Lawn & Garden Tips

Bulbs

Selection
Some popular bulbs are anemones, tulips, crocuses, daffodils, scillas, and hyacinths. They all like full sun. Daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths also grow well beneath trees that lose their leaves in the fall. Some bulbs that will bloom in the shade are fritillarias, summer snowflake, Star of Bethlehem, and English or Spanish bluebell. They are spring-flowering bulbs. Note that Daffodils are poisonous to animals and to us.

Buying
Visually inspect the bulb. A bulb that is showing green growth on top has been for sale too long. Also, do not buy a bulb with bruises, scars, or cuts. Bulbs have a papery covering called a tunic. It is okay and even natural if the tunic is torn or missing. A torn or missing tunic may even help the bulb root more quickly.

Feel the bulb. It should not feel light, crinkly or powdery. It should feel firm with no soft spots.

Storing
If you are not ready to plant bulbs, store them in a cool, dark, dry place. Store the bulbs in a paper bag or some other breathable material so that they can get air.

Planting

Fertilizing
Bulbs contain all the food they need for the first growing season. To help bulbs come back the following growing season, add fertilizer in November such as a controlled-release 9-9-6 bulb food, bone meal, or superphosphate. Some growers say that you should not use bone meal because animals may try to dig it up. Add fertilizer to spring-flowering bulbs in mid- to late-February.

Pruning
Prune away browning flowers just below the seed pod beneath the flower. This will keep the plant from expending energy on reproduction. Don't cut back the rest of the foliage when the flowers fade. Also, don't rubber band, twist, or braid the foliage in general. The foliage needs to ripen completely to provide energy for next spring. The ripening process usually ends around early June.

Hardy Tropicals are "in" in the Plant World

For those of you who love to garden or landscape and want to do something new and interesting, here's just the thing. Hardy Tropicals are "in" in the plant world. From Better Homes and Gardens to HGTV, hardy Tropicals are the rage! There's no need to be jealous of those lush, beautiful landscaped yards from Wilmington to Miami anymore!

There's a common misconception that plants such as Palms, Bananas, Cannas, Elephant Ears and Gingers won't survive here. True many varieties won't, but there are many that will not only survive, but thrive in our climate. For the most part, you can usually garden one zone above the zone you're in. We're in zone 7b so think as high as 8b plants. Some Palms, such as Trachycarpus fortunei (Windmill Palm), are hardy from between 0 to -15 degrees! There are many other hardy Tropicals too. Do some research for the spring and visit local Nurseries and Internet Mail order sites for really good prices. Buchanan's on Western Blvd. has 3 palms over 10ft tall for sale! Obviously, Internet mail order is definitely the less expensive way to go. The intent here is to have a beautiful landscape without having to dig up your plants and replace them next year. Here are some links to great sites for learning and buying. Remember, some Tropicals won't grow here, so pay careful attention to what you buy and you'll be able to grow more than you ever thought you could!

Stokes Tropicals
Plant Delights Nursery (Raleigh, NC)
Gerry's Jungle
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: NC
Heronswood Nursery
The Hardiest Palms - The Cold-Hardy Palm List

by Pete Sayre

White Grubs--A Hidden Threat to Your Lawn

Did you know that Japanese beetle larvae, grubs, live below ground and eat the tender roots of grass? They can ruin lawns and mature into adult beetles that devastate ornamentals. Furthermore, grubs attract other pests to your lawn such as moles. You can treat your lawn for grubs as early as May and as late as mid October depending on the treatment you use and the area in which you live. For the most accurate advice for your area, contact your local county extension office (See Resources). Treatment works best if it is a neighborhood effort. Here are some of the treatments:

Chemical Treatments:

Diazinon
This is a poison that should usually be applied between late July and early October. You can treat a second time in late Summer or early Fall if necessary.
Other
Various manufacturers have specialized products that attack the grubs at different times of the year. Some, for instance, are designed for application in May before the grubs hatch. See the latest on pesticides from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Organic Treatments:

