Newsletter

Welcome to the ProGrass information center! My name is Steve Varga and each month I will be providing you with updated seasonal information on landscape care. Please check back regularly for current information that will help you have a better landscape and get the most out of your ProGrass services. Also be sure to check my care tip sheets and if you have any questions please click on my question and answer icon.

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Summer 2006

The Essential Facts Of H2O

How can one waste money, have lots of weeds, a brown lawn and dying plants? Surprisingly, the answer is to water improperly.

Over and under-watering causes more landscape problems than any other cultural practice. While good soil, proper fertilization, good drainage and pest control are vital, water is still the material of life. It is important to remember that plants need water, but over-watering damages plants. In fact, more plants die due to over watering than under watering. Consistent over-watering causes root rot. This damage looks similar to under-watering in that the plant wilts and dries up. To identify this problem, check the surrounding soil. If it is moist or if the plant doesn't perk up within two days, you probably have root rot.

If that happens, let the soil dry out for a week. If the plant doesn't improve in 7-10 days, it will probably die. Almost all plants like alternate wet and dry spells. Lawns and most shrubs like to go dry for 2-3 days and then have a good drink. Watering this way reduces weed germination in your lawn and beds. However, annuals require water at least every other day; so keep annuals in isolated beds or large pots.

Most people don't know how much water to apply to their lawn. Water can't be measured in time. All sprinklers and systems deliver different amounts in a given time. To determine how long to water, measure how long it takes your sprinklers take to fill a shallow bowl to 1/2". Then, water three to four times each week for that period of time. If you'd like to receive a free ProGrass watering gauge at your next service, call our Customer Service Center.

Warm temperatures, air movement and sunlight increase water evaporation. Don't let your money evaporate too. Water at night or early in the morning. Generally, you don't need to worry about disease problems. If you let your plants dry off for 2-3 days between waterings, they should be fine.

Ask Steve

Q: What's going on with the brown edges of my lawn?

Steve: I bet these brown edges are along sidewalks, driveways, curbs and other hardscapes, right? These areas dry out very quickly because of the heat radiating from the hardscapes. If your sidewalk feels hot on your bare feet, imagine how the grass blades in your lawn feel!

Grass is about 90% water and can dehydrate very quickly. The heat from your hardscapes, combined with high Summer temperatures and warm breezes can really suck the moisture out of the soil in these areas. You can bring these areas back by applying additional water to them. First, you must break up some of the soil compaction and create some air pockets for water to move through.

You can simply take a screwdriver and stick it in the affected areas several times to create some channels. Then, let your hose slowly drip onto the area so water is allowed to soak into the ground. Your regular irrigation program will not be enough to overcome the effect of the heat coming from your hardscapes.

Lawn Mowing 101

Your mowing practices strongly influence the health of your lawn. Improper mowing can result in thinning turf, disease susceptibility, reduction of drought tolerance and an increase in weeds. Select a cutting height that is conducive to the growth habits of the turf grass varieties in your lawn. Most lawns in our area are a mix of perennial rye and perennial bluegrass. The best cutting height for this variety is around 3".

Mowing too low can lower your lawn's resistance to drought, cause shallow rooting and decrease natural immunities against disease. It may also encourage germination of weedy grasses and broadleaf weeds.

Mowing too high (over 4") discourages turf grass reproduction and will produce a thin, stalky, rough lawn.

Once you've established a proper mowing height, mow before your lawn exceeds that height by 40%. If the lawn becomes too tall (over 60% of normal cutting height) and is cut back to its original mowing height, the health of the plant will be impaired. When the lawn becomes too tall, you should remove no more than 40% of the leaf blade. Then, after a few days, mow again to re-establish the preferred mowing height. Base your mowing frequency on the growth rate of your lawn.

After a winter of dormancy, freezing temperatures, and moisture-saturated soil, your lawn may not look very good. Because of this it is important to mow your lawn as soon as you see some growth. This will cut off any dead tips and stimulate new growth.

Rules for proper mowing

• Sharpen your mower blade 2-3 times each year to prevent shredded grass blades.
• Alternate mowing direction with each mowing to prevent the grass from growing in one direction.
• Collect your clippings only if you have to. Clippings return valuable nutrients to your soil and do not add to thatch build-up.

The Creativity Of Containers

You may have already planted most of your seasonal annuals, but it's not too late to add a few more spots of color in containers or create a new, exotic look in your landscape.

Containers allow you to try new color and plant combinations on a small scale. You can create a welcoming entry with warm, bright colors or plant an Asian-inspired grouping. For fun, select plants you might not usually choose for your landscape beds. Containers can bring life to an otherwise dull area of your landscape or add color in spot where it's difficult to maintain a landscape bed.

There are many different kinds of containers, from plain terra cotta to the new high quality resin or stone planters. The most important element when choosing a container is proper drainage. Punch or drill additional holes in the bottom of containers which do not drain quickly after watering. You can also improve drainage by placing the container on a plant stand or small blocks of wood. Containers placed on flat, solid surfaces sometimes have trouble draining properly.

Remember that due to the relatively small volume of soil in containers, they can dry out very quickly, especially if they are placed in full sun or on a concrete surface which soaks up a lot of heat. Check containers frequently on hot or windy days, add a layer of mulch to the pot and consider drip irrigation.

Vary the height of the plants you place in a container. Choose something tall, something bushy or compact growing and a trailer for a grouping which will draw your eye to it.

You can also design a container for year-long interest by using a dwarf conifer as the central plant, then adding annuals in Spring and Fall.

You can even indulge your gourmet side by planting herbs in your containers and enjoy fresh basil or rosemary throughout the year.

Plant Focus

Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese stewartia)

• Deciduous tree, pyramidal to oval shape. Native to Japan.
• Best in light shade, at least in hottest part of summer.
• Prefers moist, cool, humus-rich, slightly acid soil, with good drainage.
• White, camellia-like flowers appear in early to mid-summer.
• Bark is flaky on top, smooth underneath and red-gray in color.
• Leaves are dark green in Spring and Summer; Fall color is variable from yellow to red to reddish-purple.

Pseudocamellia or "false-camellia", refers to the flower which is reminiscent of a camellia flower. Information from the Oregon State University Dept. of Horticulture.