August Landscaping Tidbits
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Brown Patch Awareness – Yes it is already time to start watching for this turf disease. The conditions for this to appear are excessive soil moisture, high nitrogen content and cooler temperatures at night. Two out of three of those conditions are possible now and the fungus could occur. Watch for small smoke ring like patterns in the turf, they appear yellow or orange on the edge and will grow in size left untreated.
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Nutsedge Weed Control – This is a common weed that grows from tubers beneath the soil. Manually pulling these weeds is akin to pruning in a way. The weed breaks off below the soil line and creates additional nutlets which produce additional weeds! Treatment: pull all visible weeds, apply pre-emergent, mulch and then spray post-emergent as any weeds emerge. This will provide the most effective control.
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Crape Myrtle Blooming – In late summer to early fall you may notice your Crape Myrtles produce seed pods after they have bloomed. Prune these off as they appear and most likely you will get an extra blooming cycle prior to defoliation in the winter.
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Potted Herbs – Most herbs can be grown in small pots to add texture and functionality to your patio. Sweet Basil, Cilantro, Mint and others can add aroma as well as flavor your culinary endeavors. Bring the outdoors in and spice up your life!
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Tree Care – Unpruned trees tend to be smaller and less attractive than those properly cared for. Evaluate your trees for several common problems. Remove double leaders, cross branching, low limbs and of course any dead branches. If the tree still has staking material supporting it check to make sure it is not too tight or “girdling” the tree. This will literally kill the tree if not corrected. Allowing these conditions to exist slows the growth of the trees and diminishes the aesthetics of your property. Properly maintained trees will grow faster and have less structural, insect & disease problems. It will also avoid costly replacement down the road!
Until next time good gardening or whatever makes you happy!
