May Landscape Thread – Dealing with wet turf!

[Sirhornsalot]

Since it's St Augustine, I don't fear the water. I worry more about the temperature. The past two days have been great with warm temps and sunshine. But today it's downright cool and that makes for a set up for fungus.

We should rebound pretty quickly on the temperatures so the set up won't last too long. When temperatures are consistently over 85, the worry goes away.

If your backyard is very shady, then you really should be keeping an eye on it for fungus. If it gets direct sun, then its less problematic.

If you have three factors – Sun, heat, water – St Augustine will have excellent growth and health. We just need more sun and heat now.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Updates

Lake Lewisville is spilling over the dam, Elm Fork Trinity is flooding.

Red River is higher than I've ever seen it in my 51 years. It is truly an awesome sight but it too is flooding in various locations. The water is AT the bridge line at DeKalb, Paris crossings.

My house flooded about 4 am this morning. My back yard drains had clogged with debris so the water accumulated. I heard the hard rain and woke up to find it ankle deep one step out my back door. I removed the grates and got the drains to clear, the water subsided. Still, water in my house. Uggh.

The Hill Country is reeling this morning. Lots of flooding on practically every creek. If you don't have to go somewhere, don't.

In Lewisville, we met our monthly rainfall average for May on May 10. We've more than tripled that amount since then and they say more will come.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Red River north of New Boston on TX Hwy 8 into Oklahoma.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

[vid]

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[Sirhornsalot]

Lake Texoma spillway earlier today

https://video-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xat1/v/t42.1790-2/11290297_804179543003884_1322448297_n.mp4?oh=147d5c6ab1b49c9819f0ed2fa243a243&oe=5562A5A1

 

[Sirhornsalot]

More coming, see forecast map below

 

[joeywa]

More coming, see forecast map below

All of a sudden my recommendation for some XTRATUF rain boots doesn't seem so funny, right? 

 

[Sirhornsalot]

All of a sudden my recommendation for some XTRATUF rain boots doesn't seem so funny, right? 

Ha! LOL We started the day off with a 20% chance of rain. Of course, that would not last. They're now saying we have a 60% chance this evening of severe storms, hail, tornados and storms with tigers in them.

[vid]

[/vid]

 

[MikeV73]

Mark, I have a small area I am re-sodding. I don't need a truckload of dirt for this space. The grass has died and a normal amount of soil remains in place. Do the retailers sell the appropriate loam as you have previously instructed to put under new sod? Do I need an abundance of loam, or is it available in bags to purchase for small areas?

 

[Sirhornsalot]

Mark, I have a small area I am re-sodding. I don't need a truckload of dirt for this space. The grass has died and a normal amount of soil remains in place. Do the retailers sell the appropriate loam as you have previously instructed to put under new sod? Do I need an abundance of loam, or is it available in bags to purchase for small areas?

Where are you located or what soil type exists there?

If you have black clay, I would suggest not worrying so much with the dirt/compost, just do a light layer to feed the roots of the sod. I would also scatter expanded shale throughout the area to be sodded (along with the dirt/compost). This will prevent your clay from compacting, gives your turf long term drought tolerance.

If you're in East Texas, don't worry with the shale and do an inch of topsoil/compost. Sandy loam is great and the roots love it, but the compost is a feeding. Combinations are a nice compromise.

 

[MikeV73]

Where are you located or what soil type exists there?

If you have black clay, I would suggest not worrying so much with the dirt/compost, just do a light layer to feed the roots of the sod. I would also scatter expanded shale throughout the area to be sodded (along with the dirt/compost). This will prevent your clay from compacting, gives your turf long term drought tolerance.

If you're in East Texas, don't worry with the shale and do an inch of topsoil/compost. Sandy loam is great and the roots love it, but the compost is a feeding. Combinations are a nice compromise.

I'm in Leander

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I'm in Leander

Thats right and sorry, real names and screen names are hard for me to keep up with sometimes.

So you have black clay, but rocky soil. Compost or sandy loam will do well (or both). The more organic content, the better.

 

[MikeV73]

Thats right and sorry, real names and screen names are hard for me to keep up with sometimes.

So you have black clay, but rocky soil. Compost or sandy loam will do well (or both). The more organic content, the better.

Thanks Mark, appreciate your time!

 

[Sirhornsalot]

I was awakened this morning by a phone call from the place where we store our company's trucks, trailers and equipment. The lady said "get here NOW, your vehicles are about to be underwater."

I scrambled Brandon up and rushed to the facility. Water was already at the bottom of the doors of our trucks. None of the trailers were hitched so that had to be done. Water was rising by the minute. Scarey stuff. The place where we park is now in 6 ft of water. When I left today, there were a couple of guys fishing that spot. lol

The facility sits about a quarter mile below the Lewisville Lake dam. The lake is flooded, way above flood stage and was pouring out the spillway at 20K cfs. Down river, the Trinity had a debris jam which made everything worse.

It's over now, all my stuff is now at higher ground. Wild day it was.

Hundreds of businesses in that area are now underwater. It's bad. The lake has flooded hundreds of homes now.

Oh yea, the snakes. Lots of snakes.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

June's landscape thread will be posted either late tonight or tomorrow. FYI.  Lots of good stuff in this one!