Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. is excited to announce the launch of our seasonal Maintenance News, keeping our clients and our community in touch with issues affecting their landscape.

Our clients are noticing a change in their fertilization schedules this year, and are beginning to notice its benefits as well.  Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. has partnered with Florikan, the area's premier horticultural product resource, to create a series of custom fertilizer blends exclusive to our clientele.  In March, we fertilized our clients' shrubs with a once-annually, 365-day, NutriCoted custom Florikan blend.  In May, we finished the first of two custom, slow-release, NutriCoted turf fertilization applications.  The second application will follow in November. 

The Florikan fertilizer blends customized for Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. are specially designed to provide constant nutrient levels year-round.  Conventional fertilization methods result in quick spikes with heavy yields, inviting unnecessary pests and fungus, followed by a sharp decline.  We have selected fertilizers that are released slowly enough for root systems to be allowed their vital search for nutrients in the ground. 

Our schedule is compliant with the current Sarasota County fertilizer codes that restrict nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (K) from being applied in June through September.   Because of our highly reduced nutrient spikes, little to no leaching will occur, protecting Sarasota Bay and the Florida Aquifer. 

Most importantly, our new schedule is dependent upon the principles of Integrated Pest Management.  Because our team will only fertilize three times annually, our remaining visits to your property (quarterly by our landscape architect, monthly by our horticulturalist, and weekly by our technician) are spent  taking a more proactive, visual approach, spot-treating problems as they occur. This hands-on method protects our beneficial insects and relies on knowledge and attention rather than chemicals and blanket applications.  We are excited and proud of this innovative new schedule.

• Allow us to schedule a walk-through of your irrigation system with our experts.  The cost for this inspection is minimal, yet the value is unmatched--an irrigation system that is not functioning properly is costing you money.  Our experts will inspect your irrigation system for optimum efficiency, making sure that your rain sensor is effective and that your zone settings and run times are offering your plants the best chance for success.  Should your system require replacements or additional  labor, we will provide you with a proposal to perform these services.
• Keep an eye out for summer pests.  Your shrubs will invite spider mites, mealy bugs, aphids and worms during this peak blooming season.  Early spot treatment is critical to the survival of your landscape.
• St. Augustine turf is seasonally subjected to chinch bugs, grubs, and sod webworms.  In April, our team applied Aloft to our clients' St. Augustine turf to treat this summer problem.  Zoysia turf is prone to Brown Patch fungus during periods of temperature change.  Early detection and treatment can save your summer lawn.

Ageratum, Begonia, Celosia, Cleome, Coleus, Cosmos, Crossandra, Dusty Mller, Four o’clock, Gazania, Marigold, Morning glory, Nicotiana, Periwinkle, Portulaca, Salvia, Sunflower, Torenia, Verbena, Zinnia

Michael A. Gilkey, Inc. encourages our clients to consider alternative water harvesting technology, such as cisterns, for their irrigation needs. We can offer small cistern-based irrigation systems for pots, annuals, and edible gardens, as well as systems large enough for your entire landscape. Please contact us for more information or a proposal to convert your existing irrigation system to this sustainable, cost-effective model.

(from IFAS/UF Sarasota County Extension)

1. Monitor the landscape for pest problems.  Concentrate on plantings that have had pest problems in the past. Look at the undersides of leaves.

2. Do not spray preventatively. Apply pesticides only when pest insects are present and causing unacceptable damage. Killing beneficials that are keeping pests in check may cause a pest explosion. A few pests around are okay and provide necessary food for beneficials.

3. Spot treat only the problem areas. If insect pests are concentrated on only one or two plants, you do not need to spray every plant of that type in the yard. In fact pruning a concentrated infestation into a garbage bag could solve the problem. If an area of the lawn is infested with chinch bugs or mole crickets, treating it and a buffer of a few feet is probably sufficient.

4. Use least toxic materials for control of most insect pests. Insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils can control insect pests such as aphids, thrips, whiteflies, mealy bugs, and scale.  It's a good idea to test materials on a section of foliage to check for phytotoxicity and do not spray in windy weather or the heat of the day.