Getting Rid of Nutgrass

GREAT NEWS! WE CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO KILL NUTGRASS!

If you have lived in Arizona for a few years or more, you likely have dealt with the pesky, fast-growing, invasive weed known as Nutgrass. Nutgrass can be a tricky plant to control, and many times we may not even recognize it, as it is not just another broadleaf weed or grass (such as dandelions, bull thistle, spurge, foxtail, Bermuda grass, etc). We may think it looks like some grass seeds gone astray because it grows easily in the cracks of cement. But it’s not.

In order to recognize Nutgrass, look for these clues:
-rich dark green-colored, triangle-shaped leaf (may resemble a tiny palm tree)
-grows 2-4x faster than your lawn, making it look like you need to mow yard 2-3x/week
-will produce a blossom with additional growth
-grows well in rock beds and in the cracks of cement
-treatments with Roundup are futile; it simply will not kill Nutgrass

Don’t fret, we can help! At Bug & Weed Mart, we carry all the same professional-strength herbicides, pre-emergents, sterilants, and post-emergent weed killers that any professional landscaper would use. We have a knowledgeable manager at every one of our stores to give you the accurate advice you need. And he will show you exactly how to apply treatments so you will achieve the results you seek.

Come into any of our 5 Valley-wide stores, open Monday through Saturday, or visit us at bugweedmart.com

-do it yourself
-do it right
-do it for less

Weed Killer

2013 started out unusually wet for Arizona, bringing a bumper crop of vegetation and wildlife growth.  As a result, we are seeing a tremendous amount of unruly weeds, especially if there was no pre-emergent applied. But there is no better time than now to apply weed killer (or more properly – post emergent) taking those weeds out and regaining control of your landscape!

Killing all the weeds in your yard may seem a huge task. But with Bug & Weed Mart, our knowledgeable, professional staff excels in helping people learn what it takes to control weeds.   Weeds and grasses that you are seeing now can be easily treated with one of our Post-Emergent herbicides that you apply using a pump-up sprayer. It may be time consuming but applying weed killer is simple. Come in and describe your weed problem, and we will develop a fast, safe, effective solution for you and show you how to apply it.

We are open 6 days a week at all 5 of our Valley-wide locations. Come in, give us a call, or visit us anytime at www.bugweedmart.com.

Crickets

As temperatures go up, and days are longer, most of us tend to spend a lot of time outdoors, including patio and backyard areas. It is also the same time of year when we begin to notice more bugs are out, especially crickets.  You may hear them chirping before you see them. It’s a pleasant sound when it’s outside, but if they get in your home, that noise can be downright annoying!

Crickets thrive in a number of outdoor landscapes, and they also like coming into your home and feeding on anything from bread crumbs to your best suits and sweaters! Their favorite thing to eat is rotting plant matter – citrus that fell from your tree and hasn’t been picked up, weeds that are dying, and any other rotting vegetation.

Fortunately, Bug & Weed Mart has been dealing with pests like crickets for over 30 years, and we can help you too!  We show you exactly how to control those crickets (as well as all other pests) with simple, easy-to-apply products and personalized instructions from our trained staff.

Come see us at any of our 5 stores Valley-wide, open 6 days a week.

Bug & Weed Mart.  Do-it-yourself. Do it right. Do it for less.

Healthy Weeds In Your Rocks? Time To Apply Pre-Emergent

What a fun weather year 2013 has begun with!  We had rain this winter, followed by a record-setting 5-night frost period in January, then more rain in February.  Add the intermittent spikes we have seen in daytime temperatures, and now just look around: the weed season has earnestly begun. Are you seeing a healthy green weed or grass crop take over in your granite, river rock, or desert landscaping?  If you look around, you will find you are not alone! Many people have not yet applied pre-emergent. But it’s not too late.

At Bug & weed Mart, we have a complete selection of Pre-Emergents that you can safely, effectively, and easily apply to your yard.  These professional-grade, EPA-registered liquid herbicides will prevent those unwanted grass and weeds from growing, while causing no harm to existing plants or lawns.  Reapplying periodically, your method of “preventing” will result in much greater results across your landscape.  And, you will begin to notice your neighbors are seemingly always out spraying their weeds…when you have none!

For more detailed information about how to apply pre-emergent, you can visit the “videos” section of our website. There you will find a step-by-step instructional video on how to mix and apply pre-emergent, as well as tips for safety and re-application time frames.

Our Managers at all 5 Valley-wide locations are experts on all the details you need to do the job yourself.  Come on in, & tell us about your specific property needs.  We’ll recommend a pre-emergent, and we will show you exactly how to apply it.  We have been helping our customers with the best products and advice since 1979, we look forward to helping you, too!

