Sod Webworm Damage in Kingwood, TX
Sod webworms are rampant across the Houston area right now and many customers have asked us how to permanently get rid of these pests. Not sure what sod webworms are or what trouble they might cause your lawn?
Is trouble plaguing your yard? It could be pests like chinch bugs or sod webworms. Be aware of suspicious areas in your yard that could indicate a problem. Cyonara or Bug Blaster can rid your landscape of these pests, but catching a problem early is the first step.
To catch a problem before it advances to a level that requires a lot of your time and attention, you should be out in your yard frequently. Warren’s Southern Gardens believes that hand-watering is a great way for you to spend time in your landscape inspecting the condition of your plants and lawn. At least twice a week, try to hand water in your yard and you’ll likely spot problem areas sooner. [Read more…]
The three numbers you see on fertilizers indicate the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrients in the blend. All plants have different needs, but one thing’s for sure: fertilizers make a huge difference!
There are 17 essential nutrients for plant life, but these three are needed the most because plants use larger amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Each nutrient provides a different benefit to plants.
First, nitrogen is the key to the rich green color and leafy growth in lawns and other plants. Too little nitrogen can result in pale lawns and foliage, while too much nitrogen can diminish blooms on flowering plants. Next, phosphorus is essential for strong roots, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Lastly, potassium boosts growth overall and helps keep plants healthy and balanced.
Since higher quantities of nitrogen are needed for a lush, green turf, you’ll notice that lawn fertilizers have a higher number in front.
More phosphorus and potassium is necessary for abundant fruit and vegetables. Additionally, flowering bulbs and plants depend on a higher phosphorus count. So you’ll notice higher numbers in the middle and end for fertilizers geared for those plants.
Alternatively, there are fertilizer blends that offer a balanced combination of the three nutrients for overall garden application.
Although some fertilizers list a specific plant or use on the bag or container, pay attention to the nutrient blend. Yes, azalea food is amazing for azaleas. But, guess what? It also works wonders for so many other plants!
Furthermore, since hibiscus food is so high in potassium, it’s also perfect for most other tropical plants.
By learning what the different fertilizer numbers mean, you can experience better success in your gardening endeavors. Stay tuned for educational programs coming soon to Warren’s that will help you start a feeding schedule so your lawn and garden can reach its full potential.
In the meantime, to learn more, call 281-354-6111 or visit the Garden Center.
We officially entered the spring season this week, and we’ve all been blessed with glorious weather to celebrate the new life this time of year brings. There are buds galore, bright colors, and new foliage everywhere you look.
Now is an ideal time to get outdoors and walk around your landscape to see if your plants and trees are trying to tell you what they need.
To spend more time in your yard “talking” to your plants and trees, try hand watering. So many of us enjoy irrigation systems that are extremely convenient, of course, but sometimes keep us from getting outside before a minor problem turns into a big one.
Some obvious problems like scale, alga spot, insect infestations, and more can get out of hand quickly. Other times, plants and trees have subtle indicators that something isn’t quite right.
For example, we get a lot of questions at the Garden Center about the fuzzy growth on tree trunks.
What is it? The gray or green moss-like growth is typically lichens. Lichens form when fungus and algae (or bacteria) on the tree forge a symbiotic relationship. Lichens are quite harmless and there is no control method needed. But, the presence of lichens could be a sign of other issues.
Does it mean the tree is sick? The answer is usually no, but its presence is a significant clue to the health of the tree and could be an indicator of more serious problems.
The health of any plant or tree starts in the soil. When soil compaction occurs, the root systems are unable to take in the oxygen necessary to thrive. Particularly for the greater-Houston region, soil compaction is a widespread issue now more than ever because of the heavy rainfall and flooding that occurred during Hurricane Harvey.
When it’s hard for plants and trees to breath, all their energy goes to surviving instead of flourishing.
Core aeration is a great solution! You could even try something as simple as a one-inch drill bit with an electric drill to get holes in the soil, but it must pull up the soil. If you don’t do core aeration, you’ll compact the soil even more and worsen the problem.
Then, introduce microbes to the soil with a high-quality organic compost, humates, or dry molasses.
Gardening is an ongoing effort that is often a matter of trial and error. Fortunately, Warren’s Southern Gardens has experts on staff who have the experience and knowledge to share what works with you. Stop by the Garden Center today or call 281-354-6111 to learn more. We’ll get you growing!
