Horticulture Hotline 01/08/24
By Bill Lamson-Scribner
I have always said the Lowcountry is the hardest place in the world to grow grass (insects, fungus, reseeding is not usually an option, long windows of opportunity for weeds to germinate, many types of weeds, weather), and after this year I might have to add that it has the craziest weather.
The beginning of 2023 it was the cool, low humidity, little rain, and windy weather. I was looking at areas that looked dead and all they needed was some water and wetting agent. In some cases, the customer had irrigation and the grass was green right by the head, but brown out in the lawn. Low humidity and windy days dry things out quickly and the cool nights kept the grass from coming out of dormancy (especially zoysia). Our phones were ringing off the hook at Possum’s and all we needed was some rain and some warm nights.
The summer is hurricane season – enough said. We got off lucky in 2023.
The fall and winter have been crazy! Several inches of rain at a time, high tides, extremely high tides, and wind. Major salt water damage to many landscapes. If your landscape was flooded, bring us (Possum’s) a soil sample and we can test the soil for sodium and give suggestions on how to get rid of the salt.
Depending on where you live in the Lowcountry, the temperatures have been in the low thirties at night in the high fifties during the day. My hibiscus is still blooming! Usually, our temperatures yoyo up and down more, dipping into the twenties (killing my hibiscus), then climb into the seventies and eighties.
We have had an exceptional amount of rain this winter. I see puddles that never dry! It is not good to play sports on wet grass. When the ground is wet, it compacts easier and the grass gets damaged. Managing water is very important for the health of your house and landscape.
Starting with gutters, do you have them? Do you need them? Are they clean and functioning properly? Are your gutters a breeding ground for mosquitoes? If water is running off your roof and draining under your house (crawl space), you may want to consider gutters. Moisture underneath a house can led to mold, fungus, moisture damage and termites. Homes without gutters often get rot around windows when the water runs off the roof and splashes off the plants back onto the house.
If you have gutters, are the plants near the downspouts drowning? Do you need to put a piece of flexible pipe on the end of the downspout and direct the water to a place in the yard where it is not a problem? Could you collect this water in a rain barrel and store it for future use?
A large low area in the yard could be dealt with in many ways. Find the lowest point and put a drain and run the water elsewhere. If there are not any tree roots in the area, you could fill in the area with topsoil a little at a time so you do not kill the grass. If the area is small enough, consider using bagged topsoil, so you do not bring a bunch of weeds in the soil to your yard. If the area is big, you could remove the grass with a sod cutter and re-grade the area – adding drains if needed.
If you would like to drain an area very effectively and without having to do a lot of digging, then Turface is the way to go. All you need to do is aerate the area then apply Turface. If you do not have an aerator, you can just spread the Turface along the surface. We have worked with many customers using this product in many different situations with great results. Turface will help drain large areas and small areas. Some areas that are bigger and wetter you can dig columns with a post hole digger or auger and backfill with Turface. You will also save on the water and fungicide bill with this product. Turface also helps with compaction. Turface will also help you in drought conditions by releasing water that it has held in its capillaries.
Using wetting agents can also help get water from the surface and into the ground.
Hot topics at Possum’s – pruning (what / when / how), moles, fungus, rats, preemergent products and timing, weeds (kill them now before they produce seeds for next year), custom soil tests…
Always read and follow product label. It is the law.
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 possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to “The Garden Clinic”, Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, or listen to the replay of Saturday’s show, Sundays from 11:00 to noon on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com.
