The first real cool front came through this past week but brought no rainfall with it. Many lawns and landscapes are in dire need for rainfall or other irrigation methods due to the dry weather since hurricane Rita came through. September and October have been dry months up to the writing of this column as we have only received 4.15 inches of rainfall since September 1st at the Houma USDA ARS Sugar station located on Bull Run Road just outside Houma. More weather information can be found at: ww2.lsuagcenter.com/weather/index.asp

A general recommendation to meet the water needs of South Louisiana lawns is one to two inches of rainfall or irrigation equivalent per week during the growing season. Many lawns (especially centipede, Eremochloa ophiuroides) are experiencing drought stress symptoms. These lawns have been suffering for several weeks and some of the symptoms include: a light gray color, folded leaf blades, and a general poor appearance.

The homeowner needs to apply the general recommendation of one to two inches of water per week to help alleviate these symptoms. Yard sprinklers can be used but must be monitored to evenly distribute the moisture. You can use a bowl to estimate the amount of water being applied to an area by simply placing it about half the distance from the base of the sprinkler to the perimeter of the water pattern. When you have caught one inch or so in the bowl, it is time to move the sprinkler to the next area. Keep in mind that deep, infrequent watering is best management practice (BMP) recommended by the LSU AgCenter.

Winter Green in the Lawn
With the cooler weather this time of year, our warm-season turf-grasses will soon be going into a dormant state throughout the winter until the changing season brings them back to life in the spring. There are some hardy gardeners who love to have a green lawn throughout the year, so an over-seeding of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is done at this time of the year, now through mid-November.

Perennial ryegrass is one of the major turfgrasses in the northern United States. It does not act as a perennial in Louisiana, however. It is used in the same way as annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), which is to establish temporary lawns and to overseed warm-season grasses. Perennial ryegrass is finer leaved and darker green than annual and is the preferred grass for overseeding athletic fields and home lawns.

Planting time is important in ryegrass establishment and seeding rate is also important. The ryegrasses are bunch grasses, so not planting enough seed produces a thin, clumpy turf. In a lawn situation, you need to seed perennial ryegrass at five to 10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. After seeding, remember that ryegrass is a living turf just like the warm-season ones. It requires fertilizing, watering, mowing, and other care to produce the desired effect. So if you enjoy a green lawn most of the year and enjoy mowing a few more months, perennial ryegrass may be for you. If you enjoy watching the brown lawn not growing for a few months, sit back and watch your neighbor mow his or her lawn while you put another log on the fire.

Composting
A common misconception about plant care is that plants require fertilizer for proper nutrition. Plants do need nutrients, but they don’t necessarily need fertilizer. Plants use their leaves to make food from water, sunlight, carbon dioxide and nutrients. Nutrients in the soil are necessary for structure, regulating metabolism, growth and reproduction. Some key nutrients for plants include nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron.

If a plant is appropriate for the soil and site where it is located, it may not require additional nutrients from fertilization. Fertilizers are generally used to achieve a specific goal: more of larger blooms, faster growth, greener leaves or more fruit. If one of these is your goal, you basically have three choices: using compost, applying packaged fertilizer or applying a specific mineral, such as iron. ow is a good time to start a compost pile in your back yard.

Fall means that many leaves will be falling onto the ground. Unfortunately, many residents will bag these leaves and put them for garbage collection. This renewable resource should be composted and returned to the soil.

A great way to improve your soil is by adding compost. This also recycles yard waste. When added to your soil, it can create the perfect medium for sustained plant health. The best management practice (BMP) of adding compost to your home landscape:
• Improves soil texture and structure, resulting in improved drainage and aeration
• Helps loosen compacted soils
• Promotes soil fertility and stimulates root development
• Creates a favorable environment for microorganism activity

BMP Checklist:
• Locate a site to compost in your yard
• Maintain a balance between leaves and grass clippings in your compost pile
• Monitor compost moisture levels
• Turn the compost pile as needed

Question of the Week
When is the best time to plant citrus trees in this area?

Answer
The best time to plant citrus trees is in January or February. Trees planted after December can withstand a freeze in February better than earlier-planted trees. A two to four foot tree with three to four well-developed upward-growing side branches 18 to 24 inches above the ground is the ideal tree for home plantings.

Bobby Fletcher Jr. is a contributing writer for houma.com. For more horticultural information, call 985-446-1316, or email bhfletcher@agctr.lsu.edu or come by the Lafourche Extension office located at 402 West 5th Street in Thibodaux. You can also check out the LSU AgCenter website at: www.lsuagcenter.com