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How to take care of your yard, lawn, shrubs, and flowers

Lawns:

Here are 4 types of grasses that are typical in The Midlands:

Centipede - (mow to 2 inches) dense, slow growing, low maintenance grass requiring little mowing or fertilizer.  If damaged, it takes awhile to recover due to slow growth.

Bermuda - (mow to 1-1/2 inches) grows quickly, heat tolerant but does poor in shade. Can be an aggressive grower.

Zoysia - (mow to 3/4 inch) dense, very slow grower, does well in full sun or part shade. Tends to thatch if not mowed or fertilized correctly.

St. Augustine - (mow to 3 inches) fast growing, shade tolerant, but sensitive to cold and can thatch if not fertilized properly.

Fertilizing Your Grass - Centipede should be fertilized very little if at all. Fertilizer can cause Centipede Decline which causes grass to die back. St. Augustine is fertilized in May, while Bermuda and Zoysia are fertilized in June using the fertilizer instructions.

Watering The Lawn - Once established, these warm season grasses should be watered 6-8 inches deep to encourage deep root growth. This helps grass tolerate drought better.

• Clay soil - apply 1 inch of water once a week. This may require turning off the water once or twice and letting it sit for 30 minutes to soak in between watering.

• Sandy soil - apply 1/2 inch of water 3 times a week.

Trees and Shrubs:

Pruning - Pruning is important because

• It removes dead and damaged parts of the plant when needed.

• Helps shape plants to prevent leggy branches which create a weaker plant.

• Controls over growth of plants that look unsightly, cover other plants, the house, windows and sidewalks.

• Encourages new growth.

Because pruning encourages growth, it is important to prune plants at the correct time.

The general rule is to prune:

• Spring blooming plants right after they finish blooming (i.e. Spirea, Bridal's Wreath, Forsythia, Azaleas).

• Summer blooming plants in late winter BEFORE buds emerge (i.e. Butterfly Bush, Chaste Tree, Glossy Abelia).

• Evergreens are more forgiving and can be pruned spring and fall, avoiding freezing weather.

• Roses can mostly be pruned late February or early March, with some varieties requiring a different schedule.

Pruning at the wrong time results in less flowers, and can cause damage due to weather conditions. Many plants have different pruning processes. Some plants should not be pruned at all. Look up your plant in a book or online to find out the proper procedure.

There are four basic techniques for pruning deciduous plants. They are:

• Heading back. This technique is used when we want to “head” a plant in a certain direction (hence the name). We most often head back to control the size of a plant or keep it symmetrical. In other words, heading back is done mostly for aesthetic purposes. When heading back, we remove top growth back to a node (the place on the stem from which leaves and branches emerge), without removing too much of the plant at any time. Since heading back usually involves the removal of only a few branches, it can be done just about anytime of the year. Forsythias are often pruned this way.
   

• Renewal. In renewal pruning (also called “thinning”), we cut out old, unproductive branches, usually over a period of years, both to control the size of the plant and encourage new growth. In renewal pruning, we remove old branches or stems entirely down to the ground, although we sometimes cut back to lower nodes. Lilacs are often pruned like this.
   

• Rejuvenation. In rejuvenation, all stems are cut down to ground level. This is usually practiced on old, neglected shrubs that respond and regrow quickly. It’s also used on shrubs that produce flowers on the current year’s wood, such as butterfly bush. It was previously thought that many species would not respond well to this kind of treatment, but work conducted in Europe seems to prove otherwise. Rejuvenation pruning is usually done in late winter or early spring.
   

• Shearing. Hedges are sheared, meaning that the top growth is removed down to a random point, without regard for stem reemergence. Common hedge plants such as boxwood and photinia respond well to shearing. Other plants, such as forsythia, don’t respond well to this pruning technique – and just look terrible after it’s done.

Before beginning to prune any plant, decide what your goal is. Do you want to remove branches that attack and/or annoy you while you’re mowing or make it difficult to get out of your car every evening? Or would you like to totally remake your quince bush? When pruning, remember that you can always cut more, but you can never cut less! So cut a little, then stand back and observe your work. (Beginners, practice on some of your least-favorite shrubs first.) Use sharp tools, and don’t be afraid to make the cut!

Here are some important tips to follow:

• Use sharp pruning shears and make clean cuts.
   

• Cuts should be ¼ inch above a bud or to a crotch (lateral branch). Where you can, cut back to a lateral stem to encourage branching. Cut whole branches back to the branch collar (that area of connection that appears to have a ring of wrinkles).
   

