Hello Everyone!

It’s been quite the long, hot summer! I hope y’all are hanging in there and got to enjoy the brief period in which I openly blessed the use of sprinklers before the water companies started their restrictions.

I know there’s a lot of damage out there but luckily grass is pretty reliable in growing back and, on the bright side, the burning heat has melted any fear that sod webworm would make a come back (that’s either a silver lining or I’m hallucinating from heat exhaustion.)

Anyway, without further ado here’s what you need to know for September:

  • With mandatory restrictions now in effect you want to a) split the cycle 2 or 3 times each night that you water b) start the first cycle soon after the sun has gone down c) cup test any areas that are turning brown or yellow
  • To help with your water bills reduce or avoid running the zones that have a lot of shade or water draining from other areas (or just cap sprinkler heads if the zone has mixed conditions)
  • Watch for chinch bugs! They normally start alongside concrete in high sun areas but can spread pretty quickly to all healthy grass, they can also come back even after applying pesticide if you use a lawn crew so follow up treatments may be necessary.
  • Weed problems are arising due to either over-watering, or heat damage leaving exposed spots for ambitious weeds to make their move on. Monitor regularly and let us know if you spot a problem.
  • Compost top dressing is still the most effective way to protect and recover damaged areas, we’re now scheduling compost applications to help kick start recovery, for pricing reply “compost” to this email.
  • A lot of lawns have damage right now but don’t assume brown grass is dead, there could still be live runners underneath. DO NOT RAKE DEAD GRASS (or be tempted to install new sod), we need to wait for the heat wave to break and Fall weather to hit before risking additional stress.

 

 

 
 

Watering

  •  Check your local MUD district for specific restrictions and plan accordingly!
  • Walk the lawn and if you’re seeing any stress or damage perform a cup test (see here my ridiculous slide show for instructions.)
  •  If cups aren’t your thing (or walking around in 100 degree heat isn’t your thing) then most sprinkler contractors offer a similar service called a professional survey.
  • Split the sprinkler cycle to run 2 or 3 times overnight to maximize water uptake
  • Start the sprinklers once the sun has gone down to avoid evaporation and give the grass the longest amount of time to absorb the water

If you’re looking for ways to save some money on your water bill try:

  •  minimize running time or skip zones that are shaded or get drainage or watered by the neighbors (there’s a lot of charitable neighborly over shooting of sprinklers going on right now 🙂 )
  • Use manual sprinklers to spot water areas that are getting dry instead of running the whole system
  •  Add compost to dry areas to help them retain moisture
  •  Skip mowing whenever possible to minimize additional stress (mowing necessary if it starts to get taller than about 5″)

Lastly, with any luck the weather will transition to Fall in a couple of weeks, get ready to shut your sprinklers off whenever we get a good rain, or the temps drop into the 80s.

   
We have our own YouTube channel now (cringe) called Flaherty Lawns, if you find the clips helpful and even vaguely entertaining please let me know and I will keep doing them.
 Crazy Grass Lady’s Giveaway 
We are pleased to announce the winner of our free Organic Soil Conditioning is Kathleen C from HoustonThis month’s giveaway is a free Preventative Fungus Treatment
Please reply “Fungus” to this email to be included in the draw. One entry per person but you can nominate a friend or relative within our catchment area. You don’t have to be a current customer to enter.

                            

Yours sincerely

Crazy Grass Lady