. In my opinion this is a mistake. This is the same mistake that most pest management companies make as well when performing pest control services for homeowners as well.  Here at Eco-One, we not only use eco-friendly products whenever possible to rid our client’s homes of pests, we also place a greater emphasis on the exterior of your home, which is where most pest problems begin in the first place. If a pest problem should develop inside your house, Eco-One utilizes advanced technology to not only rid your home of these pests, but do it with eco-friendly technology as well.

Prevention is always easier than eliminating an established pest infestation and a lot safer for your family whether you are using eco-friendly products or high dose chemical applications. Spending time in the Florida sun can be made much more enjoyable if you don’t have to worry about legions of pests invading your space. Below are some simple Integrated Pest Management practices (IPM) to follow in order to reduce the need of pesticides applied in your home and around your loved one’s.

Integrated Pest Management Tip # 1:  Thoroughly check the exterior of your house for holes, cracks and crevices and entry points for insects to enter your home and seal them off with the appropriate caulking (interior or exterior based) or expandable foam.

Integrated Pest Management Tip #2: Remove all vegetation that may be touching the exterior of your home. Think of this as a demilitarized zone of protection for your home

Integrated Pest Management Tip #3:  Re-adjust sprinkler heads so they point away from the base of your home. When sprinkler heads spray onto your home, this provides a favorable environment (especially in Florida) and gives insects a reason to visit you.

Integrated Pest Management Tip#4: Inspect around all trees for evidence of invasive ant activity. Many species of invasive ants infest trees and their surroundings first. Once established they start to make their move toward your home.

Integrated Pest Management Tip #5: Inspect ornamental plants for insect activity. Some invasive ant species like the white footed ant will feed upon aphids that may be present on ornamental plants. What is next to these plants… your home so they make their home in the soffitting or in your homes walls. When the colony needs food their food source is close by.

Integrated Pest Management Tip #6: Avoid ground cover when possible. This helps to reduce the chance of Rodent activity.

Integrated Pest Management Tip #7: Remove unnecessary clutter around your yard. This will help reduce and or eliminate harborage areas for pests to breed. Don’t forget anything that could contain water (especially stagnant water) like old tires this helps reduce available moisture which is vital for insect populations to not only survive, but to thrive. Additionally this will also help reduce mosquito populations as well.

Integrated Pest Management Tip #8: Check and clean exterior roof drains. This prevents organic material from blocking the drain as well as also becoming a moisture source for insects, and prevents possible moisture from backing up and gaining entry into your home, creating a moisture problem inside your home which will not only attract insect’s, but can also cause a possible mold problem.

Integrated Pest Management Tip #9: Most spiders are considered a beneficial organism that kills insects. However most homeowners are afraid of spiders, therefore brush away cobwebs on the exterior of your home to reduce spider populations.

Integrated Pest Management Tip #10: When possible replace mulch with gravel. Mulch will absorb moisture and hold it there for a prolonged period of time. During the hot dry summer months this can act as an oasis for insects (especially fire ants to live in. Mulch can also deteriate and attract termites… think of mulch as chum to attract termite colonies. Gravel will not hold onto moisture as much as mulch. Does not attract termites and over time does not need to be replaced, saving you a bundle over time.

Following these simple tips can go a long way towards preventing pests in your home and yard as well as reduce the need for pest control services on your property.

Thanks to rakellakat for the picture.

Due to our high summer temperatures in the Melbourne Fl area, grass cutting height is as important as proper watering. Grass should not have more than 1/3 of its length cut at any one time. This means you might have to cut twice a week or more during growing season. Knowing the proper cutting height is very important, St. Augustine grasses other than Seville should be cut no less than 3 inches it is better to be 3 ½ inches or in some situations as long as 4 inches. Other grasses such as Zoysia, Paspalum, Bermuda and other types of grasses are cut tp proper heights as needed for use such as athletic fields, road sides and other special needs that may apply.

Thanks to Clover_1 for the picture.

Caring for your lawn in Melbourne, Fl can be a challenge during the heat of the summer.  The truth is water when grass shows first signs of wilt the first signs of wilt are when the grass blades fold in half lengthwise, turn bluish grey in color or stay laying over a few minutes (10 to 15) after walking on the grass. This works year round. When grass shows the first signs of wilt irrigate with ¾ to 1 inch of water on the grass. Place several cans in the area to be watered, irrigate until ¾ to 1 inch of water is in each can. It is best to use a rain gauge, coffee, large soup cans or other straight sided cylinders as the measuring device. Check the time to see how long it takes to obtain ¾ to 1 inch of water in each can. Lawns that have automated sprinkler systems be sure to check each zone that is to be watered. Each zone will need ¾ to 1 inch of water on the grass, each zone will need to be checked individually. On average if properly installed, it could take rotor / gear driven heads 2 to 4 hours each to put out ¾ 1 inch of water output per zone. Properly installed spray heads can take 45 to 90 minutes on average. Irrigation times can be longer or shorter. Shrub beds and grass should not be watered at the same time. When properly watered shrubs can go two to three times longer without water than grass. This is because when roots are water stressed they grow deeper into the soil to obtain water and therefore establish a deeper root system, thus longer times between watering

Thanks to brianjmatis for the picture.