Bermuda Maintenance

We talk a lot about fescue maintenance, but what about bermudagrass? This hardy, native warm season grass grows in the summer months and goes dormant during the winter. There are many positives to a bermudagrass lawn. It is drought tolerant, loves the heat (which will cause fescue to go dormant), and spreads to fill in bare areas. To get the most out of this turf type, a little maintenance goes a long way. Here's the AA Tex Lawn schedule for a great looking, bermudagrass lawn.

• Mid Winter -Solu-cal and spot weed control. Solu-cal helps neutralizing soil pH and allows the grass to intake the nutrients provided.
• Early Spring - Pre-emergent, fertilizer, and weed control to assist the control of late spring, summer (i.e. crabgrass) and broadleaf weeds.
• Mid Spring - Quick release High nitrogen fertilizer and spot weed control.
• Early Summer - Slow release High nitrogen and spot weed control.
• Late Summer - Slow release High nitrogen and spot weed control.
• Mid Fall - Pre-emergent and broadleaf weed control- helps prevent winter annuals (i.e. poa annua).
• Late Fall - Cool season weed control.

With our hard clay soils, it is also important to aerate annually to relieve compaction and to allow all three of the important elements to get to the root zone: water, nutrients, and air. We aerate bermudagrass mid spring before the growing season begins in earnest.

If you live in the Charlotte area (Matthews, Indian Trail, Mooresville, or surrounding areas of North Carolina or the Lancaster, Rock Hill, or Indian Land areas of South Carolina) and want help maintaining your lawn, give us a call. We've got a 7 Step program that can assist with making your turf weed free, well fed, and healthy.

With maintenance and regular fertilization, you'll be amazed at the lawn you can have!

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Mower Maintenance

Spring is here! If you have fescue turf, the mowing season has started. In order to get the best results from your mower this season, it's important to make sure your equipment is in top working order. Here are a few regular maintenance items you should take care of now that won't break the bank, but will protect the investment you made in your mower…
Mower Maintenance:

1. Change the oil. You probably know how important changing the oil is in your car. Well, the same is true of your mower. Changing the oil before the season starts ensures the motor runs smoothly. Usually ¾ - 1 quart of oil will do. Your mower's owner's manual will have the specifics of how, how much and what type and weight of oil you need.
2. Change the spark plug – Nothing is worse than putting on your work clothes and shoes, checking the gas, getting all set to mow your lawn…. And then discovering your mower won't start. Although changing the spark plug every year is not always necessary, it is good preventative maintenance to save you from any unexpected surprises just before you mow. Sort of like changing the batteries in your smoke detector. Better to do it early than late!
3. Clean the air filter – Air filters keep the air that goes into the motor clean. It's essential to the good working of your mower. Since grass is soft, many people don't realize how much dirty air your mower sucks in during a single mowing. When cut grass builds up in your mower deck and starts to decompose it becomes abrasive and dusty. Your air filter is solely responsible for keeping that dirty air out of the engine's system. As with the oil, check your manual for specifics on how to maintain your air filter. There are different types but most can be cleaned multiple times before needing to be replaced. Use your best judgment… If it is really dirty or has damage, replace it. They are fairly insignificant in price, especially compared to the cost of a new lawn mower.
4. 
   Sharpen the blades – Sharpening your mower blades is important not only to your mower's well-being, but for the health of your grass. Dull blades chop the grass instead of cutting it. This is like an open wound and leaves the grass more susceptible to disease and fungus. While most of these tips are easy for the do-it-yourselfer to take care of in the comfort of their own garage, we recommend leaving the sharpening of blades to a professional. They can make sure the mower blades are balanced after sharpening. Unbalanced mower blades will cause your mower to vibrate which can do internal damage to your lawn mower over time. There are many lawn mower or small engine repair services in the Charlotte or Matthews area that can sharpen blades. Just google it or look in the yellow pages to find an applicable service. You can either remove the blade and take it to them or deliver the whole mower. But remember SAFETY FIRST!! ALWAYS undo the spark plug wire before you remove the blades!
   Turning the blades is the same as pulling the pull cord. It can crank the motor. You DO NOT want the motor to unexpectedly start when you have your hands near the blades. It's worth the time to pull the spark plug wire any time you look under the deck of the mower.
5. Lubricate any moving parts. On push mowers, spray the wheels with a spray lubricant to keep them turning smoothly. The leftover grass and dust from last season can really cause the wheels to "gum up". On riding mowers, it's best to take them to a professional for service as there can be hidden grease fittings on pivot points that can go unnoticed by the casual user.
6. Give it a bath! It is recommended that you wash underneath the deck of the mower after every mowing especially if you are mowing damp or wet grass. You want to remove any clingy grass blades from the deck. While most of us don't follow this rule after every mowing, at least start the season off right with a good pressure washing or cleaning. JUST REMEMBER TO DETACH THE SPARK PLUG WIRE FIRST BEFORE WASHING UNDER THE DECK.
7. Set your mower height. We recommend mowing fescue turf at a height of about 3 ½ to 3 3/4 inches. If your mower has markings for blade height those are usually accurate. To manually check your blade height, just measure the distance of the blades from a hard surface.
8. Always use fresh gas.  If gas is more than 90 days old, put that gas in your car to top off a near full tank and get fresh gas for the mower.

