Fire up the lawnmowers.....

Grass cutting season for fescue lawns is rapidly approaching.  Few things are more satisfying than the smell and look of a freshly cut and manicured lawn.  Here are some things to keep in mind as you fire up the lawnmower this spring to ensure that you turf will be healthy and look great all year long.

Take some time to service your mower to start the season.  Clean air and oil filters now and periodically throughout the season.  Check the mower blade for any damage, dents, bends or dullness.  A straight, sharp blade is not only critical for getting a clean even cut, a bent or dull blade will tear and rip at the grass rather than making a clean cut which leaves the plant susceptible to disease and pests.

Set your mower height for 3.5 inches and never scalp fescue grass.  At this height and with regular mowing, it is not necessary to bag or remove clippings.  In fact, those clippings left in the lawn provide valuable nutrients to the soil.

Mow when the grass is dry.  Mowing when wet will create the dreaded "clumps" that left behind will damage the turf. 

Change the direction of cutting with each mow.  This will help keep the grass upright rather than leaning and growing in the direction of the last cut.  Changing the cutting pattern will also help avoid ruttting of the turf by keep the mower wheels from running over the same spot week after week. 

Happy Mowing!

An ounce of prevention

Just because you don't see it now, doesn't mean it isn't there.  Crabgrass can be a real problem for lawns in our area. They are annual plants, and one plant is capable of producing 150,000 seeds per season. The seeds germinate in the late spring and early summer and outcompete the domesticated lawn grasses and expand outward in a circle up to 12 inches in diameter. In the fall when the plants die they leave large voids in the lawn. The voids then become prime areas for the crabgrass seeds to germinate the following season.



Crabgrass

Once it becomes established, Crabgrass can be very difficult to control.  One of the best defenses against this yearly invasion is the use of pre-emergent herbicide in late winter/early spring.  The application of pre-emergent creates a barrier in the soil that blocks a key enzyme in the plant as it begins to germinate.  This barrier effectively prevents the crabgrass from germinating while leaving established grass unaffected. 

If you have a fescue lawn, this is a critical step in ensuring that your lawn gets off to a good start and will greatly reduce the occurrence of summer grassy weeds in your turf.  Putting down pre-emergent will save you the time and expensive chemicals later on.  Summertime should be spent enjoying your lawn and not spent battling weeds.  Here's to a weed free 2013!

The AA Texlawn Team  

Turf Tips for the Charlotte Area

As summer draws to a close, it's time to consider what needs to be done to keep your grass looking its best. Curb appeal is so important in the look of a house and community. Along those lines, here are a few tips to keep your turf in tip-top condition:

1. When is the best time to renovate my lawn?Late summer to early fall is the best time to renovate cool-season lawns. Warm-season lawns are best renovated in late spring to early summer. Attempts to upgrade existing lawns when conditions are not conducive to good growth are difficult at best.
2. Why does my lawn start out looking great, but by the middle of summer, seems to look spotty?During the summer, when temperatures reach over 90 degrees, fescue starts to go dormant and stress. This is a defense mechanism and is to be expected with cool season turf in our area. Its optimal growing season is September to May.
3. What does aeration do?Your soil needs to breathe. We aerate the soil to relieve compaction and to allow all three of the important elements to get to the root zone: water, nutrients, and air.
4. Should I over-seed at the same time as I aerate?They are both fall activities for fescue, independent of each other. We try to do them around the same time because the aeration increases the soil's water holding capabilities to ensure proper germination.
   
   
5. Should I overseed every year?
   Yes and No. Thin areas should be over-seeded every year. Lush, healthy areas benefit from aeration and fertilization only.
   
   
6. What is the difference between aeration and aerovation?A core aerator is a machine that pulls plugs of dirt out of the soil. An aerovator is a tractor mounted machine that shakes and shatters the top 3 to 4 inches of soil.  Both are effective, but where the landscape allows, we prefer to use the aerovator as the plugs left by the core aerator will be messy and shaking the soil provides a more uniform loosening effect than plugs.  Because the aerovator is tractor mounted, it is limited to large, open areas as you need room to maneuver the tractor. For smaller areas or fenced areas, we use the smaller core aerator.  Either device will relieve the soil compaction, which with our hard, clay soil is essential for good seed germination.
   
   
7. Does soil PH matter?
   Yes. Soil PH is a tremendous factor for the health of your turf. The soil in the Carolina piedmont region is naturally acidic. It is too acidic to grow healthy turf. Acidic soil inhibits the uptake of nutrients and nutrients will go unused. (i.e. You are not getting the most out of your fertilizer application.)
   
