We are finally getting hints that long awaited, cooler weather is on its way to the Southeast. This means it’s time to prepare your lawn for the months ahead, when the chance of rainfall decreases and temperatures drop.

So where do you start when it comes to winterizing your yard? We know that every lawn is different. That is why we perform a full landscape inspection. While proper fertilization, disease control and a strong root system are essential to maintaining a healthy landscape during this time of year, there are several other actions that you can take to help your lawn and landscape remain beautiful year round.

Below are some tips from our GreenUP specialists on how you can help your lawn and shrubs thrive during the cooler months of the year.

• Adjust your watering frequency. Generally speaking, ¾” to 1” of water once every 7 to 10 days is adequate.

• Keep your lawn mowed high. This will promote a deeper root system which will provide your lawn with a greater stress tolerance. In addition, higher mowing heights can create a warmer micro-environment due to the extra canopy cover provided by the longer leaf tissue.

• Look out for brown patch. Cooler temperatures and rain are ideal conditions for Brown Patch to pop up in your landscape and cause damage. Brown Patch is a fungus in the soil that lays dormant until the conditions are just right for it to flourish, with shaded areas that retain water being especially prone to the disease.

If you have Massey’s GreenUP Landscape Services:
It is important for you to know that your lawn specialist has already begun preparing your lawn for the cooler months. Your lawn has been treated for pre-emergent weeds and in the next few months your lawn will receive a winterizing fertilizer to help reduce any damage caused by cooler weather.

Even though this is designed to strengthen your landscape against cold temperatures and reduce injury, any extended freezing temperatures may cause irreversible damage that may require some renovation in the Spring. If you have questions about your landscape, please don’t hesitate to contact us or call us at 1-866-316-8020.

If you don’t have Massey’s GreenUP Landscape Services:
Let us help prepare your lawn for the cooler temperatures. We offer a FREE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS where we will create a winterized plan specific to your lawn and landscape.

Don’t let your lawn fall victim to the damage caused by cooler temperatures, contact us today at 1-866-316-8020 to schedule your FREE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS .

Recently an article was published in the Sun Sentinel that reminds us of why it’s so important to have termite protection for your home. This article references a homeowner in South Florida that discovered termite damage in his home and then found out that his homeowner’s insurance does not cover it.
Unfortunately, most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover termite damage. So in addition to having termite protection for your home, it’s also important to make sure it’s backed by a guarantee that you can count on if you ever have a problem.
Here in the Southeast, we can’t get away from termites so the best thing to do is protect your home.
If you suspect you may have a termite infestation, click here to learn more about the warning signs.

It’s no secret that bed bugs are a hot topic of conversation.  They have become a nuisance everywhere, not only in hotels but in restaurants, movie theaters and even stores!  Even more concerning is the virtual ineffectiveness using traditional means of eliminating bed bug infestations.

That’s because bed bugs are becoming resistant to the pesticides that have been used to treat them.  Massey Services began to understand that this was occurring and so five years ago, we began testing alternative treatments to eliminate bed bugs and developed our bed bug heat remediation program.

This treatment completely eliminates entire populations of bed bugs – from egg to adult.  The process uses forced air heaters to raise the temperature in bed bug infested areas, killing bed bugs at all stages of their development.  These heaters, in conjunction with an integrated pest management approach to pest elimination, have proven to be significantly more effective than other methods of bed bug control.

Our bed bug heat remediation treatment was recently patented as well!  Click here for more information.

Here in the Southeast we can usually depend on plenty of afternoon thunderstorms to bring ample precipitation to our yards. But along with the natural benefits of rain, come a few problems as well. Summer rains leave standing water that can create a mosquito breeding ground.

There are 80 species of mosquitoes in Florida and they vary in biting preferences, breeding habits and location around the state. The Florida Medical Entomology Lab (FMEL) has produced a database of these species and their distribution, habits and importance.

There are a few simple precautions you can take to help avoid mosquitoes:

• Make sure windows and doors are closed and screens are well-sealed.

• Avoid working or playing outdoors at dawn or dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

• When outdoors, be sure to wear loose fitting light-colored clothes, and apply an insect repellent containing DEET.

• Use mosquito netting to protect children under 2 months of age.

• Discard old cans, tires, bottles, broken appliances and other items that can accumulate stagnant water.

• Remove stagnant water at least once per week from bird baths, kiddie pools, outdoor toys or potted plants.

• Make sure gutters drain properly so that they do not hold stagnant water and that gutter drains are not clogged.

• Cover boats and stored vehicles with tarps to prevent water accumulation.

Every year Pest Control Technology (PCT) Magazine publishes the Top 100 Pest Management companies in the industry throughout the country. Last year, Massey Services was ranked #12 and Middleton Lawn and Pest Control was ranked #13. Now that the integration has been completed, we are excited to announce that Massey Services is now ranked the 5th largest pest management company in the industry!
Not only that, we are also the largest family owned organization in the industry! Now that’s something to talk about! Click here to read more.

