Recent Calls and Questions
Below you will find links to the subjects we’ve been receiving the most questions about this season. Click on a link for further information on each topic.
Lawn Recovery from Drought
Mike Goatley
Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Tech
Following an extended summer drought, fall rains provide a very quick distinction between living and dead cool-season turf. Turfgrasses will quickly resume the expansion and emergence of previously formed leaves that were shut down by the drought and will also initiate new leaf growth that will contribute to an overall greening of the turf within a day or so of a significant rainfall event. If the turf does not show signs of recovery, then make preparations for renovating the turf in the fall, the best season to establish cool-season grasses.
If the entire lawn has failed, then complete renovation involving an application of a non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate to control all the existing vegetation is often appropriate. At this time, you have the opportunity to consider if perhaps another cool-season turf might be better suited to your needs and climate. Tall fescue works well across much of the state and research at the Hampton Roads research station is showing that a mix of tall fescue and hybrid bluegrass has desirable qualities. If tall fescue repeatedly fails, then perhaps it is time to convert to one of the improved, cold tolerant varieties of zoysiagrass next summer. Complete renovation is costly, very labor-intensive and often is not required. Most lawns will likely have problem spots measuring anywhere from 50 to 150 sq feet and these spots will be surrounded by healthy, great looking grass, so it makes sense to concentrate only on the small areas. Be sure to conduct a soil test if one has not been made within the past 3 years. Your local extension office can help you with the materials and proper steps to follow in soil testing. And when choosing the grass for spot renovations, try to select grasses with similar appearance and growth habit as to the current lawn in order to maintain turf uniformity. The final pre-plant step is to properly prepare the soil for planting. Some degree of soil preparation is essential for successful turfgrass establishment; there is a name for simply sprinkling seed over top of an unprepared soil expensive bird food. Consider making multiple passes with a core aerator or a power rake/dethatcher. Do-it-yourselfers can often reserve these machines or specialized power seeders at rental stores, and consider that your lawn care professional very likely has both the equipment and expertise to optimize your chances for successful turf renovation.
What about how much seed to plant? While there are very distinct seeding recommendations for new establishments and/or complete renovations that is available in information found through your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office, this is a tough question to answer for spot renovations. If there is an area of 500-1000 sq ft that needs repair, then weighing out the appropriate amount of seed (it might range from 1 to 8 pounds depending on the grass selected) and applying it with a rotary or drop spreader over the area is fairly simple. However, for only a few problem spots, the last thing one wants to buy is a 50 lb bag of seed, so this is where smaller packages of seed become more cost effective. Consider what not to do in order to handle spot renovations correctly visibly seeing 1 seed every sq inch is NOT enough, but at the same time, seed stacked upon seed so that you can’t see the soil is even worse! It is not an absolute number by any means because seed size among species is highly variable, but for most grasses somewhere between 10-15 seed per square inch corresponds fairly well with recommended planting rates for new establishments. Competition among germinating seedlings that are seeded too densely will end up controlling most (if not all) of these plants, so this is another case of too much is not a good thing.
Another valuable tool in partial renovations is a compost application. The compost can be applied either before the soil preparation or as a topdressing following seeding. Only 1/4 to inch depth of quality compost is required. Then, lightly mulching the seeded areas will also help conserve moisture, reduce seed movement from rain/irrigation events, and further enhance establishment. Wheat straw works great with about 1 bale/1000 sq ft of area being an appropriate mulching density. The key to the right amount of mulch is that you should still be able to see some of the soil underneath the straw. An advantage to straw mulch is that you don’t have to worry about picking it up after germination is complete. Simply mow the turf when it needs to be clipped and chop the straw right back into the turf canopy. There also are bagged mulch products, some of which contain seed and fertilizer in the mix, and these are particularly handy (and affordable) for patch work renovations. Just be sure that you are matching up your turfgrasses when you use these products. Light and frequent irrigation of the mulched area optimizes establishment, and as the turf matures, reduce the irrigation frequency and amount.
