Rose Tips for March

By Dennis on March 12, 2010

Recently, our name-sake, wrote a nice article on what we should be doing with roses this time of year.  Bear in mind that he lives in north central KY and adjust his advice for your particular growth zone you could be a month or two either way on his timing, but the advice is still valid. When it comes to rose information, there is none better.  Monty, thanks for the great read.

            Are you ready to get started for a new rose season?  Well it’s going to be here when the yellow forsythia blooms signal the growing temperatures are just right for rose roots to wake up and new growth to appear on your roses.

            Last month I wrote about pruning the stems of large roses (Hybrid, Grandiflora, Floribunda) by removing winter damaged stems (those that have a tan or dark pith) instead of a healthy cream color, even if you cut-back into the mulch or ground.  You should want the stored vigor and new growth to emerge from healthy tissue.  If the weather prediction for the next week or so is favorable (no freezes), pull back the mulch, feed with your favorite dry fertilizer (20-20-20) within the rose bed area but as far from the center of the rose bush as is possible.  Plants are like we humans; first of all they want to survive and secondly they want to propagate and produce seed.  If your roses are planted close together then the roots don’t have to reach out very far at all and all other things being equal they will tend to have fewer stems and blooms.
           
           This fact was presented to me by a farmer, Roy, who lives just outside Louisville.  He did most everything different or wrong from what I had learned that one should do to have good roses. He had 300 rose plants planted in three rows of 100 each.  Each rose within the beds were in a straight line 6’ apart.  Each bed was 12’ wide. The ground was bare of grass, weeds and mulch because he tilled the soil monthly adding the rose clippings and 20-20-20 dry fertilizer before doing so. The beds were intentionally lower than the surrounding ground area and he had no watering systems but natural rain.  The soil beneath the rose was heavy clay.  The roses flourished because the ground held the moisture really well. Because the porous fertilized soil was 3 to 6 feet on either side of the line of roses, the roots reached out three to six feet.  In doing so, each rose plant was humongous with twenty or more large stems and with 50 or more blooms.  I have not seen so many huge rose bushes.  Most of the plants were hybrid teas and grandifloras but the floribundas were spectacular covered with hundreds of blooms.  This was an experience I’ll never forget.
           
            Getting back now to your rose bed that is starting to grow.  Pull back the mulch on a cloudy day to prevent damage from the sun. A stream of water can help disengage the new growth from the mulch with less chance of breaking the tender new growth.  Should a frost or freeze be predicted, lightly recover with mulch.  Taller stems may be covered with cardboard boxes.  Do not use plastic covers.  They will do more harm than good.  If you do not cut back the old stems of roses before they leaf out in the early spring, just fertilize and let them grow.  The time to prune will be at the end of the first bloom cycle. Remove the leaves and stems of all growth that did not produce a bloom, appear damaged or are smaller than a pencil.  Removing up to 50 per cent of these non productive stems will cause significant new growth at the base of the plant.  The timing for this pruning will create new vigor and more stems and blooms for the rest of the year.

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Spring is coming; time to prepare for the emerald ash borer

By Dennis on February 24, 2010

Below is an article released by the cooperative extension service of the University of KY.  The information is new for KY residents and maybe helpful to other states where the Emerald Ash Borer already exists, or for places where it may migrate this season.

If you suspect EAB infestation, you might consider using Monty’s products as part of a treatment program.   You can see a description of that treatment program here.   While we have no definitive evidence that this program will help with EAB control, our program has shown success in ID in control of Pine Bark Beetles and would tend to indicate at least some help may be available in preventing outbreaks on your property. 

LEXINGTON, Ky., (Feb. 24, 2010) – In 2009, the emerald ash borer

Macro image of Kentucky's newest resident, the Emerald Ash Borer

turned up in Kentucky. Bluegrass state residents knew they probably couldn’t dodge the bullet forever but still hoped to keep the devastating insect pest at bay for as long as possible.

“Now that the EAB is in Kentucky, it’s likely here to stay,” said Amy Fulcher, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture extension associate for nursery crops. “Entomologists anticipate that seedling ash trees in unmaintained areas in and near infested urban areas will sustain EAB populations.”

