By Brian Burghardt, Vice President and Director of Operations, Rockaway Sustainable Landscaping
As we head into September, Northeast Florida landscapes are nearing the end of what has been a particularly challenging summer growing season.
August brought more extreme heat than we would have preferred, with numerous days reaching heat indexes above 100 degrees. Those conditions were difficult for our crews working in the field and placed additional stress on turf, shrubs and other plant material.
The encouraging news is that rainfall improved during August. While the rain has remained inconsistent, landscapes generally received more moisture than they did in July. That additional rainfall has helped properties recover from some of the drought stress experienced earlier in the summer.
Overall, our landscapes have responded well considering the combination of drought restrictions, extreme heat and inconsistent rainfall we’ve experienced this year.
September Turf Care
September marks our eighth agronomic application of the season. Our agronomics team will apply a granular fertilizer to turf areas to encourage color, healthy growth and continued recovery.
This is particularly important after a difficult year for turf. Some lawns are still recovering from a combination of winter freeze damage, drought stress and chinch bug activity.
The objective now is to strengthen the turf during the remaining growing season and help it enter the cooler months as healthy as possible.
We generally have about two more months of active growing conditions before entering what we consider the non-growing season after October. Continued rainfall combined with proper fertilization should give turf an opportunity to recover and develop good color before growth begins slowing.
Monitoring for Sod Webworms and Other Pests
Our previous agronomic application included Acelepryn Extra, which provides protection against several turf-damaging insects.
Sod webworm activity often becomes more noticeable during September, but so far we have seen relatively little activity. We are optimistic that the preventive treatment will continue providing good protection as we move through the month.
Our agronomics team will also continue inspecting properties for chinch bugs and other insect activity and responding to treatment requests as necessary.
The key is not simply treating problems after significant damage becomes visible. Regular monitoring allows our team to identify developing issues and respond before they become larger landscape problems.
September Shrub and Plant Fertilization
September is also an important month for fertilizing shrubs and ornamental plant material.
For many plants, Rockaway uses an 8-2-12 palm-special granular fertilizer that contains a strong micronutrient package. Those micronutrients can be especially beneficial for plants such as loropetalum and roses, helping improve color and overall plant health.
Timing matters.
Applying fertilizer in September gives plants an opportunity to take advantage of the remaining growing season while still allowing new growth enough time to harden before colder winter temperatures arrive.
Making the Most of the Remaining Growing Season
September represents an important transition point for Northeast Florida landscapes.
We are moving beyond the most intense portion of summer, but we still have enough warm weather and growing time to improve turf health, strengthen plant material and address problems that developed during the heat and drought.
Our maintenance, irrigation and agronomics teams will continue watching individual properties closely and adjusting as conditions change.
After everything Northeast Florida landscapes have experienced this year, the goal for September is straightforward: use the remaining growing season to help landscapes recover, strengthen and head into fall in the best condition possible.