MAY IS GOING TO BE
ONE HECK OF A MONTH
I don’t know
about you, but May is always about the busiest month of the year for me and my
family. Both my kids will graduate and live in Kansas City (we’ll get to know
Highway 70), I turn 53 on the 18th, Mother’s Day, friend’s
graduations parties, golf tournaments, Kentucky Derby, BBQ’s galore. It will be
fun and hectic. On a personal note, I have been working out with my wife for
the past two months and have gone from 265 pounds to 228 in a little over two
months. If I can do it, anyone can! Thanks for the support Liz, I couldn’t have
done it without you!
The month of
May also signals the need to start addressing our zoysia lawns. They are about
75% awake in the Shrewsbury area so here go with:
Mays Best Practices for both Lawn Types!
Warm Season Lawns
*Mow at 2”.
Try to avoid leaving heavy clippings.
*Consider
aerating and or power raking if thatch is a problem. Thatch over 1” is a
problem folks.
*Be sure to
apply a pre-emergent after either practice because you will wake up weed seeds!
*Apply a
long lasting insecticide like Acelepryn if Chinch bugs or Bill Bugs have been a
problem. 99% of all zoysia problems I have seen is insect related, not fungus
related.
*Spot treat
herbicides in the next 2 weeks or wait until the lawn is fully out of dormancy!
*Consider
using Ammonium Sulfate as your nitrogen source as this source gives a green
that this second only to Ironite.
*Wait
another 30 days to sod, but it’s OK to seed if you need to.
Cool Season Lawns
*Mowers need
to up to 3.5 inches or above if you have the nerve! Mowing heights (too short)
causes most weeds and burned up lawns. We have to get past the “shorter is
better” mentality, but don’t try telling that to my south sider friends. One
yard at a time!
*Spray weeds
as needed. The violet, dandelions and clover are really aggressive right now.
READ THE LABEL!!!!!!!!!!
*Avoid
seeding if you can. It’s too late for best results.
*Consider
applying organic based fertilizers the rest of the summer. They help the soil
as much as the grass today. If the soil is right, plants can’t help but to be
right too! (Unless you are mowing too short!)
If your cool
season grass isn’t looking good right now, then something is wrong. You should
have been able to fall out of bed and have a good looking lawn in this weather.
Keep trying, it will get better.
I’ll close
with the best of wishes to all the Mother’s out there. My mom is at Bethesda
Dilworth on the newly renovated 3rd floor and is settling in very
well. As I have expressed in the past, caring giving for the elderly is as hard
a job as I have ever experienced. I’m just glad she is here and I get to tell
her l love her every time I see her. My prayers are with those who can only
pray to their loved ones. Miss you Eunice!
PS. Betting
the 5-10-15 exacta box today at the Kentucky Derby, wish me luck!