So with the emerald ash borer a seemingly permanent resident, Kentuckians must decide how to care for ash trees in home landscapes and municipalities. Fulcher and UK Consumer Horticulture Specialist Rick Durham believe that residents and city planners can help maintain healthy urban forests by removing ash trees and replacing them with other species or treating their existing trees to control the insect.

“It’s not too early to begin considering which strategy to pursue,” Durham said.

Durham said that landscape contractors and arborists often provide ash removal and replacement as well as emerald ash borer treatment services for preserving ash trees.

“You have to consider many factors before choosing an EAB management strategy,” he said. “The health, location and size of the ash tree will have an impact on the value of the tree.  A tree with mower or trimmer damage, existing pest damage, poor location (under power lines or too close to a structure), poor planting (too deep, nylon twine intact), previous topping, or dieback or other defects would be less valued than a tree with proper placement and healthy roots, trunk and branches.”

Fulcher added that a tree in poor health would be less able to take up the pesticide and thus, tree health will impact treatment success.

“Sentimental value, tree size, presence of other tree species and significance of an ash tree can also impact the value of the tree and will vary from person to person,” she said.

Ash Borer chambers just under the bark of an infected tree

Fulcher said trees larger than 22 inches in diameter often cannot take up sufficient quantities of pesticide to adequately protect the tree, although future products may make that possible.

“Large trees are expensive to remove and replace but also the most costly to protect,” she said. “Small ash trees are less expensive than larger trees to remove and replace but also the least expensive to treat. Because a small tree can be removed and replaced relatively inexpensively and eliminate the need for protracted EAB treatments, small trees are ideal candidates for removal and replacement.”

Durham said homeowners and landscapers can purchase replacement trees relatively inexpensively.

“The weak housing market and generally poor economy have led to decreased trees sales and, as a consequence, prices have substantially dropped,” he said. “These savings at the wholesale price level are often passed down to the consumer, which means homeowners are having an unprecedented opportunity to purchase trees inexpensively.”

Once a homeowner or landscaper makes the decision to replace an ash tree, it’s often difficult to choose what species will take its place. Fulcher emphasized that while it may seem easy to suggest a list of trees for possible replacement, landscapers should take care to ensure the replacement tree is right for the individual site.

“A local arborist or nursery professional can help you make this decision,” Fulcher said.  “Some things to consider include the potential mature height of the tree being planted, particular soil conditions (wet, dry, alkaline, heavy clay), whether or not you hope to grow grass under the tree, desired fall foliage color, or desired spring flowers.”

Fulcher recommended landscapers also consider whether the selected replacement has resistance to particular pests and keep in mind that the selection must be adapted for Kentucky’s climate. 

If the tree produces fruit, such as crabapples, consider whether it is a good match for the site. Crabapples planted near sidewalks and driveways may result in slippery surfaces once fruit begin to fall, she said. A brochure that lists acceptable street trees for Lexington can be found by entering the term “street tree” at http://www.lexingtonky.gov. City or county governments may have similar information available.

“When considering management strategies, be sure to ask for a Certified Arborist or a Kentucky Certified Nurseryman,” Durham added. “Ask about how the treatment will be applied, by drenching or injecting the tree; the consequences of each application technique and how long the pesticide application is expected to last. And, if your new replacement tree was grown in Kentucky, ask for the Kentucky Proud logo.”

Fulcher and Durham stressed that people need to remember not to move firewood that comes from ash trees. The Kentucky Nursery Inspectors emerald ash borer Web site http://www.pest.ca.uky.edu/ext/EAB/welcome.htmland UK Department of Entomology’s publication, Entfact 453, viewable at http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef453.asp, are excellent resources that address quarantine and other issues. Additional information prepared by a university-based consortium of states affected by emerald ash borer is available at http://www.emeraldashborer.info/index.cfm. Find information on native Kentucky trees that can be used as ash replacements at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Horticulture/kytreewebsite/.  

