One Easy Way To Make A Big Difference In Your Lawn - Don’t Bag Your Clippings!

This is a lesson I learned early in my lawn and landscape career. 

The Tale of Two Very Similar but Very Different Lawns

In the late 1980s, the full-service landscape management company that I started while in college provided landscape maintenance for two homeowner associations located directly across the street from each other in NW Oklahoma City. 

The economics of the two HOAs were very different resulting in a big difference in services:

• The HOA on the south side of the street had a contract with two fewer fertilizer applications than the one on the north side of the street. 

• The one on the north side also required us to bag and remove the lawn clippings.  The south side HOA’s budget couldn’t afford the extra expense for bagging and waste disposal.

• The HOA on the north side had an irrigation system with nearly perfect coverage that ran every other day while the one on the other side of the street had an old inadequate system that we struggled to keep operating during dry spells. 

Which HOA do you think always had the greenest grass?

Not the one with more fertilizer applications and more water.

The one with the greenest grass was the one that couldn’t afford to have their grass clippings bagged and removed!

Why Does Not Bagging Your Clippings Make Such a Big Difference?

• Grass clippings are 80-90% water and nutrients, mostly nitrogen.  Every time you throw away a bag of clippings you are throwing away moisture and valuable nutrients.

• You can gain one pound of nitrogen per growing season by returning your clippings to the lawn each time you mow.  This is a significant amount considering most turf grasses require 4 to 5 pounds of nitrogen for optimal growth, density, and color.  Research at the University of Missouri and Kansas State University confirms that 25% of your lawn’s needed annual nutrients are contained in your lawn clippings.

NW OKC Bermuda lawn that is mowed regularly without clippings being bagged & removed.

Freshly mowed Bermuda lawn cut tight with a reel. Clippings were not bagged but a blower was used to redistribute noticeable clippings.

Not bagging your lawn clippings is like someone offering to give you free fertilizer, and you saying, “No Thanks!”

• Decaying clippings will increase organic material in the soil.  As clippings break down beneficial bacteria increases.  Healthy soils contain at least 5% organic material.  Most lawns contain 2-3% organic material and research shows that consistently allowing your clippings to return to the soil will increase organic material by at least 1%.

Not bagging your lawn clipping is like someone offering to top-dress your lawn with compost for free, and you saying, “No thanks!”

Fescue lawn immediately after the lawn was cut.  1" of growth was removed.  Clippings were not bagged.

If there you have noticeable clippings after you mulch mow, simply use your blower to redistribute clippings.

Mulch mowing leaves in the fall is beneficial for your soil.

Keys to Successfully Mulch Mowing

• Mow frequently enough that you only remove 1/3 of the grass per mowing.  For example: If your goal is to maintain your lawn at 2”, mow before your lawn grows past 3”.  This may require you to occasionally mow every 4-5 days instead of the traditional once per week. When only cutting 1/3 of the growth you are only cutting off the leaves. Grass leaves break down very quickly and do not increase thatch on the soil surface.

• If you get behind with your mowing, raise your mower up and gradually lower it back down over the next couple of cuttings.  In the worst case, bag the clippings one time and then return to mulch mowing as you regain a more frequent mowing routine.

• Don’t mulch mow when the grass is wet.  Wet grass clippings clump and don’t break down quickly.

• Mowers designed for mulch mowing work best since they cut the clippings multiple times.  If you don’t have a mulching mower, most brands have mulching kits and/or mulching blades you can add to your mower.  And there is nothing wrong with just mowing without the bag on with most mowers.

• Keep your lawn mower blade sharp.  A sharp blade will cut the clippings finer instead of tearing the grass leaf.

• When you finish mowing if there are any noticeable clippings on your lawn use your blower to spread them out.

• One last exception, if you have weeds with seed heads, it is best to bag your clippings and remove the weed seeds from your lawn.

Mulching mowers, also known as recyclers, will nourish the lawn by cutting the clippings into smaller clippings and return nitrogen, moisture, and organic material back to the lawn.

If you haven’t figured it out, I’m a big believer in not catching your clippings.  It will make a huge difference in the color of your turf and the health of your lawn. And, when done correctly, you won’t even notice any clippings.

If you mow your own lawn, give it a try.

If you hire someone to mow your lawn, give them permission to not bag as long as they do not leave behind any noticeable clippings or debris. 

I know you will like the difference it makes on your lawn.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Where Are the April Showers?

It is rare to be addressing watering practices in April.   Who thinks about watering issues in April?

Regardless of the time of year, one of the best practices for your lawn and landscape is to pay attention to rainfall and supplement with good watering practices when needed.

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Good watering practices start with being aware of current weather patterns and making adjustments to watering schedules.  

Good watering practices are one of the biggest influences in the health and appearance of your landscape.  

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The west and north areas of the Oklahoma City metro are way behind on spring moisture.  Lawns and landscapes that are not receiving supplemental moisture are showing signs of drought stress.  Unfortunately, most people are not used to paying attention to their lawn & landscape’s moisture needs in April.

Best Watering Practices:

Your lawn and landscape need 1” of water per week during the spring.  

A common question is “How long should I water?”  Every irrigation system is different – different head types, different size nozzles, different head spacing, different areas, etc.  

The best way to know how long you should water is to measure the amount of water your system puts out in each zone. Take a few cans and place them around your lawn in a random pattern.  Run your sprinklers through a cycle and measure the amount of water in the cans.  If the sprinklers ran for 15 minutes and you had .25” of water, you need 60 minutes per week.  

Next, determine how long you can run your irrigation before there is excessive runoff.  This will tell you how many times per week you need to water.

If you can get away with watering every 4th-day versus every other day, you will have a healthier, stronger lawn and landscape.  

If you don’t have the time to audit the amount of water your system puts out, start with these settings, monitor, and adjust:  

• Fixed spray pattern heads with 10-15’ spacings – 15 mins per time.  

• Larger rotor type heads on 20-30’ spacings – 30 mins per time.  

Set your controller to water with back-to-back run times.  

For most of our landscapes, if we run our sprinklers long enough to get the recommended amount of water, we end up with a lot of water running down the street.  Splitting zone run time in half and setting the controller to run through the zones back to back will improve the amount of water that soaks in and reduce the amount of water that runs off.  

Example:  Set the controller to run at 4:00 AM and 5:00 AM.  When the 4:00 cycle completes, even if it is after 5:00, the controller will start the second cycle.  

Moist soil will absorb more water than dry soil.  Soil is just like the sponge in your sink. A dried sponge repels water before it starts absorbing water.  Your landscape is the same.  The first cycle moistens the soil and the second cycle soaks in.  

Split, back-to-back, irrigation cycles are an old golf course trick.

I started using split, back-to-back, irrigation cycles a few years ago on lawns with slopes.  

After seeing great results, I started incorporating the concept on all lawns.

It makes a difference in watering efficiency.

Water in the early morning.  

Evaporation is at its lowest point in the pre-dawn hours.  Also, the wind is usually at the lowest point of the day in the pre-dawn hours.  I prefer to set most irrigation controllers to start at 4:00 AM with the goal of having the cycle completed by 8:00 AM.  

Avoid watering in the heat of the day when much of the water will be lost to evaporation.  Also, avoid watering in the evening. Watering in the evening promotes many turf diseases because the lawn stays wet too long.

IMPORTANT: Don’t water fescue in the evening during the summer. When water remains in the leaf for more than 6 hours, brown patch disease will develop.

Daily watering is not needed.

Unless you are trying to get newly planted seed to germinate or new sod to take root, there is not a good reason to water every day.  Always water deep and infrequent.  Daily, shallow watering creates a landscape that is shallow-rooted and more dependent on constant moisture for survival.  

Fescue will benefit from a deep soaking just like Bermuda. A common myth I would love to dispel is that fescue requires a lot more water than Bermuda.  Yes, it is when you are trying to get newly seeded fescue to germinate, but mature fescue doesn’t require more moisture than Bermuda.  

I water my fescue the same way I water Bermuda – deep, infrequent cycles.

It’s April!  Fescue should be at their best. If you have areas of fescue that are not rich green, check the soil moisture. If you can slip a large screwdriver several inches into the soil, you need to water.

Aeration improves moisture absorption.  

You can’t beat aeration for improving your soil structure. A key benefit of improved soil structure is better water absorption.  Lawns that receive annual aeration (or at least every other year) do not experience as much runoff.  

Always pay attention to water need.  

If we receive .5” of rain or more, turn your controller off for a few days.  Install a rain sensor if you are not good at remembering.  A rain sensor will pay for itself easily in one season.  Don’t assume you can leave your controller in automatic and forget it.  

Don’t stress if your lawn and landscape gets a little dry, it will rebound quickly once water is applied.  

A good indicator that your lawn is needing water is the footprint test.  If the grass retains your footprints instead of quickly springing back, it is time to resume watering.

Fescue growing on the top of a sprinkler head.

Watch for uneven water patterns.  

If you notice areas where the lawn color is fading, you may have uneven moisture patterns.  This could be the result of a broken head, a clogged nozzle, or a head that is out of adjustment.  

