The Garden Club
August 6, 2004

 

    

Hydrangea paniculata grandiflora 'Limelight'

Hydrangeas - Wonderful for Drying
I believe the best hydrangeas for drying are a class of hydrangeas known as tree hydrangeas (H. paniculata) and its varieties. Some varieties are commonly called P.G. or Pee Gee hydrangeas. I remember from my childhood every fall we had a huge vase full of cone-shaped blooms of dried Pee Gee Hydrangeas. We cut them at the end of August when the blooms were just turning reddish and we often mixed them with other dried flowers such as ornamental grasses and cat tails. The blooms went directly from the garden into the vase without any water at all. The vase went away for Christmas and came back in January and lasted all winter long.

Through the years paniculata hydrangeas have gone in and out of popularity. The several new varieties that have been introduced from Jelena and Robert de Belder of the Kalmthout Arboretum in Holland have increased the popularity of this group of hydrangeas. This week we are featuring one new variety that is particularly unusual, Hydrangea 'Limelight'.

'Limelight' - Striking Color
 'Limelight' is one of their latest and best introductions. Paniculata hydrangeas require thoughtful care as to placement. They look great on a hill in a distance planted in masses of 3-7 plants. They are also excellent planted singly as a accent, plant often at the corner of a building. They bloom from late July through autumn. They are reported to prefer moist soil; my experience has been that they do best in very well-drained conditions once established. They can be pruned into either a single stem 10 foot tree, multi-stemmed 8-10 foot shrubs or cut low to the ground every spring and grown as a dense 4 foot bushes. Because hydrangea paniculata blooms on the current season’s growth, pruning can be accomplished in fall or spring.

The flowers of 'Limelight' open creamy white and pass through a distinct lime green color that holds for a long time, the color of the green Zinnia 'Envy', before turning deep pink. 'Limelight' has smaller cone-shaped heads than many varieties, most about 10 inches long, that are held more upright than those of the old forms of Pee Gee hydrangea. I suspect 'Limelight' will also mature somewhat shorter than other paniculata hydrangeas—probably about 7-8 feet if left unpruned.
Planting and Care

  • Plant spring to fall.

  • Prefers full sun to part shade. Partial shade is best in the south.

  • Plant 10’ apart in moist, well-drained soil.

  • Water regularly until established.

  • Hardy in zones 3-8. The most winter hardy of hydrangeas.

  • Fertilize with Cottonseed Meal and Kelp Meal in early spring and late fall

  • Blooming-size plants from 1 gallon pots

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 Hydrangea 'Limelight'

 

Carroll Gardens Fall Lawn Care Program

Major lawn renovation is best accomplished in late summer—early fall. This is also the best time to establish a new lawn.

Fertilizing
 Unless you have had a fungus (brown patch) problem, I recommend Espoma 100% Organic® Lawn Food, applied between the 15th of August and the 15th of September. If you have had a fungus problem, I recommend Turf Trust®, applied during the same period.

A second fall application of fertilizer should be applied between the 15th and 30th of November. I recommend Turf Trust to keep the lawn remarkably green right into the winter and for early spring green-up. If you used Turf Trust in August, either repeat Turf Trust or use Espoma’s Turf Tone® for the late fall feeding. Lawns that are less than 3 years old and lawns with really poor soil will benefit from an application of Super Bio® liquid microbes concurrent with the August feeding. Super Bio will also make the lawn deeper green in color.

Broad-Leaved Weed and Nutsedge Control
 For complete eradication, broadleaf weeds need two applications of a lawn weed killer 4 to 5 weeks apart. Usually, you will achieve 60-80% eradication with one application. If you have only easy-to-control weeds like dandelions and plantain, use Tiger brand liquid lawn weed killer with a spreader sticker immediately. At the minimum, you must allow 3 weeks, after the application of Tiger lawn weed killer, before seeding. If you have nut sedge “grass”, use Manage®, plus a spreader sticker, no later than early August. (Manage kills only nutsedge; nothing else). A four week interval is required after the application of Manage before seeding. (Manage and Tiger lawn weed killer can be applied concurrently). Difficult to control weeds like Creeping Charlie and clover will require Confront® applied in early September or in the spring.