-30 –

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Gentlemen (and ladies) Start Your Engines

By Dennis on February 23, 2010

I have a confession to make.  I hate the sound of vacuum cleaners.  Don’t know what it is.  Maybe it is some fear from my childhood tied in to the fact that vacuuming the house was always my job, but if you want to chase me from a building, fire up the vacuum. 

Oddly, as much as I hate the sound of a vacuum I love the sound of a lawnmower.  Even at 6 am on Saturday Mornings that familiar putta-putta-putta of a mower engine gets me in a good mood.  I am waiting for these late winter clouds to dissipate so my neighbors and I can join the cacophony of spring time with our mower symphony.  Till then, all I can do is wait.

However to make usre your mower sings rather than sputters, check out this article from acreage life e- magazine.  It will guide you step by step on the maintenance that you need to do now, so you will be ready to assault those first few blades of grass.

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Pruning Roses for Winter Dormancy

By Dennis on February 3, 2010

Monty Justice Applies Liquid Carbon to his Roses

Want to know when to Prune your Roses?  Well me, too.  And when I need to know ANYTHING about roses, I check with Monty Justice.    He is one of the co-founders of Monty’s Plant Food Company, a frequent rose judge, columnist, and owner of his own rose care company. Oh, and did I mention that he is an octogenarian?!  So, when he speaks…I listen.

Here is his advice on pruning roses.  (note:  He lives in Kentucky.  You may need to modify your schedule slightly to accomodate your particular growth zone)  Just bear in mind that pruning should be done between the FIRST blooom cycle and before NEW SPRING growth appears.

In the fall, crowns and bud unions should be just below ground.  You can do what I call “pre-pruning” after a frost or temperatures in the 30 degree F. range before the plants are dormant.  Remove damaged, twiggy, crossover stems and foliage, a foot or more from the ground.  Also open up the congested middle by taking out one cane to the ground.  You can do this when temperatures are moderate.  Do nothing to the length of remaining stems or leaves.  Continue to add Monty’s 2-15-15 every time you spray.

 Before the soil warms and new growth begins, (March) do a final pruning – remaining leaves and buds, and tiny laterals at the top of each rose plant.  Seek a uniform height by shortening stems above five feet.

 Begin spraying with your accustomed fungicide and insecticide when the buds are pea size and or the “purplish-red” leaves are turning green.  Disease and insects will not attack until this change takes place.  Add one tablespoon of both vinegar and epsom salts plus one half teaspoon Monty’s 2-15-15 to each gallon of spray material.  No need to add a spreader sticker if Monty’s is added.  The humics in Monty’s takes the pesticides and nutrients into the plant effectively through the leaves and buffers the potential for burn or other damage. The vinegar acidifies the solution making the pesticides retain their viability for an extra day or two.

            Magnesium is significantly important and provides three specific benefits.  

  • It boosts the efficiency of photosynthesis and makes the process of turning sunshine into energy more effective. 
  • It also keeps the lower leaves darker green at least until they are shaded by the foliage above
  • It helps the plant metabolize other nutrients.

 Using the spray nozzle apply Monty’s Liquid Carbon soil conditioner on the rose bed four times at a rate of 2 ounces per 1,000 square feet.  Allow one month between each application for any source of water to take the humic material into the soil.  This treatment is most effective on clay soils.  Do not use if soil has already been conditioned more than six inches deep with compost etc.

 At the end of the first bloom cycle, (May-June) remove all lateral stems that did not bloom and cut back all canes to a desired thickness (one quarter inch).

             In summary, your larger plant size will have increased roots.  The abundance of leaves will increase the energy and vigor of the plant.  Removing a goodly percentage (25 to 40 percent) of the stem and foliage creates an imbalance between roots and the top growth.  This will result in increased vigor, new larger canes, and more blooms for the remaining season.

             Although I’ve not done this with Fortuniana rooted roses, I can see no reason it will not do as well as other root stock.

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Monty’s Program for Trees Helps Neighborhood Recover From Storm Damage

By Dennis on January 26, 2010

One of the benefits in moving into older, established neighborhoods are the mature trees that line the landscape.  One of the drawbacks to moving into older, established neighborhoods are the mature trees that line the landscape…especially when storms come.