Head to head coverage is when the water from one sprinkler head reaches all the way to the next head. Without head to head coverage, dry areas can develop around heads.

A clue to an uneven watering problem is an arc pattern matching the sweep of an irrigation head.

Even if you don’t have an irrigation system, the concepts of good watering still apply.

It is important to learn how long you need to water when you are using a hose-end sprinkler.  Next time you water, set out a few cans.  You will be surprised how long you need to water to get the proper amount of water on your lawn.  Invest in a digital hose water timer, such as ones made by Orbit.  It will make it easier for you to control the timing and frequency of watering.  

A healthy landscape is an important part of our environment.  A healthy turf helps clean the air, trap carbon dioxide, reduce erosion, improve groundwater quality, absorb noise, reduce temperatures, as well as, adds curb appeal and value to your home.  

Let’s hope metro-wide spring moisture arrives soon.  

Our environment needs it. Our lawns and landscapes need it.  

But, if it doesn’t, be prepared to put the best watering practices in place.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Two Important March Pruning Tips

If you have overgrown evergreens, this month is the best time for major pruning.

If you have crape myrtles, now is the best time for proper routine pruning.

Evergreen Pruning

As landscapes mature, it is typical for plant material to outgrow the intended space. 

Some of the biggest offenders are hollies and boxwoods.   It is common to find hollies growing into eves and boxwoods crowding sidewalks.  The tendency is to plant shrubs in spaces they will not fit when they reach their mature size.

But, who reads a plant label?

And, if you did read the label you were thinking:  “Surely this pretty little holly will never cover up the window.”

Then, a few short seasons later, you find yourself struggling to keep the shrub contained in the space you intended.

Or, possibly you have done a great job of keeping them sheared to fit the space, but they no longer have the natural shape you fell in love with.  

What do you do?   Tear them out and start over? 

Dwarf Burford Holly is commonly used as a foundation planting. If your row of holly have become overgrown late winter through early spring is the best time to reduce their size with major pruning.

Nellie Stevens Holly often look best when they are allowed to retain their natural shape. If your Nellies have become overgrown, or have lost their natural beauty from repeated shearing, mid-February through March is the time to regain their natural shape with major pruning.

I have a better solution - March is your opportunity to do major pruning on most broadleaf evergreens. 

The broadleaf evergreen, any plant with leaves year-round, the list includes aucuba, camellia, boxwood, cherry laurel, elaeagnus, holly, mahonia, photinia, just to name a few. 

Heavy pruning in the spring before new growth starts allows you the opportunity to regain the shape you intended for the plant. 

Twice over the 20 years, since it was planted, I have heavily pruned a large Nellie Stevens Holly on one corner of my house.  And, as I do every time, I take a broadleaf evergreen back to no leaves and only major branches, I keep asking myself,

“What if this holly doesn’t re-leaf?”

“Am I ruining a 20-year-old Nellie?”

But, once again the shrub responded just like it should, and within in one growing season, it returned to its natural beauty.

Nellie Stevens Holly

This is the same holly that was pruned back to only branches a couple of years ago.

Take time this week to evaluate your broadleaf evergreen shrubs. 

Are they overgrown? 

Or, do they have winter damage that needs to be removed?

Or, do they just need to be reshaped?

If so, now is the time to remove dead branches, reshape, and regain control of overgrown shrubs. 

March is your best window of opportunity each year for the major pruning of broadleaf evergreens.

If you have boxwood taking over a sidewalk, mid-February through March is the best time to reclaim the sidewalk. You can trim them aggressively and they will recover during the growing season.

Nellie R Stevens Holly is a favorite foundation plant.  With a mature size of 15’ tall and 10’ wide they quickly loose their natural beauty with regular sheering in an attempt to make them fit the landscape. Now is the best time to reduce the size and return them to their appearance.

BEFORE: If you have large hollies with damage from last winter, can they be saved or should they be replaced?

AFTER: As long as the evergreen has some green leaves you can remove the dead branches and reshape the plant. If the plant has a healthy root system, you will be surprised at how quickly it regains a good shape.

Why are so many crape myrtles cut back to 4-5’ every year?

Three Reasons for Bad Crape Myrtle Pruning

1.      It is simply what everyone does to their crape myrtles in the spring. Have you ever wondered if it is the best practice?  It pains me to see so many beautiful crapes cut back to ugly stubs every spring.  This practice ruins the natural form of the plant.  Southern Living termed the practice as “Crape Murder” decades ago, yet it continues as a common practice.

2.     The wrong variety was selected for the location and pruning is needed to control the size. Varieties include large tree types that grow 20’ or larger, medium varieties 12-18’, 6-12’ small varieties, and dwarf varieties.  When you select the right size for your planting area and are not forced to prune heavily to contain the plant, you will find you will have a healthier plant resulting in less disease and more blooms. 

3.     They believe the myth that crape myrtles bloom more if they are severely pruned every year.  Flowers are produced on new growth every year even if they are not pruned. Without heavy pruning, you will have more branch area resulting in more summer blooms.

Crape Murder destroys the natural beauty of the plant.  Mature crape myrtles have wonderful smooth and molten bark with graceful shapes. You will never experience this quality if you murder them every spring. 

Crape myrtles in open areas should be allowed to grow to the natural shape as small trees and not pruned to 5’ every year.

When you allow crape myrtle to grow to their natural shape and size you gain the benefit of their attractive exfoliating bark.

Crape myrtles are one of the longest-blooming plants in our region, have attractive branching and bark, and provide great fall color. 

Crape myrtles deserve a place in our landscape, planted in a location that allows them to grow into large shrubs or small trees they were intended to.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Crape Myrtle Pruning

Crape myrtle pruning is a regular topic for Hall | Stewart at this time of year.  Sometimes we feel like we are a broken record on the subject and it’s time to move on, but we just can’t. 

The over-pruning, the destruction of a wonderfully structured plant, never seems to stop.  So, we will keep promoting the proper pruning and care of crape myrtles.

We understand that most crape myrtles require some pruning in late winter to early spring, but way too often crape myrtles are trimmed incorrectly and too severely. 

There are cases where the crape myrtle variety is the wrong one for the location and the only choice is to dramatically prune.  But, most crape myrtles are over-pruned for no reason. 

Crape myrtles create a great allee along streets when grown to their natural size.

Great pruning… this Crape Myrtle didn’t fall victim to Crape Murder.

How should crape myrtles be pruned?

Best Pruning Tips

1.     Know what your goal is before you start.  You can always prune more, but once you have pruned, you can never prune less. 

2.     Remove last summer’s seed pods from the ends of the branches with hand pruners.

3.     Remove all the smaller branches growing toward the center of the plant.  This will allow more air and light to reach the center of the plant which will increase blooms and reduce disease.

4.     Make cuts back at the main branch and don’t leave stubs.

5.     Remove any unwanted branches from the base of large shrub or tree from varieties.  Typically 5-7 trunks, free of any branches for the first quarter or third of the plant results in an attractive landscape plant.

What is up with Fescue lawns this winter?

This has been a common question the past couple of weeks, along with:

“Is my fescue dead?”

“Should I reseed my fescue this spring?”

Fescue lawns always lose some color through the winter.  Some winters more than others.  Others not as much.

What is unique about fescue lawns this winter is how quickly they developed a brown, freeze-burned appearance. 

Reasons Why Fescue Lawns Lost Color So Quickly This Winter

We are used to fescue losing some color, but not as suddenly as they did this year.

1.     A Cold Snap Without Snow Cover

Anytime temperatures dip below 20 degrees, especially if it is for a few days, fescue’s rich green color starts to fade.  But, if there is snow cover, the loss of color is much less. 

Just before Christmas, we had a 2-degree night, followed by a 4-degree night, followed by a 9-degree night.  The Oklahoma City area had a run of 60 consecutive hours without the temperature rising above freezing.

(Warning:  Avoid getting trapped in a conversation at a party with anyone with this type of information.)

Most winters we will have a cold snap in December that leaves fescue a little less green, followed by one that is a little colder in January and followed by another in late January to early February.  With each occurrence, a little more green is lost and gradually most fescue lawns appeared mostly brown. 

Not this winter. 

This winter the single-digit nights in December left fescue lawns with a freeze-burned brown color almost overnight.

Snow cover when temperatures are below 20 degrees is beneficial because it traps warm soil temperatures below the lawn and it keeps freezing temperatures from damaging fescue leaf blades.

With the warm start to January and this weeks rain, fescue lawns are trying to regain their color.

Why is snow cover important?  Snow acts as an insulator trapping the warmer soil temperatures below the surface while preventing cold air temperatures from reaching the leaf blades. 

Reminder to keep leaves cleaned up on fescue throughout the winter. Even though the fescue isn’t growing and may have lost some color, light is still important for the health of the grass.

If there had been 2-4” of snow covering the landscape just before Christmas, fescue lawns would have had little to no color loss.

2. Dry Fall & Winter

Our lawns and landscapes have been moisture starved since last June.  Most of Oklahoma ranges from a severe to extreme to exceptional drought.  Over the last four months, we have received less than 50% of the normal precipitation. 

(2nd Warning:  Avoid getting trapped in a conversation at a party with anyone who knows these things.)

