While a lush green lawn may be every dad’s dream, achieving this dream comes with plenty of challenges. One of the biggest challenges to maintaining a beautiful lawn is managing weeds. Two of the most common lawn weeds that we encounter are crabgrass and quackgrass. While crabgrass and quackgrass may look similar, their control treatments vary greatly. Learning the difference between these grasses and how to treat each will help to save you both time and money.
Crabgrass
Crabgrass is an annual weed that thrives in hot sun and poor turf. Crabgrass is known for its thick, yellowish-green blades that make it stand out from the surrounding turfgrass. With a unique flat growth habit, crabgrass tends to grow outward rather than upward. This leads to the crabgrass usually being lower than your mower blades. Since crabgrass is an annual, it spreads by seed and dies off every year. Crabgrass seeds have to wait for the soil temperatures to warm up before they can germinate. Because of this, crabgrass tends to appear more in the very late spring to early summer. If you are seeing nuisance grass early in the spring, it is likely quackgrass or tall fescue, not crabgrass. To control crabgrass, spread a granular pre-emergent weed control in the early spring (mid-April through mid-May). The pre-emergent will prevent the new crabgrass seeds from germinating. If you seed your lawn in the spring, make sure that you do not put down crabgrass preventer until your grass seed has sprouted, as the pre-emergent will prevent your grass seed from germinating. If you already have crabgrass that has emerged, spot treat with a crabgrass killer. Crabgrass can also be hand-pulled as the root system tends to be shallow and the roots stay clumped together. Each crabgrass plant can produce 150,000 seeds, and these seeds can stay viable in the soil for years. It is important to try and control crabgrass as soon as you see it so that it does not have time to develop and spread its seeds.
Quackgrass
Quackgrass is a fast-growing, cool-season perennial that emerges in the early spring. Like crabgrass, quackgrass has wide grass-like blades, but quackgrass has a more upright, tall habit than crabgrass. Since quackgrass is a perennial, it comes back every year and spreads by both underground rhizomes as well as by seed. Quackgrass is a cool-season plant, which means that it will do most of its active growing in the cooler seasons (spring and fall), and you will likely see quackgrass begin to pop up in the early spring. Quackgrass can only be treated with herbicides that contain glyphosate, like Roundup. These products will also kill the surrounding grass, so plan to reseed areas that you treat for quackgrass. Because of the extensive root system of quackgrass, hand pulling is often time-consuming and may not be as effective as chemical herbicides. If you decide to hand-pull your quackgrass, try to get as much of the root system as possible, as any rhizome missed can grow into a new plant. It is important to try and treat quackgrass as soon as possible, as quackgrass is an aggressive weed that can quickly take over an area. Quackgrass rhizomes can also produce a chemical that stunts the growth of surrounding plants, allowing the quackgrass to outcompete turfgrass.
Tips
Quackgrass and crabgrass both thrive in weak or thin lawns, so promoting a healthy, thick lawn with a deep root system can help prevent or lessen issues with weeds. Below are a few tips on how to keep your lawn full and flourishing.
Water properly: Industry experts recommend watering your lawn only once or twice a week. Both overwatering and underwatering can lead to weak lawns and can encourage the spreading of weeds.
Mow at the correct height: Allowing your lawn to grow taller can help your lawn grow thicker and develop a stronger root system. Taller grass shades out weed seeds and keeps your soil temperatures cooler which decreases the chances of seeds germinating. Experts recommend keeping your lawn between 3” to 4” tall and removing no more than 1/3rd of the leaf tissue when you mow.
Fertilizing: When used correctly, fertilizers can be an amazing tool to help you improve and maintain a lush lawn. Fertilizers are important as they supplement the soil with important nutrients that are often lost when clippings are removed when mowing. For lawns, look for a fertilizer with a higher concentration of nitrogen, as this is the nutrient that most lawns lack. To prevent burning, always make sure to follow the label directions and water after applying fertilizer (unless the label says otherwise).
For many people, spring means a trip to the greenhouse to pick out a hanging basket or planter full of colorful blooms to enjoy all summer. Before you know it, the planters aren’t as colorful as the day you bought it. Below are some of our best tips to refresh your planter and keep them blooming all summer long.