About five years ago, as bed bugs continued to make a resurgence in the United States, we recognized there was a need for a different type of bed bug treatment that would eliminate bed bugs at all stages of life. We began testing several treatment types and found that heat was very successful at doing this. So we partnered with a company that specialized in heat and the bed bug heat remediation process was born.
This process is not only effective but also very efficient. It requires that hotel rooms be off market for only 48 hours, compared to what can be weeks when using a liquid treatment. Not only that, you don’t have to destroy the contents of the room because the heat will eliminate all bed bugs – no matter where they are hiding.
Earlier this year, it was announced that we were receiving a patent for our heat remediation treatment and we couldn’t be more proud! This is just another example of our commitment to innovation, which allows us to provide outstanding results for our customers!

Last month I was speaking with several of our Massey team members and found out that they had formed a team to participate in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure.  I had heard of this walk before but didn’t know much about it so I started asking a lot of questions.  I found out that this walk actually covers 60 miles over the course of 3 days.  I also found out that the 3 Day for the Cure is the largest source of non-profit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

Each walker is required to raise a specific amount of money in order to participate so we began fundraising activities here at Massey right away to help our support our team of walkers.  To date, we have helped raise close to $3,000, with more fundraising activities to come in the upcoming weeks.

It is truly an inspiration to see this team pull together and prepare for this walk, which is scheduled in Tampa in October.  If you’d like donate to the team, please click here and make a donation.

Now that the warm weather is back, unfortunately so are fleas and ticks.  Even worse, they’re seeking out your pets as a host.

Here are a few tips you can follow to prevent fleas from becoming a problem for your furry companion:

• Always check your pet’s bedding daily for evidence of fleas.  The eggs are slightly smaller than a pin head, oval and cream colored and are usually found in cracks, crevices and bound with strands of carpet.
• If pets are to be outside at all, be sure you have a veterinary-prescribed flea treatment that is applied regularly according to the label.  Adult fleas usually stay clinging within the fur of the pet but will die if a flea protection has been regularly applied to the pet.

If fleas are discovered, here are a few additional tips to follow:

• If fleas are found on the pet, comb out or remove and kill the fleas.  Vacuum all areas of the floor, especially under sofas and chairs and under sofa and chair pads.  Throw the vacuum bag out and replace with a new bag.
• If fleas are found, inspect your yard for fleas by dragging an old towel or rag across areas where pets usually walk.  If fleas are present they will jump onto the towel.  If this occurs, the yard will need immediate treatment.
• If live fleas are found indoors, a flea treatment should be performed immediately.

Fleas can get out of hand fast so it’s important to stay vigilant and constantly inspect for the above signs of infestation.

Just this week it was announced in West Palm Beach that because of drought conditions, they were ordering one day watering restrictions.

These restrictions are important because they protect our water supply. However, even with proper nutrition and fertilization, these restrictions in combination with the heat and drought can affect the appearance of your lawn.

Here are a few expert tips you can follow to ensure that when you are watering your lawn, you are watering it effectively:

• Inspect all zones to ensure you have proper coverage
• Water with the right amount of water (3/4 to 1″ per zone is generally sufficient)
• Check your timer to make sure each zone is operating effectively

Check out our video to learn more about proper coverage for your zones!

As temperatures and humidity are on the rise in the Southeastern United States, Formosan termite colonies are actively growing in and around homes throughout our region. Formosan termite swarms occur seasonally, usually during the hot, humid summer months, and have plagued the Southeast for decades.

What makes Formosan termites dangerous is the fact that they are extremely aggressive and typically cause more damage than any other type of termite.

A Formosan termite swarm occurs when a mature colony sends out winged reproductives to mate and begin the establishment of a new colony.

According to Adam Jones, our Vice President and Director of Quality Assurance, “During a swarm, large numbers of winged termites take flight to start new colonies. This can happen outdoors where they may emerge from stumps, wood piles, mulch beds or even from parts of the house, such as wood siding, eave overhangs or wooden trim. Inside homes, they will emerge from small holes in the wall called ‘exit holes’ or natural openings, such as gaps in caulking around windows.”

A swarm usually lasts between 30-45 minutes as the winged termites try to escape to go on their mating flights. It is very chaotic, and the air is filled with fluttering termites, wings and the bodies of termites that have shed their wings trying to get to a safe area in the soil.

However, because of the brief time frame associated with swarms, most homeowners will actually discover the aftermath of a swarm. Termites swarm toward light sources so most likely are found on window sills or around sliding glass doors.

If you’re concerned you may have a termite infestation, call us or schedule a free inspection today!