Oh, the Colors of Fall!

Plan a walk through a neighborhood with mature trees full of fall color this week.

Everything about this fall has felt a couple of weeks behind — even fall color is running is running behind. 

But, it’s here.  It is officially time to get outdoors and enjoy the fall show!  

Plan a color walk through your favorite neighborhood or park, take a leisurely bike ride through a neighborhood full of mature trees, or take an afternoon drive around the metro area.

Fall color depends upon a few key elements:

1.     Abundant moisture during the growing season.

The best fall color follows a summer of consistent moisture.  When we have a below normal, dry summer, you can expect to see a slightly less dynamic fall color.  

Yellow leafed Japanese Maples add bright pots of yellow to the fall landscape.

2.     Average to late freeze.

The average first freeze in central Oklahoma occurs during the first few days of November.  Some areas of the metro experienced an early light freeze on October 16th, but for most of the area, and officially, we have not had a freeze yet this year. When it comes to the first fall freeze, the best fall color occurs when the first freeze comes late, and it is a light freeze.  

3.     Cool fall nights with plenty of sunshine. 

The more average cool fall nights, nights above freezing, the better the fall color.  Also, the more sunny days versus cloudy days, the more dynamic the colors will be.  

4.     Low winds.

Once the leaves make the change to brilliant yellows, oranges and reds, the last thing we want is a gusty day stripping the trees.  Once leaves start to turn, low to no wind days will extend the color.

Based on these four elements, I would say we are experiencing a late and less than average fall color display this year.  The biggest impact on fall color this year was the dry late summer and fall.   

Just a reminder to keep the leaves cleaned up often. Fescue needs light!

I always look forward to seeing this maple in Mesta Park every fall.

Nandina is an old time plant that showers us with large berry clusters followed by bright orange, red leaves as the fall progresses.

Japanese Maple

Typically, peak fall color for central Oklahoma starts the last week of October and extends through the first two weeks of November.

This year, peak fall color is happening now, in mid-November.  

Pyracantha

What is your favorite fall tree or shrub?

What is mine? Any and all!  Everyday I have a new favorite. 

Here are a few that I always look forward to seeing in the fall landscape:

Boston Ivy is a deciduous vine that turns bright red in the fall.

Autumn Blaze Maples are the first maples to announce it is fall.

Looking for a place to take leisurely fall color bike ride?  Start on NW 14th in Heritage Hills and discover this Autumn Blaze Maple.

Autumn Blaze Maple. This was the first bright red tree I saw this fall.

Autumn Blaze Maple – One of the first trees to start the show with bright orange to red foliage. I’m sure you have noticed them.  Often the heat of late summer will leave Maples with tattered leaves and less fall color, which is the case this year. Maples do best when they have protection from late evening, radiant heat.  This explains why you will find some of the brightest reds on maples are on the trees planted amongst other large trees.

Chinese Pistache is a dependable medium sized tree that is tolerate of a wide range of planting locations.

Chinese Pistache

The Chinese Pistache at NW 18th and Shartel Ave are typically put on a brilliant show.

Chinese Pistache – A round top, medium sized tree, with incredible colors of yellow, orange, and red in the fall. The best Chinese Pistache are so electric you would think they are plugged in. The only downside to a Chinese Pistache is inconsistency. Not everyone will have dynamic color. We have one in our front lawn, the color is good, but not as brilliant as others. The Oklahoma City National Memorial has several large and colorful Chinese Pistache.

There is something about the way the late afternoon fall sun hits the changing leaves of a bald cypress that makes you stop and pause.

Bald Cypress – Known for being the only deciduous needle tree, bald cypress has a brilliant rusty red color in the fall. It is a large tree, too large for the typical city sized yard, but if you have a large area, it will not disappoint in the fall. We have one planted near the water, and we can count on it consistently putting on a good fall show.  There is something about how the late evening sun hits the color changing foliage in the fall that causes me to pause for a minute and stare every evening.

Lacebark Elm – A large tree with mottled bark that is not as disease and pest prone as the traditional elms. You can expect bright yellow leaves for the fall. A favorite variety is the Allee with its vase shape.

October Glory Maple is similar to the Autumn Blaze in growth and color but puts on a color show a couple weeks after the Autumn Blaze

October Glory Maple adds orange-red to red color to the landscape just a little latter than the Autumn Blaze Maple.

October Glory Maple – Another large Maple like the Autumn Blaze in growth and fall color. One difference is the October Glory’s peak color usually comes a couple of weeks later than the Autumn Blaze. While Autumn Blaze is one of the first trees to turn red in the fall, October Glory is one of the last.  Maybe every landscape should have one of each.

Shantung Maple

Shantung Maple is a smaller tree with brilliant golden yellow to orange fall color.

Shantung Maple – A smaller, 20-25’ Maple with yellow to orange to red color. This tree is ideal for planting near power lines, in smaller lawns, or as an accent tree in a larger landscape.

I enjoy the view of our neighbor’s maple trees every fall and I’m so thankful they added them to their landscape!

Shumard Oak – There are so many great oaks, but this is my favorite. A large, 50-75’ tree with good red fall color. One advantage to the Shumard Oak is it’s more tolerant of our alkaline soils.

The reddish browns of Shumard Oak rarely disappoint.

Shumard Oak

Redbud – A smaller tree, famous for being one of the first to flower in the spring, but often overlooked for its bright yellow fall color. The native Eastern Redbud has better fall color than the improved Oklahoma Redbud but can disappoint if the summer has left the leaves tattered.

Ginkgo

Ginkgo

Ginkgo

Ginkgo – An underused, 40-60’ tree that does very well in street plantings. The Ginkgo has a distinct, fan shaped, irregularly notched leaf that could lay claim to the best yellow fall color.

Silhouette Sweetgum are a great tree for adding bright fall color to small spaces.

Sweetgum may be the most perfect tree with star-shaped dark green leaves that turn wonderful shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple lasting late into the fall. (Perfect except for those annoying spiky seed balls that litter your lawn.)

Slender Sihouette Sweetgum is columnar shaped and great for tight spaces and crest a wonderful vertical accent.

Sweet Gum

Sweet Gum – If it weren’t for the spiny, 1-1.5” seed balls that litter a lawn, this tree would be on every landscape enthusiast’s wish list.  When you see a sweetgum in the fall, it immediately gets your attention because of the multicolored leaves.  The star-shaped leaves turn shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple often persisting late into the fall.  The tree performs well in both wet and dry soils and reaches 50-60’.  The Slender Silhouette variety is a columnar shaped Sweetgum that reaches 40-50’ but is only 4’ wide.  It is great for tight spaces, small gardens, and anyplace you want to create a striking vertical accent.  Just like the full-sized tree, it is common for there to be several rich colors on the same tree.

This allee of single trunk Crape Myrtles at the Myriad Gardens is a great example of the fall color Crape Myrtles add to the landscape when we allow them grow to their natural size as trees instead of excessively pruning them every spring into large shrubs.

Ash

Ash – Marshall’s Seedless Ash is a proven variety with dark green foliage and bright yellow fall color.  Ash is known for its tolerance of hot, dry winds and both wet and dry soils, making them well suited for our climate. 

Crape Myrtles – Our longest blooming landscape plant is too often overlooked for the orange to red fall colors it brings to the landscape.  Incorrectly, Crape Myrtle are pruned into large shrubs, and we rarely get to experience their splendor in the fall as a tree.   When allowed to grow naturally, you find their addition to the fall landscape stunning.

Ash

Crape Myrtle

A Dogwood growing in a native area in eastern Oklahoma.

Dogwoods – A rarely planted tree in central Oklahoma that makes a great understory tree in shady areas with dark red fall color. If you have mature trees in your landscape, consider adding a dogwood as an accent. The Tulsa area is blessed with an abundance of fall color from dogwoods.

Euonymus Burning Bush

Burning Bush looks great on groupings or as a single specimen.

Euonymus Burning Bush

Euonymus Burning Bush – A medium to large shrub with bright red fall color. Like the Chinese Pistache, they can be inconsistent. Also known as, Winged Euonymus.  When it is over pruned, it doesn’t reach its full potential.  When it is left to grow to its natural shape and height, and it has received sufficient moisture through the summer, the fall color is intense and more consistent than any other plant.  It is a great planted as a single specimen, in a grouping or as a natural hedge.  For smaller landscapes, plant the ‘Compactus’ variety. 

Oakleaf Hydrangea are know for their white flowers in early summer, but with their large burgundy colored leaves also put on a great fall show.

Oakleaf Hydrangeas are often overlooked for their rich red fall color.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Oakleaf Hydrangea - One of the most underutilized, showy plants available.  Known for magnificent white flowers in the early summer, but it is often overlooked for the rich burgundy color of the large, lobed leaves in the fall.  It prefers moist, rich, well-drained soil and best planted in shade to partial shade. 

Ornamental grasses can also add brilliant colors to the fall landscape. One of my favorites is Pink Muhly.

Pink Muhly Grass - An upright, slightly arching ornamental grass that produces a soft, airy pink to purple bloom in late September to early November.  Great planted as a single specimen or as a mass planting.

Autumn Sage is a perennial that adds bright pinks to the fall landscape.

Autumn Sage

Autumn Sage - A showy perennial that adds prolific hot pink color to the fall landscape.  Great for hot, sunny locations.

There are several varieties of Sumac each with their own dynamic fall color.

Sumac

Sumac

Sumac - Used as a large shrub or a specimen small tree with great tolerance for dry, poor soils.  Sumac has a bright red fall color.  It is best known for the bright red color it adds to the native landscape, but it deserves to be planted in more landscapes as an understory.

Did you notice the list of great fall color includes more than trees? 

Don’t overlook all the color shrubs, vines and perennials that can add to your fall landscape.  

Get outside!

Maybe you will find a tree or shrub you need to add to your landscape!

 

We would love to see pictures of your favorite fall colors!

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Goldmound Spirea

Leaf Clean-up is a Matter of Lawn Health

Don’t you love trees!

Trees announce the end of winter and celebrate spring with bursts of colors as they come to life with fresh buds and colorful blossoms. 

In the summer, we enjoy the coolness of their shade.

Now in the fall, we enjoy the bright shades of red, yellow, orange, and brown that trees add to our world.

Lawn and landscape enthusiasts just can’t imagine a world without the enjoyment of trees.

But, it is starting…the not so enjoyable side of trees…falling leaves! 

Let’s face it, for all the wonderful attributes of trees, trees can be a love-hate relationship. 

Maybe “hate” is too strong for a tree lover.  It is really a love-love-love-followed by an inconvenient relationship. 

It is just so unfortunate that leaf clean-up is a necessary evil of being a tree lover. 

Weekly mulch mowing leaves is a best practice for keeping your healthy through the fall.

We love the spectacular red maple leaves on our trees. But, as soon as they clutter the lawn, we can’t stand them.

The old yellow Cottonwood leaves look great towering over this Edmond neighborhood, but soon frequent mulch mowing of leaves will be a best practice in this neighborhood.

Shumard Oak trees are one of the last trees to add color to the fall landscape and also one of the last trees to drop leaves.

Why is leaf clean UP important?

Can’t I just leave the leaves on the lawn and landscape until an Oklahoma wind pushes them down the street?

Why is it important to clean up leaves when the lawn isn’t growing much and will soon be dormant?

Is the only reason we clean up leaves is to have a neat and tidy landscape?

Actually, leaf clean-up is a particularly important part of lawn health.  Why?

For fescue lawns…

Fescue lawns are thriving right now. Gradually, fescue growth will slow but root development will continue.  

Light and air are two critical elements needed for the turf to build strong roots.  Strong roots equal a better lawn next spring. 

Best practices for fescue lawns are all about developing a strong root system for next summer.  The best practices include fall fertilizer applications, overseeding to thicken the turf, proper water management, and ensuring the turf receives light and air by removing leaves frequently.

For cool season lawns, allowing leaves to accumulate for more than a week results in thinner turf.  Allowing leaves to become matted on cool season lawns will result in completely bare areas.  This is important for mature fescue lawns, but especially critical for newly seeded fescue.

Fescue Lawn Recommendation – Continue to maintain fescue lawns weekly as long as leaves are falling and accumulating.

Oak trees are one of the last trees to drop their leaves. Some varieties of oaks actually hold their leaves until new buds emerge in the spring.

The incredible colors of fall are gradually fading into the stress of leaf cleanup.

Unfortunately, soon the brilliant rusty reds and yellows of my Bald Cypress will cover the lawn and patio.

Due to the smallness of the leaf, Elm leaves will create a thick mat if not cleaned up frequently.

When you make leaf clean up a weekly practice, most of the time it is as simple as using your lawn mower to mulch mow the leaves back into the lawn.  Studies show mulch mowing leaves returns nutrients and organic matter back to the soil.

• My current practice is to mulch mow my fescue lawn every 4-5 days.

When leaf drop is heavy, raking, and removal may be needed.  The goal is to return your lawn condition to the point where air and light can reach the turf blades.  If mulch mowing only results in a heavy layer of smaller leaves, it is time to rake and bag.

• When a large leaf drop occurs, and it typically happens once or twice every fall, my practice is to blow the majority of leaves into piles, bag them and then mulch mow the lawn.

Yes, leaf clean-up necessary:

1. Leaf removal is a matter of lawn health, not just tidiness.

2. All lawns need air and light to thrive, even in the fall and winter.

3. Resist the urge to wait until all your leaves have dropped before you clean them up!

Mulch mowing often is a beneficial way to keep leaves cleaned up.

Bald Cypress needles are notorious for creating a dense blanket robbing your lawn of light and air.

For bermuda lawns… 

It is tempting to let leaves build up on dormant warm season lawn.  But, dormant bermuda also needs air and light.  Piled up leaves trap moisture and are prime breeding grounds for disease.  Moist leaves can result in fungal problems. It is common to find thin and sometimes bare areas in bermuda lawns where leaves have been left for extended periods of time.

Bermuda Lawn Recommendation – Even though warm seasons lawns have stopped growing and are going dormant for the season, keeping leaves cleaned up and not allowing them to accumulate around edges and in corners is the best practice.

Leaves piled up in corners are a breeding ground for disease.

Mulching leaves with your mower is very beneficial to your soil.

Allowing leaves to accumulate on your lawn can result in a thinner turf.

A leaf covered lawn will reduce the effectiveness of the last lawn application of the year by limiting the weed preventing herbicide from reaching the soil surface.

Another reason for regular leaf removal is the timing of the last lawn care application of the season – Fall is a critical time to prevent and control weeds and set your lawn up for a great start next spring.  Application effectiveness is reduced when the herbicide can’t reach the target because there is a layer of leaves.

Some the the most dynamic yellow leaves in the metro can be found on the Ginkgo Trees on NW 1st and Classen in front of the old Sunshine Cleaners building.

Don’t allow leaves to accumulate on your lawn edges for days and days. If you do the result will be think edges next spring.

Frequent leaf clean-up this fall will give you a better looking, healthier lawn next spring and, more importantly, it could prevent you from spending time and money repairing a thin lawn.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

November Lawn & Landscape Tips

Finally, it is starting to feel and look like fall!   

Nights are cool.  Days are pleasant.  Trees are starting to add reds and yellows to the landscape.  Who doesn’t love fall!

Warm season lawns are gradually losing the last of their summer color.  At the same time, cool season lawns are adding rich greens to the landscape.  Fescue and rye lawns will continue to flourish through November and into December as long as nighttime temperatures stay in the 40s and daytimes are in the 50-70s.

Yes, the change of seasons means lawn and landscape tasks are becoming less frequent, but there are still important activities that need attention in November:

Seasonal Color Planting – If you have not removed your summer color and replaced them with pansies and kale, now is the time to do it.  Soon, as nighttime temperatures continue to cool, any remaining summer color will be done for the season.  Because soil temperatures stay warm through November, you still have time to plant pansies.  Coming Soon to A Landscape Near You – Fall Seasonal Color! September 15, 2024

Now is the perfect time to add pansies to your fall landscape.

Plants that produce berries, such as nandina, add bright colors and interest to the fall and winter landscape.

The bright colors of summer loving annuals...as soon as we receive a killing freeze.

Perennial Tip:  If you have mums in pots this fall, don’t throw them away when they are finished. Instead, add them to your landscape. These mums, used as a perennial, where in pots last fall.

Pyracantha is another fall berrying plant. There are varieties with orange, yellow or red berries.

The blue berries of Hollywood Junipers add interest to the fall and winter landscape.

Spring Bulbs – November through early December is the best time to plant spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips. I have never heard anyone in March say they wish they hadn’t planted bulbs last fall. But, every year I hear someone say how much they wish they would have taken the time to plant bulbs last fall. Plan Now. Plant Next Month. Enjoy Next Spring!  October 13, 2024

Lawn Mowing – Warm season lawns, bermuda and zoysia, most likely have had their last mowing or will very soon. But, cool season lawns, fescue and rye, will continue to grow and flourish. Continue to mow fescue and rye on a regular schedule. The best height to maintain your cool season lawn in the fall is 3” to 3 ½”.

A common appearance of bermuda lawns is a spotty pattern after a heavy frost.

Autumn Blaze Maples have started adding dynamic reds to the landscape. It is one of the first maples to turn in the fall while the October Glory Maple is one of the last.

Ash trees add bright yellows to the early fall landscape.

Leaf Removal – It is important to keep leaves cleaned up. Allowing them to decay on the lawn promotes fungus and disease. If you have a cool season lawn, it is critical to keep the leaves removed. Fescue and rye need light. Allowing leaves to remain on the lawn for extended periods of time will kill areas of your lawn. My favorite way to remove leaves from my fescue lawn is to mulch mow every 5-7 days. I find that mulching small amounts of leaves back into the lawn improves my soil structure.  I only rake and bag leaves when they are too thick to mulch mow.

A great way to manage leaf clean up is to mulch mow the leaves every 4-5 days.

