It's been a summer of unsettled weather, with twists and turns worthy of a roller coaster. Keep managing, mowing and making the most of it.
Brown spots are everywhere — probably in your yard, too. Don't just increase watering times. Check your sprinkler system's heads. Call in a sprinkler professional for repairs if you're not ready to DIY.
Lack of water or poor reach often means a head that's clogged so it's not spraying correctly. A quick cleaning will fix it. Diminished spray may mean shifting soils may have sunk the sprinkler head, or grass may be too tall. Often, heads get pointed the wrong way or need adjusting up or down so water will spray in the right direction. Bottom line: a 10-minute sprinkler check and fix will save time and dollars in replacing dead sod. More: www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/crops/04722.html
Hand water the dry spots for relief until the fixed heads can catch up. Hose draggers with dry spots should make sure that all areas are watered.
Other conditions can cause straw-colored spots, so be sure to identify the problem with help from your local extension office or turf expert.
One common challenge in hot, dry summer months preceded by wet, cool conditions is ascochyta (as-co-kite-a) leaf blight. This fungus gets into the leaf blade after mowing (mowing companies do not carry the fungus from yard to yard). The fungus is on the leaf already, but under the right conditions, it flares up to cause bruising of the leaf blade all the way to the ground, resulting in brown spots. Researchers aren't sure why or how this happens. Don't waste money on control products for aschochyta; they won't work.
Kentucky bluegrass is the most affected by ascochyta, but it can occur on tall fescue and perennial ryegrass. You'll see large, uniform areas of brown, or what seems like dead grass. It's not dead. The roots and crowns are alive. Over time, and with good lawn care, the lawn will recover.
So ... mow as usual with sharp blades to a height of 2½ to 3 inches and water a day or two after mowing. Mow in the cool morning or evening; leave the clippings to return nutrients to the soil.
Soak-and-cycle watering is very efficient, giving water time to travel down to the roots. Just add multiple start times to the irrigation controller, but reduce each zone's watering time. Allow up to an hour in between start times so the lawn is watered, then soaks down, then is watered again. More on ascochyta: www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02901.html
Patchy brown or thin lawns can have one or more causes - not enough water; not enough fertilizer; compacted soil; or lots of wear and tear.
Remember this: Pests account for only the least common of lawn problems.
An encyclopedia of lawn answers: cmg.colostate.edu/pubs/Lawns.html#LawnI&D
We're fortunate to live along the Front Range where access to the mountains and local parks is fairly easy. Do you know that many municipalities also have natural areas that support native plants and wildlife you can visit and explore? Many are in your own backyard and well worth experiencing.
Natural areas are designated and maintained for "passive recreation," meaning no volleyball or golf allowed. They make excellent bird watching, wildlife viewing and trails for seeing what the area looked like when the buffalo roamed.
Bring a camera, binoculars and water; wear comfortable shoes. Pack out what you carry in. Pets must be leashed and picked up after. Check for additional rules with each county.
Denver has five designated natural areas totaling 850 acres bordered to the north by I-70, south to I-225, west to Sheridan and east to Chambers. The Heron Pond Natural Area in the Globeville neighborhood has over 46 acres of prairie and aquatic habitat along the S. Platte River. Others include Camp Rollandet, Inspiration Point, Parkfield Natural Area and Paul A. Hentzell Park, which comprises 70 acres in southeast Denver along Cherry Creek. Maps and more: bit.ly/1ntCBio
More natural area websites:
Jefferson County: jeffco.us/parks/parks-and-trails/
Fort Collins: fcgov.com/naturalareas/
Colorado Springs: springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1214
IN THE LANDSCAPE
Get into a daily maintenance and monitoring routine in the garden. A little time spent dead-heading will bring any problems to your attention.
Regularly water and fertilize containers. Lapses will affect bloom and health, especially with vegetable containers.
Use clean shears and carry a basket to harvest berries, vegetables, fruits and herbs.
Harvest extra blossoms on zucchini, summer squash and pumpkin plants as edibles. Harvest in the morning when they have opened up toward the sun (gently shoo or shake any bees away). Choose male flowers, as there are more of them. Males have a thin base where they attach to the stem, plus they are hairier. Female blossoms, though considered tastier, are needed to form fruit, unless you already have enough. Use the flowers the same day; store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Try them stuffed, fried or baked. More: blogs.denverpost.com/preserved/2009/07/29/zucchini-flowers/236/
PEST WATCH: LEAFCURL ASH APHID Leafcurl Ash Aphid
Aphids are the most common insect pests on plants, with over 350 different species in Colorado. They feed by sucking sap from plants and range in color from green to red to black. Their poop is called honeydew, and it's the stuff that makes windshields sticky when cars are parked under trees. Most aphids don't do too much damage; a spray of strong water stops their noshing.
If you're watching your ash trees carefully (and you should be if you're within a few miles of Boulder, where emerald ash borer has been found), you might be seeing an alarmingly unsightly pest. That would be the leafcurl ash aphid.
This aphid, like most, doesn't threaten the life of your tree, but causes gnarled, twisted leaves at the end of branches.
What you need to do is ... nothing. Aphids have lots of natural enemies including lady beetles, lace wings and parasitic wasps. Insecticides can't get inside the misshapen leaf mass anyway. More: jeffcogardener.blogspot.com/2014/07/leafcurl-ash-aphid-by-patti-oneal.html