Fescue lawns that have received moisture and are in protected areas have retained more color than areas that are exposed or dry.  Also, mature fescue lawns retained more color than the newly developed grass seed this fall.

Winter dissection has left the tips of fescue blades brown. Mow the lawn a little shorter soon to remove the winter damaged leaf blades.

Winter desiccation, a form of winter injury, is the reason for the loss of color in our fescue lawns this year.

Desiccation is the removal of moisture from something. 

Desiccation occurs during periods of cold temperatures and drying winds.

Desiccation is minimized when a plant can move stored moisture to the leaves.

If there is a lack of stored moisture or if temperatures are below freezing, the plant is unable to replenish the moisture lost in the leaves resulting in a loss of green color.

There will be a point in late February to early March when temperatures and moisture are just right and suddenly fescue lawns will return to their rich green color.

Dormancy For Bermuda And Fescue Are Very Different. 

We are used to bermuda, the most common turfgrass in our region, having one dormancy period per year – winter.

But fescue has two dormancy periods per year – late summer and winter. 

Fescue dormancy occurs when temperatures are in the upper 90s or in the low 40s. For fescue, dormancy is when growth slows or completely stops. 

When hot summer temperatures arrive, as long as fescue is receiving moisture, the turf retains color, but growth slows.  Fescue lawns continue to need mowing, but compared to spring and fall, growth is greatly reduced.

In a typical winter, fescue will stop growing in late November to early December.  While never losing all its green color, fescue will gradually turn to a dingy green starting sometime in December and remain off-color through February. 

Bermuda growth slows in October as temperatures cool reaching full dormancy by the end of November.  When bermuda reaches full dormancy, the leaf blades turn completely brown and become brittle.  During bermuda winter dormancy, root development stops.

As temperatures warmed this week, so did soil temperature allowing fescue lawns to start regaining color.

Bermuda grass is like a deciduous tree, such as a maple, when it comes to dormancy.  On a deciduous tree all the leaves fall off during winter dormancy and new leaves emerge in the spring. 

We can’t wait for the rich green color of fescue to return.

Fescue grass is more like a broadleaf evergreen shrub, such as a holly.  During dormancy, the shrub remains green, although the color may not be as rich, and the shrub stops growing. Fescue never goes into full dormancy.  As a cool season turf during the winter dormant period root development continues. 

When bermuda comes out of dormancy in late March to early April the brown grass left on the lawn does not green up, the plant puts on new growth coming from the roots and stolans. 

As fescue comes out of dormancy, the green leaves return to a rich color and the turf starts growing.

How Can You Tell If Fescue Is Dormant Or Dead?

Take hold of grass plant and give a tug.  If the plant pulls up easily, it is dead.  But if it doesn’t, then the plant is not dead, it is alive.  As soon as soil temperatures return consistently to the upper 40’s and there is sufficient moisture color and growth will return. 

With warmer than normal temperatures the past two weeks, soil temperatures increasing into the upper 40s, and the ¼” rainfall midweek, we are seeing some color recovery in fescue.  

Should You Reseed Your Fescue This Spring?

Unless the turf pulls up when you tug on it (it is dead) or you have bare areas, seeding fescue in the spring is not best.  Seeding in the spring is always a band-aid approach.  Spring-seeded fescue will come up great, but rarely will it develop enough roots to make it through the summer heat.  You will need to reseed the areas next fall.  If you need to fill in some areas of your lawn, consider fescue sod in March versus seeding. 

Whenever possible, the best approach in the spring, including this spring, is to focus on pre-emergent herbicide applications to prevent weeds, fertilizer to strengthen the turf, and wait until fall to seed.

Between mid-February and early March cut fescue a little shorter than you left it the fall to remove the freeze damaged, brown tips.

When Should You Cut Your Fescue For The First Time?

Between mid-February to early March,  cut your fescue lawn a little shorter than you left it last fall removing the freeze-damaged, brown tips. 

If you need help determining the condition of your fescue lawn respond to this email or give us a call. 

We always enjoy visiting with you about your lawns.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405) 367-3873

Espalier -- The Landscape Solution for Small Areas

Espalier is the art, or process, of controlling plant growth in a flat plane, usually against a wall, or fence, or trellis.  It is the process of training through pruning and tying to create a two-dimensional plant. 

Espalier dates to the early Romans and was developed in Europe in the 16th century as a practical way to increase fruit production.  Today espalier remains very popular in Europe and is gaining popularity in the US.

The technique of espalier is a great way to use larger trees and shrubs in smaller gardens and narrow spaces.  Ideal locations are courtyards, patios, and narrow beds between walks and walls. In areas where homes are closer together and often with windows facing a fence or wall, an espalier is the perfect solution to improve a less-than-attractive view.  Espalier also comes in handy when you need to screen a view or hide utilities but there isn’t enough area for shrubs to grow to their normal width.

What types of trees and shrubs work best for espalier?

Nearly all trees and large shrubs are candidates, but the best choices are ones that have long, flexible branches. 

Fruit trees are a great choice and easy to train because of their soft wooded branches.  Pear, apple, peach, and cherry trees are great choices. 

Espalier techniques used to incorporate Golden Deodar Cedar and Blue Atlas Cedar into a narrow space between a walk and a wall.

Pyracantha, commonly known as firethorn, is a large shrub that doesn’t get much attention in our smaller landscapes.  .  But with a mature size of 8-10’ tall and 6-8’ wide, it is most commonly used as barrier hedge in larger landscapes.  

The attraction of pyracantha is the abundance of red to orange berries it produces during the fall and through winter.  With a showy fall to winter appearance, it really deserves more attention and is a perfect selection for an espalier.

Other great choices for an espalier are yaupon holly, rose of sharon, magnolia, and hydrangea.  But, don’t limit your imagination, most any plant can be grown as an espalier.

Pyracantha adds interest with white flower clusters in the spring and orange to red berries in the fall.

Candelabra

Fan

Prune the plant’s central leader 2” above the first tier of the design.  As new buds appear select a new central leader and buds that are facing the direction of your wire.  As the new buds grow into branches tie them into place while they are young, soft, and easy to manipulate.  During the growing season make minor prunes monthly to maintain the design.  The best time to make major prunes to the espalier is in late winter to early spring. Remove ties as the branches grow and mature. 

The only negative to an espalier is they are not suitable to the low maintenance landscape.  They do require frequent attention and care to maintain the design.

Espalier is the perfect way to enjoy a fruit tree in a smaller landscape.

This pyracantha was planted this wall for the purpose creating an espalier on the fence. Over the winter wire will be installed on the fence. Next spring training and pruning will be used to develop the design.

Pear tree. Europe developed the practice of espalier fruit trees as a practical way to increase fruit production in the 16th century.

How do you create an espalier?

Once you have chosen your plant and your location, you need to decide the pattern.  A few common designs are the candelabra, horizontal cordon, fan and Belgian fence.  Again, imagination is a good thing.  Any pattern you can imagine is good.

Use eye hooks, wire and turn buckles to create the pattern.     

Plant the tree or shrub approximately 6-8” away from the structure.  Remember, most plants desire well drained, organic soil. 

Horizontal Cordon

Belgian Fence

Let your imagination run. There is no limit to espalier designs.

Even shade trees, such as this ginkgo, can be used as an espalier to create a focal point.

As you evaluate your landscape this fall and winter, if you have a narrow space, a fence you want to soften, or something you want to screen, consider a favorite large shrub or tree in the form of an espalier.

Espalier is a good way to add decorative accents to the landscape.  When well done, espaliers become focal points of living sculpture adding a structural elegance to an otherwise drab garden location.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Trees -- the pillars of our landscapes!

“Trees are the truly the pillars of our landscapes…

Think of trees as an investment for future generations…”

These are the words of Steve Dobbs as he introduces you to trees in his book Oklahoma Gardener’s Guide.

I am thankful previous generations took “investment in future generations to heart” and planted trees in the Oklahoma City area. 

Trees are worth it. 

Trees make a difference in the appearance of our communities. 

There is not a better way to improve the appearance of an area than to plant a tree. 

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!

You can count on Autumn Blaze Maples to be one of the first trees to add dynamic fall color to the landscape.

Every tree has its strength and weaknesses. Sweetgum gives us unique fall colors with a mix of yellow, purples and reds. But, it is also know for its large and obnoxious seed balls that litter the lawn.

Chinese Pistache is a medium sized tree with an oval top that is the perfect size for a city sized lot.

Too often we think of trees for their spring flowers or fall color, but when planning for your next tree don’t over look summer flowering trees such as the Golden Raintree.

So, if trees are worth it, what characteristics make for the best tree?

There is not a perfect tree for every location.  But there is a perfect tree for each location. 

Here are a few things to consider when selecting a tree:

First – the intended purpose is important. 

Are you looking for shade, fall color, spring or summer flowers, screening, attracting wildlife, windbreak, etc.?

Second – the size of the area. 

Large trees that grow over 35’ or taller are better suited for larger lawns and taller structures.  Large trees planted on traditional-sized residential lots often result in the need for heavier pruning. 

Silhouette Sweetgum couldn’t help but burst with color this week. 

Trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen providing for a cleaner, healthier climate. Per year a mature tree can consume 22 lbs of carbon dioxide and release enough oxygen for one person to breathe for 2 years.

Third – the shape of the tree. 

Larger trees typically have a strong central leader and spreading branches that create a lot of shade.  Trees with oval tops are often small to medium-sized.  There are also columnar-shaped trees perfect for smaller areas. 

Finally – consider the advantages and disadvantages of a particular tree. 

Are they susceptible to disease or insects?  Do they prefer wet or dry soils?  It is important you select a tree that is suitable to your type of soil – sand, loam, or clay.  Do they have seeds, fruit, or nuts that are obnoxious?  Do they have soft or brittle wood that is easily damaged by wind or ice?  Fast-growing trees typically have weak wood, and some trees have narrow branching angles that are susceptible to storm damage. 

Japanese Maples with their bright spring colors are a great tree for small areas. 

Where do you go to find the best trees for your landscape? 

Let me give you three sources of information:

Oklahoma State University Fact Sheet HLA-6456  Selecting Deciduous Trees for Oklahoma

http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-11113/HLA_6456web.pdf

The article breaks trees down into varieties that tolerate or prefer dry locations, tolerate or prefer wet locations, tolerate or prefer shade, tolerate or prefer alkaline soils, winter interest, showy bark of unusual form, interesting or showy fruit, showy flowers, fall color, planting under power lines, attract wildlife, native species, and undesirable trees.  There is also a table of trees listing the region of the state, growth rate, height, and comments.  

Some varieties of Japanese Maples have yellow fall color.

Consider the Silhouette Sweetgum for areas where you want great fall color in a tight space.

Autumn Blaze Maple

Crape Myrtles in our area are too often grown as large shrubs, but they actually are great small trees when they are not pruned to 5-6’ every year. Grown as a tree they are the longest blooming tree, have great fall color and their unique bark adds winter interest.

Oklahoma Proven! 

http://www.oklahomaproven.org/welcome

A program by the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Oklahoma State University.  The program evaluates and recommends plants well-adapted for use across Oklahoma.  Since 1999 the program has recommended trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals.

Oklahoma Gardener’s Guide by Steve Dobbs

https://www.amazon.com/Oklahoma-Gardeners-Guide-Guides/dp/1591861241

A must-have book for anyone interested in Oklahoma landscapes.  Steve’s book has been a great resource for me for years.

Something I learned from the Oklahoma Gardener’s Guide:  Oklahoma is the only state in the nation that has four ecoregions.  The ecoregions of the desert southwest, great plains, continental east, and humid south meet in Oklahoma City!  (Facts like this usually earn me the most boring person at a party.)

Bald Cypress is a deciduous needle tree grows well in wet, clay soils. It is a large tree that really needs more space than most lawns provide.

When is the best time to plant trees?

The best time to plant a tree can vary with the type of plant and the growing method.  The two most common growing methods are balled and burlap (B&B) and container grown. A B&B tree is grown in the ground, dug and the root ball is wrapped in burlap.  A container tree is grown from a sapling in a container often using a lightweight growing mixture of mulch and soil amendments.  Both are acceptable, but B&B is the most common method. 

As a general rule of thumb, the best time to plant a B&B tree is during winter dormancy.  B&B trees are harvested after the first hard freeze and before leaves bud out in the spring, while they are dormant.  When they are dug and replanted while dormant the tree will go through less transplant shock.

The best time to plant a container-grown tree is during the fall when daytime temperatures are cool, but soil temperatures are still warm. 

These are the best times to plant trees, but most trees can be planted year-round in Oklahoma.  Just keep in mind that trees planted during the summer growing season will need extra care until they are well established.

The best answer to the question: “When is the best time to plant a tree?” is answered by a Chinese Proverb:

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.

The second-best time is now.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Saucer Magnolia is a deciduous, small tree that brightens the early spring flowers landscape with large flowers.

Very thankful for the vision of previous generations who planted an allee of London Planetrees in early Oklahoma City neighborhoods.

The Oklahoma State tree, Redbud, is a small tree perfect for many residential lawns.

USDA Forest Service reports healthy, mature trees in a well-landscaped yard add an average of 10% to a property’s value.

Ornamental Grasses... adding interest to your late summer & fall landscape!

As the landscape transitions from summer to fall a common plant in the most dramatic landscapes will be ornamental grasses.  As many plants begin to fade, many varieties of ornamental grasses fill the void with dramatic plumes.  But, the interest they add to the landscape doesn’t end this fall. Ornamental grasses add texture to the winter landscape as their leaves and plumes rustle in the wind.  As the landscape emerges from winter new growth appears from the freshly cut back grasses gradually reaching the perfect height for summer breezes to add movement to the landscape.

What is an ornamental grass? 

Ornamental grasses come in two forms:  medium to large upright grasses and groundcovers.  Simply, they are any grass used in the landscape as a plant instead of as turf. 

The ways to use ornamental grasses in your landscape are nearly endless:

• They can be used as a single specimen plant to add color and texture to the landscape year-round,

• They can be used as a screen to hide undesirable objects or views,

• They make great landscape borders,

• They can be planted in small groupings to a splash of texture and color to a bed, and

• They can create a field of interest when mass planted.

Most ornamental grasses are very adaptable to heat, drought, and humidity.  They also grow in most soils. 

There are both cool season and warm season ornamental grasses.  Cool or warm season refers to the time of the season they bloom.  The cool season grasses start growing earlier in the spring and look stunning in early summer.  But, warm-season grasses emerge later in the spring and add interest to the landscape as they flower in late summer to fall.

Ornamental grasses require little maintenance, needing attention only once per year.  Grasses do best when their dormant top is removed in early spring before new leaf blades emerge. For upright grasses, cut them back to 12-18” while liriope growing as a ground cover needs to be cut back to 2-3”. 

Tools and tips for your once-per-year ornamental grass maintenance:

For upright grasses use either hand shears or power hedge trimmers.  Tying up the foliage with twine before you make the cut will make clean-up a lot quicker. 

For liriope, a string trimmer makes the job quick and easy.  Or, if you have a large area, set your mower in the highest setting, and simply mow over the liriope.

Every 3-5 years it is a good idea to divide grasses in the spring after you have cut them back.  Use a sharp shovel to slice through the clump dividing it into 2 or 3 clumps adding the clumps to other areas of your landscape or to give to friends.  Liriope can also be transplanted after cutting back in the spring by simply digging up clumps and replanting. 

Dividing and transplanting ornamental grasses is an inexpensive way to expand your landscape.

Pink Muhly Grass has an attractive thin leaf blade during the growing season that burst with pink-purple soft plumes in late September to early October.

There are too many varieties of ornamental grasses to cover them all, but here are just a few favorites:

Pink Muhly Grass – Pinkish-purple lacy plumes in the late summer to fall. As a warm season grass it is often one of the last to start to grow in the spring and one of the later bloomers.  Pink Muhly grows in full sun to partial shade and reaches 3-4’ in height.

Pink Muhly Grass has an attractive thin leaf blade during the growing season that burst with pink-purple soft plumes in late September to early October.

Pink Muhly Grass

Maiden Grass – Slender blades with creamy white to shimmering silver small plumes.  5-6’ tall.  Plant in partial to full sun.

Maiden Grass creates a wonderful statement with its shimmer plumes when planted as a focal point. There are several varieties of Maiden Grass, I’m sure there is one just right for your landscape.

Blue Grama Grass – Native grass with golden summer flower on stiff stems.  Great for adding texture to the landscape.  Plant in full to partial shade.  Once established this grass does not require much water.  Grows about 3’ tall.

Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass is a great choice for a low maintenance mass planting.

Little Bluestem – Blue to pink to burgundy hues in the late summer and rich copper tones in the fall.  Requires full sun.  A native grass that is loved by birds.  Grows 3-4’ tall.

Little Bluestem adds a rich copper tone to the fall landscape.

Switch Grass – An Oklahoma Proven perennial grass that grows in full sun to partial shade.  It has lacy sprays with a purplish cast in the fall.  There are several cultivars and great used as a single accent or in groups.  Reaches 6’.

Switch Grass is known for lacy small plumes that grace its purple leaf blades in the fall.

Mexican Feather Grass – Another Oklahoma Proven grass with a feather like, graceful fine texture and silver flowers.  Best grown in a grouping in full sun to partial shade.  It prefers well drained soil and is very drought tolerant once established.  Different from most grasses in that it prefers to not be cut back in the spring. Only grows 2-3’.

Mexican Feather Grass planted in groupings create a feather like feeling as they sway in the breeze.

All Gold Japanese Forest Grass – Best planted in shade to partial shade, the light green color is a great accent to dark green shrubs in a shade garden.  Grows 1-2’ with a cascading habit.  Requires rich, loamy soil and does not do well in tight, clay soils. 

Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass – One of the most common cool season grasses with reddish bronze plumes in early to mid-summer.  Grows 4-6’ tall in full to partial sun. 

There are many varieties of Fountain Grasses. A favorite Dwarf Fountain Grass is ‘Hameln’. It has rich green foliage in the summer that turns a golden color in the fall with buff colored plumes in the late summer and fall.

