Treat for mosquitoes in your yard! Usually I recommend the
organic repellents; however, with the amount of rain we have had, try some
Cyonara and kill the mosquito. Scout around your yard for potential breeding
sights. It is amazing how many places that collect water and a mosquito can lay
an egg. Old tarps, tarps on boats, saucers under flower pots, a dent in a trash
can lid, old fountain, bird bath, tires, refrigerators, old cars, and even half
- filled rain gauges all provide enough water to help mosquitoes breed. If you
do not have time to do scout your yard, hire a professional, and they will help
make your yard safe.
Large Patch fungus has raised its ugly head again in the
Lowcountry. The cooler days have been
great for those of us who like to work outside; however, it has also been great
for Large Patch disease to kick in.
Water only as needed and apply Cleary’s 3336, Disarm, or Dual Action
fungicide.
If you have any bushes or trees that need to be
transplanted, you can begin to root prune them.
Ideally if you transplant a tree you would have a ball that is 12 inches
for each inch in diameter of the tree (i.e. 3 inch tree would be 18 inches on
either side of the tree). Take a shovel
and dig straight down without prying and just sever the roots of the tree. Depending on the size of the tree, whether it
was planted or a volunteer seedling, how long it has been in the ground, and
whether it is in a group of other plants, will dictate how big of a root ball
you will be able to dig. Add some SeaHume and other rooting biostimulants to
the area to encourage new roots. Root
prune now and for the next few months for transplanting in November-January.
It is getting close to the time to switch over from summer
annuals to winter annuals. When amending
your annual beds this year try Back to Nature’s Flower Bed Conditioner. It’s balanced blend of cotton burrs and
cattle manure along with feather meal, cotton seed meal, alfalfa meal and
sulfur will surely make your winter annuals a hit. The alfalfa contains Triacantanol, a natural
root growth enhancer and may aid in the control and suppression of certain
fungal diseases. Unlike wood and wood by-products, cotton burr
and cattle manure do not tie up valuable nutrients in the soil and help
neutralize the soils pH. Cotton seed and
feather meal provide added nutrients for the plant.
If you are planting bulbs for next spring, consider using
Back to Nature’s Flower Bed Amendments as well. I know at Possum’s we are
already taking orders for fall / winter bulbs.
The change in weather will also bring on the winter annual
weeds. Hopefully by now, you have put
out preemergents in your lawn as well as your beds. If you have had Florida
Betony in the past, consider using a preemergent that contains Dimension. Many
of our customers have noticed a decrease in Florida Betony in lawns that they
have used Dimension in late August and again in October. Over ten years ago, I
put out some test plots for Dow AgroSciences, and I saw about an 85% reduction
in Florida Betony the first year! Dow AgroSciences did not add Florida Betony
to the label because of the costs of dealing with the EPA; however, I say, “try
it you‘ll like it!”
Watch out for mole crickets and sod web worms in your
turf. Mole crickets have just developed
their wings and are beginning their fall flights, which means they will be up
near the surface tunneling (damaging) your grass. Sod web worms can eat a huge amount of grass
in a short period of time. Look for
moths as you walk around your lawn in the evening. These moths will come up from the ground, fly
erratically for a few feet, then land almost like a quail. Treat with Lebanon Insect Control or Cyonara
and you will take care of both of these guys as well as fire ants, grubs, ticks
and many other insects.
