Happy Independence Day!!
From the field: “Mrs. Smith” wanted to walk the lawn and discuss some brown spots. Her lawn technician pointed out that some grasses are greener (like Tall Fescue) because they are tougher in the heat, others like Annual Bluegrass, have already turned orange-brown. He asked what her watering schedule was per week. She explained that she was watering every day for 30 minutes.Too Much! He explained that established grass only needs water 1 time a week (without a soaking rain) and to use a measuring device to measure 1 inch of water. Mrs. Smith remembered – OH YES, Tony‘s Tuna Can! He gave me one of those before!
LAWN CARE
Cool Weather Grasses: fine fescue, blue and rye grasses will start to lose color with rising temperatures. Periodic watering will help maintain some green color in your turf, but not the same color as in April. Water in the AM only, once a week; use a regular size Tuna or Cat food can as a measuring device under your sprinkler. Check the time when it fills up, and then you know how long it takes to put down 1 inch of water.
Mowing Height: raise mower height to 3-4 inches; cut with a sharp blade in the evening when it’s cooler (less than 80 degrees) and the grass is dryer.
Fungal Diseases: hot, humid weather is ideal growing conditions for disease in your lawn. The fungus can show up as brown spots that can spread during wet nights or when cutting wet grass. Some people misinterpret disease for “dry spots” and add more water to the problem. Fungal diseases are like rashes and most times they will disappear under less humid, sunny skies. If things do not clear up within 10 days give a call and we will check it out. Be sure to mow and water properly!
Broadleaf weeds: the summer conditions have also brought out more “summer weeds”. If you have summer service we will treat them; if you are not scheduled until fall, you can add a summer service.
Beetles: yes, they have arrived and are swarming, looking for mates. They will find your fruit trees, roses, linden trees, and many other ornamental plants to munch on. If you want to control them, use Sevin dust or liquid, weekly, for the next two weeks. If you have not applied grub prevention (to kill the future offspring), you must do so before it’s too late. One female beetle can lay 50-100 eggs; don’t use Beetle Traps (that only captures males) this just brings more trouble to your yard.
Fall Repair: now is the time to be thinking ahead to fall. Power seeding and core aeration are excellent services to improve the density and quality of your grass. Sign up early to get on the schedule.
Click here to watch the power seeder in action
Yard Armour: Don’t get bitten, call for protection!!!
Lawn Doctor’s Yard Armour property program protects from mosquitoes and ticks while the Yard Armour Home program protects against ants, spiders and centipedes. Call or text now to set these services up. 410.526.6400.
Click here for more information about Yard Armour
PLANT CARE
Light Pruning: it is time to prune your roses for re-bloom; asters and mums need pinching back or they will get leggy.
Light fertilizer: feed your annuals and potted plants with a gentle, slow release nitrogen. Osmocote brand is a good one.
Fall bulbs: Order this month for better deals and better choices. Brent and Becky’s bulbs and John Scheeper’s bulbs are good sources for quality bulbs. Remember to choose planting sites that allow for good soil drainage; like evergreens, bulbs don’t like wet feet.
Mark locations where you want to dig up daffodil bulbs to split for the fall. You can store the dry bulbs for 2-3 months before replanting. The garage is a good location for storage; use an old onion bag or plant rack, after gently removing dry soil.
Recipe from Angel : American Flag Fruit Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 tube Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough 16.5 oz
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 2/3 cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 8 oz Whipped Topping thawed
- 12 oz Fresh Raspberries 3 to 4 cups
- 1 dry pint Fresh Blueberries about 2 cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Open tube of cookie dough and slice into 1/4 inch pieces.
- Place remaining cookie dough slices on a lightly greased 12 inch pizza pan and press into an even layer. (If desired, bake one slice of dough separately and use a cookie cutter to cut a star).
- Bake cookie crust 11-12 minutes until lightly browned. Cool.
- Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Beat in half the whipped topping. Fold in the remaining whipped topping.
- Scoop a little less than half of the cream cheese mixture onto the cookie crust and spread it all the way to the edges of the crust.
- Use blueberries to outline the pizza and create the blue portion of the flag, and top with the star cookie.
- Use raspberries to create seven red stripes.
- Use the rest of the cream cheese mixture to pipe the white stripes.
- Keep in fridge until ready to serve.
Please contact us if you have topics you would like to discuss in future newsletters. Email me at group187@lawndoctor.com
Thank you for your business.
Tony Richardson
Lawn Doctor
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