Metco Landscape, Inc. Newsletter 
June / 09 / 2015
Lots of Colorful petunia flowers close up.
The Calm After The Storm

Welcome to June! After experiencing extreme weather in May, schedules are starting to get back on track from the weather delays. We have been out accessing damages on properties from the past storms. We are also starting to see Ascochyta leaf blight affecting Kentucky bluegrass. 
In This Issue
Ascochyta Leaf Blight of Turf

Ascochyta leaf blight results in the rapid development of large irregularly shaped, straw-colored patches on Kentucky bluegrass, and occasionally tall rescue and perennial ryegrass during the summer. The Ascochyta fungusis is primarily a foliar pathogen; therefore, diseased turfgrass usually recovers relatively quickly. 

 
Ascochyta is most prevalent in the spring when there are extended wet periods like the one we just experienced.
 

For more information on Ascochyta leaf blight click here.



By June you've accomplished a lot, be sure and take a break for inspiration! Visit your local botanical garden to see the roses and perennials in bloom.


Trees and Shrubs
* Prune early flowering shrubs such as lilacs and forsythia after blooms have faded.
* Water trees and shrubs only as needed and remember to adhere to local water restrictions and guidelines.
* Visit a Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Assoc. member for assistance with selections.


Flowers, Ground Covers, Perennials, and Ornamental Grasses
* Remove foliage from spring-blooming bulbs after leaves have completely died back.
* Continue deadheading and weeding as needed. Deadhead or pinch back annual flowers to keep them bushy and full of blooms.


Lawns
* Adjust your sprinkler so that established bluegrass lawns receive about 1 ½" of precipitation a week. Avoid water waste by monitoring how much water your sprinkler puts out and by setting your sprinkler to run in a way that avoids runoff away from the lawn.
* Raise your mowing height on cool season turf lawns (like bluegrass) to 3" and continue to mow as needed removing only 1/3 of the blade at each mowing.
* If you have a Buffalo grass or other warm season turf lawn, fertilize in late May or early June, right after the grass starts to green.

Metco Spotlight
During Metco's busiest season, we still find time for team building with a Metco softball league. This is a great way to blow off a little steam and spend quality time with co-workers. Go team Metco!