Punxsutawney
Phil may have predicted six more weeks of winter, but our
dog Whimsy deemed that nonsense. Sometime in early February,
Whimsy caught the scent of something so intoxicating, his
behavior changed so radically, that one could only surmise
that he was on to something. Although normal spring indicators
had not yet appeared, it seems Whimsy sensed that winter
was over. Without even a characteristic late season freeze,
spring did indeed arrive early this year. Move over groundhog,
there's a new contender in the animal forecasting field.
As
welcome as the change of seasons is, spring does bring its
share of gardening headaches. Early spring weeds are a sure
bet even in the most well maintained landscape. Because
southern turf grasses do not grow rapidly until temperatures
heat up, in the annual war on weeds, weeds always seem to
take the early lead. With time and the correct care, desirable
turf grasses will eventually prevail. The most effective
weed control in grass is proper maintenance. This includes
frequent mowing to encourage denser growth, and proper watering
techniques. Given the right care and a bit of patience,
your lawn grasses will eventually win the war…until next
spring. Currently we are spot treating with post-emergent
weed control. This treatment is absorbed by the leaves and
then penetrates to the root system. Although treatments
cause the leaves to curl up and be less noticeable, it could
take several weeks for broadleaf weeds to disappear. Be
patient. Some weed root systems can spread as far as 5 ft.
Broadleaf weeds may (and in all probability will) appear
again. We will continue to treat as necessary. As always,
we remain on the lookout for new and better methods of weed
control.
Among
other spring headaches are leaves and pollen. Given the
temperate weather, the leaf and pollen season began earlier
than normal…. as did that other less than welcome harbinger
of spring, loopers. Loopers are those small caterpillars
that dangle on the thinnest of filaments from the trees.
Having experienced huge infestations, Austin's looper population
seems minimal this year. Those tiny pests do eventually
become small white moths. If you need help with either lopers
or the ‘grass moths', please let us know.
The
weather prediction for April is for warmoer and dryer than
normal conditions. Following that, NOAA predicts that we
will have normal conditions for the duration of the warm
months….whatever that means. Between El Niño and
La Niña, it has become difficult to tell what normal
conditions are. Last year we experienced the rainiest summer
in memory. That translated into a bumper crop of leaves
on the trees, an abundance of underbrush growth, and a much
cooler summer. The rainforest like weather was unexpected
and unpredicted. With some luck, predicting a dry summer
will encourage more rain…. but it is doubtful we could get
that lucky twice in a row.
CAN
YOUR LANDSCAPE TAKE THE HEAT? The following are tips that
can help prepare your landscape for the grueling punishment
of summer.
•
Develop good watering habits. Water early
in the morning at a rate that can readily be absorbed. Deep
water to encourage deep root growth. Summer heat can burn
surface roots. Also the ground dries out much faster at
the surface. Besides, deeper roots make plants easier to
keep watered. Don't forget to water beds and to deep-water
trees.
•
If spring rains abate suddenly, the abrupt
change can cause your landscape to become stressed. This
in turn makes the plants more susceptible to insects and
diseases. Adjusting your sprinkler to ‘wean' the plants
will help your landscape through this transition.
•
Try to maintain constant soil moisture levels
– once the ground has dried out and warmed up, it becomes
more difficult to re-moisturize. Keeping the soil from drying
out will help to keep your foundation from shifting and
also helps to keep your house cooler.
•
Watering needs will vary during the growing
season due to a variety of conditions (soil moisture, temperature
and evaporation rates) We suggest that you visit the City
of Austin's ET (Evapo-Transporation) page on their water
conservation web site for summer watering guidance. www.ci.austin.tx.us/watercon/et-more.htm
.
Although
there is still ongoing debate regarding global warming,
we can only give you the benefit of our own experience.
In the span of our nearly thirty years in business, we have
witnessed a dramatic change in the plants that will thrive
in our climate. There is now an abundance of tropical plants
that will survive in Austin landscapes. Our bloom calendars
of the late 1970's and early 1980's provide a record of
what was and the climatic changes Austin has experienced
in the ensuing period. We do not rely merely on our own
observations. The National Arbor Day Foundation altered
their plant hardiness maps in 2006 as a consumer guide to
planting trees. The American Horticulture Society has recently
published a revised ‘heat' zone map. Reportedly, the USDA
is ready to alter their agricultural guidance maps as well.
It is important to remember that hardiness and heat zone
ratings assume that adequate water is supplied to the roots
of the plant at all times. Besides water, there are other
factors that play into a successful landscape. More detailed
descriptions can be found at the AHS website: http://www.ahs.org/publications/heat_zone_map.htm
The
latest trends in landscaping provide means of capitalizing
on the more temperate weather. Because we can utilize our
outdoor living space for more of the year, money spent on
landscaping seems a rewarding choice. There are an abundance
of plants available that were once considered too sensitive
to grow in our climate as well as new varieties of succulents
and drought tolerant plants. Not just limited to plants,
landscape choices have grown in all aspects from lighting
to furnishings to hardscaping. Paging through some gardening
magazines may be all the inspiration you need. Your landscape
represents a significant investment and adds value to your
home. Besides the curb appeal that it provides, a well thought
out landscape can become part of your living space. It's
your landscape – enjoy it!
A
few gardening tips
•
Try using variegated plants or plants with colored foliage
to provide outdoor color during the heat of summer. We have
had excellent luck with Purple Heart, coleus, crotons, cordylines,
and variegated ginger to name a few. Bromeliads, succulents,
and sedums also provide a great deal of variety in both
texture and colors, and many, particularly the succulents,
are able to withstand the summer sun.
•
April is the usual time to plant Caladiums after soil temperatures
reach 75º.
•
Bring houseplants outside for the summer (no direct sun);
repot those that are root bound. Feed everything well.
•
Prune spring flowering shrubs such as azaleas, forsythia,
hawthorn, and vines such as wisteria, after they have finished
blooming.
MOST
IMPORTANT – Remember that irrigation systems are not designed
to water new plantings. Be sure to supplement any new plantings
with hand watering until the plants are established.
As
we are all aware, the cost of gasoline has again increased.
As ours is a gasoline driven business, the increase in fuel
costs impacts our business significantly. We will be examining
accounts in the coming weeks. Please be advised that some
clients may see a small increase in mowing costs.
Please
call the office with any service or scheduling requests.
If you have a special event planned please be sure to notify
us so we can flag your account. In the event of inclement
weather or other scheduling conflicts we will try to accommodate
your event – if we know about it. As always, our thanks
for the opportunity to be of service.
Most
Sincerely,
Chris
and Sherri Pomeroy
and
all the Roving Gardeners
|
