Massey Blog

Frost and freeze warnings come few and far between in Florida and generally happen in the northern part of the state.  However, when they do come, homeowners need to be prepared to protect their landscape from potentially damaging temperatures.

There is a frost warning in and around the following counties for tonight thru Thursday:  Leon, Flagler, Volusia, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Lake, Marion, Sumter, Duval and Clay.

If you live in and around these counties, here are some things you can do to protect your landscape:

• Run your irrigation system for one cycle tonight before going to sleep - 15 minutes per zone for rotary heads and 5 minutes per zone for spray heads
• Cover your cold sensitive shrubs and ornamentals with sheets or blankets
• Do not walk across or mow your lawn if there is frost present

If you have questions, whether you're a Massey customer or not, please call us at 1-888-2MASSEY and we can help.

Bundle up and keep warm!

What relief the cooler weather brings, but along with it comes the season for Brown Patch.  Just as the name implies, this disease, caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani, causes expanding brown patches in the lawn.

Our Massey GreenUP Landscape Program is very effective at treating and stopping this disease before it gets out of hand.  Once a treatment is applied, recovery usually starts within 1 – 2 weeks, depending on weather conditions. 

If brown patch is an ongoing problem, it may be possible that the lawn is receiving too much water.  Lawns need less water during the winter because it doesn’t evaporate from the soil as quickly as it does during the summer and plants aren’t using the water up as quickly.  Watering once per week is generally sufficient in the fall and winter months.

If you see a brown patch in your lawn, contact Massey Services for a free landscape inspection.  We'll be able to identify your problem and provide recommendations to make your lawn green, healthy and beautiful.

When thinking about Pest Prevention for businesses, first think about the complexities of providing Pest Prevention Services at your home. Think about the wooden structures inside the walls and roof in the skeleton of your home. Voids, cracks, crevices; these are pest hiding spots that aren’t visible to the naked eye. Now add in your thick lawn and plant bed areas where pests find food and shelter outside. Keeping pests out of your home is a challenge worthy of a professional.

Now take the same pest challenges found in the home setting and add in 300 guest rooms, a large banquet kitchen, 27 floors, surgical suites and industrial or food processing capacity. The challenge of keeping pests out of businesses is very complex and requires dedicated Pest Management Practices.  Consider the impact of pest activity on the businesses described. Will a guest or customer be satisfied with your business if they encounter pests during their visit or stay?  Even worse:  what if a pest is found inside or on a product that your business produces.

An effective Pest Prevention Program will not only protect your business from unwanted pest activity, but will protect your business’s image and reputation.

Massey's PrevenTech Commercial Division specializes in Pest Prevention for businesses.  Call us today or sign up for a Free Inspection to find out how our Pest Prevention Program works for your business.

Darnell Chambers Selected as a Termidor ®   All-Star Technician

BASF, the manufacturer of Termidor Termite Defense, recently selected Darnell Chambers of Massey Services as a Termidor All-Star Technician.  The All-Star Technician nominees were chosen based on their demonstration of superior product knowledge, outstanding service to customers, drive and motivation to go above and beyond the job function and commitment to professionalism, among other criteria.  A total of 16 national winners were chosen in this third annual competition.  The panel of judges was comprised of senior BASF personnel from the marketing, sales and technical groups.

Chambers is based in Massey's Southeast Orlando Service Center and has been recognized for his dedication, skill and expertise as an exceptional pest professional.  Chambers and 15 other grand prize winners will receive the VIP treatment as honored guests of BASF at the 2008 Dickies 500 Stock Car Race on November 2nd in Fort Worth, Texas.  Technicians will also be featured online and in Termidor marketing efforts throughout the year.

"Darnell has been a dedicated Team Member at Massey Services for over 10 years," said Tony Massey, President and COO of Massey Services.  "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Darnell for achieving this national recognition, proving once again that our people make the difference."

"We at BASF look forward to having the opportunity to personally congratulate each of the winners for their outstanding work within the industry," said Keith Holmes, Business Manager for BASF.  "With over 100 entries received, it was difficult to choose only 16 winners.  Every nominee should be very proud of the tremendous effort they put forth on a daily basis."

About Massey Services

Massey Services is one of the nation's largest and most respected service companies. Massey Services and its subsidiary organizations provide residential and commercial pest prevention, termite protection and lawn, tree and shrub care services to more than 185,000 customers from 61 service centers throughout Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. For more information about Massey Services, please visit masseyservices.com.

It's finally starting to feel like Fall in the Southeast.  As the colder temperatures become more frequent, you should be aware of the effects on your lawn.

Why Does My Lawn Turn Brown and Yellow During The Fall and Winter?
As a homeowner, this can be very frustrating.  You have a green, lush lawn and it begins to turn brown and yellow.  Well, different grass types have different ways of surviving the Fall and Winter weather conditions. 

Some grasses have natural "hibernation" periods that preserve energy for the spring.  Zoysiagrass for example, will go dormant in the Fall and Winter months and turn yellow and brown.  This is a normal reaction for this grass type under adverse conditions and loss of color is common.

St. Augustinegrass, on the other hand, usually maintains acceptable color and quality well into the cool season until frost occurs.  A hard freeze often causes brown patchy areas.

