The BTN Quarterly Newsletter
Maintaining Our Landscapes
With the summer upon us, now is the time that we move away from planting new plants and trees to focus on other projects such as hardscape projects and landscape maintenance. Therefore, now is the perfect time to do a stone/concrete patio, edging, or other project. Now is also the time that landscape beds should be mulched, if not already done.
For our BTN entrances, we are doing exactly that. Withing the next week or so, we will have all landscape beds mulched. And over the next few months, we will complete some repair work on a few of the retaining walls and edging.
One note: Heat loving shrubs and perennials can still be planted. Some examples include: hardy palms, crepe myrtles, and hardy gingers. Two Texas tough perennials are hardy hibiscus and crinums are in full bloom now through September, as seen below.
EARLY SUMMER LANDSCAPE TO DOS
DO NOT DO:
- Do not trim live oaks or red oaks at this time.
- Do not apply fertilizer to lawns that are yellow or past June 20. Do not use weed and feed type products.
MUST/CAN DO:
- Remove lower limbs from shade trees where grass is having difficulty growing under them.
- Be on the look out of moisture stress due to less watering frequency or irrigation problems. Have this inspected and fixed immediately.
- Watch for chinch bugs which cause dried and dead areas in the lawn. These show up in the sunniest, hottest parts. Look for small black insects with white diamonds on the wings. Use a general purpose turf insecticide for control.
SHOULD/CAN DO:
- Continue growing season type maintenance. As the season progresses, give shrubs a light trim to maintain their natural growth form.
- Apply a high-phosphate root-stimulate to newly planted shrubs and trees. This
should be done monthly for the first full growing season. - Watch for nutsedge in lawns. This is controlled by applying a specific herbicide –
Sledgehammer or Manage. It may be required to do multiple sprays, which should be done 7-10 days apart. - Continue watching for insect infestations: aphids, spider mites, thrips and canna
leaf rollers. - If heavy flights of June beetles are observed, there may be an over abundance of
grub worms which can damage lawns and plants. Treat with Merit, followed by
heavy watering. - To ensure that you go get the most of the water you are expending on your
landscape during these warm weather months water do not water between 10am
and 6pm.
OPTIONAL:
- Watch for powdery mildew and/or scale on crepe myrtles. If the outbreak is severer, it can be addressed with a general fungicide. However, in general, the powdery mildew will disappear as the summer progresses. However, crepe myrtle scale must be treated with a systemic insecticide.
Diana Harris - BTN HOA Board Member