Drought and Bugs, Worms and Floods- Oh My!
What a strange end of summer and beginning of fall! After going through record heat and dry conditions and swarms of chinch bugs attacking our lawns, we only thought we were making a normal transition to fall as temperatures subsided and rains moved in. But then the rains set records and an army of army worms took the metroplex by storm.
After receiving over a foot of rain and making this the wettest September on record, we had a cool front come in on September 26th. That made for some pleasant temperatures and more scattered rains forecast into the first week of October. Last year we had a fairly hot and dry October. Perhaps that will not be the case this year and we will have a normal fall. Normal weather in Texas? Just for a month or two? We’ll see.
Along with milder weather October brings a modest list of gardening chores. Turf still needs to be mowed and leaves mulched up, flowers will soon need to be changed out, bait products for fire ants should be applied now, pre-emergents and fertilizer applied, and tired summer perennials tidied up. But outdoor chores are always easier on a pleasant fall day. With all the strange weather and insect infestations there are some additional October chores to consider this year.
Read on for more tips and observations.
Pansy Time is Approaching
 It is almost time to start changing out our annual color beds to winter color. We start around mid October as temperatures moderate and should have all our properties planted by mid November.
Pansies and ornamental kale or cabbage are the primary choices. They will last through most any of our winters, though cabbage may suffer some burn when we drop below 20 degrees. There are other fall flowers that can be planted now including mums, snapdragons, dianthus, alyssum, and a few others, but only the pansy will bloom throughout winter. Violas are equally hardy and just look like a miniature version of a pansy. They may even have a higher density of flowers than the large blooming pansies but stay more compact. They can also be used as a border.
Pansies in particular benefit from fertilizers containing organics like blood meal and bone meal. When first planted and during our crazy winter warm spells, aphids can attack pansies, and some years cutworms may be an issue in the first few weeks.
Pansies come in a great variety of colors both with and without a face, and may have two or more colors on each bloom. Please email or call our office if you would like a catalog via email of our winter color choices. Always plan on at least 2 options as growers will run out of certain varieties during the planting season, and place your requests as soon as possible.At War With the Armyworm
Every season it seems conditions will be optimal for some pest or disease to flourish. This year we had prolific infestations of chinch bugs in St. Augustine lawns, and then came the army worms in Bermuda. Armyworm infestations have been so widespread that they have even made the local television news reports. There are always a few armyworms in the lawns, but this year there were some lawns hidden in the armyworms.
 The armyworm is the larvae of a small brown moth that lays eggs at the base of a suitable host plant. When they reach maturity, the worms burrow into the soil to pupate into moths that fly out, mate, and start the cycle again. There are several species of armyworms common to our area but the fall armyworm is the one most likely to damage our turf. They can have several generations at about 28 day intervals, and cool weather may extend the life cycle for several months. High rainfall events in August and September may increase populations. Remember those big rains in early August? For the last month or so they have been feeding voraciously on Bermuda lawns, stripping the leaves and turning them to brown stubble. They may hide in the thatch during the day and snack all night. And they may move on to other plants after finishing off your lawn.
In years like this where worms and their damage is abundant, it may be prudent to treat with an appropriate insecticide. And there is also an effective organic control, BT, Bacillus thuringiensis. A second treatment may be necessary whether using organic or a chemical insecticide. Most chemical insecticides are contact poisons, meaning they have to come in contact with the insect to kill them. If another generation of worms emerge a couple weeks after the initial treatment there may not be enough residual chemical to be effective. And the BT product must be ingested by the worm. After a good rain the BT may wash off and a second hatch will not be affected. So watch for reinfestation after an application.
This has certainly been an unusual year for this pest. They do not normally require treatment. And worse case scenario, it is unlikely that your Bermuda will suffer permanent damage. We are only a couple months from dormancy. The worms are only eating the blades, not the roots. The side effect though may be increased winter weeds invading your lawn due to the thin cover. And the fact that we normally enjoy another two months of nice green lawns up until our first freeze is another reason to consider treating. Even if you have not noticed the inch to inch and a half mature worms feeding, you may have smaller instars just getting started that are not apparent yet. The smaller worms cannot strip the entire blade. They just chew an outer layer, leaving a frosted appearance to the grass.
Considering that there are organic and chemical treatments available, and that there will be detrimental effects from a heavy infestation, it may be wise to consider treating your lawn.
Drainage Solutions
 The heavy downpours of the last two months have created numerous drainage problems for property owners. If you have incurred drainage problems there may be one or more solutions to consider.
The first defense against flooding is simply making sure that your ground or concrete areas slope away from your building. Swales are also used to help create positive flow if you are in a flat area or at a low point. Over time, positive flow and swales may change due to soil movement and erosion and may need to be regraded.
The next consideration is to capture roof water in pipes and carry it to the street or a low point where it can exit. Surface drain boxes, or catch basins, may be added to capture pooling water on the surface as well. If there are areas that stay boggy after irrigating or rain, a French drain may be the answer. A French drain consists of perforated pipe in a gravel filled trench that captures water in the soil. French, roof, and surface drains are often combined into one system. These are all called gravity drains, as they are designed to flow downhill.
The last option is a sump pump system. These are usually only employed when there is no low point on the property to drain your water to and a gravity drain will not work. The drains are connected to a basin buried in the ground and a pump removes the water.
If you are dealing with drain problems and would like an evaluation and estimate, please let us know.
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