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Caterpillars In The Lawn: Sod Web Worms and Army Worms are eating lawns right now. Signs of this pest are areas in your lawn not growing like the rest of the yard and the grass blades have chew marks or are eaten down to the nub. Also, flocks of birds in your yard feeding is another sign. Use Cyonara Hose-End for a quick kill, or Thuricide for organic control. Reapply as needed.

Landscape Watering: It’s always better to water your plants and lawn during the first half of the day, anywhere from 1 or 2 a.m. in the morning through to 10 a.m. in the morning, when the city require all sprinklers be turned off. Early morning watering is best because winds are the lowest, temperatures are the lowest and humidity is the highest, allowing for less water evaporation and runoff. And remember, city rules state we can (and should) only water our landscape one day a week. You can use a tuna fish can to measure how much water you’re getting out with your sprinkler. Texas A&M recommends clay loam soils get one inch of water once a week.

Brown Patch Fungus is also active after all the recent rains. To avoid cosmetic damage, spread Bayer Fungus Granules or F-Stop to the lawn. If the fungus is not present, and you’ve had fungus issues in the past, you can apply as a preventative. Disease is always easier to prevent than cure. Fertilome Liquid Systemic Fungicide II can also be sprayed to areas that are suspicious and just beginning. Spray two feet beyond infected areas and re-apply after heavy rains, or as the area appears to be growing. Fungus will remain active through the fall and winter with shorter days, damp nights and rain with cold fronts. Nature’s Blend organic compost spread over the areas will also help prevent, and will aid the area in recovering quicker from the damage. If you don’t choose to treat through the fall and winter, your lawn will recover on its own in spring.

Care For Succulents In The Fall: As our days shorten and cool, your succulents will need less water and no fertilizer until spring. Watch for hungry caterpilla

I’ve had quite a few calls recently about back yard drainage problems. The first two solutions people tend to ask about are “French drains” or filling the low spots. These might end up being part of the solution, but are not the best place to start. The best solution is usually a swale, which is a wide, safe, aesthetically acceptable ditch.

When rain starts falling, it has to go somewhere. If you have a low spot in the back yard, that is where it will go. If you fill that low spot, where will it go now? Unfortunately, many people find out that it will now go onto the patio or into the house or garage.

If you place a drain in the bottom of the low spot and attach a 4″ drain pipe set into a ditch that is carefully and continuously sloped out to a lower exit point in front, you can successfully carry water out of the back to the front. But you are limited, first by the diameter of the pipe (and the intensity of recent rains certainly have exceeded the carrying capacity of a 4″ pipe) and secondly, by the intake drain, which will be quickly clogged by leaves, sticks, and other organic debris floating on the flood water and carried to the drain. So the water will eventually drain out, but intense rainfall overwhelming the system may rise and flood the house before the rain lets up. So, a “French drain” may be a good solution for nuisance water standing in the yard, but a bad solution for potential water flooding the house.

A swale has a much higher carrying capacity, and if kept clear of clutter, is unlikely to clog from the organic debris that is carried on the flood water. Start by finding the amount of drop from the back patio or finish floor grade of the room that floods, and the point of the front sidewalk that the water will have to cross to get to the street. Let’s just say there is a 12″ drop. You can find your grades by renting a builder’s level (I use a ZIPLEVEL altimeter), or you can set up a series of stakes, strings, and line levels (not quite as accurate, but better than eye-balling). Then measure the distance that water will have to travel, and let’s just say the distance is 80 feet. You would like to have a 2″ drop from the patio to the lawn, and then have the lawn slope away from the patio at least another 2″ out into the yard to get the water flowing away from the house. That would leave you 8″ of drop to move the water around the side and out to the front sidewalk, so you would dig your swale to drop 1″ every 10 feet until you get to the front sidewalk. Hopefully you do not have concrete poured all the way out to the side fence, or a big oak tree with massive roots in the way. If you see your way clear, then start digging! Remember if you want to re-sod the swale, you will need to dig 1″ deeper than finish grade to allow for the thickness of the sod. If you still have spots holding water that are lower than the swale, now it is safe to fill them so the water flows into the swale and out to the front.