Fountain Grass – Graceful arching shaped grass that will reach 5’ with tuffs of green seed heads on rich green grass blades.  Little Bunny, a dwarf variety, only reaches 1-2’.  Little Bunny is great for borders and smaller landscapes.  Grows in full to partial sun.

Zebra Grass – A great accent grass with bands of yellow on green foliage.  Grows 4-5’ tall in full to partial sun.

Purple Fountain Grass – An annual ornamental grass (does not come back next season) with rich dark purple color.  It reaches 3-4’ tall and looks great planted as a single accent plant with yellow or pink summer annual flowers. 

Purple Fountain Grass is an annual ornamental grass (only lasts one season) that you can always count on for brilliant purple leaf blades and plumes even in the hottest of summers.

Blue Fescue – A small silvery-blue grass that makes a great boarder or mass planting.  Prefers well drained soil in full sun.  Only reaches 12”.

Blue Fescue is a small blueish gray grass that is great used with seasonal color plantings or planted in a mass.

Dwarf Pampas Grass – Don’t let “dwarf” fool you, this grass reaches 4-5’.  One of the most common ornamental grasses with large, showy white plumes in late summer.  Giant Pampas Grass can reach 10’ and best used as a screen in large landscapes.

Dwarf Pampas Grass adds a big splash to the late summer and fall landscape with large showy plumes. Don’t be fooled by the ‘dwarf’. They will reach 4-5’ and make a great screening plant.

Often over looked as an ornamental grass, Liriope is a one time per year maintenance ground cover, you simply mow it short early in the spring and then just let go for the rest of the season. Oh, there are many varieties, but the ones with big blueish to purple flower spikes in the late summer are my favorites.

Both the Myriad Gardens and Scissortail Park are full of ornamental grasses and most are labeled. Go for a walk in both of our downtown parks over the next few weeks and pick out a favorite grass to add to your landscape.

A good source for more information on ornamental grasses:

Landscape Design with Ornamental Grasses: Top 5 ways (monrovia.com)

Do you have a favorite ornamental grass?  (If you don’t, you should.) 

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Drought Stress on Trees

It has been 6 weeks since most of the Oklahoma City metro area has received a ¼” rainfall. 

If the lack of rainfall wasn’t enough stress for your landscape, the number of 100+ degree days is now into double digits.

Lawns and landscapes are looking tired and tattered. 

Lawns are struggling.  Shrubs are struggling.  Trees are struggling.

A lot of attention has been given to keeping lawns green, but what about your trees? 

Your trees represent an enormous value to your landscapes. 

• Mature trees increase property values on average by 7%. 

• Trees are a critical component in our efforts in creating a healthy environment. 

• Trees reduce energy consumption. 

• Trees make the places we live, work, and play more attractive and enjoyable.

Afternoon wilting and drooping leaves is the first signs of drought stress.

Every effort to reduce stress and protect a tree is worth it.

Stress?  What is stress for a tree?  Stress is anything that keeps a tree from growing.

Your trees are feeling the stress of the drought and heat of 2022!

Drought stress on trees typically follows these steps:

1. Temporary Wilting – Wilting and drooping leaves in the afternoon on a 95+ degree day isn’t a problem as long as the following morning the leaves have returned to normal.

2. Permanent Wilting – Wilting and drooping leaves in the morning and all day long.

3. Yellowish and/or Fall Color Leaves – Fall color is not a good thing in July!

4. Leaf Scorch – Leaf margins have a brown or burned appearance.

5. Defoliation – Leaves begin dropping from the top of the tree and the ends of branches.

Long-term drought results in dead branches, thin canopies, unusually small new leaves, increased pest problems, and trees that are slow to close wounds.

Supplemental watering during periods of drought and heat is very important

Often when leaves turn brown during a drought and the leaves remain on the tree it is a sign the tree does not have enough moisture to put on new buds. In this case the ends of the branches are brittle and the chances of recovery are slim.

An early indication of drought stress is drooping or wilting leaves in the afternoon, such as the needles on this bald cypress are doing. If the next morning the needles look normal, no extra watering is needed.

Permanent wilting is underway on this bald cypress. Supplemental watering is needed to reverse drought stress.

Willow trees love moisture. It is not uncommon for willows to be one of the first trees to show drought stress by dropping excess leaves. Some leaf drop is good during a drought and part of a trees defense system to survive.

Depending upon the species, a full-grown tree can use up to 250 to 500 gallons of water per week when temperatures are high. 

A 10-year-old tree in your landscape is looking for 50 gallons of water every day. 

A tree’s need for water is high on hot days because 90% of the water a tree takes in is being lost through transpiration.

What is transpiration?  Water is absorbed by the roots, and moves up the trunk to the branches out to the leaves where the water is released as water vapor.  Transpiration is not all bad.  The water vapor cools the leaves 10-15 degrees as it is released.

Do not assume if your grass is green that the trees in your lawn are receiving enough water.  Trees and grass are competing for the same water.  Deep soaking is required to get enough water for both the turf and tree roots.

Yellowing or fall-colored leaves during the growing season is a sign that drought stress is advancing. Deep soaking of the entire area under the canopy of the tree every other day should be started immediately.

When the edges of the leaves are brown or have a burned appearance the tree will soon begin to defoliate.

Browning or burnt edges are a signal you need to start deep soaking the area under the trees canopy now.

As long as the buds located at the end of the branch remain soft and supple, the tree will put on new leaves as soon as it receives sufficient moisture.

It is common for mature trees suffering drought stress to start yellowing in the top of the tree first.

Mature Tree Survival

Most healthy, mature trees (trees with at least a 6” wide trunk and have been planted for at least 2 years) can sustain a drought without supplementary water because of their large root system.  Trees that are weak because of previous stress will be the first trees to show signs of drought stress. 

How do you know if your mature trees need supplementary watering during a drought?

1. Water if there are visible signs of drought stress. 

2. Water if the area under the tree canopy is dry.  A good way to test dryness is to take a large 6-8” screwdriver and press it into the soil in a few locations under the canopy of the tree.  If the screwdriver doesn’t easily slip into the soil, it is time to start watering.

Even during a drought soil around a tree should be moist enough you can easily slip a 6-8” screwdriver into the soil.

A 20 gallon Treegator bag is a good tool for deep soaking any tree planted in the last two years. The bag will slowly release water for two days. Refill the bag every 3-4 days during hot weather.

Watering mature trees:

• Water the entire area under the canopy of the tree. 

• Water deeply every 3-5 days in 95+ degree weather. 

• Allow 1-2 days between deep soakings for the area to dry.  Roots need air as much as they need water.  When the soil is saturated all the air is replaced with water and root damage will occur.

• Daily shallow watering is not helpful.  The most active tree roots are in the top 12” of the soil.  The goal is to get water 12” deep.

• Place small containers around the area to measure the amount of water.  Water long enough to get at least 1-2” of water on the area per week. 

Young Tree Survival

Trees with trunks that are smaller than 6” in width or have been planted in the last two years are showing signs of drought stress if they have not received supplementary water the past few weeks.

Watering young trees:

• In excessive heat and drought trees that have been planted in the last 30 days, need to receive at least 10 gallons every other day.  Even if you have an irrigation system, additional watering is required during the heat of the summer.

• Trees planted anytime in the last two years need at least 10 gallons of water every 2-3 days during our current weather pattern. 

• Treegator bags are a good tool for watering new trees.  The original Treegator holds 20 gallons of water that slowly drips out over two days. 

• During the first two years of a tree’s life, maintain a grass-free 2-3” thick mulched area around the tree.

Two weeks ago this one year old tree began defoliation. The owner placed a Treegator bag around the trunk of the tree allowing water to slowly drip over the top of the root ball. The tree rebudded and now is producing leaves.

Most tree varieties, if healthy, can drop all their leaves during a drought and rebud once rain returns. 

Once rain moisture returns energy stored in the roots is used to produce new leaves.  As the tree gains leaves, the photosynthesis process starts again rebuilding energy in the root system. 

A tree has a good chance of survival if enough energy can be stored in the root system before the tree endures more stress.  An extreme winter, insect, or disease stress before the tree has a chance to replenish energy could be detrimental to the tree.

Drought alone may not kill your trees, but it may be the final blow to a tree that is already under stress.  Most trees die from a combination of stressors, such as drought followed by pest or disease issues, or drought followed by winter injury.

Finally, increase inspection of trees the rest of the season, through the fall and next spring.  Drought-stressed trees are prone to insect damage.   

Remember, your trees and your lawn are competing for the same moisture.  And right now, there may not be enough for both. Each week the drought continues, the need to supplement water your trees increases.

Protect your investment in your trees. 

Protect the value of trees in our environment. 

Do all you can to reduce the stress on your trees by inspecting for drought stress and supplementing water as needed.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Where Do Weeds Come From?

Ask a homeowner what their number one lawn concern is, and the most common response is “weeds.”

When a lawn care professional is asked what their number one lawn concern is for a client’s lawn, the most common response is “turf health.”

Both the homeowner and the lawn care professional have the same goal in mind:  A thick, healthy turf. 