Beneficial Nematodes
(Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) Extremely small worm-like parasites that enter grubs and attack from the inside out. They release a bacteria that kills the grub in 48 hours. What's more, they reproduce inside the grub. They are harmless to humans, pets, birds, and even earthworms. Mix them with water and spray them on the ground. The solution, though containing millions of nematodes, will look like cloudy water. There are different kinds of beneficial nematodes. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora is a good choice for fighting grubs because these nematodes are highly mobile and search for the grubs. If you plan to use nematodes, plan to keep your lawn moist, but not to the point that there is a lot of standing water.
Milky Spore Disease
(Bacillus popilliae) Milky Spore disease seeks out and kills Japanese beetle grubs. Results may take a year or more. Unlike nematodes, it does not kill masked chafer grubs, which are at least as damaging as Japanese beetle grubs.

Your ornamentals can be protected from adult Japanese beetles a number of ways. Sevin dust is an effective chemical treatment, but it must be reapplied after it rains. There is a liquid version of Sevin, but it is generally less effective. Pyrethrin-based plant sprays kill Japanese beetles on contact and can be used whenever you see the beetles. Stay away from the all-to-popular bag traps; they attract Japanese beetles to your property. If you must use them, place them well away from your ornamentals and be sure to treat regularly for grubs.

See Japanese Beetles, an article by L. H. Townsend, Extension Entomologist with the University of Kentucky Department of Entomology, for detailed information on Japanese Beetles.

Soil Tests

March and September are good times of year to take advantage of free soil tests offered by the NC Department of Agriculture. Collect samples in March for warm-season grasses like centipede or bermuda, and September for cool-season grasses like fescue. In general, you should test your soil every two to three years. A soil test will help you determine how much fertilizer and lime needs to be added to your lawn. The correct amount of fertilizer and lime will help your lawn thrive and resist diseases such as brown patch. An incorrect amount can be disastrous for your lawn and negate all of the time, expense, and effort you have invested in it. You can obtain instructions for collecting samples, appropriate sample containers, mailers, and a copy of a soil sample information form, from any extension office.

Some indicators that you may need a soil test are:

In general, a soil sample is about a cup of soil made up of a mixture of smaller samples from several spots in your lawn. Samples should not be taken from the edge of the lawn because it is not typical of your lawn. Samples should not be taken when the soil is wet because the moisture makes it harder to mix samples. Follow these general steps:

  1. Collect 4-inch deep samples from 5-10 randomly selected areas of your lawn. This will be more than one cup of soil.
  2. Crush the samples.
  3. Stir the samples together.
  4. Pour one cup from this mixture to make the soil sample you will submit. Do not put the sample in a plastic bag.
Remember that the soil test is only as reliable as the sample you submit. Soil samples can be taken to the NC Department of Agriculture office at 4001 E. Carya Drive, Raleigh or the NCDA Agronomic Division, 4300 Reedy Creek Road, Raleigh (accessed from Blue Ridge Rd.).

Visit the NC State University/NC Cooperative Extension Service for more information.

Watering in a Drought--In Development...

The Town of Apex has enacted voluntary water restrictions. Odd-numbered addresses are asked to water lawns only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and even-numbered addresses are asked to water lawns only on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Mandatory restrictions may be put in place if drought conditions worsen. Mandatory restrictions? So much for your lawn, right? Not necessarily. Homeowners who have established lawns of cool-season grasses such as fescue, bluegrass, and ryegrass do not need to water during the summer because these grasses are semidormant during the summer. If you decide to water, remember that your lawn will be lost if you discontinue watering in midsummer. Warm-weather grasses such as bermuda need plenty of water during the peak-growth summer months.

Though cool-season grasses can go without water for a long time when they are semidormant, from time to time they may need some attention. Signs of wilt include folded or rolled leaves, footprints that stay for more than a few minutes, and a grayish cast to the lawn. Water when you see the first signs of wilt.

The best time to water your lawn is the early morning.

If you have clay soil, avoid watering too often. Watering often will keep water in spaces in the soil that provide oxygen to root systems. Water deeply, but not too often.

A LOT MORE WILL BE ADDED HERE!!