-James

1. Fertilize in Fall. It’s great to fertilize in spring, and again early summer, but fall fertilization is probably the most important of all, and the most neglected. September 15 to November 15 application makes the nutrients available while the roots are still active. This will result in better turf density (and so fewer weeds), stronger roots, and residual nutrient inside the grass runners for faster green-up next spring. Apply the recommended amount, as excess fertilizer can result in fall and winter fungus.

2. Water Properly. A long deep soaking once a week is appropriate through mid-October, then water just once every two weeks through fall and winter, if we don’t get an inch of rain. Excess frequency of watering also encourages fungus problems. Resume once a week watering mid-March to April.

3. Watch for Insects. Chinch bugs have been a scourge this summer! Grub damage can start showing up late summer. And there is always the possibility of Fall Armyworms or Sod Webworms in fall. Don’t take your neighbor’s advice, please bring in a sample of lawn as soon as you see any problem (still somewhat alive but showing symptoms) and maybe a photo, and let us advise on proper treatment. Don’t just douse any and all brown spots with pesticide. Some may be old drought/heat damage, some may be fungus.

4. Mow Properly. Once a week minimum during rapid growth. More frequently is even better if you can manage it (notice how often you see the mowers on the golf course). This results in better density and therefore fewer weeds. Keep your blade sharpened for best grass health. During late fall and winter fungus season, see if you can get your yardman to sterilize his mower before getting on your lawn to minimize spread of fungal spores from other yards (good luck with that!)

5. Control Weeds. If you have followed recommendations 1-4, you are already ahead! But the next step, if you feel it necessary, is a pre-emergent weed preventer, such as Amaze or Dimension, applied in October and again in January. Follow label recommendations for best results, you do not want to over or under apply. We do not recommend weed-and-feed fertilizers, because plants and shrubs all need fertilizer, but weed killers can damage or kill shrubs and trees, and effective application times for fertilizers and weed killers are very different. If you have some broadleaf weeds (clover, sow thistle, dandelion, chickweed) occurring in January or February, you can spot apply a broadleaf weed-killer such as Weed-B-Gon for Southern Lawns.

James

How to heal your lawn from a long summer: identify and treat damage from Chinch Bugs and Sod Webworms; apply pre-emergent to prevent weeds; fertilize in fall for healthy roots come spring.

Also, keep an eye out for the fungus among us. Watch James’ video on Brown Patch Fungus for more info.

If you are ever unsure, just dig up a chunk of the problem area and bring it in to us for help with a diagnosis.

Further reading: Top Five Tips for a Beautiful Lawn.

Dead patches in your grass? James shares tips on plugging damaged lawn areas with Floratam Sod.

1. Fertilize in Fall.

It’s great to fertilize in spring, and again early summer, but fall fertilization is probably the most important of all, and the most neglected. September 15 to November 15 application makes the nutrients available while the roots are still active. This will result in better turf density (and so fewer weeds), stronger roots, and residual nutrient inside the grass runners for faster green-up next spring. Apply the recommended amount, as excess fertilizer can result in fall and winter fungus.

2. Water Properly.

A long deep soaking once a week is appropriate through mid-October, then water just once every two weeks through fall and winter, if we don’t get an inch of rain. Excess frequency of watering also encourages fungus problems. Resume once a week watering mid-March to April.

3. Watch for Insects.

Chinch bugs have been a scourge this summer! Grub damage can start showing up late summer. And there is always the possibility of Fall Armyworms or Sod Webworms in fall. Don’t take your neighbor’s advice, please bring in a sample of lawn as soon as you see any problem (still somewhat alive but showing symptoms) and maybe a photo, and let us advise on proper treatment. Don’t just douse any and all brown spots with pesticide. Some may be old drought/heat damage, some may be fungus.

