Blog Suspended Due to Technical Difficulties

My apologies for not having any entries lately. Several technical issues have prevented my posting of anything on the blog. We hope to have it up soon or perhaps we will be switching to another one. Thank you for your patience.

Upcoming UGA Extension Gwinnett Educational Programs

Here are some upcoming UGA Extension Gwinnett educational programs. You can access them on the day and time they are held by clicking on the Zoom link:

Fall Lawn Care – September 2 – 6:00pm to 7:00pm. Free. Several tasks need to be done during the fall. Proper fertilization, seeding and pest control will help to keep your lawn healthy and attractive.  Online Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/95624083267

Fall is for Planting – September 15 – 6:00pm to 7:00pm.

Free. Fall is an ideal time to plant trees and shrubs. They will have time to become established during the cold weather and prosper the following spring and summer. Online Zoom at:  https://zoom.us/j/96276788537

Gardening with Herbs • September 22 6:00pm to 7:00pm.

Herbs are excellent garden plants that require minimal maintenance and come in a variety of scents, flavors, and colors. They are useful in cooking, fragrance, and are attractive features in the landscape. Online Zoom at:  https://zoom.us/j/98447261009

Perennial Flowers for the Garden • October 6

6:00pm to 7:00pm. The fall is an ideal time to plant perennials, flowering plants that come back year after year. Proper soil preparation, selections of plants and maintenance will ensure an attractive garden of colorful plants. Online Zoom at:  https://zoom.us/j/92780159703.

Rain Gardens • October 20

6:00pm to 7:00pm. Reducing rainfall runoff form your property will help improve the quality of the environment. One way is the installation of rain gardens that consist of a multitude of ornamental plants. They collect rainwater and allow for it to slowly infiltrate into the ground.
Online Zoom at:  https://zoom.us/j/95557939841.

Septic Tank Webinar-Free. Many homes have on-site wastewater management systems, commonly called septic systems. Because septic systems are buried, it is easy to forget about them as they quietly, elegantly and efficiently treat waste products while maintaining human and environmental health. Poor maintenance is a common cause of septic system failure. Join us for this VIRTUAL workshop to learn more about where the system is, how it works and how to maintain it to avoid costly repairs:
October 15, Septic Tank - English version. Webinar link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_61CVDhGNTuisFvRh_WvybQ
October 22, Septic Tank - Spanish version. Webinar link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YxX0GEftTa2d2_3BwgkuKw
Time: 6:30pm to 7:30pm

Tall Fescuegrass: Fall is the Optimal Time to Seed and Install Sod

 

The months of September and October are best for renovating and installing
fescue lawns

    Tall fescue is a popular grass in our area and is easily established through seed or sod. The turf is a cool season grass meaning it grows best when the temperatures are lower and holds its green color during the winter months whereas warm season grasses, such as bermuda and zoysia, have gone dormant and turned brown. During the hot, dry conditions of summer, the grass requires the addition of supplemental water to stay green and healthy.

      The best time of the year to plant tall fescue is September into mid-October. Seeding it too early in the season can cause heat stress and diseases; however, when planting late in the season, the grass may not become fully established due to freezing temperatures. Applications during the spring are not advisable because, although the seed will germinate, it has insufficient time to get established prior to the onset of the summer heat. Soil preparation is the most important aspect of caring for a fescue lawn. The grass prefers fertile, well-drained soils with a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Make sure you have the soil tested through UGA Extension Gwinnett to determine the pH and nutrient needs.

      Most established fescue lawns need to be periodically reseeded since they tend to thin out over time. Since our soils are mostly clay, they are easily compacted by rain, irrigation, foot traffic, and the intense summer heat, which decreases the ability of the roots to grow, for air and water to penetrate into the soil. To reduce compaction, use a hollow tine core aerator every two to four years, which is available from rental stores or garden centers.  The tines poke holes into the ground and pull out small one to two-inch-long “cores.” The deposition of the small cores of soil on top of the ground also assists reducing compaction. Mow the grass down to one and one-half inches to help improve the ease of aerating the soil and for the seed to make soil contact before aerating. When using the machine, do so in a criss-cross direction by first going over the entire lawn, back and forth in one direction and then go back and forth at right angles to the first series of trips. If you are not aerating, use a steel rake to break up the soil in bare areas to ensure the seed gets into the soil.

    The seed purchased should be of high quality to ensure a high percent of germination and minimal weed content, and should have this information listed on the tag. Apply the seed at the rate of five to seven pounds per 1,000 square feet. Resist the temptation to use more seed since closely growing seedlings compete with each other for water and nutrients in addition to being more susceptible to disease. One of the most commonly used fescue seed has been Kentucky-31. However, new improved cultivated varieties, such as ‘Southeast,’ ‘Rebel,’ and ‘Tenacity,’ are more attractive cultivars and are referred to as "turf-type" tall fescues. They have finer leaf blades, lower growth habit, darker green color, greater density and more tolerance to heat and shade than K-31.