• Cuts should be made at angles away from buds on upright branches to prevent standing water and diseases from forming.
   

• Unless you’re creating a formal hedge, do not severely shear back most shrubs. A light “haircut” is all you should do (and only when necessary).
   

• Don’t use pruning paint – even on the largest cuts. Latest research shows that a painted wound heals more slowly and often becomes infected when moisture seeps under the seal. An unsealed wound allows new tissue to grow over and cover it.
   

• To promote fullness, pinch or shear new candles – new dense growing tips – of pines and other conifers as they appear by one-third to one-half. (Don’t cut into old wood of candles, otherwise the tree won’t fill in.)
   

• For pruning larger tree limbs, first make a ¼- to ½-inch cut 12 inches out from the trunk on the underside of the limb. The second cut should be made 18-24 inches from the trunk on the upper side of the limb. Finally, remove the 12- to 24-inch stub to the shoulder collar – that ringed wrinkly area, again – of the limb.

Planting:

The best time to plant perennials and annuals in the Columbia area is between Easter and Memorial Day. Summer heat, cold winter weather, and volatile spring conditions require you to spend more time protecting your plants, when the optimal time allows the plants to get a healthier start. Use mulch to keep plants warm in winter, cool and moist in summer.

Roses, trees and some bushes are best planted in early spring before buds begin to appear. Many trees and bushes can be planted in the fall as well.

• Pick the right plant for the right location to guarantee health and beauty.

• Note if the location you are planting in is mostly in the sun or mostly in the shade during the day.

• Is the soil clay or sandy?

• How much effort do you want to put into the plant's care (watering and pruning)?

• How big do you want the plant to get?

Consult with your nursery for the best options in plant choices. Carefully follow spacing instructions when planting to be sure there is enough room for your plant to grow. If not given adequate space, plants will require constant pruning to keep them from taking over the area.

Soil: 

When dealing with poor soil it may be necessary to amend it for a plant friendly environment. If your soil is too sandy, nutrients will wash away quickly. If your soil is too clay, roots cannot freely grow and nutrients are sometimes inaccessible in the clay. Amending either of these soils with organic matter (like compost) will improve it. Sandy soil will better retain moisture and nutrients, and clay soil will loosen up for roots. If clay is so hard that water won't penetrate it, sprinkle gypsum over the area. This will eventually create pores in the solid matter and help extract nutrients. This will take time.

Mulch:

Our community uses pine straw mulch which suppresses weeds, helps plants retain moisture in the heat, and keeps roots warm in the winter.  Pine straw should be removed and replaced once every 2 years to keep the straw from creating a decomposing mat over the soil. The mulch should allow air flow to keep fungus and pests from overtaking the soil. Plus the refresh is more attractive. Pine bark and other wood mulches are also allowed but should be used with caution as they can attract wood eating pests such as termites. The only exception to this is cypress and cedar.

Weeds:

The best way to deal with weeds is to prevent them.  Keeping a lawn healthy and full will leave no room for weeds to invade. Using pine straw mulch in your beds will prevent weeds from growing. If you already have weeds, the safest and most successful way to deal with them is to pull them by hand. Pull weeds after rain when the soil is soft to ease your ability to pull the entire root system. If you do not remove all the roots, the plant will come back shortly. Taking the time to tackle entire roots the first time will reward your efforts. In lawns, you can spread grass seed, add a plug or sand (in the case of centipede) to an open spot to help the lawn fill in and prevent weeds from coming back. Be careful with herbicides because many will effect plants you are trying to grow around the weeds you are trying to eliminate. Sprays can transport in the air a distance. Herbicides can also make the soil inhospitable for plants which then reduces your chances of filling in the lawn, or growing plants you like in the spot you treated.

If your lawn is in bad shape with weeds in which the percentage of lawn is greatly reduced, the investment of a new full lawn may be in order. Otherwise, hand pull weeds, and over-seed. If the weed are taking over beds and it's too much work to pull, you can cover the weeds with a piece of card board or multiple sheets of newspaper. Water heavily and cover with mulch to hide.  Cardboard and paper will suffocate the weeds and eventually breakdown or decay into the soil.

Pests:

Healthy plants can usually withstand a pest attack.  By maintaining your yard with the correct amount of water, feeding, mowing/pruning, a short-lived attack from insects , animals or disease will be resisted. Trim off dead or damages leaves or branches. Leaves will grow back and pruning encourages new growth.

