Hampton Hills Neighborhood Association » Lawn & Garden

yard of the month

Garinns — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:05:38 +0000

Congratulations to Iris and Anthony Torres, whose beautifully updated home in the 1300 block of Hollywood Avenue has earned the Yard of the Month for September. Their summer investment includes new landscaping, exterior painting and repairs. And the result? See for yourself. To acknowledge their efforts, they will receive a gift card to Calloway’s Nursery.

yard of the month

Garinns — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 21:02:21 +0000

Congratulations to Bill and Gaylette Wineberg, whose beautiful home in the 1300 block of Montreal Avenue has earned the Hampton Hills Yard of the Month for August. Bill works hard to keep the yard lush and green, while Gaylette does her part to make the porch cozy and inviting. The overall effect at the curb is a genuine asset for the entire neighborhood. In recognition of their efforts, the Winebergs will receive a gift card to Calloway’s Nursery.

yard of the month

Garinns — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:39:50 +0000

Congratulations to Kris Porras and Joe Hernandez Jr., whose beautiful home in the 1600 block of Montreal qualifies as the July Yard of the Month. Framed by beautiful crape myrtles and lush plants, the house is accented by colorful summer flowers. Beyond the yard, the front porch is an oasis, with charming furnishings and plants aplenty. If you get a chance, stop by and take in all the summer glory of this outstanding yard. For their efforts, Kris and Joe will receive a $25 gift card to Calloway’s nursery.

yard of the month

Garinns — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:34:40 +0000

Congratulations to Ray Jordan and Lawrence Orr, whose beautiful home at 1233 S. Montreal Ave. has been designated Yard of the Month for June. Their landscape design and curb appeal are the envy of their neighbors. In recognition of their hard work in helping to make Hampton Hills “a more appealing place to live,” Ray and Lawrence will receive a $25 gift certificate to Calloway’s Nursery.

take-all root rot

Garinns — Thu, 13 May 2010 16:41:54 +0000

If you’ve got large brown patches in your St. Augustine lawn, you likely have Take All Root Rot or Take All Patch. Check this video for advice on what to do about this common problem.

yard of the month

Garinns — Wed, 05 May 2010 00:58:47 +0000

Congratulations to Kevin and Norma Frentrup, whose beautiful home received the Yard of the Month for May. They couldn’t believe that their yard had been selected, especially when they consider it a work in progress. “We’ve got bare patches in the lawn,” Kevin protested. We reminded him that the criteria include curb appeal, creativity, and an array of plants and decorations — all of which are on display at 1622 Hollywood Ave. In recognition of their hard work in helping to make Hampton Hills “a more appealing place to live,” the Frentrups will receive a $25 gift certificate to Calloway’s Nursery.

protection against mosquitoes

Garinns — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:24:10 +0000

Around 29,000 cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in the U.S. since 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control. This makes the use of repellents very important as we begin to enjoy outdoor activities. There are many excuses for not using repellents such as they don’t smell good or they’re too expensive, but the bottom line is that repellents are needed to prevent the possible transmission of diseases from female mosquitoes. The female mosquito consumes blood in order to develop her eggs, which causes her to be considered one of the biggest medical threats to humans, since they are capable of transmitting not only West Nile but also Malaria, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and Yellow Fever.

Mosquitoes are a diverse group of flies, and there are over 85 species in Texas. Mosquitoes develop through a complete lifecycle with an egg, larva, pupa and adult stage. Mosquito eggs may be laid individually or in clusters on the surface of water or in dry locations that will flood periodically. The eggs hatch into larvae that eat microscopic plants, animals and other organic material in the water. The larvae will then develop into pupae, which do not feed. Then the adult stage will emerge from the water and take flight.

Some Options to Prevent Mosquito Bites:

Apply chemicals to the skin and clothes to prevent bites. There are many mosquito repellents on the market, such as those containing DEET, picaridin, oil of eucalyptus, and soybean oil-based repellents.

Avoid wearing dark colors, since mosquitoes rely on visual cues to locate hosts.

