Lonestar Gumweed, grindelia adenodonta
Just a weed to most, beautiful when you take the time to look
We will be closed Monday, September 4th
for Labor Day
How Many Days 'til Fall?
August began nicely and was overall a fairly mild month. We certainly had our share of blistering humid days, but the scattered rains throughout north Texas have made this a very bearable summer. Up north, fall dependably begins in September when the kids head back to school. Around here, be prepared for another month or more of hot weather. Maybe we will get lucky though.
Regardless of the difficulty in predicting the onset of cooler weather, September and October are two very important months for north Texas gardeners.
Probably the most important chore coming up is the application of fall pre-emergent weed preventative to our lawns and beds. Equally important is a fall fertilization with a balanced product including potassium for the roots. Some gardening experts will tell you there is a perfect range of days in which to apply pre-emergent, but in truth that range can be quite extensive, and even applications outside of the peak period can be quite effective. But if you are a do-it-yourselfer, this is the single most important application you can make. Don’t forget to do it!
Some other nice things about this time of year are fall veggie gardens and planting new shrubs, trees, and grass. We are on the tail end of planting fall vegetables, but you can still have some success with crops from seed like lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, radishes, and carrots, and even broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and tomatoes if you can find them potted in the nursery.
Milder weather will start to set in, so get ready to enjoy a great time of year.
Late Summer Lawn and Garden Care
The time to treat for grub worms is passing, but treatments will still be effective if done in the next few weeks. Grubs do some of their worst damage in the fall but as soils cool they stop feeding and move deeper into the soil, becoming harder to control.
We are still several weeks from lawns starting into dormancy so continue to mow weekly and water regularly. See the tips above regarding fall pre-emergent and fertilizing. You may make applications at any time now and into October.
Roses, if you are lucky enough to have some that have not fallen victim to rosette disease, benefit from a light pruning in late August or early September. We often have a great rose bloom in October.
Avoid trimming spring blooming plants like azaleas and spiraeas any more this year as you may be removing spring blooms. Also avoid high nitrogen fertilizers on spring bloomers, but you can still use balanced fertilizers and especially iron or acidifiers for chlorotic plants.
If we get into a wet spell, watch for lawn diseases like brown patch (later) or gray leaf spot (now), and powdery mildew, fungal leaf spot, and scale insects on shrubs. Treat as needed depending on severity so your lawn and plants go into winter healthy and happy.
Time for Rye and Fescue Seeding
Time for our annual reminder about over-seeding your lawn with ryegrass. A lush green winter lawn creates a nice foreground or background for early spring flowers like azaleas and spiraeas, and 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 watering once established.
There are two 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. Perennial rye is more refined, with a darker green color and slower rate of growth, is more difficult to germinate. In our area the term perennial is not accurate. Most rye burns 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 several times a week until it is up and growing. In about two weeks, lightly touch up any thin areas. Once it is up, mowing will vary depending on the weather and type of seed used, but once every 2-3 weeks is usually the norm until about March. Light fertilizing in December will enhance the appearance.
Pricing: Scalping, over-seeding, and touch up is based on square footage and will run 8 times the cost of a normal mow. If your mowing is $35, your annual rye installation will be $280. Perennial rye would be $52.50 additional.
For larger or commercial properties call or email to request a quote.
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. Fescue does not usually need to be mowed as often as rye.
We have found an excellent way to install fescue is to aerate the area with a core aeration machine and then broadcast the seed. This is especially effective on slopes where seed may wash.
We only recommend fescue for shaded areas where you are having trouble growing St. Augustine. The pricing is based on square footage with a minimum of $250.
Plants to Consider
Sunshine ligustrum: If you like yellow, this is a neat little shrub. It is evergreen, takes pruning and shaping well and doesn’t seem to have many insect or disease issues. It contrasts well with dark green bushes, purple foliage plants, and purple or red flowers. Use in full or part day sun and with moderate watering.
Garden phlox: Speaking of a purple bloom that would look great behind the sunshine Ligustrum, this variety of old timey garden phlox from my yard attracts butterflies all summer. Available in many colors, phlox paniculata grows about 4-5 ft tall and does best in part sun. A dependable perennial, cut to ground in winter.
Cassia alata, or Candlestick tree, has been around forever but is rarely seen around here. It dies to the ground each winter but often returns from the root, or can be planted from seed or a 1 gallon pot if you can find it in a nursery. Mine grow to about 9 ft tall every summer.
Black Diamond crape myrtle: An interesting newer series of crapes with striking foliage. Available in many colors. Plant in full sun, will reach about 12 ft.
-Prime Landscape Services-
Voted Reader’s Choice Best Landscape Company in Mansfield August 2017
Thanks, Mansfield!
Our goal is to fulfill the needs of the customer by providing timely, quality services and products.
Thanks for your business!
Greg Hamann
Owner
Voted Reader’s Choice Best Landscape Company in Mansfield August 2017
Thanks, Mansfield!
September Chores
Mow weekly and do not bag clippings
Treat fire ants
Overseed rye grass
Apply weed pre-emergent and fall fertilizer
Sow wildflower seeds for spring
Our goal is to fulfill the needs of the customer by providing timely, quality services and products.
Thanks for your business!
Greg Hamann
Owner
The original meaning actually had nothing to do with heat or dogs, but hot weather is what we in the northern hemisphere now associate with the phrase. The ancient Greeks marked this time of the year by the rising of Sirius the dog star just before dawn, and associated it with a potential for war or disaster. It also happened to coincide with a really hot time of year, but depending on where you are in the world Sirius will rise at different times. And because the stars in our night sky move independently of Earth’s calendar, in about 13,000 years we will be experiencing the dog days of winter. And I bet the dogs will still be lethargic and lazy, laying about by a warm fire.
Not every yard will have a large enough population to cause damage, but if you have had one in the past you may be in a location that is prone to infestation. Lawns close to street lights where June bugs gather are often hit, and ironically they often attack lush lawns when soil is soft and food (roots) is abundant. They can do serious damage to turf over the next two months. And the application we make for grubs may also act as a preventative for chinch bugs, another bad lawn pest.
