Lawn Green up Steps: Ready for Spring in Atlanta
Early lawn green up depends on some early pre-green work
Get ready for lawn green-up in metro Atlanta and surrounding counties. Your lawns may seem brown, and worrying about their seasonal greenup may be a long ways off, but some simple steps now will pay dividends in the next six weeks or so. If you have Bermuda, Zoysia, or Centipede turf grass lawn, this article is for you.
If you have a warm-season lawn turf grass, such as Bermuda, Zoysia, or Centipede, then read this article. If you're not sure what type of grass you have, the rule of thumb is whether it was green before December, and is now brown, and generally turns green going into the Spring, then you have a warm-season lawn turf grass. However, this is a rule of thumb, because there are a few factors which could make a cool-season grass (predominantly fescue in Atlanta) behave in this fashion, or at least appear to have these characteristics. The sure bet is to dig up a spade full and take it down to your county extension agent, they are great people and can get you squared away.
The List: At any rate, here are the steps you need to be taking:
- Scalp--Set mower to lowest setting that won't have you skinning to the dirt, and mow lawn.
- Bag and Pick up the clippings. If you do things right this season, this should be the only time you need to pick up the grass clippings
- Fertilize. Note: Centipede lawns need a 0-0-7 (NPK) fertilizer.
- Apply Preemergent
- Pay attention to weather reports.
- Ensure adequate water is getting put down.
- Do not water in freezing temperatures
- Check this column frequently for updates on follow-up maintenance details.
Once lawn begins to greenup:
- Do not mow until at appropriate mowing height
- Aerate once completely green (if you have centipede, do not aerate without consulting a pro)
- Fertilize again
- Treat for errant weeds.
If you follow these steps, this will take you a long way towards having a lush and beautiful lawn this Summer.
Abdurrahim is the lead designer at metro-Atlanta based Proudland Landscape, LLC.
You can contact him with question via email at: arjalal@proudlandlandscape.com
Follow him on twitter at: twitter.com/Proudland
Labels: lawn, Lawn Care, maintenance, Spring, tasks
February Gardening Task Rundown
For those you who may have missed some, here is a rundown of our essential gardening articles for February that we published on Examiner.com . This information is generally applicable to many areas of the United States, however, the seasonal timing is specific to the metro Atlanta area, surrounding counties, and North Georgia.
Gardening tasks for February -- a list of gardening tasks to get accomplished before March.
Which lopper pruners should I buy? -- a discussion of some key factors in selecting a new pair of loppers.
Protecting flowers & pansies from ice -- still relevant information for the next four to six weeks in areas above the fall line Georgia (line running from Columbus to Macon to Augusta)
Live plants from Valentines Day? -- applicable advice for any live plant flower baskets you may receive, even after Valentines Day.
Pruning Crape Myrtles -- if you absolutely must prune your Crape Myrtles, get it done now, and read this article.
Must-do Atlanta Winter gardening tasks -- your most essential last-minute Winter gardening tasks for Atlanta gardeners.
Phlox--a classic Atlanta flower garden plant -- can start indoors now, or seed outdoors beginning April.
Get ready for Lawn Spring Green-up -- task list to have a great Spring green up for your warm-season lawn grass.
These are the articles from February which are, and will remain seasonally relevant through March. I will be putting out a new March gardening task list, so look for it.
Abdurrahim is the lead designer at metro Atlanta based Proudland Landscape, LLC.
You can contact him with question via email at arjalal@proudlandlandscape.com
Follow him on twitter at twitter.com/Proudland.
