Horticulture Hotline 01/21/19
By Bill Lamson-Scribner
Alright, the holiday season is over and time to get back to
the yard. In Charleston yard activities never really go away and that is a good
thing. The moles and home invaders (roaches, rats, bed bugs, raccoons, squirrels
and mice) are always active as well.
Although there is some cold weather in the forecast, the
camellias have had a long run of warm weather and look beautiful. Hopefully,
you have had a chance to witness these camellias in your yard, neighborhood,
one of the parks or one of the public or private plantations. My New Year’s Day
Feast of pork, collard greens, and hoppin john had a bowl of camellias as a
center piece that looked fake because it was so perfect. This bowl of camellias
was picture perfect and ready for any magazine spread!
James Island County Park (JICP) and the whole CCPRC pulled
off another fabulous Light Show. I have been to several different light shows
over the years in other towns and none of them hold a candle to JICP. I took my
pound hound Ol’Boy there for his sixteenth birthday. He enjoyed the lights and
sending pee-mail to all his dog friends!
With the new year upon us, have you considered joining an
organization that is involved with horticulture? Charleston Lowcountry Rose
Society has many Consulting Rosarians and some world class exhibitors that will
help you with your roses. With new varieties (there are new varieties other
than Knock Outs that are quickly being over used) and long lasting control
products that you drench instead of spray, rose growing has become much less
time consuming and is still very rewarding. This society is very friendly (I
have never been bit – maybe stuck by a thorn) and has great refreshments before
each meeting.
There are many great organizations and garden clubs in the
area. Charleston Horticulture Society, Camellia Society, Native Plant Society,
Daylily Society, Azalea Society, neighborhood or regional garden clubs just to
name a few. I have been to many of these different societies and clubs and they
are all very welcoming to guest and new members.
The crazy temperatures and rainfall has been the perfect
storm for large patch / brown patch fungus. I have noticed it in yards I have
never seen the disease before this year. If left untreated, the disease will
thin out the turf and give opportunistic weeds a perfect area to establish residency.
A healthy yard is the best defense against weed invasions.
Many people confuse this disease with the grass going
dormant; however, if the grass is going dormant, it is a uniform color. When
the grass has large patch / brown patch, you often see circles or other
patterns where the disease is that are a different color. T-Methyl or Fame are
good systemic products that will help you manage this disease.
Mole Crickets have also been tunneling near the surface on
the warmer days. Like large patch / brown patch, mole crickets can do a lot of
damage in the winter because they go undetected in the dormant grass. Intice
Perimeter bait is very effective, organic and low cost.
Always read, understand and follow product label. The
product label is a Federal Law.