Deadheading
First of all, it’s important to know just because your planter isn’t as full and colorful, doesn’t mean you are necessarily killing it. Each bloom only lasts so long and deadheading is needed to help promote new blossom growth. Deadheading is the process of removing the dead flowers or foliage. To deadhead, simply pinch or cut the spent flower off to about a ¼ inch above the nearest set of leaves. Be sure to cut far enough down to avoid a dry and unattractive stem sticking out above the leaves. As you deadhead you may even see some new growth ready to emerge. Dead or damaged foliage can also be trimmed out to keep your basket or planter looking its best.
Fertilizing
In addition to deadheading, it is vital to fertilize once every two weeks to keep your planters blooming. While it might seem overwhelming to chose a fertilizer with all the different options, below are a few tips that can help you pick out the perfect fertilizer for your needs.
When you are looking at fertilizers you may notice a series of three numbers listed on the front (10-52-10 for example). These numbers, called the NPK, indicate the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium within the fertilizer. For planters and hanging baskets, we recommend using a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus (high middle number) as this will help promote the development of new blossoms. One of our favorite high phosphorus fertilizers is Miracle Gro Bloom Booster.
Fertilizers have two methods of delivery: quick-release and slow-release. Quick-release fertilizers are mixed with water that is used to water your planters. These fertilizers are absorbed quickly and you will see the results sooner than other fertilizers. Quick-release fertilizers will need to be mixed and applied all season long to continue seeing blooms. Slow-release fertilizers, on the other hand, are pellets that are spread on top of the soil in the pots. These pellets then slowly release fertilizers throughout a 3-month period. Slow-release fertilizers, like Osmocote, are a great option for planters that won’t receive much attention or for those who don’t want to measure and mix their fertilizers every two weeks.
Watering
The third and final tip for keeping your annuals looking good is proper watering. Many factors such as wind, sunlight, temperature, and humidity, play a role in how often each planter needs to be watered. As a general rule, annuals should be watered once a day or every other day depending on the size of the planter. It is always important to check your soil before watering as some planters may not dry out as fast compared to other planters. If the soil is still wet, wait for the soil to dry out before watering. Proper watering is important as too much water can lead to root rot problems that will stress your plants and eventually lead to death. Too little water and your annuals will begin to shrivel up and dry out.
About Watering
Every plant requires three things air, soil, and, most of all, water. Proper watering is the key to healthy and beautiful plants as homeowners lose far more plants to overwatering than for any other reason. Overwatered plants are unable to uptake oxygen through their roots and are susceptible to issues such as root rot that, if severe, can cause death of the plant. Underwatered plants, however, are unable to absorb nutrients and water leading to wilting and eventually death.
How Much Water
Many factors play a role in how much water each specific plant needs. These factors include, but are not limited to: plant variety, temperature, humidity, wind, soil type, and soil condition. It is important to always check your soil before grabbing your hose or watering can. If the soil is still wet, wait to water until the soil is dry. We recommend digging down a few inches into the soil to check the moisture level. Sometimes the top of the soil may be dry but when you dig down a few inches, where your plant’s root system is, the soil may still be wet.
Below are our general watering guidelines for newly installed plants:
Trees: Once every two weeks, five to seven gallons of water
Shrubs: Once a week, three to five gallons of water
Perennials: Once a week initially, one gallon of water
Annuals: Once per day or every other day depending on the size of the planter.
Sprinkler Systems
Homeowners are under a mistaken assumption that their lawn needs frequent watering to maintain a healthy green color. Ideally, industry experts recommend running a sprinkler only once or twice a week. Watering your lawn frequently leads to a lawn with a shallow, weak root system since the roots don’t have to go searching for water. This leads to your lawn becoming dependent on a consistent water supply and causes your lawn to be susceptible to browning and dying during hot, dry conditions. If you have sprinklers that hit your landscaping plants, make sure to check your soil before doing any additional watering.
Watering Tips
A good deep watering less often is better than watering a little every day. It is suggested to begin deep watering early on with new plants. Plants that have frequent, shallow watering tend to develop a more shallow and weak root system compared to plants that have less frequent, deeper watering. Plants with strong, extensive root systems are better able to handle stress and drought conditions.
