Brown Patch on Lawns

Brown Patch is a fungus that shows up in our lawns in the spring and fall, when temperatures begin to cool. Because it needs cool, moist conditions, we do not see brown patch fungus in the summer. If you have had brown patch in your lawn in the past, it is probable that you will see it again once the conditions are right for its development. St. Augustine is most often infected, but Bermuda and Zoysia will become infected under the right conditions. Over-watered and over-fertilized lawns are more susceptible [...]

By |2022-01-05T10:58:41-06:00October 11th, 2017|Disease, Lawn Care|

Take All Root Rot (TARR)

Most of the people I have talked to about their declining (dying) lawns this year have not heard about this rapidly spreading disease of lawns. Take-all root rot (TARR), or take-all patch, does just that. It is a fungus that kills ALL of the grass plant: roots, stolons (runners) and leaves. It is most common on St. Augustine, but has been observed on Bermuda and Zoysia as well. In fact, it was originally known as "Bermuda Decline". What are the symptoms of TARR? Symptoms of take-all patch usually appear as [...]

By |2025-02-22T10:48:01-06:00July 18th, 2017|Disease, Lawn Care|

Chilling Hours for Fruit in Central Texas

What are "chilling hours"? Some varieties of fruit, such as peaches, plums, apricots, and apples require a certain number of “chilling” hours in order to bloom and set fruit. This is usually calculated between October 1 and February 28/29, and is either calculated as the number of hours between 32 and 45 degrees or hours below 45 degrees F...depending on who is doing the calculating!  When selecting a variety for your area, it is important to remember that a chilling requirement is not a hard and fast rule- it is [...]

By |2025-01-12T11:58:39-06:00May 2nd, 2017|Disease, Fruit & Nuts, Insects, Plants|

Photinia Leaf Spot

My Photinia Leaf Has Spots? If you have Red Tip Photinia in your yard, you are most likely familiar with the red-purple photinia leaf spots that can appear on the leaves. This spotting is caused by a fungus, Entomosporium, and can cause damage to Photinia and Indian Hawthorn. Other plants in the rose family that may be infected include loquat, flowering quince, pyracantha and pear. We frequently see severe damage after periods of frequent rainfall, although overhead watering for lawns that hits the shrubs is also a factor. The disease starts [...]

By |2020-07-22T16:41:06-05:00April 25th, 2017|Disease, Plants, Trees|
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