Get Busy Winter Is Almost Here

Your yard was beautiful this year. If you are new to Lake Kiowa then remember it takes work all year long. Years of your hard work have paid off and your lawn and shrubs, color, and even the trees are just like you like them.

If you are an avid gardner and lawn keeper, then please pay attention to these most critical things you’ll want to accomplish before too much more time passes by and cold weather hits. All your hard work all year will need some special care; as will planting, pruning, and fertilizing now to maintain that simple beauty coming into 2018.  It's all about maintenance now.

Here are the next planting recommendations for North Texas lawns and gardens:

•  Make sure that your Tulips and Dutch hyacinths have 45 days in the fridge before you plant them outdoors by the end of the year. This is probably your last call to get that done. Daffodils and grape hyacinths can be planted at any time of course, just make sure you purchase fresh potting soil.
•  Most of the regional trees and shrubs can still be planted now, but you may have to hunt for them in the backs of the nurseries – behind the shipments of Christmas trees. Remember you can always ask your favorite nurseryman for help.
• Keeping your patio and curb appeal color like Pansies and other winter color plants is always an option. Plants in raised beds of well-prepared, highly organic soil are required, and remember they can be outstanding in pots as well.

Recommendations for Pruning those outdoor beauties is a must:

• Be sure to trim to re-shape foliage plants you’ve brought in from the patio for winter. It will stimulate new growth in the fast growing season.
  Be sure to go ahead and mow your lawn to remove fallen tree leaves.
• Try to snip erratic growth from shrubs, but save major reshaping for two months from now (late January, early February) for maximum growing this coming Spring.

Regular fertilization habits must continue:

• Understand thatPansies, pinks and other winter color with high-nitrogen, water-soluble plant food to keep them growing vigorously. Failure to feed adequately is a common cause of poor plant performance and you want your work to pay off in beauty.
• Remember that your houseplants need monthly feeding with high-nitrogen, water-soluble plant food at half the recommended rate. Your goal for the winter is to maintain them status quo, not to encourage them to grow while they’re in the darker conditions indoors. Staying healthy is always best.
• If you want to sow Ryegrass and fescue (cool-season grasses), then you must feed with high-nitrogen or all-nitrogen lawn food to keep it green. Water immediately after feeding.

Keep and eye out for pests, weeds, and unwanted grasses daily:

• All your Broadleafed weeds will need killer spray on a sunny, warm and relatively still day to get rid of those cool-season broadleafed weeds before winter moves in. Read and follow label directions for your selections; or contanct your favorite nursery employee.
• Remember to keep close watch on all houseplants closely for signs of scale insects, mealybugs, whiteflies and spider mites. These pests commonly come in from outdoors when we bring plants inside for the winter and will need to be treated. It's a good idea to spray everything before you take them in; and there are great broad solutions that can eliminate issues before those pesky pests show up.

By the way, to everyone out here at Lake Kiowa, hope you and your families had a great Thanksgiving. We look forward to seeing many of you at the Season's Events at the Lodge.