Native Plants
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Monday - May 04, 2015
From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Diseases and Disorders, Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Effect of heavy rains on Lindheimer Muhly
Answered by: Guy Thompson
QUESTION:
It is April 2015, in San Antonio we've had very heavy rains recently. My Lindheimer muhly, which was looking beautiful, has now turned brown all over. Is this normal or is this a problem?ANSWER:
I suspect that the Muhlenbergia lindheimeri (Lindheimer's muhly) was waterlogged for too long during the rains. Some Internet websites, such as this, mention that this grass tolerates only short periods of soil saturation.
Your muhly may not have survived this rainy spell. But watch the plant closely to see if it shows signs of a comeback in the form of a few green leaves protruding from the base It might be a good idea to cut off the dead leaves to get a better view of any new leaves. Also check the bed where the plant is located. You may want to consider installing a French drain or mixing decomposed granite into the soil to improve drainage during future heavy rain.
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