Mulch in Early October

In early October, mulch heavily to block the light winter annual weeds need to germinate. This is a good alternative to using pre-emergents. If you use pre-emergents, they must be applied before weeds sprout.

Spread mulch no more than three inches thick.

When mulch is used properly

When mulch is used improperly Break up crusty soil so water and air can get through.

To prevent access to your house by termites and ants, do not pile mulch against a house.

Different types of mulch:
-Hardwood mulch breaks down fastest. It adds nitrogen to the soil.
-Pine chips can float away in heavy rains.
-Wood chips from scraps are colored with dye to resist fading from the sun and won't leach into the soil. They last about two years. Fertilize if used with landscaping beds.
-Compost is good for areas with poor soil; however, it breaks down in about a year. This allows light to get through to the soil and cause weeds to germinate. Mix half and half or cover with a half inch of another type of mulch.
-Stone is of course permanent. Put a weed barrier down first.
-Recycled tires can be made to look and feel like wood mulch. It is permanent. All of the water gets through to plants. Rubber mulch does not attract insects and is not a good surface for fungi. Questions have been raised about environmental impact.
-Plastic mulch can be made to look and feel like wood mulch. It is permanent and can be colored for special effects. It has talc added to it to keep it from floating away. It lets the soil breath and retains moisture. Plastic mulch does not attract insects and is not a good surface for fungi. Questions have been raised about environmental impact.
-Living mulch, or ground covers, do not have to be replaced every season and become thicker over time. Select plants as ground covers based on appeal and growing conditions.

Lawns

Aerating

Aerate to reduce soil compaction and encourage root growth. Spread a thin layer of peat moss across the top of the lawn after aeration to make the soil more drought-tolerant and help reduce future compaction.

Fertilizer

Apply fertilizer and lime to existing lawns to promote growth as the weather cools. Remember, fescue lawns are called "cool-season" grasses because the roots of these plants are most active when the soil temperature is between 50 and 65 degrees. So it is imperative that you fertilize in the fall, winter and early spring. The best approach is to plant in the fall and let the new lawn establish a root system so the plants will be able to withstand the stress of next summer's heat.

Get a soil test. Fertilizers, organic matter, and lime need to be incorporated at the time of tilling, before the seed is put out. And there's only one way to determine how much lime and fertilizer to add. Don't guess test. This service is performed free by the NC Department of Agriculture and should be done every two to three years. In Wake County, bring samples (about a cup of soil) to our office at 4001 E. Carya Drive, Raleigh; or, better yet, drop the samples directly at the lab on Reedy Creek Road. You can obtain appropriate sampler containers and mailers from any extension office.
If the soil is too acidic, the fertilizer may not have any effect. The calcium level of soil determines whether other essential nutrients are in a form that can be used by the plants. Most of the native soil in the Triangle is 100 times as acidic as most plants prefer, rendering many nutrients unavailable.
If you don't test this year, you can approximate your needs by adding 20 pounds of 8-8-8 and 4 pounds of 0-46-0 fertilizer (or 20 pounds of a high-phosphorous [5-10-10] fertilizer) and 50 pounds of lime per 1,000 square feet.
Research has shown that lime and fertilizer applied at the same time can create an effect that neutralizes some of the nutrients in the fertilizer. Apply the lime, then wait until after several rains before applying the fertilizer.
Diseases such as brown patch can be induced by late fertilization.
For cool season grasses such as tall fescue, fertilize three times a year--Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Valentine's Day. The Thanksgiving fertilizer application is probably the most important one for the entire season. The grass plants are putting up valuable carbohydrate reserves that depend on fertilization. These materials are stored in the lower portion of the plant rather than going toward top growth. This food reserve helps the plant retain its color into the fall, green up earlier in the spring, produce healthier roots, resist winter damage, and better withstand heat and drought next summer. Apply fertilizer at a rate of not more than 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet at each of the indicated holidays. Get a soil test to determine what you need. In the absence of a soil test, 10 pounds of 10-10-10 or 6 pounds of 16-4-8 per 1,000 square feet should be adequate. Some "turf fertilizers" are more expensive products because they are slow-release. These are excellent because they feed the grass over a longer period of time. They are also high in nitrogen, so be sure to calibrate your spreader. The more nitrogen in the product, the less you need to apply. For example, only 3.3 pounds per 1,000 square feet are needed for a 30-4-10 turf fertilizer. Organic products are slow-release but are lower in analysis, so be sure to increase the rate of application.