Weed Control – This month is a good month to control broadleaf weeds in your warm season and established cool season lawns. Dandelions and other broadleaves are typically small at this point and easier to kill. If you overseeded your lawn with fescue or rye this fall, do not apply any weed control products until the new grass is well established and has been mowed a few times.

If you have not applied a pre-emergent to your lawn this fall, please do so as soon as possible. And, if you applied a fall pre-emergent in August or September, a second pre-emergent should be applied in October to early December for best prevention of winter weeds. A clean start next spring is the result of two timely fall applications. Why A Second Fall Pre-Emergent Is Important. October 6, 2024

Autumn Blaze Maples, one of the first maples to turn in the fall, started adding bright reds to the landscape this week.

Irrigation – With the unusually dry late summer and fall many lawns and landscapes are not where they need to be heading into winter.  It doesn’t help that November is typically one of the driest months of the year. 

Lack of moisture is a major cause of winter damage to trees and shrubs. Particularly, your evergreens need moisture even when the landscape is dormant.

With cooler temperatures and shorter days, you may not need to water as often. But, it is too early to stop watering all together.   

This time of year, I will either set my irrigation to run every 4 days or leave it on every other day and turn it off for a few days when we receive at least a ½” rainfall.

If your irrigation backflow device is located below ground, inside your garage/house, or has winter protection (heat tape, insulated bag, and cover) you do not need to winterize your system for the winter. Continue to use the system as needed on nice days throughout the winter.

If your system’s backflow is not protected from freezing temperatures, consider adding heat tape, an insulated bag and cover. This will allow you to protect your landscape investment by watering as needed this winter. You can also take it one step further and install a rain/freeze system that will shut the system off when it is too cold, or we have had rain.

Key Point – Most landscape winter damage occurs when the top few inches of soil are dry when temperatures are below freezing.

Irrigation systems are required to have a backflow device installed to prevent irrigation water from re-entering the city water supply. Without freeze protection, your system needs to be shut down for the winter.

The traditional way to protect your backflow from freezing is to wrap it with heat tape and cover with an insulated bag and mock rock. With freeze protection you can continue to use your system as needed through the winter.

Lawn Fertilizer – Fescue and rye lawns need their second fall fertilizer application in late October through November.  Fall is the best time of the year to fertilize cool season lawns.  Bermuda lawns do not need any more fertilizer this year. A good lawn care program will fertilize cool season and warm season turf on a different schedule making sure they each receive fertilizer at the correct times of the season.

If you didn’t prune the spent blooms off your reblooming hydrangeas after they faded, the dried out, spent blooms of late summer turn bright pinkish-red colors in the fall.

Autumn Sage is a perennial that is great for adding reds and pinks to your fall landscape.

Fertilizing Trees and Shrubs – Once your area has received a freeze it is time to apply a good balanced fertilizer to your trees and shrubs. Our soil temperatures remain above 40 degrees most of the winter and plant roots remain active. Because nitrogen leaches from the soil, it needs to be replaced. My experience has found that a late fertilizer application to feed the roots will aid the health and beauty of your plants next spring.

Seeding Fescue – The best time to overseed fescue is September through October. If you have not seeded this year and need to, even though we are into November, you can still have success seeding in early November. Remember the keys are, good seed to soil contact and keeping the seed moist until it comes up. With cooler temperatures, you can expect it to take a little longer to see results than the typical two weeks, and depending on temperatures in November and December, the results may not be seen until spring.

If you overseeded your lawn with fescue in September or October, keep the seed consistently moist, and followed up with a fertilizer application in the last month, your fescue is most likely looking its best headed into November. If you need to do any touch up seeding, with the extended warm soil temperatures, you still have time to add more seed.

If you have a fescue lawn it is very important to remove leaves at least weekly. Fescue needs light and will fade away if leaves are allowed to accumulate on the grass.

One of the great colors of fall comes from an unexpected plant, an ornamental grass - Pink Muhly Grass.

Ginkgo trees will add a bright yellow to the landscape this month.

Oak trees will grace our environment with reds and browns before the end of November.

Pyracantha berries add color to the fall landscape.

Chinese Pistache trees are starting to add yellows, oranges and reds to the landscape.

Sumac is a great midsized plant, perfect for planting under large trees, that will add splashes of color through the fall.

So, as you can see, your lawn and landscape still need attention through November.  

Your best lawn and landscape next spring is the result of how well you finish the season this fall.  

If you have questions or need help, send us an email, or give us a call.

Lorne Hall

Hall|Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Late Summer to Fall Drought & the Impact on your Landscape

Drought is a meteorological event defined as the absence of sufficient rainfall over a period of time resulting in a depletion of soil moisture. 

Most of Oklahoma is currently in a severe to extreme drought condition.

Officially, Oklahoma City is 5” below normal rainfall amounts for the year. 

“Normal” can be misleading.  Since late May, most of the metro area rainfall has come from a couple heavy rainfall events.  And, since the last heavy rainfall event 5 weeks ago, we have been void of any rainfall. 

When it comes to your lawn and landscape, the frequency of rainfall is more important than the total amount of rainfall year to date. 

Long before the local weathermen started talking about drought conditions in our area, we were seeing the symptoms of drought on lawns and landscapes because the occasional rainfalls of the summer and fall were missing this year. 

Without an occasional rainfall every deficiency in an irrigation system is noticeable. In this picture a tree is preventing a strip from receiving the much needed head to head irrigation coverage for seed to germinate.

What You Need to Know… Water is Very Important

Water is the lifeblood of all living organisms. 

Without water there is no plant life. 

Most often we are overly focused on the visible and not focused enough on the invisible.  We worry about leaves and needles turning brown and falling off, while the real concern is the condition of the roots. 

The root system of all plants (trees, shrubs, groundcovers, flowers, and lawns) is affected by drought before we see the visible signs of drought. 

Water is primarily used by a plant to uptake and transport nutrients.  Lack of water limits the plant’s ability to move food and minerals around. 

Feeder roots are responsible for water uptake and are primarily located in the top 12-15” of the soil.  When the available moisture declines to the point that there isn’t any available for the feeder roots, root damage occurs and if conditions persist feeder roots begin to die back. 

Root loss leads to stress and dramatic increase in susceptibility to insects and disease. 

Broadleaf evergreen plants are the first to be damaged in a drought.  It is common for evergreens to appear to be surviving well until they suddenly die. 

Many responses to a drought will not appear until the year following a drought. Spring flowering shrubs and trees may have reduced flowering the following year after a drought. 

A drought can start a cycle of decline that a plant may never recover from resulting in plant loss months or even years after the drought. 

It can take multiple years of normal precipitation for trees to regain their full health following a drought.

In periods of drought, it is not uncommon for an evergreen to appear healthy and then die suddenly. Often a quick death is the result of a cycle of decline from previous drought periods from which the plant never fully recovered.

Why You Need to Know… The Effects of Drought on Your Lawn and Landscape

The result is less growth, poor color in leaves, leaf drop, and a thinning or dying top.

On smaller, newer trees and shrubs, the impact of a drought is evident with yellowing, wilting and then finally the plant dies.

Newly planted trees and shrubs suffer more during a drought because they already have a reduced root system.

Mature plants with extensive root systems may not show signs of drought stress, but damage is still occurring.

Pest and diseases increase during drought.  Plants produce defensive compounds when they are healthy, as they become stressed, they struggle to defend themselves.  Borers are common in drought stressed plants. 

Throughout the late summer and fall lawns that have not been watered or have poor irrigation coverage have gone prematurely dormant. It’s easy to tell if a lawn is loosing color due to lack of moisture, the cores we pull are powdery dry several inches below the surface.

Signs of Drought Stress

These signs apply primarily to trees, but in some form or another, these signs will be visible in all plants including lawns.

• Temporary Wilting.  Wilting will occur during the day.  Leaves will recover and appear normal in the morning.

• Permanent Wilting.  As the drought continues leaves remain wilted all the time.

• Yellowing Leaves.  Leaves turn yellow and can exhibit fall color out of season.

• Leaf Scorch.  Leaf margins will have a brown or burned appearance.

• Defoliating Trees.  Tress will lose leaves from the top and ends of branches.

• Bark Cracks.  During prolonged droughts trees may develop cracks in the bark, especially in thin-barked species.

• Dead Branches.  The top and outer tips will begin to die.

• Thinning Foliage.  The canopy will appear sparse.

• Small Leaves.  New leaves will be unusually small.

• Slowed Growth.  Growth will slow and nearly stop

• Increased Susceptibility to Pests.  Borers or fungal disease will develop.

A visual sign of severe drought for a tree is permanent wilting followed by loss of leaves.

Yellowing leaves are a sign of drought stress. By the time a tree reaches this point the feeder roots are under stress and may be to the point of dying.

Another sign of drought stress for a tree is leaf scorch. Leaf margins have a burned appearance. In this picture taken in August the tree is exhibiting fall color out of season.

A Bald Cypress tree that is in the process of defoliating in the late summer due to lack of moisture.

Landscape Winter Hardiness

Few plants planted in the correct USDA hardiness zone die directly from cold weather.  Winterkill is commonly a result of an unhealthy plant. 

Lack of adequate soil moisture is often a major cause of winter damage. 

All plants, especially evergreens, use water during winter. 

When you pull a dry core from a lawn in the fall you know there is a chance the lawn may not have the stored nutrients required to overwinter well.

What You Need to Do…Best Practices to Prevent Drought Damage

Fall and winter irrigation is very important, especially with this year’s conditions. 

Lawns and landscapes should be watered thoroughly in the fall to prepare them for the winter months.

Through the fall, lawns and landscapes need 1” of water per week.  This applies for both fescue and fescue lawns, as well as trees and shrubs.  Whenever we receive ½” of rain or more you can delay watering for a few days.

How long do you need to water to get 1” of water?  Place a Hall | Stewart Rain Gauge or any small container in your lawn or landscape, run your irrigation through a cycle, and then check the amount of water.  If you have ½” of water, you need to water 2 times per week through the fall.

Water deep.  If you can get 1” of water on your lawn without excessive runoff in one event, water once per week.  Deep watering creates deep roots and a more drought tolerant lawn and landscape.

Adding mulch around trees and shrubs improves the soil’s ability to hold moisture.  Apply 2” to 4” of an organic mulch. Pull mulch away from the plant trunk 2”.  Our preferred mulch is a grade A, all bark, shredded cedar.

Remember, even mature, healthy trees need supplemental watering to help them through a drought.  Focus on watering around the dripline and a little beyond. Roots extend 2 to 3 times the trees dripline.  The dripline is the circumference of the tree's canopy, where the water drips onto the ground.

Fall and winter watering is especially important for trees and shrubs planted in the last 2 years.  Until the roots grow into the surrounding soil the plant has limited roots for supplying moisture.

During the winter, your lawn and landscape requires 1” of water every two weeks.  Whenever we go a week without any rain or snowfall, pick a nice day and give the landscape a good soaking.   

You can test soil moisture with a long screwdriver.  If the screwdriver goes into the soil easily, watering may not be needed.  If getting the screwdriver into the soil is difficult, your landscape needs water.

A gator bag is a great tool for slow and deep watering a tree.  

At Hall | Stewart our goal is to help you have your best lawn and landscape and provide you with the information you need. 

The lack of rainfall this summer and fall has become a major concern for our customers.  We hope you did not give up on watering your lawn and landscape too early this fall. 

If you did, please resume best watering practices.  Your investment in your lawn and landscape is significant. 

If you have questions about the impact of drought on your lawn and landscape, please call or respond to this email.  We would love to hear from you.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart

(405)367-3873

Fall…Does My Lawn & Landscape Still Need Fertilizer?

Finally, the feeling of fall is in the air. 

Cool crisp mornings followed by pleasant afternoons?

Does fall mean the fertilizer season is done for the year?

Short answer: “Yes” and “No” 

A little longer answer: “Yes, the fertilizer season is over for warm season turf (bermuda & zoysia).” “No, the fertilizer season is not over for fescue.  And, no, the fertilizer season is not over for trees and shrubs.”

On this wonderful fall morning, let’s explore the long answer on why fertilizing cool season turf and trees and shrubs is important this fall. 

Fescue –

Fall is the beginning of a new season for fescue. 

I’m sure you have noticed as temperatures began to cool, fescue lawns started regaining color and growing.  

For fescue, fall is the same as spring is for bermuda. 

A fertilizer application with a higher nitrogen fertilizer, the first number on the fertilizer bag, applied in the fall as temperatures cool thickens fescue, encourages new growth and adds a deep rich color to the lawn. 

Fall fertilizer applications on fescue will result in a healthier, thicker lawn.   And don’t forget, a dense healthy lawn is the best defense against weeds.

Two fertilizer applications with at least 25% nitrogen in the fall, 4-6 weeks apart, is recommended for the best fescue lawn. 

Newly seeded fescue lawns benefit from a fertilizer application anytime within the first 4 weeks after seeding.

Fescue lawns are start a new season every fall. A high nitrogen fertilizer application now will increase color and turf density.

If you have a overseeded fescue or are planning to this fall, don’t skip a fertilizer application. New seed grows rapidly and needs plenty of nutrition.

Fescue can be grown in full sun but it requires a very different fertilizer schedule compared to bermuda.

A healthy, thick and deep green fescue lawn next spring is easier to achieve with when a lawn receives the correct fall fertilizer applications.

The challenge for lawns with both warm season and cool season turf is they require the exact opposite timing of fertilizer applications for them both to thrive.

Why is fertilizer not recommended for Bermuda and Zoysia (Warm Season) now?  

Wouldn’t fertilizer keep a Bermuda lawn green longer?

Warm season grasses are at the end of their growing season.  In October and November, warm season lawns don’t require nitrogen.  With shorter days, cooler days and nights, and the decrease in soil temperature, growth slows, and turf color fades. 

Heavy nitrogen fertilizer during October in an effort to maintain color longer into the fall is harmful for bermuda and a catalyst for Spring Dead Spot Disease. 

The chances of having Spring Dead Spot Disease next year increases when nitrogen fertilizer is applied to a bermuda lawn in the last 4-5 weeks before the first freeze, which in central Oklahoma is typically the first week of November. 

So, if you are thinking your bermuda lawn needs one more shot of nitrogen before the end of the season, don’t do it.  There is a good chance you are doing more harm than good.

Bermuda lawns are ending their season and should not have another application of a high nitrogen fertilizer this year.

Spring Dead Spot is a disease that impacts bermuda lawns in the spring as the lawn is coming out of dormancy. One of the catalyst is heavy nitrogen applications in October applied in an effort to keep a warm season lawn green and active late into the fall.

Bermuda, a warm season turfgrass,, performs best when fertilized with higher nitrogen during the summer month and low nitrogen fertilizer in the fall.

With cooler night time temperatures and shorter days, Bermuda lawns are slowing down. Resist the urgent to try keep them green and growing with high nitrogen fertilizer this month.

Because bermuda starts to thin out when it receives less than 6 hours of direct sunlight it is common to see lawns with both bermuda and fescue. The problem is you try to fertilize them the same, one will flourish and the other will struggle.

Problem - Fescue won’t thrive, it will actually struggle to survive, if it is fertilized like bermuda.  And the same is true for bermuda.  Fertilize bermuda like fescue and the result will be a thin, weak lawn.

For a successful, fescue lawn, you have to think backward from a bermuda lawn.

For a successful bermuda lawn, you must think backward from a fescue lawn.

You can’t fertilize them both the same way and expect them both to respond the same way.

The Good News –

If you subscribe to Hall | Stewart’s 7-Step Lawn Care Program, whether you have bermuda, zoyia, fescue or a combination of turfgrasses, we will make sure each type is receiving the correct fertilizer based on the current season and growing conditions.  Our program recognizes that warm season grasses and cool season grasses have very different fertilization timing and needs.

Trees and Shrubs –

Plants need nutrients to grow and stay healthy just like your lawn does.  Signs of low nutrient levels in your landscape plants are lack of growth, dead or dying twigs and branches, off color leaves, and early fall leaf drop. 

Fertilizer applications improve the appearance of trees and shrubs, increase their vigor and help plants increase resistance to disease and insects. 

An application of a complete fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients is recommended.

The best times to fertilize trees and shrubs is after a heavy frost or freeze in the fall, and in the spring between March and May.  

It is important to avoid fertilizing trees and shrubs in late summer to early fall because it may result in a flush of tender new growth that may not have time to mature and will be susceptible to winter injury. 

Fall fertilizer applications are good for root development and stored nutrients become available next spring for new growth.  Developing stronger root systems is important.  Strong roots give the plant the ability to withstand stress during the season from drought, excess moisture, and heat. 

Protect your investment in your landscape trees and shrubs with a fall fertilizer application this year.

The Good News –

If you subscribe to the Hall | Stewart Tree & Shrub Care Program you will receive the important fall fertilization application for your landscape plants.  The program includes four regularly scheduled plant health care visits to keep your trees and shrubs healthy throughout the year:

• Dormant oil application to smother overwintering insects.

• 2 spring to summer applications to minimize insect and disease population during the growing season.

• Fall fertilizer application.

• All applications are tailored to your specific plant species.

If you need have questions or need help understanding the fertilizer needs of your lawn and landscape, we would love to help.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Plan now. Plant next month. Enjoy next spring!

What requires planning now, planting next month, but you don’t get to enjoy until next spring? 

Spring Flowering Bulbs!

Instant gratification is a part of our everyday world.  

Common belief is that if you want it now, you can have it now. 

You can order something online this evening with a good chance it will be on your doorstep tomorrow evening.

If you have problems with deer eating your flowers, plant daffodil bulbs. Daffodils contain a bitter substance that deer won’t eat.

Does delayed gratification still exist?

There may not be a better example of delayed gratification than spring blooming bulbs. 

If you don’t plan for and plant spring flowering bulbs this fall, Amazon can’t fix it for you next spring! 

The wonderful blooms of tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth cannot be added to the landscape in the spring on a whim. 

The most vibrant colors you will enjoy next spring require planning now and action next month to experience them.

