Less Water, More Money

 

            Conservation is one of the best solutions to reduce your water bills during our hot and usually dry Texas summers. By watering, fertilizing and mowing your lawn properly, you can reduce your water bill by as much as 30 percent. Rather than going to extreme measures and not watering the lawn, try another option that will still give the desired result and save water. Simply, water the right way and at the right time. 

            What can a homeowner do to reduce water bills this summer?  The first thing is to identify the symptoms of drought stress.  Look for discoloration and wilting.  If leaves roll up in the late afternoon and imprints of footprints remain after walking across the lawn, then water within the next 24 hours.

Most homeowners water incorrectly by either watering too little too often or by watering too much at one time.  Watering small amounts with more frequency causes grass to develop shallow roots.  On the other hand, excessive watering will cause run off.  Regardless, both methods can increase susceptibility to insects, fungus and disease.  On another note, use irrigation devices that produce large drops or heavy streams of water. Fine mists and small drops of water have a greater chance of evaporating and not making their way down into the soil. Learning how to identify water stress symptoms and applying the appropriate amount will prolong the life of the lawn and decrease maintenance costs. 

So, how much water do I apply and for how long do I set the timer?  Research shows that turf requires 1 inch of water per week to sustain healthy vigorous growth. With that said, if it rains 2 inches on any given day, we technically should not have to water for 2 weeks.  You notice I said “technically”.  There are other factors that influence the amount of water retained in the soil.  These include evaporation, soil type and plant water-use requirements just to name a few and not get too technical.  Now back to the initial question.  In heavy clay soils, irrigating for 15 to 20 minutes or less may be necessary to prevent excessive run off.  An easy way to determine how long you will need to water is to place a couple of coffee cans or a rain gauge in the yard and measure how much water is accumulated in a predetermined amount of time.  This will allow you to gauge how long to water each time you irrigate.  Established grasses with good root systems should be able to survive two or three days between water events.  One good tool to use is the “Cycle-Soak” method.  This is a great strategy that allows water to penetrate further down into the soil column.  For a simple explanation, let’s say you are watering twice a week and use the Cycle-Soak method.  After performing an irrigation audit, you determine that it takes 10 minutes to apply ¼ inch of water.  So, we can deduce that we will have to water the grass for 20 minutes twice a week.  The Cycle-Soak method would be done by applying irrigation for 10 minutes and then turning off the water for a period of time and then turning it back on for another ten minutes to complete the second cycle.  The two water cycles will add up to ½ inch of water for one day of watering.  The second water event of the week will be done the same way and will add up to 1 inch of water per week.  By doing this, you should be able to increase your conservation effort without sacrificing your lawn.

            Cutting back on lawn fertilization can also reduce water consumption.  Applying fertilizer in the spring and fall will generally keep your lawn healthy and attractive.  Fertilizing during the summer, especially with high nitrogen fertilizer, will green-up your lawn, but will also make it grow faster, use more water and require additional mowing.

            Mowing less often and cutting your grass at taller heights will also help keep your lawn in better shape during hot, dry weather.  St. Augustine grass does well when mowed at two to three inches in height, and Bermuda grass can be cut at one and one half to two inches in height.  Proper lawn maintenance combined with a good watering program will result in a healthy, attractive lawn while conserving water.

Are You Ready?

Hurricane Preparedness for Home Landscapes

Most of us are watching the tropics in anticipation of a developing storm. When and where it may strike, keeps us watching the weather. Distant memories of hurricane Katrina and hurricane Ike has makes us realize the importance of preparation. Routine maintenance around the yard can speed up last-minute preparations for a storm. So, how do we protect our assets and allow for better response times from emergency and cleanup crews in our community?  A few weeks ago I was walking around the neighborhood, looking at landscapes, as usual, when I realized that most of the landscapes had many items that will become airborne during high winds.  This short walk around the block became a good column to remind us how to prepare for the worst and to be proactive in the event of a storm.  Walk around your neighborhood and ask yourself “Will that withstand 100mph winds and where will it land after it becomes airborne?”

