Japanese beetle from Joe's house It is that time of the year again - July 4th barbecues, extensive heat and yes - the first sightings of beetles!  The beetles you see now that are busy decimating your plants are in their last adult life cycle stage. These beetles are the adult form of white grubs (the larvae).  Once these adults decimate your landscape and crops, the beetles will lay their eggs in the later summer/early fall to start the next life cycle.  The eggs will develop into young grubs as the summer winds down, and those larval beetles will then turn their attention to the next headache for you…eating your turf grass and plant roots. With multiple ways of causing problems, beetles and their grubs will provide you with an entire season of angst!  Have no fear, however, Green Earth Ag & Turf has many organic methods to control these pests and help you spend more time enjoying the summer instead of fighting insects. Like clockwork, the Ja...

Welcome, HALO! by Jenna Messier After much anticipation, ICT Organics released its new 25(b) weed killer,  HALO , this Spring!  Our customers have been trialing the product over the past few months, and we have heard  some great reports  about the efficacy of this product.   Here are some tips for using HALO: HALO offers two rates of application, per the label, which you will choose depending upon the weed pressure in your lawn. Low Rate: 7 oz. HALO in 1.5 to 2 gallons of water per 1000 sq. ft. High Rate: 10 oz. HALO in 1.5 to 2 gallons of water per 1000 sq. ft. Spot spray: 10 oz. in 1 gallon of water. Additional Tips from the Manufacturer: To maximize results of HALO, apply with  PRE-EMERG  liquid, a product also produced by ICT, pre-emergent weed killer to kill both visible weeds (with HALO) and weed seeds (with PRE-EMERG). HALO and  PRE-EMERG  are ...

Joe Magazzi, President of Gr.E.A.T Red Thread & Pink Patch – Plan your attack on these fungal diseases! by Joe Magazzi We have been receiving many questions about Red Thread and Pink Patch, which are fungal diseases that can occur in turf grass.  These diseases are usually easy to identify by patches of pink or red discoloration on turf grass. These diseases tend to appear and be most active when temperatures are around 70°F, but they can start to grow with lower temperatures.  These diseases also appear during periods of wet weather, such as we have experienced in the Northeast this Spring.  Due to a convergence of these warm and wet weather conditions, Red Thread and Pink Patch are thriving and very prevalent in turf grass.  Red Thread at Joe's house Red Thread and Pink Patch are generally aesthetic diseases that can be controlled both by adjusting your fertility and cultural practices. However, in severe cases, these diseases (especially R...