Humates are now widely considered by horticultural professionals as the single best product you can use for sustainable gardening. What are humates and why should you give organics a try?
Humates are natural substances formed over thousands, or even millions, of years that create organic matter composed of several forms of carbon. Humification is the decomposition and breakdown of animal and plant life, resulting in a combination of organic acids, amino sugars, and peptides.
The very complex nature of humates contains a variety of concentrated nutrients. As a result, these compounds encourage plant development and growth.
Humates promote stronger root systems and resistance to disease, fungal infections, and drought. In fact, humates increase the oxygen level in soil, which encourages micro-organism activity that provides aeration and better absorption by the plant roots. Of course, we know that oxygen is produced by plants during photosynthesis – but roots also require oxygen to survive.
“When it’s harder for plants to breath, all their energy is put into survival instead of flourishing.”
Based on all the benefits, humates are a great choice for all plants! But, we’ll focus on reviving our lawns using humates and organic material. As plants and grass return from winter dormancy, homeowners are starting to see the residual effects of Hurricane Harvey and the back-to-back freezes we had this winter.
The cumulative damage from those combined events has wreaked havoc on our landscapes. Even if your yard didn’t flood during the hurricane, our area received an unprecedented amount of rainfall that overwhelmed plant life.
Now, you might be wondering if you have Take All, Brown Patch, or some other fungal disease plaguing your yard. If you’re seeing irregular growth patterns in which some areas of your lawn appear healthy and other sections of grass are brown, you should address the issue now. As we start seeing warmer temperatures in the area, there’s potential for further lawn damage if it’s ignored.
But, there’s good news! Applying humates to your lawn will address any fungal lawn disease you may have as we enter the spring season. And, as an added bonus, you’ll likely see fewer weeds in your yard this summer too.
First, start by raking your lawn thoroughly. Then, you can place humates in a granular spreader to disperse across your lawn. You’ll want to reapply humates often, perhaps twice a year or even every other month if you wish.
The truth is, using organics in lawn care and gardening is an ongoing labor of love. It takes time for microbes to break down, but most people want rapid results. Chemicals and fertilizers may be beneficial used on a specific schedule at certain times, but an ongoing organics system will provide the most long-lasting and dependable results.
Luckily, the horticultural experts at Warren’s can help you every step of the way to select the right organic products for your needs and implement an organics regimen.
The Garden Center currently features several products with humates. Check out MicroLife Humates Plus or Stimulate from Soil Mender with humates and dry molasses.
Keep in mind, we want you to succeed! Most of all, we want your gardening efforts to be worthwhile! And, our experts know that using organics regularly will get you there. Stop by the Garden Center or give our staff a call 281-354-6111 to learn more.
Proper lawn diagnosis is the key to solving any turf issues you have. Without knowing the problem, and sometimes there are several, it’s difficult to appropriately treat the lawn. Often, people try to determine the problems they’re having on their own, only to throw away money on products that are not meant for their lawn.
So how do you get a sample from your yard? Is it really worth the time and effort?
Hurricane Harvey certainly left its toll on the greater Houston region. Our lawns and plants weren’t spared from the devastation. For many, lawns safe from flood water are now being destroyed by storm debris.
So how do you figure out what survived? Is anything in our yards salvageable? Surprisingly, in some cases, the answer is yes!
Sod webworms are rampant across the Houston area right now and many customers have asked us how to permanently get rid of these pests. Not sure what sod webworms are or what trouble they might cause your lawn?
Our summer lawn care guide can help you have the prettiest yard on the street.High heat is part of living in Texas, and now is a good time to look at your yard and others in our area, and see what plants are doing great and which ones have been struggling. Depending on what you find a little makeover for your yard may be in order.
For our March Lawn RX it’s all about Feeding your lawn and getting rid of the weeds in your lawn. We want you to put down our favorite lawn food Nitro-Phos Imperial Fertilizer 15-5-10 to get a jump start on a lush green lawn. We also want you to put down our favorite weed control – Barricade® 4FL Herbicide to control the weeds before they start! Spring is a great time to get your yard prepared for the heat of Texas summers, by getting it fed, and getting it weed free. When you follow a consistent lawn fertilizing and weeding schedule you will have a lush green lawn that can handle whatever weather conditions are sent our way.