Labels: articles, Crape Myrtles, flowers, garden, lawn, maintenance, Pruning, Spring, tasks, winter
February Gardening Tasks--Atlanta & North Georgia
It's February in North Georgia, and Atlanta is cold and raining. Gardeners, don't sleep, because Spring is almost upon us. Do not be lulled into complacency because it feels and looks like winter. In just a few weeks Atlanta Spring will begin, and there are things you the gardener needs to do now to be ready. Here is a list:
- Scalp warm-season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede)
- Continue to monitor local freeze warnings, be ready to protect tender plants
- Pick up the clippings and put in your compost pile
- Prune roses (middle of February)
- Cut forsythia to force indoors
- Fertilize seasonal flowers, tulip, and daffoldil beds with a low nitrogen, high phosphorous ferilizer
- Dead head yellowing, brown, or burned Camellia blooms.
- Prune crape myrtles (middle of February)
- Trim unruly shrubs like hollies, ligustrum, and cleyera
- Refresh mulch, if you haven't already
- Nurse your compost pile.
- Inventory and inspect gardening equipment
- Get mowers, chippers, weed eaters that need it to the mechanic (if not done in January)
- Sharpen blades and change oil on mowers
- Sharpen chain saw chains.
- Check the January gardening task list, and do on there what you didn't do.
March is less than a month away, and Atlanta Spring season will be upon us, despite what a certain groundhog in Pennsylvania may say. Regardless, for them it will be winter a bit longer than for us.
Abdurrahim is the lead designer for a local, award-winning landscaping firm. You can reach him via email at: a.jalal@ProudlandLandscape.com
Tweet at: twitter.com/Proudland
Resources:
"Winter chores in the landscape" -- UGA CAES
www.cleanairgardening.com/npkexplanation.html
www.groundhog.org/groundhog-day/about-groundhog-day/
Labels: Crape Myrtles, garden, landscape, maintenance, mulch, Pruning, rose, tasks, winter
Centipede Grass Green Up--Spring 2007
Some of you in Georgia, particularly the Atlanta area, may have experienced, or still be experiencing problems with centipede grass lawns greening up this season
Clint Waltz with the University of Georgia has this to say:
"This is common for centipedegrass during the spring transition – from dormancy
to active growth. As the root system develops, centipedegrass color will
fluctuate with soil and air temperatures. With the recent cooler temperatures
this is not abnormal. Neither nitrogen fertilization, nor iron applications,
will appreciably encourage green-up or growth. Waiting on conducive
environmental conditions is the best practice. In most cases this problem will
solve itself by the end of May."
Centipede is a somewhat persnickety grass. Once it begins to decline, in my experience, it does not recover. In Mr. Waltz's words, "(centipede) Lawns that have been mismanaged for several years may experience turfgrass loss, typically evident by gray stolons with no green buds. If this is the case, re-establishment may be necessary."
Fertilization will not speed the green up process. Centipede wants between 1 and 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet over the growing season. This should be broken out into several applications over the growing season. Additionally, mowing heights should be between 1.5 and 2 inches. If lawns have been maintained higher than this, mowing heights should be gradually reduced to this desired heights.
Many gardeners, particularly many old-school types, prefer centipede grass because of its relatively low-maintenance requirements, versus its more aesthetic cousins. However, as with all gardens and landscapes, low-maintenance does not mean no-maintenance. The only no-maintenance garden is no garden.
A.J.,
Proudland Landscape, LLC © 2007Labels: lawn, Lawn Care, maintenance
A Few Things to Look for in March Landscapes
This month the focus will be on Spring green-up and Summer weed prevention. Our crews are currently scalping warm season lawns (Bermuda and Zoysia), Fescue lawns are being cut low, though not scalped. In February we applied an initial course of fertilizer and spot treated any Winter weeds. In March we will follow up with some additional fertilizer, pre-emergence weed killer, and spot treatments.
Additionally, this is a good time to replenish and freshen mulches (chips or pine straw.) Mulch will help conserve moisture, stabilize soil temperatures, and, of course help beautify your landscape. We have begun applying new pine straw to some landscapes, however, the frequent rains have caused some delay. If you would like your mulch replenished, be sure to let us know.
Labels: Lawn Care, maintenance, mulch
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