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June 2010
Turf
What happened to all the rain? Summer hasn't officially started, but it sure feels like it! Well, we knew it was coming, didn't we? If you haven't noticed, the heat & drought over the last couple weeks has begun to take its toll on the lush lawns we enjoyed for much of May. Believe it or not, the recent wet spring has actually accelerated the effects of drought stress During periods of frequent moisture, plant roots begin to creep closer to the soil to retrieve necessary moisture rather than going deep for water. Therefore, when moisture is sparse near the soil level, the plant begins to shut down & go dormant. The best way to counteract this process is to irrigate properly during hot, dry periods. Watering deeper, & less frequently will train roots to dive deep rather than shallow for their needed moisture.
We are currently our summer fertilizer and grub control applications. This month we're targeting primarily nutsedge & broadleaf weeds. We'll also be closely inspecting the lawn for drought, grassy weeds, disease & insects. If your turf manager notices any of these problems during his visit, he'll alert you immediately. Please be sure to keep your eyes open for the following types of problems this month:
FUNGAL DISEASES including brown patch, dollar spot, summer patch, smut, & rust, all fungal diseases affecting fescue & bluegrass lawns. Please be aware these diseases are often be confused with drought stress, and it's important you're familiar with the warning signs.. If you have any questions, please contact the office immediately.
INSECT DAMAGE most common in this area include: White grub & sod webworm damage.
DROUGHT STRESS damage is the most common & damaging occurence during July. As temperatures begin to approach 100 degrees +, it's imperative that you're practicing proper watering techniques.
--+ Warning signs, pictures, & descriptions can be found by going to the Links page of our website and clicking on the K-State horticulture site icon.
Design & Build
Aspen's plant of the month is Limelight Hydrangea. This is one of the few Hydrangea's that can take the sun and actually thrive in it. June is still a good time to install new plantings as long as adequate irrigation is readily available. We also strongly recommend mulching new plants to help maintain moisture between waterings. Most plants, except for evergreens will tell you when they need a drink, by wilting their leaves. It is imperative that you water immediately upon the first signs of wilting. Most times, plants will respond and perk back up hours after watering, but if you wait too long after drought signs first appear, the plant may die. Most new plantings will require 4-5 days per week of deep watering to get them through the summer. Some plants like hydrangeas may need water every day depending on the site.
Shrub Trimming is in full force and we are working on getting to every plant as quickly as possible. The rainy spring combined with a lack of late season freezes has the plants growing like MAD! Every customer should expect to have their shrubs trimmed by the 4th of July.
Bed Mulching has been completed for the season. We're still happy to entertain any requests to mulch new plantings or just to freshen up the beds.
Summer is a great time to Hardscape! We're fast approaching the time of year when it is risky to plant, so our crews shift to doing patios, Outdoor Kitchens, Retaining walls, drainage, water features, etc...
Landscape Maintenance
Need our help in the garden?
We would just like to remind our customers on the maintenance program that if they have any extra jobs they would like the the team to do during our regular visits, please call the office with your wishlist. We are more than happy to remove extra debris for you or even pick up small outdoor tasks that you haven't found time to accomplish. The team's focus this month will be bed weeding, deadheading, & pruning. We will be adding miracid to hydrangeas, azaleas & rhododendrons. If we tend to your vegetable gardens, we are using a new organic plant food for vegetables from the producers of Miracle-Gro.
Add some COLOR to your summer! Call us today to have a splash of annual color added to your patio pots or bedding areas.
Mowing
Help your lawn beat the heat! Mowing height should remain high this month. Recommended mowing heights are 3.5"-4.0". Mowing high during drought like conditions reduces the stress on the plant during stressed conditions. Cutting 1-2" off the plant during high heat is the equivalent of shaving your head & standing in the full sun all day...it burns!
Traffic is also a problem during heat stressed periods; changing directions when you mow will prevent the plant from laying over in the same direction, thus limiting damage to the plant. Be very careful when trimming or weedeating. Concrete edges & along foundations are going to be especially hotter than other areas, thus burning much easier when scalped. If you would like information on our "custom mowing," please contact the office.
Arborist's Corner
SEE OUR BLOG FROM 6/7- "TREE PLANTING- THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY!"
And the pests of the month are: Bagworms and Spider mites! Spider Mites & Bagworms are a major problem on ornamental trees & shrubs alike during midwest summers.
Burning Bush and Dwf. Alberta Spruce are the most susceptible host plants for Spider mites. Mite damage during favorable conditions can be very destructive and and fatal if left un-treated. Hot, drought like conditions favor these insects as stressed plants put up little resistance towards invasion. Treatment is difficult due to the rapid rate in which the mites reproduce. Another element making treatment difficult is the limited availability of products that kill both the eggs and adults. Additionally, mites are difficult to diagnose because of their microscopic size. The best way to determine an infestation is by shaking the plant foliage onto a white peice of paper. If you notice small flecks of brown that resemble pepper, treatment is recommended.
Bagworms pose an even larger threat to plantings during summer months because of the time in which an infestation call kill a tree. Often times a severe infestation can be kill a tree within days. Host plants are typically Juniper, and Arborvitae. However, it is not uncommon for these insects to attack spruces, birches, and other trees. Unlike spider mites, control is easily achieved if treatment is timed while the bag is still very small and the worms are still feeding readily on the plant. Once the bag is big and feeding has slowed, treatment is nearly impossible.
Did you know?
BLAZIN' SUMMER SPECIALS:
- FREE Turf application when you call us for an estimate
- FREE start up & shut down when your friend or family installs an irrigation system
- FREE Aspen Rain Gauge with full service estimate
If you're interested in signing up for our email list or have any questions you can call the office Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, or simply just send an email to office@aspenlawn.com.
Did you know? you can enroll in our automatic payment system and not worry about the hassle of paying bills? You are now able to register your credit card with us and have an automatic debit at the beginning of each month’s balance. You will still receive a paper copy to be able to review your charges each month & keep for your records. Please call the office for more details.
Irrigation
Gotta love the midwest? Rain soaked spring & a sultry, dry summer...well at least we've got variety?
Please make sure that proper watering techniques are being used right now. 2-3 days of watering is NOT ENOUGH! Watering properly today will save you money later during lawn renovation season in the fall. Recommended run times this time of year for Turf areas are:
Rotors- 3-4 days per week: 20 minutes per zone
Pop up's- 3-4 days per week: 5-7 minutes per zone
Note: Please make sure concrete edges are getting good coverage, these are the first areas to dry out in the heat.
Recommended times for your Bedding areas are:
Sprays- 3 days per week @ 7-10 minutes per zone
If you would like us to set your clock for the summer or make seasonal adjustments, feel free to call us to set up an
appointment.
Have you heard?
Our Irrigation maintenance programs are our worry-free options perfect for the homeowner who doesn't have time to worry with watering their lawn. We call these programs "insurance for your sprinkler system". You pay a one-time yearly rate for the program, and the only costs you incur are for parts used on any needed repairs made during regularly scheduled visits. The SILVER program includes: annual start-up, winterization, & 2 maintenance checks during the season to make necessary adjustments and/or repairs. Our GOLD program includes all of the above, plus an in-depth system calibration. This calibration is guaranteed to save you $ on your water bill. Call us for more details or to sign up.
Irrigation System Installation Remind us to give you a FREE start up and shut down when your family member or friend has a new Aspen system installed.