Fall/Winter Lawn Tips:

• Mow your lawn about once very two weeks, even if it's not growing, to keep weeds from seeding
• If a freeze occurs, avoid walking across the lawn and mowing until frost is melted
• Provide adequate irrigation - watering once per week is generally sufficient

Call us if you have questions about your lawn and what it should do during the Fall and Winter months.  You can also sign up for a Free Landscape Analysis where we'll provide you with recommendations and a plan specific for your landscape.

Termites, by nature, rarely come into the open and most of the indications of a termite problem are hidden or difficult to see to the casual observer. Although, it is best to have a trained professional inspect your home for termite infestations, there are some things that the typical homeowner may see that would let them know if there is an existing termite infestation in their home.

Signs of a Termite Infestation

• Dead termites on widow sills, around doors or on or near furniture.  This is the most common way homeowners find out they have termites.
• Mud tunnels on exterior foundation walls.  These are about the diameter of a pencil and are found around the foundation of the house or in the garage.
• Termite Damage.  Sometimes homeowners accidentally discover damage by bumping into a damaged baseboard or wooden post and the wood cracks, exposing the termite damage.
  

Massey Services provides Free Termite Inspections and recommends that homeowners get an inspection at least once every year.

Local business leader and philanthropist, Harvey L. Massey, CEO and founder of Orlando-based Massey Services, Inc., was inducted into the Pest Management Professional Hall of Fame.

Nominees are selected by peer vote with inductees chosen by an anonymous committee impaneled by Pest Management Professional. Criteria for selection include industry expertise and experience, leadership and innovation.

Mr. Massey helped to revolutionize the industry with the development and introduction of “pest prevention” as a service model, replacing traditional pest control. The business that bears his name is one of the nation's largest and most respected service companies, providing residential and commercial pest prevention, termite protection and landscape services since to more than 181,000 customers from 61 service centers throughout Florida, Georgia and Louisiana.  In addition, Mr. Massey helped found the Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA), an advocacy and promotional organization designed to elevate the professional status of the industry. Over the years, Mr. Massey has received numerous industry related awards and accolades, culminating in selection to the Pest Management Professional Hall of Fame.

“I cannot convey what it means to me to be recognized in such an enduring way by my colleagues and peers,” said Mr. Massey. “To be inducted into a hall of fame of any kind is truly special; to be recognized for what you have done to influence and change an industry is truly humbling.”

“We are proud to have Harvey Massey as a member of the Pest Management Professional Hall of Fame Class of 2008,” said Frank Andorka, editorial director of Pest Management Professional. “His accomplishments, both inside and outside the industry, prove that Mr. Massey is an outstanding person as well as pest management professional. He fits in well with an extremely strong class, and we congratulate him on his induction."

The Pest Management Professional Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held on Oct. 21, 2008 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on the Potomac River in WashingtonD.C.

About Massey Services

Massey Services is one of the nation's largest and most respected service companies. Massey Services and its subsidiary organizations provide residential and commercial pest prevention, termite protection and lawn, tree and shrub care services to more than 185,000 customers from 61 service centers throughout Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. For more information about Massey Services, please visit masseyservices.com.

Massey Services is proud to announce that Termite Training and Technical Director, Ed Blumenthal, was named a 2008 recipient of the Pest Control Technology (PCT) Magazine and Syngenta Professional Products Crown Leadership Award.

Each year, PCT Magazine and Syngenta honor industry leaders who have contributed positively to the pest management industry’s growth with the Crown Leadership Award. The award recipients are chosen based on their exceptional contributions to their company and community and their commitment to uphold the highest standards of industry ethics, and personal integrity.

Blumenthal is credited for the extensive work he has done on termite baiting processes. He developed operational protocols and procedures that taught Massey Services Team Members not only the science of how termite baits work but the art of maintaining and managing the quality assurance of baiting programs.  In addition, his tremendous ability to teach, as well as educate the media and the community about termite prevention and protection, has been a key asset for Massey Services and the pest management industry nationally.

“One of Ed’s greatest attributes is his ability to teach,” explains Adam Jones, Vice President/Director of Quality Assurance for Massey Services. “He is one of the most respected teachers in our industry."

Blumenthal has served in the pest management and lawn care industry for more than 19 years and at Massey Services for 10 years, specializing in termite and wood destroying organism (WDO) protection. His responsibilities include managing the quality assurance of all termite activities for Massey Services. He oversees 61 individual service centers in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana in a technical capacity, and he also creates and writes all termite and WDO training programs, treating protocols, manuals and procedures. In addition, Blumenthal conducts study classes for applicants taking state certification exams in termite and fumigation.

Ed Blumenthal will be recognized during a special ceremony at PestWorld, the National Pest Management Association’s (NPMA) convention, to be held October 22 through 25, 2008, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. PCT Magazine will host a reception for him and other award recipients. Ed will also be profiled in PCT Magazine’s October 2008 issue.

About Massey Services
Massey Services is one of the nation's largest and most respected service companies. Massey Services and its subsidiary organizations provide residential and commercial pest prevention, termite protection and lawn, tree and shrub care services to more than 185,000 customers from 61 service centers throughout Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. For more information about Massey Services, please visit masseyservices.com.