Fescue Sod

[Anonymous]

Is it too late and too hot to lay fescue sod down? Should I wait until the fall to do it? Also, if I planted Boxwoods and Heavenly Bamboo Nandinas now will they survive the summer heat?

[Anonymous]

I did planting last weekend and the plants are struggling. I think most will make it through, but it has required a lot of attention. Some will not make it. I'd hold off until cooler weather in September if you could.

Please don't plant heavenly bamboo. It's considered invasive in this area and the seeds contain cyanide. Usually not enough to kill most birds but there are some that are gorgers like the cedar waxwing and they can ingest enough cyanide for the seeds to be deadly.

http://www.oregonlive.com/hillsboro/index.ssf/2013/12/heavenly_bamboo_the_red_berrie.html

Florida leucothoe (Agarista populifolia) and Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria) are recommended as alternatives for heavenly bamboo in this area.

https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/native-alternatives-to-invasive-plants.pdf

Note that tall fescue is also on the list. I don't know whether fescue sod is considered invasive, but you could look at native alternatives like Pennsylvania sedge.

[Anonymous]

Wait until cooler weather unless you have a lot time to take care of.

[Anonymous]

You definitely don't wanna lay down sod vs just waiting till early september. That goes for planting things too. They will take too much watering and the plants are stressed on these mid 90's days.

As someone else noted, I'm not a fan of nandina domestica (the most common one). They are plants that spread like no other and you can't kill them unless you dig them up at the roots. You can chop them down to a stump and they'll come right back. The bright side is that they thrive on neglect, but that usually means they are unruly and invasive.

If you want to use nandina I like nandina firepower. They're a smaller variety and don't spread.