page links

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

April 10, 2018 Kim’s Weekly Garden Blog


Hi Gardeners
Well the snow has
Iris reticulata
melted here again and a warm up is predicted.  Like many of you I am behind in spring garden chores and impatient to get to them.  It’s going to be a rushed season once it does get warm.  So much to do, so little time.  I did get outside a bit today to stare at the area where we removed the walnut trees to try and decide how much lawn to remove and what to plant.
Outside I have crocus, iris reticulata, snow drops and winter aconite in bloom. Everything seems to be coming up nicely, despite frequent blankets of snow. The deer got to a bed where I had tulips coming up and ate them to the ground. I have been covering other places with netting.  I hate those deer. 
This weekend I started 100 pots of various flowers.  I used the 3 oz paper cups that people often put in their bathrooms. It translates roughly to a 2 inch pot. I poke a hole in the bottom and set them in trays.  When the seedlings have their first true leaves I hope I can move them to my little greenhouse.  It had some winter damage to the plastic on the walls that I need to replace so I hope the weather is kind for a few days.
If you need more space for plants why not try a cold frame?
Using a cold frame
If ever there was a spring that could make a cold frame useful it’s this one.  Many people started seeds inside and they are getting large- and space is at a premium.  Your plants may be getting lanky because the light isn’t sufficient.  Spring and frost-free days look a long time away.  A cold frame can help.
My grandfather always had his cold frame operating in spring.  He used a trick to heat his that many old-timers know.  First, he would put a layer of fresh manure on the bottom, then a layer of straw and set his pots and flats on that.  The decomposing manure provided heat for cold nights.  Most cold frames aren’t heated but they can still be very useful.
Cold frames are a box with a clear top and sometimes clear sides.  Snug in their protected world plants get the advantage of natural light without drafts and frost.  Cold frames are used to start seedlings or to harden off, (acclimate), plants that were started inside.  In the fall they can also be used to grow a crop of greens before severe weather sets in.
 
Cold frame- wikimedia
A gardener can simply construct a wooden box with a Plexiglas lid or a lid covered with heavy clear plastic film.  Old windows make good covers.  Cold frames can be built with cinder blocks or even 4 bales of straw.  The back is usually a bit higher than the front so the top slants.  This allows more light in.  They should face south.
The box should be at least eighteen inches deep to allow plants to grow.  If you are putting larger plants inside you will want it to be deeper. The walls should be thick or well insulated. Pieces of foam insulation can be used on the sides for an extra layer of protection.  You can add a floor or simply have plants sit on the ground.  Heat cables or mats can be purchased from garden supply stores for bottom heat, rather than using manure.

Purchased cold frames may be made of wood or plastic.  They often have hinged lids that are connected to a device that opens the lid when a certain temperature is reached.  You can buy these devices to add to a home built cold frame. Some cold frames may also have heat cables and fans to circulate air. 
Set the cold frame up several days before you sow seeds or set plants in it.  It should receive full sun all day.  If you are not using heat cables on the bottom you may want to cover the ground with black plastic.
 Some people add soil and plant directly in the cold frame, but plants transplant better if started in pots.  Don’t start seeds or plants in a cold frame too early.  When they outgrow the frame the weather should be ready for them to be planted in the garden.  Planting in a cold frame can usually begin six weeks before your last expected frost.
 The most important thing to remember about cold frames is that even though it is in the upper thirties outside on a sunny day, it will be much warmer inside the box with the lid closed. If temperatures get too hot the plants will die just as quickly as if they got too cold.   If you do not use a thermostatically controlled opener, (a device that will raise the lid when the temperature gets to a certain point), you must be diligent in raising and lowering the lid depending on weather conditions.  If extremely cold weather threatens the whole cold frame can be covered with a blanket.
Cold frames can make a gardener’s life easier when we have unpredictable springs like this one.  Why not try one?

