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» Achieving Vibrant Seasonal Color
» Fertilizing, Weed and Insect Control
» Successful Irrigation Techniques
» Pros & Cons of Overseeding with Winter Rye Grass
Achieving Vibrant Seasonal Color
The most important aspect of healthy, long lasting seasonal color for any season is bed preparation. The soil should be highly acidic for vivid blooms and well drained so that the plant grows properly.
Blending a granular fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide and blood meal into the soil prior to each planting will improve the growth and bloom quality of any seasonal color and reduce the likelihood of fungus or insect damage.
Do not over water your color beds…this will lead to limp, yellowish plants that do not perform well and die prematurely. It is best to water in the early morning so that your plants do not sit through the night in moisture. Watering seasonal color at night will lead to fungus problems and cause stem rot. During normal conditions pansies will only require water twice per week for about 12 minutes if you are watering with an automatic sprinkler system.
During freezing temperatures it is best if you cover your seasonal color. Be sure that you are using a porous material (not plastic) so that the plants are capable of breathing while they are covered.
If you cannot cover your plant material prior to a freeze the next best option is to water the plants prior to the freeze. Watering the plant material will help to insulate the root ball and reduce the likelihood of freeze damage.
Applying a balanced liquid application of fertilizer (20-20-20) prior to the first hard freeze may also help your plants resist freeze damage and perform well following the freeze.
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Fertilizing, Weed and Insect Control
Let’s start with the numbers. Each bag (or bottle) of fertilizer will have three numbers on it representing the blend of the major ingredients in the fertilizer. These three ingredients are Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium Chloride (Potash).
Each ingredient serves a specific purpose and will be needed in varying amounts depending on the time of year. For the fall it is best to apply a fertilizer that is high in Phosphorous and Potash to encourage root growth rather than top growth throughout the winter months. This fertilizer application will also help the turf transition out of dormancy faster in the spring.
For weed control it is best to apply a pre emergent between September 1 st and October 31st unless you use a pre emergent that also has a post emergent blended with it. If you are using a pre and post emergent blend you can perform the application anytime between October 1 st and November 15th.
If you are not able to apply a pre emergent by mid November then it is best to wait until your turf is dormant and apply a cool season post emergent. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label and remember that most products require at least two applications to be fully effective.
Dormant oil is applied between December and late January to control chewing and sucking insects on plant material. An example of these insects is scale, which looks very much like small white paint drops on the leaves of plants like Burford Holly. Follow the instructions on the label for this application and you can eliminate the “paint” problem. It is important to note that this application should not be performed once the plant is putting on new growth.
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Successful Irrigation Techniques
The slightest wind will cause spray from irrigation systems to move around. In the summer months it is important that the spray pattern of heads along sidewalks and curbs be adjusted to compensate for Southerly winds that prevent water from reaching the edges of the turf.
In other words, many heads have to be adjusted to a spray pattern of just over 180 degrees along sidewalks and curbs. In the fall, the prevailing winds are Northerly and will actually blow excess water onto the same curbs and sidewalks that were dry in the summer.
It is very important for safety purposes that these heads be adjusted to less than 180 degree spray patterns for the fall and winter to reduce the likelihood of overspray that could cause ice on the sidewalks and streets around your property.
It is also important that a freeze sensor be installed to prevent the system from watering during freezing temperatures. If you already have a freeze sensor, please be sure to test it each year and ensure that it is working properly. The easiest way to accomplish this is to turn your system on and then dip the freeze sensor in a cup or cooler of ice water. If the sensor is working properly it should suspend watering within a minute or two.
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Most landscape projects start with a landscape plan from a certified landscape architect. These plans take into account the number of trees that a municipality will require be planted during the development of the project. Based on this information, the architect will specify what trees will be planted and where they are to be planted.
Occasionally, an improper tree type is designated for a particular area. Such an example would be Bradford Pears planted near a building. Look at any building that was constructed in the early 1980’s and you will likely find large Bradford Pear trees planted near the building’s foundation. These trees take up enormous amounts of water from the soil and can cause uneven movement of a building’s slab as a result of moisture differences around the building. Most structural engineers Prestonwood Landscape has worked with suggest removing trees in this situation as soon as possible to prevent possible or further damage to foundations.