At AA Tex Lawn, we are lucky. We have a certified mechanic on staff to manage our equipment and make sure everything is in tip-top working order. At home, preventative maintenance can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run. It's worth it. Or if you are in the Charlotte area of North Carolina, call us at 704-821-0708. We're happy to give you a quote on maintenance.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Myths II: Planting Myths Busted!

In the last blog we talked about common turf myths we hear from customers and why they are false. Fallacies grow in all shapes and sizes. There is an abundance of plant, shrub, and tree myths that exist too. Here are a few and why they are wrong.

One of our most hated: CRAPE MURDER! You see it everywhere… Crape Myrtles that look like a

Crape Murder

deranged serial killer has hacked off their heads. There are several reasons why this is not good for the tree… It forces a mass of thinner branches at the top which makes the crape myrtle look disproportionate. These thinner branches often droop with their heavy blooms. This also stresses the tree which leads to a greater chance of disease and insect damage. MYTH: Pruning the top will promote more blooms. This is not true. At AA Tex Lawn, when pruning these beautiful trees, we leave 3 to 4 large trunks, cut off any suckers that have grown near the base of the trunk, and cut off any cross branches that are rubbing against other branches. The tops we leave alone… yielding a glorious tree with a profusion of blooms in the summer. If the crape myrtle is too large for the space it is in, it needs to be replaced with plant material that "fits" in the spot.

Proper Technique for Pruning Crape Myrtles

I'VE GOT TO GET RID OF THIS CLAY SOIL WHEN I DO MY PLANTINGS IF I WANT MY PLANTS TO GROW. I see where this idea comes from. Clay tends to become compacted which makes it hard for vital nutrients (oxygen and water) to enter the soil. But actually, it's better to amend the native soil (mainly clay in our area) rather than remove it. The clay retains moisture, so by amending the soil, you retain the positive properties of the clay and reduce the negative, mainly compaction. Look to use about a 50/50 ratio of the native soil and enriched organic matter like the soil conditioner you find in your local garden centers or really good composting material. The roots will grow in clay. The amended soil simply helps water and nutrients pass into the soil to the roots.

WILL I HAVE TO WATER MY NEW SHRUBS FOREVER???? For the first couple of years, regular watering is essential to helping to reduce transplant stress and establish a healthy root system. As with turf, deep and infrequent watering is better than frequent, shallow watering. The roots grow where the water is, so if you do a shallow watering, then the roots will be shallow as well. Different shrubs have different needs, so check the directions for your variety of shrub to ensure you are giving enough water. TOO MUCH WATER CAN BE AS DETRIMENTAL AS NOT WATERING ENOUGH. However, established shrubbery typically does not need supplemental watering. So after the first couple of years, unless we're under drought conditions, the shrubs will get all the water they need from Mother Nature, so we can stop watering.