Calathea- Rattlesnake plant, Zebra plant
I like houseplants that either have interesting foliage or pretty blooms.  For interesting foliage, the Calathea’s are hard to beat.  There is even one calathea that has attractive flowers as well as good foliage. Calatheas are probably not the best plants for beginning houseplant growers, but those with a little indoor plant experience should be able to grow them.
Calathea lancifolia
The calathea species in cultivation are native to Central and South America.  They are tropical and subtropical understory plants with thick, tough leaves.  In their native countries they were often used to wrap small items and make decorative containers by indigenous people.  They are sometimes confused with Marantas- the Prayer plant and Herringbone plant.
Calathea leaves have long stems that arise from the plant crown.  In mature plants the leaves can get quite large, up to 30 inches long in some species.  The leaves move to adjust to light conditions, in bright light they are more upright, in lower light more horizontal.  Mature plants, depending on species range from 18 -36 inches high.  The plants increase their width each year with new stems arising from the spreading rhizomatous roots.
Rattlesnake Plant (Calathea lancifolia or Calathea insignis, depending on the reference) is one of my favorite calathea species.  It has long narrow leaves with a wavy edge.  They are pale green on the top, with a purple underside.  What makes it outstanding is the dark green markings on the leaves, which look like an artist carefully painted the stem of another plant on it.  The leaf vein forms the stem in the “picture” with alternating large and small dark green “leaves” along it.  Each of the “leaves” appears to have a tiny stem attaching it to the main “stem”.  The markings mimicking a leafy stem fascinate me, you have to wonder why the markings evolved and I also wonder how the plant got its common name since it does not look like rattlesnake markings to me.  The Rattlesnake plant is also one of the easiest Calatheas to grow as a houseplant since it is resistant to the leaf edge browning many Calatheas have in low humidity conditions.
The Zebra plant (Calathea zebrina) is another common Calathea used as a houseplant.  Its leaves are narrow like C. lancifolia, light green on top with V shaped stripes of darker green and a purple underside.   The Calathea roseopicta has several very colorful cultivars.  This Calathea has broader, oval shaped leaves marked with pink and yellow on top, often there is a yellow outline on the leaf surface, a pink vein and reddish pink stripes.  It has a purple backside too.
Another Calathea, the Peacock plant (Calathea makoyana) has thinner, oval shaped leaves that are white on top with dark green markings. Some think the markings look like the “eyes” on a peacock’s tail but to me they look much like the markings of the Rattlesnake Calathea, with pale green streaking between them.
Calathea crocata is the Calathea that has showy flowers.  This hard to find Calathea has narrow light green leaves striped with darker green and pretty yellow-orange flowers that appear in clusters on top of a long stem that sticks up above the foliage.  Occasionally other species of Calathea pop up on the market
Check out this leaf.  Doesn't it look like a painting?
Calathea care
Being from the rainforest Calatheas need high humidity and warmth.  Low humidity is the houseplant growers biggest enemy with this species.  It causes browning and curling of the leaf edges.  Probably the best way to grow them in the home is to sit pots on a bed of moist peat or sphagnum moss.  You could also use a humidity tray under them.
Plants should be in a well-drained potting mix that is kept evenly moist.  They like bright light but should never be placed in direct sunlight, which will cause leaf scorch.  Temperature should be kept above 60 degrees and plants must be kept out of cold drafts.
In the summer months a houseplant fertilizer can be used once a month for healthy, vibrant plants.  Stop fertilizing and water less in winter months.
All calatheas bloom when mature and in good conditions, but in most species the blooms are insignificant.  Propagation of the plant is by division.  In zone 11 and above Calatheas are sometimes used in the landscape.  They are often used in florist arrangements of decorative potted foliage.
Problems with Calatheas are generally related to environmental conditions.  Browning leaf edges and tips generally mean the plant needs more humidity. Wilting Calathea can mean too much sun, too little water or too much water.  Check the soil and move the plant out of direct sunlight.
When plants are in low humidity they are also prone to spider mites.  Increase the humidity and mist heavily every day for a while to help with this problem. Occasionally Calathea may acquire aphids, mealy bugs or scale, although they are not common problems for this plant.  Treat with a registered houseplant insecticide.  Do not use soap solutions on Calathea as it will cause leaf discoloration.
The ASPCA lists Calathea as non-toxic and I could find no other information on its toxicity.   One species of Calathea, the 6 feet tall Calathea allouia has edible root tubers.  It has not been commonly kept as a houseplant but is cultivated in some areas of South America.

Spring bird feeding
Don’t quit feeding the birds as it gets warmer.  There’s no evidence that this harms them, even the feeding of suet.  In fact, many birds whose food sources have been disrupted because of the changing climate may need a summer handout to successfully raise young.  You’ll also get to see species at the feeder you won’t see in winter.
I feed sunflower seed, suet, grape jelly and hummingbird nectar all summer.  Baltimore orioles love jelly of any flavor, but grape is usually the cheapest.  Other birds will also eat the jelly.  I put out halved oranges early in the spring as the Orioles arrive to help them find the jelly.


Suet, the non-melting kind, provides protein and fat for many birds.  You’ll see them bring their babies to eat the suet as they fledge.  There’s some information being passed around on social media that suet in the summer gives birds gout.  I thoroughly searched for any scientific research to support this claim and there is none.  All of the references to gout being caused by feeding suet in summer trace back to one on line source who seems to have formed her opinion by observing one bird, just one bird, that she believes had gout and who also believes the gout was caused by suet.  It’s speculation being passed as fact.
I have fed birds suet in the summer for many years and never observed any with gout symptoms.  So, if we are to base our opinions on simple observation mine ought to equal that of the bird gout lady.  Based on science and what I also know about domestic birds, having raised them for half a century, it’s very unlikely wild birds would get gout from suet feeding in the summer. Wild birds use an incredible amount of energy to raise young in the summer and would be highly unlikely to get too much protein and fat, which might cause gout. Until I see research which involves blood tests to check for gout and feeding studies in wild birds proving suet causes gout I’ll continue to feed it.
As for hummingbird nectar it may be very important this spring because many flowers have a delayed bloom, or the blooms were destroyed by freezes. Those poor hummers will be looking for food. Get those nectar feeders out as soon as the temps stay above freezing at night, or even sooner if you are seeing hummers.

