There have been numerous calls and inquiries about damage to centipede lawns this spring. The typical description of the symptoms are that large areas or entire lawns are dead and the clients tell me that the lawn looked fine last season. The ones that I have personally investigated have shown no signs of disease or insect damage, just dead sod.

There are a couple of factors that are contributing to this damage. One, we've had an unusually cold winter this year. We haven't experienced a winter like this for several years. Secondly, of the lawns that I have investigated with winter damage, most of these homeowners fertilized their lawns with nitrogen late in the season. It is this second factor that I want to address in more detail.

We all know that centipede is a slow growing grass that has a low nitrogen requirement. Our recommendation is 1/2 pound of nitrogen per one thousand square feet. Centipede is also sensitive to the timing of this nitrogen application. Our recommendation is to make this application in June. Nitrogen that is applied any later than this can delay dormancy and predispose the lawn to winter injury.

On the centipede lawns that I have observed, I am finding that these homeowners are fertilizing their lawns, with nitrogen fertilizer, as late as August, September, October and even as late as November. Our recommendation for applying fertilizer in the fall is to apply a potassium fertilizer such as 0-0-50 or 0-0-60. We don't recommend applying any nitrogen or phosphorus after June.

Not only are they fertilizing too late, many of them are applying too much, way too much nitrogen. I calculated that one client was applying as much as 12 - 20 lbs of nitrogen per one thousand square feet of lawn, in August!

Finally, a comment about phosphorus: high phosphorus does contribute to centipede decline. Encourage your clientele to take a soil sample before applying fertilizer. If the soil index is >50, then no extra phosphorus is necessary and any extra phosphorus can be detrimental to centipede longevity. If this soil condition exists, I suggest applying a fertilizer without the potassium.

Oh, don't forget the pH! Centipede likes a pH of around 5.5. Please encourage your clients to refrain from applying lime without testing the soil first. If the soil test doesn't recommend lime, then don't apply it. If does suggest an application of lime, then only apply the amount that it recommends. Unnecessary lime applications can kill centipede.

We have a centipede lawn calendar that tells what to do to centipede at the proper time of the year. We also have an information note about the special problems with centipede and how to deal with them. If you would like a copy of these notes, feel free to call me at (910) 484-7156 or e-mail me at Kenny_Bailey@ncsu.edu.

Remember, centipede is suppose to be a low maintenance grass. Too many people are killing it with kindness. Tell your clients to relax and let the centipede grow at its own pace!

The most abundant of the cicadas that will emerge in the foothills of North Carolina is the seventeen year cicada. The last time this insect emerged was 1979; the next time we will have to worry about seventeen year cicadas will be in 2013! People are already noticing the holes the nymphs make for their emergence in late May or early June. If the soil is muddy, the nymphs even form small chimneys or "turrets." The only real damage cicadas do is during oviposition as females jab their eggs into small stems. These stems die and eventually drop to the ground. Many people have a low threshold for tolerance of billions of loud, shrill insects buzzing in the trees. Fortunately they only sing during the day! Because the seventeen year cicada is not wary, it does not try to escape from predators. They are tasty to birds, mice, raccoons, foxes, dogs and other animals. Occasionally dogs eat the cicadas until they become ill. Sevin is labeled for cicada management.

They knock you in the head as you walk out your front door and they buzz around you as you walk around your house. They confront you like they own the place and then you watch them retreat to a tiny little hole on the side of your house, stair rails or a fence post.

These critters are carpenter bees. They look like robust bumblebees except they have shiny, metallic looking backs (abdomens) and their mouth parts are white or cream-colored, giving them the appearance of having a white spot on their face ( if you are lucky enough to come face-to-face with them ).

They bore holes, about one and a half times the size of a pencil, into wood, where they lay eggs and rear their young. The damage to wooden structures is mainly cosmetic unless they are present in large numbers. The females are capable of stinging, but rarely do so unless they are highly agitated. The ones that treat you as if they own the place are usually males and are incapable of stinging. However, I wouldn't advise testing one of these fellas unless you are sure its a male.

Controlling these insects is nearly impossible. They don't ingest the wood that they bore from the holes as termites do, so there is no chemical that can be used to treat the wood. The only thing that can be done is to inject an insecticide such as Sevin, diazinon or malathion into the holes and then plug them with wood putty or steel wool. Making the insecticide application is the tricky part. Some of these holes will require you to spray over your head which increases the risk of getting the pesticide on you. Be careful when making these treatments. The safest method would probably be to use a dust applicator to inject Sevin dust into the hole and then plug the hole. If there are numerous holes to be treated, this may be impractical. It would probably be just as useful to keep a tennis racket on hand and practice your backswing on these suckers as they buzz around you!

A new law passed in July of 1995 requires owners or operators of commercial underground storage tanks (USTs) to obtain an operating permit for each commercial UST facility. This must be done by July 1, 1996.

Examples of commercial USTs include:

- USTs for storing motor fuel at retail and non-retail facilities.

- Motor fuel tanks greater than 1,100 gallons in capacity at farms or residences.

- Non-residential heating oil tanks greater than 1,100 gallons in capacity.

- Heating oil tanks over 1,100 gallons heating five or more households.

- Fuel oil and kerosene used for resale.

- USTs containing motor oil and used or waste oil.

If you think that this law may apply to you and would like more detailed information, call me and I will send you a copy of the notice sent by DEM. You may also call the DEM office at (910) 486- 1541.

For a complete listing of pesticide credit opportunities, call me at (910) 484-7156 or E-Mail me at:

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