Remember if you make two applications of weed killer this fall, or if you use Confront this fall you will not be able to seed this fall. If you need a second application and you want to seed, make one application at the beginning of August, seed 3-4 weeks thereafter, and make the second application after the grass has been cut 3 times in the spring. If you choose this route, a third application may possibly be needed in the mid-spring 5 weeks after the second one.

Crab Grass
 True crab grass is an annual weed that will die in the frost. Before it dies, it will set lots of seeds that will sprout next spring. Your best bet is to kill the seeds as they germinate next spring. Use Dimension Crab Grass Preventer when the forsythia blooms early next spring. I have had poor luck with the products that supposedly kill crabgrass in the summer and early fall. This summer, be sure you have true crabgrass. Lots of people misidentify wild Bermuda grass as crabgrass. Bermuda has long runners; crabgrass grows in clumps and has lots of seed heads in mid-late August. The control for wild Bermuda is entirely different. Eradication of Bermuda grass requires total kill of the entire infested area with glysophate and waiting a week or more before seeding (see directions on your bottle of glysophate). If the crab grass is so thick that it will impede germination of new seed, de-thatching (see below) will remove the tops and prepare a good seed bed. The crab grass will not grow back densely before the frost kills it.

De-Thatching
 Lawns sometimes build up an extreme amount of thatch in a favorable growing season. Layers of thatch over one half inch deep should be mechanically removed. (In borderline situations spraying with Super Bio® will encourage the thatch to naturally decompose more quickly). De-thatching with a power rake is ideal to remove this build-up of debris and to make a good seed bed. If you de-thatch, you must re-seed; but all you need to do is rake the seed into the bed that the power rake has prepared. Then apply the fertilizer. Never fertilize before you de-thatch. For de-thatching small lawns and individual spots, Mantis makes a wonderful de-thatching attachment for the Mantis Tiller. The Mantis de-thatcher is the easiest way I know to prepare the lawn for spot seeding. Use it in place of a rake or cultivator, punch in some holes with a pitchfork, seed, fertilize and cover with Chesapeake Green, Compro or LeafGro.

Seeding
 The grass seed of choice for full to half sun areas is Black Beauty, applied at the rate of 10-12 lbs. per 1,000 square feet for bare areas and 5-7 lbs. per 1,000 for over seeding existing lawns.

We recommend Shady Nooks™ grass seed for shady areas at the rate of 1lb. for every 750 square foot for over seeding and 1 lb. for every 375 square foot for bare areas. Shady areas are usually subject to a lot of fall leaf litter. We recommend seeding such shady areas immediately or waiting until early spring. Leaf-littered shady areas are the one exception to the rule that fall lawn renovation is better than spring lawn renovation.

The earlier the grass seed is planted, the better it will establish before winter. Black Beauty, especially, benefits from early planting. In the mid-Atlantic region, October 10th is considered the last date for successful seeding. Throwing grass seed on hard, unprepared ground is just a waste of good grass seed. The soil needs to be loosened with a rake, fork, cultivator, or Mantis. (Hopefully you know someone who has a wonderful old hand tool called a Gardevator, which is no longer made). Poking holes, an inch or so deep, with a pitchfork also helps. Spread the seed at the recommended rate, rake it lightly and cover it with Chesapeake Green, Compro, or LeafGro - just enough to cover the seed and keep it moist. We do not recommend using either hay or straw - too many weed seeds. On steep slopes subject to erosion, Curlex, burlap or "green mulch" may be needed. Adding 5% by weight of annual rye grass to the “good” seed will also help stabilize the soil. It sprouts quickly and roots-in with deep roots. It will hold the soil while the permanent grasses are slowly germinating. Spraying with Black Beauty® beneficial microbes, immediately after the grass has been planted, will improve germination, retain soil moisture and cause more roots to develop faster.

