Fertilization:

Annuals and Biennials that have recently been cut back to force new flowers will benefit from fertilizing with a liquid 20/20/20 fertilizer now.

Apply 1/2 to 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 sq.ft. for lawns:
Bermudagrass -1 pound
Zoysiagrass -1/2 pound
St. Augustinegrass -1/2 pound

Pruning:

For additional flowering, deadheading some of your favorite flowers now may force them
to bloom again in the fall.

Light pruning may be performed for most landscape plants except those that you expect to have blooms from next spring such as azaleas. Storm damaged tissue may make it necessary to make heavier pruning cuts than normal to repair broken, leaning or dangerous limbs.

Cut back Red Tip Photinia now to have beautiful red foliage throughout the winter months.

Pest Control:

August is often the hottest and most humid month for growing plants. Extra care must be provided for young establishing plants due to the abundant and constant pressure of insect, disease and weed competition.

Air quality may be poor and plants may show signs of ozone injury. Treat fungal diseases with fungicides as needed and continue to monitor plant growth to prevent devastating losses.

Insect populations build up to threshold levels and wise use of pesticides may be necessary to control Aphids, Spider Mites, Scales, and Whiteflies found in the landscape. Sycamores will start an early fall color change from damage they suffer from lacebug attack. Spray controls for this pest is not practical and the leaves will be falling next month anyway.

For most trees, spray control of pests must be judged with how many more weeks of beauty you expect out of the tree versus the eventual loss of leaves in the fall. Practice sanitation to remove infected plant material so the problem will be not be as bad next year. Azalea caterpillars and fall webworms make their appearance now - treat with Orthene, Sevin or Malathion.

Get Ready!

Fall is the best time to plant trees and shrubs in the landscape. Look around now and analyze your site to see if you can enhance your landscape with a few more plants or you may want to consider renovating your landscape this fall. Now is the time to put your ideas on paper and start lining up the plants you will need later. Have you thought about a fall garden?

Hints! Regular weeding and watering of lawns, flowers, and vegetable gardens will keep them producing all summer. Mulch all beds to maintain even moisture and keep weeds down. Leaf spot on tomatoes can be treated with an insecticidal spray: follow label directions. Good clean-up of all infected leaves, branches, and plant stubble from gardens can prevent the spread of diseases in your gardens.

Lawn Care

o Watch for chinch bugs in St. Augustinegrass and be prepared to apply Baygon or various types of pyrethroids such as Tempo, Talstar, etc for best control

o Fertilize the warm seasoned grasses with 1/2 to 1 pound of actual nitrogen except Centipedegrass. Late applications of nitrogen may cause winter kill or cold injury to Centipedegrass.

o Watch for mole cricket activity - small tunnels at the soil surface. Top Choice (fipronil) is usually applied for mole cricket control in late May. You may also use Talstar and other labeled pyrethroids as needed according to label directions.

o Large Patch disease control applications should be applied when soil temperatures decrease to around 70 degrees which will usually be sometime in mid to late September.


Landscape Plants:

o Powdery mildew on Crape myrtles: Pay close attention to your crapemyrtle foliage. Banner or Bayleton may be used to control Powdery Mildew if you notice a white powdery substance on your Crape Myrtles.