2022 Lawn and Landscape

[Chico_SA 521]

Are these a type of Oak Gall?  As I'm collecting leaves, I started seeing these all over the ground in an area with a heavy outbreak of Oak Suckers. Tiny gnats emerging and lingering around the surface of the ground. The galls are actually in the ground, maybe even attached to the suckers. 

Edited April 15, 2022 by Chico_SA

[NorthLoop 14143]

Mods don't lock this one. The garden thread is a different entity.

[Chico_SA 521]

Thanks Loop. 

I'm working on clearing some of the suckers, and these things are definitely attached to the stems.  I just can't find anything about these in any search

 

[cactusflinthead 27596]

@Chico_SA

Oak tree galls. Not a helluva lot you can do about them.

There is nothing solid right now that you can use to fully get rid of them," said McKelvey.

 

That's because the wasps have two life cycles, Moncheski said.

"Think of two wheels spinning at different rates, an annual one and a three-year one, and they're happening at the same time, so it makes trying to treat really hard."

That's from Missouri

And here's Texas Forestry Service

Control for these insects is difficult. Because of their complicated life cycle, spraying with an insecticide is usually not effective and therefore not recommended. There may be some value in pruning branches that contain galls, but doing nothing is probably the best alternative.

https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/OakGallInsects/#:~:text=Growth deformities known as galls,or roots of the tree.

Edited April 16, 2022 by cactusflinthead

[Chico_SA 521]

Thanks! I found it so interesting that these are in the ground.  Insects seem sort of harmless, and actually avoided me as i worked in the area.  I just focused on cleaning up as much of the oak runners and gall clusters.  Trying to get that area healthy again. 

[BillyBadAss 189]

My yard has been destroyed with a pool install. Got a first quote to repair/re-sod. 

Coming in a tad north of $10K for what would include re-grading/leveling, 6 yards of lawn soil, and 6 pallets of st augustine - turnkey. 

In SW Austin. I've got a bit of sticker shock, but they have capacity to start soon and have great reviews.  Feeling like I'm running out of time and yard will be an ugly mud pit if I can't get something to start growing very soon. 

Does that quote look about right (if anything is right anymore in this town...) ?

 

[Bevo&Pevo 5106]

Do we have a resident weed expert?  I know whatcha' thinkin' , not that kinda weed.  This kind, little bastards are prickly and stickly on my feet.  What do they be?

['stache 21778]

What can I use to permanently kill some greenery? We have a bocce ball court in the back yard (came with the house) and its starting to grow grass. I want it all dead. Tried GroundClear, seemed to wilt it temporarily. Any nuclear option short of gasoline?

[Chico_SA 521]

On 4/30/2022 at 7:31 AM, Bevo&Pevo said:

Do we have a resident weed expert?  I know whatcha' thinkin' , not that kinda weed.  This kind, little bastards are prickly and stickly on my feet.  What do they be?

Sticky Willy? We have some that grows yearly close to where a greenbelt creek butts up against my st. Augustine yard.  I usually just pull or rake it up in the spring.  Way behind this year and it's pretty thick.  I think it usually dies back once it gets warmer. 

 

[Bevo&Pevo 5106]

^^^ .....and the best way to kill it without whacking the san augustine?  BTW, thanks for the answer.

[Bevo&Pevo 5106]

I believe my aggy wife found the answer from the neighborhood FB page.  Seems we aren't the only ones with this little bastard weed.  Lawn burrweed.  Atrazine preemergent in early Oct. and also as a post emergent in Jan, Feb, and Mar.  

[joe dirt 285]

On 4/28/2022 at 8:16 PM, BillyBadAss said:

My yard has been destroyed with a pool install. Got a first quote to repair/re-sod. 

Coming in a tad north of $10K for what would include re-grading/leveling, 6 yards of lawn soil, and 6 pallets of st augustine - turnkey. 

In SW Austin. I've got a bit of sticker shock, but they have capacity to start soon and have great reviews.  Feeling like I'm running out of time and yard will be an ugly mud pit if I can't get something to start growing very soon. 

