Horticulture Hotline
Bill Lamson-Scribner
08/13/17
Treat for mosquitoes in your yard! 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.
Eco Via is a new broad spectrum, NOP (National Organics
Program) compliant product that will control mosquitoes. Mosquito Repelling
Granular has a good residual and is organic. Cyonara and Bifen are broad spectrum
insecticides and are very effective.
Large Patch fungus has raised its ugly head again in the
Lowcountry. The decrease in daylight
hours and rain have been great for Large Patch disease to kick in. Water only as needed and apply T-Methyl or
Fame.
Sharpen lawnmower blade?
If you have any bushes or trees that need to be
transplanted, you can begin to prepare 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 (crops) to winter annuals (crops).
When amending your annual beds or garden 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, composted cotton
burr and composted 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.
The change in weather will also bring on the winter annual
weeds. Now is the time to 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, grubs and sod web worms in your
turf. Mole crickets are just developing
their wings and will begin their fall flights soon, which means they will be up
near the surface tunneling (damaging) your grass. Grubs are near the surface
and easy to kill before they become a food source for moles or damage your root
system themselves. Sod web worms and
army 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 07-00-14 Allectus and you will take care of both of these guys as well as
fire ants and many other insects.
Always read, follow and understand the product label before
applying any products.
Bill Lamson-Scribner
can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply.
Possum’s has three locations 481 Long Point Rd in Mt. Pleasant (971-9601), 3325
Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston
(766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum’s location, or visit us at
http://www.possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “ The
Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from noon to 1:00, on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker).