The fall of ’08 brought windstorms to much of the country, one of those centered in Monty’s home-city of Louisville, KY.  The destruction was almost total in some areas, especially in the older parts of town where aging trees were toppled.  Trees, limbs and debris crashed through homes, downed power lines, and closed many businesses and parts of town including our own corporate headquarters.

The sun did come out again, after all, the sun does shine bright on our old Kentucky home.  When it did, the recovery began. So, too, did an experiment. An experiment conducted by our own Director of Compliance, David Chinn and Metro Government.  Metro governement was replanting trees where the destruction had been the most severe if the homeowners agreed to take care of the trees once they were planted.

Mr. Chinn agreed to care for the three sweet-gum trees in his neighborhood.  His own tree, and one in front of each of his neighbor’s homes. 

 The basic care consisted primarily of watering the trees. This was done by filling a treegator® as needed with 20 gallons of water which would then be slowly released so as to water each tree deeply. 

The only difference between the way the three trees were treated was that Chinn put three tablespoons of Monty’s 8-16-8 in his watering bag and not in the other two.  The trees were planted in mid-June and the pictures were taken on October 31st.  As you can tell from this picture, the tree stayed greener, longer into the fall, plus it is showing more new growth.

In this picture, you can see the dense nature of the new growth, the larger leaf size compared with the leaves on the older growth of the young tree and again, the darker foliage.  Trees tend to yellow from the top down, the fact that this one did not tends to indicate that the new growth had access to nutrients while forming that the lower branches did not.

The tree at his neighbor’s home has less dense growth and the leaf size is uniform.  Additionally, notice that the leaves are yellowing from the top/middle, down.

What you see above ground is evidence of what is happening below ground.  through Monty’s program should provide for better root development and help protect the tree and provide for better establishment and improved survival rate.

Louisville’s Metro Government has expressed great interest in the project and hopefully, soon, they will be using it across the board on all future replanting plans.  We’ll keep you posted.  In the meantime you can learn more about landscaping with Monty’s Products here.  As well as here. 

While Monty’s cannot prevent storms from coming or destruction form happening.  Hopefully our products will continue to be used by homeowners so that the effects do not last as long and once again the benefit of living in an older established neighborhood will be the mature, established trees.

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Garden Cheaply, Garden Well

By Dennis on January 18, 2010

Welcome to a Monday morning.  I am a little sore this morning from an unexpected opportunity to get out in the garden and lawn this weekend. It’s not too often that we get sunshine and 50+ degree weather in January in the mountains of East Tennessee.

This weekend I had the chance to compost and line out some of my flower beds, prune some bushes, etc.  But it was the composting that I wanted to talk to you about.

Free compost My kids and I unloaded this weekend. It recieved about 1.5 inches of rain over the weekend

Free compost My kids and I unloaded this weekend. It received about 1.5 inches of rain over the weekend

Many of you want to compost but you are afraid of the process, have heard horror stories or don’t have enough plant material to get your pile started.  For me,these reasons and the fact that I live in a neighborhood and don’t really have a place to establish the size pile I would need got me searching and asking questions.  The question I asked:  What does the city/county do with all of those leaves and Christmas trees they collect throughout the year?

The answer:  In many communities, they have established FREE compost areas.  In my community, they have a location about 5-10 miles or so outside of town where they take dump-truck load after dump-truck load and pile up the leaves in long rows.  The trees and limbs they pick up through the year are run through a chipper/shredder and blown onto the same piles.

There are rows that are three+ years old and some rows of fresh (this season) and everything in-between in various stage of decay.  The only thing it cost me was the gas to travel out there, and a few hours of work loading and unloading this free source of good quality compost.