Don’t forget the exceptional value of sod for spot renovations. Sod can be cut and shaped into various sized patches and the improvement in lawn appearance is essentially immediate. Soil preparation for sod installation is best handled by light tillage and smoothing of the surface prior to installation. Sod is more forgiving in water requirement and frequency than seeding establishments and provides in a turf that can handle some limited foot traffic almost immediately. Rolling it after installation to maximize sod/soil contact and smooth the surface with the existing grass further enhances both its appearance and chance for long-term establishment success.
Follow these steps this fall to return your lawn into not only a thing of beauty, but also one of Mother Natures most effective means of water filtration and soil stabilization. Remember that your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office offers plenty of resources and expertise in your quest to keep the lawn green and our water clean.
Tune up your mower to help your wallet and the environment
Why tune up your lawn mower? There are a number of benefits for the environment and for you. A well-maintained mower reduces emissions by up to 50 percent, protecting the environment, and reduces fuel consumption by up to 30 percent, conserving natural resources. A tune-up and some simple maintenance will extend the life of your equipment, restore horsepower up to 7.5 percent, and improve the startability of your engine. Detailed instructions can be found at:
http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/releases/052702/mower.html
Change the oil: A typical engine tune-up includes changing the oil, spark plugs and air filter.
For optimum performance, change the oil in your small engine at least once per season, or every 25 hours of use. Most small engine manufacturers provide maintenance kits that come with the correct oil for your engine. You can also purchase oil separately.
Start the engine and run it until it is warm. Stop the engine. WARNING: Be sure to disconnect the spark plug wire, and secure it away from the spark plug to prevent accidental starting. Remove the dipstick, if equipped. Drain the old oil by tipping the mower on its side. Remember to catch this old oil and recycle it at a transfer station; do not release the used oil into the environment. Replace the oil filter if engine is equipped with one. Fill with new oil as specified in your owner’s manual. Most small engines hold 20 oz.
Next...
Change the spark plug: Changing your spark plug is one of the easiest ways to ensure accurate and easy engine starts. For best results, change the plug at least once a year. Some spark plugs are pre-gapped, so all you need to do is remove the old spark plug and replace it with the new one. If the plug is not gapped, gap it according to manufacturer's specifications.
Be sure the engine is stopped. Disconnect the spark plug wire, and clean the area around the spark plug to avoid getting debris in the combustion chamber when you remove the plug. Remove the spark plug using a spark plug socket and/or socket wrench. Install new spark plug finger tight, then tighten a quarter to third turn more with socket wrench. Then...
Replace the air filter: Most mowers nowadays come with simple to replace air filters. Usually the air filter is held in place with several prongs. Remove the old filter and replace with one as recommended in the owner’s manual.
Now you’re ready to start your engine! Attach the spark plug wire to the plug, run the engine at idle and check for leaks.
Ants
It’s common to see ants invading the home at this time of year, and luckily most of them only create a nuisance and do not damage your home. Carpenter ants, however, feed on wood and can cause structural damage. Do you have ants? If so, take a look at the following factsheets for control strategies. Don’t know what kind of ants you have? Bring a sample of them to the Extension Office – we’d be happy to identify the ants and recommend control strategies. Bring intact insects for identification to the office in a crush-proof container. Several specimens (i.e. more than one ant) are helpful.
Brown Patch
Brown Patch. Credit: University of Missouri-Columbia<
Brown patch is starting to appear this summer. The months of June, July, and August tend to be the peak periods for brown patch activity in Virginia. Warm nights combined with long periods of leaf wetness from afternoon thunderstorms, irrigation, or dew provide ideal conditions for disease development. What to do about it? Take a look at this Extension Factsheet from Ohio State for details.
Blossom End Rot
Improper soil moisture, calcium uptake, and soil pH can contribute to blossom end rot among others. See Va Tech’s publication below for information on control.
