transitioning your lawn from summer to fall by james t ... · help maintain our usual beds in time...

Transitioning Your Lawn from Summer to Fall By James T. Murphy, ANR Agent

After a long, hot summer your lawns may be looking a little less than verdant. While what the future holds remains uncertain in terms of temperature and rainfall, there are some good practices to think about putting into place to try to get things back on track as we transition from oven to ice box. These will help you to nurture your turf during the vulnerable transition period to reduce chances of dis-ease incidence.

First off: take the time to get your mower blade sharpened and raise your mowing height up by about a half inch from your previ-ous summer height. A clean cut will provide less of a chance for moisture loss because of the smaller surface area of each individual slice. The raised mowing height will allow for slightly longer shoot length, which can also help promote better roots. A healthy estab-lished root system is essential to maintaining a strong stand of turf. You may also want to consider leaving your clippings on the turf to allow them to break down naturally over the cooler months and provide a temperature barrier should we get a sudden cold shock.

Next: discontinue use of nitrogen fertilizers. During this transition period, turf needs to harden off in preparation of cooler temperatures. This process allows the turf to store nutrients in other areas which will allow for better green up in the spring. Nitrogen application at this time can often times lead to increased issues with fungal diseases as they will feed on the available resource and can prey on the already super stressed turf. Instead, think about testing your soil and planning for next year.

The hot summer has also modified out weed schedule. Common winter weeds like chickweed, henbit, and speedwell, are on the horizon along with perennial menace Poa annua. We’ve got a bit of an expanded window to get pre-emergent herbicides on lawns now that night temperatures are finally dropping down low enough. The key is to be vigilant though! Each weed may need a specific management strategy and some grasses are more sensitive to herbicide applications than others. If you need specific recommendations give us a call.

Finally, think about your watering strategies going into the fall. This summer has been brutal and many people may have fully given up on watering their lawns because of the high cost or lack of any real effect. Now that things are cooling off a bit you may want to resume a more regular watering schedule. Remember though, the same rules apply. Water early in the morning, and deeply but infrequently. Ideally you want to water enough to penetrate to a depth of 6 to 8 inches to promote good root growth.

Summer has been hard, but hopefully fall will bring a blissful chill and a bountiful harvest. At the very least we’ll have

football!

4th Quarter 2019

RCMGEVA Newsletter 4th Quarter 2019

Message from the President: "The Joy of Watching the Pollinators at Work!”

by Donna Powell

Fall can be a beautiful time of the year. This year with the drought it has been frustratingly hot and dry. The leaves on the trees are just turning brown or falling while still green. And the flowers are touch and go. When I visited a friend I no-ticed that her garden literally looked dead. She was only watering a few favorite plants near her front door. But her enthusiasm was encouraging. When I men-tioned how dry it was and wondered if the plants would live, she commented “Oh, there are plenty of seeds that have fallen. It will be pretty again come spring!”

There are plants that I know will no longer grow anymore in our heat zone. Mine aren’t as vigorous and no longer have abundant blooms on them. Bearded Irises,

Lilacs, some Rhododendrons, even Peonies are some of my favorites that are struggling. Also, I need to remember that others are perennials with a shorter life time. I look at this as a learning experience to explore other varieties of plants. My husband said it was just an excuse to go buy some more! Sounds good to me.

Finally got a half inch of rain. It perked the garden and grass up for a short time. Still need a lot more. Maybe it will be enough to keep some plants alive. According to the weather people October is usually one of the driest months in Georgia. We just didn’t need the heat.

Nancy Guinn Library

By Judy Abell

The Library has 4 new plant ID markers and is expecting 2 more very soon. Thanks to

all that have come to help clear the lower 40 ( flower bed at the back door) and to

help maintain our usual beds in time of drought. Special thanks to Doug Abell for

making & staining the ID marker posts and to both Doug and Ronnie for putting them

in the ground. Our volunteers include new interns Karen & Isobel, as well as James,

Dot, Jane, Ronnie, Vivian, Frank, Donna & Marjean. We are pleased with the crown of

thorns perennial plants which have survived the drought so far in the front beds.

Fall Plant Clinic and Sale Pics

By Debbie Altman & Pat Roling


Memorial Arboretum

By Cesare Matrundola, Project Manager

We had the largest clean up job to do last month. The oldest oak tree in the park last all the

large top branches as you can see in the pictures. Thanks to Karen, Frank, Mary, 2 days of hard

work and myself it is all cleared, cut and placed along the walkways.