Which brings us to another common issue:

WATERING SHOULD BE LIKE A GENTLE RAINFALL SO THAT THE LEAVES CAN SOAK UP THE WATER… It's actually better to water the root area rather than the leaves. Although the leaves can take up a small amount of water, the majority of nutrients and water are absorbed through the roots. No need for a "gentle rainfall" approach.

A little education to help you beautify your world. Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Turf Myths Busted!

You hear all sorts of things about how to improve your lawn. It can be difficult to separate the good advice from the bad. But you know the old saying… Don't believe everything you hear. We've listed below a few commonly held ideas that we know to be false.

IF I CUT THE GRASS SHORT, I WON'T HAVE TO MOW NEXT WEEK! This is a big NO-NO on several accounts. First of all, you should not cut more than 1/3 of the blade height off at one mowing. Mowing too much at one time stresses the plant and leaves it more susceptible to disease. Secondly, the blades of the grass produce oxygen and make food. Cutting the blades short reduces the plant's ability to provide for itself and establish a healthy root system. Thirdly, taller turf will help to crowd out weeds. If the weeds cannot get the sun and nutrients they need, they cannot grow. You don't want the blades too long, though, as this can stop water and sunlight from reaching the whole surface area of the blade and create runoff. So what's the ideal height? For tall fescue, we mow to around 3 ¾ inches.

I NEED TO WATER EVERYDAY FOR BEST RESULTS. Grass does not need as much water as most people think. During warm weather, as little as 1 inch of water a week is sufficient to keep your turf happy. In fact, watering too often promotes shallow root systems, whereas deep and infrequent watering encourages deep root growth because the water has more time to soak farther into the soil, thereby encouraging the roots to grow deeper. So how much and how often do you need to water to get an inch a week? It's hard to say as different watering methods yield different results. (Irrigation systems may disburse more water than a light shower or manual sprinkler.) An easy, cost effective method to measure your water output is to draw a line on an empty tuna or cat food can at the one inch mark. This will give you a surefire way to know how much water you're getting from your methods. Remember deep and infrequent watering is best. Timing is important too. Ideally, you should water your lawn during the hours when the lawn is wet from dew. If turf stays wet for more than 12 hours in a 24 hour period, you increase the likelihood of fungal disease.

MORE IS BETTER… While this may be true for money and desserts, it is NOT true for your lawn. Applying more than the recommended dosages of fertilizer, weed and feed, pre-emergent, and other chemicals can have the opposite effect to what you expect. RULE TO LIVE BY: Follow the directions on the package. They aren't there for nothing.

THERE ARE BARE SPOTS IN MY FESCUE. I"LL JUST THROW SOME SEED DOWN THIS SPRING WHEN THE WEATHER STARTS TO WARM UP. Stop! This hardly ever works… Fescue is a cool season grass and therefore its optimum growing season is the cooler months. You have to give the roots an opportunity to become established before the hot summer temperatures arrive. Otherwise the new growth is not going to survive the stress created by 90 temperatures. By overseeding in the fall, the roots have months to become established before the hot weather arrives. Another issue that will prevent growth: pre-emergent. Know what it does. Pre-emergent creates a barrier to kill weeds as they germinate (and this will include fescue!) Since pre-emergent is put down in the spring, fescue turf needs to be seeded (or overseeded) in the fall so that the seed has germinated before the pre-emergent is put down.

I'LL SAVE MONEY AND TIME IF I COMBINE MY APPLICATIONS WITH A WEED AND FEED PRODUCT. Actually, the herbicides in weed and feed products can be deadly to new seedlings. Newly planted grass cannot handle the stress of chemicals. It's best to use turf fertilizer to spur growth in your lawn and a pre-emergent to control crabgrass. This is particularly true if your turf was planted last fall. We recommend spot spraying of broadleaf weeds for the best results.

