August 2016

Wow, August already! We hope that everyone has had a great summer, and that you were all able to get out and enjoy it.

As you all know, it has been extremely hot, and I would like to remind you to keep an eye on your sprinkler systems to make sure that your lawn is receiving adequate coverage. Remember, the system may be running, but is it covering the correct areas? Make sure to read the lawn section, there are some very helpful tips.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

The summer of 2016 is in full effect. We are racking up the 90 degree days, and our landscapes are beginning to suffer as a result. Insect populations are high with record numbers of Japanese Beetles, aphids, and mites showing up this season. The combination of insect damage and heat stress is enough to frustrate any homeowner, but this season started with cool and wet conditions so various fungal and bacterial diseases are adding to the stress our plants are dealing with. With such difficult conditions, it may not be possible to eliminate all plant stress. Our focus moves to managing stress and treating symptoms to allow plants to get through a few more tough weeks.

Proper irrigation is the number one way to limit plant stress. It is important to tweak your irrigation system throughout the season to adjust the run time, frequency, spray pattern and time of day that the system will run. It is important to understand the soil drainage around your property. Over watering in areas where drainage is poor can lead to saturated soils that will not allow roots to grow. Under watering in areas with good soil drainage will lead to dry soils and plant stress. The time of day that your system runs is also key in preventing plant stress. Watering in the evening hours can promote foliar diseases like powdery mildew and leaf spot. These diseases thrive when the leaf surface is wet and temperatures are in the 60’s overnight. Setting your irrigation system to run in the early morning hours puts water in the soil as the sun rises and root systems become active.

Addressing insect populations will also decrease plant stress. This can be
achieved through changing plant
material and pesticide treatments. Monitoring insect life cycles will allow
for the best use of pesticides when insects are most susceptible. Changing plant material may seem like an extreme strategy, but removing plants that attract various pests can help the overall health of the landscape. For example, removing areas of overgrown Virginia creeper can reduce the attraction for Japanese Beetles.

Evaluating the landscape as a dynamic system is key when making decisions. It is very important to look at all aspects of the landscape such as soil structure, irrigation capability, sunlight exposure, plant species, insect and disease pressure, and soil nutrient load when deciding what actions will result in the highest level of plant health.

One of the first signs to look for beyond the brown spots in any stressed lawn is seeing if walking across it leaves easy to see footprints, or does the grass quickly rebound after being stepped on? A drought stressed lawn does not rebound, and foot impressions can be seen for a much longer time.

Water starved grass loses its luster as it gradually changes color from the nice dark green shade we are all used to seeing, to a dull blue-green or even grayish-green tint. This is the first sign of a lawn going dormant from lack of water. As conditions worsen, the color may continue to decline to a tan or straw color.

Keep in mind different lawns react differently to drought stress. A healthy lawn with deep roots will handle hot dry weather much better than a lawn that is not as well established or that has a shallow root system.

Water Amounts:
All lawns benefit from receiving about an inch and a half of water per week. Just as important as the amount is how the watering is done.

Watering less often and more deeply helps grass establish deeper roots. Watering daily or for only short periods of time keeps roots near the surface and the whole of the lawn is then weaker and less able to handle the hot dry weather.

Ascochyta and Insects:
Several insects like dry lawns, including chinch bugs, sod web worm, and billbugs. At the same time the drought related fungus Ascochyta often blights the tips of the grass. If you suspect the problem is not just lack of water, checking the lawn for insects and diseases and then properly treating for them can be the difference between the lawn recovering or not.

Performing a mid-season checkup on your irrigation system can help detect broken sprinkler heads that lead to turf damage. Broken sprinkler heads, or sprinkler heads that need to be adjusted, can quickly lead to brown patches in the turf when temperatures hit the high 90’s. Because many irrigation systems run when people are sleeping, these issues can go unaddressed for a long time. A quick checkup of the system can prevent costly damage later.