First Official Book Signing
Before we begin this week's email tip, I will be having my first official "Book Signing" at Four Seasons Sunrooms this Sat., Aug. 27, from 1-3 p.m. If you have already purchased your copy, bring it by so I can sign it. If you have yet to order your copy, then you couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to purchase one. Again, the first official book signing is this Saturday, from 1-3 p.m. at Four Season Sunrooms in the Willowbrook Plaza at 249 and 1960. It's in the same parking lot with the Expo Design Center, Babbins' Seafood and Double Daves. If you can't make it out there, and you still want a copy of the book, see the information below this week's email tip. In fact this is the last week for the GardenLine Listener Discount via the on-line purchase.
I was going to do a reminder tip sheet on the need to put iron supplements out for those lawns that look a little yellow at this time of the year. Then, I was thinking about the importance of getting ahead of the Brownpatch issue for those folks who have had serious outbreaks the last few years. Then again, my email is overwhelmed with questions about Crabgrass and Johnsongrass control.
What to do? What to do? Why don't I compile an email tip covering all those topics and even a few more? So, without further ado, here's a tip sheet covering 8 topics that have come up in my emails and on the radio show that are all very specific to lawn questions.
1. It's Too Late for the Summer Fertilization -- I realize that in my book Gulf Coast Gardening with Randy Lemmon, we have a tenet that says "It's Never Too Late to Do the Right Thing." I also said that it was not an "absolute", and this summer is a great example as to why. If you put out fertilizer right now (especially high nitrogen ones), with the hottest temperatures we've experienced this year, you run the risk of burning up the grass and you run the risk of inviting fungal diseases like Gray Leaf Spot and Brownpatch. If you are going to fertilize, please do it at half-strength, which simply means put the fertilizer spreader on half-as-much as you did for your spring fertilization. I did my spring fertilization at 11-12 on my spreader, and that would mean 5-6 for a half-strength application.
2. It's Too Early for the Winterizer -- I wrote the above instructions regarding half-strength fertilization to someone via email, and his immediate question back was "Does that mean I can put down the Winterizer Formula instead?" The answer is no, not right now! There is a possibility that you can put down the Winterizer earlier-than-normal. But that decision won't be made until at least the end of September. If you don't know what a Winterizer is, then you probably aren't familiar with the GardenLine Fertilization Schedule. If that's the case, Click Here immediately…
3. If You Follow the Schedule and Your Lawn Seems Dull, It May Be Time for an Iron Supplement - Per the schedule listed above, we talk about the need for a Summer Iron Supplement. If you see a slight yellowing, or your lawn just isn't as green as it once was, then it may be in need of Iron. Granular Iron of any kind will work during this time of the year. Just remember that if you use the old-fashioned kind such as Ironite, try to make sure you blow off/sweep off all the iron from sidewalks or driveways, or you will get permanent rust stains. There are newer varieties, like Lily Miller's Iron Safe with Iron Sucrate, that don't leave stains but they are a tad more expensive.
4. It's Not Too Early to be Thinking About Brownpatch Control - Remember what I said in the first paragraph of this email tip? No, it's not too early, especially for those who have obvious drainage problems and for those who have incurred the wrath of Brownpatch year after year. I was thinking about re-running last year's email tip that covered this exact topic, so if you want to know the details Click Here…
5. What's That New Product You Recommended for Crabgrass? -- It's called Agra Lawn Crabgrass Control, and it's the only organic Crabgrass control of its kind. All the other chemical Crabgrass controls on the market also kill St. Augustine and Bermuda nearby. This is Cinnamon Bark and Cumin-based and it not only works, it smells like Cinnamon Toast. The caveat here is that it is not a permanent solution, because it is simply a post-emergent herbicide. For ultimate control of those horrible grassy weeds like Crabgrass, Goosegrass, Dallisgrass and Johnsongrass, you need to regularly use the pre-emergent herbicides as listed in my Lawn Fertilization Schedule. In the meantime, nurseries and garden centers that carry multiple lines of organic products are likely to carry Agra Lawn Crabgrass Control. To read more about all the weeds that is works on, please Click Here to their website.
6. Is There Anything That Works On Nutgrass? -- Agra Lawn's Crabgrass Control has been tested on Nutgrass/Nutsedge and while reports vary as to its effectiveness, if you want an organic alternative and are willing to test it, feel free to give it a whirl. However, when temperatures are this hot, the only proven nutgrass/nutsedge/kyllinga control I have ever found is Manage Herbicide. It works, but it may seem like it doesn't. What that means is, once you spray it, two weeks later it looks like nothing has changed. But two weeks and two days later, you see it disappearing. The herbicide Image works on nutgrass too, but has a tendency to really burn up St. Augustine Lawns when it's this warm. Here's what we wrote last year on all methods of Nutgrass Control. Click Here.
7. I Heard I Shouldn't Water at Night? -- This is very true, and if you are watering at anytime other than in the morning, please stop that practice right now. Why? The answer is two-fold. First, when it's this hot and you water in the middle of the day or even at 5-7 pm, there is much more evaporation going on simply due to the higher temperatures. That simply put, means your water bill is higher than it has to be. Plus, by watering in the morning, the turf and landscapes actually use the water during the day when they need it the most. But the second reason is because when you water at night, as we get closer to September and October, it's like an engraved invitation to Brownpatch the fungal disease. Brownpatch likes 60 degree night time temperatures mixed with extra moisture and excessive nitrogen. See tip number four from above if you are unaware of Brownpatch Control.
8. Does Take All Patch Seem Worse Now, During the Summer Months - It may seem that way, just because the excessive heat is making the weak grass look worse. But as we noted in our most recent email tip regarding Take All Patch, the disease really spreads in spring and fall due to cooler night time temperatures. However, it is not too early to be thinking about steps to control Take All Patch in general. Once again, here is the link to our most recent tip on this subject matter. Click Here.
And in case you have not ordered it yet, here's the link for ordering the listener discounted version of my new book "Gulf Coast Gardening with Randy Lemmon."
www.lulu.com/content/144050
Only as an email tip subscriber can you have access to ordering this book at a discount. Okay, let's be honest here - if you would like to share the above link with anyone else, who is not subscribed to the email tips, they too can enjoy the only discount available for this book until the end of August.
Until next issue, here's to
Great Gardening from the GardenLine, heard
exclusively weekend mornings from 8 to noon
on Talkradio 950 KPRC.