Checklist for hurricane preparation in landscapes           

Number 1: Trim out all dead wood from your trees and remove sick or diseased trees.   These branches can break off during heavy winds and cause damage to your home. One thing I would like to mention. Carefully evaluate removal of limbs and trees. Your safety is very important and some jobs may appear easier than what they truly can be.  It will be worth your time to get several estimates from different tree trimming companies. Keep in mind there are two questions that need to be asked when getting estimates.  A. Do they utilize the three cut method? B. Is their company insured? The three cut method is utilized to minimize damage to the tree. C. Is the company insured? An insured tree trimming company protects its workers, rather than a mishap falling under your homeowner’s insurance. Diseased trees with decaying trunks or limbs are considered hazard trees and should be removed.  Weak or diseased trees will uproot or break during high winds.  Where do you think these trees will fall?  Since winds from storms typically come from multiple directions, it is possible that the tree may end up in your home or your neighbors’ homes. Eliminating these trees will help keep homes intact and keep water penetration into your home at a minimum.  

Number 2: Remove or secure all patio furniture and other yard art.  Small potted plants and decorative garden pieces can become projectiles that will contribute to additional property damage.  Garden art and patio furniture can be thrown around, especially in backyards and damage the home landscape.  Limiting the amount of flying debris will also minimize damage to landscape plants, which will increase the chances of survival after a storm.

Number 3: Remove and secure other items around the home.  So you ask, “What’s left?”  (Small pieces of wood, wind chimes, trellises, bird houses, water features, BBQ pits, bird feeders, garden hoses, sprinklers and yard tools.) If you have children, let’s not forget all of the play equipment and toys that are around the yard.  Even trampolines and pools need to be taken into consideration.

Regular maintenance around the home can save you time, when it comes to preparing for a storm.  Periodic inspection and maintenance of the roof, fascia boards and siding will also decrease or minimize flying debris.  Taking these steps will help give emergency and cleanup crews prompt access to our city in the event of a hurricane.  This will also allow citizens quicker access their neighborhoods and homes.  ARE YOU PREPARED?  If you would like more information on preparing for disasters, here are several websites and phone numbers for references: 

Preparing for the Unexpected - https://agrilifebookstore.org/

Texas AgriLife Extension and Texas Dept. of State Health Services sponsored publication for preparing for disasters.

2-1-1 Texas First Call For Help - www.211.org or Dial 2-1-1

For non-emergency information and referral. Information on evacuation routes and locations of food and shelter during a disaster will be available.

Texas Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) - http://texashelp.tamu.edu  Provides access to resources on disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Federal Emergency Management Agency - http://www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/   Provides resources for all types of disaster information, as well as information about different types of disasters.

American Humane Society Animal Emergency Service - www.americanhumane.org

Provides rescue and support services for pets and other animals during and after a disaster.

PREPARE FOR FALL VEGETABLE GARDEN

Do not count yourself out when it comes to planting a fall vegetable garden.  This past spring and summer has taken a toll on vegetable gardens.  The drought and heat put many vegetable gardens in harm’s way.  There are several things that will help you will have a successful fall garden.

Start with a plan

Putting a little thought into the selection of vegetable will allow you to properly space your vegetables and allow for better production.  Drawing a diagram on a seasonal basis will allow you to keep track of what vegetables were planted and where they were located in the garden.  Keep in mind that certain crops need to be rotated around the garden.  For example, tomatoes should be located in a location that was not used for tomato production last season.  Moving them around will decrease potential infestations of nematodes, bacterial and fungal problems.  Also, keeping additional detailed information about the crop will help you determine which vegetable did well in your situation.

Prepare your soil

Doing some preparation to the soil is a must.  Now would be a great time to add additional soil amendments to your garden.  Adding compost is a great addition that will help break up soil that has been dormant or lacks the proper texture and drainage.   Compost comes in many forms. Compost can be bought in the forms of cotton burr compost, composted manure or even in bulk form from the J.C. Elliot landfill. Whichever you choose, add at least 3-5 inches to the soil and till or work it into the soil.  By doing this, you will notice the soil structure change.  This will help your vegetable beds stay productive for seasons to come.

Vegetable Selection

Many varieties of vegetables can be purchased at local garden centers and nurseries every season.  Some good producing tomatoes are Celebrity, Tycoon and Better boy.  Of course there are others, it just depends on the type of tomato you want to grow.  There are large, medium and cherry varieties available.  To be successful, choose varieties that are listed for our area. A list of fall vegetable varieties that perform well in our area can be obtained from the Texas AgriLife Extension Service office.