Avoid exercising or yard work in the heat of the day, since mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide and perspiration.

Avoid wearing fruity or floral fragrances in perfumes, hair products, or sunscreens, since these scents are more attractive to mosquitoes.

Wear long, loose-fitting clothing to avoid mosquito bites.

Some Options For Controlling Mosquito Populations Outdoors:

The No. 1 way to reduce mosquito populations in your yard is source reduction. Mosquitoes need as little as a bottle cap full of water in order to complete their life cycle. If standing water is eliminated, then the overall mosquito population in your area will be reduced. Areas containing water should be changed once a week or emptied, such as wading pools, buckets, bird baths, pet dishes, ponds, boat covers, and irrigation systems. Holes or depressions in trees should be filled with sand or mortar. Leaky pipes should be repaired. If standing water can not be drained, then mosquito dunks containing Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) can be used.

Mow tall grass and reduce the amount of foliage, to reduce the resting sites for adult mosquitoes.

Insecticides can be applied to trees and shrubs, such as those containing pyrethrins, to kill adult mosquitoes.

Source: AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M University

battling the beetles

Garinns — Mon, 03 May 2010 15:10:53 +0000

During May, we begin to see the adult May and June beetles flying around lights or onto window screens, usually at night. The female May beetle deposits eggs into the turf from April through May; whereas the June beetle deposits eggs from May through June. The eggs hatch into grub worms that are creamy white in color with brown heads. The grubs feed on dead organic matter and then move to the roots of plants. Since grubs feed on roots, they can injure roots of grasses and other plants. This causes infested turf to turn brown and become removable in large clumps.

Before treating for grub worms, lawns should be inspected to determine the presence of an infestation which is more than five grubs found within a square foot. To inspect an area, take random soil sections 3 to 4 inches deep for a total of 1 square foot for every 1,000 square feet of infested area. One square foot of turf can be sampled by removing four, 6-inch square pieces of turf or 10, 4-inch cup cutter core samples.

The optimal time for inspection and treatment is five to six weeks after beetles are seen. This will ensure that smaller grub worms will be found in the turf. Apply insecticides only if a grub worm infestation exists in your lawn, since unnecessary use of insecticides can cause insect resistance and harm to beneficial organisms.

Non-Chemical Control Options:

Maintain healthy turf by fertilizing and watering properly.
Parasitic nematodes in the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabtitis have been shown to be effective against white grubs. They can be purchased and applied to infested areas.

Chemical Control Options:

Irrigating the soil with ¼ to ½ inches of water prior to treatment can improve the effectiveness of the insecticides, since the grubs will move closer to the soil surface.
Imidacloprid, halofenozide, and clothianidin are some chemical options that are often applied before extensive grub worm damage is seen, since they are effective on smaller grub worms. Lambda-cyhalothrin and trichlorfon are some examples of chemicals used after grub worms are present as a curative control. Also there are combinations of chemicals such as imidacloprid and bifenthrin that can be used for a preventative and curative control option.

Source: AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M University

too mulch of a good thing

Garinns — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:33:28 +0000

Residents are invited to pick up free coarsely ground mulch from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday at the Bachman Transfer Station, 9500 Harry Hines Blvd., or 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the McCommas Bluff Landfill, 5100 Youngblood Road. Bring your own shovels and containers and help yourself to all you want. You must show a Texas drivers license with a Dallas address or a Dallas utility bill and a photo ID. For more information, call 214-670-6150 (Bachman) or 214-670-0977 (McCommas).

yard of the month

Garinns — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:09:17 +0000

Congratulations to Stacey Meyer, whose beautiful home in the 1400 block of Hollywood Avenue received the Yard of the Month for April. It’s hard to maintain trees, shrubs and grass on your own, but Stacey has managed to do so. Her home’s landscape looks relaxed and natural but not wild and carefree. If you haven’t made your way to her area of Hollywood Avenue, you owe it to yourself to drive or walk by. In recognition of her accomplishment, Stacey will receive a $25 gift certificate to Calloway’s Nursery.