   
8. Do water restrictions affect aeration?
   No. The heavy soil of the Carolina piedmont region needs to have the compaction relieved after every hot, punishing summer season. In our area, we've had sufficient rainfall this summer, so not many counties are under restrictions. Union County has a restricted irrigation schedule for 2012, though. You can find it online at: http://www.co.union.nc.us/Portals/0/PublicWorks/Documents/WaterConservation/Irrigation%20Schedule%20by%20Subdiv%20Eff%2001%2029%202009.pdf
   
   
9. When should I water?Ideally, you will water your lawn during the hours that the lawn is wet from dew. Having your turf wet for more than 12 hours in a 24 hour period during the hot summer months will increase the likelihood of disease.
   
   
10. What about weeds?
    Turf weeds are usually broken down into two distinct groups: "broadleaf" and "grassy weeds".

• Grassy weeds are grasses other than the desired cultivore. Examples would be: crabgrass, nutsedge, goose grass, and dallisgrass to name a few in our area. These take specially tailored programs usually carried out in the summer months.
  
  
• Broadleaf weeds are not grasses. They are usually winter annuals and summer perennial weeds. Examples are: dandelions, henbit, clover, and chickweed. These are controlled during our late winter and spring turf applications.
  

With a little love and attention, you can keep your turf lush and green.

 Thanks,
The AA Tex Lawn Team

Help Your New Trees and Shrubs Beat the Heat

I think most of us understand that we should be watering newly planted trees and shrubs in this heat… When talking to our tree experts, though, I was surprised to hear what they defined as "newly planted". Trees and shrubs that were planted in the last 2 years really need supplemental water to avoid decline in these continued high temperatures. That's right. It takes 2 growing seasons before most trees and shrubs are considered established. So how much is enough?

There are equations that tell us exactly how much water you need to replace what is lost through the leaves of the plant on a hot, windy day.

• Multiply inches of evapotranspiration (you can get this from the weather service) by the square footage inside the drip line of your tree. Then multiply that by 0.62 (gallons in an inch of water) to estimate the gallons of water used by the plant. evapotranspiration x sq ft x 0.62 = water loss per day

I know what most of you are thinking…. "Huh?"  Don't worry.  You don't need to get your calculator out every day.  Just keep this in mind:

Basically, you want to insure that you are watering to the bottom of the root ball without overwatering. If you insert a metal rod into the soil ball and are unable to push it more than a couple of inches, you need to water more. Water slower, for a longer period to reach those deeper roots and to allow the water to soak into the soil/root ball instead of just running off around it. With this method, you should be able to water every 10 to 14 days. Just keep in mind, even if you have drip irrigation set up, it may not be enough with the extreme temperatures we've had recently in the Charlotte area.  (12 days of over 100 degree temperatures!)

So keep up the watering. The first couple of growing season are CRUCIAL for the health of the plant.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Pruning, the Scary Truth about Rejuvenation

It happens slowly over time… Shrubs sneak, creep, and skulk until they've consumed an area of the yard. You look out to notice the small shrub that you planted 5 years ago has become a behemoth that is threatening to take over your lawn or keep you from getting to your front door! But maintain hope! Short of battling the goliath with a chainsaw and a metal chain to rip it out by the roots, there is an easier solution. A severe pruning or shrub rejuvenation could be the answer…

Here are some pictures of a successful shrub rejuvenation that was done at our office. These steeds hollies that we inherited outside our office had grown too big for the space and needed an infusion of air to the inside branches to increase airflow and maintain plant health. Our solution was to rejuvenate them by doing a severe pruning. Directly after the pruning, the shrubs looked scary enough to strike fear into the heart of the common man… They were scraggly, nubbly, full of sheared off limbs and bare branches. But time heals all wounds. Given a couple of months of growth, the shrubs are back to their leafy, green ideal and healthier than they were last year. All in all, it was a success.

Steeds Holly 2 months later with new growth

Steeds Holly directly after pruning



Timing is important. You want to prune spring flowering shrubs directly after they bloom since they bloom on last season's growth. Whereas shrubs that bud on new growth should be pruned in late winter. For more information on shrub rejuvenation, see Rejuvenating an Old Shrub at http://aatexlawn.blogspot.com/2011/01/rejuvenating-old-shrub.htmlThanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Summer's Here with a Vengence (Heat and your Landscape)

Look out!  Summer is here with a vengence!  The Charlotte area has had 100 degree record-breaking temperatures recently.  Ice cream sales will skyrocket, pools will be crowded, and air conditioning units will be at full power.  But as we all look for creative ways to keep cool, we thought you should be aware of what this type of heat will do to your landscape. 