Where do weeds come from and what is their relationship to a healthy lawn?

Developing a healthy, thick turf is 75% of battle in the fight against weeds.

Let’s start with defining a weed.  A weed is anything growing where it is not wanted. 

We automatically think of weeds in lawns or flower beds, but any plant in an unwanted location is a weed by definition.  A weed is any unwanted, undesirable plant.

Some weeds can be pretty.  Fields of henbit with their purple flowers are attractive.  But, henbit growing in a Bermuda lawn is not desirable. 

Spurge is a summer annual broadleaf weed that thrives in compacted dry soil. During periods of drought, it is common to find spurge growing along the edges of drives and walks where the soil is often compacted and dry.

Crabgrass is the most prolific summer annual weed. A single crabgrass plant will produce thousands of seeds. It is a weed that you are guaranteed to have in your lawn every summer if you do not apply a spring pre-emergent.

Weeds are not desirable because they compete with the desirable plant, your lawn, for resources.  They steal water and nutrients.  They rob the lawn of what is needed to be healthy.  They interfere with the cosmetic appearance of your lawn.  They spread rapidly when left unattended.  And, one weed can produce thousands of seeds.

Weeds seem suddenly to appear.  You can have a perfect lawn and all of the sudden it is as if weeds just magically showed up out of nowhere. 

Weeds are very opportunistic. Give them a thin, bare area in a lawn and they will magically fill the void very quickly.  

Weeds are the ultimate opportunist!

They grew wherever there is an opportunity!

Where do weeds come from?

• Wind spreads weed seeds the most.  April and May this year was one of the most consistently windy periods we have experienced.  During the summer of 2020, the southern US experienced a massive Saharan dust storm. All those windy days and rare dust storms from the other side of the planet bring more than just dust.  Wind distributes weed seeds from regions around the world into our lawns and landscapes. And, then on top of that there is an ordinary Oklahoma windy day scattering weed seeds from around your neighborhood or the native fields close to your home into your lawn.

• Bird poop is another very common source of weed seeds.  Birds’ primary food source is seeds and they are very good at depositing seeds around.  Side note:  Did you know the only way a seed from an Eastern Red Cedar can germinate is if it has passed through a bird.  The blue-green berries (seeds) of Eastern Red Cedar attract birds, they devour them and scatter the seeds. 

• Rain is very good at distributing weed seeds, especially around the edges of the lawn as raindrops splash dust and weed seeds from the surrounding hard surfaces onto the lawn.

• Seeds are also commonly carried onto the lawn by equipment, shoes, and pets.

This summer we have encountered a weed that we previously have not seen, marsh parsley.  We have also had conversations with horticulturists about new weeds they are seeing this year.  The common belief is they are a result of the excessive winds of April and May.

Environmental conditions and maintenance practices often bring about more weeds:

• Seeds can also lay dormant for years and then germinate when the conditions are just right.  A warmer than normal winter, a cooler than normal summer, an extended wet period, or even an extended dry period followed by heavy rain can change the environment just enough for dormant weed seeds to start growing.

• Cultivating the soil in preparation for a new lawn or cultivating the soil in landscape areas can bring seeds to the surface where they will receive enough sunlight and water to germinate.    

Marsh Parsley is a summer broadleaf weed that is new to our area. Most likely the consistently windy days of April and May delivered the wind seed to the area.

Pre-emergent herbicide applications with a quality product at the correct time are an important part of preventing the spread of weeds.  But more importantly, is a healthy turf.  

Poa Annua is the most common winter annual grassy weed. Pre-emergent herbicides help but don’t always prevent all poa annua from germinating. The best defense against poa annua is a healthy thick turf. Under trees, if you don’t have a healthy stand if fescue, most likely you will have poa annua.

Yellow rocket is a summer annual weed that was rarely seen in our area until just a few years ago. Now, it is very common in thin lawns, flower beds, and hardscape areas.

The best way to deal with weeds is to make sure your lawn has what it needs to grow and thrive:

• Climate – Growing a turf best suited for the climate is important.  If you are attempting to grow a type of grass that is marginal in central Oklahoma, you will most likely have a thinner turf and more weeds.

• Soil – Very important to having a healthy turf.  If the soil isn’t healthy, the turf will be weaker.  With our tight clay soils, reduction of soil compaction through annual aeration is a big first step toward healthy soil.

• Light – Attempting to grow a turf that needs at least 5 hours of direct sunlight, such as Bermuda grass, in shade will result in a thin tuft.  It is important to grow the best turf for your light levels.

• Water – An actively growing, healthy turf requires moisture, 1 to 1.5” of water per week during the heat of the summer.  If you choose not to water and allow your lawn to go dormant during periods of drought, it doesn’t necessarily mean the lawn will die, but it often results in a thinner turf that is more prone to weed growth in the future.

• Fertilizer – A thick, healthy, weed-free lawn requires a lawn that is properly fed during the growing season.  If you apply pre-emergent herbicides at the right time but fail to feed your lawn, you can still expect to have weeds because of thin turf.

• Mowing Frequency and Height – Lawn health is best when the lawn is mowed often enough that you are never removing more than 1/3” of the leaf blade and the lawn is mowed at the best height for the type of grass.  For Bermuda in the heat of the season, 2 to 2.5” is perfect.  For fescue lawns, 3 to 3.5” is ideal.

This Bermuda lawn was very weedy and thin when a regular lawn care program of well-timed weed control applications and fertilizer was started last year. After a full year, the lawn was thick and nearly weed free.

We believe at least 75% of a weed-free lawn is having a healthy, thick lawn. 

Fertilizer, mowing, watering, and soil health are critical to weed control.

This summer is bringing us tough conditions.  Truth is it isn’t just the drought and heat of this summer.  It was a dry winter.  And, before that, it was an extremely cold February.  All will have an impact on the health of your lawn.

Our goal is to do all we can to help your lawn and landscape not only survive but thrive. 

Our goal is to help you have a healthy lawn. 

A healthy, weed-free lawn.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Your Lawn & Landscape Summer Survival Guide

The forecast is for hot and hotter with little to no chance for rainfall. 

We haven’t had a ¼” rainfall in the Oklahoma City metro area for three weeks, the abundant soil moisture of early June has faded, and much of the landscape is starting to show signs of stress.

Hey!  Your grass, shrubs, flowers and trees have been whispering amongst themselves. 

They want to know “What is your plan to make sure we survive the next few weeks?”

What they need is not much different than what you need in the heat… hydration, nutrition, and to avoid stressful activity.

It’s that simple… your lawn and landscape needs hydration, proper nutrition, and to avoid as much stress as possible. 

Here are a few hot tips to help:

This Bermuda lawn is being maintained at 2.5”, mowing occurs 5-7 days, and clippings are returned to the lawn with every mowing. But, the amazing thing is the lawn has not been watered yet this year. A properly maintained, healthy lawn is very heat and drought tolerant.

 Mowing 

Mow your lawn on the recommended highest setting for your type of grass.  Your turf does better in the heat at the optimal height.

• Bermuda, maintain between 2-2.5”. 

• Fescue should be maintained at 3-3.5”. 

Leaf blades are 80-90% moisture.  When you increase the amount of leaf space, it is as if you are giving your lawn a water bottle to take small sips throughout your day. 

Grass maintained at the optimal height will also have the strongest root system.  Cutting below the leaf blade into the stem creates additional stress and results in a reduction of root density.

Additionally, taller grass will shade the soil resulting in cooler soil temperatures and moisture retention. 

Sharpen your mower blade.  A dull blade tears the leaf making it more susceptible to stress and disease.

Mow often enough that you are not cutting more than 1/3 of the blade off.  If you are trying to maintain your lawn at 2”, mow before the lawn exceeds 3”, etc.  When you cut too much off at one time the lawn will use nutrients stored in the roots to produce more leaf space.  This results in a weaker root system at a time of the year when your lawn needs strong roots.  If you fall behind, raise your mower up, then mow again a couple of days later at the desired height.

Don’t bag the clippings when you mow.  Allow the clippings to decompose on the soil returns moisture and nutrients back to the root system.  Leaving your clippings is like applying a slow-release fertilizer to your lawn each time you mow.  Always remove any noticeable, excessive clippings.

A fescue lawn’s best chance to survive the summer 95+ degree heat is mowing at 3-3.5” and deep soaking every other day.  Shallow watering everyday, or as some attempt, twice per day, results in a heat stress lawn.

Watering 

Deep soakings are always best.  Short, shallow watering is detrimental to your lawn and landscape in the heat.  The healthiest landscapes are watered to the point of runoff and then allowed to dry for a day. 

Except for newly planted trees, shrubs and lawns, daily watering is not beneficial, even in 100-degree heat.

Water in the early morning, not in the evening.  Watering in the evening increases the potential for disease adding stress to your lawn.

• Lawns need 1-1.5” of water per week.   

• Flowers, shrubs and trees need 1-2” of water per week.

• Trees planted in the last two years need 10-20 gals per week in the hottest times of the year. This may require a slow soaking hose placed at the base of the tree once per week even if you have an irrigation system. 