Planting time

The best time to start planting is starting August 15th.  However, environmental factors can move that date around a little.  The last week in August and week in September will be a good time to start planting.  Keep in mind that these dates are general and can be altered.  In fact, there is a consideration that most vegetable gardeners can apply. We have always heard the saying "don't put all your eggs in one basket".  Well, there is common theory with vegetable gardening.  Every season I hear gardeners talk about having too many vegetables at one time.  Have you ever had so many tomatoes that you lose them to rot or simply are unable to give them away fast enough?  One thing that can be done is to stagger the planting dates of your vegetables.  For example, plant new plants in the garden on two week intervals.  Doing this will have several benefits.  First, the vegetable will be able to be harvested at different time frames and will prolong harvest throughout the season.  Secondly, vegetables prone to insect and fungal problems during a certain growth stage or environmental factor (wind, humidity, etc.) will not be as severely affected as others planted at different times.

Drought & Trees!!

How do you know if your trees have been impacted by the drought? What do we look for? Now that spring is in full swing, I have noticed that many trees (Oaks, Citrus, etc.) have a less than vigorous appearance with a lack of vegetation. Below is a recent news release by the Texas Forest Service.

April 3, 2012

Did your tree survive the drought? How to assess your tree this spring

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Now that spring has sprung, it’s time to take a look at your trees — and if you don’t see any green, it may be time to make some hard decisions.

Trees across the state began to wilt last summer as the Lone Star State underwent one of the worst droughts in recorded history. Some trees went into early dormancy, dropping their leaves and branches in a desperate act of self-preservation. Others died.

At the time, it was difficult — even for tree experts — to tell the difference between dormant and dead. But now that spring is here and many trees are flourishing with the recent rains, the distinction is much easier to make.

“Green is good,” Texas Forest Service Urban Forestry Manager John Giedraitis said. “If all the trees around you are green and your tree is still bare and leafless, it’s probably not going to make a comeback.”

Surviving shade trees — oaks, elms and other hardwood trees are common examples — will have shed all or most of last year’s leaves and will be breaking buds, flowering and sprouting new, green leaves. Pecan, hickory, ash and mesquite trees are often the last to sprout new leaves, but even these species should be turning green within the next couple of weeks.

Dead shade trees won’t have any new growth. Though they may still have dead, brown leaves, there won’t be any green leaves in the crown or at the ends of the branches, which will make them standout when compared with neighboring, living trees.

These trees also may have patches of bark that have fallen off the trunk and exposed a brown or gray fungus underneath. This fungus — known as hypoxylon canker — is common on dead or dying post oaks and water oaks.

Dead pine and cedar trees — as well as other needle-bearing conifer trees — will be covered in red or brown needles. Once all or most of the needles turn from green to red, the tree can’t recover.

If you have a dead tree that is close to a house or other structure on which it might fall, it is a safety concern and removal should be considered. If you‘re not sure if your tree is dead, check out our facebook photo album to see examples or contact a certified arborist.

Last year, Texas Forest Service tree experts estimated as many as 500 million rural forest trees and another 5.6 million urban shade trees had died from the drought. Foresters currently are studying aerial imagery to refine the number of trees killed by drought. Those results are expected later this year.

###

Texas Forest Service Contacts:
John Giedraitis, Urban Forestry Manager in College Station

FREE SOIL TEST for Corpus Christi Residents

The Real Dirt!!!

Yes.. it is true. For a limited time only.
FREE SOIL TEST!!

The Corpus Christi Storm Water Department is sponsoring up to 200 individual soil tests for residents of Corpus Christi from January 1 - January 31, 2012. The same analysis at the normal rate would be 10$.

"Excess fertilizer can pollute storm water runoff. As part of the effort to reduce the introduction of fertilizers into receiving bodies of water, the Storm Water Department and Texas AgriLife Extension Center are co-sponsoring free soil testing during the month of January 2012."

Corpus Christi residents can pick up soil testing kits at local plant retailers and can turn in their samples at one of three locations:

• City Hall
  
• Water Utilities Building (2726 Holly),
  
• Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Robstown. (710 E. Main Ave.)

This is a great opportunity form every gardener and "yardener" to take advantage of a great service that will save everyone money, time and the environment.

It's time to get the facts!
What fertilizer do you choose and how much do you REALLY need?

The answers are ahead.........

Pick up your FREE...(DID I SAY FREE!!!!!) soil test campaign packet at local nurseries and get head start on the spring green-up.

Happy Gardening!!

TURFGRASS IRRIGATION MANAGMENT

Information through the City of Corpus Christ Water Department and the Nueces River Authority indicated that a household uses approximately 165 gallons of water per day. This equals 60,000 gallons of water used per residence. Potentially, half of the yearly consumption of water is used to irrigate landscapes.

Water conservation, in times of drought, drives targeted educational programs to address needs of local clientele. A recent survey of Nueces Master Gardener Interns suggested that turgrass from 11 participants was watered 2 times the amount recommended. The average lawn size of the participants was 725 square feet accounting for an average of 451 gallons of water that is required on a weekly basis if the minimum application rate of 1” of water is applied. Potential water usage for each homeowner should be 23,452 gallons of water used on a lawn. However, results of the survey showed that twice the recommended rate of 46,904 gallons was applied by each residence. A 50% water savings is assumed.

Implementing Best Management Practices and performing irrigation audits will save the participants approximately 30% on their current irrigation water usage bills on a yearly basis. Proper application techniques such as:

· Watering when turfgrass shows symptoms of drought stress.

· Watering in the early morning between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.

· Performing an irrigation audit.

· Reduce watering during cooler months

Better awareness reduces the impact on the watershed that supplies a growing population. In addition, the same principles and techniques can be utilized to the rest of the landscape.

It is up to us to preserve our natural resources.

Resources

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/docs/pubs/audit.pdfhttp://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/drought/lawns_water_2010.pdf

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/drought/water_efficient_practices_2010.pdf

Planning for Fall Vegetable Gardens

Do not count yourself out when it comes to planting a fall vegetable garden. This past spring and summer has taken a toll on vegetable gardens. The drought and heat put many vegetable gardens in harm’s way. There are several things that will help you will have a successful fall garden.

Start with a plan

Putting a little thought into the selection of vegetable will allow you to properly space your vegetables and allow for better production. Drawing a diagram on a seasonal basis will allow you to keep track of what vegetables were planted and where they were located in the garden. Keep in mind that certain crops need to be rotated around the garden. For example, tomatoes should be located in a location that was not used for tomato production last season. Moving them around will decrease potential infestations of nematodes, bacterial and fungal problems. Also, keeping additional detailed information about the crop will help you determine which vegetable did well in your situation.

Prepare your soil

Doing some preparation to the soil is a must. Now would be a great time to add additional soil amendments to your garden. Adding compost is a great addition that will help break up soil that has been dormant or lacks the proper texture and drainage. Compost comes in many forms. Compost can be bought in the forms of cotton burr compost, composted manure or even in bulk form from the J.C. Elliot landfill. Whichever you choose, add at least 3-5 inches to the soil and till or work it into the soil. By doing this, you will notice the soil structure change. This will help your vegetable beds stay productive for seasons to come.

Vegetable Selection

Many varieties of vegetables can be purchased at local garden centers and nurseries every season. If you would like to get an idea of the different vegetables and the varieties that can be grown in your county, go to http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/veg_variety/. This selector will allow you view the vegetables and varieties that will perform well in your county.

Planting time
The best time to start planting is starting August 15th. However, environmental factors can move that date around a little. The last week in August and week in September will be a good time to start planting. Keep in mind that these dates are general and can be altered. In fact, there is a consideration that most vegetable gardeners can apply.

We have always heard the saying "don't put all your eggs in one basket". Well, there is common theory with vegetable gardening. Every season I hear gardeners talk about having too many vegetables at one time. Have you ever had so many tomatoes that you lose them to rot or simply are unable to give them away fast enough? One thing that can be done is to stagger the planting dates of your vegetables. For example, plant new plants in the garden on two week intervals. Doing this will have several benefits. First, the vegetable will be able to be harvested at different time frames and will prolong harvest throughout the season. Secondly, vegetables prone to insect and fungal problems during a certain growth stage or environmental factor (wind, humidity, etc.) will not be as severely affected as others planted at different times.

Happy Gardening!