When I used to live in Frankfort, KY they had a similar program but it was located in the heart of town so it was more accessible. This brings me to a couple of points to consider.  In many cases this is a ‘free’ or tax-subsidized program so its existence in your area may vary.  I had to call several agencies from city hall, county government, park and recreation department, and sanitation until I found someone who could tell me about it.  Strangely enough, none of these bureaucrats knew anything about it…they all told me that we did not have anything like that in our area.  It was not until I met one of the truck drivers for a leaf collection crew at McDonald’s that I got the answer I was looking for.  Point is, you are likely going to have to look for it to find it.  I have also discovered that some cities charge a nominal fee for the compost while others operate it as a completely free service.  Further, (especially in the free service areas) management of the piles can vary widely. So, know what you are looking for when you go pick it up so you can tell if it has been turned regularly, etc.

Like anything there are some things to consider:

Since these piles are created from leaf-collection services their focus is collection NOT creating perfect

This close-up of the compost after we had pile it around our dogwood tree shows the texture of the free compost and the fact that it was made of various materials which are in different stages of decay

This close-up of the compost after we had pile it around our dogwood tree shows the texture of the free compost and the fact that it was made of various materials which are in different stages of decay

mulch/compost.  Therefore, I had to sort out some various bits of pop bottles, plastic, wires, small scrap metal.  All in all though, I only sifted out enough garbage to fill a small plastic grocery bag so its a small price to pay.

The compost is made of various types of plant material with various acidic conditions like oak and pine so your pH levels can be all over the place.  Therefore, I recommend testing it with a pH meter.  I am taking mine to a friend this week to have it tested.  I will update you once I have the numbers. Plus any info I have on amending it as needed.

Some areas will have staff on hand with a front-end loader, others will not and you will have to load it yourself.  One area I am aware of, does not have a front end loader, but they don’t mind if you bring your own.  For just a few dollars you could probably hire a farmer to meet you out there and load it for you.  I used a pick-up truck to haul my mulch and it held three front-end loader scoops.  It took far longer to unload it than it did to load it.

I used a standard shovel to unload it and it took approximately 20 heaping shovel loads to fill my wheel-barrow.  That will give you an idea of the time and effort it will take if you are loading it by hand.

Bottom line,  this is a good, though not perfect, system for many of you to be able to access compost in volumes that most home-owners/gardeners could not.  This compost is similar to the quality you would have to pay $40+ per front-end loader scoopful at a retailer and it is free and readily available.  Additionally, it is a good use of material that, ten years ago, would have simply ended up in our landfills.  This is the essence of  Reduce Reuse Recycle and is an example of where it works efficiently and effectively.  For these reasons, and because I am always looking at ways to save money on my gardening projects, this is one I wholeheartedly support and recommend.  If you’ve got the time and the labor available and you don’t mind waking up sore on a Monday morning, do the research find the location and go get yourself some good, free compost.

We were able to get most of the compost spread in our flowerbeds and around our trees before the rains began. This pile is adjacent to our garden we will get it spread when the soil is dry enough to walk on. Hopefully we will be adding to it with another load of free compost next weekend, if the dry weather continues.

We were able to get most of the compost spread in our flowerbeds and around our trees before the rains began. This pile is adjacent to our garden we will get it spread when the soil is dry enough to walk on. Hopefully we will be adding to it with another load of free compost next weekend, if the dry weather continues.

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Time to Work Those Glutens

By Dennis on January 15, 2010

So, you’re looking out the window, snow on the ground– a little stir-crazy–waiting to start your spring projects out in the garden.  After you have spent as much time dreaming and planning and going through seed catalogs as you can bear, you just want to DO something.  I understand.

So, here is a project that you can do long before your soil is ready for planting and it will save you hours of weed-work later this season.  As an additional benefit, it will control weeds and serve as a fertilizer while maintaining a natural approach to gardening.

Corn Gluten Meal makes an excellent organic or all-natural weed and feed fertilizer but the trick is to get it

Corn Gluten Meal is an effective all-natural pre-emergent herbicide and fertilizer. It is available in bulk (shown) and in bags or cannisters

Corn Gluten Meal is an effective all-natural pre-emergent herbicide and fertilizer. It is available in bulk (shown) and in bags or cannisters

 out before the weed seeds begin to germinate. Corn Gluten Meal is a by-product of the wet-milling process of corn.  Ethanol plants make it, liquor distillers make it and for years it has been used as a high quality feed for cattle, especially dairy cattle.  In the 1990’s those some enterprising students from Iowa State University discovered its benefits as a pre-emergent herbicide.

