Firefly

05/05/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/c4GwFFkXUfyUdsgb/?mibextid=WC7FNe

🤣🤣🤣

01/03/2024

This is the latest addition to our fleet.

11/24/2021

Our growing season has finally come to an end. What a year 2021 was! 2022 will be our 30th year in business. The Fredericksburg/Stafford/Spotsylvania area and green industry has been wonderful to us. I do believe we have the best customers anywhere. God bless America and the endless opportunities it offers. Best wishes to everyone this holiday season.

03/07/2021

2020 Challenge of the Year

The Challenge

In September of 2020, I was approached by a customer to grow a nice, lush green lawn for his daughter's wedding. Normally, this would be a challenge in itself taking a year or two. What took this challenge over the top was that I had 4 weeks to do it. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

How We Approached the Challenge

Normally, I would start a project like this by treating the soil, ridding the area of weeds, then renewing the turf with seeding and a variety of ways to break up the soil. I regret not having any before pictures, but, rest assured, it was the worst of the worst. A hard pan drainfield composed of clay and silt. This area not only lacked a single blade of grass, it was peppered with all types of weeds. What did I get myself into?

Ex*****on of the Task at Hand

We started by applying the maximum rate of lime. (soil ph was about 5.7) We then put down a liberal amount of organic, bio solid starter fertilizer. I did this first so the machines would grind it into the ground. We then powerseeded the entire area with a Billygoat Slit Seeder in two directions putting down the seed at 10 lbs per 1000 sq ft. As for the seed, we used an 80/20 blend of Turf quality Tall Fescue and Perennial Rye. We then core aerated the entire area with a Classen SA-25 twice. After this, we put down about 1/4 of an inch of leaf compost that was fine and black. This would ensure a high germination rate. The final touch was a light overseeding.

The Results

Well as you can see, the pictures do not lie. The customer was so happy, he sent me pictures. This is the reason I got into this business 30 years ago. Making something out of nothing never gets old.

03/07/2021

Keep weeds out of your lawn before they grow.

03/01/2021

Don't let your neighbors see you with a bad lawn.

02/25/2021

THAT PESKY MOSS

What Moss Isn't.

Most think that moss is a parasite, but it is not. Moss holds nutrients and water that benefit nearby plants. Moss is not like a normal plant. It does not have vascular tissue and lacks roots, stems, and flowers.

How Does It Grow On Anything?

Moss does not have roots. Instead, it has rhizoids. These short, hair-like outgrowths allow it to grow on just about anything.

Why Do I Find It in Only Damp Places?

Moss uses the wind to carry its spores. The spores develop into male and female plants that reproduce in water.

Benefits

Moss holds many times it's weight in water. This can be a benefit to turf that is not irrigated during the Summer months. It also provides a wonderful protection from erosion.

How Do I Keep It Out of My Lawn?

Moss loves acidic soil. Regular applications of lime to keep the PH above 6.0 will slow it's rate of growth, but not eliminate it. You can visually see your progress with this strategy by watching the color of moss change from dark green to lime green. Regular applications of ferric or culpric sulfate can quickly kill it as well.

02/21/2021

Time to start if you want a nice lawn in 2021.

02/16/2021

Red Thread

Red thread is one of the earlier Spring fungal problems that is very common in our area. It is characterized by small, irregular, reddish/pink areas. Malnourished or acid ridden lawns are more susceptible to this disease. The good news about Red Thread is that it very rarely leaves permanent scarring. Hotter weather ends it reign before it can permanently damage the turf (usually). A preventative broad spectrum fungicide in early April will usually prevent this nusiance.

Dollar Spot

Dollar Spot is a warm season fungus. It is characterized by a small, white blotch. Multiple blotches will appear in clusters. This disease will not permanently damage the lawn. A good soil base usually is a good long term solution to this problem. Organic fertilizers offer the best long term solution. If you want to prevent this fungus, use a fungicide in late April to prevent it.

Brown Patch

Probably the most damaging fungus we see in the area is Brown Patch. This fungus is characterized by 6 to 12 inch rings that die from the inside outward. This fungus is extremely aggressive and destroy a heathy lawn in just a few weeks. This fungus is active during the hottest part of the Summer with high humidity. Prevention is best cure. Applying Fungicide every month from May to August should do the trick.

02/13/2021

Time to take action and enjoy your lawn in 2021.

02/07/2021

MOWER TUNE UP

IF YOU WAIT 2 WEEKS, IT WILL TAKE YOU 8 WEEKS...

