August Garden Report
Happy August, we hope everyone has been staying dry with the excessive rainfall that we have seen lately. Our lawns certainly love the abundance of water, but excessive amounts can cause some issues especially with the fluctuating temperature we have seen from the storms. This month we wanted to talk about what we can do to prevent any damage or set backs before the growing season wraps up in the next couple of months.
The first thing to be aware of is our amount of rainfall. It is highly recommended to keep a rain gauge at the house so that you can monitor how much rainfall we do receive. When we are getting multiple inches of rain a week, it is recommended to adjust your irrigation system accordingly. Too much water can create fungus in the lawn this time of year, identified by discolored blades and circular patterns. It is important to give the lawn the chance to dry out in between heavy rain fall. We always say that the best way to water is deep and infrequent (2-3 times per week). Doing so will help promote a deep and healthy root system.
Heavy rainfall can also help identify imperfections in the lawn such as excessive runoff or heavy puddling/pooling. When water stands in an area for days at a time it can cause damage to the grass underneath, adding sand to level out these spots can provide a long-term solution and greatly improve drainage. In areas with heavy run-off or washout you may determine the need for drainage or retention. Seeing the larger picture of what is causing the damage allows you to make the corrections for a more sustainable landscape.
Aside from water damage we have also been seeing a higher activity of insect damage. The sod webworms/armyworms have been making their presence known in Bermuda and St. Augustine lawns. They will quickly chew down the blades of grass leaving areas and even entire lawns damaged or browned out.
The first indicator of these gnawing insects is the moths that hatch them in your lawn. If you are seeing small white/gray moths flying out of your grass as you walk through at dusk or dawn it is important to put down a preventative insecticide, as once the caterpillars hatch, they get to eating quickly. The good news is, once controlled in a timely manner recovery is somewhat manageable.
St. Augustine specifically deals with a plethora of issues this time of year between webworms, chinch bugs and gray leafspot fungus. It is always recommended to keep a close eye for yellowing, spots on grass blades, and brown straw like areas forming in the lawn. It is best to act preventatively with this grass type, as it does not recover well compared to zoysia or Bermuda.
Lastly, we want to discuss our plants and bushes. Now is getting close to the time where our spring/summer annuals are beginning to change colors and drop some leaves and our fall/winter annuals are beginning to produce growth and buds. We recommend providing nutrients to these plants to help supply healthy growth. We have seen a lot of activity from whiteflies this season especially on viburnums. Look for small white hopping insects on the underside of your leaves and around the bases of your plants. The white flies will leave behind a residue on your leaves leading to sooty mold that will eventually turn the plant black.
We hope that this information will help you be able to identify and treat issues at the source before becoming a larger problem. If you ever need a professional opinion or help with treatments, feel free to reach out.
Zach Deloach is the owner of Lawn Doctor of Beaufort County.