You will want to apply approximately 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet between Feb 15th and March 15th, depending on your climate.  A second application can be made around June 1st for late flush weed crops, and again post-harvest for any winter weeds that may appear in your garden.  If you are using ‘green manure’ cover crops, wait until after these plants have germinated and started growing before applying Corn Gluten Meal.  The key is to get the product down before the seeds germinate.

Additionally, at 10 percent N content, Corn Gluten Meal also makes a good supplemental source of nitrogen and a nice organic fertilizer

Various sized packages of Corn Gluten Mealcan be purchased at your local independent garden retailer in either a natural powder form or, combined with binders, in a pelletized form.  the powder form is farm more effective and cheaper, but they will be very dusty and messy and a bit harder to work with in most situations. 

As many of you know, there is money to be made catering to the zealous nature of many green gardeners and enterprising business owners have capitalized on this by elevating costs of these products compared to their synthetic counterparts.  So, you can purchase the commercially available forms of Corn Gluten Meal, however, if you are willing to put in the back work and do the research, many of you can find it far cheaper in bulk.  Look for a feed store or feed mill in your county or an adjacent county, this is the place where local farmers will go to purchase raw feed-stuffs for their livestock.  Around Monty’s home office Burkmann Mills is a good source of Corn Gluten Meal.  In your area, just look for a location that will either custom-mix rations or ask a local farm store if they sell it.  Once you find your source they will either sell it in super-sized bags or may even be able to fill up your pick-up bed with lose bulk meal.  Also, if you live near a distillery or an ethanol plant, give them a call and ask if they sell the meal direct to the public.  Most do, but be warned, this is a great cattle feed and many of these locations have a waiting list for everything they spin-off from their distillers.  Finally, if you have a dairy farm in your area and you do not need much, you might talk to the farmer.  He may be willing to sell you what you need, and while you’re at it, you can ask him about picking up some free manure (trust me they have more then they know what to do with!)

That’s really all there is to it.  Just a few notes on using and storing it.

  • Make sure you lightly incorporate it into the soil as it will attract animals if it is just left on the surface
  • Do not let it get wet, and make sure you clean your wheelbarrow, spreader, (and back of your pick-up if buying in bulk) well.  If not, when Corn Gluten Meal gets wet the resultant fermentation leaves an odor reminiscent of REALLY strong stale beer. It is more than a bit overwhelming.
  • Do NOT apply within 2 weeks of planting from seed.  This stuff does not know a weed-seed from a beneficial and it will damage your vegetable/flower seeds.  This is a non-selective herbicide.
  • Do NOT use this in conjunction or simultaneously with traditional herbicides, the synthetic herbicides will cancel out the benefits of the Corn Gluten Meal.
  • Soil sample until you reach a comfort level with using this product but this should take care of most of your Nitrogen needs for the period in which application is made.

Now that you know what to do, how to do it, and where to get it.  You have an activity that can get you outside and get you started on your garden.  Just follow these simple guidelines and precautions and you will be one step closer to the all-natural, weed-free garden you always wanted.

For additional information on the original study and on corn gluten in general, check out this article.

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To Leave or Not To Leave

By Dennis on October 13, 2009

Leaves across the country are beginning to fall along with fall3the temperatures. And the thought of falling leaves, leaves many of us with questions about what to do with them.  At the end of the day, you have four basic options:  Leave them alone, Mulch them (run over them with a mower or shredder), Compost them, or Rake and Remove.

Rake and Remove– This option is very labor intensive but provides the over-all cleanest results.  It is becoming harder to do because of landfill restrictions on yard waste and it is not the most environmentally friendly option.  It does have some benefits, though, as it removes all litter and debris and makes it harder for insects and bacteria to overwinter.

