Finally the temp’s are more uniform and warmer. Or, at least May ended that way. Maybe now I can get the grass all the same color and growing at the same speed. The farm is not flat and when temp’s bounce between 40 and 80, with the incessant wind, every slope and bump wants to grow differently. The situation is not very noticeable in a yard, even a large yard, but in a 130 acre circle certain areas stand out like a sore thumb.
Anyway, if we have a normal June, things will settle down. The lawn care calendar will prove itself to be a “steady Eddy” again. Those who tried to force color with extra fertilizer will be mowing 3 times a week trying to catch up.
Who know how the crabgrass control will work out? With the kind of spring we had, the correct timing of the application was just a guess. Luck will be a major factor there, (I’d rather be lucky than good anyway).
Irrigation is up to 3 times per week. Sudden spikes in temp’s can cause the grass to brown a little but a syringe cycle or two will solve that. There could be more weeds this summer than in others because of the lat rains and cooler weather.
Business has been steady but will probably fall off in July and August just like it has for 25 years. The economy doesn’t look any stronger to me than it did last year. Good, solid contractors are working steady or even seeing a little increase. The shysters are laying off, which is not always good because the laid-off go get their own white pickups and try to out bid the low ballers, (The cycle goes round and round.)
My birthday is coming up again (no presents please) and I have a little wish list; (1)oil prices hold steady, (2) all the incumbents get voted out, (3) Wall Street gets some rules, and (4) business gets a little style back. I think (4) is the most troubling. I have been a businessman for 48 years and this “low-bid, I-don’t-care” attitude combined with the increasing lack of courtesy is not a good thing. Maybe, when the candles go out…………….(although, Jaclyn Smith still hasn’t called.)
Later
]]>May is on the way, (Hah...... a poet and don't even know it), but it is a little hard to tell with the cold, wind, and rain. Oh well, another Tri-City spring has sprung.
Still watering the yard only once/week and the fertilizer is down but not working well yet. The soil temp's. are just not warm enough for things to be running at speed.
]]>I always want to write something for April's Fool but we never seem to get this out in time so the joke would be dated. Sort of like me..........really, really dated.
Anyway, April is here and spring has started, albeit in sort of fits and starts. Warmer days than usual but cold nights and cold rain. The soil temps keep bouncing from 45 to 55 and it has thrown a loop at the timing of applications. By timing I mean like when to put on fert and pre-emergent herbicides. Fertilizer doesn't work very well unless soils stay constant around 50 degrees. I've put some on to experiment and haven't had very good success. (Still relying on the winter application from last year.)
]]>January has sure been cold and rainy. I hope there is a little more sun in February, I am getting tired of dim and damp.
Let's talk about grass (about have to, I don't know much else). There are warm season grasses and cool season grasses. Warm season grasses are bermudas, zoysia, kikuyu, and buffalo grass. (There are others but these are the ones most talked about.) This group looks good when temps are above 65 and, in hot climates, are the only ones to survive the extended heat. In the south, they look good for about 6-7 months. In the north they are okay for about 4 months. The rest of the time they are dormant (brown).
]]>One New Year, coming right up. I hope everyone had a good Christmas. I did but now I have to lose a few pounds. (Never met a cookie that I didn't like.) And I am now ready for winter to be over.
It has been downright chilly. (Cold enough to use jumper cables on the toaster.) We did get sod out just before Christmas and plan on covering everyone again in January if it warms up just a little. Call the office, leave a number and we will call you the minute we can cut. If it doesn't warm up then you might check out
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