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Questions and Answers:Q. What can I do about all these grass burs in my yard? A. Grass burs thrive in warm poor soil where they have no competition from other grasses. By the time you feel them in August, the time is passed to do anything for control. Apply a pre-emergent weed killer such as corn gluten meal in mid-march and again in mid-June for grass bur control. For winter weeds apply again in mid-September. Corn gluten is a by-product of the wet milling process to make cornstarch. It is an animal feed for cattle, poultry, other livestock, fish and some dog foods. It also contains naturally occurring substances, which inhibit the growth of seed's tiny feeder roots by causing a break down in the cell wall. The seedlings struggle to get enough moisture, which causes them to die before they ever have a change to take hold. When used as directed, corn gluten acts as a pre-emergent natural herbicide that will not harm beneficial insects, soil organisms, pond or stream life. Since corn gluten kills only the roots of sprouting seeds, it can be used around transplants and established vegetables, flowers, fruit, shrubs and lawns. It can be used even up to the day of harvest. Once vegetable or flower seedlings have true leaves, it is then safe to apply corn gluten. It is 10% nitrogen by weight in a slow release form. As a 10-0-0 fertilizer it can inhibit weed germination and feed your lawn and garden nitrogen. (Additional supplements of phosphorous and potassium may be needed, based on a soil test.) Apply at the rate of 20 pounds per 1000 square feet. Q. My St. Augustine grass had seed heads all over in late summer. Why is it going to seed? A. That’s a sure sign that your lawn is stressed and could use some good lawn fertilizer that contains a higher level of nitrogen. However, it should be applied in the spring and again in mid-summer when the grass is active, not in the fall. Q. My Texas sage plants are covered with a black fungus that is spreading from plant to plant. There is also a white bug that seems to be thriving in the mold. I think it’s killing my sage plants. What is it? A. It sounds like mealy bugs. The cooler weather should slow them down so wait till a warm day above 75 degrees and treat with an insecticide listed for the control of mealy bugs. You should be able to find this product in the garden aisle of most department stores. Trim out areas of the plant that look hopeless and remove from garden. Q. I have moles in my lawn and I am desperate to get them out. What can I do? A. Moles do not eat plant material, but thrive on grubs and earthworms. They cause problems when they tunnel near plants and expose the roots so they dry out. Also, they create erosion problems in the lawn when their tunnels collapse. They have a low reproduction rate and there are usually only 2 or 3 moles per acre, so trapping is the most effective way to remove them. The Victor-Harpoon or plunger-type mole trap is the easiest to use and is widely available. Q. What is the best fertilizer for periwinkles? Mine looked ragged this year and I love them during the summer. A. Surprisingly, periwinkles bloom best when give a high nitrogen fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro or Peter’s. Apply as directed. Also, be sure they are getting plenty of sun. They are one of the few annuals that really like that Texas sunshine in august.
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