Free MG lesson – Lawns
Whew- I got a little ambitious here. This is a long article.
Spring is a good time to learn about lawn care and April is National Lawn and Garden month.  Not every gardener in the US can grow a lawn, or should be growing a lawn, but there are thousands if not millions of people here that do want a lawn, or at least something approximating a lawn.  There are various sorts of lawns and the type of gardener you are will probably determine what type of lawn appeals to you.
There’s the carpet like, one species lawn that’s kept precisely mowed and looks like a plush carpet.  The person who likes this type of lawn generally doesn’t do much other gardening because the lawn work takes all of his/her time.  There’s the medium upkeep lawn, the gardener allows a few species of low growing plants but tries to keep out obnoxious weeds and maybe does some moderate fertilization and /or watering and keeps the lawn neatly trimmed.  Then there’s the “I don’t care” about lawns gardener who just allows anything to grow and sometimes mows it short. 

Lawn and ground cover combo
And recently another sort of “lawn” has become popular, the native species of grass lawn, which generally uses clumping, low growing grasses that aren’t watered or mowed.  There’s also lawn alternatives, which involve ground covers like sedum, moss, or no lawn, just flower or even vegetable beds or even various types of mulch in place of a lawn.
Should you have a lawn?  There are both benefits and disadvantages to lawns.  Keeping a lawn, an area of short vegetation around the home, helps with fire suppression, tick and mosquito control, cools the air and absorbs water coming off the roof and hard surfaces.  Lawns help delineate flower beds, a nice lawn around a flower bed is attractive.  Lawns can provide recreational space and outdoor living areas.
On the other hand, lawns are often a monoculture of a non-native grass species which has little value to wildlife, especially if it is a heavily pesticide treated and fertilized space.  Homeowners using fertilizers and pesticides on lawns contribute more pollution to the environment than farmers.  Lawns require fume belching mowers and trimmers and contribute to high ozone levels. If you want that carpet like lawn it takes a lot of time and work.
In this article I am going to assume you want a nice lawn that’s also environmentally friendly.  That’s the goal, not producing a lawn that looks like golf greens.  I’ll give several ways to achieve that goal.
Conditions that make a lawn appropriate
I have had many people ask me why they can’t grow grass under their pine trees, or maple trees.  There are two reasons, the most likely is that there is too much shade.  Even “shady” grass seed mixes need some sunlight, partial sun or dappled shade.  Grass that does manage to grow in a shadier location won’t handle foot traffic well and is more prone to disease and insects.
If your yard is very shady don’t expect to grow good grass.  You can thin out trees or remove them to let in more light in some cases. If you can’t provide more light you need to grow a lawn alternative such as a ground cover.
Sometimes competition with tree roots causes lawns to grow poorly also.  These roots may develop at the soil surface or close to it.  It can make mowing difficult too. Mulching areas with bulging roots is the best way to deal with this problem.  Plant your grass further away from the trees, where roots aren’t so close to the soil surface.
Compacted soil and low fertility soil are also poor grass producers. Compacted soil may be caused by foot traffic “beating a path” or heavy machinery as when a new home is constructed.  Poor fertility may be the result of subsoil being placed around a home or it may be the natural soil in the area has been depleted of nutrients. Poor soil fertility and compacted soil often grow moss instead of grass.
If you are having trouble growing grass have your soil tested and correct any nutrient deficiencies.  If you are going to be establishing a lawn after new construction, it’s vital to have the soil tested.  A contractor may drop a few inches of topsoil around the home, but because it looks dark doesn’t mean it’s going to grow good grass. Most grass can use some nitrogen fertilizer a few times a year but don’t assume it needs other nutrients until you get a soil test.  Over fertilization is the cause of a lot of environmental pollution.
Improving compacted soil is a bit more difficult.  First you must restrict foot or machine traffic over the area.  Do not just dump more soil on top of the compacted soil.  That compacted layer underneath is going to impede water flow and restrict root growth.  Instead this is one time when some rototilling may be helpful.  Loosen the soil to a depth of 8 inches at least and then spread a couple of inches of compost or topsoil and mix them into the existing soil.
After a good healthy lawn is established it can take some foot traffic without problems.  However, if the foot traffic is excessive or things like cars are being parked on it on a regular basis it’s time to forget grass and pave or mulch the area.
Grass will also not grow where it’s very hot and dry, unless irrigation is used.  Irrigation is being restricted in more and more places. If your environment is hot and dry and you can’t irrigate consider a lawn alternative.
To sum it up grass grows best in full sun, in loose fertile soil, and where it gets at least moderate regular moisture.
Varieties of grass
Before I go into what grass varieties to choose I’ll discuss grass biology a bit.  Grasses are monocots, they don’t have terminal buds and can repeatedly grow after the grass leaf blade is cut. Grasses have fibrous root systems which can grow amazingly deep in loose soil- up to 12 inches down.  Root development takes place primarily in very early spring and early fall.  The plant devotes energy to leaf and stem growth in late spring and summer.
Grass plant - eXtension
Grass plants have narrow leaves that generally wrap around the stem at their base. Grass stems have swollen nodes along them where new leaves can develop.  Grass species can be tricky to identify, especially since we cut them before they flower and go to seed. Since there are only a few species that make good lawns gardeners that are interested can learn to identify them by using a key. I’ve provided a couple of links to turf grass identification below.

