Summertime = water time!

This week marked the official start of summer. June 21st, known as the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year. 

It appears our weather got the memo.  Suddenly, temperatures are flirting with triple digits and suddenly there is less rain in the forecast.

As temperatures rise and rainfall declines, it is important to develop the best watering practices.   

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• Good watering practices start with being aware of current weather patterns and adjusting watering schedules.   

• Good watering practices need to be your number one focus in the landscape for the next few weeks.

• Good watering practices will have the biggest influence on the health and appearance of your lawn and landscape for the rest of the summer.   

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Best Watering Practices:

Apply 1” to 1.5” of water per week.  

Your lawn and landscape need 1” to 1.5” of moisture per week when temperatures are consistently 90 degrees or higher. 

Which begs the question: “How long should I water?” 

Every irrigation system is different – different head types, different size nozzles, different head spacing, different soils, different slopes, 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, that zone needs a total of 60 to 90 minutes of run time 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, you will have a healthier, stronger landscape.  Unfortunately, with our tight soils, watering every other day on the required ODD/EVEN system during the hottest times is needed to get the correct amount of water on the lawn without excessive runoff. 

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. 

Currently, I am watering my fescue lawn every 4 days using the best practices mentioned here.  Because of recently planted annuals and perennials, my landscape is currently being watered every other day.  I will continue the 4-day schedule for the lawn until I see signs of stress from lack of water.

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

For most of our landscapes, if you run our sprinklers long enough to get the recommended amount of water, you 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 past 5:00, the controller will start the second cycle. 

I know from experience that moist soil will absorb more water than dry soil.  Soil is just like the sponge in your sink. A dried-out sponge repels water before it starts absorbing water.  Your lawn 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.  For years, large commercial irrigation controllers have had a run/soak cycle setting that waters a short time, delays, and then waters a longer time.  Now, more and more smart controllers offer a run/soak cycle feature.

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.  Typically, the wind is also 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.

This is critical for fescue lawns.  If fescue stays wet for more than 6 hours at a time and nighttime temperatures are in the 70s, brown patch is unavoidable.  Fescue performs best in the heat if it is watered deeply, and grass blades are dry by noon. 

If you water your fescue lawn in both the morning and the evening during the summer because you “can’t seem to get enough water on it!”, your lawn isn’t struggling because it is too dry, your lawn is struggling because you have created the perfect conditions for brown patch, a fescue lawn’s worst enemy.

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.

How much difference does infrequent, deep watering make when it comes to developing a drought tolerant lawn?  This is my home lawn on August 20 last summer.  As an experiment I watered every 4 days starting August 1st. Temperatures were in the upper 90s to 100s the first 20 days of August last year. The only rainfall was 2/10” on August 10. Because of deep watering, my fescue lawn, in mostly sun, was able to stay green and healthy during last year’s hot summer.

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 also benefit from deep soakings, every other day, through the summer months. Shallow, daily watering in the summer heat is very damaging to fescue. Again: Brown patch symptoms look very similar to drought stress. Typically, the more you water, the worse the fescue looks, so you add more water, and the cycle of decline continues.

A common myth I would love to dispel is that fescue requires a lot more water than Bermuda.  Yes, it does for a couple of weeks in the fall when you are trying to get newly seeded fescue to germinate, but mature fescue doesn’t require more moisture than Bermuda. 

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 needs.  

If we receive 1/2” 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. 

Just because it is summer, don’t assume you can leave your controller in automatic and forget it. 

Don’t stress if your lawn and landscape get 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.

Fixing uneven water patterns in your lawn may be as simple as making sure heads are straight. A leaning head will result in uneven water distribution.

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 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 the ones made by Orbit.  It will make it easier for you to control the timing and frequency of watering. 

If you need help in determining your lawn and landscape’s water needs, let us know. 

We can schedule an irrigation audit for your lawn and landscape.  We will inspect for uneven water distribution, absorb water rates, make recommended irrigation changes, and set the controller for optimal operation.  Give us a call if we can help – (405)367-3873.

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. 

A key component of a healthy landscape is correct water usage. 

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

More perennials, please!

Over the years, I have become more and more fond of using perennials in the landscape. 

In the early days of my love for landscapes, I was slow to add perennials because they don’t add color all season and often their foliage is unattractive after the blooms faded.  When I did add a few, they always found their home in an out-of-the-way, background location of the landscape. 

I still believe annual color is the best choice close to the front door, along the front walks, and key areas around outdoor living spaces.  Annual color is the best way to create a bright, welcoming, and season-long statement in the landscape.  But, more and more, I find myself adding perennials to landscapes.   

What is the difference between annuals and perennials?

Perennial plants regrow every spring.

Annual plants live for only one growing season and then die.

Perennials usually have a shorter blooming period compared to annuals.

Great landscapes use a combination of both plants.

There are so many perennial choices.  Books and books have been devoted to perennials.  I have my favorites.  Favorites that have found a home in my landscape, and although none of them add color the entire season, as a group, they do add interest from spring to fall. 