1. Fescue turf WILL stress.  This cannot be avoided.  Since fescue is a cool season grass, it's just not made to handle the hot temperatures.  This grass type grows best in the moderate climate of fall and spring.  What can you do to minimize the damage from the heat?  Avoid over-mowing.  Heat stress causes fescue to enter a dormant state, with the hopes that it will perk back up when the soil temperatures decrease.  Mowing too often can break the weakened blades off at the crown instead of cutting the blades cleanly.  This leaves you with a probability that it won't be able to recover come fall.  Since the grass is not growing as quickly, it is best to lengthen the time between mowings.  Some lawns can move to an every other week mowing schedule without issue.  If you have an abundance of weeds in the turf, you may need to mow to cut down the weeds (i.e. crabgrass seed-heads).  If this is the case in your lawn, perhaps you should consider a lawn maintenance program like our 7 Step program to promote healthy turf and limit weed growth.
2. Established shrubs should be able to take the heat unless they are diseased or stressed.  Is it important that newly planted  shrubs or trees get sufficient water.  With our hit and miss rainfall this summer, regular watering will help.  The key is to water less often, but longer to limit runoff and ensure a deep soaking to promote deep root growth.  Shallow watering encourages shallow root growth.  Deep watering encourages deep root growth.  Make sense?
3. Flowers need to be watered.  Different varieties have different needs, so it's best to know the requirements for your specific varieties, but unless you are growing a succulent garden (think cacti), they are going to need water.  It's best to water in the morning hours when the lawn is wet with dew.  The cooler morning temps allow the moisture more time to absorb down to the roots.  Watering done in the hot afternoon may evaporate too quickly.  Watering done at night may increase the likelihood of disease because the plant stays wet for a longer period of time.

Those are the facts, folks.  Our landscapes will struggle through the heat.  Keep an eye on your pets when they are outdoors and check on your elderly neighbors.  The extreme heat will not last forever.

Thanks,

The AA Tex Lawn Team

Warm Wet Weather and Fungus in Your Lawn

Closeup of Brown Patch

It has been a wet, warm start to the spring and summer season in the Charlotte region. With recent nightly storms, we wanted to inform you about the earlier than normal turf fungus outbreak. Our technicians have been seeing fungus this week which is several weeks earlier than normal. We want you to be aware. You should inspect your turf to see if it is being affected. Although some lawns won't have turf fungus, many already do. Here is some more information about lawn disease and what to do about it.

For fungus to flourish, you need three components: a disease organism (like a fungus), a host (your turf), and environment (temperature, moisture, and humidity). When these three components are present, brown patch

Brown Patch Fungus in turf

and dollar spot (the two diseases we encounter most) run rampant. Dollar spot is considered a foliar disease while brown patch is both a foliar and root disease. Left untreated, these two turf diseases can do a lot of damage to your lawn.

Disease is most commonly found in thick lawns, where moisture sits on the plant for more than twelve hours without drying out. However, it can still attack your lawn even if you don't have thick turf. If you have shady areas of your lawn that the sun cannot reach to dry out, or if air flow is limited in areas of your lawn, disease will attack quickly. Disease can spread through your lawn in many different ways, including mowers, traffic, and even rain. It can commonly be confused with drought stress in the latter part of the summer.

So how do you go about preventing fungus? Here are some best practices:

• The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning, so that you are finished by 7:00am
• Let your turf dry out between waterings for at least 1 full day. 2 days is better. Your turf only needs watering 2-3 times per week.
• Keep your mower blade sharp
• Treat your lawn with a fungicide

But just like your car, the best maintenance is preventative maintenance.

 

We at AA Tex Lawn want the best for your lawn. We strongly recommend a seasonal fungicide protection and that you receive three applications at 28-30 days apart. The product we apply has a residule date of 28-30 days. If not reapplied after one application fungus can creep back into your lawn, which is why we strongly recommend three applications throughout the summer months. We encourage you to get these applications sooner rather than later. Remember "PREVENTION IS THE BEST MEDICINE".

 

While you can buy products to treat for disease yourself, keep in mind that most of the products that you can buy from a retail store only have a residule for 14 days. That means you would need to apply it every two weeks during disease season.

 

Here's hoping for beautiful, disease free lawns!

 

The AA Tex Lawn Team