After being seeded the best lawn grasses spread by stolons above ground creeping stems, and/or with rhizomes, underground creeping stems.  Some grasses also reproduce by tillers, which are “daughter” plants that appear right next to the original plants crown.  Lawn grasses make seed of course, but in lawns we rarely let them get tall enough to produce seed.  Lawn grass seed is produced in the northwest in huge fields.
Kentucky Bluegrass, (Poa pratensis), despite the name is not a native grass, it’s native to northern Asia and Europe.  It is however the number one species of grass grown for lawns in the US and there are many varieties/cultivars produced. Some of these have better disease resistance or color or tolerate shade better. This is the best grass species for planting sunny lawns in zones 3-8.  The better lawn seed mixes will mention specific cultivar names of Kentucky bluegrass, such as ‘Touchdown’.  Less expensive grass seed mixes will simply list Kentucky Bluegrass.  A blend of several cultivars of bluegrass is desirable. 
You may occasionally see rough bluegrass listed on seed packages.  This is not a desirable grass except for wet shaded sites.  It is light green.  If you have conditions where this grass may be helpful you may have to get it from a specialty supplier.
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. ssp. perenne) is the next most appropriate grass for lawns. It grows rapidly and tolerates soils that are less fertile than needed for bluegrass. It is somewhat coarser in looks than bluegrass but there are now many improved varieties. Its often included in lawn seed mixtures and it’s a good choice where erosion may be a problem.
Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), is often included in cheaper grass seed mixes because it germinates quickly and provides that green look faster.  It may also be called Italian rye grass. It only lives one year so it’s not a good grass on its own.  Don’t buy mixes with more than 5 % annual rye.
Tall fescue is an up and coming grass species for good lawns with many improved cultivars. It can take a lot of traffic and tolerates dry areas better than bluegrass. It’s still not as uniform and nice looking as bluegrass. Mixes for regular lawn use shouldn’t contain more than 15 % tall fescue. Higher percentages can be used for play areas and things like ball fields.
Fine leafed fescues are often used in shady lawn seed mixtures since they tolerate dry shade well. They won’t grow in wet areas or dense shade though.  They like less fertilization than other grasses, too much fertilizer causes thinning. They are also more prone to leaf diseases than other grasses.
Bentgrass is very fine textured grass commonly used on golf courses.  It’s not recommended for homeowners because it requires a lot of work, fertilizer and pesticides to keep it looking nice. It does not mix well with Kentucky bluegrass, avoid any mixtures of the two grasses.
Zoysia grass is a warm weather grass that may be suitable for gardeners in zones 8 and higher.  In colder zones it turns brown at the first frost and doesn’t green up until late spring, when its quite warm.  It’s planted as small plants, called plugs.  Gardeners in zones lower than 8 should not plant it, despite all the deceptive advertising this grass gets.
White clover used to be added to grass seed many, many years ago and then it fell out of favor because it attracted bees. Well times change. That’s the very reason some people are now opting to buy mixtures with white clover, because they attract and help pollinators. Clover can use nitrogen from the air and is good in low fertility areas.  Clover in lawns doesn’t make for the dense uniform look some people like in a lawn, but for those who want an environmentally friendly lawn add some white clover.
Seeding a lawn
Cool times of the year are best to establish a new lawn from seed. Spring is usually chosen because it is wetter in many areas than fall.  However mid fall, after temps have cooled is also a good time for seeding lawns.
You may want to seed after new construction of a home, or because your old lawn is a hopeless mess. To get a good lawn established remove any old sod and put it in the compost pile.  Sod is removed by slicing under the roots and peeling it off.  You can rent a tool that will make sod removal easier.  If the ground was nearly bare you can skip the removal and just turn any vegetation into the soil.  You may have to dig out deeply rooted weeds.
If you are not averse to chemical help glyphosate (Round Up) is a quick and less labor-intensive way to remove old sod and weeds. Use it when the grass and weeds are actively growing, follow label directions.  If weeds are blooming cut the lawn very short before applying the glyphosate so pollinators won’t be feeding on treated areas.  Usually the wait time before you can then work the soil and plant is about two weeks. Check the label.
Patching- You may just have a few bad spots in the lawn and these can be patched with seed.  Small patch kits are sold that have a mulch and seed combination and these can work well.  Otherwise just follow the directions for re-seeding below on a smaller scale.
Roto-till, plow, or spade up the lawn area after removing the old sod. If the soil is poor, incorporate lots of compost into the soil. Do not just add a couple of inches of topsoil on top of poor soil; work it into the existing soil.  Topsoil varies tremendously as to quality and fertility and color is no indication of good topsoil.  Compost is the better choice.  Before seeding try to get a soil test done.  You can more easily correct a nutrient deficiency or the pH before seeding.  Soil pH for grass is ideally 6.5 to 7.5.
Choose your grass seed carefully.  A bluegrass mixture is recommended for most sunny zone 3-8 lawns.  Grass seed labels tell you the percentage of each type of grass.  The mixture should contain less than 10% annual ryegrass and /or perennial rye grass or other seed.  It should be mostly varieties of bluegrass.  If your area is shady look for shade grass mixes.  These will have grasses like fine fescue along with shade tolerant bluegrasses.
Smooth the lawn surface and rake out lumps and rocks.  Fill holes and hollows.  Now scatter the lawn seed evenly over the prepared ground.  Rolling the seeded surface with a lawn roller half filled with water gets seed in contact with the soil.  You can rent lawn rollers.  Don’t worry about covering the grass seed with soil.
New seed seems to do better if covered lightly with mulch.  Straw, preferably chopped, is the cheapest option for large areas.  Bags of green fluffy mulch material are often sold in garden stores for smaller areas.  After mulch is applied water carefully, making sure not to wash the seed off or into clumps. 
If it turns dry and hot where you are, newly seeded areas need to be watered at least once a day.  Don’t let newly planted seed beds dry out for the best germination.  If the soil does not feel cool and moist it needs to be watered.
Hydro-seeding is done by a company that applies a slurry of grass seed, mulch and water.  Homeowners could do all of the prep work to save money and then hire a company to hydroseed.  Make sure you check to see what seed mixture the company uses.
Overseeding is sometimes done in an effort to improve a thin lawn. In this case grass seed is simply sown over existing grass.  It helps to loosen the soil on bare areas and to remove thatch by raking the lawn before overseeding.  Thatch is a build up of dead grass leaves and stems near the base of grass plants.
Sodding a lawn is rolling out strips of already growing grass.  It can be very expensive or just slightly more expensive then seeding depending on how close you are to sod farms.  Homeowners can do sodding if they have a way to get it delivered.  Most sod is Kentucky bluegrass. 
The prep for sod is the same as for seeding.  You slightly overlap each roll of sod as you roll it out. It is usually lightly rolled after laying to get it in contact with the soil.  It must be watered every day for a while unless it rains, or the soil is very wet.  Keep traffic off it for a few weeks.  Don’t mow it until its 4 inches high, then only take it down to 3 inches.
Lawn fertilization
All lawns can benefit from some nitrogen in the spring.  Whether you need other nutrients should be determined by a soil test.  Michigan and some other states have banned the use of phosphorus in fertilizer unless you have a soil test that shows you need it.  Most fertilizers on the store shelves in these states will not contain phosphorus, so you will need it buy it separately, probably at a farm supply store.   Fortunately, few home lawns will need it.   
Suggested fertilization of home lawns for a minimum care lawn is twice a year, once just as the grass gets growing well in spring and once again in early fall for good root development.  For more intense lawn care fertilize in early spring, (April to mid- May, early summer (mid-June) and early fall -(September). MSU recommends 3 lbs. of nitrogen per 1000 sq. feet.  Slow release fertilizers are less likely to burn lawns and less likely to leach out or wash off to pollute the environment.
Apply fertilizer according to the label directions and be careful not to use too much or spill it on the lawn or you will burn the grass.  Apply it evenly.  Do not get fertilizer on hard surfaces like sidewalks, where it can wash off into drains.  Don’t fertilize within 15 feet of lakes, ponds and other natural water features. This keeps the fertilizer from polluting the water.
Check the fertilizer label carefully.  Some products called weed and feed, contain weed killers.  Make sure you want to kill weeds with a pesticide before using these. Do not get these fertilizers on or near plants you don’t want killed although large trees are seldom bothered by applying them to grass under them.
If you just like something green to cover the ground, you don’t need to fertilize the lawn at all.  After all, fertilization just makes the grass and weeds grow faster so you have to mow more often.  All lawns will benefit though, if lawn clippings are allowed to remain on the lawn after mowing, which returns nutrients to the lawn.  MSU states that using a mulching mower to return grass clippings to the soil will save you one fertilizer application a year.
Lawn mowing
Mowing your lawn properly will make a difference in how healthy it is and can help make the lawn more environmentally friendly.  Grass needs its leaf blades to produce food for the plant, so it can grow new leaves and support the root system.  Every time you cut the leaf blade off you reduce the plants ability to make food.
Longer grass is healthier grass.  Most turf experts believe grass should be kept at about 3- 3 ½ inches in height and that only a third of the blade length should be removed at one time.  So, in the spring you can let the grass get 4 inches long and then cut it back to 3 inches.
If you let the grass get very long you might have to take more than a third off in some cases.  After you mow really long grass you’ll notice the remaining lawn will look a little yellow.  That’s because you have removed the chlorophyll filled upper parts of the leaf.  If there is enough moisture and mild weather the grass will quickly recover its green look but it’s not a good idea to keep letting the lawn get too long before trimming it.
Keeping the lawn at around 3 inches will help shade out weeds and may prevent some weed seeds from sprouting.  The grass will look thicker and its roots will probably be stronger. Longer, thicker grass holds the soil moisture longer and provides more of a cooling effect for the nearby environment.
Those of you who like to support pollinators and allow some weeds in the lawn may want the lawn even a bit longer.  If you allow white clover and other common lawn weeds like ground ivy and hensbit a chance to bloom the pollinators will be happy.  Allowing dandelions to bloom in the spring will please pollinators even more.  Later in the summer when many plants are blooming you could trim the lawn a little closer. If you have a big tick problem in the area a shorter lawn may be better.