      After over-seeding has been completed, the upper one-inch soil needs to be kept moist during the time the seed is germinating by thorough applications of water two to three. Refrain from mowing for a couple of weeks after the seed has been applied, and then mow at the height of two to three inches.

    With proper preparation and planning, and using the appropriate cultural methods to maintain the fescue plot, you will have an attractive and healthy lawn giving you an exceptionally lush, green carpet of grass throughout the year.

Mushrooms in the Lawn

Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of naturally occurring soil fungi

    Many residents have contacted the Extension office concerned about a large number of mushrooms that have appeared in their lawns of recent. They have contacted the Extension office asking what can be done to get rid of the mushrooms and prevent them form appearing again. The answer is nothing. Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi that are growing in the soil that feed on decomposing organic matter. They are everywhere though their mycelium, which are like stems and roots, are seldom visible. No chemicals will prevent their appearance. The fungi are nature doing its thing - decomposing organic material and returning nutrients to the soil. If they are bothersome, use a lawnmower to mow them down or hand pull. 
    Never eat any mushrooms found growing in the wild. While some are edible, they are hard to distinguish from the poisonous ones. 

Lawn Tips for Late August

Once the weather cools down in September, you can seed or sod tall fescue grass.

UGA Extension Turfgrass Specialist Clint Waltz has these tips for your lawn for the end of August:

By mid-August, turf care begins to shift. Warm-season turfgrass is nearing the close of its establishment window, while it’s too early yet for establishing cool season turf. 

• Split applications of fertilizer for warm-season turf continues through October, but it’s too early yet for fertilizing cool season turf. 
• Continue to monitor for diseases, such as brown patch, dollar spot, or Pythium blight, affecting both cool- and warm-season turfgrasses. 
• Insect activity may still be high. Monitor frequently for pests, such as chinch bugs, mole crickets, sod webworms, or grubs. 

Ashikaga Flower Park Japan

The Ashikaga Flower Park in Japan has beautiful displays of wisteria and other plants. It looks more like something out of a fantasy would. Please check out their website and the pictures below.

https://www.ashikaga.co.jp/english/

Water Conservation for Lawns

Here is a brief update on lawns by University of Georgia Extension Turfgrass Specialist Clint Waltz, Ph.D.:

     All living things need water to survive, albeit a different amount for different organisms. For plants, supplemental water from irrigation is sometimes needed between natural rainfall events. Fortunately, turfgrass is a fairly robust plant that needs relatively little water for survival.

     Many factors influence the amount and frequency of water needed for turfgrass within a home lawn. Soil type, type of grass, fertility level, frequency of rain, temperature, wind, and humidity all affect the amount of water needed. A high-level fertilization and hot, windy days tend to increase the demand for water, while low level fertilization and cool, cloudy days tend to decrease the demand for water.

     One way of conditioning the turfgrass to need less supplemental irrigation or, to remain green between periodic summer rain showers is to tolerate some moisture stress. An observable characteristic of moisture stress in turfgrass is wilt. Wilt is a physiological defense mechanism of the turfgrass plant and allowing some moisture stress actually triggers the plant to initiate rooting, allowing the turfgrass to explore a greater soil volume for water reserves.

     Before watering, look for visual symptoms of water stress, such as gray color, leaf cupping/curling, or footprints remaining on the lawn after walking across it. Observing some moisture stress within the lawn prior to applying irrigation can be good and improve the sustainability of the grass. Daily irrigation of turfgrass produces short roots incapable of tolerating periodic drought stress. Most established turfgrasses in Georgia only need one inch of water per week. Irrigation should be applied to supplement rainfall.

     Apply enough water to wet the soil to a depth of five to seven inches. Do not apply water until runoff occurs. If water is being applied faster than the soil can absorb it, turn the irrigation off and allow the existing moisture to move into the soil, then apply the remaining irrigation to achieve 1.0 inch.

      Pay attention to the weather. Reduce the amount you water when it is raining or cloudy. Avoid irrigation schedules that apply more water than the turf may need. Prior to sunrise is the best time to water because of less wind and lower temperature. Research indicates water loss at night through evaporation may be 50 percent less than during midday irrigation.

    Employing some best management practices (BMPs) like tolerating some wilt, allowing water to move into the soil, and not watering during the heat of the day can conserve water and maintain a healthy, attractive lawn.