Another example of trees planted in an area that can be a hazard is Eastern Red Cedars planted between the building and head on parking spaces only a few feet away. Though these trees don’t present a problem for the buildings foundation, they do cause damage to automobiles parking in spaces nearby. This is because the trees simply outgrow (in diameter) the area they are planted in and begin encroaching on the parking spaces and buildings. Depending on the construction of the building this can also cause damage to exterior walls. These trees should be removed, and replaced with something less intrusive.
Tree maintenance is another consideration when planning or planting. Trees with branches within 8’ of the ground are considered hazardous to pedestrians walking on property – particularly if the trees are near designated walkways. Trees that have not been properly pruned tend to have large, heavy limbs that can fall during windstorms or bad weather. Also, improperly maintained trees can have dead limbs that can break easily, causing damage to automobiles, buildings or pedestrians. Finally, unpruned trees can potentially hinder security monitoring, blocking security lighting or cameras on a property.
Special attention should be given to the trees on your personal or commercial property. Most often an existing tree hazard can be eliminated with proper and frequent pruning of the tree. Trees that cannot be pruned should be removed immediately and replaced with less invasive trees that will not become a hazard. Though this can present additional short term costs, it is much less expensive than the liability that is presented when action is not taken.
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Pros & Cons of Overseeding with Winter Rye Grass
Overview: Rye overseeding in the winter is common on commercial real estate. Perennial Rye grass is a deep green, and provides beautiful color on properties during winter months. However, before planting Rye, know in advance the pros and cons of working with Rye grass.
Process: Our clients enjoy the results, but are sometimes not aware of the process of overseeding Rye. It is labor-intensive and can create a mess that tenants do not like. The process begins by scalping the primary turf for proper germination. Once scalped, we remove the clippings. What is left is short, brown turf with little to no thatch at its base. This allows Rye seed to make direct contact with the soil for proper germination.
The second step involves watering and keeping the ground wet until the Rye seed is fully germinated. As with any seed, Rye will die if not kept moist after the initial watering. The irrigation system is set to water two or three times per day in brief increments. We continue this watering schedule 2 to 4 weeks, depending on weather and soil conditions.
Once the Rye grass germinates, we apply a granular fertilizer to aid growth and ensure a lush winter turf. Properly established Rye grass will last well into late spring or early summer.
Pros of Rye: The result of overseeding with perennial Rye grass is rich, lush and beautiful commercial real estate that shows well in winter months. Rye also does a good job of hiding weeds when combined with a year-round weed control and treatment program.
Cons of Rye: Over the years, Rye seed has been engineered to be heat tolerant to the point that some believe it is a year-round turf. It is not. In Texas’s 100 degree temperatures Rye will die off, leaving brown patches where it has choked out the primary turf. For this reason, it is important to cut back Rye, transitioning it out of the property in the spring. However, even this is not always possible.
In many cases it is necessary to budget for overseeding with Bermuda or Fescue each year to help transition from Rye and keep a property in show condition as temperatures change.
After years of overseeding turf with Rye, the primary turf can become weak. This allows weeds to become dominant due to the thin turf. Effective weed control can eliminate the weeds but the turf can remain thin and bare.
Rye overseeding requires winter watering, increasing property watering costs.
Night time temperatures are often near or below freezing in winter months, causing freeze sensors to disable the controller and suspend night time winter watering. For this reason, it becomes necessary to water winter Rye in the late morning or early evening. Such watering schedules can create issues with tenants and can present added accident exposure when water freezes.
Rye properties are more susceptible to grub damage.
Rye Tips:
• Do not apply fall pre-emergent treatments to turf that will be overseeded with Rye. It will interfere with germination and stunt growth of Rye grass.
• Scalp and overseed while soil temperatures are warm. The Rye seed will germinate more quickly.
• Begin cutting the Rye shorter and reduce watering in mid-April to stress the Rye and allow the primary turf to emerge.
• Broadcast turf areas with a grub control in the summer. Properties that have been overseeded with Rye are more susceptible to grub activity than non-Rye properties. You cannot guess where grub activity will occur, so it is important to broadcast the treatment across the entire turf area.
• Do not overseed with Rye every year. You will be amazed at what one or two years without Rye grass will do for a turf in decline.
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Floral Guide: Spring / Summer
Floral Guide: Fall / Winter
Landscape Tip
Successful shrubs. Many shrubs such as Oleander and Texas Mountain Laurel are characterized by their beautiful spring blooms. If you plant blooming shrubs, know that the best way to achieve colorful spring blooms is to ensure a more acidic soil base.