Pollinator approved lawn
In mild wet weather grass may grow so fast that it needs to be mowed twice a week to keep it at the height you have chosen without taking off too much blade at one time.  But as the summer heat and drier conditions come on your mowing should become less.  The last mowing in the fall should take the lawn down to 2 ½ - 3 inches because longer grass going into winter can cause fungal problems under the snow.
Always use a sharp mower blade when mowing.  Dull blades shred the leaf tip instead of leaving a clean slice across it.  This looks less attractive and may make the grass more susceptible to disease.
Using a mulching blade on the mower is highly recommended.  This returns the grass clippings to the soil, along with the nutrients they carry.  You won’t notice the clippings if you are keeping up with the mowing and not letting the grass go too long between trimming. You can use one less fertilization treatment (if you are using fertilizer) on the lawn if you mulch the clippings back into it.   And by using a mulching blade you won’t need to rake clippings or empty collecting bags. 
You can also mow over leaves in the fall with a mulching mower and allow that organic matter to feed the lawn.  That’s better than having to rake them.
If you don’t use a mulching blade you’ll probably need to rake off grass clippings or collect them in a mower bag, especially in the spring when the grass is moist and long.  Big piles of clippings look bad and turn the grass beneath them yellow.  If you are re-claiming a long, weedy mess of a lawn you may need to rake even if you use a mulching mower.
Lawn watering
There are varying ways of watering lawns to achieve different goals or styles of lawn.  Some people don’t water at all by choice or they may be prohibited from watering lawns.  Their lawns may brown and go dormant in hot dry weather.  Most lawns recover from this in cooler, wetter weather.
Some people water their lawns just enough to keep them green.  That’s probably an inch of water in a week, usually in one deep watering. This may be done by hand. An environmentally friendly lawn doesn’t get watered a lot.  It learns to put down deep roots and go dormant through dry spells.  Weedy lawns require less water to look green in hot dry weather.
Other people want a deep, plush green lawn all season and set up sprinkling/irrigation systems if they are allowed to do that in their area. If you do this please respect the environment and use a system that does not come on in the rain, nothing annoys people who want to protect the environment more than a sprinkler running in the rain.  Make sure the system only waters the grass and not sidewalks and driveways, where the water runs off and is wasted.
If fire suppression around the home is one reason you have a lawn, then it should be kept green.
Thatch management and lawn coring- aeration
These techniques are generally used by those people who want the higher maintenance, more perfect looking lawns.  Thatch is an accumulation of dead plant tissue around the base of grass plants.  It’s normal and natural and eventually decomposes.  Sometimes however the rate of decomposition is slow and a build up of more than a ½ inch of thatch occurs.  That’s the threshold when lawn experts say it may begin to affect lawn health.
Excessive thatch can prevent water and fertilizer from reaching grass roots and in some cases, it becomes a favorable environment for certain pest insects. If you believe thatch may be contributing to lawn problems, you may decide to remove it.  It’s a bit of work, and frankly many gardeners will choose to just let it lay there. 
Power raking uses a special piece of motorized equipment that rakes out thatch.  They used to be popular among lawn geeks and it was a status symbol to own one.  Special blades for mowers that aided dethatching were also sold.  Newer field research has found that power dethatching is actually harmful to grass and not very effective at removing thatch anyway.
If you are worried about thatch you can use a hand rake to remove it, which is easier on the grass plants.  But the best method for dealing with deep thatch seems to be coring, sometimes called aeration of lawns.  Coring simply means running a piece of equipment over the ground which takes out little cores of soil. This allows water and air to enter the soil better and is especially helpful if the soil is heavy clay or compacted.  Grass roots quickly expand into the holes left.  
The little cores of grass and soil are left to dry on top of the lawn for a few days and then something is run over them, like a thatching mower, or dragging something across the lawn, to break up the little cores and re-distribute them.  Coring is best done in early spring or mid-fall.

