It's back, high heat that is. Despite the fact that we were talking about building an ark just a few weeks ago, you can see signs the soil is drying from the heat. The following link provides excellent watering instructions for trees, bushes and grass:
Remember, it’s not how long you water but how much. We will supply you with an accurate watering cup that you can place in your yard to help you measure the amount of water you put on your lawn. Call or email to receive one at no charge.
If you do water, the best time is between 4:00 AM and 8:00 AM., second best 8:00 to noon. Avoid watering late in the evening, the combination of moisture and humid air supports the growth of lawn fungus.
When watering, remember…
...the drier the air and/or
…the higher the wind and/or
…the higher the temperature
the greater is the water loss from the grass plant.
We are just about done with spraying for broadleaf weeds. There are other specialty weeds such as nut sedge (looks like miniature corn stalks) that may arrive with summer’s heat that require specialty herbicides and multiple spraying. Contact us if you have issues.
Creepy, crawly weeds such as violets and ivy have done very well this year. The extra rain is just what they like. With the summer heat they become almost untouchable by herbicides. Best thing to do is wait until the next great time to attack; October. We have seen more than one homeowner become too
aggressive in attacking these weeds in the heat of the summer and as a result, doing serious damage to their lawn.
Unwanted grasses sometimes become an issue in lawns. These too create control problems as herbicides which kill weeds will not kill grasses. There are some new specialty items on the market which we have available but have not yet used. Again, contact us if you have the need.
July means two trips to the Turf Center at Purdue. One for Turf Day, the second, for a class about diagnosing lawns. More information to follow in next month’s letter.
WATER HARVESTING AND CONTROL-We have begun discussing with technical specialists from a company named D2 Land and Water Resource, two erosion control projects. The first is for a burm that runs along the side of a home, the second for a backyard cut by a creek. This firm also supports other erosion control items such as rain water harvesting, permeable pavers and rain gardens. If you have interest in any of the topics, we are available.
Matt and Jim
