Page 20 - Lawn & Landscape Guide AL

Watering: Water 1.5”-2” of precipitation per week is recommended. Remember, do not over-water. If mother nature provides the precipitation, watering may not be needed. Over-watering can quickly cause root rot.
Fertilizer: Very little fertilizer if any should be applied this time of the year unless your plants are showing signs of malnutrition.
Insect and Disease Control: Control and prevent ornamental pest and diseases by applying a contact insecticide for a quick knock down and a fungicide to control and prevent turf diseases. Common pest this time of the year are scale, aphids, lace bugs, etc.
Post-emergent: Carefully apply a non-selective herbicide to control weed in your flower bed space. Spot spray only. Be careful not to get on plants, especially in wind conditions more than 10 mph.
August
Centipede, St. Augustine, & Zoysia
Mowing: Hot temperatures can be tough this time of year on all turf types. Higher mowing heights will help the lawn keep good color and less stressful. Lower mowing heights would have to be offset with more frequent mowings and irrigation to keep it green and healthy. Recommended Mowing Heights- Centipede 3.5” St. Augustine 4”” Zoysia 3.5”, or higher if needed. Never mow more than 1/3 of the grass blade on each cutting.
Watering: Make sure your lawn is getting up to 2” of precipitation per week. It is best to water in the mornings with less frequent, heavy soakings. This can come from rainfall or irrigation. Do not overwater. This can be more detrimental than lack of precipitation.
Fertilizer: With no turf diseases active, apply 1⁄4 lb of nitrogen per 1000 sqft along with micronutrients to keep your lawn green and thriving. Apply no more than 1.5 lb of nitrogen per 1000 sqft per growing season.
Post-emergent: Weeds are still active and are more difficult to control. Weeds like Virginia Buttonweed, Lespedeza, Spurge, and Chamberbitter are now active. These hard to control weeds need a selective herbicide to control. Chamberbitter has many seed pods therefore, bagging your clippings can prevent this hard to control weed from spreading like wild fire. Apply a selective herbicide to control these unwanted weeds.
Fire Ants: Fire ant stings are very painful and are no joke! They thrive in warmer temperatures and but they are active 12 months a year. Fire ants search for areas of direct sunlight so your lawn is a perfect fit. Their mounds can develop very quickly especially after rainfall. Broadcasting baits are most effective.
Turf Pest Alert: Surface feeding insects are still active and must be controlled to prevent turf injury. Grub worms, spittle bugs, cutworms, sod webworms, mole crickets, chinch bugs are currently active therefore quick identification and action must be taken. A good way to check for turf pests is to take a 4 square foot area, framed up with 2x4’s. Put 5-6 table spoons of dish washing liquid to 2 gallons of water