I am the first person to give thanks for a mild winter, but
warm temperatures so early in 2017 are going to have an impact on your
landscapes. Here’s what you can look
forward to in central Illinois this season.
- Ryan Palm
More Weeds
Because the
winter was not cold enough or long enough for some weeds to go fully dormant
from last season, we are already seeing many emerge sooner than usual. Preventative
herbicide is usually best applied in early March, but this year you will also
need to use control herbicide as well to get ahead of this year’s weed crop.
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| Our Maintenance Division Manager Robert, pulling weeds early this year. |
We are
seeing early bud break and flowering in Central Illinois. The southeastern U.S.
is reporting tree canopy development more than 20 days ahead of schedule. A
late frost could prove crippling to these flowers and buds. While the frost
will not kill your plants, the flowering season could be cut short or even
eliminated. You can attempt to cover some areas to protect them from frost as
you would in the fall, but this isn't feasible for big trees or large areas.
Early bloom will also have an effect on wildlife habitats and patterns,
especially butterflies and bees.
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| Map showing just how unusually early spring is arriving in the United States. |
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| Early witch hazel blooms |
More Bugs
Weeds aren't the only pests likely to make a premature arrival this season. Without winter's prolonged frigid temperatures to reduce insect populations, early emergence of mosquito larvae and ticks are likely. An extended season also means increased exposure to illnesses such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus.
Weeds aren't the only pests likely to make a premature arrival this season. Without winter's prolonged frigid temperatures to reduce insect populations, early emergence of mosquito larvae and ticks are likely. An extended season also means increased exposure to illnesses such as Lyme disease and West Nile virus.
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| Mosquito (aedes aegypti) |
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| Deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) |
Drought Stress
Lack of snowfall has deprived the soil of its usual moisture content. Your plants are thirsty and are at greater risk for drought stress later in the year, which means you will need to water them earlier this season. That means now!
What Should You Do?
·
Be vigilant.
·
Walk the area of your landscape and identify
issues.
·
If less than 1 inch of rain falls in a week,
water your plants.
·
Start a lawn care program.
·
Apply preventative herbicide AND control
herbicide now.
·
Consider additional pruning if buds and flowers
are zapped by a late frost.