Let’s answer a few questions so you can have dynamic color next spring:

When to plant? Spring blooming bulbs need to be planted from early November through mid-December.  They are best planted after the first freeze, which in central Oklahoma is typically November 2nd.  And, because spring bulbs require winter chilling for successful blooming, it is best to plant them within 6 to 8 weeks after the first freeze.  Planting later may greatly diminish your success.

Tulips at the Myriad Gardens.

Daffodils are a spring blooming bulb that is very forgiving of our tight clay soils and are perennials in our area (meaning they will come back year after year).

Where to plant? Bulbs require well drained, rich, organic soil.  They do not perform well in the native, tight clay soils that dominate central Oklahoma.  All spring blooming bulbs prefer full sun, but because they grow and bloom while trees are mostly dormant, you can have success planting under trees.  Tulips perform best as far south as USDA Hardiness Zone 6.  If you live in southern Oklahoma, daffodils and hyacinths are a better choice for spring blooming bulbs.

How to plant? Bulbs should be planted at a depth of two times their height, or approximately 3-4”.  Shallow planting exposes cool season bulbs to summer heat.  Plant with the rounded end down and the pointed end up.  Bulbs do not need to be fertilized when they are planted.  But, if your soil is not rich in organic material, I recommend mixing in compost when planting.

Tulip colors are nearly limitless. A great local show of tulip colors is the Myriad Gardens. Pencil in a date on your calendar for next spring to check them out.

Spring bulbs have a dynamic impact when planted in mass.

Are spring blooming bulbs annuals or perennials?  Tulips in central Oklahoma are best used as an annual - meaning you will want to replant them every fall.  You will have some repeat blooming the first year or two, but they diminish in results each year.  If you don’t replant every fall, plan on replanting at least every two to three years.  Our tight soils and warm summer soils are not ideal for bulbs to act as perennials.  Daffodils and hyacinths are much more forgiving of our soils and can perform well as perennials.  One key to improving the perennial nature of bulbs is to never plant over the bulbs.  This creates problems for me as I typically use bulbs in my annual color areas.  I always treat bulbs as annuals and replant each year. 

One of the best tulip displays every spring is the Myriad Gardens. Go ahead and set a reminder in your phone to take a tulip walk in March 2025.

Can I dig and store bulbs over the summer?  Yes.  Lift the bulbs from the soil after the foliage has completely turned brown using a pitchfork. Dust off as much soil as possible.  Store in a cool, dry place for the summer.

Hyacinths are known for their adding a burst of purple, blue and pink tones to the late winter and early spring landscape.

When do they bloom?  Hyacinths will bloom first in late winter to early spring.  Daffodils bloom next in early spring.  Tulips come in three bloom periods – early, mid and late spring.  Early spring tulips bloom the same time as daffodils. The danger with early spring bloomers is the chance their delicate pedals will be short lived due to a late freeze.  Late blooming tulips also run the risk of a short bloom period because a few windy and warm days will put an early end to the show.  I try to use mid-spring blooming varieties as much as possible, or if the area I am planting is large, I will plant tulips from each bloom period to extend the color show.

What colors are available?  Hyacinth come in bluish-purple, white, buttery-yellow, soft blue and fuchsia.  Daffodils are traditionally white and yellow, but you will find shades of orange, pink and cream.  For tulips, the varieties and colors are nearly endless with new kinds arriving every year.  I have tried many varieties and colors over the years, but I’m a traditionalist when it comes to tulips.  It is really hard to beat a Darwin Hybrid tulip.  Darwin Hybrids are mid-spring bloomers that come in many colors and are known for big blooms.  They also are one of the best at returning in year two and three if you want to use them as a perennial.    

Are bulbs deer and rodent proof?  If you have problems with deer munching on your flowers, consider planting daffodil bulbs.  Daffodils are deer and rodent proof because they contain a bitter substance called lycorine that mammals won’t eat.

A great site to view all the colors of hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips is www.colorblends.com.  They are strictly a wholesale supplier, but their website is an endless source for bulb information, planting tips and design ideas. 

Start planning now.

Be ready to plant in November.

Enjoy next spring!

You will never regret planning ahead and planting spring flowering bulbs!

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

405.367.3873

Why a second Fall Pre-emergent is important

Calling Fall….  Hello!  Hello!  Hello!  Fall, where are you? 

If anyone sees fall, could you tell them OKC is waiting on them?

Well, while we are waiting on fall, let’s spend the morning visiting about something very fall….

Fall Pre-Emergent Applications

More specifically…Why your lawn needs a second fall pre-emergent!

What is the goal of fall pre-emergent herbicides? 

• Goal - Prevent winter annual weeds from germinating in your lawn this fall and over the winter.

• Goal - A clean lawn throughout the winter and spring.    

The most common winter annual weeds include henbit, chickweed and poa annua.  Each one of these have the ability to ruin the appearance of your lawn this winter and next spring if you skip fall pre-emergent applications. 

Of the three most common winter annual weeds, poa annua is the most problematic. 

Poa annua, commonly known as annual bluegrass, is the world’s most widespread weed.

Henbit is a winter annual broadleaf weed that germinates in the fall. Without fall pre-emergent applications you will have a carpet of weeds with purple flowers next March.

Annual bluegrass, poa annua, is a low growing, lime green, clumping, grassy weed with small white flowers.  It is very noticeable in dormant bermuda grass from late winter through spring. 

Poa annua begins to germinate when we have our first fall cool spell and there is an abundance of moisture.  When nighttime temperatures drop into the 60s and daytime temperatures stay under 85, annual bluegrass begins to germinate (typically, late September to early October). Optimal germination occurs once soil temperatures stay below 70 degrees for 4 consecutive days  (commonly occurs by mid-October).  The rest of the fall, winter and spring, germination will continue making poa annua a several month-long battle.

Best Practices:

• Apply the first round of fall pre-emergent herbicide between mid-August and early October.

• Apply a second round of fall pre-emergent herbicide 6-8 weeks after the first application.

Poa annua thrives in thin turf. The best defense for prevention is to develop a healthy turf.

Poa Annua in Warm Season Turf (Bermuda & Zoysia) is most troublesome during the winter when poa annua is growing and seeding heavily, and turf is dormant.  During the winter it does not have to compete with warm-season turf for light, water and nutrients which allows it to spread quickly in untreated lawns.   

Poa Annua in Cool Season Turf (Fescue & Rye) is not as prolific since the turf is growing and thick in the cool season, but poa annua can still distract from a beautiful turf in the spring when it is producing seed heads.  Maintaining a thick and healthy fescue lawn is important in the prevention of poa annua.  For this reason, overseeding fescue in the fall is an important step in creating a thick turf and eliminating thin spaces ripe for weed germination.

Most concerning is poa annua has been developing an increasing tolerance for many pre and post emergent herbicides. 

Tolerance is the plant’s ability to survive and reproduce even though it has been treated with a herbicide.

Herbicide resistance in poa annua first developed in Japan in the 1980s with the first occurrence in the US in Mississippi and Tennessee in 2004.

Poa annua is a clumping grassy weed with small white flowers.

Here are a few recommendations on how to best overcome annual bluegrass in your lawn:

Problem - A single fall application of a herbicide is not enough for the prevention of poa annua because germination can occur from September to March.  Also, repeated use of the same herbicide will result in herbicide resistance.  

First Solution – Our application #7, in October through November, is critical in the control of poa annua.  This application contains a different fall pre-emergent herbicide than one applied in from mid-August through September.  Additionally, we use a herbicide in Application #7 that has post-emergent abilities on poa annua.

Second Solution – Application #1 in January and February contains herbicides for control of poa annua that can only be used on dormant warm season turf grasses.  Once we reach March, control of annual bluegrass is more difficult. 

Poa annua will thrive in thin dormant turf during January and February without effective fall prevention.

Problem – Lawn care application effectiveness is reduced when the pre-emergent herbicide is not watered into the top 1” of the soil.

Solution – Always follow the watering instructions when we do a lawn care application, but especially when the application includes a pre-emergent.  Pre-emergent herbicides are not effective at preventing germination when they remain on the soil surface.  Effectiveness increases if the pre-emergent is watered into the soil.  If you are applying your own pre-emergent herbicides, it is very important to read and follow label directions.

Problem – Unhealthy, thin turf is a breeding ground for poa annua and many other weeds.  Therefore, annual bluegrass is more of a problem in dormant warm season turf.  Annual bluegrass also prefers compacted soil.

First Solution – Applications during the growing season for warm season turf contain fertilizer that thickens the turf reducing area for poa annua seeds to germinate and develop in the fall.

Second Solution – Do not cut warm season turf short for the winter.  Maintaining a healthy amount of top growth will inhibit some seeds from reaching the soil surface.  Annual bluegrass is much more troublesome in short cut, warm season turf during dormancy.

Third Solution – Aeration in the early summer on warm season turf and in the fall on cool season turf will result in a thicker, healthier turf.  Aeration will reduce the compaction and strengthen the root system of your lawn by allowing air, nutrients, and water to reach the root system.

A second fall pre-emergent is an important step in making sure your lawn isn’t full of weeds in the late winter/early spring when the bermuda is dormant.

Maintaining a thick, healthy, properly maintained turf is a critical step in the prevention of weeds.

Heavy reliance on herbicides to control poa annua increases the likelihood that it will develop herbicide resistance particularly if you are relying on a single fall pre-emergent application of the same herbicide year after year. 

Effective prevention of poa annua is the result of two differing fall pre-emergent applications and a healthy turf.

The steps to having a weed free fescue lawn next spring is overseeding this fall and fertilizer applications in the fall to create a thick lawn in the spring.

In the spring after lawns have greened up, controlling poa annua can be very difficult without damaging the turf.

Without two fall pre-emergent herbicide applications, poa annua will be prolific the next spring when the turf is coming out of dormancy.

The secret to a feed free Bermuda lawn next spring is two fall pre-emergent applications this fall, a pre & post emergent application next January through February, and good mowing, fertilizing, watering practices through the summer growing season to create a thick, healthy turf.

Our goal is to do all we can to strengthen your lawn and prevent winter annual weeds from littering your dormant lawn this winter. 

We need your help in following:

• Always follow watering instructions when applications are made to on your lawn.

• Always maintain the proper mowing height based on time of season and turf type.

• Always take both fall pre-emergent applications on bermuda or zoysia lawns.

• Always fertilize on a regular schedule based on turf type to maintain a thick turf.

• Add aeration to your annual services.

• Add overseeding fescue in the fall to create a thick more weed resistant shady turf. 

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405) 367-3873

October Lawn & Landscape Tips

Excuse me, but did we miss September? 

I can’t be the only one who feels like we had seven weeks of August and only one week of September! 

If you don’t agree with me, ask your lawn and landscape, I’m sure they will agree!    

Finally, we are seeing cooler nights and pleasant days.  Oh, I hope the feeling of fall lasts a while. 

Fall is an important time in the landscape.  Much of your lawn and landscape success next season is dependent on what you do this fall.

Here are a few things to stay focused on during October:

With the abnormally dry September, take time to inspect shrubs. Shrubs planted this year, such as this Little Limelight Hydrangea, may need an extra deep soaking.

Watering – If you have completely stopped watering, you stopped too early.  Your lawn and landscape require at least 1” of moisture every week through the fall. 

Moisture is important for plants as we head into the winter.  Don’t allow your landscape to experience drought stress now. 

Because day length is shorter, the sun angle is lower, and temperatures are cooler in October, deep soaking every 4 days for established lawns and landscapes is the best practice.  Newly planted fall seasonal color or new landscape plantings will need to be watered more often.     

If you need more information on watering see our article from last Sunday, September 22, Fall Irrigation Changes Coming Soon!

One of the best practices for your lawn and landscape this fall is to continue to water for long periods just like you do in the summer but reduce how often you water. Shallow rooted landscapes are often the result of shallow, frequent watering.  Healthy, deep-rooted landscapes are the result of deep, infrequent watering.

Overseeding – September and October are the best time of the year to establish fescue from seed.  This year, due to warmer temperatures, many have waited to seed their fescue.  Even if temperatures are above normal, if you have not overseeded your fescue areas yet, now is the time to get it done.    October seeded fescue will have time to germinate and mature before we receive our first freeze in late November or early December.   

Remember, the keys to successful seeding are good seed-soil contact and keeping the seed consistently moist until it germinates.

Most disappointments with overseeding are due to not keeping the seed consistently moist for two weeks until it germinates.  The worse thing for new seed is for the seed to be moist, then dry out, then moist, and then dry out again.  Pay extra attention to lawn edges where the soil dries quicker, and water coverage may not be perfect.

Lawns that have already been overseeded and have been kept consistently moist for at least two weeks are flourishing, even though it was warmer than normal.  But, lawns that have not been kept moist or have uneven water distribution have areas that are lagging.  If you have areas that are struggling to germinate, supplemental watering in those areas will get the seed germinating. 

For more information on overseeding, visit our article from September 8, Best Practices For Successfully Establishing Fescue.  

This fescue lawn was overseeded 2 weeks ago. The lawn was kept consistently moist resulting in successful germination. The lawn is watered with rotor-type heads on 25-30’ spacing which ran for approximately 10 mins 3x per day since seeding.

Newly seeded fescue 14 days after germination.

This fescue lawn was overseeded the first week of September. The area is watered with spray-type heads on 12-15’ centers. The system was set to run at 4:00 AM, 10:00 AM & 4:00 PM, 4 minutes per zone, daily for two weeks. Successful seeding in early September is less about the afternoon temperature and more about consistent moisture.

As I have been making our customary two-to-three-week follow-up visits after overseeding,

I have witnessed the impact of not keeping the seed consistently moist.

Results on lawns seeded the same day in the same neighborhoods vary greatly

depending on if they are kept moist or allowed to dry out between watering.

Bermuda Lawn Maintenance – As cooler nights arrive, and days continue to get shorter, warm season lawn growth will slow in October resulting in fewer cuttings in October.  

Avoid scalping the lawn short to finish off the season.  Anytime grass is scalped the plant uses nutrients stored in the roots to produce new leaf blades.  Scalping in the fall will result in a weaker root system going into winter.   Leaving your bermuda lawn at 2” to 2.5” during the dormant season gives your lawn a layer of protection against extreme cold temperatures and weed germination.

It’s hard to beat the deep rich greens of fescue in October!

Japanese Maples return to bright red this month.

Fall is the best time to add shrubs. Consider adding shrubs that add color to the fall landscape, such as Burning Bush.

Fescue Lawn Maintenance – Fescue thrives when nighttime temperatures are cooler, and day length is shorter.   

Have you noticed the recovery of fescue lawns after only one week of cooler temperatures?

The beauty of fescue in the fall is unsurpassed by any other turf grass.  Mow regularly.  Avoid cutting more than 1/3 of the leaf blade off each time you mow. 

Lawn Fertilizer – Fertilize cool season lawns with a high nitrogen fertilizer this month.  Fall is the best time to feed fescue. 

If you have a bermuda lawn, put away the high nitrogen fertilizer for the season.  Even though soil temperatures are still warm enough to promote growth and add color for bermuda lawns, late nitrogen applications are considered a causal agent in the promotion of spring dead spot.

Bald Cypress turn a beautiful rusty red in October.

Turf Weed Control – Lawns need two fall pre-emergent applications.  If you have not applied the first fall pre-emergent yet, please do so as soon as possible.  For the best prevention of fall and winter weeds the first application before soil temperatures consistently drop below 70.  The current 3-day average soil temperature in the Oklahoma City metro is 71.

October through early December, a second, winter pre-emergent needs to be applied to keep your lawn weed free until next spring. 

Fall is also a great time to control many broadleaf weeds in warm season turf and established cool season turf. 

If you seeded your fescue this fall, wait until the new grass is up, actively growing, and has been mowed a few times before you apply any pre-emergent herbicides. 

The best way to have a clean lawn next spring is to apply two fall pre-emergent applications this fall, one early and one late.

Spring Dead Spot – A common disease of bermuda lawns that is visible in the spring, but infection of the disease starts in the fall when soil temperatures drop below 70 degrees.  Bermuda lawns that receive late season applications of nitrogen to extend color are more prone to the development of Spring Dead Spot.  Effective fungicides for control are not available for homeowner use, but certified lawn care technicians have fungicides in the Fungicide Resistance Action Group available to treat for Spring Dead Spot.  Two fall applications are required for the best results.  The first application should be made when soil temperatures are in the low 70s with the second application 30 days later. 

Spring dead spot damage is noticeable in the spring. If you have experienced this disease, now is the time to treat with a fungicide to stop the spread of the disease.

Maples are one of the first trees to celebrate fall.

Tree and Shrub Fertilizer – Do not fertilize trees and shrubs in October.  Fertilizing now can encourage new growth that will not have an opportunity to harden off before the first freeze, which may result in plant damage.    Wait to fertilizer after we have received our first heavy frost or light freeze.

Seasonal Color – Remove your summer annuals and replace with pansies, kale, and mums for great fall color this month.  Pansies love the cool weather.  Not only will they provide great color this fall, but if they are not allowed to dry out during the coldest periods of winter, they will offer a wonderful blast of color next March and April.   

We covered fall seasonal color in more detail in our September 15, article, Coming Soon to a Landscape Near You – Fall Seasonal Color.  

October is the month to remove your summer annual color color and replace with pansies.

Nandina and many other shrubs add bright red berries to the landscape during the fall.

I’m looking forward to the bright October red of Boston Ivy.

Shillouette Sweetgum, a great tree for small spaces, will put on a great show late in October.

The last few days nearly every lawn in an area with native areas close by has damage from an armadillo, possum or skunk. Their native areas are void of food due to the drought. A healthy lawn is the perfect place for them to forage for food.

Fall seasonal color change.

An unexpected fall color is the bright plumes of Pink Muhly Grass.

This has been a great summer for lantana.  Hot & dry!

Landscape Plantings – Fall is the best time to plant most container grown trees and shrubs.  Because soil temperatures remain warm long after the days turn cooler, materials planted in the fall develop strong roots before the following summer heat arrives. 