Does that quote look about right (if anything is right anymore in this town...) ?

 

is irrigation part of that?

we paid $3.5k to repair irrigation and resod after the pool build a couple summers ago. i don’t recall how many pallets it took and the pool builder regraded the backyard.

i’m actually ready to blow it all up and start from scratch with something other than bermuda due to shade. zoysia maybe? 

[TexPx 2321]

I’m in N. Tex and St Augustine is the only thing that will grow in the shade. However, we have a gigantic Elm and two dogs and finally gave up on the back yard. Had artificial turf installed last Jan. So far we and the dogs love it.

[AUinHsv 578]

12 hours ago, TexPx said:

I’m in N. Tex and St Augustine is the only thing that will grow in the shade. However, we have a gigantic Elm and two dogs and finally gave up on the back yard. Had artificial turf installed last Jan. So far we and the dogs love it.

Palisades zoysia is shade tolerant and drought tolerant

[TexPx 2321]

Palisades zoysia is shade tolerant and drought tolerant

Yeah. Neighbor tried that but he’s not super happy with it. Still develops brown patches. I dunno, not a big lawn guy. My Elm tree laughed every time I tried to grow a lawn in the back.

[BurntOrange&White 39831]

I have this little small area in front of a porch on a property we just purchased. I want to remove those existing plants and put the following around the edges of this with rounded off to the right side of the porch:

 

I want to replace the mulch that is currently there with white crushed limestone or white rocks and do a dessert type shorter plants in the front. Any recommendations on dessert style plants?


 

[Booper 415]

1 hour ago, BurntOrange&White said:

I have this little small area in front of a porch on a property we just purchased. I want to remove those existing plants and put the following around the edges of this with rounded off to the right side of the porch:

 

I want to replace the mulch that is currently there with white crushed limestone or white rocks and do a dessert type shorter plants in the front. Any recommendations on dessert style plants?


 

I'd go with agave. Maybe mix in some small barrel cactus.

[Mrs Whiggins 13049]

21 hours ago, BurntOrange&White said:

I want to replace the mulch that is currently there with white crushed limestone or white rocks and do a dessert type shorter plants in the front. Any recommendations on dessert style plants?

I'm going to be that annoying person and suggest a key lime pie plant, but seriously, Booper's suggestions are good. If you want something softer, there is a variety of verbena that only grows about a foot tall: 'Blue Princess' and it likes the heat and sun. If you prune it ruthlessly after it blooms, it blooms again quite vigorously.

I don't know if it is considered a desert plant, but there is a variety of dwarf bottlebrush that is attractive. I would love to have one of these, but I am out of room. I do not believe they are cold hardy, however.

[Anastasis 23404]

On 5/7/2022 at 5:52 AM, AUinHsv said:

Palisades zoysia is shade tolerant and drought tolerant

I just had our front yard resodded with PZ. Heavy shade in a few spots, gonna do some heavy trimming when we get out of wilt season.

 

So what the is recommended program during establishment? I put a bag of some fertilizer my landscaper gave me when he laid it, and we are two weeks out and I am dialing back the watering and did the first mow. 

[NoName 16342]

1 hour ago, Mrs Whiggins said:

I'm going to be that annoying person and suggest a key lime pie plant, but seriously, Booper's suggestions are good. If you want something softer, there is a variety of verbena that only grows about a foot tall: 'Blue Princess' and it likes the heat and sun. If you prune it ruthlessly after it blooms, it blooms again quite vigorously.

I don't know if it is considered a desert plant, but there is a variety of dwarf bottlebrush that is attractive. I would love to have one of these, but I am out of room. I do not believe they are cold hardy, however.

that verbona is also a Texas superstar plant!

https://texassuperstar.com/plants/verbenablue/index.html

[Mrs Whiggins 13049]

I've had overall good luck with different varieties of verbena in the landscape. If anything, I've got one that is almost invasive but it is very pretty.

[3adays 454]

Any suggestion on what to use and/or do for brown spot? I have several spots popping up, it’s especially bad where I overseeded my backyard with winter rye. Grass is mostly Bermuda, but I do have a side yard with zoysia if that makes a difference. 