For large areas, we recommend renting a slit seeder, which will bury the grass seed right into your soil so that it will require no additional cover. A slit seeder will put down 7-8 lbs. of Black Beauty per 1,000 square feet.

In areas where tilling is necessary, (for example where the topography requires change or where the soil is very poor or compacted), till good compost into the soil. Use Compro or Chesapeake Green. Very poor soils require about 8 bags per 100 square feet. At the same time, till in a double rate application of Espoma 100% Organic Lawn Food or Turf Trust; i.e. use a 5,000 sq. ft. bag on a 2,500 sq. ft. area. Level the area, scatter the seed and cover the seed to the depth of ¼’ by raking with the back of lawn rake. That is, hold the rake upside down with the tines pointed skyward.

Aeration
 A lot of people will disagree with me, but my experience has been that earthworms provide sufficient lawn aeration. Lawns that have been fed gently with organic and high quality slow release fertilizers, such as we recommend, are usually loaded with earthworms. Lawns that have been treated with high chemical, 4 step programs often have had their earthworms killed.

If you decide that aeration is necessary, core aeration is preferred to spike aeration. Incidentally, seeding and fertilizing before several passes of a core aerator is not a bad way to over seed the lawn; it is better than hand methods but not as good as a slit seeder.

Watering
 To germinate, new grass seed must be kept moist. To start with, it has no roots, so deep watering is not essential -- just five minutes, morning and evening. On a really hot windy day, a third watering at noon may be required. As the grass germinates and sends down roots, deeper watering may be needed. When the new grass is one inch tall, double the watering time to ten minutes and gradually increase to twenty minutes six to eight weeks after planting. For large areas of newly planted grass seed, we suggest you buy a number of inexpensive sprinklers and leave them “permanently” in place. Then all you need to do is turn the water spigots on and off.

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Garden Club Frequently Asked Lawn Care Questions
 

Question: I’m a long time listener to the Garden Club radio show and I’ve heard you mention Black Beauty Grass Seed. We’re about to put in a large new lawn at our home as soon as we move in. I’ve heard you say you consider Black Beauty to be the best grass seed for this area in a sunny spot. Before I invest in several acres of grass seed, I need to ask you exactly why is Black Beauty superior to other grasses? Also what are the negatives to using Black Beauty?

Answer: Black Beauty is a tall turf-type fescue. There are many tall turf-type fescues. The differences are in the genetics, with the exception of the Black Beauty grasses, virtually all other tall fescues were bred from an old variety called K-31 and they are all similar. The Black Beauty varieties were developed by a company, Cascade Research that started a little more than a decade ago. Cascade sent researchers on collection trips to gather from the wild, samples for evaluation and hybridization. They particularly explored the extremities of the typical adaptation range for tall turf-type fescues. Upon evaluation, three clones were particularly interesting. One was collected from droughty soils in Missouri, the second from an oasis on the edge of the Sahara Desert and the third was a very cold tolerant plant found in northern Michigan. All of these plants shared a common trait; vibrant dark-green color. Much more importantly, these plants exhibited an unusually thick cuticle (a protective, wax-like coating on the outer leaves). The thick cuticle layer was probably an adaptive trait, which had evolved to counteract the effects of the extreme growing conditions from where they were selected. The theory is that the thick cuticle layer slowed the rate at which moisture escapes through the leaf, making them much more drought, heat and cold tolerant. The cuticle coating also protects the leaf from turf disease because the pathogens are held above the leaf and cannot attack the leaf surface directly.

Breeding from these collected and selected specimens, it became apparent that the new generation of turf grasses (the grasses in the Black Beauty mix) had successfully combined the following exceptional and unique characteristics:

1. extremely dark color.