Always test the soil before you water. Some plants can look droopy because of the heat, and not necessarily because they are dry. Make sure the soil is dry before watering.
It is better to err on the side of keeping your soil too dry rather than too wet. The soil needs to dry out between watering for plants to be able to absorb oxygen and live. Consistently wet soil can lead to issues with root rot and other diseases that can eventually kill your plants.
If it rains more than one inch, there is no need to water. Count the rain as your watering day and start your watering cycle over.
Water plants at the base not over the top. Watering on top of the leaves can promote fungus and other leaf diseases. Also, putting super cold water on leaves when it is how outside can damage your plants.
The best time of day to water is in the morning. If you can, water your plants in the morning. That way, they have time to soak up the water before the heat of the day. This also allows them to not stay wet overnight, which can lead to fungus and disease problems.
Some plants need more water than others. Become familiar with your landscape and learn which plants need water more often than others.
The dog days of summer, when temperatures reach their peak, are here. Help save your drooping flowers from the heat of summer by being proactive, and get the best yield possible from your plants by refreshing the fertilizer in your pots, garden and lawn.
At Oakridge Nursery, we carry only the finest fertilizer from Fertilome. We have a variety of types on hand, including slow release fertilizer, which produces maximum yields slowly, over the course of three months, and fast-acting water soluble fertilizer, which gets into the root system quickly.
This time of year, your tired plants could use a boost of phosphorus to promote full color, blooming and fruiting well into the fall! We have the know-how and the fertilizer you need to do just that.
Give your garden, plants and lawn the boost they need, and maximize their performance during July and August, when the summer sun is hottest.
Whether you grow them in attractive tubs on your patio or in a full-scale vegetable garden, you know there’s nothing better than the flavor of a home-grown tomato. BLTs, tomato jelly, salsa, and hamburgers topped with a big tomato slice…that’s the true acknowledgment that summer is here. But each year, home gardeners, waiting eagerly for their tomatoes to ripen, are faced with annoying tomato diseases and environmental stresses. The most common is blossom end rot.
Blossom end rot shows up as a water-soaked brown or black spot on the blossom end of the fruit. These spots enlarge rapidly and may grow together forming extensive areas of damage. Affected areas are commonly invaded by secondary fungi and bacteria that cause soft rot and fruit decay.
Blossom end rot commonly occurs when plants have grown rapidly and luxuriantly during the early part of the season and then are subject to fluctuation in moisture (too much or too little) when the fruits are at an early stage of development. These fluctuations or an excess of nitrogen fertilizer causes a lack of calcium in the developing tomato.
To control blossom end rot, mulch and water plants during dry spells to maintain uniform soil moisture levels. Avoid excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers or large quantities of manure. Plant tomatoes in well-draining soil and do not cultivate deeper than one inch within one foot of the plant.
Calcium sprays, such as Rot Stop, can be applied as a preventative measure or can be sprayed at the first sign of disease. If you have a lot of tomato plants and don’t want to deal with the hassle of spraying them all, slow-release tomato-specific fertilizers that are high in calcium can be applied to your garden beds. Looking for a more organic option, you can crush up eggshells and sprinkle them around your garden bed to give your tomatoes a much-needed source of calcium.
Blossom end rot is found wherever tomatoes are grown. The rotted areas are unsightly but the unaffected part of the fruit is edible. Blossom end rot usually disappears after the first group of tomatoes matures.
Check out these general summer care tips to make sure your lawn, garden and trees stay healthy and green all summer long. It has been a hot season, and now, more than ever, you need to make sure your garden and home landscape are getting the proper attention.
GENERAL SUMMER SEASON TIPS
Stake larger varieties of perennials such as delphiniums
Begin leaf spot control on tomato plants and stake young tomato plants; late staking contributes to blossom end rot
Tie climbing roses to trellises
Perform last picking of rhubarb at the end of the month to allow roots to store energy for the next season
Mulch you garden after the soil has warmed up later in the month
Fertilize lawns, flowers, and gardens
Continue weeding
Prune and shape new growth on arborvitae, juniper, and yew
Trim evergreens and hedges
Prune pines, spruce, and fir trees early to mid June