 

[Mrs Whiggins 13049]

Seems a bit early for that, but the expert is @cactusflinthead and whatever he says is top notch.

I put down a pellet anti-fungal in a swatch of lawn adjacent to our over-watering neighbor about two weeks ago, but any disease resembling brown patch that we've had (St. Augustine) has usually appeared toward the end of summer. I've had better luck with starting early and then applying about once every three to four weeks just in that section.

Good luck!

[cactusflinthead 27596]

11 hours ago, 3adays said:

Any suggestion on what to use and/or do for brown spot? I have several spots popping up, it’s especially bad where I overseeded my backyard with winter rye. Grass is mostly Bermuda, but I do have a side yard with zoysia if that makes a difference. 

 

Do you have dogs? That's my first thought. Pissing in the same spots is essentially the same as fertilizer burn. 

If you do have a disease one of the broad spectrum systemic types is my go to. Gonna throw you the chem names. Read the fine print on the active ingredients list. 

Thiophanate Methyl

Propiconazole

Myclobutanil

Use the high rate.

 

[3adays 454]

7 hours ago, cactusflinthead said:

Do you have dogs? That's my first thought. Pissing in the same spots is essentially the same as fertilizer burn. 

If you do have a disease one of the broad spectrum systemic types is my go to. Gonna throw you the chem names. Read the fine print on the active ingredients list. 

Thiophanate Methyl

Propiconazole

Myclobutanil

Use the high rate.

 

No Dogs. Thank you for the recommendations, I’ll get some this weekend, apply and see if that works. 

[cactusflinthead 27596]

3 hours ago, 3adays said:

No Dogs. Thank you for the recommendations, I’ll get some this weekend, apply and see if that works. 

Getting a hard diagnosis is going to require getting down there and looking for symptoms. Lesion spots, etc. The three I mentioned are standard broad spectrum fungicides. Azoxystrobin is another one. 

It's not going to magically turn green again next week. Stage 1 is it stops getting worse. Look for any kind of off color spots. Flat vs glossy, any sort of yellowing. It is likely to require multiple applications.

[jw4381 3068]

We did this yesterday. 
 

 

A little aspen island. 

[Viper 12041]

Any idea what this is? Just not getting enough water? The grass blades are not wide like the healthier grass and are all thin and/or rolled up

[NoName 16342]

13 hours ago, Viper said:

Any idea what this is? Just not getting enough water? The grass blades are not wide like the healthier grass and are all thin and/or rolled up

sure looks like it to me. check/watch your sprinklers and see if they are missing that spot for some reason?

[BabaYaga 15238]

On 5/26/2022 at 8:49 PM, 3adays said:

Any suggestion on what to use and/or do for brown spot? I have several spots popping up, it’s especially bad where I overseeded my backyard with winter rye. Grass is mostly Bermuda, but I do have a side yard with zoysia if that makes a difference. 

 

Quit drinking late at night and pissing in the backyard....

[Viper 12041]

49 minutes ago, NoName said:

sure looks like it to me. check/watch your sprinklers and see if they are missing that spot for some reason?

It's over too much of the back yard now to be just a spot the sprinkler's missing. I had tried adding a 3rd run on the two water days but I guess the heat snuck up on me. I'll trying watering 3 days a week now.

[cactusflinthead 27596]

Run a test. See where it's hitting and how much. Set out a tuna can (more is better) or equivalent and see how much you actually get. 

That curling worries me.

[Viper 12041]

41 minutes ago, cactusflinthead said:

Run a test. See where it's hitting and how much. Set out a tuna can (more is better) or equivalent and see how much you actually get. 

That curling worries me.

I don't eat tuna... maybe I'll give the cats some wet food tonight.

 

are you thinking brown patch could be a possibility? 

[Viper 12041]

So I think I see what's going on. I have rotary sprinkler heads in the back and they don't seem to be getting enough water to the parts of the yard under the middle of their stream 

 

You can see it's green right around the head and at the end of the stream but not the middle.

