That’s what we’ve heard from many people in the past fewweeks.  You know why — no rain last summer allowed lawn grasses to become thin. Some rain this fall and winter allowed weeds to pop up in the thin grass.  That’s why we are recommending you start applying pre-emergent weed preventers now, instead of waiting till February. Use either Ferti-lome All Seasons (contains fertilizer) or Hi-Yield Weed and Grass Preventer with Dimension (no fertilizer). Either of these will stop the next generation of weeds from sprouting.

If you also want to spray to kill weeds that are already growing, here’s the procedure:

1. Mow the lawn
2. Apply pre-emergence and water it in
3. Wait a couple of days
4. Spray with Hi-Yield KillzAll (in Bermuda lawns) or Ferti-lome Weed Free Zone (in St. Augustine lawns).

Be sure to spray on a day that is warm with no wind and no chance for rain.

If you want to tackle them now, you first need to know what type of turf grass is in your lawn and do the right thing for that type of grass.

In Bermudagrass lawns, you can spray a glyphosate (RoundUp) product on a warm, sunny day. These products will not hurt Bermudagrass while it is dormant. But they won’t work on cold, cloudy, rainy days. And if you wait till the Bermuda starts to turn green, you’ll kill your grass, too. Check with us for the gener4ic Hi-Yield products that have the same chemical as RoundUp, but cost less.

St. Augustine lawns don’t go completely dormant, so you can’t safely use glyphosate on these lawns. Most other weed killers don’t work unless the weather is hot. BUT we do have a Ferti-Lome product that will kill broadleaf weeds at temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees F. This product won’t kill any wild grasses, but will help with dandelions and other non-grassy weeds.

If you’re not sure what you have, bring us samples and we’ll be happy to help.

We were discussing the unfilled angels on the Child Advocates Christmas tree, and how some of these neglected and abused children won’t get much for Christmas. Somehow, the community always comes through with something for these youngsters.

But if you really want to help this holiday season, if you want to give something that will truly make a difference, check into being a volunteer for Child Advocates of Archer, Clay, Montague and Wichita Counties.

CASA volunteers are more than mentor or buddies for children in foster care. They are investigators, counselors, advocates for the child in court, and yes, buddies and mentors. It’s not easy. It requires hours of training and a commitment to spend several hours per month looking after the best interest of children who may not have anyone else in their corner. And it can break your heart.

It can also be the most worthwhile thing you will ever do, for a child and for your community.

This Christmas season, contact CASA at 940-766-0552, and ask about becoming a volunteer. It may just be the best present you’ll ever give.

I always get a laugh out of the product’s packaging — Dr. Thomson was so enthusiastic about his product that he wanted everyone to know absolutely EVERYTHING about it! The labels are crowded with facts about SUPERthrive and he includes long flyers in every case, in case you want to learn even more.

And when we would see him at trade shows, you couldn’t walk past his booth without hearing WAY more information that you had time to listen to.

Even just a few years ago, Dr. Thomson was still working the trade shows, still just as enthusiastic as ever about his product and its results. Says a lot for his product’s effect on him as well as sick plants!

Happy birthday to a real character and inspiration!

Remember that pansies require a very rich soil. It’s best to add rich composted manure and/or alfalfa every time you plant them. Then fertilize them regularly with Fertilome Premium Bedding Plant Food or Nelson’s Color Star plant food.

If you get them off to a good start, your pansies will bloom from now until hot temperatures hit next May or so.

It won’t be enough to carry us through the winter, unless we have more showers on a regular basis. That’s why our seminar scheduled for Oct. 22 is still relevant.

We’ll talk about how to plan and plant for the scenario of extended drought. This summer was a wake-up call. Our water resources, even in good years, are very limited. We must make the most of them. We can still have beautiful yards. We must just do them in the right way, so we can sustain them in dry times.

The seminar is free — just sign up by going to the Calendar link from our home page.

And remember to continue to monitor your plants through the winter. Feel the soil, and when it is dry, give them a good, deep, soaking water. Freezing temperatures are especially hard on plants when they are dry.

We thought it would never end! We have been known to complain in the past that we’re having the worst summer ever. This year, it was true, and the statistics prove it!

All over the area we see trees and shrubs that are dead or close to it. If you have plants that are still clinging to life and you want to try to save them, here are some things to try right now:

1. Fall fertilizer will be very important for your trees and shrubs this year. If they are still alive, that means you watered themheavily – and that means all the nutrients have been leached out of the soil. Give them a treatment with Ferti-lome Tree and Shrub food or Smith’s Premium fertilizer. They are already stressed – give them all the help you can to help them face the winter. Continue deep watering every couple of weeks, if we don’t have significant rainfall.

2. Try some Super Thrive. This is a great vitamin and hormone treatment to perk up most any plant. It’s not a fertilizer, so it’s fine to use both a fertilizer and Super Thrive. This product has been around for a long time, and we should use it more.

And if some of your plants are down for the count, we are restocking with fresh trees and shrubs, so come in for help in reviving your landscape.

An article in the Wichita Falls Times Record News last Saturday has led many Wichita Falls residents to conclude they can only water their yards once per month. Our phones at the nursery have been tied up with customers concerned that they cannot water their trees, shrubs and lawns during this severe drought.

Here’s the correct information: The article referred to customers of the Wichita County Water Improvement District #2 — these are customers who use irrigation water from the Improvement District — not customers of the City of Wichita Falls. That article applies to very few people in our area — and you know who you are.

If you live in the City of Wichita Falls, you can still water your yard and garden. You are asked not to water between the hours of 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

As always, watering in the morning is best. It is also best to water less frequently and more deeply. In other words, water for a little longer period two times a week, rather than sprinkling lightly every day. Big trees and established shrubs should be watered with a soaker hose or slow drip irrigation about once a week.

It’s all about the heat and drought.  We can’t escape it.

It will be difficult to keep any of your plants looking their best with these extreme temperatures and dry winds.  Give some thought to your priorities and try to save the most valuable things in your landscape.

TREES add so much value to your home, that you want to be certain they are getting sufficient water.  Most old, established trees can withstand some dry conditions, but this prolonged drought may kill them.  They need DEEP watering — the sprinkler system won’t be sufficient.

Turn your hose on at a trickle and lay it down and let it run for HOURS so that it soaks in.  Do this about once a week till we get some good rain.

Funeral services will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls.

We appreciate all our friends at this sad time, and please know that Curtis cherished his relationships with so many of you.