Horticulture Hotline 10/28/19
By Bill Lamson-Scribner
On radio or in print I never like to make doom and gloom
predictions or talk about only the negative things going on in the landscape or
around the house. Sometimes the weather conditions make this a little
difficult. Also the fact that I work for a company whose tagline is ‘We Have
Solutions’ and we sell products for controlling moles, fire ants, disease,
insects, weeds, rats, mice, bed bugs, fleas, mosquitoes, roaches, and termites…and
other negative aspects of the landscape - probably shapes my way of thinking.
Fall is my favorite time of year. The cooler weather, young
ryegrass sprouting, Cassia blooming, mums and winter annual flowers being
planted, container plants being changed out with fresh new soil, Thanksgiving
around the corner, the tea olives’ fragrance, the red seeds in the magnolia
cones, fall color as leaves prepare to drop, the grass going dormant so less
mowing, oyster roasts, fall is for planting and transplanting, pumpkins …
Okay. Now the other stuff going on. Large patch (brown
patch) has attacked many yards in the Lowcountry. The perfect conditions with
rain, less daylight hours, the grass slowing down and going into dormancy, and
the temperature range that favors the development of the disease, have all
contributed to a huge outbreak of this disease. Look for circular and irregular
areas of brown in your yard. These irregular areas could also be fall army
worms or sod webworms, so be sure to identify what you are trying to control.
Fungus needs a fungicide and insects need insecticides. Worm
damage is easy to identify because you can see the worms or the bite marks in
the leaves that they have chewed on.
Fleas are always an issue in the Lowcountry, but for some
reason they have been extra active this year. I wonder if it is because
everywhere I go I see dogs. The rain brought the fire ants to the surface.
Mosquitoes what? The summer annual weeds that might go unnoticed are very
visible as they flower (Virginia button weed comes to mind). Rats what? Moles
always. Roaches what? Bed bugs not causing the hysteria they use to until you
have them.
Charleston is beautiful in the fall. Are the no-see-ums out
yet?
Always read, understand and follow product label. The
product label is a Federal Law.