Creeping Phlox (Phlox stolonifera).  The first to welcome spring each year.  Creeping phlox produces a spring-like carpet in pastel hues of white, lavender, red, and pink.  Creeping phlox is a moderate grower that can spread up to 2’ but only reaches 4-6” in height.  It prefers full sun but will tolerate some shade each day.  Borders, walls, and around boulders are where it looks best.  In my garden, you will find it cascading over a rock retaining wall. It tolerates most soils as long as it is well drained.  The plant requires little maintenance.  Mites are about the only insect problem it will have.   

Creeping Phlox

Creeping phlox cascading over any landscape wall is a great way to say “hello” to spring.

Dianthus

Dianthus and Salvia planted along a flagstone walkway.

Creeping Phlox

Creeping Phlox

Dianthus (Dianthus).   It works well as a border, in small groupings, around boulders, or as a single plant reaching 10-15” tall with a spread of 12-24”.  They bloom in late spring to early summer in rose, pink, white, and red.  They prefer areas where they will receive at least 6 hours of full sun each day but will tolerate some dappled shade or afternoon shade.  Just like creeping phlox, they are a cool season lover.  They will grow in most soils, prefer alkaline soils, but waterlogged soil will cause crown and root rot.   Heavy mulching near the crown of the plant can be detrimental. Late March through April and into May is the peak bloom time.  Light feeding in the spring with a complete fertilizer of phosphorus, potassium, and low nitrogen is recommended.  Other than an occasional aphid or powdery mildew issue, they do not have many problems.  There are more than 300 varieties of dianthus to choose from.  My all-time favorite is ‘Firewitch’.  It has a silver-green foliage and a vibrant pink bloom. One shortcoming – it is not uncommon for them to thrive for a few years and then gradually decline, so you may need to replant every 3-4 years.  I have found this true with the dianthus planted in my front landscape, but at the same time, I have a planting of dianthus in my back landscape that has overperformed for at least 10 years running.

Dianthus

‘May Night’ Salvia (Salvia x sylvestris).  Sage-type flower spikes of deep bluish-purple that will add color in April, May and early June. The best flower show will be in full sun, but it will tolerate a little dappled shade each day.  The plant grows 12-18” tall with flower spikes reaching 24”.  The plant looks great in the middle of the garden planted behind creeping phlox or dianthus, and in front of Shasta daisy or Black-eyed Susan.  The leaves often become tattered later in the summer. Keep faded blooms removed to maximize bloom period and pruning the plants after blooming may result in a few fall blooms. In the early spring, before new growth emerges, remove the dormant foliage.  Salvia tolerates clay soils but will struggle with root rot if the soil stays saturated. 

Cutting Salvia back after it has finished blooming for the season.

From April through early June you can count on May Night Salvia adding deep blue to purple spikes of color to the landscape.

Pink Dianthus, May Night Salvia with Gold Moneywort ground cover.

Daylily (Hemerocallis).  There are over 80,000 varieties of daylily.  They come in nearly every color and shade of color you can imagine, ranging 10-36” tall and 12-24” wide.  Depending on the variety, blooms start in early summer and extend into late summer with a successive blooming habit that lasts 4-6 weeks. They also are one of the most adaptable plants.  They are very cold-hardy and very heat tolerant.  They are happy in almost every soil condition; clay, loam, dry, wet, and low nutrient.  They prefer full sun but will bloom in partial shade.  With a clump-type growth, they are dynamic planted in a mass grouping.  Leave dormant foliage until new foliage emerges in the spring.  Fertilize in early spring and again in early summer.  Clumps can be divided every 3-5 years in the fall.  Remove spent flower stocks to encourage more blooms.  The most common yellow daylily is ‘Stella de’ Oro’.  ‘Pardon Me’ is a great red daylily.  Planting daylilies behind liriope (monkey grass) will help cover up the unattractive foliage as it begins to fade in late summer.  Look around, daylilies started putting on their early summer show this week.

‘May Night’ Salvia

‘May Night’ Salvia

May Night Salvia

Daylily

Daylight

Red Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan and Shasta Daisy

Shasta Daisy (Chrysanthemum x superbum).  Classic daisy appearance of white petals around a yellow center.  They grow in clumps 1-2’ wide and 2-3’ tall.  Best if planted in fertile soil that drains well.  The more sun they receive the more they will bloom.  Shasta Daisies start blooming in early summer and can last until early fall.  They make great cut flowers.  Keeping the faded blooms cut will extend the color show.  After the foliage goes dormant in late fall, cut the stems back to 1-2”.  They respond well to light fertilizer in the spring.  Daisies perform best if they are divided every 3-5 years.  Considered a low-maintenance plant, aphids are about the only insect you may see.  ‘Becky’ is a favorite variety.

Daylily and Shasta Daisy

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia grandiflora).  Daisy-like golden-yellow flower petals surround a dark brown or black center reaching 2-4’ and spreading 2’.   The large flower blooms (2-4”) will be arriving in the next few weeks and will continue into July.   And, if you keep spent blooms trimmed off, you will get a few blooms in the fall. Plant in sun to partial shade.  As a native prairie plant, you will find it to be low maintenance.  It tolerates most soils but prefers well-drained.  Because of its height, plant in the middle of a bed or as a background to lower perennials, similar to dianthus or salvia. The plant can be divided every 3-5 years.  Remove dormant foliage anytime in the fall or winter.  It can develop powdery mildew if in too much shade.  Minimal feeding is required.  Keep a watch out for occasional aphid problems. 