How long do you need to water to apply 1-1.5” of water per week?  Every irrigation system is different.  Head types, nozzle size, head spacing, shade/sun, etc., all make it hard to have one answer for all. 

The best way to know how long you should water is to measure the amount of water your system puts out in each zone by placing a few cans around your lawn in a random pattern.  Run your sprinklers through a cycle and measure the amount of water in the cans and do the math.  If your sprinklers ran 15 minutes and you have .25” of water, you need to run that zone for 60 to 90 minutes each week. 

All sprinkler systems need an occasional adjustment during periods of drought for lawns to look their best. A small adjustment to a nozzle would keep this lawn moist all the way to the walk.

The goal is to water deep.  If you could run the zone for 90 minutes one time per week the result would be a healthy lawn with a deep root system.  But, with our tight soil and sloops, you will need to divide the total run time by three and water on your designated ODD/EVEN day. 

Don’t have the time to do a water audit?  Start with these general settings, monitor, and adjust:

• Fixed spray pattern heads with 10-15’ spacings – 15 to 20 minutes per time.

• Rotor type heads on 20-30’ spacings – 30 to 40 minutes per time.

One way to water deeper with less runoff is to split the total run time into two back-to-back run times.  Set the first start time to come on early in the morning with half the minutes each zone normally runs.  Set a start time an hour or two later.  When the system completes the first cycle, it will automatically run through the zones another time.

What is wrong with this picture?  There is a sprinkler head located in the green turf area at obviously needs to be adjusted to properly reach the edges of the lawn.

If you are noticing areas where the lawn is losing color while areas near are keeping good color, check the soil moisture in the area and what the system run.  It could be your system needs a few adjustments to improve the water distribution.

If you don’t have the ability to water, if the cost of water just doesn’t fit the budget, or if your municipality restricts watering, we understand.  Healthy lawns that are not watered don’t die, they just go dormant, including fescue.  Lawns with strong root systems will recover when temperatures cool and moisture returns.

Should you need to cut back on watering, continue deep soaking, just do it less often.  It would be better to water every 4 days on your designated ODD or EVEN water day than to water every other day for a shorter period. 

Shallow watering in an effort to reduce your water bill isn’t good for your lawn.  Shallow watering promotes a shorter, weaker root system that is very dependent on frequent watering.

A clue to an uneven watering problem is an arc pattern matching the sweep of an irrigation head.

Head to head coverage is when the water from one sprinkler head reaches all the way to the next head. Without head to head coverage, dry areas can develop around heads.

Fertilizer

Bermuda lawns can be fertilized at this time of year, but only with slow-release fertilizers. 

Watering the fertilizer into the soil with a good deep soaking is very important. Turf burn occurs when fertilizer is lightly watered resulting in partially dissolved fertilizer sitting on the leaf blades causing burn.

With slow-release fertilizer, no water is better than light moisture.

Fescue should not be fertilized at all in the heat. 

Trees and shrubs should not be fertilized again until the fall.

Weed Control

Herbicides to control and kill weeds need special care during periods of extreme heat.  Weed control products always create some stress on the lawn and during periods of high temperatures the stress is magnified.  The goal is to kill the weed with minimal stress to the lawn because a healthy, thick turf is the first step toward a weed free lawn.  Stressed turf, weak turf, leads to more weeds.  So, while the lawn is under stress due to heat and/or drought, the first goal is to protect the turf.

A fresh 2-3” of mulch will cool the soil and retain moisture around your landscape plantings.

This week we visited several lawns where clients were concerned about declining turf.  Many were concerned last year’s army worms had returned.  But, in every case, we discovered lawns suffering from lack of moisture.  Some were the result of short, shallow watering habits while others had dry areas due to uneven distribution of water.

Our goal is to help your lawn and landscape survive the heat and drought of an Oklahoma summer.  Your landscape represents a big investment of time and money creating an outdoor environment.  Not only does your trees, shrubs, and lawn add curb appeal to your home, there is the added benefit of lower temperatures created by the green environment surrounding your home.  

If you have questions or need help, give us a call or respond to this email.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Snow & Your Landscape

Are you a snow lover? 

Or, are you one that hopes we make it through the winter snow-free?

If your lawn and landscape have a vote, they are voting for a snow!

Much of our landscape, particularly fescue lawns, groundcovers, and pansies, has a freeze-dried look this winter.  It started on December 19th with a 13-degree night when we had gone 45 days without any rain.  It continued with a couple of 11-degree and an 8-degree night in January.  All without any moisture. 

Thankfully, this week’s cold temperatures came with protection for your lawn and landscape.

That’s correct…protection.

Fresh snow is like a warm blanket on a cold night to your landscape!

Snowfall is nature’s way of insulating your valuable landscape from cold temperatures.  A fresh snow cover of more than 2” is very beneficial to the landscape by trapping soil warmth below the snow. 

Without snow, soil temperatures fluctuate more, dipping deeper during call spells.  An example from this winter:  When our low hit 8 degrees on January 21st, soil temperatures at 2” below the surface dipped to 37 degrees.  But, this week with Friday morning’s low at 10 degrees in the Oklahoma City area and with a 6” snow cover, the 2” soil temperature was 44 degrees.

Your landscape is thankful for the blanket of snow that trapped the warm soil temperatures around its roots and kept the cold windy temperatures at bay.

Snowfall is moisture!

If we get a ½” rainfall, there is a lot of runoff.  But, when the snow melts, it slowly soaks in.  Nearly every single drop benefits the roots of your turf, flowers, shrubs, and trees. 

On average, 10” snow equals a 1” rainfall.  With a wet snow, your landscape may receive 1” of moisture for every 5” of snow.  But, it takes a 15” snowfall to equal 1” when the snow is dry.  My guess is this week’s  6-7” snowfall will gain us 1/3” to ½” of moisture as it melts. We will take every drop we can squeeze out of the white powder!  It has been a very dry winter with only ½” of rain in the last 90 days.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac calls snow a “poor man’s fertilizer.”

Snow is full of nitrogen.  As snow falls it collects nitrogen that is naturally in the air and distributes it evenly over your lawn and landscape.

Even though spring green-up is a few weeks away, don’t be surprised if our landscapes look a little more alive next week as the snow melts away.  We may find the freeze-dried look to have faded just a bit thanks to a good blanket of snow.

So, which are you?  Snow lover?  Snow hater?

I know where your lawn and landscape stand on the snow issue!

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Merry Christmas!

"Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life." — Corrie Ten Boom

While we try to add to the joyous season of Christmas, we hope you & your family are reminded of the perfect gift we’ve received — the birth of Jesus Christ.

 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6

We hope you & your family have a great Christmas celebrating the birth of our Prince of Peace!

Merry Christmas from your friends at Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape!

BRADY

Lawn Care Technician

Edmond Area

BAILEY

Lawn Care Technician

West Metro Area

LEONEL

Special Projects Team Member

TOM

Co-founder & Partner

JOHN

Lawn Care Technician

Northwest Oklahoma City Area

RIGOBERTO

Special Projects Crew Leader

PAULA

Office Administrator

LORNE

Co-founder & Partner

Your Lawn & Landscape Still Needs Moisture… Even During The Off Season!

The tendency this time of year is to turn the irrigation off and roll up the hoses, but if your lawn and landscape could talk, they would be encouraging you to not cut off the water just yet and be prepared to give them a drink from time to time through the winter.

Sure, your lawn, trees, shrubs, and flowers don’t need as much water from through the winter, but they do need some. 

Your landscape needs at least ½” of moisture every two weeks through the winter.

It has been 3 weeks since most of the Oklahoma City metro has received a ¼” rainfall. 

Soil moisture is dwindling and there isn’t a strong chance of a good rainfall for several days.

Throughout the winter take advantage of nice, warm, light wind days and give your lawn and landscape a good soaking.

Pansies need moisture through the winter to survive and make a strong spring show.

Winter watering is particularly critical for evergreen shrubs and trees.  Windy days zap the moisture stored in their leaves making them sensitive to winter injury when we receive a harsh cold snap when they are dry.

Evergreens and fescue require more water attention during the winter.

Japanese maples have shallow roots that are susceptible to drying out during the winter.

Fescue and rye lawns will retain more color over the winter if the soil is moist went temperatures below 30 degrees.

Newly sodded lawns will experience winter damage if they are not kept consistently moist at this time of year.

Finally, all newer landscapes, those installed in the last two years require a little more watering attention over the winter.

If your irrigation system has an insulated cover and heat tape protecting the backflow, or if your system is an older system with an inground backflow, or if your backflow is inside your house, winterizing your system is not required during most Oklahoma winters.  Even last year during the extreme cold, we saw little freeze damage to systems with protected backflows.

Pansies are a great winter annual as long as they aren’t bone dry when a cold front arrives.

Picture of the week: Discovered a Crape Myrtle in a customer’s landscape putting on new blooms in November while it’s leaves are changing colors. The last 12 months has been very confusing for our landscapes.

Shallow rooted plants, such as: azalea and Japanese maple are also prone to winter injury when they do not receive regular moisture during dormancy.

