What’s Blooming in November?

Fertilizing Tips this November:

This November we are less focused on feeding, and more focused on protection from future harm. One way we can do this is by applying Fall pre-emergence weed control treatments. By doing this, you are preventing an invasive weed issue during the Spring by making sure that the weed does not have safe conditions to begin germination during the Winter weed. This weed is called Poa Annua, or Annual Bluegrass. 

Pruning needs this month:

Mid Fall is a crucial time period for proper pruning to encourage big beautiful new blooms next spring. The biggest mistake that most homeowners make is pruning certain plants in the fall that will ultimately prevent the plant from being capable of producing blooms in the Spring. Here is a list of plants to make sure you are properly pruning this Fall to ensure Spring blooms: 

• Big Leaf Hydrangea: This shrub blooms on old wood, meaning that anything more than a light deadheading of weak, withered, or diseased leggy branches will make the shrub unable to produce Spring blooms. 
• Pinnacle Hydrangea: Knowing the difference between Big Leaf Hydrangeas and Pinnacle Hydrangeas becomes very important when it comes to their pruning needs. Unlike Bigleaf Hydrangeas, Pinnacle Hydrangeas bloom on new wood. This means that you can wait until this shrub is fully in dormancy to do any pruning/shaping maintenance without risking any Spring blooms. 
• Camellia: Pruning camellias in the fall will take away their buds and prevent them from producing Winter blooms. Prune camellias after they are done flowering in the early Spring. 
• Dogwood: Dogwood trees bloom in April on old wood, and then spend all Summer building next April’s buds on the same branch tips that they just bloomed from.  By August those buds are set and are just waiting out the winter to bloom again in April. Pruning after August will take all the spring season buds away 
• Azaleas: Azaleas set their next Spring buds starting in June or July, right after they finish blooming. Pruning after August will take all the spring season buds away

Pests and diseases: 

Brown Patch is a lawn fungal disease that commonly attacks warm-season South Carolina lawn grasses like St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bermuda, and Centipede. 

This fungal disease is caused by different strains of rhizoctonia solani, and it has most likely been growing in the soil of your lawn since way before the Brown Patch symptoms have become visible. Avoiding fertilizer applications that are high in nitrogen is also a good idea to help keep your lawn’s soil healthy and balanced to help fight against fungal infections. Preventative fungicide applications can also be used to help your lawn fight against fungal diseases like Brown Patch.