One of the best late summer blooming perennials is Black-eyed Susan.

Black-eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susan

Because of its height, plant in the middle of a bed or as a background to lower perennials, such as dianthus or salvia. The plant can be divided every 3-5 years. Remove dormant foliage anytime in the fall or winter. It can develop powdery mildew if in too much shade. Minimal feeding is required. Keep a watch out for occasional aphid problem.

Coneflower

One of the longer blooming summer perennials is Coneflower.

Coneflower

Coneflower (Echinacea).  A native prairie plant with purple or white blooms 2-4” in diameter.    Just like black-eyed Susan it reaches 2-4’ in height and spreads out 2-3’ and makes a good show planted in the back or sides of the garden.  But it also works well as a single specimen.  Plant in sun to partial shade.  It is one of the longest summer bloomers with a show that lasts 5-8 weeks. The coarse texture of the leaves makes them well-suited near softer-textured plants such as ornamental grasses.  It enjoys well-drained, fertile soil.  Removing faded flowers will encourage more blooms.  Remove dead foliage in the winter.  Coneflower is fairly disease tolerant and responds to feeding early in the growing season, and also likes to be mulched.

Hardy Verbena (Verbena).  This low-growing (4-6”) spreading (2-3’) perennial thrives in the summer heat while producing purple, pink, red, or white blooms.  Verbena is not picky about soil type but requires full sun.  When it gets more than 2-3 hours of shade per day, its biggest problem is powdery mildew disease increases.  The low-growing nature makes it perfect for the front of beds, along walks, and cascading over walls and slopes.  It also looks great in pots and window boxes.  Good drainage and fertile soils are needed and with consistent irrigation blooms and spread will increase. Feed in spring and after the first flush of heavy blooms.  Don’t fertilize after July.  Verbena likes mulch to insulate roots and hold in moisture.  Sheering the plant just below spent blooms will encourage growth and more flowering.  My favorite variety is ‘Homestead Purple’. 

Garden Mum (Chrysanthemum x moratorium).  Typically thought of as an annual, they make a great perennial for fall color with shades of pink, red, white, and yellow.  Plant height and width are both 1-3’ resulting typically in a round shape.  They produce a wonderful burst of color for 2-4 weeks in late September and October.  Mums will tolerate light shade but prefer full sun.  To survive the winter as a perennial they need moisture and good drainage. Therefore, add an ample amount of compost when planting in our clay soils.  Dormant foliage can be removed anytime during the winter or in the spring when new growth emerges.  Mums will bloom a little in the spring or early summer.  Once the early blooms fade, keep the plant sheared to the shape and height you prefer.  Stop shearing after the first of July.  When you shear a mum during the last half of the summer, you are removing the flower buds for the fall.

Hosta (Hosta).  Monrovia.com lists over 78 varieties of hosta.  This shade to partial sun loving plant is perfect for adding brightness to shady areas.  Varieties range in size, but 12-14” tall and 30” wide is common.  They prefer organic soil and regular watering when it is hot.  Their leafy appearance is a great companion to ground covers.  Monrovia calls them “the potato chip of plants…once you have one and watch how it lights up the shade you will want another.”  One of my favorites is ‘Patriot’.  I dare you to plant just one. 

Hosta x 'Patriot' is a compact variety with large glossy green foliage with gleaming white edges.

King Ostrich Fern

Fern.  Excellent for shade gardens and damp areas. They require frequent watering, especially in the summer heat.  There are many varieties but for most gardens, ones that grow 18-30” with a 24” spread, are best.  They are an easy-going plant that adds texture to the landscape.  It is a great plant for filling in bare areas in the shade.  Matteuccia struthiopteris ‘The King’ is a favorite Ostrich fern. 

Coral Bells (Heuchera).  A great shade companion to hosta and caladium, this perennial will also be happily planted in a little more sun.  It makes a great border, a mass grouping, or plant a single plant as an accent.  There are many varieties with colorful foliage to choose from.  ‘Palace Purple’ has deep purple foliage which looks great planted with ‘Patriot’ Hosta. 

Coral Bell 'Palace Purple' planted as an accent with fern in a shady raised planter.

Gaillardia

The best time to add perennials to your landscape is spring and fall.  But, you can find success adding perennials most anytime; just avoid the hottest days of the summer and the coldest period of the winter.  My favorite time to add perennials is when I am planting my summer color at this time of the year and again in the fall when changing the summer color out for pansies.

A great resource is Monrovia.com. https://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/

Another great way to learn more about perennials is to take monthly walks through the Myriad Garden and Scissortail Park to see what is currently in bloom.

What are your favorite perennials? 

We are always on the lookout for new ideas.

Text or email us a few pictures of perennials blooming in your landscape!       

Lorne Hall

Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape

(405)367-3873

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