Lawns, Watering & Irrigation

No, you should not rely solely on an automatic system during the first growing season. The root zone is still limited to the original container size and may only receive around 13% of the water other established plants get. Supplement with direct hand-watering at the base of the plant, particularly during the hot Mid-South summer. Memphis clay can look moist on the surface while the root ball itself is dry, so check the soil near the trunk directly rather than judging by the surrounding ground.

You should always start with a soil test to understand your soil's specific needs, as this is where all gardening begins. The ideal pH for Mid-South lawns — Bermuda, Zoysia, and Fescue — is between 6.2 and 6.8.

Raise the wheels on your mower to keep the grass taller — roughly 2 to 3 inches for Zoysia and Bermuda. Taller grass shades the soil, reduces water evaporation, and helps the lawn resist sunburn and weeds.

Never cut more than one-third of the grass blade off at any one time. Removing too much of the blade at once stresses the grass and often results in "Sunday morning browning".

Fescue should be mowed tall, ideally 3 to 4 inches high. This height is necessary because fescue tries to go dormant in the Mid-South summer and needs the extra blade length to shade its own roots.

For lawns, use a broadleaf weed killer like Weed-Free Zone or Image, but avoid spraying when temperatures exceed 86°F. In garden beds, spot-treat with glyphosate or 30% vinegar to burn it down, being careful not to contact desirable foliage.

Mushrooms appear when fungi break down organic matter or decaying tree roots, and are often triggered by excessive moisture. They are generally a sign of healthy soil activity. To prevent spreading spores, pull them up by hand rather than mowing over them.

Blossom end rot is a calcium deficiency usually triggered by inconsistent watering. Apply calcium nitrate to the soil and maintain steady moisture levels so the plant can absorb nutrients properly.

Limbs at ground level shade the tree's own root system, which conserves moisture and conceals the heavy leaf drop and surface roots that make it difficult to grow grass or other plants underneath.

Apply treatments like imidacloprid in mid-April through May when grubs are near the surface. This also helps reduce the future population of adult Japanese beetles.

No. Bermuda grass requires monthly feeding through the summer, while fescue should only be fertilized in spring and fall. Fescue tries to go dormant in the Mid-South summer heat, and fertilizing it then causes more harm than good.

The first summer is the most demanding period. If newly planted trees or shrubs go dry during a Mid-South heatwave before their roots are established, they may not recover. Consistent supplemental hand-watering through the entire first growing season is essential.

Pick up the pot. If it feels noticeably lighter than usual, the soil is dry and the plant needs a thorough watering. Container plants lose water quickly in summer heat, and the weight of the pot is a reliable daily indicator.

When soil in a pot has dried out fully it often pulls away from the sides, causing water to run straight through without soaking in. Submerging the entire pot in a bucket or tub of water for 30 minutes allows the root ball to rehydrate evenly from all sides.

Ideally, no. Lawn grass and shrubs have significantly different water requirements. Running them on the same zone typically means overwatering one plant type and underwatering the other. Separate zones allow each to receive the right amount at the right frequency.

Yes. SunPatiens thrive in full sun but are high-demand plants that require significantly more water than shade-grown varieties. In full Mid-South sun they will wilt quickly without consistent moisture, so check them more frequently than other plantings.

Yes. Moist soil insulates plant roots better than dry soil because water retains heat more effectively than air. Watering the garden the day before a hard freeze is forecast can help protect root zones from the most extreme cold.

A Gator Bag is a water reservoir that wraps around a newly planted tree trunk and releases water slowly and evenly into the root zone over several hours. It is particularly useful during the first growing season when consistent moisture is critical for root establishment.

Water roses early enough in the day so the foliage is dry before nightfall. Leaves that remain wet for eight to ten hours overnight are a primary trigger for black spot fungus. Morning watering significantly reduces this risk compared to evening watering.

Apply pre-emergent between late February and early March. A reliable natural indicator is the forsythia shrub — when forsythia begins to bloom, soil temperatures are approaching the point where crabgrass seeds start to germinate, and your pre-emergent window is open.

Not reliably. The moisture from snow and ice can actually aid germination once temperatures rise. Pre-emergent applications in late winter remain important regardless of how cold the previous winter was.

Peel back the dead grass near the edge of the patch and look for chinch bugs or billbugs near the soil surface. If no insects are visible, dig a small hole a few inches deep and check for grubs. If you find no insects at all, the problem is most likely fungal.

If a perfectly uniform lawn is not your priority, consider leaving them. Dandelions and henbit are among the earliest food sources available for bees and other pollinators in early spring, before most other plants are in bloom.

Generally not. Your entire yard rarely needs both weed control and fertilizer applied at the same rate at the same time. Target-treating weeds separately and fertilizing on its own schedule produces better results on both fronts.

Reapply every 90 to 120 days. A single spring application often misses weed seeds that germinate later in the season, so a second treatment in early summer maintains control through the warmer months.

Core aeration uses a machine to pull small plugs of soil from the ground, relieving compaction and allowing water, air, and nutrients to penetrate more deeply into the root zone. It is best done in early spring when the grass is actively growing.

Yes. Image is labeled for use over established Liriope (monkey grass) and ivy to control certain weeds. It can be applied directly over the top of these ground covers without harming them.

Use a grass-specific herbicide such as Over-the-Top or Grass-B-Gon. These products are formulated to kill grasses while leaving broadleaf ornamental plants unharmed. Avoid standard non-selective herbicides, which will damage everything they contact.

Not necessarily. Clover was historically mixed into lawn seed blends because it fixes nitrogen from the air and naturally feeds the surrounding grass. Many gardeners are returning to clover-inclusive lawns for its low-input benefits.

Never leave the spreader open when you are stopped or turning. Pausing with the spreader open causes fertilizer to pile up heavily in one spot, creating concentrated chemical burns and visible dead stripes. Keep moving whenever the hopper is open.

A dull blade tears and shreds the grass rather than cutting it cleanly, leaving ragged edges that brown quickly and are more susceptible to disease. A clean cut heals faster and keeps the lawn looking better. Blades should be sharpened at least once per season.

You need to address the underlying conditions that allow moss to thrive. Aerate the lawn to relieve soil compaction, apply lime to raise the soil pH, and use an iron sulfate-based moss killer. Without improving the growing conditions, moss will return after treatment.