4. Mow Properly.

Once a week minimum during rapid growth. More frequently is even better if you can manage it (notice how often you see the mowers on the golf course). This results in better density and therefore fewer weeds. Keep your blade sharpened for best grass health. During late fall and winter fungus season, see if you can get your yardman to sterilize his mower before getting on your lawn to minimize spread of fungal spores from other yards (good luck with that!)

5. Control Weeds.

If you have followed recommendations 1-4, you are already ahead! But the next step, if you feel it necessary, is a pre-emergent weed preventer, such as Bonide Weed & Crabgrass Preventer 9.5lb or Bonide Weed Beater Complete 10lb, applied in October and again in January. Follow label recommendations for best results, you do not want to over or under apply. We do not recommend weed-and-feed fertilizers, because plants and shrubs all need fertilizer, but weed killers can damage or kill shrubs and trees, and effective application times for fertilizers and weed killers are very different. If you have some broadleaf weeds (clover, sow thistle, dandelion, chickweed) occurring in January or February, you can spot apply a broadleaf weed-killer such as Weed-B-Gon for Southern Lawns.

-James

Have you noticed little white moths flying in the grass as you water? Perhaps a flock a birds pecking in the lawn? Both of these could be a sign of sod webworms.

These tiny little green worms eat your grass blades down leaving the brown thatch beneath visible giving the appearance of a dead patch. The grass will also be stunted in that area since they have eaten the blades.

Inspect closely and should see irregular bites out of the edges of the blades. Another easy way to check for these worms is to fill a bucket with soapy water and drench the area. The sod webworms will come to the surface and be visible.

An easy organic solution is to spray Spinosad or BT (a.k.a Thuricide) to the lawn. You could also use Cyonara, Triazicide or Broad Spectrum Insect Killer spray.

-Deanna

Image credits: L R

November in South Texas is all about spending time outdoors and gathering with family & friends. Cool weather, crisp evenings, outdoor fires & a beautiful garden… a welcome invitation. Here are our tips to help.

Check out our November Garden Guide for more tips and remember that trees, shrubs, and perennials can be planted 12 months out of the year! The only difference is the amount of water they need depending on temperatures and wind!

1. Spruce Up With Fall Flowers

Here’s our list of Fall/Winter flowers – tons of choices for outdoor color to redo pots & inground plantings. Flowers take a little time to grow and bloom. Plant early this month so they can be WOW for the holidays! Once they’re all planted, give them a good meal of organic Plant Tone or Hasta Gro.

2. Plant Trees and Shrubs

Now is the best time to plant cold-hardy shrubs and trees. They grow & develop a good root system for better success next Spring and Summer. They will need water & care, just not as much as during warmer seasons. Always fertilize when you plant and follow our watering instructions.

3. Last Chance to Feed Your Lawn!

Fertilize now if you have not done so this Fall. Our top choices: Medina Growin’ Green or Gill Lawn & GardenFood. Apply pre-emergent for winter weed control & treat brown spots in lawns with peat moss or Nature’s Blend Compost to help with fungus control. You can also lay new sod or overseed with winter rye grass in lawn areas that are unsightly.

4. Freshen Up Inside and Out

Time to freshen up before the guests arrive! If you have houseplants that aren’t looking their best, take them to a shady spot outside on a warm day to get some fresh air. Some fresh air + a shot of liquid Hasta Gro works wonders for houseplants. There’s plenty to do outside too: pull weeds, trim shrubs a little to shape, rake beds, then feed your plants with a good organic fertilizer such as Plant Tone or Rose Glo. Finally, add new mulch to give everything a polished look! Water once a week if we don’t get rain.

5. Fall Herbs For Holiday Cooking

Cooking without herbs would be such a waste of thyme! Sage, Rosemary, Cilantro, Parsley, Fennel, Dill, (and Thyme) are just a few herbs that thrive in our Fall & Winter months. Limited space? A sunny spot, container & a few favorite herbs is all you need. We can even pot them up for you.

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