San Diego Landscape August Tips
#1 Tip : Go outside and enjoy your garden!
#2 Tip : Watering Guidelines for the month. We are experiencing a cooler than average August this year. The clouds that have blocked the sun are not bringing any measurable rain, so watering is still on the to do list. It is also a good time to check your irrigation systems for its efficiency. Check for leaks, broken sprinklers, malfunctioning drip emitters and the charge level on the back-up battery in the irrigation timer. Renewing the berms on watering basins that have eroded over the year will ensure efficient watering in the hotter months ahead. Water garden plants and trees according to their individual needs.
#3 Tip: Pest & Disease Control Guidelines. We advocate prevention….a healthy plant that has been regularly & accurately watered and fertilized has a better chance of surviving problems. With that said, there are issues that can arise that need addressing immediately: Nematodes, Fungus, Fireblight, Aphids, Leaf Scorch and Scales. Each problem has its own pathology and solution.
#4 Tip: Fire Protection. It’s time to do what you can to minimize risk, especially if your home is next to native brush or chaparral. Think of protection in terms of rings. Closest to the home – remove highly flammable plants that are close to your home and replace with plants that discourage a fire from spreading. Next ring- a buffer zone of well watered low-growing plants that act as a fire break and are known for their ability to withstand fire. Last ring- remove the choking fuel load of dead leaves, twigs and branches that build up inside the native brush or chaparral around the outside of your property.
#5 Tip: General Garden Maintenance: Potted plants, especially in terra cotta, dry out easily. Consider waterproofing the insides & add perlite to help the loss of moisture. Roses, which are usually conserving energy for a big burst of blooms in the fall, need a light pruning by removing the dead twigs, spent flowers, suckers, lanky growth and hips. Clean up Daylilies and Agapanthus by removing the stems that have bloomed. Now is a good time to control crabgrass in the lawn because it has not set seed yet. Remember that lawn care is determined by the type of lawn that you have. Warm-season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia & St. Augustine)are growing at their fastest now and need deep but infrequent watering, monthly feeding and should be mowed as short as possible. Cool-season lawns (perennial Ryegrass, Bluegrass and Fescue) are growing slowly now, so the directions for care are loosely the opposite: shallow and frequent watering, no fertilization, and mowed tall.
#2 Tip : Watering Guidelines for the month. We are experiencing a cooler than average August this year. The clouds that have blocked the sun are not bringing any measurable rain, so watering is still on the to do list. It is also a good time to check your irrigation systems for its efficiency. Check for leaks, broken sprinklers, malfunctioning drip emitters and the charge level on the back-up battery in the irrigation timer. Renewing the berms on watering basins that have eroded over the year will ensure efficient watering in the hotter months ahead. Water garden plants and trees according to their individual needs.
#3 Tip: Pest & Disease Control Guidelines. We advocate prevention….a healthy plant that has been regularly & accurately watered and fertilized has a better chance of surviving problems. With that said, there are issues that can arise that need addressing immediately: Nematodes, Fungus, Fireblight, Aphids, Leaf Scorch and Scales. Each problem has its own pathology and solution.
#4 Tip: Fire Protection. It’s time to do what you can to minimize risk, especially if your home is next to native brush or chaparral. Think of protection in terms of rings. Closest to the home – remove highly flammable plants that are close to your home and replace with plants that discourage a fire from spreading. Next ring- a buffer zone of well watered low-growing plants that act as a fire break and are known for their ability to withstand fire. Last ring- remove the choking fuel load of dead leaves, twigs and branches that build up inside the native brush or chaparral around the outside of your property.
#5 Tip: General Garden Maintenance: Potted plants, especially in terra cotta, dry out easily. Consider waterproofing the insides & add perlite to help the loss of moisture. Roses, which are usually conserving energy for a big burst of blooms in the fall, need a light pruning by removing the dead twigs, spent flowers, suckers, lanky growth and hips. Clean up Daylilies and Agapanthus by removing the stems that have bloomed. Now is a good time to control crabgrass in the lawn because it has not set seed yet. Remember that lawn care is determined by the type of lawn that you have. Warm-season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia & St. Augustine)are growing at their fastest now and need deep but infrequent watering, monthly feeding and should be mowed as short as possible. Cool-season lawns (perennial Ryegrass, Bluegrass and Fescue) are growing slowly now, so the directions for care are loosely the opposite: shallow and frequent watering, no fertilization, and mowed tall.
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