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Best Wishes for a New Year

During this time of year the Spriggs Family reflects on all the blessings of new and continued friendships we have made through our family business. Many of you, our customers, have become like extended family through the years of doing business together. We thank you for making 2012 our best year to date and look forward to serving you in the new year. We believe 2013 will bring new opportunities to improve our service and bring you new organic services.

The weather has been exceedingly warm and dry this fall and winter. Today is December 1st and it is a balmy 83 degrees. The latest rain reports have most of North Texas in extreme or exceptional drought. Because the weather and nature have thrown us a curve ball, I am recommending a few treatments for your lawn over the winter months of December & January.

1. Weed Post-emergent - A warm fall and winter means that there is the chance of nature planting her ground cover in areas where your lawn is thin and weak, even if you put down a pre-emergent this fall. Spriggs Brother recommends spraying a solution of 10% vinegar, molasses, orange oil and yucca over your entire lawn while it is dormant. The optimum time for this treatment is late December to early January. This will kill seedlings before they have a chance to sprout in late February and spring. We would also spot spray a stronger solution of our organic post-emergent on weeds that have already emerged. The cost is $79 a treatment for 5 gallons of spray. If you have a larger lawn or require more than 5 gallons of post-emergent, the cost is only $15 dollars more per gallon.

2. Feed your lawn during the winter months. Many of our lawns did not go dormant till very late in the fall. (My lawn is still green!) Because of the longer growing season and the warmer weather, I recommend you putting down a winter application of organic fertilizer and molasses and humate. Remember, this is the time of the year when your lawns root system is developing. You will enhance the density and thickness of your turf by fertilizing your lawn during the middle of the winter.

3. With this warmer weather comes an increase pest population. Clean your base boards, counter tops and hard surfaces with household vinegar or orange oil to repel pests in the house. Call Spriggs Brothers to performa perimeter insect treatment around your home to keep the insects from entering your home.

4. As long as this drought continues through the winter months, water your lawn every other week. Do not water more than once a week. Over watering (2 times a week) will hurt your lawn. Deep root water where the soil is moist 3 inches below surface. Allow your soil to completely dry out before watering your lawn again.

I look forward to hearing from you during these winter months!

David