Virginia Cooperative Extension “Blossom End Rot of Tomato” Publication
Yellowjackets, Bees and Wasps
Yellowjackets
Bees and Wasp Stings
Paper Wasps and Hornets
European Hornets
Carpenter Bees
Mud Daubers
Honey Bees in House Walls
Japanese Beetles
June, July and August are the months in which we typically see most foliar damage to ornamentals from Japanese beetles. If you have Japanese beetle problems, should you apply an insecticide or use a trap? Should you treat your lawn for grubs? Get the answers to these questions and more in the Purdue Japanese Beetle Factsheet.
Spider Mites
Hot and dry weather has also brought on an increase in spider mite damage to trees and ornamentals. Damage is usually first seen in early spring (March –April) and depending on conditions, populations (and damage) can build quickly. Spider mites feed on fluids found inside individual cells of the leaf; when fluids are removed from the cells, they die and turn brown, causing a stippled or “sandblasted” appearance on the leaf. See the Virginia Cooperative Extension “Spider Mites” Publication for controls.
Aphids
Aphids are common insects, occurring on almost all plants in Virginia, from trees to shrubs to annuals and perennials. Aphids are small (2-4 mm long), pear-shaped, soft-bodied insects that occur in many colors (green, red, black), and are easily recognized by the presence of cornicles (tail pipes) on their abdomen. Aphids tend to attack tender new growth on plants and congregate on the underside of young leaves. Aphids suck plant juices from plant tissue, often resulting in off-color damage, curled leaves, and/or wilting. While aphids often go unnoticed, their waste, called honeydew, is more conspicuous. Honeydew is a clear, sticky liquid that coats bark, leaves, and objects beneath the plant. Honeydew is easily seen on car windshields and lawn furniture, and can be difficult to remove.
Lawns Online
Have questions about lawn care? Check out our online lawn care resources for links to presentations, publications and our Lawns Online 5-course guide to lawn care.
Also check out our public seminars schedule – lawn care seminars “How to Grow a Greener Lawn” will be starting in July.
Spring and Summer Lawn Management Considerations for Cool-Season Turfgrasses
Spring and Summer Lawn Management Considerations for Warm-Season Turfgrasses
From the
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Click the link above to
choose your month
Ticks and Your Health
What health risks to tick bites pose? How do you safely remove a tick? How can you avoid them? For answers to these questions and more, check out the VCE publication Gardening and Your Health: Ticks.
Is It Time to Prune?
That depends on the plant. Fall is the right time to prune some
trees and shrubs, while others benefit from a mid-winter or spring pruning. To
find out the right time for your particular plants follow the links below to
three pruning calendars from Tech. Check out the links to pruning tips as well.
Is your tree to large for you to prune? Not
sure if it needs pruning? Consult a Certified Arborist.
Additional information can be found at the
ISA Consumer Tree Care Website: www.treesaregood.com
Got Moles?
As the weather warms up, you may be seeing more tunnels in your yard. There are plenty of products on the market which claim to rid your lawn of moles, but unfortunately there is no guaranteed control measure. Even if you have tons of mole tunnels all over your yard, you probably only have one or two moles present! And you don’t necessarily have a grub problem just because moles have moved into your yard. How can that be? Moles eat many other insects in addition to earthworms, snails, and slugs. Take a look at the Virginia Tech publication “Managing Wildlife Damage…Moles” for details and recommended control measures.
Virginia’s Finest Trees
Do you know of an outstanding tree in
Chesterfield
County?
The
College
of
Natural Resources at Virginia Tech
is compiling a list of remarkable trees in the state of
Virginia and they need your help!
Anyone is welcome to nominate a tree or
organize a search. We are looking for trees that are remarkable for their
beauty, size, historic significance, importance to the community, or for any
other reason known to the nominator. The
College of
Natural
Resources at Virginia Tech intends to include all
nominated trees and the name of the nominator on a Remarkable Tree Website, and
to select a smaller number of trees to photograph for a book. The purpose of
this project is to increase awareness of the value of trees in our
communities.
To nominate a truly remarkable tree, follow
this link!
Do
you have questions or comments? Contact us at edwardssu@chesterfield.gov.