Mulching– This is the option preferred 2:1 by husbands who would rather spend their Saturday’s watching SEC football (okay, so I am biased) than doing yard work.  It is quick and easy.  Fire up the lawn mower, set the setting to high, and proceed.  In a relatively short amount of time, the lawn is cleared of visible leaves and you can get on with your plans.  A slightly more elaborate version involves actually using the bag attachment to catch the pulverized leaves then piling them around your perennials, trees, shrubs, or dumping them into your garden to be incorporated later. 

This option is okay if you pay attention to a few biological realities. 

  • It takes nitrogen to process this litter into a usable form, if you don’t provide it, the soil will rob it from the surrounding plants and from the soil. 
  • It takes microbes to break down all organic matter  If you don’t have them they could lay on top of your soil literally for years.
  • Anything that does not break down and get incorporated into your soil will serves as a barrier to sunlight, moisture and nutrient exchange and could actually end up choking out your lawn.
  • Some plants like oaks and pines are acidic by nature.  Castings from these trees are high enough in tanic and other acids that they actually affect the pH of your soil and unless you address these issues your lawn will suffer.

The good news is these situations can be remedied with a little time and expense.  Make sure you apply a good quality fertilizer like a 10-10-10 granular or, for added convenience, use Monty’s 4-15-12 and lightly spray the lawn/mulch mixture after mulching the leaves.

To boost the microbial population in the soil we recomend using Monty’s Calcium Plus or Monty’s Liquid Carbon (where available).  Simply spray the surface of your soil before soil temperatures fall below 45 degrees F (below that temperature, microbes are hibernating and no additive will increase the reproduction of sleeping organisms).

Leave them alone– Growing up reading “Walden,” this option appeals the most to me.  After all, no one is there to pick up after the trees in the wild.  These leaves just become part of the natural order of things.   However, we do not live in the wild and our neighbors tend to frown on this attitude.  Beyond that, there are some other considerations.  In the wild, trees are in the forest, grasses are in the meadows or grasslands.  The two environments rarely mix.  Because the dense shadows, wet heavy leaves, and acidic conditions brought on by the carpet of leaves is not very conducive to growing grasses.  However, if you are bent on leaving the leaves where they fall, or where they blow, take the actions listed above.  Provide enough nitrogen so that the soil will not cannibalize your plants and make sure you have the needed organic matter in the soil by soil testing for OM and enhance the microbial population when you can.  Bear in mind that even with the precautions you can still smother your grasses and leaves ideal locations for weeds next spring.

Compost– All the labor intensiveness of raking with the added fun of having to go out and turn the, how shall I say this politely…”earthy-smelling” pile of decaying leaves.  However, on the plus side of the ledger it will give you a good source of soil for your raised beds next season or fertilizer to mix in with your gardens, lawns and flower beds.  You still will have the problems noted previously about needing microbes to break down the debris and needing to add a bit of nitrogen to the mix for optimal results.  the easiest way to do this is to lightly spray the surface of the compost pile with Monty’s Liquid Carbon each time you go out to turn your compost bin.  Directions for building a compost bin can be found here, or you can purchase one of the newer fangled ones here.  Our friends at Naturally Horton’s can also be a good source of advice or materials.

So, as fall starts to fall, chose the method that is best for you and be prepared to address the needs that each method brings.  Till then, keep working in the yard and garden and keep sending us your pictures and feed back.

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What can I over-seed my lawn with?

By Dennis on October 8, 2009

A family member sent me a post on my facebook account this afternoon asking me this question.   I wrote him a response (he lives in TN, so my answer was geared to southern climates) and thought I  would share it here since many of you may be wondering the same thing.  He specifically wanted to know if he should over-seed with tall fescue, a staple of southern yards.

 Tall fescue is a cool season grass, so it does well in spring and fall, and holds up pretty well late in the winter. But come summer it will brown off quickly in our hot drought conditions.

Bermuda is another common grass in this area.  It does very well late spring to very early fall and is green all summer but it is nasty brown from Oct-about May.  Plus, if you like to go barefoot in the spring, forget about it.  The rhizomes this stuff uses to reproduce get hard when they brown off and hurt tender feet.  But, you will have a nice lawn for summer BBQ’s. It looks really nice, it will get good and thick and it leaves a nice edge if you like to edge your lawn.  It will also hold up to wear and tear from kids and pets.

