Even though Dry Fall Brown Patch Attacking

                                           Playoffs 11/2/24 Charleston Battery Hosting

                                                     Dry, Drought, Dust - Wetting Agent!

          

Horticulture Hotline 10/28/24

By Bill Lamson-Scribner

 

The weather has been as nice as I can ever remember it the Lowcountry the past few weeks. We need some rain badly; however, I get it, it is nice not having any. Please water, your landscape will thank you! Visiting the State, County, City, and Town Parks is a must this time of year. Walking through the peninsula of Charleston or other Lowcountry cities can be most enjoyable with the weather we have been having. The Plantations are another great place to spend a morning or afternoon. While walking, always keep an eye out for a cool plant, ornamental pot, fountain, bird feeder, or other landscape item to bring into your yard or just enjoy in your neighbor’s yard. The sweet tea olive fragrance has been off the charts. Oyster roasts are happening and are often for great causes. Charleston Battery are in the playoffs – good food and good soccer!

 

Soil testing in the fall allows you to amend the soil over the winter and be ready for spring. Lime takes a while to react in the soil and you usually have more gardening time on your hands. The better soil testing facilities and the people who need to interrupt the results of the test (that would be me if you soil test with Possum’s) have a little more time in the fall to get your information back to you.

 

Preparing a plant for transplanting by root pruning is a good step towards a successful transplant. Try to take 12 inches of root ball for every inch in diameter of the plant. Push a shovel straight down to sever the roots. No prying, just cut the roots. Keep the plant watered, especially with this drought we are experiencing. More on this topic in the coming weeks…

 

Planting new sod? SeaHume, Nature’s Blend, Cotton Burr Compost, a fungicide, and an insecticide are good choices to encourage root growth and to prevent insects or disease. The whole landscape would benefit by applying SeaHume, a great organic mix of humates and seaweed.

 

Chickweed and other winter annual weeds are popping up in the landscape. Try to control them now while they are young and you will have better results. If you have not used a preemergent product, you can kill the weeds that are up and apply the preemergent to keep any new weeds from appearing.  

 

As the leaves fall off the Crepe Myrtles and other trees, it is a good time to identify rubbing and crossing limbs. Any damaged limbs should be more visible.  Pruning now can save you some work during the busy spring.

 

If you had aphids, white flies, mealy bugs, or other insect problems on Crepe Myrtles, Sweetgrass, Viburnum, or other plants, now is a great time to get ahead of those critters with Neem oil and Dominion Tree and Shrub drench. Dominion will be absorbed systemically into the plant and be ready to protect the new leaves in the spring.

 

Try to keep up with the leaves as they fall. Leaves on your turf can lead to disease by holding moisture on the grass blades. If you (or a lawn care company) are applying products, the leaves will prevent an even application. If you can, try to compost or mulch the leaves on site. Your soil will thank you and you will enjoy the money saved on fertilizer and water.

 

Since the grass has slowed down, now is the perfect time to re-establish your bed lines and edge along your sidewalks and driveway. A little work now could be enjoyed for several months.

 

November and December are great months for planting bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers. If you have had trouble with squirrels in the past, try Squirrel Stopper. Get those winter annuals (pansies, etc) planted so you can get them to grow thick before the cold slows them down.

 

The great weather has brought on Large Patch disease in many yards. With any luck an application of a good systemic fungicide (T-Methyl or Strobe) should get you through these favorable environmental conditions.

 

Always read, understand, and follow product label. The product label is a Federal Law.

 

Water, Water, Water

                                                       Wetting Agent / Awesome Stuff
 

Horticulture Hotline 10/21/24

 By Bill Lamson-Scribner

 

I know it has been over a month since I wrote the Horticulture Hotline. Thank you for the multiple wellness checks. Very interesting what people think happened to me or where I travelled to after reading this column pretty much every week for over thirty-four years and all the sudden not getting it. I am alive and well and sorry to say I have not gone on a around the world cruise. My sweet tea olives are smelling great, so I know I made it to my favorite time of year!

 

Mosquitoes, army worms, mole crickets, roaches, moles, fire ants, rats, when should I transplant, when do I put out ryegrass, bed bugs, how do I kill this weed and when should I put out a preemergent weed control product seem to be the main topics this fall.

 

The biggest issue I see is the lack of rain. The high blue skies with the lower humidity and a little wind will dry out an area very quickly. Water, water, water and use a wetting agent to get the most out of the water when you water or when it rains.

 

Possum’s Wetting Agent with Biostimulants (PWAB) is a product that helps water move deeper into the soil. PWAB will help soften clay for water penetration and get rid of those localized dry spots in your lawn. Sandy soils will hold water longer and prevent those localized dry spots. Wetting agents have shown to reduce watering needs from 33% to 66% in Arizona and other areas where water is limited. If you could go from watering three times a week down to once a week or not at all, think of the savings!

 

 The benefits of using a wetting agent would be far greater than just the savings with the water company. Since the water would penetrate deeper into the soil, the root systems of your grass and plants would grow deeper. As the roots of your grass and plants slough off and are replaced by new roots, organic material is increasing in the area where these roots are shed, creating a deeper topsoil area.

 

 A deeper root system will help in times of drought and can collect more nutrients from the soil. If you use fertilizer, a deeper root system can absorb more nutrients before they leach away; therefore, you can use lower fertilizer rates. If you use root absorbed systemic fungicides or insecticides, a deeper root system will also “catch” these products more efficiently giving you more “bang for your buck”.

 

When it rains, a yard treated with a wetting agent like Possum’s Wetting Agent with Biostimulants has less runoff. The rain penetrates the ground much easier, keeping the rain in your yard and not in the storm water drains. If you have ever poured water out on a dusty dirt road, and watched the water bead up and not penetrate the road, you have witnessed a hydrophobic soil condition. If you add a little wetting agent to this water and poured it on the same road, the water would penetrate the dusty dirt road. By keeping the water in your lawn, you will have the benefit of the water and we will have less runoff into our marshes.

 

The biggest savings from using a wetting agent will come from reduced use of fungicides. Most fungi like water. By watering less fungus populations should decrease.

Brown patch / large patch and gray leaf spot definitely comes to mind.

 

Many people travel that live in the Lowcountry. PWAB is great to add to hanging baskets or pots. Whether you are travelling or just want to increase your intervals between watering, PWAB should help you with a more uniform distribution of water and better hydrated plants.

 

If you prefer a granular product over a spray, try HumGranWet. HumGranWet is very cost-effective product that combines a wetting agent and humic acid. If you would rather spread than spray, check it out. HumGranWet has a very low use rate (1.15 pounds per thousand square feet 4 times a year or 2.3 pounds per thousand square feet every 6 months) and long residual making it very affordable!

 

People come into Possum’s and say that the savings on their water bill more than pays for the Possum’s Wetting Agent with Biostimulants. All the other benefits are an extra (free) bonus!