Insects are inevitable and there are just as many bugs that assist your plants as there are that eat them. Before using insecticide, consider if the insects are really killing your plants, or if they are just in the environment. Many insects can be controlled by spraying them off with a garden hose, or when in small numbers, handpicked and dropped into a bucket of soapy water.  Broad spectrum insecticides kill more than just the insect that is attacking your plant, it also kills bees, ladybugs and parasitic beneficial insects that are actually improving your plants chances of winning the war. Read chemical labels carefully to be sure you're not putting children or pets at risk. It may even be cheaper to buy a new plant. If you must use insecticide, consider a safer insecticidal soap spray.

Japanese Beetles/Grubs -  There was a heavy number of Japanese beetles in the community last year that ate mostly roses and crepe myrtles but also enjoyed a number of other plant in the neighborhood. You may have noticed many lawns dying off with dead patches. This was probably due to the grubs that turned into these Japanese Beetles. The grubs grow up in the soil, eating grass roots in the spring. They come to the surface in June to become the beetles. The beetles pilfer plants for a couple weeks and then lay eggs in the soil for grubs to come back next spring. Even if you used pesticide last year on the beetles or soil, your neighbors probably will have grubs this year. It is recommended with larger infestations the entire community ban together with a preventive effort.  There are biologically friendly methods to treating for these pests you can research.

Milky Spore Powder for Japanese Beetle and Grub Control

This is a recommended product that some homes in the community use:

Signs Of Grub Damage In The Lawn:

Japanese Beetle grubs cause extensive damage to lawns by feeding on grass roots. Grass turns yellow, then brown, and dies. Grubs chew off roots so that the grass is easily pulled up in pieces in your hands. You can roll it back like a carpet to reveal the grubs. If patches of dead grass appeared in your lawn late into summer, check for grubs.

Milky Spore is a naturally occurring host specific bacterium (Bacillus popillae-Dutky). It targets and discriminately works to attack the white grubs of Japanese Beetles.  The adult beetle feeds on fruits, flowers, shrubs, garden plants and the foliage of some field crops. At the immature beetle stage, the grub enjoys feeding on the roots of grass and other vegetation to include stems of plants.

Lawn applications with Milky Spore puts a protective blanket on your lawn. Treated grass roots are swallowed by grubs during their normal pattern of feeding which is when they are most vulnerable. Milky Spore disease then begins to cripple the grub, and within the next 7-21 days will eventually die. As the grub decomposes, it releases billions of new spores.

Milky Spore is not harmful to beneficial insects, birds, bees, pets or man. The product is approved and registered with EPA, Milky Spore will not affect wells, ponds or streams.

The ideal way to combat area infestation is through organized community efforts. Large areas treated with Milky Spore can result in long term control.

Some diseases kill insects in a few hours or days, but the milky disease works slowly. Infected grubs may live for months after their blood has become loaded with spores, particularly if temperatures are low. Sometimes, grubs that become infected late in fall will live until spring. After spores appear in the blood, grubs usually do not develop further; they eventually die.

Organics:

Organic gardening is a method that uses our understanding of nature as guide for growing plants without using synthetic chemicals pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Strives to work in harmony with the natural system. Natural ecosystems make their own fertilizer through natures cycle of growth and decay. This is why you hear organic gardeners use compost. It is a source of natural decayed items that result in a great nutritious food source. It also acts as a mulch to keep roots warm in the winter, cool and moist in the summer. In natural forests/fields, you notice lush vegetation and a lack of insect infestation. Some insects eat plants, but natural predators and parasites keep them in check. This form of gardening is becoming a trend out of concern for the health of our families and pets and the sustainment of the environment. 

Kitchen gardens are also becoming a trend due to concerns above as well as the economy. People are growing their own fruits and vegetables in a small raised bed in their back yard or in containers. There is an initial investment, but over time with effort, it can save money. If you are interested in learning about these latest trends, note the references below.

References

Organics:

Organic Gardening Magazine (Organic lifestyle articles, tips on gardening and recipes)

Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening (for the serious gardener)

Organic Gardening Down South by Nellie Neal (high level covers ornamentals/edible)  

Basic Yard:

Gardening in the Carolinas by Bob Polomski (Month by Month how to for all plants)

The Southern Living Garden Book (Plant pictures for identification and requirements, also includes sections on how-tos)

Special Thanks to Tina Damon, a great neighbor, for her contribution in knowledge...

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