Often late spring and summer planted container materials don’t develop roots till the following summer. 

Fall planted materials can gain an entire year of development over plants installed in the spring and summer.  Wait to plant ball and burlapped trees until after the first freeze if possible. 

Armadillo Turf Damage – Whenever we have an extended warm and dry late summer damage caused by animals foraging for food increases.  This year we are again seeing turf damage caused armadillos, skunks, and possums.  If you live near wooded areas, creeks, or lakes, there is a chance you or your neighbors have experienced damage.

Armadillos are attracted to lawns because the soil is moist, easy to forage in and contains food.  Grubs, worms, and almost any insect is a food source.  Once they find a good place to find food, they return time and time again.

The damage is mostly aesthetic and a nuisance.  Bermuda lawns recover quickly.  But, for fescue lawns recovery is slow.

If you are experiencing turf damage, the primary control is trapping.  You can treat your lawn with an insecticide to remove their food source, but you are also removing beneficial insects.  If you have a history of grub activity or are seeing signs of grub damage, then a treatment is recommended.  But, because armadillos return to areas where they have found food, if you apply an insecticide after they have damaged your lawn, there is a good chance they will come foraging again.

Home remedy treatments include cloves of crushed garlic or cayenne powder.  Armadillos have a strong sense of smell and are repelled by strong smells.  There are also armadillo repellents available.  Home remedies and repellents require you treat the area frequently, if not nightly, for them to be effective.

For more information, see this Fact Sheet Publication from Oklahoma State University, Dealing with Armadillos | Oklahoma State University (okstate.edu)

THE COLORS OF OCTOBER

Over the next few weeks Bald Cypress will add rusty orange shades to the landscape.

Autumn Blaze Maples will be one of the first trees to burst with color this month.

Pyracantha will add color to the landscape this month with bright reddish-orange berries.

Mums are the perennial stars of October.

If you leave your faded blooms on your Endless Summer Hydrangeas they will turn a vibrant pink this month.

Purple Muhly Grass is a cool season ornamental grass that graces October with purple feathery plumes.

Mums

Oak Leak Hydrangeas are also known to brighten the October landscape with hues of red.

Pansies will replace the colors of summer this month in your seasonal color plantings.

Burr Oak

Autumn Blaze Maple

Euonymus Burning Bush will be an eye catcher in late October.

Don’t lose your focus on good lawn and landscape practices as the season slows down.  Your efforts this month will not only reward you now, but will also set your lawn and landscape up for a great spring.

Now, head outside and enjoy fall!   

If you have questions or need help with any lawn and landscape needs, simply respond to this email or give us a call at (405)367-3873. 

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Fall Irrigation Changes Coming Soon!

IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF FALL!

I felt like I needed to declare it after a week filled with temps in the upper 90s. 

Fall still seems so far away.   

Dry and hot just seems to keep going on and on and on this year.  Most of the metro has now gone over 41 days without measurable rainfall.  Nearly 6 weeks without rain! 

You don’t need to look at the weather data to know that.  All you have to do is look at any lawn, tree, shrub, groundcover, or seasonal color that isn’t irrigated to know we are on a long stretch of dry and hot.

Lawns and landscapes need to be watered thoroughly in the fall to prepare them for winter.  Landscapes in poor health will be the first to suffer during stressful weather periods this coming winter.  A key to avoiding winter damage is to ensure your landscape receives adequate moisture this fall.   

One of the most important things you can do to have a healthy lawn and landscape is to align your watering habits with weather patterns.

Healthy irrigation is watering based on need. 

Healthy irrigation is infrequent, deep watering.

Unhealthy irrigation is shallow, frequent watering. 

Unhealthy irrigation is setting your irrigation in the spring on an ODD or EVEN setting and leaving it the same until you shut it off in the winter.

From lawns that are not irrigated, cores are shallow with bone dry soil. Sadly, we are finding similar cores in irrigated lawns with watering habits that are only keeping the top 1/4-1/2” moist.

From lawns that have been watered deeply over the last 6-8 weeks, we are able to easily pull deep cores that have adequate soil moisture to withstand the summer heat.

We have visited too many lawns and landscapes over the past few weeks as the heat and dryness lingered that were being watered, but yet they still showed signs of drought stress.  Lawns that when you pulled a soil core, you found soil moist only for the top ¼” to ½” and completely dry soil below.  Lawns with roots only ½” deep.  Lawns that were dependent on daily watering. 

If you want the best lawn and landscape, learning to water based on need is a critical element.

Soon temperatures will cool, day length will become shorter and shorter, and occasional rains will return… and your lawn and landscape will need less moisture.  But for now, they still needing 1 ½” of moisture to be healthy.

Follow these irrigation tips through the Fall:

Water Less Often – Don’t reduce the length of time each zone runs.  Instead, water less often.  Set your irrigation to run every 4 days instead of every other day.   

Common question: “Should I reduce how long my system runs by 50% now?”

Answer: “No.  Keep the run time the same and water less often.”

This fall instead of reducing how long a zone runs, water less often for the same amount of time you watered during the summer heat.

Water Deep Not Shallow – Deep watering is important in every season.  Shallow, frequent watering promotes shallow roots, increases weed content, promotes diseases, and reduces cold hardiness. If you can get 1” of water on your lawn in a single watering without causing excessive runoff, water just one time per week.  But, for most of our soils you should plan on watering ½” twice per week.  It is best to saturate the soil each time you water and then allow it time to dry before watering again.

Deep soaking, infrequent watering is an important best practice in developing a healthier, deep rooted lawn even in the fall.

Know How Long You Need To Water – One piece of information that will make a big difference in your watering decisions is knowing how much water your lawn and landscape is receiving each time you run your system.  Place your Hall | Stewart Rain Gauge or any small container in your lawn.  Run your system through a cycle and measure the amount of water in the container.  If your system puts out ½” of water, watering every 4 days this fall is perfect.  If it puts out less, don’t increase how often you water, instead increase the amount of time each zone runs until your containers receive ½”. 

If you have areas of your lawn that have lost color this month, checking the amount of water the area is receiving should be your first step.  There is a good chance the area needs a head or nozzle adjustment.

Don’t assume that the way you have always set your irrigation is best.  Do the work.  Find out if your lawn is actually receiving the amount of water it needs to be healthy.

Water Based on Need – The perfect situation would be to inspect your lawn every few days and make watering decisions based on need.  If the grass doesn’t spring back up after walking on it, it is time to water.  If plant leaves start showing signs of wilt, it is time to water.  Another easy test is to take a long screwdriver, if it slides easily into the soil you don’t need to water.  Remember, plants and turf will spring back quickly from slight wilt.  They don’t recover quickly from being over watered. 

One of the best gifts you can give your lawn and landscape is to take a moment to inspect it each week. 

Just a few minutes looking and asking yourself if everything looks healthy. 

Just a few minutes of being proactive instead of reactive.

Water Based on Weather – Over the next 90 days, the average rainfall in the Oklahoma City area totals 8.5”.  Your lawn and landscape will need approximately 12” over the next 90 days.  There is a good chance your irrigation system will be in the off position some over the next 90 days. 

https://mesonet.org/ is a great weather resource for making water decisions. 

https://www.mesonet.org/index.php/weather/map/2-inch_fractional_water_index/soil_moisture will give you the amount of moisture in the top 2” of the soil.  A reading of 1.0 tells you the soil contains all the moisture it can absorb, and any additional water will run off, a big waste of money and water. 

A rain/freeze sensor will interrupt the watering cycle anytime it rains or if temperatures are below freezing.

A key to successful overseeding this fall is keeping the area tacky moist until the seed germinates.

Tools to Improve Watering Efficiency:

Add A Rain/Freeze Sensor – A sensor will interrupt a run cycle when we have had enough rainfall. A rain/freeze sensor will pay for itself in water savings.

Add a Wi-Fi Link – Several of our customers have installed the Rainbird Wi-Fi Link and allowed us the ability to monitor their irrigation systems.  Daily we survey the Mesonet site for key weather data, make moisture need decisions and adjust systems.  A rain sensor will stop a cycle, but with the Wi-Fi Link we can remotely adjust your system based on current weather data.

With the Rainbird Wi-Fi Link system, we are able to make adjustments to your system based on actual rainfall and moisture readings in your area.

Overseeding is the Exception to the Rule – If you are overseeding with fescue this fall, one of the keys to success is keeping the seeded area tacky moist until the seed germinates.  Typically, this takes 10-14 days.  We recommend setting the zones in the seeded areas to run three short cycles (3-5 minutes) per day:  4:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 4:00 PM.

Tree Watering Tip – Trees planted in the last few years often need more water during periods of heat and drought than your irrigation system will supply.  The goal is to give them 10 gallons per week.  A simple way to insure they are receiving enough water is to take a 5-gallon bucket and drill 3-5 small holes in the bottom.  Place the bucket near the base of the tree, fill with water and allow the water to slowly soak into the soil.  Repeat twice per week.  (If you are concerned about the way it looks, use this trick overnight.)

Irrigation systems are great tools for maintaining great lawns and landscapes. 

But irrigation systems are not an asset when they are “set and left”

with the same program in all seasons and weather conditions.

If you need help with watering issues, let us know.  We would enjoy helping you manage your landscape’s water needs in the most economical and efficient ways.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Coming soon to a landscape near you -- Fall Seasonal Color!

Fall is on the way, but for now the warm and dry weather doesn’t seem to want to fade away.

But, before you know it, the days in the 80s (and 90s) will be replaced with days in the 70s!

There is a good chance your summer seasonal color looks better right now than it has all summer.  Sadly, it only has a few weeks left to put on a show.

As days in the 80s are replaced by days in the 70s, the change in the landscape will be most noticeable in your summer annual color.  Impatiens, begonias, penta, lantana, periwinkle, coleus, sunpatiens are often at their best in early September and fading by the end of the month. 

Next up for your landscape…. Fall Seasonal Color!

One thing before we start dreaming about fall seasonal color, I need you to do me a favor…

Grab a note pad and your smart phone, head outside, and take pictures and jot down notes of your summer seasonal color. 

Right now, is the perfect time to update your Seasonal Color Journal.  (You have one, don’t you?)

Here’s a glimpse into our summer seasonal color journal - pictures & notes!

Coleus did a great job of adding color and texture to the summer landscape.

Sunpatiens have performed well in the last half of the summer. This year many Sunpatiens plantings were slow to get going, but the ones that survived look wonderful now.

Periwinkle is an old time summer seasonal color that is making a resurgence with new varieties. Periwinkle very well may be the star of this summer’s seasonal color. It is hard to beat its performance in a hot and dry summer.

A good sunny color combination this summer has been Coleus, Periwinkle and Lantana.  

Lantana is always a great performer in hot, sunny locations from late June through September.

Penta and Joseph Coat have both performed well in the summer heat this year.

Always a summer favorite for shade is Caladiums and Inpatients.

Tropical Hibiscus have been one of our favorites this summer for container plantings.

Seasonal Color Defined:

The planting of annual (plants that only last one season) flowers in the landscape to add a seasonal accent of color.  Annual color can have more impact in the landscape than any other design element.  Seasonal color plantings can be large and bold, or they can be small plantings near the front door or planted on the edge of the patio to catch your attention, or they can be as simple as a few colorful landscape pots welcoming guests to your home.  The key is to only plant as much color as you can adequately care for.  Seasonal color, large or small, is a statement piece in your landscape.

Fall seasonal color options:

A key to pansies surviving the winter is moisture. A good deep soaking once per week in the winter will help them overwinter.

Pansies – How ironic!  The cool season annual that is the toughest…the best at surviving the cold of winter is called a Pansy!  Planting pansies this fall will add vibrant yellows, blues, purples, oranges, whites, and reds to your landscape for 7-8 months.  The key to pansies surviving the winter is keeping the plants from being bone dry when cold fronts arrive.  Pansies love fertile, well-drained soil.  For the best results add compost to the soil when planting.  For the best show, plant on 6” centers.  Pansies are available with a clear face or with a blotch.  I love both but enjoy the added color contrast you get with the blotch. 

Use seasonal color as a welcoming statement for your guests.

Mums – They are actually a perennial but can double as an annual for dramatic color during October and November.  They are traditionally used in pots and overlooked as a bedding plant.  Use mums in the landscape for bold, eye-catching color.  An added bonus – after the blooms fade, transfer the plants to a place where they will accent the landscape as a perennial in the coming springs and falls. 

Kale riding out an ice storm.

When you use mums as perennials they add a splash of color to your fall landscape.

Kale and Ornamental Cabbage – A leafy annual that adds texture along with hues of purples, pinks, and whites to the fall landscape.  Most winters kale and cabbage will add interest to the landscape through the holidays and occasionally into the spring.  Just like pansies, the most damaging thing you can do is allow the soil to be dry when cold spells sweep in. 

Pansies, kale and mums make a great combination for your fall landscape containers.

Bulbs: Tulips, Daffodils and Hyacinths – Not fall color, but they must be planted in the fall for color next spring.  We will spend more time talking about spring flower bulbs later, but now is the time to start making your plans.  Bulbs put on their best show in the spring when they are planted with several bulbs together in a group. 

Spring flowering bulbs aren’t fall color, but you have to plan for them now and plant them in them in November for a spring show.

It’s still too early to plant spring-blooming tulip bulbs, but it isn’t too early to start planning your color scheme and where you are going to plant bulbs.

Tip - For the best color show, limit mums and/or kale to 20% or less of your planting.  Because of the short bloom time of mums and the chance kale will not last until spring, you will limit your spring color show if you have too much of them.  Or, plant your spring bulbs in the same area as your mums and kale.  The bulbs will fill the void with a burst of color next spring.

Your lawn and landscape assignment for this week…

Document your summer seasonal color. 

Plan your October seasonal color change.

Remember…Great landscapes should include plants that add color and interest in every season!

You really don’t want to be without color for the next 7-8 months, do you?

Lorne Hall

Hall|Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

A blanket of pansies with kale. In this landscape tulip bulbs are planted in November every year in the area of the kale to add more color next spring.

Bad news - you only have a couple more weeks to enjoy your summer annual color. Start planning now to replant seasonal color areas in October with cool weather loving pansies, mums, and kale.

Best Practices for Successfully Establishing Fescue

Have you noticed how much we have been talking about fescue lately? 

On August 11th, we wrote about Bermuda vs Fescue – The Choice is Yours!

Last week in our September Lawn & Landscape Tips the first item we listed was Fescue Overseeding.

As the temperature cools and moisture returns, fescue lawns will regain cooler and health.

Small, shady areas in your lawn where there is low air movement and shade are prime candidates for annual fall seeding with fescue.

It has been common to find stressed areas of fescue from uneven water distribution this summer.

If you have heavily shaded areas it is common to need to overseed in the fall, regardless of the summer weather conditions.

Fescue is the best turf grass for areas of your lawn that receive dappled sun. Bermuda needs at least 6 hours per day of direct sun light.

Fescue is commonly thought of as a shade grass. But fescue grown using the best maintenance and lawn care practices can thrive in full sun.

Why so much focus on fescue?

• Because, you are asking a lot of questions about fescue…

• & because, it is the best time to establish a fescue lawn!

It has been a stressful summer for fescue areas with uneven water distribution. Fall is the best time to overseed any damaged areas of fescue.

Who should plan on overseeding with fescue this fall?

• If you have areas of your lawn where the bermuda has thinned because of shade, you should seed this fall.  Bermuda needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight for the best performance.  Less than 6 hours of direct sunlight and bermuda starts to thin.

• If you have fescue areas that have become thin because of brown patch or drought, you should seed this fall.

• If you just want to keep your fescue thick and healthy, you should seed this fall.  Fescue doesn’t spread like bermuda with runners across the top of the soil.  Fescue spreads through tillering through the soil and putting up new vertical shoots.  Fescue spread is slow and often rare in the transition zone in which we live.  To keep a fescue lawn at it’s best, adding more seed is common.  Our best fescue lawns are overseeded every fall.

• If you want to have a green lawn longer into the fall and earlier in the spring, you should seed this fall.  Fescue is a cool season grass and stays green and active into early December and recovers from the winter in early March.  With a fescue lawn, it is common to have a green lawn 10 out of 12 months.

This fall is the best time to repair fescue areas that were damaged during this summer’s heat and drought.

Myth: It is difficult to grow fescue.  But, really it isn’t.  Growing fescue does require a different approach to your lawn, but it isn’t difficult when you follow the best practices for overseeding with fescue. 

4 Best Practices for Successfully Establishing Fescue

Best Practice #1 – Seeding fescue in the fall.

Because fescue is a cool season grass, there are two times per year you can plant fescue seed; Fall (September through October) and Spring (March to early April).

If you wait until spring to seed fescue, you are seeding at the second-best time and there is an enormous chasm between the establishment of fescue now (the best time) and next spring (the second-best time). 

Spring seeded fescue will come up great, but it rarely establishes enough root system to make it through the summer heat (fescue’s off season).  

Fall seeded fescue has all fall, winter, and spring to establish a root system before enduring the heat of July and August. 

Don’t fail at establishing fescue – seed in the fall, not the spring.

Best Practice #1 – Seeding fescue in the fall.

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Best Practice #2 – Good Seed to Soil Contact

Good seed to soil contact is important.  If you sow seed over the existing soil without some preparation, the chance of a successful seeding is greatly reduced.  Research shows the percentage of germination decreases dramatically when seed is just sown on top of the ground.

You will have success if you start by cutting the existing turf short to remove excess grass.  Then loosen the soil to create good seed to soil contact. 

This bermuda lawn is being cut short in preparation of overseeding it with fescue for the first time.

The lawn was being maintained at 3”.

Cutting it to 2” will improve the seed to soil contact and increase the success of the first time overseed.

Aeration is an important step in establishing good seed to soil contact. Good seed to soil contact and keeping the area moist are two keys two keys to success seeding.