Weed control
If you have been around gardeners a lot, you have probably heard the term 60 mph lawn.  That means when you drive by at 60 mph the mowed lawn looks nice because you can’t see the “weeds” in it.  But every gardener should appreciate a “weedy” lawn.  Lawns with weeds are actually healthier than a monoculture of bluegrass.  There will be more beneficial insects, more helpful soil microbes and earthworms (also non-native by the way) if a lawn is composed of diverse species.
There has been research that suggests a “weedy” lawn also distracts rabbits from munching on ornamentals and vegetables near the lawn.  Rabbits prefer some plants like white clover over bluegrass and your precious flowers and vegetables.  Birds like to pick through a diverse mix of species and pollinators appreciate flowering plants in the lawn.
If you aren’t leaving the flowers for the bees and the clover for the bunnies, April is a good time to apply weed control, either in combination with fertilizer or as a separate application. There are the fertilizers sold as “weed and feed”.  Make sure you don’t get weed control fertilizer or other weed killers anywhere you want flowers or vegetables to grow.  These fertilizers cannot differentiate between dandelions and lettuce or clover and roses.  They kill all broad-leafed plants.
To kill crabgrass in lawns, use a special “crabgrass preventer”.  This doesn’t kill crabgrass that’s started growing; if it did it would also kill your lawn grass.  Instead it keeps crabgrass seed from germinating.  Crabgrass is an annual plant which comes back from seed each year and it doesn’t germinate until the weather is quite warm.  In zone 5-6 maybe 7, April is the best time to apply this preventer. March is the best time for zone 7-8 application.  You cannot put crabgrass preventer on a lawn that you are trying to patch with new grass seeds or where you are totally re-seeding a lawn, because the lawn seed won’t grow.
Of course, an environmentally friendly way to weed lawns is to do it by hand.  There are tools that help you pop dandelions out of the ground.  And even better for the environment would be letting some weeds grow and flower to help a wide assortment of pollinators and other friendly insects.
One note here: cornmeal will not kill weeds or keep weed seeds from germinating when sprinkled on the lawn.  Corn gluten meal, an entirely different product you can’t buy in the grocery, has had some success in some areas of the country in keeping weed seeds from sprouting.  You will have to buy that in a garden store or farm supply store.  Regular cornmeal will only attract mice and ants and mold.
Treating lawns with pesticides to get rid of weeds or insects is not an environmentally friendly act.  It’s not healthy for you or your pets either.  While pesticide applicators may tell you differently, pesticides on lawns frequently poison pets.  Just ask any vet.   Pesticides kill pollinators and helpful insects.  They wash into surface waters like ponds and streams to kill fish and aquatic life.  Most insects, like grubs, don’t affect “weeds” much.  Leaving the weeds means that your lawn will still look green when lawn insects strike and there is some evidence that a lawn of diverse species helps prevent infestations of insects that destroy grass roots.
Lawn diseases and pests
When homeowners have disease or pest problems in lawns many time better care practices will help the problem.  As with other considerations people have different approaches in how they would want to control pests and disease. Some will prefer an organic lawn, where no pesticides are used. Others want that perfect carpet of green and don’t mind using pesticides to get it.
Moss
Mossy patches in the lawn mean the conditions aren’t favorable for grass and need to be corrected.  Moss grow where it’s too shady or wet for grass, on compacted soil or in very acidic soil. If the shade can’t be lightened by pruning tree limbs you may need to plant ground covers in the spot or use mulch there.  Drainage and compaction might be corrected by digging up the area and incorporating some good compost, and then re-seeding.
If you suspect the soil could be too acidic have a soil test done and follow the recommendations to correct it.  Moss is easily raked off an area but that might leave a bare spot.  Sometimes warmer dryer conditions will allow grass to expand back into the area.  There are people who have acidic soil and lots of shade that actually encourage moss to grow and have a beautiful moss lawn.
Algae
If the lawn has been flooded for a long period or is very waterlogged, algae sometimes develops on the soil.  Algae can only be corrected by improving soil drainage, which may mean filling in low areas or adding drain tiles underground.
Snowmold
In the spring after the snow melts and the weather is still cool and wet the gardener may notice gray or pinkish fuzzy patches on the lawn.  This is snowmold. It most often occurs on those well cared for lawns, that were fertilized in the fall but left a little long going into winter.  Snowmold doesn’t kill the grass and good weather conditions will banish it.  There is no need for chemical treatments.
Leaf spot
Leaf spot usually occurs in cool wet weather in spring or fall. It most often affects older varieties of bluegrass and fine leaved fescue grass.  Grass blades first get straw colored spots surrounded by a reddish to black border.  If not treated the grass plant leaves and roots eventually rot away.  Contact your local County Extension office for a definite diagnosis and for a recommendation for chemical controls.
Dollar spot
Dollar spot usually appears in late summer when days are still warm, but nights are cool. Bleached looking spots the size of a silver dollar appear first, these may run together to form larger areas over time. In this case watering and fertilizing the lawn will generally help it recover.
Rust
You’ll know you have rust, a fungal disease if you walk across the lawn and your shoes get covered in a rusty orange dust.  The lawn will have a rusty dusted appearance and examining a grass blade will reveal tiny reddish raised areas on the leaf.  Rust occurs in summer and is most often found on bluegrass and perennial ry.  A fungicide may help if applied early, contact your County Extension for a recommendation.  The grass will probably recover even if not treated.
Other diseases of turf grass
There are a few other turf diseases that pop up in extensively managed lawns. If you have a problem don’t listen to folk advice and spray the lawn with things like mouthwash. Instead have a grass expert look at it or take a sample to your County Extension office to be diagnosed and for control recommendations.
Fairy Rings and other mushrooms
A fairy ring is a dark circle of green grass with lighter green grass in the center.  Sometimes in summer a circle of mushrooms will pop up along the rim of the dark circle. Fairy rings and other mushroom outcroppings are often connected to buried organic debris in the soil and more common in compacted soils.
There’s no real cure for mushrooms and fairy rings in the lawn.  Remove mushrooms as soon as you see them to keep pets and children from eating them, as some are deadly.  Fertilizing the center of a fairy ring will make the center blend with the ring.  Coring the center is also recommended.