Spring Cleaning Workshop Prevents Homeowners from Buggin’ Out

Free spring cleaning workshop teaches how to protect home and garden from unwelcome guests

March showers bring more than spring flowers! This year’s unseasonable rains make homes and yards more susceptible than ever to bugs and weeds. To learn simple spring cleaning solutions and helpful steps that will keep these bugs and weeds at bay, Bug & Weed Mart owner Jim LaBrie is hosting a free spring-cleaning workshop at the company’s Scottsdale location.

Join us on Sunday, March 24, 2013 from 1 – 2 PM and you will learn:

• How to identify termites and protect your home from termite damage
• What you can do to keep ticks and scorpions from finding their way into your yard and home
• Steps you can take to keep weeds from overtaking your spring blooms.

All attendees will receive a free pair of technician’s applicator gloves and a 10% discount on any purchases that day. Refreshments will be provided.

Free to attend, call (480) 609-1810 to reserve a spot.

Bug & Weed Mart

7127 E Becker Lane (behind Circle K on N/W corner of Shea/Scottsdale Rd)

Scottsdale, AZ 85254

Bed Bugs & Spring Break: Be On The Alert!

As Spring Break approaches, many of us are in the process of making getaway plans.  We’re thinking about our destinations and all the memories we will make while we are there, and maybe even the souvenirs we’ll bring home. But are we thinking about what we DON’T want to bring home? Bed bugs. No one wants to bring that mess back after a nice vacation!

Most of us by now have become well aware that bed bugs are for real. They can be found anywhere and they feed on human blood. Turning a blind eye to the potential that they might invade your space is risky.  When 1 person gets bed bugs, in a matter of just 24-48 hours or so they can spread to find even more human hosts.

Bed bugs can wreck havoc on your life, and not only because of the unsightly, itchy bites! It’s often an embarrassing realization that you have them. But they must be taken care of. Bed bug treatmants by a professional can cost up to $3000-5000!  Knowing what to look for, especially when travelling, might just be the difference between the greatest Spring Break ever or a very regrettable getaway. Here are some tips for avoiding that little pest:

• When sleeping in a new bed, check for signs of their feces: small, black or  dark brown dots on sheets or the mattress. (If you are in a hotel and find  potential bedbug fecal matter, ask for a new room far from the original.)
• While bedbugs mostly hide out during the day, you may be able to spot the  actual bug at night (using a flashlight may be helpful). Baby bedbugs are nearly  invisible, but their older relatives are brown to red-brown and oval-shaped (see  image on page one).
• Regularly inspect places where pets sleep for signs of bedbugs.
• In some heavily infested areas, a ”coriander-like” odor may be present.
• If you suspect you’ve been exposed to bedbugs when traveling, clean out  everything you traveled with. Vacuum out your suitcase and wash all clothes in  hot water if possible, whether they are dirty or not. When traveling, leave your  suitcases on hard surfaces if possible (rather than carpet or upholstered  furniture).

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-tips-to-avoid-bedbugs.html#ixzz2Mb1EX1HC

At Bug & Weed Mart, we deal with bed bugs every single day. Come into any of our 5 stores, or call us, and let us help you take the proper steps to detect and prevent bed bugs from joining your everyday life!

We are open 6 days a week.

Sale on FIMCO Sprayers!

Spring is coming and so are the weeds and insects! To help you control these pests, Bug & Weed Mart is having a sale on our FIMCO 15 and 25-Gallon sprayers:

Pre-emergent Weed Control

Happy Winter! Did you ever notice how, in the cold temperatures of January & February, we tend not to have too many weed problems?  Well, let this serve as a reminder to you that these cold temp’s soon will yield to Spring climate, bringing longer days, more sunshine, warmer temperatures, and, yes, many more weeds!  If you wait for the weeds to grow, you will be behind the proverbial 8-ball, so why not prevent their emergence in the first place? Read more »

Subterranean Termites

One of the most popular pest challenges that homeowners deal with in Arizona is the Desert Subterranean Termite (Heterotermes Aureus), or simply “subterranean termite”.  The subterranean termite thrives in high-temperature, low-humidity climates, so the arid Sonoran Desert that we live in is perfectly suited to them.  Most people become aware of their presence when they observe their “mud tunnels” along the stemwall of their home, travelling upwards.  In general, the larger the mud tunnel, the greater the activity within. For example, a mud tunnel measuring about a nickel in width suggests many months or even a few years of activity. So, the earlier you observe their damage, the sooner you can prevent their spreading further. Read more »