March 2019
Spring has officially arrived even though some of the plants at Loftus thought so weeks ago and are already breaking into leaf.
The daffodils and hellebores have been happily flowering their heads off for weeks and I just hope this early spring brings a lovely summer like last year. It has been a mild winter and in a few front gardens I’ve noticed that some of last summer’s bedding plants are still showing signs of life. If it keeps mild and they are shown a bit of TLC these plants should grow again this summer. In a normal winter they would be completely dead by now.
It’s that time a of year again when Leather Jacket damage is rife. The name alone makes is sound like a load of yobs have been on the rampage vandalising and actually in the insect world that is just what these little blighters are, destructive, hooligans’ who wreck your lawn. They are in fact the lavae of Daddy long legs who kill the grass by feeding on the roots sometimes to a point where every blade of grass dies. If you think you may have them dig into your lawn and you will probably find them just below the surface, ugly, fat, grey/brown grubs about an inch long. It can be sole destroying when you have worked hard to keep your lawn looking lovely but don’t despair there is a treatment to kill them and it is the only thing you will find on the market to use.
Chemicals used to be available to treat your lawn but these have long been banned to save the environment. Nematodes are now the answer. Tiny microscopic worms that when watered into the soil, seek out the Leather Jackets and kill them organically. You won’t find them on garden centre shelves as they need to be kept cool. They are available on line and are sent to you quickly with instructions to put straight in the fridge until ready to use.
Nematodes direct is a website we use and if you want to do the same make sure you get the nematodes for the right grub as there are nematodes for all sorts of other garden pests. They will come with precise instructions which you must follow exactly to stand any chance of success. Loftus seems to have a particularly bad problem with Leather jackets’ so I would recommend treating Spring and Autumn to make sure your lawn is protected. Spring treatment is at twice the strength.
You will have to sow new grass seed on the bare patches of soil as the grass will not miraculously grow back when the grubs are dead. If you decide to start again with new turf be sure to treat with nematodes twice a year as Leather Jackets love new turf.
If you are wondering what the skip on Loftus avenue is for, Paul and I will be replacing the dead bits of the yew hedge over the next few weeks.