Aeration is the best method to loosen the soil and gain good seed to soil contact.  Aerating also gives you the extra benefit of improving the soil structure, increasing water absorption, and developing deeper roots. 

Give more attention to bare areas and the edges.  Rough up the areas with a rake. 

Rototilling isn’t necessary, but breaking the surface of the soil in bare areas is needed. 

In areas that are completely bare, spread a thin layer of peat moss over the surface after seeding to increase the seed to soil contact. 

• If overseeding an existing fescue area with a good stand of grass, spread seed at a rate of 6-8 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

• If establishing a new fescue lawn, spread seed at a rate of 10-12 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

Best Practice #2 – Good Seed to Soil Contact

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Best Practice #3 – Keep the Seed Tacky Moist Until It Germinates 

The first two are very important, but this one is critical for success. 

Nothing will deliver you a losing hand quicker than not keeping the seed moist.  You can get the first two best practices correct and have complete failure if the seeded area is not kept moist until new grass is visible in the entire area.

Even water distribution is important in keeping the seed tacky moist until it comes up. Check your system. Look for areas where there isn’t complete head to head coverage. The result will be poor germinate around the sprinkler head.

This picture 14 days after seeding demonstrates how critical moisture is to seed germination. The seed in the area where the irrigation does not reach has not germinated at all while the moist areas are nearly fully germinated.

When you keep the seeded area consistently tacky moist you will seed germination within 7-14 days. Best practice is to water the area 3 short cycles per day.

The worst thing you can do is water the seeded area, allow it to dry completely, water again, allow it to dry completely, repeat, repeat, repeat…  After a couple of times of drying out completely, the seed will no longer be viable. 

For the best success, set your irrigation to run 3 short cycles per day.  Set spray type zones to run 3-5 minutes each time.  Set rotor type zones to run 7-10 minutes each time.  If possible, set the system to run early morning (4:00 AM), late morning (10:00 AM), and mid-afternoon (4:00 PM). 

You don’t have to have an irrigation system to establish fescue.  Just be diligent at watering every morning and every evening. 

Best Practice #3 – Keep the Seed Tacky Moist Until It Germinates

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Best Practice #4 – Invest in a Quality Seed

Fescue was first introduced in the US from Europe in the 1800s as a pasture grass.  Kentucky-31 Tall Fescue was developed in the 1940s as an improved pasture grass and introduced to the home turf market in the 1960s by Pennington Seed. 

Improved fescue varieties  are very heat and drought tolerant and can successfully be grown in full sun.

What is the point of the seed history lesson? 

If you are buying Kentucky-31 Tall Fescue, you are buying an 80-year-old product when there are over 300 improved fescue varieties that offer darker green color, narrower blades, and improved tolerance to heat, cold, drought, and disease.  Kentucky-31 is marginally acceptable as a lawn grass that tends to become thin and clumpy. 

No matter the name on the bag of the seed, any improved variety will outperform Kentucky-31.

We believe using a blend is best when seeding fescue.  Blends are a combination of two or more varieties within the same species, such as two or more fescues in one mix.  Blends are a combination of the best species, tested over time, for the best shade tolerance and disease resistance. The number one problem with fescue is brown patch disease.  The best blends use fescue varieties that show strong resistance to brown patch.  Also, some blends will contain bluegrass and, or rye for even more vibrant spring color. 

Best Practice #4 – Invest in a Quality Seed

All seed grown in Oregon is certified. Buy it when possible.

When purchasing seed look for a blend with fescue varieties that score high in the NTEP trials for heat, drought, and disease resistance.

Two things that will make a seed more expensive, but at the same time a great value, “0% Weed Seed” and “Treated with Gravity SL PGS”.  

Gravity SL PGS is a growth stimulant that greatly increases germination rates and root development.

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Fescue can be grown successfully in Oklahoma.  Even during a hot and dry summer, there are examples of great fescue lawns in every neighborhood.   And for the fescue lawns that showed stress this summer, surprisingly most will show signs of a rebound with slightly cooler temperatures and moisture.

Successful fescue lawns are the result of best seeding practices, best cool season turf maintenance practices, and persistence. 

But, more importantly, they are a result of different thinking.  Establishing and maintaining a fescue lawn requires a different approach.

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Bonus Best Practice

Don’t apply a fall pre-emergent before seeding.  The same pre-emergent herbicide that prevents weeds will prevent fescue from germinating.  Wait until after the new fescue has been mowed 2-3 times before putting a pre-emergent on the lawn.

Special Note:   DO NOT use pre-emergent herbicides now in areas that are going to be seeded this fall.

If you need assistance in establishing a fescue lawn or have questions about fescue, give us a call – (405) 367-3873. 

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

September Lawn & Landscape Tips

September, the transition month from summer to fall!

I think we are all ready for a little break from the summer heat.   No doubt there are still a few hot days yet to come, but the cooler days of fall are getting closer.  By the end of September, daytime highs will be in the 70s and nighttime lows will be in the 50s.  

It was an interesting summer for our lawns and landscapes.  With the warmer and dryer than normal June, this was a great summer for warm season turf (bermuda and zoysia) and a so-so year for cool season turf (fescue). 

With summer fading away, it is time to turn our focus toward the lawn and landscape activities of fall.

September lawn and landscape activities will make a big difference in the success of your landscape not only this fall, but also next spring.

For your lawn and landscape, it is important to finish the year strong and get a head start on next year by checking off these lawn and landscape activities during September: 

Overseed – If you have a cool season lawn (fescue), September through October is the time to add more seed (overseed).  Fall is by far the most successful time to establish cool season turf.  Fescue seeded this fall will have stronger roots next summer when the heat returns.

If you have not already, inspect your fescue in the next few days. If there are thin areas due to dense shade, brown patch damage, or areas damaged by a lack of moisture during the heat, plan on overseeding this fall.   

Also, look for areas of the lawn that have become too shady for bermuda.  Bermuda needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight for the best performance.  The key words are “direct sunlight.”  Dappled sunlight is not “direct sunlight.”  Anything less than 6 hours of full sunlight and bermuda will begin to thin.

Sooner or later, you will have to introduce fescue in your lawn if you have trees.  Success is easier if you start the process before the bermuda has completely faded. 

Fescue is also a good choice for the narrow side areas of houses where the turf only receives a few hours of direct sun each day.

What are the keys to successful seeding? Good seed soil contact, a quality fescue blend, and keeping the seeded area tacky moist until the seed germinates.

Need help evaluating shady areas of your lawn, schedule a lawn evaluation by responding to this email or call (405)367-3873.

If you are overseeding with fescue this fall, even water distribution is a critical step to success. If you have dry areas in your irrigation system, make repairs before seeding.

One of the keys to successfully seeding shady areas is a quality seed. We believe in using a fescue blend containing varieties that have a history of performing well in Oklahoma.

Did you know that with the right maintenance plan and lawn care applications tailored for cool seasons grasses, fescue will perform well in full sun?

Fall seeded fescue lawns result in the best cool season lawns next spring.

Overseeded fescue 14-21 days after seeding.

Fall is the best time to seed shady areas of your lawn with fescue.

Fescue in late September last year after being overseeded in early September.

If your fescue has areas that did not handle the heat and lack of rain the past 6 weeks, now is the time to overseed with fescue.

Fall Pre-emergent & Post-Emergent – Winter annual weeds germinate as temperatures cool.  Poa annua, an annual bluegrass, is the first to germinate, followed by henbit and chickweed.  These are the weeds that will keep you from having a clean landscape next January through April.  When you skip the fall pre-emergent, you will be forced to use harsher products next spring to clean up the turf when you should be focused on developing a lush green turf.  For the best results, a fall pre-emergent should be applied to your lawn before the end of September.   Also, many bi-annual weeds, such as dandelions, are easier to control in the fall.

Note:  DO NOT use pre-emergent herbicides now in areas that are going to be seeded this fall.

The use of nitrogen fertilizer after September 15th, often in an attempt to keep Bermuda green longer in the fall, will enhance spring dead spot disease next year.

Lawn Fertilizer – When you fertilize and what you put on your warm season (bermuda and zoysia) lawns in September, is critical to the health of your lawn.  High nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied to warm season turf after mid-September.  Applications of high nitrogen fertilizer 6 weeks before winter dormancy reduces winter hardiness and promotes spring dead spot disease.  Typically, winter dormancy for bermuda in central Oklahoma begins in early November.  Potassium is important for cold tolerance and disease control, but because potassium stays in the soil longer, a soil test is recommended before applying high amounts of potassium. 

During September and October, we adjust the fertilizer to match the weather forecast and soil conditions to ensure bermuda lawns have strong root systems, are winter hardy, and are positioned to start next year strong.

Fall is the best time to apply higher nitrogen fertilizer to fescue lawns.  Plan on getting the first fall feeding on fescue this month.  Because fescue is a cool season grass, it benefits from more nitrogen in the fall.  Even if you will be overseeding your fescue this fall, it is important to get fertilizer on the existing fescue this month.   

Mowing – Continue to mow often enough that you are removing no more than 1/3 of the blade of grass with each cutting.  For warm season turf, maintain the height at or near 2 – 2 1/2” going into the fall.  Avoid cutting short or scalping warm season lawns at this time.  Anytime you cut below the leaf space and into the stems of the plant, you are causing stress.  The plant will use nutrients stored in the root system to generate new leaves.  At this time of the season, you don’t want to cause any stress that would require the lawn to use nutrients stored for the winter. 

For cool season turf, it is best to cut the lawn shorter before seeding.  This will increase seed to soil contact.  After the new seed starts growing, gradually increase mowing height to 3”.

When you cut below the leaf blade into the stem your Bermuda lawn will have a scalped, brown appearance.

When you don’t mow your Bermuda too low in the fall, it will develop a stronger root system for the winter months.

Watering – The rainfall totals don’t reflect how dry it has been through the late summer. The metro area average rainfall for August is 4.6”, nearly double the typical August, but it all came in one storm.  Heavy rainfall doesn’t benefit your lawn, especially when it is followed by a long stretch of hot days.

Until we get a good gentle 1” rainfall, keep practicing good watering techniques.  Remember deep, infrequent watering is better than short frequent watering. 

Once nights and days begin to cool, and day length shortens, your landscape will need less water. Responsible watering is based on seasonal temperatures and moisture.  Typically, during September, you can start reducing the number of days you water. It is always best to maintain deep soakings and reduce the frequency.  At some point this month, it may be best to water every 4 days rather than on the odd/even plan.  

Continue to water trees planted in the last 12-18 months more than you water your lawn this month.  Supplemental watering is critical for new additions to the landscape. Place a water hose at the base of the tree with the water flowing at a slow trickle for a couple of hours once per week.  The goal is to get 10 gallons of water to the roots every week.

Maintain good soil moisture through September. The goal is to have moist soil 6-12” deep. If you have dry soil like the core in this picture you are allowing your lawn to go into the winter in a stressed condition.

Fall webworm can cause damage. When possible, pruning out the infected area is the best method of control.

Webworm – Watch for fall webworm in your trees. Webworm create webbing on the ends of tree branches as the worm devours the leaves. Webworm can have more than one generation per season.  The earlier generations do not cause lasting damage. But, the last generation can result in branch die back.  To treat with an insecticide, you must penetrate the webbing.  The most effective approach of control is to monitor trees and prune out the web areas while they are small.  Place webbing in a plastic bag and dispose of it immediately. If you leave the branches on the ground, you will be amazed at how quick the worms will be back in the tree.

Fall Color – Summer color will start to fade this month.  Before it does a good activity is to create a summer landscape journal.  Grab a few minutes and take pictures of your landscape while it is still warm.  Jot down a few notes about plants that are doing well and the ones that are struggling.

Next spring you will be glad to have the information when you make summer landscape plans. Too often we get excited about a plant that looks great in April and May only to have it disappoint when the heat is on in July and August. 

Toward the end of the month or early October you will want to replace your summer annuals with cool season annuals.  Pansies, mums, and kale are the dominate players.  Use more pansies than mums and kale since pansies typically overwinter and flourish the following spring. 

The Colors of September

Start making plans to replace your summer color with cold hardy annuals, such as pansies, later this month or early next month.

Hamelin Grass loads up with plums during September.

If you resisted the urge to prune what appeared spent blooms on your hydrangeas earlier in August, now you are getting to enjoy rosy pink shades late in the summer.

Crape Myrtle, our longest blooming plant, will continue to put on a show through September.

For as long as the weather stays warm tropical hibiscus will continue to produce big bright blooms.

A fun September blooming perennial is Autumn Sage

Liriope one of the easiest ground covers to grow puts on blue to purple flowers spikes in late summer.

A great late summer addition to the landscape are many of the warm season ornamental grasses.

Summer loving lantana will continue to bloom through September.

Abel is often graces the late summer with white flowers.

If you haven’t taken pictures and made notes of your best summer color this year, do so in the next couple of weeks.

I can’t wait for the cooler days of September when fescue lawns return to their grandeur and trees and shrubs appear more vibrant.

Our goal is to help you have your best lawn and landscape. 

If you need assistance with any of the September lawn and landscape tasks, or have questions concerning your lawn and landscape, give us call… (405) 367-3873. 

Lorne Hall

Hall |Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Trees – What Are Your Trees Worth?

Have you ever pondered the value of your trees?

Steve Dobbs, author of the book Oklahoma Gardener’s Guide put it this way: 

“Trees are truly the pillars of our landscapes.  Think of trees as an investment for future generations.”

So, what are trees worth? 

• Homes with “excellent” landscaping can expect a sale price 6-7% higher than equivalent houses with “good” landscaping. Improving “average” to “good” landscaping can result in a 4-5% increase.  Clemson University

• Landscaping can bring a recovery value of 100-200% at selling time. (Kitchen remodeling brings 75-125%, bathroom remodeling 20-120%).  Money Magazine

• A mature tree can have an appraised value between $1,000 and $10,000.  Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers

• 99% of real estate appraisers concurred that landscaping enhances the sales appeal of real estate.  Trendnomics, National Gardening Association

• 98% of realtors believe that mature trees have a “strong or moderate impact” on the salability of homes listed for over $250,000.  American Forests, Arbor National Mortgage

What are some of the insect and disease issues that are currently threatening your landscape investment?

Scale – Common on trees and shrubs. Scales produce honeydew which is a growing medium for sooty mold fungi.  The honeydew also attracts ants.  Rarely do they kill a plant themselves, but they predispose plants to attack from other insects and pathogens.  There are two types of scale — soft scales, common on Redbud and Oaks, — and hard scales, such as the white scale found on Crape Myrtle.

White scale, a hard scale, is commonly found on Crape Myrtle. Just like soft scale on Oaks, rarely will it kill the plant but it does invite other insects and diseases that will cause harm.

Soft scale are common on Oaks. They rarely kill a tree but do weaken it making it susceptible to attacks from other insects and disease.

Bagworms – One of the most damaging pests in our landscapes.  Bagworms start out very small and hard to notice.  As they mature, their feeding becomes more apparent.  On evergreen trees, the tips will appear brown and unhealthy. As they continue to feed, plants can become defoliated and even die, especially on evergreen species because their leaves do not replenish as well as deciduous plants.

Evergreens with tips that are turning brown and looking unhealthy likely are being attacked by bagworms.

Bagworms start out very small and nearly unnoticeable, but as they grow and feed on evergreens they become one of the most damaging pest to our landscapes.

Webworms – Caterpillars weave a loose web around tree branches while they are munching on the leaves.  Favorite trees include hickory, mulberry, oak, pecan, popular, redbud, sweetgum, and willow.  But, you can find them on most ornamental shade trees when populations are heavy.  There can be 2 or 3 generations per season with the last generation causing damage when the branch tries to rebud just before a killing frost.  When this occurs, you can expect the affected branch to die.

Webworms weave loose webs around tree branches. The late summer to early fall generation can result in twig and branch die back.

Borers – Nearly all trees are subject to borers when they are injured or weakened by disease or stress.  Borer refers to the larval stage of some beetles and moths that feed inside the stems, branches, and trunks of plants.  Generally, the presence of borers is indicated by their emergence holes through the bark.  Other signs are a gummy fluid oozing from the tree, dead areas under the bark, or small piles of sawdust.  When left unchecked trees, will decline and are likely to die.  There are many types of borers with varying life cycles and habits. 

Evidence of borers are holes, oozing fluid and saw dust. Borers often attack trees that are injured or weakened by disease or stress.

This large Blue Atlas Cedar was under attack by borers last summer. Trunk injections were made with an insecticide to control boring and chewing insects.

Anthracnose – Spores are transported to new buds and shoots in the spring and are enhanced by cool, wet conditions.  There are many species of anthracnose that impact a variety of deciduous trees. The primary signs are tan to red-brown lesions that extend along the veins and edges of the leaf followed by considerable defoliation and sometime complete leaf loss.

Anthracnose is a fungus that results in leaves curling, wilting and defoliating.  The disease is enhanced by wet and cool conditions. 

Chloroses – Iron or manganese chlorosis describes a condition in which a tree’s foliage loses its healthy green color and fades to pale green or yellow hue.  If allowed to progress, it will cause slow growth, leaf loss and eventually tree death.  It is particularly prevalent in oaks.  It is caused by deficiencies of the micro-elements iron and manganese.  Trees growing in poorly drained soil are also susceptible. 

The signs of chloroses are leaves fading from a healthy green to pale green to yellow.

By injecting minerals directly into the tree, cholorses can be reversed.

A severe case of chloroses on a mature oak.

One year after treatment the oak leaves have returned to a healthy green color.

Sudden Oak Death – Sudden oak death is often a fatal tree disease caused by Phytophthora ramorum which attack roots. Leaves appear drought-stressed, turning dull green, yellow, red or purple as they wilt.  Bleeding cankers form at the base of the trunk and eventually lead to death.  The disease is often followed by beetle infestations. 

Sudden Oak Death will result in leaves turning brown, leaves appearing drought stressed and wilting. A trunk injection of a fungicide will give the tree a chance to recover.