Don't delay. Get your lawn mower tuned up for 1/2 the normal shop price (including pick up and delivery). If you wait you will have to take it to a shop and the turnaround time is usually 2 months. Our turnaround time for our basic tune up is 1 week. But you must act now!

Tune up includes - scrape deck, sharpen blades, change oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, spark plug, pressure wash.

Push mowers $99 and Tractors $149

ACT NOW AND GET FREE PICK UP AND DELIVERY
CONTACT:
[email protected]

02/06/2021

Crabgrass season will last another 6 weeks.

02/03/2021

COMMON TREE AND SHRUB PEST PART 1

Black Lace Weevil
These little buggers love Rhododendrons and Laurels. If you ever see cut out sections in the center or edges of leaves (like a hole punch was used), then you may have an infestation. Black Lace Weevils overwinter as larvae in the soil. In spring, the larvae feed on roots and the root crown. Pupation begins in spring, and adults emerge late spring throughout the summer. They immediately begin to feed on leaves and lay eggs 3 to 4 weeks later. Larvae emerge from these eggs and begin to feed on roots, continuing to do so through the fall. There is usually one generation per year.

Aphids
These pale little creatures commonly destroy Azaleas. If you have ever noticed that your Azaleas look pale and week or if you ever see swarms of what look like gnats around your Azaleas in early Spring, you may have this problem. A definitive test is to look at the underside of the leaf. If you see that the leaf is "speckled" then this is almost a sure bet you have had an Aphid infestation at some point.

Aphids crawl on the underside of the leaf and "suck" the chlorophyll out of the leaf. The small dots on the bottom side of the leaf are where the insect has pierced the tissue.

Bagworms
Bagworms are about as fascinating as they are devastating. These creatures start out as moths. In late Summer and Fall, these moths lay there eggs on the trunk of desirable trees (arborvitaes). In late spring, these eggs hatch and miniature bagworms crawl from the trunk to the end of the nearest branch eating everything in between adding foliage to a sticky web they form around themselves. When they reach the end of the branch they hang there for 4 week and pupate into a moth to start the cycle over again.

01/31/2021

Keep weeds out of your lawn this Spring

01/28/2021

Time to Plan for Mosquito Control

Nothing ruins an outdoor event like mosquitos. There is just something innately disturbing about insects that bite and suck blood. Here are some interesting facts about mosquitoes and how to protect yourself and family.

How It Begins

It begins by the mosquito laying its eggs in standing water. These eggs turn into larvae, then pupa. The most effective way to kill mosquito is during the larva stage. By putting 'dunks' in the water a slow release larvicide is ingested by the mosquito larva and killed before it has a chance to pupate.

Why They Bite

The mail mosquitoes are typically much larger. The smaller mosquitoes are females and they draw our blood to nourish their eggs.

How to Control the Adults

You have two options when controlling mosquitoes. You can either kill them or repel them. Each tactic has its challenges.

Killing Mosquitoes

Several natural solutions are out there. Products such as Essentria IC3, Wondercide, and Mosquito Barrier use ingredients like garlic, cedar oil, and rosemary oil. Chemical products such as Summit Mosquito control use Permethrin. Permethrin is a contact insecticide that attacks the nervous system of all insects and paralyses them. The downside to killing mosquitoes is that these products tend to kill bees, so caution needs to be taken when spraying flowering plants.

Repelling Mosquitoes

Using DEET or OLE is an effective way to keep mosquitoes away from a limited area, however, DEET can be deadly to pets. Bug zappers can be an effective way to clear a limited area, however there is a school of thought that says zappers attract more mosquitoes than they kill.

For best results a controlled mixture of all of the above solutions is recommended. Have a nice Summer. It's right around the corner.

01/24/2021

The simple way to get a nice lawn

01/18/2021

TIME TO START PLANNING A DEFENSE FOR YOUR PLANTS

It may seem early to be worried about insects, but you would be surprised how soon these little pests will be attacking your shrubs.

Scale
These nasty little limbless creatures dwell on the underside of leaves and suck on sap. Once the population of these get to be numerous, they can kill a plant quickly. Euonymus are especially susceptible to these creatures. The best way to control Scale is Dormant Oil in late Winter. This suffocates the larvae before they have a chance to reek havoc on your plants.

Spider Mites
Spider Mites are another devastating nuisance. A sign you may have an infestation is small webs in your shrubs. They are most noticeable in the morning dew. These creatures can kill an expensive Dwarf Alberta Spruce in a few weeks. Again, the best treatment for this pest is Dormant Oil in Late Winter. Just like the Scale, this suffocates the larvae before they can cause damage.