Grasses are efficient in taking up nutrients after they're fertilized. You should not have to reapply fertilizer to established turf unless you applied a quick-release, soluble fertilizer to a sandy soil and it rained heavily, (more than two inches of rainfall) within two days of application.

Diseases

Brown patch can be recognized by large, irregular, circular areas that have a brown to gray discoloration. These patches can expand to three feet in diameter during hot, wet weather. The disease is diagnosed by looking at individual blades of grass and finding brown lesions resembling horizontal stripes several millimeters wide. As these lesions expand, they girdle the leaf, and the plant turns brown and dies.
Brown patch is caused by a fungus called Rhizoctonia. The disease is most serious on lawns that have received late spring or summer fertilization, so remember to fertilize only in September, mid-November, and early February, using the rate of 1 pound nitrogen (10 pounds of 10-10-10) per 1,000 square feet.
Here are some additional management approaches for controlling this disease:
-Adjust soil pH to 6.5 by adding lime. Soil testing will help you decide how much lime to add. If you have never had your soil tested, or it has been several years, you are asking for trouble.
-Consider slow-release fertilizers. I frequently talk about 10-10-10 as an illustration in calculating rates of fertilizer. However, slow-release fertilizers--commonly advertised as "lawn" fertilizers--allow lawns to feed over a long period and thus encourage slower, stronger plant development.
-Avoid prolonged leaf wetness by reducing shade. You can't grow good fescue in areas that receive less than four to five hours of direct sun per day.
-Reduce watering frequency. Established lawns should be semidormant in summer--alive but growing slower than in the spring. Frequent, light summer irrigation will force continued lushness and stress plants.
If it becomes necessary to water because of prolonged dry periods, water early in the day and saturate the soil to a depth of 3 inches to encourage deep growth and reduce the interval between watering. You may have to stop the sprinkler and let the water soak in, then turn it on again after an hour or so. Compacted clay soils do not absorb more than 1/4 inch of water per hour. So it may take you several hours to get the required amount of water to penetrate the soil.
-A fungicide such as daconil can be used to control brown patch. Repeated application will be necessary. Remember, the life of these products on the lawn will be about 10 days, so if you decide to use a fungicide, be prepared to continue the applications; otherwise why bother to stop using them at all?
In general, most homeowners would be better off spending their money on new seed in the fall rather than a fungicide program.

Insects

To kill Japanese beetles underground, spread Diazinon to poison them or apply a biological control, milky spore disease (Bacillus popilliae), which seeks out and kills the young Japanese beetles underground.

Landscaping

The best way to minimize deep depressions in the lawn is to use a pitchfork and lift on both sides of the depression. This will help raise the turf. Following a regular aerating program (in which cores are removed) should help smooth the lawn. Obviously, topsoil may be required to fill in deep areas.

Mowing

Mow when it is not wet. Mowing when grass and soil are wet can strain your lawnmower, dull your blade, increase the risk of lawn diseases, and compact the soil.

Mow a different pattern every week. This will help grass stand upright so that it can take the best cut. It also reduces the liklihood that you will form small ruts in your yard.

While some warm-weather grasses such as bermuda can be cut as low as 1 inch to 1.5 inches, cool-weather grasses such as fescue should never be cut shorter than 2 inches to 2.5 inches in the cooler months and 2.5 inches to 3 inches during the hottest months. The taller the plant, the deeper the roots. Mowing the grass short stresses the root system. Generally do not cut more than one-third of the hight at one time. Cutting more than one-third leaves too little leaf to gather sunlight and drive the photosynthetic process. If grass gets out of hand, cut one half the height the first time and mow to the proper height a few days later. If you keep your grass at two inches, when it gets to three inches, mow it again. Use a sharp blade to avoid a ragged appearance and discourage disease. If you sharpen the blade yourself, remember to disconnect the spark plug to prevent accidental starting.

