Happy Holidays to all!
What we are applying in December:
Today we applied a soil conditioner and bio-stimulate
with micronutrients and a pH correction additive.
What this will do:
These products will help
your soil increase microbial activity which helps breakdown organic matter
and thatch. They will also help loosen up the heavy clay soils so
prevalent in the Austin area and help correct our ongoing pH issues. We
also added extra zinc and magnesium. The lack of these two nutrients,
along with a high soil pH will invite “take all patch” to your lawn.
We know that the key to
healthy plants is healthy soil.
Problems we saw this
past year:
With all the wet weather
and mild temperatures, insect and diseases were rampant.
I saw more grub worm and
brown patch this past year, than I have seen in the last ten years. Take
all patch was also a big issue. I saw a lot of over watered lawns. Most
lawns need 1” or less water per week. If you get ½” of rain in a week, you
should only have to water ½”. If you are unsure as to the settings on your
sprinkler, call us. We will help. Of course, right now, your lawn needs
very little water. Average rainfall should take care of it, unless the
lawn is over seeded.
Brown Patch and Take All
Patch
Although Brown patch and
Take all Patch are similar at first glance, if you look a little closer
you will see that they are completely different problems, with different
causes, modes of destruction and cure.
Brown Patch
Brown patch of turfgrass is caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani
and may be referred to as may be referred to as Rhizoctonia blight.
Brown patch symptoms vary, depending primarily on turfgrass species and
mowing height. Brown patch occurs on dense, heavily watered turf in hot
(above 85°F), humid weather when night temperatures remain above 60°F.
Poorly drained soils, thick thatch and night irrigation lengthen the
period of leaf wetness and promote greater infection. High levels of
nitrogen and low levels of phosphorous or potassium may contribute to
increased disease severity. Mowing with a dull mower blade frays leaf
blade tips and causes excessive wounding that enhances infection through
those frayed blade tips. Brown Patch damages the point where the blade of
grass attaches to the stolen or “runner”. The blades release very easily
from the stolen, without much effort. Often the base of the blade is
purplish in color. Since Brown Patch does not damage the stolen, the grass
will re-grow, in the spring, and give the appearance to recover, right
before repeating the cycle again in the fall. A preventative fungicide is
the best answer to this problem, as Brown Patch is much easier to prevent,
than cure.
Take all Patch is caused by the fungas
Gaeumannomyces
graminis
var. avenae
Take-all patch appears as circular or
ring-shaped dead areas that range from a few inches up to 3 feet (90 cm)
or more in diameter. Roots are rotted and have dark strands of mycelium
visible on the surface. Large, black, globular, fungal fruiting bodies (perithecia)
may be visible with the use of a hand lens. Take-all patch generally
occurs in the late fall and winter when temperatures are 50° to 60°F and
soils are wet or moist. However, symptoms may not appear until the turf is
exposed to periods of drought or heat stress. Soils light in texture, low
in organic matter, or under fertilized with a high pH also contribute to
disease development. Specifically these soils are low in fertility and
lack Zinc and Magnesium.
When differentiating between the two
diseases, look at the stolen. With brown Patch, the stolen stay healthy
therefore the grass will recover quickly. With Take all Patch, the solons
also die. Recovery is slower and nutritional suppliants are a must, as
well as the application of fungicides and pH monitoring and correction.
Caring for your
houseplants
Heating systems cause low
humidity that will increase your house plants need for water. Try misting
your plants a couple of times a day, and/or grouping them together,
placing them on trays of pebbles with water. Be sure to check the moisture
levels of the plants more frequently when the heater is running, watering
only after the soil completely dries out. This will reduce the chance of
fatal soil fungi. Fertilize very little (if at all) during the winter
months.
On cold nights (less than 32 F) protect all tender
plants outside
It takes only one good freeze to destroy many plants.
Be cautious and prepare if you know that temperatures will fall into the
low 40’s Cover them or bring them inside. Often times getting them close
to the house will do, because of the radiant heat stored and released
during the night.
All tender plants should already be protected.
Several years ago, I lost two beautiful tangelo trees in my back yard, to
a late frost in March. If you have a question or doubt about temperature,
please give me a call, or drop me an e-mail, Jerry@realgreenlawns.com
Holiday plants require good care to stay attractive
as long as possible. This starts with bringing them home. Poinsettias are
very brittle and branches break off easily. Have the plant sleeved (placed
in a piece of paper shaped like a funnel) at the place that you purchased
it. Do not stop and shop on your way home. On a cold day, the temperature
in the car can get low enough to damage.
Place your holiday plant where you can enjoy them,
but remember that they are alive and have needs too. Ideally they should
receive light from a window. Avoid locations near a door or window that a
cold draft could stress the plant. Check the soil daily, with your finger,
watering only when the soil feels dry. If the pot is covered with
decorative foil, be sure to punch some holes in the bottom, to allow the
water to drain onto a saucer beneath the pot.
Pest Control
Bugs don’t take the winter off and can spread rapidly
in a crowded indoor garden. Spider Mites thrive in the warmth. Watch for
pests and treat promptly. Be ready with a pre-mixed house-plant spray.
Green Light makes a wonderful parathyroid based product, sold as
bug-b-gone. Make sure you coat all the foliage completely, including the
adjacent plants.
If you like bulbs, late December is the time to pull
them out of the refrigerator or vegetable bin. Hyacinths are easy to grow
and are very fragrant. You will often find a stray piece of ivy or perhaps
a piece of wondering Jew that can be placed in a container with potting
soil.
Take a look at our website for detailed information
on these issues, as well as others.
One more note: I have made some recent changes to the
website, so that you may order a free service call, if you have a problem
that needs further attention. This is located in the quick Quote page of
the website. These service requests will all come across my desk. Please
fill in as much detail as you can.
Happy Holidays,
Jerry Naiser
www.realgreenlawns.com