Fairy ring.  Wikimedia commons
Grub control
Grubs are the larval stage of several beetles.  Japanese beetles and European Chafer beetles are the most serious and common grub producers.  The Bluegrass billbug and Black ataneius beetle may also have destructive grubs.  Just because you have mole hills or runs in the yard does not mean you have a serious grub problem.
Homeowners do not automatically need to use grub control products every year.  If you don’t have a lot of grubs, it’s best to forget the grub control.  Turf should survive a small amount of grub damage. Some of the grub control products aren’t effective in spring, even though they are marketed as such, and you’ll be wasting your money.  And most of these products will kill other soil creatures, and bees and other pollinators which may visit weed flowers in the lawn.  These products can also poison pets that walk on the lawn or eat the grass too. 
Japanese beetle adults
Here’s how to check for grubs. In early spring the grubs of European Chafer beetles and Japanese beetles will have overwintered, and be quite large.  If you notice patches of lawn that seem browned and not growing well you can lift a section of sod, slide a shovel under it and try to lift it off like a piece of carpet.  If you do have extensive grub damage this will be easier to do.  The grubs of both beetle species are similar looking to the average person, whitish fat worm-like creatures with darker heads, usually curled into a C shape.  You may see them laying on the soil when you pick up the sod piece you cut out.  Turn the sod piece over and examine the roots and soil there for grubs too.  If you see more than 12 grubs in a foot square area, treatment may be indicated.
If you have a lot of lawn damage and you are sure it’s from grubs, you may want to treat lawns in spring. Be aware that spring treatment of lawns is not a preventative; it only kills existing grubs from last year’s hatch. Even if you treat your lawn for grubs in early spring and kill them all, adult beetles will come from other areas when they mate in the early summer and lay eggs on your soil.
Preventative products are applied after the adult beetles lay eggs this year, those products are applied in late summer.  Turf specialists think preventative products, applied in late summer, are more effective grub control than spring pesticides that kill overwintered grubs.  And unless your area has lots of grub damage you do not need to apply preventative products either.
For killing grubs in spring, check the ingredient list on the product bag for these chemicals; chlorantraniliprole, carbaryl and trichlorfon (usually just one of these).  Use these exactly as the label directs.  Grub control products with these ingredients; imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, or clothianidin will not kill grubs in the spring; they need to be applied in late summer to work well.  Don’t let salespeople tell you differently.  Those products are in the store every spring hoping you’ll buy them, and then buy them again later.  Don’t apply useless chemicals to the environment where they do more damage than good.
According to Michigan State University other useless products for grub control are lambda-cyhalothrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, cyfluthrin, permethrin, or spectracide- Triazicide.  If these are the only active ingredients listed for grub control don’t buy these products. 
When you use insecticides on the lawn (grub control), mow the lawn short first to get rid of any flowers in the lawn that might attract pollinators.  Be prepared to water the products into the soil. MSU turf experts say that a good watering in of the product is critical to success.  Keep pets and kids off the lawn at least the recommended time on the bag/product label.  I’d keep them off longer; I have heard about and seen too many cases of pet poisoning from these products, even when directions were followed.  Don’t let lawn care people tell you these products are safe as soon as they dry.
What about organic, or natural predator grub control?  There is no effective organic product for grubs. Soap solutions, vinegar, cinnamon, diatomaceous earth, mouthwash, all of the home remedies often touted have been proven to be ineffective on grubs. 