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape Plant Health Care Professionals can help you keep your landscape investment healthy:   

Tree & Shrub Care Program –

Four regularly scheduled plant health care visits to keep your trees and shrubs healthy throughout the year. Program includes:

• Dormant oil application to smother overwintering insects

• Two spring to summer applications to minimize insect and disease population during the growing season

• Fall fertilizer application

• Applications are tailored to your plant species

Trunk Injections –

An effective treatment to control insect, disease and nutrient issues on larger trees. 

Specific formulations are injected directly into the truck where it is quickly taken up by the vascular system and distributed throughout the tree.

In most situations, the treatment provides protection for 12-18 months.

Unlike spraying, herbicides injected directly into the tree limits impact to the surrounding environment.

Deep Root Feeding –

Deep root feeding techniques inject fertilizer 5-6” below the surface ensuring fertilizer reaches tree roots.  As trees mature, they are in competition with the turf grass growing on top of roots for nutrients.

Deep root feeding restores soil health for struggling trees by providing essential nutrients.

Signs your large trees may need deep root feeding:

• Reduced foliage in the canopy.

• Light green to yellowish leaves.

• Little to no annual growth.

A healthy tree is more likely to withstand harsh weather conditions, pest infestations, and diseases.

We believe…

• Trees are worth it. 

• Trees make a difference in the appearance of our communities. 

• Trees make a difference in the way we feel. 

• Trees increase the value of a property.

• Trees, trees... trees just make the world a better place!

We believe trees are the pillars of our landscapes.  

Hall | Stewart’s goal is to help you have your best lawn and landscape. 

If your trees need help, please call (405)367-3873 or respond to this email to schedule a time for a Plant Health Care Professional to visit your landscape.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

The Fall Pre-Emergent – The Application That Sets Your Lawn Up For Success Next Spring

A large portion of lawn care activities are all about setting up the next season for success. 

Yes, it is still summer. 

Yes, the days are still warm. 

Yet, we are already focused on the fall and making sure you have your best lawn next spring.

It is often hard to keep up the enthusiasm for your lawn and landscape this time of year.  The dog days of summer have taken all the enjoyment out of working on your lawn and landscape.  Then, add on the busyness of the start of the school year and it is often hard to keep up with the best lawn and landscape practices.    

But, when it comes to having your best lawn, the worst thing you can do is give up now.  Finishing the season strong is important.

An early fall pre-emergent before fall & winter annual weeds start to germinate as temperatures cool this fall is the key to having your best lawn next spring.

Why?  Because:  Nothing sets up your lawn for success next spring more than what you do now!

The most critical lawn care applications are the ones that include pre-emergent herbicides. 

Everyone knows the importance of the spring applications, but did you know that the fall applications are just as critical?

Why are the fall pre-emergent applications so important?

Fall pre-emergent applications are the key to having a clean lawn next spring.

Fall pre-emergent applications prevent poa annua, rescuegrass, cheat, brome, chickweed, and henbit.  These are the weeds that clutter your lawn in the spring. 

Bermuda lawns that do not receive the early fall pre-emergent soon run the risk of being very weedy next March and April as the green up.

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Common chickweed is a winter annual broadleaf with a prostrate, mat-like growth (rarely higher than 2") and broad egg shaped leaves spaced evenly and opposite each other along the stem with small white flowers in the spring. One interesting fact about chickweed seeds - they can remain viable in the soil for 7-8 years. Chickweed is another winter annual that is easily prevented and when not prevented is fairly easy to control in the winter to early spring, but very difficult to control once flower production begins in spring. As with many weed issues, the tried-and-true best defense against chickweed is a thick and lush lawn going into the fall.

Henbit is a broadleaf winter annual weed with greenish to purplish square stems, green scallop edged leaves, and reddish purple flower in the spring. Seeds germinate in the fall but the weed often goes unnoticed until we have periods of warm winter weather when henbit grows best. Henbit is easily prevented with fall pre-emergent applications but can be difficult to control in late spring when it is mature, flowering and littering your lawn. As with most weeds, a dense turf is the best prevention against the development of henbit.

Henbit

Poa annua, also known as annual bluegrass, is the fall’s equivalent to spring’s crabgrass.  Without a fall pre-emergent, your lawn will not be clean next spring. Just like crabgrass, when it is mature, poa annua is hard to control without causing turf injury.  Next spring, we want your lawn to be focused on emerging from dormancy without the harmful effects of harsh post-emergent herbicide applications.

How a Bermuda lawn looks in April when no fall pre-emergent applications were made.

Poa Annua is a winter annual grassy weed that will germinate this fall. Without a fall pre-emergent application there is a good chance your lawn will be full of poa annua next spring.

Poa Annua is a low growing winter annual weed that will have white seed heads next spring. A pre-emergent between now and the end of September is a critical step in not having a lawn full of weeds next spring.

Poa Annua germinates and thrives in thin areas of fescue during the fall, winter and spring. Poa Annua does not have a competitive advantage over fescue when it is thick, healthy and actively growing. Overseeding thin fescue in the fall is a great way to prevent poa annua.

Poa Annua is an annual grassy weed that invades lawns in the fall and winter. It is a lighter green clumping grass with small white flowers (seed heads) in the spring. Germination occurs in moist soil starting in the fall when night temperatures drop into the 60s and continues through the winter and spring. Poa Annua has a competitive advantage over bermuda in the winter when it is activity growing and the bermuda is dormant.

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The goal with a warm season bermuda lawn is for it to be clean of winter weeds this winter and coming spring. Fall pre-emergent applications are the key.

Weeds are easier to prevent in the fall than they are to control in the spring. 

Poa annua, also known as annual bluegrass, is the fall’s equivalent to spring’s crabgrass.  Without a fall pre-emergent, your lawn will not be clean next spring. And, just like crabgrass, when it is mature, poa annua is hard to control without causing turf injury. 

Next spring, we want your lawn to be focused on emerging from dormancy without the harmful effects of harsh post-emergent herbicide applications. Lawns that do not receive the early fall pre-emergent application will be filled with weeds next February through April.  While lawns that receive fall applications will start next year clean and healthy. 

Timing of the fall pre-emergent applications is critical.  As temperatures cool in the fall, cool season annual weeds will germinate. 

The first application for the fall needs to be made sometime between mid-August and end of September.

A second application should be put on your lawn 6-10 weeks after the first fall application to ensure full weed control until the lawn emerges from dormancy next spring. Research shows that poa annua has developed resistance to pre-emergent applications.  A second fall pre-emergent in October through November increases control of poa annua.

Next spring when the crabapples are in bloom and fescue is green, Bermuda lawns should be weed free. This is only possible if a fall pre-emergent is applied between late August and early October with a second application 4-6 weeks later.

There is only one reason to NOT put the first fall pre-emergent application on your lawn: SEEDING FESCUE.

The same pre-emergent herbicide that prevents annual weeds from germinating WILL PREVENT new grass seed from coming up.  Because developing a thick turf is so critical to good weed control, and because September through October is by far the best time to establish a cool season lawn, not applying a pre-emergent herbicide to the areas you are seeding is the right thing to do.  Once the new seed is up, actively growing, and has been mowed 3-4 times, you can apply a fall pre-emergent application. 

Note:  If you are only seeding a portion of your lawn, you should have a pre-emergent applied to the areas you are not seeding. 

The only exception to the early fall pre-emergent being a must for your best lawn next spring is if you are overseeding with fescue this fall. If overseeding, skip the early pre-emergent, seed with fescue, then apply the late fall pre-emergent after the newly seeded area has been mowed a few times.

Important – If you are planning on seeding all or part of your lawn this fall, please let us know so we can adjust your applications accordingly.

Need help deciding if you need to overseed all or parts of your lawn with fescue this fall?  Check out last week’s email:  Bermuda vs Fescue. The Choice is Yours!

Dormant Bermuda will be weed free in February and March when both fall pre-emergent applications are on schedule.

If you are not overseeding all your lawn with fescue this fall, it is important to not skip the early fall pre-emergent. All the areas you are not seeding need the early application to look their best next spring.

Fall pre-emergent applications will ensure your lawn is not full of annual winter weeds next March.

DO NOT apply the early fall pre-emergent on your lawn if you are planning on seeding with fescue this fall.

Please contact us if you plan to overseed with fescue this fall so we can adjust our application plans for your lawn.

There are 4 types of lawn care customers:

1. Customers who subscribe to the Hall | Stewart 7-step program and enjoy having a clean, healthy and growing turf.  If you are on the 7-step program, you will receive both fall pre-emergent applications.

2. Customers who want to make sure their lawn receives timely pre-emergent herbicides but enjoy applying their own fertilizer.  If this defines you, you are receiving the Hall | Stewart 4-step weed control only program and will receive the 2 fall pre-emergent applications. 

3. The occasional application customer who takes a few applications, often the early spring applications.  If this defines you, please don’t skip the fall pre-emergent steps this year.  You will not regret the fall applications next spring when your lawn starts the year weed free.  

4. Customers who have “thrown in the towel” on this season and plan on starting again next spring.  If this defines you, a great lawn next spring doesn’t start next spring.  A great lawn next season starts this fall.

Remember – it is always easier to prevent weeds than it is to kill actively growing weeds.

Nothing will make a bigger difference in the way your lawn looks next spring than applying both fall pre-emergent applications this year.

If you have any questions about fall pre-emergent herbicides, please give us a call at (405)367-3873.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Bermuda vs Fescue – The Choice is Yours!

When it comes to turfgrass, Oklahoma is blessed to be in the transition zone. 

What is the transition zone?  It is an area across the middle of the US between where warm season turf grows in the south and cool season grasses grow in the north. 

The Transition Zone is the area of the country you can choose to grow either warm season or cool season grasses.

Bermuda is the common warm season turfgrass in our region.  The advantage of bermuda is that it loves the summer heat and as long as it receives some moisture, it will be at its best in July and August.

But, bermuda has limits.  The biggest being that it requires 6 hours of direct sunlight to be thick and healthy.  Second, it goes dormant in November and doesn’t green up until April, leaving you with a lifeless, straw-brown lawn for months.  

Bermuda will look its best when it receives at least 6 hours of full sun everyday.

Fescue is the best grass for lawns where is less than 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.

 Fescue is the cool season alternative.  Fescue tolerates more shade and stays green nearly year-round.  You can’t beat the deep rich color in the spring and fall.  The turf is so soft under your feet. Mowing patterns are sharp.  Fescue stays green well into December, keeps some color through the winter, and as soon as the winter starts to break in early March, fescue bursts back to life.

But to be fair, fescue has limits as well.  Fescue, because it is a cool season grass, goes through a summer off season.  About the time bermuda lawns are looking their best, fescue goes through a slump in late July to early August when 95-100 temperatures are common.   Growth slows, depth of color fades, and although improved varieties of fescue are more drought tolerant, fescue still needs water during the summer to stay green. 

 Early August is the perfect time to evaluate your lawn.  If you have a bermuda lawn, are there areas that are not receiving sufficient light for a thick, healthy bermuda turf?  If you have a fescue lawn, how has it faired this year with the drier than normal and warmer than normal June?   

Fescue is best established during September and October.  With cooler days and nights just around the corner, now is the best time to evaluate your lawn for the need to establish fescue or add more fescue. 

VERY CRITICAL

Evaluation and decision to seed or not to seed this fall must be made before the first fall pre-emergent application is made in late August through September.

Let’s take a minute to explore ways to use fescue in your lawn…

Fescue in the Shady Areas Only

This is the most traditional approach.  

Any place where your lawn doesn’t receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight - under trees, on the northside of structures, and those narrow areas between houses and fences - are all prime areas for fescue. 

Often homeowners put effort into trimming trees in an attempt to get enough light and allow bermuda to grow.  But, in most cases, tree trimming or thinning rarely solves the problem. 

The best solution is to overseed the areas with fescue in the fall. 

The negative to “fescue only in the shady areas” approach is a lawn mixed with green and dormant colors during the fall, winter, and early spring.

Full Fescue Lawn

A common myth is fescue won’t grow in full sun. 

Fescue performs best in dappled shade to partial sun, does very well in full sun when maintained properly, and struggles the most in dense, heavy shade. 

A full fescue lawn is the best solution for the typical sized lawn with a few trees making caring for both cool season and warm season turf difficult. 

A fescue lawn in dappled sunlight.

Fescue is relatively drought tolerant but needs water during the summer to stay green. This fescue lawn is in mostly full sun and during summer’s drought & heat has been receiving 1.5” of water.

Two Approaches To Managing A Full Fescue Lawn

1.     Managing Fescue Over Bermuda

With this approach fertilizing, weed control, mowing, aerating, and overseeding focuses on promoting the fescue and suppressing the bermuda. 

• Fescue needs heavy fertilizer in the spring and fall, and none in the summer – the exact opposite of bermuda. 

• Weed control herbicides designed for fescue and not bermuda are used resulting in bermuda suppression. 

• Fescue responds well to being mowed taller, 3” to 3 ½”, while bermuda prefers a shorter height of 2” to 2 ½”. 

• Aeration occurs in the fall, not early summer. 

• And, overseeding with fescue in the fall keeps the fescue full and stresses the bermuda going into the winter. 

The negative - You will still notice some bermuda in the lawn during July and August, but with deep, infrequent watering practices, the fescue will remain the dominate turf. 

Fescue will loose color in 95+ degree temperatures if it doesn’t receive at least 1.5” of water per week.

2.     Full Fescue Only

An aggressive approach to removing bermuda from the fescue is used. 

Because bermuda is the dominate turfgrass in our region, it is difficult to have a completely bermuda free fescue lawn. 

If this is your goal, aggressive herbicide treatments in August followed by overseeding in September is required. 

The negative – Your lawn will look bad before it looks good. There will be a 4-to-6-week period between the first application and when the new fescue grows in. But, you will notice substantially less bermuda the next growing season.  You can expect to repeat this process every 2 to 3 years to keep bermuda eradicated.

I have used this process on occasion with success, but is not the preferred method due to the poor appearance of the lawn for several weeks until the new fescue grows in.

Fescue growing in full sun over Bermuda.

Fescue with bermuda in August before treatment to control bermuda.

Lawn 2 weeks after treatment to control bermuda.

Fescue 4 weeks after treatment to control bermuda just before overseeding in September.

A fescue lawn in July.

A fescue lawn in the fall.

A fescue lawn in the fall.

As our environment continues to have more and more trees, fescue will become more and more a part of our landscape environment. 

Whether you desire to have a full fescue lawn or just need to address the shady areas of your lawn, September through October is the best time to establish fescue from seed.  As a cool season grass, it is much easier for newly established grass to survive the winter. 

Spring seeded fescue typically does not have enough of a root system to survive the summer and is more susceptible to brown patch disease. The best time to seed fescue is in the fall.  The second-best time is in the spring, but the chasm between fall and spring is large.

New fescue 30 days after seeding.

Three keys to successful fall fescue seeding:

1. Quality Fescue Blend Seed

2. Aeration for good seed to soil contact.

3. Keeping the seeded area tacky moist until the new seed comes up.

Bonus Tip - Newly seeded grass needs to be kept consistently moist for 2-3 weeks after seeding. 

The inability to keep new seed moist is the number one reason new seed fails. 

Now is the time to schedule an Irrigation Check to make sure your system is ready for fall overseeding.

Request an inspection today by responding to this email or calling (405)367-3873.

A key to successful fescue seeding is keeping the seed moist until it germinates. Check your system now for even coverage to avoid seed failure in dry areas this fall.

If you need help evaluating your need for fescue and would like to discuss your options, please give us a call (405)367-3873.

VERY CRITICAL

Evaluation and decision to seed or not to seed this fall must be made before the first fall pre-emergent application is made in late August through September.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

August Lawn & Landscape Tips

We have arrived at the hottest, driest point of the season.  The last 10 days of July and the first 10 days of August are when Oklahoma City’s average daily temperature reaches its peak.

The key to surviving the hottest period of the season is best practices.

Best practices, not just during times of high stress, but rather it is best practices all the time that make the difference.

To finish the summer strong, here are a few best practices to focus on:

This week I started mowing my fescue lawn one setting higher. More leaf space results in better heat and drought tolerance.

Mowing – Both warm season turf (Bermuda and Zoysia) and cool season turf (Fescue) should be mowed at the highest level this month, warm season 2-2.5” and cool season up to 3-3.5”.  At the higher level the lawn will have more leaf space resulting in better heat and drought tolerance. Continue to mow often enough that you are removing only 1/3 of the grass each time you cut.  If you are cutting frequently enough to pass the 1/3 test, don’t catch the clippings.  Allowing the clippings to decompose on the lawn will return moisture and nitrogen to the soil. Give no bagging a try.  You will be surprised at how much more color your lawn will retain even in the heat.  When you bag your clippings, you are tossing out nitrogen and moisture your lawn could really use this month.

Best Mowing Practice for August – Mow high, mow often, and don’t bag your clippings.

Bermuda lawns perform their best in the heat. Mow often and don’t bag the clippings. Grass clippings are mostly nitrogen and moisture. Your lawn will thank you for giving them back.

After mulch mowing, use your blower to distribute any noticeable clippings.

Well maintained Bermuda lawns can’t be beat in August.  This Bermuda lawn is the result of best practices this summer: well timed lawn care applications, aeration in June, deep infrequent watering, and mulch mowing.

Brown Patch develops in fescue lawns that have an area of low air circulation or heavy shade during the summer if the area stays wet for more than 5 hours at a time. Don't create Brown Patch with your watering practices. Allow your fescue time to dry between waterings.

Healthy lawns have deep root systems.  Roots will grow to the moisture.  If your watering pattern is short, shallow, frequent watering resulting in moisture only in the top 1-2”, you will have a shallow rooted lawn dependent upon daily water.  Deep soaking results in a root system with grass roots 6” to 2’ deep that is not dependent upon frequent watering and is drought resistant. 

