[Image: Rye Grass Lawn]Ryegrass in the Lawn - There are advantages to having ryegrass in your winter lawn. It gives a lush, green appearance during a cold and generally drab time of year. Ryegrass also is an excellent competitor with winter weeds. It discourages the growth of clovers, burweed and many of the “sticker weeds” that infest many yards in spring. However, ryegrass may also delay the emergence of your summer lawn grass. An additional disadvantage is having to mow a lawn twelve months of the year.
Plant ryegrass in the lawn in mid-October through November. Be sure that your summer lawn grass is dormant. A wet, warm period of weather can cause the summer grass to outcompete the seedling ryegrass. Mow the lawn one-half inch shorter than normal before planting. Sow or broadcast ryegrass seed at 5-10 pounds per 1,000 square feet of lawn. If St. Augustine is the sod, be sure to use the higher seeding rate (8-10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet). After the seed is broadcast, rake or drag the seeded area to increase the seed to soil contact.
Be sure to plant a perennial or turf type of ryegrass. These have a fine leaf and do not tiller or form clumps as much as the forage types of ryegrass. Turf types also tolerate cold weather very well. Their growth habits are better suited to lawns, even though they are more expensive. They are worth the extra expense compared to the pasture types of ryegrass.
Ryegrass is very sensitive to soil pH. It will be healthier and have better color if your lawn soil is in the pH range of 6.2-6.8. A simple soil test will determine the pH of your soil and recommend how much agricultural lime is needed to correct too much soil acidity.
After the ryegrass emerges, or about one month after planting, apply 8 to 12 pounds of 13-13-13 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Delaying fertilization until this time will help prevent the summer grass from re-growing and competing. If your ryegrass needs growth stimulation in the winter, apply 3 pounds of ammonium nitrate per 1,000 square feet in the January-February period of time. This is usually not necessary in most lawns.
Planting Shade Trees – We are entering the ideal season for shade tree planting in south Louisiana. Technically, container grown trees can be planted any time of year with success. However, certain seasons have the advantage over others. Fall normally provides us with the best set of circumstances for transplanted tree survival.
The soil is still very warm at this time. This encourages vigorous root growth. Cooler air temperatures and shorter days make for less crown or top growth. These factors allow for the young tree to establish a strong root base going into the winter or dormant season. When the tree breaks dormancy in the spring, it will be better able to gather nutrients from the soil for vigorous limb and leaf growth. This good season for root growth is important to transplants since most lose roots during planting or when they were balled in burlap. The winter months ahead are usually rainy and will prevent the need for frequent irrigation that spring planted trees usually require.
Follow these steps when transplanting a shade or fruit tree. Dig the hole into which the tree is to be transplanted at least twice the diameter of the root ball and no deeper than the height of the root ball. Make sure there is room for the roots to spread horizontally.
Remove container-grown trees from the container. If the[Image: Shade Tree] root ball is tightly packed with thick encircling roots, open up or even cut some of the roots to encourage them to spread into the surrounding soil. Place the root ball in the hole. Remove any nails, nylon twine or wire basket that has been used to secure the burlap and fold down the burlap from the top half of the root ball or remove it. Make the top of the root ball level with or slightly above the surrounding soil. It is critical that you do not plant trees too deep. Trees planted too deep seldom grow to their full potential.
Thoroughly pulverize the soil dug out from the hole and use this soil, without any additions, to backfill around the tree. Add soil around the tree until the hole is half full, then firm the soil to eliminate air pockets, but do not pack it tightly. Finish filling the hole, firm again and then water the tree thoroughly to settle it in. Generally, do not fertilize trees planted in the fall, although you can apply some slow-release fertilizer next spring. The use of a root stimulator solution is optional.
Stake the tree if it is tall enough to be unstable; otherwise, staking is not necessary. Drive two or three stakes firmly into the ground just beyond the root ball. Use strips of cloth, old nylon stockings or wire (covered with a piece of garden hose where it touches the trunk) tied to the stakes and then to the trunk of the tree. Leave the support in place no more than nine to 12 months.
Keep the area 1-2 feet out from the trunk of a newly planted tree mulched and free from weeds and grass. This encourages the tree to establish faster by elimination competition from grass roots. It also prevents lawn mowers and string trimmers from damaging the bark at the base of the tree. Damaging the bark can cause stunting or death. The mulch should be two to four inches deep and pulled back slightly from the base of the trunk.
Shade Tree Species – There are many species of shade trees that will perform well in our area. Here are a few that I have seen give fast growth and good shade production: Green Ash, White Ash, Nuttal Oak, and River Birch. I would avoid Water Oaks and Maples. These species aren’t very durable after several years or show foliar diseases. Chinese Elm (Drake) is a vigorous, fast growing shade tree. It will thrive in a small space of soil and is known as a “side walk tree” for this reason. However, if storm resistance is a factor in selection, Chinese Elm might not be your best bet. I have had three to blow over in the past four years.
Live oak is still my favorite shade tree. They are durable, withstand storms and live for a very long time. They resist most diseases and insect pests. We see more 100 year-old live oak trees than any other species. Growth is slower than other species, but in 10 to 15 years they are a very respectable size. In 20 years, they are a very functional shade tree.