Get on the Bus Trip

By Marti Colglaizer

October 11 was a beautiful day for a field trip. Eight of us went to the GSU Native Botanical

Garden in Decatur. One of the highlights we enjoyed was their fern garden with paths winding

through the woods. We attended a lecture about the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum that was pre-

sented by Trees Atlanta. It was both interesting and educational. Then we went plant shop-

ping and everybody came home with some new native plants. After our visit to the garden, we

came back to Conyers and had lunch at the Whistle Post. It was another fun day!



PARH Garden

By Ronnie Peden, Project Manager

2019 Summer Harvest Total @ 5,944 lbs.

Tomatoes @ 1,340 lbs.

Okra @ 1,029 lbs.

Watermelon @ 712 lbs.

Silver Queen Corn @ 410 lbs.

Bell Pepper @ 153 lbs

The fall plants are in the ground and grow-ing. Have already harvested delivered to RER 280 lbs. of Turnip Greens.

Have 108 plants of cabbage, collards, broccoli and kale planted and growing.

Will send out e-mail on furture PAR work day's with times.

Today’s Garden Quote:

"I grow plants for many reasons: to please my soul, to challenge the

elements or to challenge my patience, for novelty, or for nostalgia,

but mostly for the joy in seeing them grow."

~ David Hobson

https://www.bhg.com/shop/elements-b1759.html

The Rock Garden is a bi-monthly publication of the Rockdale County Master Gardener Association distributed quarterly.

Articles are encouraged and can be submitted to Pat Roling at [email protected] or through the Extension Office. Articles received within two weeks of publication may not appear until the following issue.

The Rockdale County Master Gardener Extension Volunteers are an organization of the Rockdale County Extension Office located at 1261 Commercial Drive, Suite A, Conyers, GA 30094.

Rockdale County UGA Extension Office 1261 Commercial Dr. , Suite A ▪ Conyers, GA 30094

(770) 278-7373

THE ROCK GARDEN

Get Involved … Stay Involved! Contact one of these Rockdale MGEVs to find out how!

RCMGEVA Officers:

President ............................................. Donna Powell

Vice Presidents ................... Marjean Levy & Gail Ward

Treasurer ............................................... Linda Nixon

Corresponding Secretary ............................. Judy Abell

Recording Secretary ......................... Vivian Cheatham

Historian .......................................... Charlene Hutson

3-Year Director ................................... Debbie Altman

2-Year Director .................................. Marti Colglaizer

1-Year Director ........................................... Pat Roling

Past President ................................ Cesare Matrundola

Projects & Committees:

Arboretum ............... Cesare Matrundola & Mary Carter

Cherry Blossom Festival ....................... Debbie Altman

Garden Planners ........................................ Pat Roling

MG Sprouts ............................................. Judy Skillern

Nancy Guinn Library ................................... Judy Abell

Newsletter & Gardening Booklet ..................... Pat Roling

Plant-A-Row (PAR) ................................ Ronnie Peden

Plant Sales (Spring & Fall) .................... Debbie Altman

Walk of Heroes ……………………………………….… Buddy Roebuck

Rockdale MGEV Projects

Plant-a-Row for the Hunrgy (PARH) Garden

Day/time: Schedule varies with time of year and weather

Project Leader: Ronnie Peden

Address: 1400 Parker Rd., Conyers, GA 30094

Garden is behind building next to tennis courts. Tools available.

Memorial Arboretum (Georgia Intl. Horse Park)

Day/time: Last Saturday of month 8 am

Project Leaders: Cesare Matrundola & Mary Carter

Address: 1996 Centennial Olympic Pkwy, Conyers, GA 30013

If possible, enter through Gate A on Gee Mills Rd. Take a right, go about a ¼ of a mile and park car near Memorial Arboretum sign. Bring your own tools.

Nancy Guinn Library

Day/time: 2nd & 4th Thursdays 8:30 am - 10:30 am

Project Leader: Judy Abell

Address: 864 Green St. SW, Conyers, GA 30012

Bring your own tools.

Walk of Heroes (Clarence Vaughn Memorial)

Day/time: flexible, Check Park for hours park is open.

Project Leader: Buddy Roebuck

Address: 3001 Black Shoals Rd. NE Conyers, GA 30012

There is a guard shack at entrance. After the guard, take an immediate RT. Go through the gate, take another right. Then park by the Helicopter. Bring your own tools.

An Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, Veteran, Disability Institution


Rockdale Master Gardener

Monthly Meetings

2nd Tuesday of the month at 10:00 am at the Extension Office

transitioning your lawn from summer to fall by james t ... · help maintain our usual beds in time...

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