Remember, trees planted in the last two years need supplemental watering during the summer heat and extended dry periods. A good rule of thumb is to give them 10 gallons of water every week.

Best Watering Practice for August – Know how long you need to water to get 1 ½” water on your lawn each week.  Practice deep soaking, infrequent watering.

Watering – The abundant soil moisture from the wet July start has quickly disappeared over the past week. The best-looking lawns and landscapes are now receiving 1 ½” of water per week now.   

To learn how long and how often you need to water for your landscape to receive 1 ½” of moisture, place your Hall | Stewart Rain Gauge or cans around your lawn.  Water using your normal cycle and then check the cups.  Adjust watering times and frequency accordingly to insure 1 ½” is applied each week.  Remember your landscape prefers deep soaking, infrequent watering over shallow, frequent watering.  Even in the heat, lawns and landscapes are at their best when they are watered deeply as needed and not every day.

Take time to check your irrigation and fine tune it. A leaning head often is the culprit for dry spots in the lawn.

If you are unsure about your watering practices, let us help. 

We can schedule an Irrigation Audit/Check to make sure your system

is operating at its peak efficiency during the summer heat.

Fertilizer – Apply fertilizer to warm season turf this month.  This time of the year, Bermuda and Zoysia benefit from a high nitrogen fertilizer that is low in phosphorus and potassium. 

DO NOT fertilize cool season lawns until we reach the cooler temperatures of September.   

Warm and cool season turfs require different fertilizer schedules.  Don’t make the mistake of trying to treat them the same when it comes to fertilizing.   

Best Fertilizer Practice for August – Fertilize bermudagrass, don’t fertilize fescue.  Important - Follow watering instructions after fertilizer is applied.

August is the month to be less aggressive on weed control. Because a thick turf is the most important part of good weed control, you want to avoid weakening the turf going into the fall.

Weed Control – Spring pre-emergent herbicides are reaching the end of their effectiveness in your soils.  Should an occasional weed show up in your turf this month, it is best to go easy on weed control.  We have reached the time of the year that damaged turf may not have a chance to fully recover before fall.  Great weed control is at least 75% the result of thick turf.  August is the month to focus on turf development going into the fall.

Later this month is the best time to start applying the first fall pre-emergent herbicide application.  The first fall weed to germinate is poa annua (annual bluegrass).  Poa annua has become more and more of a problem to control in lawns worldwide as it has developed resistance to current herbicide chemistry.  For the best prevention, it is important to put a pre-emergent on your lawn between mid-August and the end of September followed by a second pre-emergent, using a different herbicide, in October or November. 

Best Weed Control Practice for August – Don’t cause turf damage by over-treating weeds.  Better to go into the fall with a thick turf than one with herbicide damaged thin areas.

Bermuda vs Fescue in August – Bermuda (warm season turf) loves the summer heat.  Fescue (cool season turf) prefers nights below 70 and days below 90.  Healthy bermuda lawns look their best in the heat of the summer.  Healthy fescue will retain color, although not as much as in early summer, and growth will slow. 

Fescue where there is plenty of air circulation and dabbled sunlight typically looks best in the warm weather.  Fescue lawns with heavy shade and little air circulation tend to think from brown patch disease.  Brown patch occurs in fescue lawns anytime the grass stays wet for 5 hours or more at a time and nighttime temperatures are in the 70s.  During the hottest and driest time of the season, brown patch is often self-inflicted by watering your fescue in the morning and evening, a common by incorrect watering habit on fescue lawns in July and August.

Inspect Shady Lawn Areas - September through October is the best time of the year to establish fescue.  Now is the time to assess the areas of the lawn where bermuda has become thin due to increasing shade (Bermuda needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight to be thick), areas of the lawn where fescue did not perform well because of very dense shade (Fescue needs at least some dappled sun), and areas of fescue that have been damaged by brown patch this summer.   Because fescue does not spread you should plan on adding some seed every fall.

Best Fescue Lawn Practice for August – Inspect and evaluate your turf.  Check shade patterns and make a plan for overseeding low light areas with fescue this fall.

Need Help Evaluating Your Shady Areas? 

We would be happy to evaluate your shade and make a recommendation. 

Just give us a call at (405)367-3873 or respond to this email.

Insect Watch – If grubs have been a problem in your lawn, August is the time to apply an insecticide.  Remember, the insecticide will kill desirable insects also.  Only treat for grubs if there is evidence of a problem.  

Continue to inspect shrubs for aphids and treat as needed.  A common host plant is the Crape Myrtle.

Inspect your trees and shrubs for active bagworms.  If you need help controlling bagworms, give us a call.  When possible, remove and throw away bagworms.  Don’t toss them on the ground because they will crawl back onto your plants. 

Watch for webworms in your trees this month.  The later generations of webworm are the ones that cause damage.  If noticed early when the webbing is small, simply cutting the branch out is the best control.  If spraying is required, you must penetrate the webbing to gain control.

Best Insect Control Practice for August – Spend a few minutes inspecting your lawn and landscape for insect activity.  Treat as needed.

A common problem on Hackberry trees in the summer is nipple gall. Unfortunately little can be done to control gall-making insects.

When you remove bagworms please dispose of them. This little guy is slowly climbing back up a tree to do more destruction.

This summer’s Crape Myrtle colors have been brilliant.

How is your summer color doing?  This year my planting of Joseph Coat, Sunpatiens, Lantana, and Penta has put on a great show.

Limelight Hydrangeas can’t be beat for colorful summer shrub. This is a ‘Little Lime’ and is great for smaller areas.

Landscape Color – How has the color been in your landscape this season?  Sometime this month take pictures and make notes of the plants that are doing the best in your landscape.   

• Black-eyed Susan’s are the perfect perennial to add color to the landscape during July and August. 

• Crape Myrtles are loving the warm days and rewarding us with abundant summer color this year.

• Limelight Hydrangeas continue to brighten the landscape even on the hottest of days. 

• Lantana, Penta, and Periwinkle are at their best now. 

What is adding great color to your landscape right now?  We want to know.  Send pictures please.

Lantana is one of the best heat-loving annuals and with so many varieties, there is a right one for every landscape.

Angelonia is becoming a favorite summer annual. It has profile spikes of color and is available in white and shades of pinks and purples.

Crape Myrtle and Black-eyed Susan’s are a great color combination for late summer color.

Coleus is a great summer annual with big colorful leaves that at interest to the summer landscape.

Black-eyed Susan’s add a splash of bright color to the hot summer landscape.

Lantana is one of the best annual color plants for a summer filled with above average temperatures.

Shasta Daisies are nearing the end of their summer color show.

The best perennial plantings are the ones that have something blooming spring to fall. I challenge you to find another perennial that puts on a better color show in August than Black-eyed Susans.  

Keep faded blooms pruned off and you will extend their bloom time a few more weeks.

August is a great time to evaluate your summer annual color and make notes on what worked and what didn’t. This planting of Sunpatien, Begonia, Penta, Joseph Coat, and Melampodium started the summer looking great. But over the last few weeks the Melampodium has over powered the rest of the color. Note: “If using Melampodium plant it in the back.”

Black-eyed Susan

Hardy Hibiscus

Caladium and Impatiens

Sunpatiens

Crape Myrtle

Magnolia

Crape Myrtle

Trumpet Vine

Limelight Hydrangea

Lantana

Sunpatien

Penta

Wisteria

Lantana

Lantana

Periwinkle & Gomphrena  

Crape Myrtle

Mexican Petunia

Zinnia

Zinnia

Sunflower

Black-eyed Susan

Tropical Hibiscus and Sweet Potato Vine

Penta, Sunpatien, Coleus, Joseph’s Coat, and Angelonia

Caladium & Impatiens

Having a great lawn and landscape through the heat of the summer is a result of good maintenance practices year after year. 

A great lawn and landscape are not the result of one season, or even a full year of focus. 

A great environment is the result of discovering and developing great practices and then repeating them season after season, year after year.

If you need assistance in developing great practices or have questions concerning your lawn and landscape, give us a call.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405) 367-3873

Grubs – Our Most Consistent Turf Damaging Insect

For those of you who experienced the army worm invasion of 2021, I’m confident you disagree with “Grubs are the most consistent turf damaging insect.”

The key word is “consistent.”  

Yes, there are many turf damaging insects and when conditions are just right, and populations increase, damage occurs.  That was the case in July and August of 2021.  Army worm populations reached damaging levels, resulting in battalions of army worms marching across lawns.

But grubs…Grubs are a consistent pest, every year!

White grubs consistently, year over year, cause more turf damage than any other insect. 

Here is what you need to know about grubs…

Grubs are white, c-shaped, insects with three sets of legs who feed on all types of turfgrass roots.

What is a grub worm –

Grubs, specially called White Grubs, are white, C-shaped insects with a chestnut-colored head and 3 pairs of legs.  Size will range from ¼” to 1 ½” in length depending on age. 

They feed on grass roots of all types of turf resulting in yellowing, wilting turf, dead patches, and when left unchecked they will destroy the grass roots to the point that your lawn can be rolled up like it is a piece of carpet.

Signs you have a grub problem -

Early indications of grub damage may include patchy areas of wilting, discolored or stressed turf resembling drought stress. 

As the grubs continue to destroy roots, the effected patches expand outward into irregular shaped patches of dying turf.   

If you have areas that are wilting, discolored, stressed or dying, it could be grubs, our most consistent turf damaging insect.

Often grubs will start out centralized in an area, but will spread throughout an entire lawn when left untreated.

 An indication you have white grubs (often before you have any idea you have a grub problem) is damage caused by armadillos, skunks, possums, and raccoons foraging for grubs.   If your home is near wooded or native areas, damage from animals digging for grubs is more common.

Animals foraging for grubs will destroy your lawn in just one night. If you have experienced this, annual preventative grub control treatments should be a part of your routine maintenance plan.

The first step in confirming if you have a grub problem is to check your irrigation for proper coverage.  Place a Hall | Stewart Water Gauge or any container in the area showing signs of wilting, run your system through a cycle to see if the area is receiving sufficient moisture. 

The next step is to dig up small sections on the edge of the dying grass to see if grubs are present. 

The third step is to pull on the grass to see if it comes up easily with few roots. 

If you can pull up the grass in the damaged area easily, as if there are no roots hold the turf down, then grubs have been feeding on the grass roots.

If the stressed area is receiving water,

if you find grubs when you dig around the edges of the area,

if you can easily pull the turf up,

treatment is required.

If you find an occasional grub, it is common to find a grub, it does not mean you have a grub problem or that treatment is needed.    

In a healthy turf, 5 to 10 grubs per square foot is considered the threshold above which damage will occur.

The grub life cycle -

White grubs complete their life cycle of egg, larva, pupa and adult in one year. 

The June bug (beetle), the adult form of the grub worm, emerges in late May to early July.  The beetles, attracted to outdoor lights and light from windows, are mostly active in the night.  After mating, females burrow into the soil and lay about 50 eggs. 

The adult form of the White Grub worm is the June Bug.  June Bugs lay eggs in July which become White Grubs in August.

Two to three weeks later the larvae hatch and start feeding first on organic matter, later moving to grass roots. 

Grubs go through three stages as they grow.  In each stage, their size and appetite grow exponentially. 

Stage 1 - Late summer through the fall, grubs are small and feeding near the soil surface. During this phase grubs grow rapidly, feed heavily, and are fully grown by early September. 

Stage 2 - During the winter, grubs move deeper into the soil and are mostly dormant. 

Stage 3 - In the spring, grubs begin moving closer to the soil surface.  As soil temperatures warm, the full-grown grub returns to heavy feeding and can be very destructive.    

In late May and early June, the larvae return to adulthood as the June beetle starts the cycle all over again.

Because the June beetle is attracted to light, eggs are commonly laid near outdoor lights. 

If you live near a neighborhood streetlight or leave your outdoor lights on at night, you are more likely to see heavier populations of June beetles and consequently a higher probability of grub damage.

Control

There are two methods for controlling white grubs: Preventive and Curative. 

Preventive applications of insecticides are systemic in nature.  Preventive insecticides are absorbed by the turfgrass roots.  As grubs feed on treated roots, they consume a lethal dose of the insecticide.  Preventive applications are best applied April through early summer. 

Curative applications of insecticides are applied in August through the fall.  Curative applications control the insect by making contact with the insect.  Contact insecticides are most effective when the grubs are small and feeding near the surface in the late summer and early fall. 

There are two approaches to grub control:

Approach 1 – Preventive Plan.  If you have a history of grub damage, have outdoor lighting, have experienced the destruction of animals foraging for grubs, preventive applications of grub control should be a part of your normal maintenance program. 

Approach 2 – Wait and See.  Inspection of your lawn on a regular basis is the key to this approach.   If you see areas of wilting, yellowing, or dying turf, check the area by first making sure the area is not just dry, then dig around the area to see if grubs are present, then tug on the turf to see if it comes up easily.   Follow up with a curative insecticide if you find grubs are the cause of the stress you are witnessing.

Note:  When making a grub treatment, watering is important. If soil is dry, watering (1/4-1/2”) before the application will encourage grubs to come closer to the surface.  After the insecticide is applied, water is required to move the insecticide into the soil where the grubs are feeding.  It is best to water within 2-3 days as the insecticide will not be active until it is watered into the soil. 

Hall | Stewart wants you to help you have your best lawn!

Control of grubs is an important step in having your best lawn!

If you need help determining if you have a grub problem or if you have had grub problems in the past, we would be glad to help. 

Simply call (405)367-3873 or reply to this email.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

What is your lawn doing for you?

Hard to believe, but we have arrived at the mid-point of the lawn care season.  That’s right…if you typically mow your lawn 30 times per season, you have probably made 15 trips across your lawn so far in 2024. 

So, why do you do it?  What motivates you to have a great lawn?

Why does Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape have a passion for helping you have your best lawn?

Are all our efforts only in the pursuit of laying claim to the best lawn on the block?   

Why do we work so hard to have a great lawn? 

Is there anything more to a healthy, green lawn than curb appeal and feeling good about ourselves?

Have you ever pondered what a healthy lawn does for you?

Too often great lawns get a bad rap. 

In the race to reduce carbon output and conserve water, have we forgotten the long list of benefits of a healthy lawn? 

Concerns over water supplies, herbicides, pollutants, and your carbon footprint have caused some to race toward a more minimalist approach to landscapes and lawns. 

Has the American lawn, green, neatly trimmed, symbol of civic virtue, outlived its purpose?

Is it good for the environment when living plants are replaced with artificial materials or hardscape?

Yes, water will be saved.  Yes, there will be less fertilizer used. 

But is there more to consider?

When it comes to the benefits of turfgrass most people don’t give it much thought.  The environmental benefits of a healthy lawn are seldom considered.

Can you answer the question, “What is your lawn doing for you?”

Let’s explore a few things your lawn is doing for you:

Turfgrass captures carbon.

Healthy lawns absorb carbon dioxide and replace it with oxygen.  A lawn is simply a grouping of thousands of oxygen making plants.

The average, managed lawn captures more carbon than a lawnmower produces.

The average lawn captures 300 lbs. of carbon per year and has a net positive impact on our environment. 

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A 2,500 sq. ft lawn, half the size of the average lawn, provides enough oxygen for a family of four. 

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What is a managed lawn?  A lawn that receives regular mowing, some fertilizer and weed control applications.  Maintaining a healthy turfgrass environment provides us with a critical component of a healthy world – less carbon.  

• An Ohio State Study found lawns that received only an occasional mowing and no fertilizer or weed control capture far less carbon.   

Maintenance habits have a big influence on whether turfgrass helps or hurts the environment. Lawns cut too short typically create a negative carbon exchange.  Weedy lawns, nutrient deficient lawns, and drought stress lawns result in thin lawns that have a negative impact on the environment.    

• EPA reports that turf grasses in the United States offset the carbon emissions of 5.2 million cars every year.

Actively growing and healthy lawns reduce heat.  

A well-maintained lawn around homes can reduce air temperatures on the average 15 to 30 degrees compared to concrete, asphalt or gravel.

• The California Energy Commission found the cooling effect of an average size lawn is equal to nearly 9 tons of air conditioning.

Grass cools the air by absorbing solar radiation and through evapotranspiration.

• Studies estimate that improved planting and maintenance of lawns and landscapes around homes could reduce total US air conditioning requirements by 25%. 

A healthy turf captures pollutants and reduces runoff.  

Less runoff increases infiltration of water into the groundwater supply.  A dense root system traps and removes pollutants moving through the soil and into the water supply.  The natural filtration system of healthy turfgrass improves water quality. 

• Lawns are the best natural water purifier.

Turfgrass is more effective at stopping erosion than any other plant.  Grass naturally slows runoff and allows more water to be absorbed.

Healthy lawns improve air quality.   

Healthy lawns contribute to improved air quality by acting as traps for dust and particles.  Because a lawn completely covers a soil surface, particles are prevented from being blown to another area.

• Compared to hard surfaces, turf grass traps 10 to 30 times more air particles and pollution.

Lawns are a major component of higher home values.

Smart Money reported consumers value a home with a well-maintained lawn and landscape on average 11.3% over the base value. 

Well maintained lawns are one of the most important factors individuals and families consider when deciding where to live.

Yes, there is a place for synthetic turf in the landscape as a part of an experiential environment.

Great lawns benefit the community and human health.

Green areas enhance community pride, provide places for people to come together and promote outdoor activity. 

Lawns knit neighborhoods together.  Lawns connect people.

Studies show people who live and work with a view of lawns and landscapes compared to hard surfaces are found to recover from stress quicker, experience fewer headaches, and are more productive.

• Two studies show that children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder have shown that green spaces, such as lawn areas, experience less severe symptoms.

Studies have also found the noise absorption capacity of turfgrass is significant.

Lawns are where memories are made.  No doubt, everyone can easily think of fond memories on the lawn with family and friends.

The belief that well maintained lawns are an environmental liability is short-sighted. 

Don’t fall for myth that a healthy lawn isn’t good for the environment. 

