Little did we know at the onset of fall that we’d be break the record for the driest October in Bucks County history since record keeping began in 1895. So, it’s certainly something we have never dealt with in our 51 years in business! Bucks County farms are suffering, as their harvests have been lackluster and crop loss higher than normal. Any lawn or yard activities result in a dust bowl. Plants are showing the effects of the drought though wilting, defoliation and pest infestations. Animals are struggling to survive on what little amounts of moisture they are able to find. As bad as it is though, we know this too will come to pass. It was encouraging to see that we got measurable rain (.30”) Sunday, November 10th into Monday, November 11th. So, we know that Mother Nature will eventually bring us more liquid gold. In the meantime, there are things we can do to help minimize the damage that’s occurred to our lawns and landscapes. Water is key to survival for any living thing. If you have the ability to water your lawn, shrubs, young trees and perennials, do so now! Watering deeply just once a week can make all the difference. We understand that some municipalities are requesting voluntary water conservation, so please check with your local municipality and make your decision accordingly.
Lawn maintenance activities will differ for those who are watering, as the grass is still growing and mowing is required. Mowing of lawns should continue for another month or more (although with less frequency in coming weeks). For those unable to water, mowing can damage drought stressed turf, so if the grass isn’t growing there is no need to mow. Either way, it’s of utmost importance to remove leaves as they fall so they can’t accumulate on lawns and smother grass. There is still time to plant grass seed (watering will speed up germination) and aid the recovery of your valuable landscape plants with a dormant fall feeding. Likewise, we can’t stress enough how important it is to feed your lawn with the most important lawn fertilization of the year, LAWN DEPOT WINTERFEAST high nutrient, root-centric heavyweight fertilizer.
Lawn Depot Turf Management has continued its fall work, albeit with significant difficulties due to the extended drought. Core aeration and overseeding activities have been stymied because of the extremely dry conditions and seed germination has been spotty depending on the amount of supplemental watering that has occurred. We will continue to evaluate the results as we close the books on the 2024 growing season, but we will anticipate additional work will be necessary next spring if we don’t see an improvement in the precipitation totals for the remainder of the fall. We thank all of you who’ve been loyal and patient with us, and we look forward to providing you with our services next year as we work through the challenges we’ve experienced this fall. For those of you who are interested in having Lawn Depot Turf Management do work on your lawns in 2025, we’ll continue to be measuring and evaluating lawns for as long as the weather permits. Simply call the office (215-348-5553) or look us up on the Internet (www.lawndepotinc.com) and click on “Request an Estimate.” We’ll be out soon, and will send or email an estimate shortly after the first of the year for whichever services you request.
Lawn Depot’s Garden Center is open every day through the end of November, after which we’ll be closed on Sundays, beginning December 1st. We are OPEN all winter; please visit our website for our most current days and hours of operation from December through February. We’re fully stocked with WINTERFEAST Turf Food. Apply this most important feeding of the year anytime between now and mid-December for subtle greening and significant root and crown development. We also have plenty of fall fertilizers for perennials, shrubs and trees; pelletized lime to sweeten soil; deer, rabbit and other pest repellent products (liquid and/or granular); and a full line of birding supplies, from the sunflower and mixed seeds, suet products and more to bird feeders, mounting supplies and squirrel baffles. Our Nursery yard is offering attractive end-of-season pricing at 45% off the regular price of perennials, shrubs and trees. Our knowledgeable and friendly staff are ready and waiting to discuss your particular needs and goals with you.
This last newsletter of 2024, brings us closer to the end of our fabulous 50th Anniversary Celebration year! We can’t express enough how much we’ve enjoyed sharing this milestone with everyone. We want to thank all of you, our long-loyal customers for helping make The Lawn Depot a meaningful local business for so long. We wish all of you a happy and healthy holiday season, we look forward to seeing you during the winter for whatever you may need, and we eagerly anticipate seeing you all in 2025
Carolyn Pfaff, Ken Button and Bob Button