Grass Type Cutting Height*
Bermuda .75 in.
Centipede 1 in.
fescue 2.5 - 3.5 in.
Kentucky bluegrass 2.5 - 3.5 in.
St. Augustine 2 - 3 in.
Zoysia 1 in.
*Cutting heights are for May. For cool-season grasses like fescue and Kentucky bluegrass, raise the mowing height as the temperature rises. This will help them make it through the hot summer.

Grass clippings do not cause thatch. Thatch only occurs on warm-season grass such as bermuda or zoysia and is caused by excessive growth from overfertilizing or by allowing grass to get too high before mowing. In cool-season grasses such as tall fescue, true thatch does not develop. You may see a layer of organic debris on top of the soil, but this will quickly decay.

Seeding

You can seed in the spring or fall, but a fall seeding yields better results with cool-season grasses. This is because the young shoots with their shallow roots, cannot bear the heat of the summer. As such, you can expect survival rate as low as 50 percent with a spring seeding. Spring seeding also forces you to avoid using pre-emergent herbicides--one of the most effective forms of weed control--because it may kill the young grass. To reseed an area, rake the soil to loosen it. Then, apply the seed and rake it lightly. Spread straw on the seeded area to protect from sprinkler erosion, provide shade and maintain soil temperatures on cold days. After seeding, keep the soil moist for several weeks.

Seedbed establishment. Break up the soil surface with an aerator, dethatcher, or, better yet, a rototiller. Yes, we are talking about a new planting, so don't be bashful. Till the entire area 4 to 6 inches deep. After tilling, rake out and level the entire area. Roll the prepared site lightly to help identify low spots. Re-level the area and you are ready to sow.
Seed time. A wide choice of fescue seed is available. The old standard, Kentucky 31, is still available and does an excellent job in full sun if you do not mind its coarse texture. But new turf varieties have finer texture, greener color, increased disease resistance and the ability to perform better at a reduced mowing height. Examples of improved varieties are Adventure, Apache, Arid, Bonanza, Falcon, Lancer, Mimi-mustang, Phoenix, Safari, Shenandoah, Taurus, Thoroughbred, Tomahawk, Trident, and Virtue. Jaguar II and Rebel 3D are good fescues for the Piedmont area. Including bluegrass with the fescue will increase shade tolerance and come the closest to giving you year-round green grass. Bluegrass varieties that have performed well around here are Parade, A34 Ben Sun, RamI, Monopoly, Bristol, Classic, Coventry, Kelly, Rugby, Suffolk, and Wabash.
How much seed? Plan on 5 pounds of fescue plus 1/2 pound each of two bluegrass varieties per 1,000 square feet. If premixed, ask for 98% purity seed with at least 85% germination and less than 1% crop seed content.. The grass seed should be lightly incorporated into the top 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of soil. Roll the surface and mulch with weed-seed-free straw, using 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Next comes water. Immediately after planting, rolling, and mulching, soak your lawn to about 6 inches. After this, short but frequent irrigations should be applied to keep the soil moist for about the next three weeks. Rake off the straw gently after the grass begins growing.
It is safe to mow the grass when it reaches about 5 inches high. Cut it back to 2.5 to 3 inches. Never let the grass get so high that more than half the leaf area is removed at each mowing. Mow sooner if it falls over and remains wet for extended periods of time. You're not done yet; you'll need to fertilize again in late November and in February with 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. One pound of actual nitrogen would be 12.5 pounds of 8-0-15, 10 pounds of 10-10-10, or 5 pounds of 20-10-10. Organic fertilizer can be applied, but at higher rates due to lower percentages of nitrogen. For example, composted cow manure with an analysis of 2% nitrogen would have to be put down at 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

