What a difference a week makes. The hurricane went north of us and hardly did any damage to the Lowcountry trees in the process. Erosion along the beaches might be another situation, depending on where you live.

If the storm threat or the aftermath of the storm got you to look up into your trees for broken limbs, then the storm did some good. If your trees need some professional help, call a tree service now and get on their list.

Once a storm is coming our way, most tree companies are too busy to work you into their schedule.

The wood in trees is very heavy. Gravity is always pulling the weight of the tree down towards the ground. Over the years insurance companies have revised the way they look at tree damage.

If you have a big dead limb or a tree that is half rotten at the base hanging over your house, and you do not have an expert look at the situation and correct it, then the insurance company may not pay for the damages if it falls.

Basically, they would rather you pay, say $2,000 for the tree work ,than they pay $150,000 in damage to the house. Call your agent for the details of your policy.

Although it is still 90 degrees, the daylight hours and the start of football season are making the weather feel like fall is not too far away. The recent rains did get some large patch started in several yards I noticed and the white flowers of Virginia Button Weed are visible peeking through the foliage of the turf grass.

Disarm G is a somewhat new fungicide on the market that can be used at very low rates for the prevention of brown patch. When conditions are favorable for disease development, you only need to apply 1.2 pounds of product per thousand square feet. So a 5,000 square foot yard only needs 6 pounds every 14 to 28 days.

Any last fertilizing of turf with a nitrogen fertilizer should be done soon. Preemergent herbicides for the lawn and beds now will make your spring landscape much nicer.

Treating your lawn and beds with Cyonora will keep mosquitoes, fleas, roaches and other pests from bothering your pets, your shrubs or yourself.

Always read, understand and follow product labels. The product label is a federal law.

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum's Landscape and Pest Control Supply. Possum's has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mount Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum's location, or visit us at http://www.possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to " The Garden Clinic", Saturdays from noon to 1:00, on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com.