This is just a small sampling of false ideas that we see or hear from clients. Here's hoping a little education goes a long way in helping to establish beautiful, healthy lawns.

Next week… Planting Myths Busted! Happy Growing,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Want Beautiful Knockout Roses in the Spring?

If you want your knockout roses to look like this during the blooming season:

 



Do this now:








 

Pruning is essential and easy for this low-maintenance variety of rose!  Once they are pruned, fertilize them and they are ready to go.


For more information on Knockout Roses and why we like them, check http://aatexlawn.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html

Happy Pruning!

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Doggone it! What’s wrong with my lawn?

Dogs. Unconditional love in a furry cute package. We love them. But our lawns…. Not so much… Most people know that dog urine is detrimental to your lawn. And there are plenty of myths about how to help the issue. Here's some hardcore truths about what causes the problem and what to do about it.

Early Stages of Dog Urine Burn

Dog urine has high contents of nitrogen. In smaller quantities, nitrogen is actually good for the turf. It helps to "green up" the grass. Dogs are creatures of habit, though. They tend to go in the same area day after day, thereby providing more nitrogen than the grass can tolerate. It burns the grass and creates those unsightly brown spots in your lawn. Some think that female urine is actually more acidic, but that's not true. This myth stems from the fact that whereas male dogs typically lift their legs to mark territory on something like a tree, shrub, or the ever-present fire hydrant in short bursts, females squat and make larger puddles, thereby providing more nitrogen in a concentrated area. Added to the fact that dogs mark over each other's scent (does your dog ever urinate directly on top of another dog's urine?) that can add up to a lot of "fertilizer" for your lawn.

Continued Damage

What do we do about it? Old wives tales abound about how to save your grass. Some think that changing the dog's diet will help. Heck, they even make doggie diapers now. But short of putting Pampers on your puppy, the only ways to truly stop damage over time is to water the area directly after your dog urinates to dilute the nitrogen OR to train your dog to go in an appropriate specified area of your yard. I don't know about you, but the idea of watering every time my dog goes sounds like too much work to me. So the best solution is to allocate space for the dog to go. This could be a natural area or pine needled area (which also helps with #2 removal). Training takes consistency and perseverance but with continued effort, eventually your dog will get it. Be careful of shrubs and trees in the area, though. They are susceptible to damage from too much nitrogen just like your grass.

So what's the answer? Short of getting rid of our furry friends, we say LONG LIVE THE DOG RUN.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Feed Your Trees!

We all want tremendous growth and health from the trees and shrubs in our landscapes. And now is the time to make sure your trees have the nutrients they need for a good growing season. Fertilizer provides nutrients needed to boost plant, shrub, and tree growth. There are several ways to go about fertilizing your trees and shrubs. There are granular surface fertilizers as well as liquid fertilizers. At AA Tex Lawn, we prefer to push liquid fertilizer into the soil around the drip line of the tree. This is known as deep root feeding.

Deep root feeding is a process by which we inject fertilizer directly into the ground at the root zone of the tree or shrub using a root feeder tool attached to a spray hose. It not only puts the product at the root zone (where it is most effective) but also aerifies the soil and stimulates root growth. With the hard clay soil that we have in the piedmont section of North Carolina, absorption of granular fertilizers into the root system of the tree can sometimes be hindered by compaction of the soil… particularly in times of drought or reduced rainfall. This is where deep root feeding comes in. The fertilizer is released directly into the root zone. In addition, the holes left from deep root feeding allow additional water to reach the roots of the tree or shrub. The benefits to the tree are numerous.

Deep root feeding is a standard process for tree care, but we have adopted it to use on ornamental trees and shrubs, too.

No matter whether you prefer to use a granular or liquid fertilizer, be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Applying too much fertilizer can be harmful for your trees whereas applying too little is ineffectual. Or just let a professional handle it for you. Contact our office if you have any questions or if you'd like us to help you with the process. We should begin our deep root feeding in the late January/February timeframe.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team