Ask the TurPh.Dudes
Spring Cleaning… For Your Yard By: Jeff Atkinson I’ve lived in the same house for five years, and I’m starting to get a feel for what agronomic issues I can expect to encounter year after year. I’ve tried to get ahead of the problems this year, so
Fix Irrigation Issues Now To Prevent Dead Plants Later My irrigation system is around 23 years old, as best as I can tell. For much of its existence, it has been neglected, and now I’m paying the price, literally. But the financial price I’m paying now will prevent the despair of looking at dead turf and plants once the summer heat picks up. Usually, a poorly functioning irrigation system does not cause issues during spring months. Rainfall is typically adequate to mask any issues, at least in my part of the country. In a multi-zone system, you may not even notice that an entire zone is not functioning if you’re not paying close attention. Before the summer heat arrives give your irrigation system a thorough once-through to ensure all zones are functioning, heads are not leaking, and nozzles are not clogged. Identifying and addressing irrigation issues now will prevent dead plants later. Address Environmental Conditions – If Able Living in a neighborhood, my neighbor’s agronomic challenges often become my agronomic challenges. For example, my yard is heavily shaded. In general, most grasses grow optimally with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. Some parts of my yard receive zero hours of direct sunlight, but unfortunately, the shade trees are on my neighbor's property. I have taken steps to improve sunlight access in the shaded areas by limbing up trees on my property yet the shade issues persist. If you have turf or a plant struggling, first consider if the growing conditions are appropriate for the particular plant. If not, what can you do to manipulate the environment to better suit the optimal growing conditions of the plant? Think back to problems you’ve had in your lawn or garden over the last couple of years. More likely than not, there’s something that can be done now to prevent the same problem from occurring this season.
they don’t get out of hand as the hustle and bustle of summer arrives. Here are a few things I’m working on to prepare my lawn and garden for the summer season. Controlling Reoccurring Pests Early Pests come in several forms. Insects, diseases, and deer to name a few, and I have them all. Last year my azaleas were annihilated by azalea lace bugs. In mild climates, these critters overwinter as eggs on the underside of azalea and rhododendron leaves only to hatch and wreak havoc on azaleas the following season. After reading more about the life cycle of azalea lace bugs I came to understand these pests are much easier to control early in the season when their population is relatively small.
Through proper identification and corrective application at the appropriate time, I expect to have much better control this season. This is true for many pests, including diseases. Understanding the life cycle of a pest, what attracts it to your turf or garden, and what causes it to flourish can all help design a plan to control pests that are annually problematic.
Figure 2. Most turfgrasses grow best with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. Pruning problematic trees can improve light penetration to thin turf.
Figure 1. Azalea lace bugs can devastate azaleas if left untreated. After hatching in early spring, azalea lace bugs rob nutrients from azalea leaves by inserting a straw-like mouth part into the underside of the leaf. Azalea lace bug symptoms include mottling of the leaf (left) and black/brown speckling on the underside of the leaf.
What's on? GROWING July 2024 | 3
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker