[Ecks from Tex]

New to the forums. I am curious as to everyone's comprehensive lawn/garden program, what you use and when you use it, etc. For someone like me, who wants to have an elite lawn and landscaping but doesn't necessarily have the time to research it and do the work every week, I will gladly take any advise or constructive criticism so I can improve my program. I would also love to see your program and the equipment/products you use. I summarized my program below (this is something I wrote a while back and just kept it because I found it useful).

MY LAWN CARE & GARDENING PROGRAM:

Location: Texas Gulf Coast (Beaumont, Texas); rains often

Lawn: 15,000 Sq. Ft. St. Augustine (3/4 acre yard total; fair to say I have a ton of landscaping)

Landscaping/Beds:

• Shrubs/Flowers: 3 large rose beds, climbing roses, over 100 mature Azaleas, 2 Camellias, scores of non-flowering and flowering shrubs/bushes, extensive flower beds covered with Asian Jasmine groundcover

• Trees: 5 large Live Oaks, 1 White Oak, 2 Crape Myrtles, 1 Pine tree, 3 Texas Redbuds, 3-5 Cottonwood trees, 1 Birch tree, 1 Magnolia tree, 1 mature 10' tall Lime tree (dead due to freeze), 1 young Lemon tree, approximately 20 other smaller trees I've never identified (used as fence line cover/privacy

Primary Weeds/Invasive Species:

• Most troublesome: Virginia Buttonweed (deadly after Hurricane Harvey), localized Crabgrass, Annual Bluegrass

• Supressed: Poa Annua, Nutsedge, Japaneese Climbing Fern

• Controlled: various broadleaf weeds

Equipment Used:

• Toro Timemaster 30'

• Dewalt 40v String Trimmer (modified head)

• Dewalt 40v Hedger

• Dewalt 20v Blower

• Chapin 20v Backpack Sprayer

• Kobalt 80v Pole Saw

• Dewalt 40v Chainsaw

• Scotts Broadcast Spreader (lawn) + hand spreader (beds) (basic from big box store)

• Benzomatic Torch

• Greenworks Electric De-thatcher / power rake

Products/Chemicals Used

Pre-Emergents:

• Prodiamine 65 WDG

• Dithiopyr 40 WSB and/or 2L

• Pennant Magnum

• Snapshot 2.5 TG (beds)

Post-Emergents:

• Blindside

• Dismiss (mostly for beds)

• Celsius WG

• Sedgehammer Plus

• Glyphosate (as needed)

Insecticide/Fungicide

• Bifin IT and/or Talstar P

• Ferti-lome Broad Spectrum Landscape & Garden fungicide

Lawn Nutrients/Fertilizer/Maintenance

• Milorganite (primary)

• Ferti-lome Lawn Food Plus Iron 28-4-4 (occasional/once per year)

• Ferti-lome Winterizer for Established Lawns 25-0-6 (once per year if any)

• N-Ext RGS Soil and Plant Stimulant and N-Ext Humic 12

• N-Ext GreeNeEfFect 7-0-0

• N-Ext D-Thatch, N-Ext AIR-8, and Microlife Molases Blend with humates

• Potash, Iron, Lime, Gypsum, etc. (as needed)

Landscaping/Beds Nutrients/Fertilizer/Maintenance

• Ferti-lome Azalea/Evergreen Food with Systemic Insecticide 9-15-13

• Ferti-lome Tree & Shrub Food 19-8-10

• Ferti-lome Rose & Flower Food with Systemic Insecticide 14-12-11

• Ferti-lome Premium Bedding Plant Food 7-22-8

• Microlife Humates Plus and Microlife Seaweed Blend

• Microlife Power Bloom

ANNUAL PROGRAM SUMMARY

Winter (January)
[*] Prune trees and shrubs
[*] Mow leaves (bag for compost pile)
[*] Repair irrigation system (11 zones total)
[*] General cleanup/maintenance
[*] De-Thatch every 2 years (highest setting since St. Aug)

Late Winter(February)
[*]Mow low
[*]Apply Microlife Power Bloom to February bloomers (Azaleas, Lantana, Jasmine, Magnolia, etc.)
[*] Prune fruit trees
[*] Prune all roses mid-February (annual pruning)
[*] Apply Neem Oil to roses every 2-4 weeks

[*] Pre-Emergents:

• Lawn: 1st App of Prodiamine + N-Ext RGS

• Beds: 1st App Snapshot + Microlife Humates Plus + Seaweed Blend

[*] Post-Emergent:

• Lawn: 1st App of Blindside and/or Celsius (spot treat or blanket app if absolutely necessary)

• Beds: 1st App of Dismiss (as needed)

[*]Fertilization:

• 1st App Fertilome Tree & Shrub Food

• 1st App Fertilome Rose & Flower Food with Systemic Insecticide (and every few weeks thereafter)

Early Spring (March)
[*] Mulch beds (for summer)
[*] Plant citrus/fruit trees
[*]Plant: 15+ potted flowers and 10+ hanging flowers

[*]Fertilization:

• Lawn: 1st App Milorganite

• Lawn: 1st App N-Ext AIR-8

• Flower beds: 1st App Fertilome Premium Bedding Plant Food

[*]Post-Emergent:

• Lawn: 2nd App of Blindside + Sedgehammer Plus + 2nd App of N-Ext RGS tank mixed (if needed)

• Beds: 2nd App of Dismiss (if needed)

Spring (April - May)
[*] Mow 1-2 times/wk at 4 inches tall
[*] Apply Compost Accelerator and Microlife Molasses Blend to Compost Pile
[*]1st App Bifen IT/Talstar to lawn and beds
[*] Hand-prune roughly 100 Azaleas
[*] Continue to fertilize and maintain rose beds

[*]Pre-Emergents:

• Lawn: 1st App Pennant Magnum + 3rd App N-Ext RGS + 1st App Humic 12 + 2nd App AIR-8

• Beds: 2nd App Snapshot to landscape/beds

[*]Fertilization:

• Lawn: 2nd App Milorganite

• Lawn: 1st App Fertilome Lawn Food Plus Iron (if necessary)

• Azaleas: 1st App Fertilome Azalea/Evergreen Food with Systemic Insecticide

• Trees/Shrubs: 2nd App Fertilome Tree & Shrub Food (as needed)

Late Spring/Early Summer (June)
[*] Fertilization of lawn: 3rd App Milorganite to lawn
[*] Fertilization to Azaleas: 2nd App Fertilome Azalea/Evergreen Food (apply to select plants at 1/2 rate)
[*] Lawn Pre-Emergent: 1st App Dithiopyr + 4th App N-Ext RGS + 1st App N-Ext D-Thatch + Microlife Molasses
[*] Insecticide: 2nd App Bifen IT/Talstar if necessary
[*] 2nd pruning of all trees as needed in preparation for hurricane season
[*] Deep watering begins + install drip systems and root watering systems for trees (connected to irrigation zones)
[*] Prune/maintain roses + continue to protect and fertilize

Summer (July - September)
[*] Bed/Landscape Pre-Emergent: 3rd App of Snapshot to all beds/landscaping
[*] July lawn fertilization: 1st App N-Ext GreeNeEfFect + 2nd App N-Ext D-Thatch + RGS
[*] Late Sept. lawn fertilization: 4th App Milorganite
[*] Mow tall
[*] Clean beds and re-mulch
[*] Harvest citrus from lemon/lime trees + get drunk on Moscow Mules from said lemons
[*] Harvest herb garden and vacuum seal

Fall (October - November)
[*] Plant/transplant stuff: shrubs, flowering shrubs, trees, cool season annuals
[*] Lawn fertilization: 1st App Fertilome Winterizer for Established Lawns (end of Nov.)
[*] Winterize irrigation + beds

[*]Pre-Emergents:

• Lawn: 2nd App of Prodiamine (no more than 2 apps because you exceed annual maximum)

• Beds: 4th App of Snapshot

Winter (December)
[*] Continue to plant stuff/mulch beds
[*] Continue water program as needed
[*] Continue mowing monthly (bagging leaves)

 

[SCGrassMan]

This is a fantastic level of detail and I have stolen it.

I grew up in the Houston area and now I'm in SC so the plan will be similar here. Spent 23 years with the Yankees but they never turned me!

Tell me about Dismiss Vs Celsius - what are you using one vs the other for?

I use Bifenthrin granules on a 3/3/6 month rotation spring summer fall... but I also use suspend poly zone every two months or so (probably about due) around the foundation of the house and in the garage.

 

[Ecks from Tex]

Awesome! I'm still learning about the best way to apply insecticides; it is admittedly a weak spot in my program.

I prefer Dismiss in my ornamental beds and landscaping. I had so many beds that hand weeding was unsustainable, so I started to learn about herbicide ratings for ornamentals. I used Dismiss as a post-emergent in the beds because I did a really in depth comparison of the product labels of my main turf herbicides and Dismiss was rated safe for the largest amount of ornamentals and flowering shrubs. I figured it was the safest to apply, and it hasn't killed anything yet (whereas I did a small test area with Celsius and it stunted a small flowering shrub pretty bad)

Celsius is what I use on the turf if it's too hot for Blindside.

 

[tnlynch81]

Do you apply any pre-emergents to the lawn in the fall? If so which one?

 

[Ecks from Tex]

In the fall - Second app of Prodiamine. Probably my most important app of the year as it prevents having to harm the grass next spring trying to get winter broadleafs under control.

Actuallly I apply a 4th pre-em in the beds in the fall too. I updated my list since I forgot to put both

 

[SCGrassMan]

Awesome! I'm still learning about the best way to apply insecticides; it is admittedly a weak spot in my program.

I prefer Dismiss in my ornamental beds and landscaping. I had so many beds that hand weeding was unsustainable, so I started to learn about herbicide ratings for ornamentals. I used Dismiss as a post-emergent in the beds because I did a really in depth comparison of the product labels of my main turf herbicides and Dismiss was rated safe for the largest amount of ornamentals and flowering shrubs. I figured it was the safest to apply, and it hasn't killed anything yet (whereas I did a small test area with Celsius and it stunted a small flowering shrub pretty bad)

Celsius is what I use on the turf if it's too hot for Blindside.

OK, so Dismiss is for flower beds AND lawn, or just flower beds?

 

[Ecks from Tex]

Awesome! I'm still learning about the best way to apply insecticides; it is admittedly a weak spot in my program.

I prefer Dismiss in my ornamental beds and landscaping. I had so many beds that hand weeding was unsustainable, so I started to learn about herbicide ratings for ornamentals. I used Dismiss as a post-emergent in the beds because I did a really in depth comparison of the product labels of my main turf herbicides and Dismiss was rated safe for the largest amount of ornamentals and flowering shrubs. I figured it was the safest to apply, and it hasn't killed anything yet (whereas I did a small test area with Celsius and it stunted a small flowering shrub pretty bad)

Celsius is what I use on the turf if it's too hot for Blindside.

OK, so Dismiss is for flower beds AND lawn, or just flower beds?

Both. All of the typical cool and warm season grasses are rated as tolerant to it, but Dismiss is also specifically rated for certain ornamentals/flower beds and is advertised as such (Dismiss herbicide label: http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ld8PC007.pdf)

Dismiss product overview from label:

For Selective Weed Control in Turf Sites Including Residential and Institutional Lawns, Athletic Fields, Commercial Sod Farms, Golf Course Fairways and Roughs. Also for use as Selective Weed Control in Container and Field Grown Ornamental

Blindside, for example, is not rated for ornamentals and will kill your flowers/shrubs real quick. Blindside and Dismiss are similar products, but their active ingredients are substantially more potent in Blindside. The primary active ingredient in both is Sulfentrazone: it's in Blindside at 60% or .66 lbs per gallon of product while only 39.6% in Dismiss (Blindiside also has a secondary active ingredient of 6% Metsulfuron-methyl, which is very hard on flowers/shrubs). Dismiss is in general a little more "tame" and takes longer to see visible effects of an application, but it doesn't kill my roses, flowers, shrubs, etc.

So I prefer Blindside for my lawn because it is fast acting, but it will stunt the hell out of St. Aug grass so I never apply it past mid-April. Up until June, if there is a problem, I will apply Celsius to the lawn, as it is rated for slightly higher heat and in general is a little easier on the St. Aug grass. Dismiss is similar, but takes longer than Celsius to act in my experience. So I only use Dismiss on the landscape/beds, but it is perfectly acceptable to use Dismiss on the turf. If you didn't mind waiting a few weeks longer to kill the weeds, you could conceivably mix Dismiss and apply to your lawn and rated ornamental simultaneously. I just hate waiting because the window of acceptable temperatures is small in my region. Don't have time to wait and make sure the job was done sometimes.

On the landscape/beds, I like to apply Dismiss with my typical micro-nutrients/humic products, give it a week, apply new mulch to kill off the rest of the weeds and an application of pre-emergent on top of the mulch (not as helpful to apply pre-em before mulch because the weeds will grow out of the mulch).

 

[SCGrassMan]

Awesome dude, thanks for the detailed info! I'll have to pick up some Dismiss.

 

[Ecks from Tex]

Good luck man; apply cautiously at first if a flower is not specifically rated as "tolerant" by the label. 9 times out of 10 I've found it does fine.

 

[CenlaLowell]

What I see missing is a fungicide program do you use any? Just wondering how should approach this next year because blanket spraying a fungicide on my yard is going to get expensive quick. So do you only spray a fungicide when you see something trying to develop? @Ecks from Tex

 

[Ecks from Tex]

What I see missing is a fungicide program do you use any? Just wondering how should approach this next year because blanket spraying a fungicide on my yard is going to get expensive quick. So do you only spray a fungicide when you see something trying to develop? Ecks from Tex

I don't spray every 14 or 28 days like some. It's just not necessary. I spray before significant rains come and I spray when I see disease.

 

[samjonester]

What I see missing is a fungicide program do you use any? Just wondering how should approach this next year because blanket spraying a fungicide on my yard is going to get expensive quick. So do you only spray a fungicide when you see something trying to develop? Ecks from Tex

I don't spray every 14 or 28 days like some. It's just not necessary. I spray before significant rains come and I spray when I see disease.

What fungicides do you rotate between with an on-demand schedule like that?

 

[Ecks from Tex]

What I see missing is a fungicide program do you use any? Just wondering how should approach this next year because blanket spraying a fungicide on my yard is going to get expensive quick. So do you only spray a fungicide when you see something trying to develop? Ecks from Tex

I don't spray every 14 or 28 days like some. It's just not necessary. I spray before significant rains come and I spray when I see disease.

What fungicides do you rotate between with an on-demand schedule like that?

When I see disease, I come in with a multi-side/broad spectrum fungicide like Bio-Safe ZeroTol for the lawn and Mancozeb for the roses/flowers. I sometimes tank mix it in with the targeted fungicide rotation.

As far as the chemicals I rotate:

Myclobutanil (Myclobutanil 20 EW/Eagle 20)

Thiophanate Methyl (Clearys 3336F)

Azoxystrobin 22.9% (Aoxy)

If it's bad, I nearly always double up with an organic/OMRI from a different mode of action.

 

[Suburban Jungle Life]

I don't spray every 14 or 28 days like some. It's just not necessary. I spray before significant rains come and I spray when I see disease.

What fungicides do you rotate between with an on-demand schedule like that?

When I see disease, I come in with a multi-side/broad spectrum fungicide like Bio-Safe ZeroTol for the lawn and Mancozeb for the roses/flowers. I sometimes tank mix it in with the targeted fungicide rotation.

As far as the chemicals I rotate:

Myclobutanil (Myclobutanil 20 EW/Eagle 20)

Thiophanate Methyl (Clearys 3336F)

Azoxystrobin 22.9% (Aoxy)

If it's bad, I nearly always double up with an organic/OMRI from a different mode of action.

Nice rotation! :thumbup:

 

[Ecks from Tex]

What fungicides do you rotate between with an on-demand schedule like that?

When I see disease, I come in with a multi-side/broad spectrum fungicide like Bio-Safe ZeroTol for the lawn and Mancozeb for the roses/flowers. I sometimes tank mix it in with the targeted fungicide rotation.

As far as the chemicals I rotate:

Myclobutanil (Myclobutanil 20 EW/Eagle 20)

Thiophanate Methyl (Clearys 3336F)

Azoxystrobin 22.9% (Aoxy)

If it's bad, I nearly always double up with an organic/OMRI from a different mode of action.

Nice rotation! :thumbup:

Means a lot coming from the Godfather of Fungi Rotations :lol:

 

[Suburban Jungle Life]

Means a lot coming from the Godfather of Fungi Rotations :lol:

:shock: Thanks for the vote of confidence! I don't know about all that though...

 

[Greyleafspot]

I normally follow randy Lemmons schedule.

 

[CenlaLowell]

Does anybody use 0-0-50 as a preventative of fungus? I read somewhere that this works.