Any ideas on how to adjust them? They're not impact types. I think the whole system is made by hunter. 

[Gourmand 7774]

Are those the PGP models or the rotator MPs?

From the pic it looks like the PGP, in which case you just need to adjust them with the little screws on the top of the heads. Prepare to get wet.

 

[Viper 12041]

yeah they're pcp. thanks for the video. guess I have to head up to lowes and find that tool

[Gourmand 7774]

You can use a small screwdriver, that tool is not necessary

[cactusflinthead 27596]

2 hours ago, Viper said:

are you thinking brown patch could be a possibility?

One of the root rots. But, it appears you have found the culprit. Root rot damage happens early, but you don't know it until the turf is stressed. No roots=no water, so they can mimic drought conditions.

[Viper 12041]

5 hours ago, Gourmand said:

You can use a small screwdriver, that tool is not necessary

none of the screwdrivers or allen wrenches I tried worked.

[cactusflinthead 27596]

On 6/13/2022 at 6:20 PM, Viper said:

none of the screwdrivers or allen wrenches I tried worked.

Stop by a Site One or other pro type supplier of irrigation parts. They might give you one for nothing or it's not that much. The hex key part just holds the nozzle in place. The adjustment part is a flathead screwdriver or the end of the doohickey with the little tabs.

 

[Clackles 276]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-Voyager-II-Adjustment-Key-55070/100188976

[Viper 12041]

43 minutes ago, Clackles said:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Orbit-Voyager-II-Adjustment-Key-55070/100188976

Thanks I picked up on at Lowes for a dollar. Managed to adjust one but the others have first stuck in the socket and won't turn. I am guessing I'll have to take off the sprinkler head and clean it

[BabaYaga 15238]

G-ma had one of these back in the day.  You lay the hose out and it tracks along it with those spinning wands up top.  Seems easy, right?  Until it gets off track, and you have to put it back on, and those GD metal wands wacks the ever living crap out of your knuckle.  

I need to see if I still have it packed away in the garage.  

[Spaulding Smails 1551]

After 4+ years of jokingly referring to my yard as my "fourth child", we sold our house last summer.  I miss having a yard.  Big time.  Been following this guy on IG.  Worth a follow.  Pretty impressive. 

https://www.instagram.com/lawndadofficial/?hl=en

[cactusflinthead 27596]

On 6/22/2022 at 7:02 AM, Viper said:

Thanks I picked up on at Lowes for a dollar. Managed to adjust one but the others have first stuck in the socket and won't turn. I am guessing I'll have to take off the sprinkler head and clean it

Didja get it squared away?

[HookEm 2450]

Any idea what is wrong with my honeysuckle? It forms tiny leaves that never grow any bigger. It was growing fine before this year. 

[jw4381 3068]

The aspen island is progressing well. 
 

[Gourmand 7774]

On 6/22/2022 at 2:25 PM, Spaulding Smails said:

After 4+ years of jokingly referring to my yard as my "fourth child", we sold our house last summer.  I miss having a yard.  Big time.  Been following this guy on IG.  Worth a follow.  Pretty impressive. 

https://www.instagram.com/lawndadofficial/?hl=en

All those YouTube/insta lawn guys with their fancy powered reel mowers and here I am pushing my $100 Scott's manual around my yard, cussing at every little twig and piece of wayward mulch....

I'd love to have one of those fancy rigs but I cannot justify spending that kind of money on something that cuts my grass. Hopefully Ego will eventually develop an electric reel mower that doesn't break the bank.

[swraith 340]

Will there be any lawn left to mow with this kind of heat in TX? My lawn has already said fuck off.  Shriveled blades of grass going brown. I just want to keep my trees alive at this point.

[cactusflinthead 27596]

On 6/25/2022 at 12:34 PM, HookEm said:

Any idea what is wrong with my honeysuckle? It forms tiny leaves that never grow any bigger. It was growing fine before this year. 

Witches' broom, in this case caused by aphids.

https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/tree-plant-care/plant-care-resources/honeysuckle-aphid/#:~:text=In recent years%2C honeysuckle shrubs,production of witches' brooms can