Welcome back! In our previous blog, we covered sucking pests like aphids, whiteflies, and scale insects, as well as ways to control them to keep your plants healthy and lawn looking its best. Now it's time to talk about chewing pests and boring pests—the ones that can leave visible holes in leaves or secretly weaken your trees by burrowing into their bark.

If you've ever stepped outside to admire your hydrangeas, only to spot a bunch of creepy-crawlies munching away on your plants, you know the frustration. We've all been there—one minute your flowers are thriving, and the next, they're covered in a bunch of tiny aphids. But before you panic and grab the pesticide, take a deep breath. There's a better way to handle these pesky invaders. 

You may have noticed that Georgia's fall was warmer than other autumns in the past, and this wasn't necessarily a surprise. Some months in the first half of 2022 were full of record-breaking heat for the metro-Atlanta area, and this should continue well into the early winter weeks. 

When you picture your perfect lawn, you may think of freshly cut grass that is the perfect shade of green, trimmed shrubs, and blooming flowers, but somewhere around the corner or against the side of your home, are those pesky weeds that just will not go away. 

High humidity and daily temperatures over 80⁰ make your lawn vulnerable to what is known as Brown Patch, known for its spotty, ring-shaped brown spots it can leave on your grass. This lawn disease is caused by fungal growth and can leave your lawn looking less than stellar.

As the weather continues to warm up, now is the time to be proactive on lawn care to ensure that your grass grows with plenty of vigor and color. One of the ways to ensure a healthy Metro Atlanta lawn come springtime is to employ core aeration techniques that will provide your soil with the means to distribute nutrients more thoroughly. Core aeration during the summer is a relatively simple process, but can pose tremendous benefits to your lawn, and the results will be visible within the next 6-8 weeks.