Bermuda problems part two.  You can’t get rid of the stuff.  Since it reproduces with rhizomes (runners) and seed heads, it will eventually choke out everything else and it will get places you would rather it did not.  It will come up through weed barriers and it will invade gardens.

Here’s what I do.  I seed mainly fescue, then over-seed in the early spring with Bermuda.  It will eventually take over, but until that happens it gives me year round color and keeps weeds at bay.  Once it does take over, tear up the yard, rake as much of the bermuda out as you can, sow fescue in the fall then lightly sow bermuda the following spring and repeat the process in another five years. It’s a hassle but it works

BTW..one last note on bermuda, DO NOT Compost with it or Mulch with it.  The seeds are very hardy and they will germinate in your flower beds.

If you don’t like the downside of bermuda, and you don’t mind brown grass in the summer or high water bills.  Then go with a rye/fescue/bluegrass mix for the yard and Saint Augustine (thick bladed, shade loving grass) in heavily shaded areas or around trees. I hope this helps.

If you have other thoughts or recommendations, feel free to share them in the comment section. I would love to hear your suggestions on southern lawns.

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(Mis)Use of Herbicides

By Dennis on October 7, 2009

Ran across this story today from ABC News it is all about pigweed and their new resistance to herbicides.  Pigweed is a fairly common weed across most US, particularly southern, farmland.  The only problem is it has now developed resistance to the herbicide traditionally used to kill it.

To hit the high points, resistance-all resistance, happens when an organism comes into contact with something that does not kill it completely.  That is why your doctor always tells you to take all ten days of your anti-biotic, for example.  In this case, let’s say you have 100 weeds in the field,  they all get sprayed either completely or partially.  Let’s assume that the farmer got a good kill and 98 of the 100 plants died.  The two that survived – either due to incomplete spraying or genetic mutation – now are able to cross polinate and reproduce seed.  That seed now carries the trait for resistance.  As more of these plants grow and survive year to year, the numbr increases until all you have left are the survivors; those with the naturally selected genetic trait for resistance.

So, why am I talking about a farm problem on a L&G blog.  For this reason; you are prone to the same potential problems.  Resistance can develop to insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides in your lawn and garden and in a relatively short amount of time you will have bug, weed, and disease problems that you can no longer control.

So, what can YOU do?  Well, here are a few easy steps to decrease the liklihood of raising your own super-pests in your garden and lawn:100_1849

1.  Follow directions completely.  Don’t assume that you can or should cut back on the rate to save a few $$.  If the plant is exposed but not killed, you have laid the groundwork for resistance.  Don’t put more chemical in the tank than is called for, the overspray can linger in the environment and again, give a little exposure in a diluted state and foster resitance.

2.  Change up your strategy.  Whne possible use different chemistries to combat the same problem seasonally (or even within a season when you can).  This will keep the pests guessing and keep them from building defenses to any one particular chemical. Additionally, use the mildest herbicide possible for adequaqte control.  For example, don’t use a total-kill prodcut when a little 2, 4D will do the job.  that will leave the big boys for particularly troublesome pests.

3. Let some weeds survive in areas where their removal is not critical or manually remove them.  This will keep the susceptibility gene alive and well in the genepool.  The resistance gene will start off as a mutation, and be selected against in the breeding process in the early stages.  By leaving these surviors you will keep the population as a whole susceptible.

4. Make sure that the weather is suitable.  Wind can cause drift – blowing the herbicide where you do not want it to be.  This can kill or injure plants that you did not intend but also can give low doses to others who then become survivors.  Rain and temperatures can affect how efficiently different chemicals work.  If the weather isn’t right (consult your garden center or the chemical label) you will not get complete results again, giving rise to survivors.

Chemicals can have benefits for use in lawn and garden settings.  However the misuse of these products can have long-lasting results for you, your gardening dreams, and for the over all environment.  Responsible use should be of utmost importance for those who seek to use chemical alternatives in their gardening practices.

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