Plants with shallow root systems, such as Japanese Maples and Azaleas, respond best if they receive at least 1/2” of moisture every 7-10 days throughout the winter.

If you have perennials or winter annuals such as pansies or kale, winter moisture is critical to their performance going into the spring.

Evergreens need moisture during to winter to keep their foliage healthy.

Set your azaleas up for a successful spring by making sure they have enough moisture this winter.

Fescue lawns will retain more color in the winter and rebound quicker in the spring if they are not allowed to become bone dry during the winter.

A snow cover can be very helpful when temps go below freezing because warmer soil temperatures are trapped in.

Current Watering Recommendation - Continue to water one to two times per week until we receive an extended cold spell.   

Watering Through the Winter - Monitor the weather.  Pay attention to the amount of rainfall we are receiving.  Anytime we go a week or two without a good rain or snow cover, pick a warm day and run your system through a cycle.  If you don’t have an irrigation system, pick an enjoyable day, stretch out the hoses and make sure all plant material receives a good soaking.

Consider Upgrading Your System – If your system doesn’t have a rain/freeze sensor, add one. A rain/freeze sensor allows you the ability to set the controller to run once per week and leave it.  If the temperature is below freezing, or if there has been a recent rain, the sensor will interrupt the scheduled cycle.  The benefit is you won’t have to remember to turn your system off when it is too cold, or it has rained.

Another Upgrade to Consider – Install a Rainbird WiFi Link controller and let us control your system for you.  We will monitor the weather and adjust the system through the winter based on the amount of moisture the area has received.

Remember – Most winter plant injury occurs when we receive a harsh cold spell while plant root systems are dry.

Give us a call, or respond to this email, if we can help you with irrigation solutions.

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

Fall 2021’s Top 5 Most Colorful Landscape Plants

Four weeks ago, before trees and shrubs started their fall color change, we wrote about all the reasons we love fall. 

This week is why we love fall!

The explosion of color in the Oklahoma City area this week was amazing.

Peak color is typically the last week of October continuing into the first week of November.  Just like most of the landscape events of the year, peak color trended 10-14 days behind normal.  I was to the point of giving up on a spectacular color show this year, but this week exceeded my expectations.   Every day, every neighborhood, every corner I turned, brought another burst of fall color.

I hope you found some outdoor time this week.  

I hope all the color has inspired you and your landscape dreams.

These are 5 of the most spectacular landscape plants I experienced this week:

1.      Burning Bush 

Also known as Winged Euonymus, it has possibly put on its best show this fall.  Because it is often 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. 

Burning Bush is a great compliment to the grayish hues of the juniper.

Burning Bush looks its best when is left to grow naturally and makes a great hedge.

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

The dynamic reds of Burning Bush have be excellent this fall.

2.     Chinese Pistache

No other tree produces such a vibrant, broad range of fall color.  It is a dependable, pest free tree that is tolerant of a wide range of soils, drought, and heat.  Considered a medium sized tree, reaching 30-35’ with an oval top. 

The vibrant wide range of fall color from a Chinese Pistache is hard to beat.

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

3.     Maples 

One of the first trees to show color in the fall.  There are many varieties,  these three have put on a show this fall:

Autumn Blaze – A fast grower that can reach 50-60’ with an upright, uniform branching habit. It is one of the first to turn with an excellent red color.

Autumn Blaze Maple is a fast growing tree that is one of the first to turn red each fall.

October Glory – A moderate grower that reaches 40-50’ with a rounded top.  Color starts to turn a little later than the Autumn Blaze with an orange-red to red color.  Of the two, October Glory is my favorite.

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

Shantung – A smaller maple that is perfect for small to medium landscapes.  It has a spreading, rounded canopy that only reaches 20-25’.  Leaves have five points and turn a golden yellow to orange color.

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

4.     Sweetgum

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.

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.

5.     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. 

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.

One of the best surprises of the strange weather patterns of this year is the performance of hydrangea. Not too often do you get to enjoy the bright pinks of an Endless Summer Hydrangea nest to the yellow of a Slender Silhouette Sweetgum in November.

5.1  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.

We don’t think of an ornamental grass when thinking of fall color, but with the airy pink to purple fall plumes of Pink Muhly Grass, we should.

5.2  Autumn Sage

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

A great perennial for fall color is the Autumn Sage with its hot pink flowers.

5.3  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 most commonly known for the bright red color it adds to the native landscape, but it deserves to be planted in more landscapes as an understory accent.

Sumac is a welcome sight along roadsides around the state in the fall with its splashes of red.

Sumac also adds interest to the fall landscape as an understory plant.

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

5.4  Crape Myrtle

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.

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.

Oh, you noticed that was more than five?  Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself.

Get out this weekend, get out this coming week, and take in the beauty of our fall landscape. 

Take pictures. 

Make list. 

Ask questions. 

And make a plan to add a plant with brilliant fall color to your landscape soon.

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.  

A 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.

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 between October 28 and November 3.  And, because spring bulbs require winter chilling for successful blooming, it is best to plant them within the first 6 weeks after the first freeze.  Planting later may greatly diminish your success.

Tulips at the Myriad Gardens in Spring 2019

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 to three times their height, or approximately 4-6”.  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. 

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.

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.    

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!

I have never regretted planning ahead and planting spring-flowering bulbs!

Lorne Hall

Hall|Stewart Lawn + Landscape

405.367.3873

Fall is for being outdoors!

I love fall! Finally, it feels like it has arrived.

Who doesn’t love cool mornings followed by picture-perfect afternoons?

But is that why I love fall?

Maybe it is the incredible color show put on by trees and shrubs?

Fall color depends upon a few key elements. How will we score this fall?

• Abundant moisture during the growing season. This year the growing season started with sufficient moisture and continued that way through mid-July, but August and September turned out dry. The dry end of summer may lessen the intensity of the color this fall.

• No early freezes. So far this year we have been on the opposite end of the thermometer, hotter than normal. Remember last year? Who could forget? The last week of October three days of freezing rain put a premature end to most of the fall color. The average first freeze in Oklahoma City is November 5th. When it comes to the first fall freeze, I like it when we are way behind average.

• Low winds during October and November. Once the leaves make the change to brilliant yellows, oranges, and reds, the last thing we want is a gusty day stripping the trees.

Fall is the time of year where I want to be outside everyday…all the time enjoying the color show!

Peak fall color for central Oklahoma is typically the last week of

October through the first week of November.

Plan a walk. Plan a hike. Jump on a bike. Take a drive.

Just get outside and enjoy the colors of fall!

What is your favorite fall tree or shrub?

What is mine? The one I just found! I love them all!

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

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 a one in our front lawn, the color is good, but not as brilliant as others. On the campus of Bethany First Church of the Nazarene is one that puts on a show every fall. Downtown, the parking lot on the north side of the Federal Building along Harvey, is planted with Chinese Pistache with dynamic red color every fall.

Pick a sunny day this fall and make a visit to NW 18th and Shartel Ave. The Chinese Pistache are fire red!

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.

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 most typical city yards, 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.

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

Maples are one of the first trees to announce the arrival of fall color!

Autumn Blaze Maple – One of the first trees to start the show with bright orange to red foliage. Often the heat of late summer will leave Maples with tattered leaves and less fall color, which may be the case this year. Maples do best when they have protection from late evening, radiant heat.

Shantung Maple – Another smaller, 20-25’ Maple with yellow to orange to red color. This tree is ideal for planting near power lines.

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

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 – 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.

 Shantung Maple – Another smaller, 20-25’ Maple with yellow to orange to red color. This tree is ideal for planting near power lines.

Caddo Maple – A large, 50-75’ Sugar Maple that has great orange to red fall color. Caddo Maple is a little more suited to our hot west sun than the Autumn Blaze and October Glory.

The reddish browns of Shumard Oak rarely disappoint.

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.

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 – 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.

Sweet Gum – A large tree that makes up for all its short comings when fall arrives. They are messy trees that drop large seed balls during the summer making lawn work less enjoyable. But, when fall arrives they burst with shades of yellow, orange, red and purple – sometimes all on the same tree.

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

If you use one with the view of the Japanese maple in front, use this caption:

Silhouette Sweetgum and weeping Japanese Maple add yellow and reds to small spaces such as this 6’ wide landscape bed.

Slender Silhouette Sweetgum is a perfect tree for small yards, tight places and street plantings.

Not all Japanese Maples are red. There are many varieties, some with great yellow fall color.

Eye catching fall color isn’t limited to just turning leaves. It can also be found in the berries on evergreens, such as the fiery berries on pyracantha.

Crape Myrtles – We think of Crape Myrtles for their long bloom periods during the summer, but many varieties also have great fall color.

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

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.

A Dogwood growing in a native area in eastern Oklahoma.

Euonymus Burning Bush – A medium to large shrub with bright red fall color. Like the Chinese Pistache, they can be inconsistent. I have had one in my landscape for 15 years and most years it has little to no fall color. Then, I see one on fire, and think, “I need to add a new Burning Bush to my landscape!”

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

I could go on and on.

Every day I see another tree and proclaim, “Now that is the best tree, I have seen this fall!”

Get outside!

Don’t miss the fall show!

You won’t be disappointed!

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

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873