Thank you to those of you that check on my health the week
after I recommended to hold off on using Cotton Burr Compost, if your yard was
super saturated with all this rain! I appreciate your concern “that I had
finally lost it”. Sometimes you have to do whatever it takes to dry things out.
Pulling back mulch and not adding new mulch may seem drastic but necessary
under certain extreme conditions (like your flower bed has been under water for
months). Hopefully, we are going to have a dry week or two and get our yards
back to the new normal.
With the grass staying green well into December and the conditions
perfect for large patch fungus, be prepared to see a lot more fungus this
spring. Using fungicides are like getting a flu shot, you want to put out the
fungicide before you get the problem. Unlike the flu shot, fungicides do have
curative rates; however, the curative rates usually involve putting out twice
the product and putting out the fungicide twice as often.
Roses, Indian Hawthorne, Hydrangea, and other plants that
are susceptible to black spot or other leaf spot diseases are going to need
extra protection this year. Rake up old fallen leaves and be ready to protect
the new growth as it emerges.
Have you applied a systemic insecticide to your plants that
usually have insect issues like aphids, white flies, lace bugs, or scale?
Gardenias, crepe myrtles, camellias, hollies, lantana and azaleas are just a
few plants that will turn black from sooty mold if the insects are not
maintained.
Trees and shrubs are beginning to put on new growth. Have
you spread some spring food out for them yet? If you do not have a recent soil
test, Possum’s 17-00-09 should get you going in the right direction. After all
the rain last year a new soil test is a very good idea.
Did you apply your preemerge to your lawn and beds? It is
not too late! Weed seeds germinate almost all year here.
This past week one of my stores was going to get a tune up
for a blower. The small engine shop he called told him 2 months before they
could look at it. I hope your mower is ready to go!
Always read, understand and follow product label. The
product label is a Federal Law.
