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We made it through August, and September might finally give our landscapes a little room to recover. Don't expect fall just because the month ends in "ember." Around the Texas Gulf Coast, September is still hot, and we'll probably see plenty of afternoons in the 90s. But the days are getting shorter, the worst of the heat should begin to back off, and we can start watching for those first fronts of the season. Maybe that's a little optimistic, but we're more than ready for one. Rain may start working its way back into the picture, too. Tropical Storm Edouard got plenty of our attention yesterday, even if most of the rain ultimately stayed east of us. After a brutally dry end to summer, any return to scattered showers and thunderstorms will be welcome. As always, rainfall around Houston can be incredibly uneven. Pay attention to what happens at your own place, not just what the weather report says happened across town. What We’re Focused on in September Our treatments change with the seasons, following the biological cycle happening below and above ground throughout the year. Spring brings active growth, summer brings heat and stress, and the cooler months finally give the whole system a chance to recover. During the worst of the summer heat, we backed away from pushing major new growth and focused more on helping plants handle stress. Now, as we move into September, we're starting to bring more mineral nutrition back into the picture, along with our liquid compost extract, humic materials, seaweed, and other ingredients that support healthy plants and soil. Nitrogen gets lots of attention because its effects are easy to see, like all the fast green growth. But plants need a lot more than nitrogen. Minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur all have different jobs. They help plants use water, build roots, fight disease, make chlorophyll, and keep the processes that support healthy growth working properly. And that's the point. We're not just looking for a quick response that you can see above ground. The goal is strong roots and soil that can hold onto water and nutrients while making them available when plants need them. September allows us to help the whole system recover and head into the cooler months in better shape. September is still summer around here, but we're finally moving toward the part of the year when plants and soil can start recovering from the hardest months. Assuming, of course, the weather cooperates with us a little. And if something doesn't look right, send us a picture. We've come across chinch bugs in several lawns recently, and they're a good example of why it pays to catch problems early. They're a whole lot easier to deal with when we catch them before a small patch becomes a big one. See y’all outside, Clay P.S. There's always more to learn about healthy soil than we can fit into one newsletter. If you'd like to explore more seasonal tips, articles, and information about our approach, you'll find it all on our website.
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