Herbicides

Kill weeds in September to mid-October. They are in their active growing phase. If your old lawn is as much as 40% weeds, you will want to apply a nonselective herbicide to kill the entire lawn and start from scratch. This also applies to patches of Bermuda grass. There are no selective herbicides that can take out this kind of grass, so you'll have to spray the area with a product containing glyphosate, which will kill everything it touches.
A pre-emergent herbicide such as Tupersan can be used in the spring to prevent crabgrass growth and broadleaf weeds. Or weeds can be killed with post-emergent herbicides such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4D [selective]), MCCP, or Dicamba when the weeds are actively growing, as long as the turf has been cut a minimum of four times. Products such as 33 Plus and Weed-B-Gon contain 2,4-D. Broadleafs like dandelion and morning glory are controlled with 2,4-D.
Vantage and Grass-B-Gon will kill many grasses--a moajor problem in ornamental shrub and flower beds--but will not harm most ornamental plants.
Do not use Ortho Crabgrass Killer on centipede grass, St. Augustine grass, or carpet grass. Do not use it on Fescue that is under moisture stress.
Nutsedge (Cyperus) is a weed problem in many lawns. In warm-season grasses use Image. In Fescue, use Manage.
Some nonselective herbicides are Roundup (kills 10-14 days) and Finale (kills 2-4 days). Finale is derived from natural toxins found in bacteria.

Watering

Garden--Squeeze a handful of soil. The soil is too wet if water comes out or a clod of soil comes apart in lumps. Wilting plants have absorbed all of the water available to their roots and start pulling water from their extremities.

Water when you see the first signs of wilt. Wilted lawns have a blue-green appearance, leaf curl, or footprints that remain on the lawn. Look along sidewalks or roadside surfaces for first sign of wilt. Do not water too often or too much. Too much water promotes diseases and excessive growth.

Don't water fescue or bluegrass lawns in summer unless you plan to do so all season. Many of these lawns are lost by discontinuing irrigation in midsummer. Be consistent with your watering routine; your lawn can't go on vacation without you.

The best time to water your lawn is in early morning to cut down on disease problems and poor water distribution caused by wind.

Fewer deep waterings are better than frequent shallow waterings. Light, frequent waterings encourage shallow root growth, heat stress, and weakened turf. There are two exceptions to this rule. First, lightly water newly seeded areas. Second, don't deeply water cool-season grasses such as fescue and bluegrass during the hottest weeks of the late summer. Instead, rely on frequent shallow waterings during the early morning to keep your lawn green. As temperatures heat up in late July and August, cool-season grasses conserve energy by shrinking both their root systems and top growth. With shallow roots, a deep watering wastes water.

Lawns on heavy soils should receive 1 inch when irrigating. Compacted soils may take several shorter periods of irrigation during the same watering session to allow the water to be absorbed. Avoid surface runoff.

Irrigate only when the grass needs it. Folded or rolled leaves, footprints that stay for more than a few minutes, and a grayish cast to te lawn are signals the lawn needs watering.
Water deeply and infrequently. Most lawns are watered too much and too often. A good rule of thumb is to water 1 inch once a week. Use a rain gauge or tin can to measure the amount of rain fall and irrigation during a one week period.
Do not allow irrigation water to runoff into streets. Adjust sprinkler heads accordingly. It is a misdemeanor to waste water by irrigating pavement. [$100 fine]
Do not irrigate during the hottest time of the day as much of the water is lost to evaporation.
Select drought tolerant grasses such as bermuda, fine fescue, and centipede rather than tall fescue and blue grasses.
Increase mowing height in summer. The extra grass height helps to shade the soil surface and the base of the frass plants during hot, dry weather. Moreover, the roots of taller grasses are deeper.
Hold off fertilizing until fall. When applied in summer, fertilizer promotes greater leaf growth, which uses up stored energy needed to produce roots for water uptake.
For shrubs or flower beds, use drip irrigation or soaker hoses that release water slowly near the plant’s root. Trees and shrubs require deeper but less frequent watering--usually once a month. Don't forget to water new evergreens every week or two through the winter in dry conditions.

Transplant Potted Easter Lilies Outside

After potted Easter lilies bloom, remove the flowers but keep the foliage intact. Plant the bulbs in an east-facing bed, six inches deep, and in well-drained soil. The east-facing bed will help protect the bulbs from the summer sun and winter cold.

Container Gardens

The basics of container gardening:

Plants that grow well in containers:

Roses

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