Prime's Clippings September 2016

Fall is on the Horizon

August gets a B this year, with our hot streak taking a rain break around the middle of the month and evenings dipping into the seventies. As the heat begins easing we can get back to enjoying our yards and start our fall gardening projects.

I get as excited about this time of year as I do spring, and it always seems to fly by just as quickly. Get those fall veggies planted, prune out the sun burnt stuff, and get the fall pre-emergent and fertilizers put out. Plant trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and new lawns, but we have to control ourselves and hold off on pansies until no earlier than mid October.

You should have plenty to do as the days get shorter, and soon enough you’ll be able to enjoy a cool evening around your outdoor fire pit.

Wait, you don’t have one of those yet? Hmmm, maybe you better give us a call!

Fall Pre-Emergent and Fertilizer- The Most Important Application

If you are a regular reader you already know this drill, but we have to repeat it for newbies. 

This is an important message!

If you are on our regular lawn application program you will be receiving an application of pre-emergent weed control in September-October. If you are not on our full service program, call today to schedule. This is the most important lawn application of the year! Winter weeds begin germinating in September and October depending on weather conditions and may not be noticeable until spring. But for the best chance of reducing those unsightly weeds you see in March, you must treat the seeds now!

Dandelions, thistles, henbit, chickweed, oxalis, rescue grass, and poa annua are the biggest culprits in our spring gallery of weed problems, and most of these start sprouting when soil temperatures at the surface drop below 70 degrees. It doesn’t take too many days of cool cloudy weather to achieve this, so timing is critical. 

Pre-emergents do not provide 100% control, but they will make a big difference. They work by creating a chemical barrier in the soil that kills the seedling as it starts to emerge. This application may be combined with a broadleaf weed killer to control any that have already sprouted. Heavy rains or wet winters dilute the chemical barrier sometimes reducing effectiveness.

Our fall application also includes fertilizers to get your lawn ready for dormancy. Nitrogen helps thicken the lawn and smother weeds, and potassium builds stronger root systems to help your lawn through hard freezes and promote early green-up in spring.

A Couple Observations

We have recently noticed some early leaf drop, particularly on American elms. A close look reveals fungal leaf spot covering the foliage, likely due to the recent rain events and high humidity. Nothing to be done about it except mulch up the leaves as they fall. 

We have also seen random branches dying back on some big oaks. Squirrels had girdled the limbs chewing the cambium under the bark... guess they’re running low on nuts. Seems nature is always throwing us a curveball. 

Late Summer Lawn Care

Last month we reminded you that grub worms are most vulnerable in August and that is an optimal time to treat. The window is still open for a few more weeks and then the grubs will move deeper into the soil and also become larger and tougher to kill. Call ASAP if you want a grub treatment.

As evenings start to cool in late September and on through November, watch for irregular circular brown spots in St. Augustine during rainy weather. Brown patch is a common fungus that can do severe damage to your lawn going into winter. Take-all patch also becomes active in fall. If you had areas that were stunted and slow to green up in the spring you may have take-all patch. 

Topdressing the lawn with peat moss to increase acidity at the soil surface is an organic remedy for take-all, and there are chemical fungicides for brown patch. 

Spurge is a flat broadleaf weed that sprouts in July-August after a good rain. Fast growing and difficult to control, this is the dominant weed problem we are seeing at this time. Your next application will contain a broadleaf spray to help control this if you have any in your lawn. One reason that late summer weeds like spurge are hard to control is that most herbicides will damage the lawn in hot weather. Celsius or similar sulfonylurea herbicides are about the only option for weed control with minimal turf stress.

Moonflower- A 'Weed' Worth Considering

You may be familiar with the white flowering morning glory called Moonflower vine, Ipomoea alba, which opens at night and may be found in nurseries. And although I’ll give this fine vine a tip of the hat, there is a native shrubby perennial that can be even showier and requires no special care- Datura, aka Jimsonweed, Moonflower, or Thorn–apple.

There are 9 species of Datura, Datura wrightii is the most likely one to find growing wild in our area, but they don’t seem to be common. I found one some 38 years ago growing in a field in south Arlington and still have it’s progeny in various spots in my gardens.

Granted, it seeds prolifically and needs to be contained, and all parts are poisonous, so you might avoid it if you have small children. But it is happy in a well drained soil with virtually no water, and I simply cut my seed pods (the thorn-apples) off periodically before they open to reduce having to weed out unwanted additions. The huge flowers audibly pop open at dusk and are the preferred nectar of the hawk moth. 

Not a plant for everyone, but worth a look for the adventurous. 

Ryegrass and Fescue Season Starts in September

Over-seeding with ryegrass for the winter sets your home or business apart from the crowd. Over-seeded lawns normally have fewer winter weed issues as weed seeds have a difficult time germinating in the thick green cover provided by healthy turf. Typical winter weather usually brings enough rainfall to keep your rye green with little or no supplemental watering once established. And a green winter lawn creates a nice foreground or background for early spring flowers such as daffodils, dogwoods, Mexican plums, azaleas, and spiraeas.

There are 2 primary types of rye seed available, annual and perennial. Annual rye seed is the one most commonly used but will need to be mowed every week in the spring as its rate of growth is quite fast.

Perennial rye is more refined, with a darker green color and slower rate of growth, but sometimes is more difficult to get it to germinate. In our area the term perennial is not accurate in regards to rye, as most burn out by June. In shady areas or if we have prolonged cool, wet weather into the summer, ryegrass may persist longer. 

The normal preparation for over seeding is to mow the lawn a few notches lower and remove the clippings during the last half of September through October. This allows the seed to make better contact with the ground and improves germination. Depending on rainfall, the seed should be watered at least twice a week until it is up and growing. Once it is up, mowing requirements will vary depending on the weather and type of seed used. Mowing once every 14 days is usually the norm until about March. Light fertilizing in December and February will really enhance the appearance, especially if we are having a dry winter.

Call us for a free quote if you would like a lush green  lawn this winter.

Fescue is a northern grass that struggles here in July and August, but there are transitional mixes now that are an option for heavily shaded yards where St. Augustine just will not make it. If you have heavy shade and really prefer a lawn there instead of groundcovers or a shade garden, then fescue may be a fit for you. Like rye, it will germinate now and establish during the winter and spring months. 

As mentioned, it thins out in our hottest months and does need regular watering, but simply reseed each fall to thicken it back up.

September Chores

• Mow weekly and mulch up leaves
• Water weekly
• Treat fire ants
• Overseed rye grass
• Apply weed pre-emergent and fall fertilizer
• Sow wildflower seeds for spring