Total Environment Inc.

Taco vibes in full swing! 🌮🔥 Savoring the flavors of happiness served on a plate, wrapped in a tortilla. #TacoDay #FoodieVibes #EmployeeAppreciation #TEamLunch #FoodLovers #GoodEats #GatheringTogether #TotalEnvironment

This month on Karcsi’s Korner: Understanding and Controlling Scale Insects 🌱🐛 Widely considered one of the more ancient insect species, scale insects only began to significantly impact the United States as a pest in the mid-1990s. Controlling this pest has been challenging for homeowners and green industry professionals due to its six-stage life cycle and natural defenses. Scale insects are protected from many common control methods by their armored shells and natural camouflage. Scale insects commonly infest Crape Myrtles, Wintercreeper Euonymus, Elms, and Oak Trees, though they can target many other plants. Soft scale presence is often detected through signs of activity like yellowing leaves, limb die-back, and sticky honeydew, which promotes Sooty Mold. Armored scales are harder to detect since they don’t produce honeydew, but they leave stippling on leaf tissue, similar to aphids and whiteflies. Control of scale insects requires a multifaceted approach, as no single method is effective against all life stages. Here are some key strategies: Dormant Horticultural Oil: Apply during the egg phase to suffocate overwintering eggs and disrupt pest populations like aphids and mites. Systemic Insecticide Drench: Apply to the soil in late winter. As transpiration resumes, the plant absorbs the insecticide, disrupting the scale’s feeding process during the middle to late stages of its life cycle. Crawler Stage Monitoring: During the 1st instar or "Crawler Stage," scales are unprotected and susceptible to contact control methods. Use double-sided tape on plants to detect crawlers. If crawlers are found, apply treatments promptly. Timing these control methods appropriately can dramatically improve your chances against scale and other destructive insects. For a consultation or to discuss ways to protect your landscape, contact us at (405) 285-7275 or visit our website. https://lnkd.in/gWUjaM7n Swain Stott Plant Healthcare Production Manager

Meet Abi Williams, our dedicated Landscape Intern from Oklahoma State University, majoring in Horticulture Business. 🌿 Your dedication, creativity, and enthusiasm have made a significant impact on our team this summer. Keep blooming, Abi! 🌸

Celebrating 14 years of dedication and excellence! 🌟 Meet Elsa Sigala, our outstanding Employee Relations & Recruitment Partner. Her commitment and passion have been instrumental in shaping our team. Here's to many more years of success, Elsa! 🎉 #WorkAnniversary #EmployeeSpotlight #RecruitmentExcellence #TEamSuccess #14YearsStrong

OKC Beautiful's Sustainability Social Hour is for those who love the environment🌾 and our city🏦. The second Wednesday of every month, OKC beautiful presents a Sustainability Social hour- featuring a conversational Q&A with a special guest speaker. Bryal H. and Abigail Williams attended this month's event at a local urban farm, Ralph’s Ranch🤠, to learn about regenerative farming🐄 , their sustainability efforts♻, and community involvement. #Supportlocal #OKCBeautiful #OklahomaCity

Grateful for our amazing team! Burger Day is the perfect way to say thank you. 🍔🎉 A special thank you to Greenstock Nurseries for sponsoring this month's team appreciation lunch. #TEamLunch #EmployeeAppreciation #BurgerDay #GoodEats #FoodFun #GatheringTogether #TotalEnvironment

Celebrating Independence Day with pride and gratitude! As we honor the birth of our nation, we also celebrate the beauty and freedom to create stunning landscapes. From lush gardens to serene outdoor spaces, we take pride in designing and maintaining environments that enhance our communities. From all of us at Total Environment, we wish you a joyful and safe 4th of July. Let’s cherish our freedom, the natural beauty around us, and the opportunity to make every outdoor space a place of tranquility and beauty. Happy 4th of July!🌿🎆 #IndependenceDay #4thOfJuly #Landscape #TotalEnvironment

🍕 Celebrating hard work and team spirit with a slice of gratitude! 🎉 #TEamLunch #EmployeeAppreciation #TotalEnvironment 

Summer has officially arrived! ☀️ At Total Environment, we're dedicated to transforming your outdoor spaces into lush, vibrant sanctuaries. From elegant garden designs to meticulous lawn care, let us help you embrace the beauty of the season. 🌿🌸 #FirstDayOfSummer #TotalEnvironment #LandscapingExcellence #OutdoorLiving #LandscapeManagement

This month on Karcsi’s Korner: Damage Caused to Hybrid Bermudagrass from Billbugs🌱🐛 This month, I’ve been called out to inspect several hybrid Bermudagrass lawns that were not growing or greening up properly. Initially, I thought the damage might be winter kill, but a closer look revealed the real culprit: billbug larvae feeding on the dead stems and crowns of the grass. Billbugs overwinter primarily as adults, though some larvae also survive in thatch, soil crevices, bark mulch, leaf litter, and other sheltered places. In the spring, adults become active, seeking suitable host plants for mating and egg-laying. Females lay 2-5 eggs per day in the hollow sheaths of grass, where the eggs are protected until they hatch. The larvae feed on the crown of the plant, eventually pupating in the soil and emerging as adults. The crown is the plant’s living center, and feeding larvae kill the crown, preventing regrowth. Billbug activity often looks like disease or winter kill because it kills small patches of grass. The dead turf doesn’t respond to watering and can be pulled easily from the soil. In this instance, the hunting billbug caused the damage, leading to symptoms like wilting, yellowing, and grass death. The hunting billbug’s unpredictable life cycle makes it difficult to detect early, with damage occurring from late spring into fall. Internal larvae feeding means infestations aren’t visible until significant damage has occurred. By the time symptoms appear, the root system may already be severely compromised, making recovery extensive and costly. Billbug damage impacts more than just the visible grass. A compromised root system reduces the grass’s ability to absorb water and nutrients, making it more vulnerable to other stresses such as drought, disease, and weed invasion. This compounded stress further deteriorates the turf’s quality and resilience, requiring more intensive and frequent maintenance to restore its health and appearance. Preventative measures and early intervention are crucial for managing billbug infestations in hybrid Bermudagrass. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies—including regular monitoring, proper identification, and timely insecticide application—are essential to mitigate damage. Additionally, cultural practices such as maintaining proper mowing heights, adequate fertilization, and irrigation management enhance the grass’s resilience to pest attacks. For a consultation on improving your turf and landscape, don’t hesitate to contact us at 405-285-7275 or visit our website. https://lnkd.in/gb2Rcnnz 🔍🐛