September Landscapes – Roll with the changes

[Sirhornsalot]

Time to make changes at end of summer!

So many of us in North Texas are glad to see September, after four long hot summer months. We’ll see plenty of changes this month and also some things that need to be done in the landscape.

The first “change” we need to discuss is the settings on your sprinkler control panel. The reason this is important is because it can affect the performance of your lawn from September through end of Fall.

As we start September, our days end aa full hour earlier than they were on Aug. 1. The nights are getting longer and cooler. The days are getting shorter and not as hot (though we may still see a 100 degree temperature during this month). This is a set up for lawn fungus.

There are many types of lawn fungus and we can go over those below. In most cases, the first sign will be a circular-shaped yellowing area of turf. This area of yellowing turf will get larger and spread. The fungus, if left untreated, will eventually kill the turf inside these areas.


Lawn fungus, above.

This can be disastrous for a St Augustine or Zoysia lawn. Bermuda can be affected as well. Don’t forget, this is the time of year when turf begins going into dormancy and growth begins slowing. So recovery of dead or damaged turf would be minimal at best. So it’s important to prevent this from happening.

Moving from an evening starting time to a morning starting time is the key. You must also reduce the amount of water you’re putting on the landscape. Reduce by day and by run time. My recommendation would be to go to 3 days a week watering at 12 minutes per zone (spray heads). Rotor zones should be reduced to 20 minutes. When temperatures dip below 80 degrees for a high, we can further reduce the watering.

Remember, evaporation is slowing down along with the summer heat. So water will stick around longer, making the adjustments a vital task as we go into Fall. Make the change now.

If you see a circular patch of grass that is turning yellow and looking lethargic, it is important to respond quickly to reduce the amount of damage it can cause. Call your landscaper and have it treated with anti-fungal application.

Talking sprinklers

While we’re talking sprinklers, your system has been running hard for the past three months. This is a great time to have your system checked for proper coverage and operation.

A lot can go wrong during the course of a season, including broken pipes, clogged nozzles, broken valves, tree roots growing into the pipes, and reduced pressure. These items should be considered and checked to make sure you’re heading into Fall/Winter in good shape.








The Gulf Muhlys!

You know Fall has arrived when you see the very ordinary looking Gulf Muhly Grass suddenly turn into a strikingly beautiful site! The ornamental grass sends up flumes in early Fall which are pinkish/purplish in color and are see-through. They are not only colorful, they are striking when the wind is flowing through them.

It is hard to find color in the landscape during Fall, but Gulf Muhly really takes the stage and puts on a show!



Gulf Muhly grass is perennial, going dormant during winter and returning each spring.

These should be trimmed back short by mid-February.


Fertilization/Pre Emergent

If you haven’t already, go ahead and apply your Fall fertilization and pre emergent. These can be done consecutively on the same day.

As always, water two days in a row after application.

One tip I’ll share, . . . reduce the ratio of your fertlization for the Fall application. This means reduce the amount you put on the lawn versus what you did in spring and summer. So dial back the setting just a notch so that we’re dealing with less nitrogen.

I recommend this because your turf will not consume as much nor grow as much during the Fall months. Also and perhaps more importantly, the nitrogen in fertilizer can actually help cause a lawn fungus, if you apply at a heavy rate. It’s almost like throwing gas on a fire.

So just lighten the amount and you’ll avoid those issues.


Fall clean ups

September is an excellent time to get the landscape back into shape after a brutal stretch of summer. This will include tree trimming, shrub trimming and shaping, bed clean outs (removing weeds/saplings), and adding mulch to areas where it has thinned over the summer.

Raise the canopies of your trees as many varieties have instincts which cause them to grow toward the most sunlight. This can cause interference around walkways and patios and in general looks unsightly. Get them reshaped and remove sucker growth.

Remove the leaves and other debris from beneath shrub lines where it often collects.

You can fertilize your beds this time of year though I recommend doing so with a mild (9 to 15 on the nitrogen) fertilizer made for beds. Avoid fertilizing any perennial flowers this time of year, especially plants such as Oxalis (crimson clover) and Rain Lillies. Those are two which should not be fertilized at all. Stick with fertilizing trees and shrubs and it’s best to use a granular product.

If you have drainage on your property, this is a great time to clean out the drain basins and flush out any debris in the lines. You will need those lines to be clear as we move into months with higher amounts of average rainfall.

 

[tejasrulz]

Roll with the Changes, one of my favorite songs by REO.