Horticulture Hotline 04/13/26
By Bill
Lamson-Scribner
Another dry Spring. Do you have mites trying to come into
your house for some water? I did a little shopping on the broken bag pallet at
Possum’s and have been putting out organics to bring my grass out of dormancy –
Perk, SeaHume, Organic Dethatcher, 04-04-04, and dolomitic lime (based on soil
test). I also used a broken bag of fungicide, insecticide, and pre-emergent. The
one thing that probably saves me the most time is something I put on my shrubs called
Cutless Growth Regulator – no pruning or picking up after pruning!
While working in the stores, a common concern I hear is that
“I missed the time to preemerge”. Different weeds germinate at different soil
temperatures if adequate moisture is available. Crabgrass is an early
germinating weed. Later comes goosegrass. Then the dreaded Doveweed germinates.
Not all the crabgrass seeds germinate at one time either. Keeping a protective barrier
up according to the label is the most important strategy, and you can begin
that any time of year.
The biggest issue I see is the lack of rain. The high blue
skies with the lower humidity and the high winds 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 soil 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 top-soil 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 pour 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 comes to mind.
Many people that live in the Lowcountry travel. 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!
Bill Lamson-Scribner
can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply.
Possum’s has three locations