2. unusually thick cuticle layer covering the leaves.

3. upright growth habit beginning from a prostrate, low growing crown.

As for the negatives, a Black Beauty lawn is slightly more difficult to establish. Germination is slower and the initial growth is slower. The percentage of grass seeds that actually establish is also slightly lower. To overcome these difficulties we recommend three procedures:

1. Sow the seed about 10% heavier than you would with other tall fescues.

2. Sow the seed in late summer or early fall while the soil is still warm. Late August to early September is ideal. (Late winter seeding in cold soil is also OK).

3. Spray with Super Bio at the time the seed is sown to encourage rapid and fulsome root development.

Question: I have heard you refer to Black Beauty grass seed as a mix. I thought Black Beauty was a variety of grass seed.

Answer: This year Black Beauty is a mix of 3 different grasses: Ebony, Taos and Black Magic. Just as I believe in varying fertilizers for a diverse plant food diet, I believe a mixture of grass seeds will provide genetic diversity. Genetic diversity is extremely important should there be some new pestilence. And, with all the world wide trade currently taking place, the number of funguses and insects that are coming from abroad and attacking our plants is at record levels. All 3 of the grasses in Black Beauty have been bred from the same 3 wild clones I mentioned in the last question above. All share the dark color, the thick waxy cuticle coating and the deep (4-6 feet) root system. As further breeding results in new improved varieties, based upon these 3 clones, the grasses comprising the Black Beauty mix will change, but the name of the mix will remain. Only those with proven superior performance will be used. I expect there will be at least a slight enhancement in Black Beauty grass seed most years as the new generations of improved Black Beauty varieties replace the older ones.

Question: I used the Turf Trust lawn food this spring and was really happy with the results. I definitely have the greenest lawn in the neighborhood. I know you recommend using various lawn foods, but I used the Turf Trust last fall and I used it again this spring and I really like the results. Is there any reason that I shouldn’t use Turf Trust for all my feedings?

Answer: Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger. I have had this question asked literally dozens of times over the past few weeks in the store. Turf Trust contains six sources of nitrogen, so in effect; there is a varied diet by using the one product. Although I feel more comfortable with a fully varied diet of lawn foods from several manufacturers, I think it’s reasonable to continue with the Turf Trust for all of your feedings, especially as you are having such good results. I know of no season: spring, summer or fall when Turf Trust would be an inappropriate fertilizer. And, I know customers have had excellent results applying Turf Trust during each of these seasons. They particularly like the fact that Turf Trust is very long lasting; it doesn’t make the grass grow like crazy for a few weeks before it runs out of steam.

Question: I am losing all of my grass in my front yard. The front yard does not get sun until late in the afternoon. Please recommend a grass seed that will grow under very shady conditions. We even cut down a tree and trimmed limbs last year hoping that it would help. Thank you.

Answer: The most shade tolerant grass seed is Shady Nooks, but it does require at least a couple hours of sun. Indeed, there are places that are so shady that no grass will grow. Shady Nooks contains grasses that do well in damp shade as well as those that prefer dry shade. Try the Shady Nooks Grass Seed for two years in a row. In places where it repeatedly dies out, give up on grass and plant ground covers or perennials in masses.

Question: When I called your radio show last spring you said that the best way to control chickweed was to kill the new seedlings before they emerged in the fall. You said to apply Dimension Crab Grass Preventer or Gallery weed preventer. Does it matter when this is done?

Answer:   Chickweed germinates in the fall when the days are shortened and the temperatures get cool. In zones 6 & 7 the best time to apply Dimension or Gallery is early September. Incidentally, Dimension also controls two other cool season problem weeds; white-flowered Bitter Cress and lavender-flowered Henbit; Gallery prevents Chickweed and Henbit but not Bitter Cress. Remember if you apply Dimension or Gallery in the fall you cannot re-seed your lawn the same fall.

 

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