Though some warm-season grasses such as bermuda and zoysia can be cut quite low (1-1/2 to 2 inches), buffalograss and the cool-season grasses should be cut higher. Bermuda and zoysia can be cut low because they creep rather than grow more upright. Actually, bermuda and zoysia can be cut lower than 1-1/2 inches if you have a reel-type mower rather than the more common rotary.

Tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass will thin if mowed too short. They are upright growers and cutting short will cause the plant to shift energy from root growth to shoot growth. This can cause root systems to become shallow and weak. These weakened plants will often die out during the heat and drought of summer requiring overseeding in the fall. So what are the recommended mowing heights? They are listed below.

• Tall fescue: 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches

• Kentucky bluegrass: 2 to 3 inches

• Buffalograss: 2 to 3 inches

• Bermudagrass: 1 to 2 inches

• Zoysiagrass: 1 to 2 inches

Cucumber Beetles and Bacterial Wilt

If you had cucumbers or muskmelons that suddenly turned brown and died last year, you may have had a disease known as bacterial wilt. The cucumber beetle carries this disease. Once a plant is infected, there is no cure, so prevention is the key. Because cucumber beetles overwinter as adults, early control measures are essential.

There are two types of cucumber beetles: striped and spotted. The striped cucumber beetle is the most common. The 1/4-inch-long beetles are conspicuously colored: black head and antennae, straw-yellow thorax, and yellowish wing covers with three distinct parallel and longitudinal black stripes. Young plants can be protected with row covers, cones or other types of mechanical barriers. Edges must be sealed to ensure that the beetles do not find a place to enter. Plants will eventually outgrow these barriers, or they will need to be removed to allow insect pollination of the flowers. Apply insecticides before beetles are noticed in the planting. Continue to spray weekly throughout the season.

Homeowners can use permethrin (numerous trade names). Once plants have started flowering, spray in the evening after bees have returned to the hive. Check labels for waiting periods between when you spray and when the fruit can be picked.