Best Summer Lawn Tips

Tree and Shrub Care

People often ask about transplanting trees and shrubs during the summer months. While it can be done, it’s usually better to wait until winter to dig a woody plant and move it to another location. When a tree or shrub is dug, roots are severed. Since roots supply water, the plant will usually die from heat stress soon after it is transplanted. Some nurseries dig plants midsummer, but extra care must be taken to ensure plant survival.

When choosing trees and shrubs for summer installation select vigorous containerized plants with a healthy root system. After planting, mulch the planted area and supply adequate weekly or bi-weekly watering for at least six weeks. Ball and burlap trees or shrubs can be used but are usually installed by contractors in landscapes that are irrigated to minimize stress.

Trees and shrubs can be given a third and final dose of fertilizer in July. When using “quick release” fertilizers apply them in March, May, and July. Many gardeners have made the switch, however, to controlled release forms of landscape fertilizer and make one application in late spring. Application of “quick release” fertilizer such as 6-8-8 at the rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet is a good rule of thumb for landscape trees and shrubs. One quart of 6-8-8 weighs about 2 pounds.

you can buy fertilizers from amazon store here:

Lawn Pests

St. Augustine Grass is attractive to people, but also to chinch bugs and a disease known as Gray Leaf Spot. Adult chinch bugs are small black and white insects about a one-fifth inch long. They feed by sucking plant juices and release poison into the grass that causes the lawn to yellow and turns brown.

Damaged areas are commonly seen as expanding patches of yellowing turf in sunny areas of the lawn. When chinch bugs are found, treat the whole lawn thoroughly with an appropriate insecticide.

A fungus that primarily attacks St. Augustine grass causes gray leaf spot disease. Extended rainy periods, over-watering and/or over fertilizing are common causes of gray leaf spot development. As the name implies, leaf spots of gray, dirty-yellow or ash color are signs of this disease. If needed, fungicides are available for treatment.

Trees or Grass?

Grass and trees compete for light, nutrients, and water. As trees grow they cast a larger shadow reducing the amount of light that reaches the lawn. St. Augustine is our most shade-tolerant lawn grass, but will not perform well in deep shade. At least three hours of sunlight each day is a good rule of thumb for growing St. Augustine. Selective pruning of tree limbs instead of tree removal is a good first step toward increasing light levels to keep the lawn looking good.

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