Water concerns are legitimate. Education on proper watering is important.  Deep, infrequent watering, based on the lawn’s needs, is a key to developing a healthy lawn that is good for the environment. 

• The scientific study “The Role of Turfgrasses in Environmental Protection and Their Benefits to Humans” stated, “the main cause for excessive landscape water use in most situations is the human factor.”

Excessive use of fertilizers and herbicides is a problem.  But, when used properly, according to the label, fertilizers and herbicides are important ingredients in creating a healthy lawn that is beneficial to the world in which we live, work and play.

• James Beard, Professor Emeritus of Texas A&M, said, “The environmental benefits of turfgrass are the most sensible and economically feasible approach to counter the greenhouse effect.”

So, what has your lawn done for you lately? 

Far more than you can imagine!

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Great Landscape Plantings Have 3 Levels

After last week’s post, What’s Bugging Your Landscape? complete with pictures of yucky bugs, I’m ready to return to a post with inspirational pictures!  As one response last week put it, “this one made my skin crawl a little bit.”

Ever wonder what is the difference between an average landscape planting and a great landscape planting? 

Great landscape plantings contain three levels:  a front, a middle, and a back.

Let’s start with some basic design math:

• Front – No more than 18” in height.  Low ground covers, perennials, annual color and small plants.

• Middle – Perennials, annual color, and smaller shrubs with enough height to start creating levels. 18” to 3’ in height.

• Back – Shrubs and small trees.  3’ or more in height. 

Note - Read the plant label and believe what it says about plant height and growing conditions.  Remember, plants perform their best if they are allowed to grow to their natural height and form.  If you have only 4’ of height for your back level, don’t plant a shrub with a mature height of 10’ with the idea you will keep it pruned.  Even if you are diligent with your maintenance, the plant will never look as good as it would if it could grow naturally.

A newly planted landscape with boxwood and hydrangea for the back. Spirea, drift roses and perennials in the middle, and annual color in the front.

Walls and fences don’t count as the third level.  To get the full impact, you need three levels in front of the object.

When selecting plants don’t go for all evergreen plants or all flowering plants.  A mixture of evergreens with interesting leaf shapes and colors will add more interest. 

The levels don’t have to be in a continuous, linear run of all the same plant material.  A layer can contain a mixture of plants.  Often the middle level works well with a few, specimen plants of interest, or groupings of perennials.  Every landscape should include a few surprises.

Even in patio pots, planting for three levels adds interest.  This pot contains a variegated euonymus for height, penta for the middle, and trailing periwinkle.

A few ideas to get you started:

• Large ornamental grasses in the back, flowering shrubs in the middle, with a ground cover boarder in the front.

• Crape myrtle in the back, evergreen shrubs in the middle, and annual color in the front.

• Evergreens for the back with a mix of perennials in the middle and ground covers in the front.

• A shady area idea is azalea in the back, hosta in the middle, and dwarf mondo in the front.

Garden trends are seeing a resurgence of classical flower plants such as roses, hydrangeas and peonies.  With so many new innovations, using these as one of your layers will give a nostalgic feel to your landscape.

A great resource for ideas and plant materials is Monrovia.com.  Monrovia has been a leader in landscape plant material for over 90 years.  I am sure you will find their website a great resource.  The content in this email is a combination of information from Monrovia and our years of experience in the local landscape industry.

Dwarf Globe Blue Spruce used as a mid level shrub adds color and interest to a landscape.

Espaliering a plant, such as Pyracantha, on a wall or fence is a great way to create levels in small spaces.

A first level of bright seasonal color creates a welcoming environment to a front door.

Annuals, perennials, flowering shrubs and evergreens planted in levels to add interest.

Height variation in landscape plantings, incorporating a mix of shrubs with different heights, adds depth and dimensions to your landscape. 

Larger plants, particularly when you have the room, are great for adding interest and will soften the hard lines of walls and fences.  They also are a great way of creating a natural screen or a free-standing boarder. The more space you have the bigger you can go with the back level.

If your space is limited and you still want to gain height, a climbing vine or shrub against a wall or fence is a great solution.  Also consider using a flowering tree, boxwood, or pyracantha in an espaliered form.

Need a low maintenance landscape option with three levels?  Plant Pink Muhly Grass between groundcover and standard Juniper varieties. Little to no trimming will be required.

Large landscape containers are another way to create levels in the landscape.

It is also good to repeat a few shrubs or colors.  Even when your goal is an informal landscape, some repetition helps draw all plants together into one landscape planting.

Plantings should have something of interest in every season.  Consider one level planted in mostly evergreens, another in perennials, and another in annual color.   The higher the visibility, more perennials, seasonal color, or blooming plants are recommended.  Curb appeal increases as color increases. 

Always welcome guests with flowers.  A border of annual color along your front walk with a splash of more color near your front door creates a warm greeting.    

Annuals planted in front of perennials to create levels.

Inpatients, Caladiums and Hostas create layers in front of Azalea and Hydrangeas in shady areas.

Best time to plant:

Fall is the best time to plant most plants.  In the fall, plant materials benefit from cooler days while the soil temperatures are still warm enough root growth continues.  The result is a plant that has a stronger root system the following summer.   

Japanese Maple, hydrangea and ferns are a great way to create three levels in shade gardens.

Grasses make a great middle level when creating landscape plantings.

Summer planting:

But, what if you don’t want to just dream about landscapes, you want to plant now.  Is it ok to plant during the summer? 

Even though fall is the best time to plant new landscaping can be added year-round in central Oklahoma.  Avoiding extreme heat (or cold) and drought is best.  But, successful planting in the summer is possible with a little extra effort. 

Follow these tips when planting in the summer:

• Container-grown plants are best for summer planting because there is less transplant shock than with balled and burlaped or bare root plant material.

• Dig a whole that is twice as wide as the plant container and 25% deeper. 

• Mix organic compost with the soil you removed from the hole, place some of the mixture in the hole, firm up the soil in the bottom of the hole and place the plant with the top of the soil around the plant 1-2” higher than the surrounding soil. 

• Backfill 1/3 of the soil around the plant with the compost and soil mixture, lightly firm up and then fill the rest of the hole with water.

• After the water drains from the hole, backfill with your soil mixture forming a small saucer around the plant while being careful not to place any soil on top of the plant root ball.

• Fill the saucer with water and let it soak into the soil.

• Mulch around the plant with 2 to 3” of quality, natural mulch to help keep the soil moisture and temperature consistent.

• Deep water daily for the first two weeks when planting in the heat of the year.  Don’t let the soil around the plant get too dry for the rest of the summer.  But, at the same time, you don’t want to over water, so check soil moisture often.  The soil should be moist, but not so moist you can make a mud pie.

• For trees, the best practice is to use a tree gator around new trees planted during the summer.

• The goal is to keep the plant alive and healthy until the fall. Don’t expect much new growth until next spring.

Container-grown plants are best for summer planting because there is less transplant shock than with balled and burlaped or bare root plant material.

Mix organic compost with the soil you removed from the hole, place some of the mixture in the hole, firm up the soil in the bottom of the hole and place the plant with the top of the soil around the plant 1-2” higher than the surrounding soil. 

Place the shrub with the root ball 1-2” higher than the surrounding soil.

Fill the rest of the hole with water allowing time for the water to be absorbed into the soil before backfilling.

Finish the planting with 2-3” of quality, natural mulch.

Dig a whole that is twice as wide as the plant container and 25% deeper. 

Place some of the compost soil mixture in the hole and lightly stamp it down.

Backfill 1/3 of the soil around the plant with the compost and soil mixture, lightly firm up and then fill the rest of the hole with water.

Backfill the hole being careful not to add soil to the top of the plant’s root ball, lightly pack the soil, create a small saucer ring from the soil, and fill the saucer full of water.

What are your best landscape ideas? 

What are your favorite plants?

We would love to hear what is working well in your landscape.

Stay cool. 

Keep landscape dreaming. 

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

What’s bugging your landscape?

Wouldn’t it be nice if your landscape could tell you when something is bugging them?   

If they could, there would be a whole lot of chatter out in the landscapes right now.  

No two years are the same when it comes to battling insects and disease in the lawn and landscape.  But one thing is consistent, when your landscape is under stress it is more susceptible to insect and disease problems.

The dryness of the last 30 days along with the above normal temperatures have brought added stress to your turf and plants resulting in more insect and disease pressure.

Here are a few of the problems that we are either currently seeing in landscapes or we have on our watch list:    

The first generation of webworm started to show up in trees this week.  Inspect your trees this weekend. The best control is to cut the branch out when they are small.

The webworm caterpillar weaves a loose web around tree branches to protect themselves while they are destroying your tree’s leaves.

WEBWORM

• Timing – The first-generation spin webs in July and later generations create webs in September to October.

• Caterpillars weave a loose web around tree branches while they are munching on the leaves. 

• Favorite trees include hickory, mulberry, oak, pecan, popular, redbud, sweetgum, and willow.  But, you can find them on most ornamental shade trees when populations are heavy.

• Early generations won’t cause long lasting damage.  They are just unsightly.  The last generation can cause damage when the branch tries to rebud just before a killing frost.  When this occurs, you can expect the affected branch to die.

• The best control is to cut out any affected branches in the early generations when the webbing is small.  Completely dispose of the branch as the worms will exit the webbing and return to a tree.  If the web is too high or if the population has increased to the point that pruning is not possible, an insecticide application will be needed.  The spray must penetrate the webbing to gain control of the caterpillars.  Dormant oil applications are a good idea as worms overwinter in tree bark.

• Even though early populations do not cause damage, early control is important.  When left untreated typically later generations’ populations increase.

Webworm caterpillars loosely weave webbing around branches to protect them while stripping a branch of leaves. When spraying, you mush have enough pressure to penetrate the webbing to gain control.

Bagworms produce silk threads to move locations.

BAGWORMS

• Timing - Eggs hatch in May and they remain active through September.

• ½-2” long spindle shaped bag wrapped in the foliage of the host plant.  Young bagworms are very hard to spot.

• Favorite host plants are juniper, arborvitae, spruce, pine and cedar.  But, they can attach themselves to deciduous shrubs and trees and we are seeing a lot of bagworms on deciduous trees this year!

• Females lay eggs in bags left on plants over the winter.  One female bagworm will lay as many as 500 eggs. The eggs hatch in the late spring and tiny larva crawls out and start feeding.  As they feed, they use silk and plant materials to protect and camouflage themselves.  Bagworms can strip a plant of foliage.

• Heavy infestations, particularly on the same plant year after year, can completely defoliate a plant.  Defoliation of needle evergreens, such as junipers and cedars, usually results in plant death.  Broadleaf evergreens and deciduous plants typically are not killed but a weakened and more susceptible to other insect and disease problems.

• When there are only a few, control is best by hand picking.  If you have a large population an insecticide treatment should be made as soon as they are noticed.  Try to remove any bags left on plant material in the fall.  Bags left on the plant will serve as cocoons for females to lay more eggs. When removing bags, destroy them.  Do not pick and toss on the ground as the worm will crawl back to a plant.

Bagworms use the leaves of the host plant to protect themselves while they feed. This bagworm came off an elm tree, not a typical host plant for the caterpillar.

Bagworms can strip a mature Bald Cypress of its leaves quicker than you would expect.

Although not as common bagworms will feed on deciduous trees. If you notice skeletonized leaves, look close, most likely there are bagworms attacking the tree.

Young bagworms are small and can be hard to see. They wrap themselves in the plant needles making them hard to notice.

If you notice a juniper or cedar starting to loose color, inspect for bagworms.

Left untreated, large, heavy infestations of bagworms will kill mature trees and shrubs.

If there are not too many, the best way to control bagworms is to simply pull them off and throw them away. Don’t throw them on the ground, if you do they will crawl back onto the tree.

Aphids are small and often go unnoticed but the sticky substance they leave behind is easy to spot.

APHIDS

• Timing – Species start producing in April and increase rapidly as temperatures increase.

• A small, soft-bodied insect that is nearly invisible to the naked eye.  The honeydew, sticky substance they excrete is the easiest way to know aphids are active.  Colonies develop on the underside of the leaf and often are not noticed until the sticky substance starts to show.

• They feed on the leaves, stems and buds of a wide variety of plants throughout the growing season.  Usually, they attack the succulent new growth.

• Aphids generally do not cause serious harm to mature plants, although they can be harmful to young plants.  Heavy populations can cause wilt and yellowing of leaves as the sap is removed.  Blooming trees and shrubs will see a reduction in flowers.  Aphids can promote sooty mold, a fungal disease, and spread viruses. 

• Early detection is the key.  Aphids mature in 7-10 days and can produce 40-60 offspring resulting in population explosions in the thousands within a few weeks. 

• When populations are small, a high-pressure blast of water can be used to wash the insects off the leaves.   Wiping the leaves with a soapy solution is also effective with early detection.  In most cases, once you notice the honeydew, it is best to treat with an insecticide.  A dormant oil application in the winter is helpful in reducing populations the following season.  Lady bugs can be used as a beneficial insect control when populations are small.

Aphids feed on the underside of the leaf and become noticeable as the leaf becomes covered with the sticky substance they excrete.

SPIDER MITES

• Timing – They are active from early summer through fall. The hotter and dryer the weather, the more severe the problem will become.

• Very small (1/60 of an inch) that live on the underside of leaves and survive by sucking on the cell content of the leaves.  First shows up as stippling of light dots on the leaves.  Leaves then turn from bronze, to yellow, and then fall off. 

• They get their name from the small silk protective webs they create. 

• Because spider mite damage can look like many other plant problems, the best way to determine if it is spider mite is to shake the plant leaves over a white sheet of paper.  Spider mites will look like tiny moving black dots on the paper. 

• Spider mites reproduce rapidly when conditions are perfect.  Spider mites can hatch in as little as 3 days and become mature within 5 days.  One female can lay up to 20 eggs per day during their 2-4 week life span.

• The best control results from making two applications 7-10 days apart.

• Adequate plant moisture during the hottest time of the year helps prevent population explosions.

Early signs of spider mites.

To know if you have spider mites shake leaves over a white sheet of paper.

Spider mites will look like tiny moving black dots.

Silk protective webbing formed by the spider mite.

White scale attacks Crape Myrtles leaving a black sooty substance on the bark.

Crape Myrtle Scale

• Timing – Females lay eggs from May through September.  Crawlers emerge within a day or two and spread to new areas of the plant. 

• The scale is white to gray and exudes a pink blood-like liquid when crushed.  Initially, you will notice a black sooty mold on the twigs and trunks of crape myrtles. 

• Bark scale is difficult to control without the use of a systemic insecticide to kill the sucking pests. 

• Inspect new plants for scale before purchasing.

• Scrubbing the bark with a soft brush and mild solution of dishwashing soap and water will remove many of the females and eggs as well as remove the black sooty mold.

• A dormant oil application in the late winter to early spring is an effective way to reduce scale populations.   

SOFT OAK SCALE

• Timing – One generation per year.  Crawlers emerge in June, feeding and spreading on the branches. 

• They are convex in shape resembling a helmet, brown and ¼” in size.  Crawlers are small and pale in color.

• Scale feed on the fluids in the vascular system. 

• They produce honeydew which is a source for mold and attract ants and other insects.

• They rarely kill the tree but open up wood wounds that provide entry for other damaging pathogens. 

• When populations are allowed to increase, canopy damage may occur along with discoloration of the leaves.

• Application of an insecticide via spraying needs to occur in June when the crawlers are active.  Annual spray applications in June are required until the populations are under control.

• An alternative treatment is trunk injections of a systemic insecticide.  Trunk injections allow the insecticide to be readily distributed throughout the plant’s vascular system to the fluids the scales feed on.

Soft Scale are small brown convex shaped insects on oak tree branches.

ARMY WORMS

• Timing – Moths migrate from the Gulf Coast in June, lay eggs and the first-generation caterpillars start feeding in July.  With a 28-day life cycle there can be 4 or 5 generations between July and November.

• Army worms are always present in our summer lawns and landscapes.  When populations are normal you may never know they are there.  But, when conditions are right, as they were in 2021, we can see an explosion and experience turf damage.

• Early caterpillars are green and very small.  As they grow to 1 to 1 ½” they turn browner with reddish brown stripes on each side of the body and small back spots on the top.  Their distinctive mark is an inverted “Y” on the front of the head.

• Army worms will feed on any leafy, soft plant with plenty of moisture in the leaf.  In 2021 they feasted primarily on fescue lawns because growing conditions were perfect for fescue.  In previous outbreaks, army worms picked bermuda over fescue.   If army worms are high in populations this summer, you can expect them to choose bermuda over fescue because the early summer heat has kept fescue from flourishing.

• Watch for areas of the lawn that appear to have drought stress should not be. Test the area with a soap flush. Mix 1 teaspoon of dish soap with 1 gallon of water and pour over the surface.  If you have army worms, they will come to the surface. 

• Treatment with a systemic insecticide when the worms are small before they become heavy feeders is best. 

Can you count the number of army worms in this picture from August ‘21?  

If you have areas in your lawn that are turning brown you can test for army worms by drenching the area with soapy water. If there are army worms present they will immediately come to the surface.

Army worms are present every year but in numbers that don’t usually cause turf damage. August ‘21 army worm populations were high enough they devastated areas of lawns in just a couple of days. 

Healthy landscapes are a result of an Integrated Pest Management program. 

The first step of an IPM approach is maintaining healthy plant material with proper watering, feeding and pruning.  Insect activity increases on plant material that is already stressed.

The second step is simply monitoring your plants.  Weekly observation is critically important.   Does the overall plant color look healthy?  How do the leaves look? 

Our landscapes represent large investments in both time and money. They add curb appeal and provide enormous benefits to the environment.  It is important that we do all we can to keep them healthy and growing.

The best way you can protect your investment is to take a few minutes each week to inspect your lawn, shrubs, trees and flowers.

Complete control is much easier when insects are noticed early while populations are small.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about your lawn and landscape.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873