Milky Spore disease and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora nematodes are natural pests of grubs that can control the population.  You buy these and water them into your lawn.  The problem is that it usually takes several years and several applications of these products to obtain any noticeable results.  Milky Spore works only for Japanese beetle grubs and researchers believe many Japanese beetles have developed immunity to the disease.  In many areas European Chafer beetles are more prevalent and damaging than Japanese beetles.
Moles
For controlling moles without folklore and myth please see this article.

“Native” and non-lawns
Some of the native only fanatics will give advice as to planting things like buffalo grass instead of a lawn.  That’s fine, but it won’t look like a lawn as people define them today.  Almost all native grasses do not grow well when mowed. Moss is sometimes used in place of a lawn or small groundcovers.  These can be good choices but once again they tend to be mono-cultures.  Less diverse ecosystems have more problems and aren’t as environmentally friendly.
You can remove your lawn areas all together and instead make them gardens with mulched areas and paths.  There are multiple solutions to this depending on the light, soil conditions and your idea of beauty.  Being without any lawn area takes some getting used to for most gardeners, you may slowly want to decrease your lawn area each year by adding more flower beds, shrubs and groundcovers.  For most gardeners having more space to grow plants is a good thing.
When you decide to go the no lawn route make sure to take into account any rules or laws that may be place in the area you live in.  Planting in the front of the house may be limited or there may be height restrictions on what you choose to grow in place of a lawn.  When planning, try to make the replaced lawn area look neat and more like a garden than an abandoned field.
You’ll also want to think about the care of the non-lawn and how much time it takes.  You will probably want to choose low maintenance plants.  Don’t take on more work than you can handle.  It takes a lot of time to mow, but it’s pretty easy work. Plants that need frequent pruning, deadheading or other care may not work in your situation.
 While a thick green plush carpet of Kentucky bluegrass looks nice, so does a lawn sprinkled with yellow dandelions or white clover flowers, if you train your eyes to see it that way.  Let a diverse ecosystem flourish in your lawn and you won’t have to feel guilty about having one.

Vegetable and fruit garden planning chart
Are you planning your vegetable garden but don’t know how many plants you need?  Check out this link.

Cooking asparagus
I have heard that some of you are beginning to harvest asparagus- lucky you.  Here are some methods of cooking it and some recipes.

Some asparagus needs to be peeled before cooking.  If the stems are larger in diameter than a pencil they are probably a bit tough and need to be peeled.  To peel, simply slice off a thin layer of outer skin with a paring knife up to the start of the tip area.


Boiling asparagus


Bundle asparagus stems in groups of 6-8 stems by wrapping them with a bit of string at the bottom and just below the tips.  Make sure the pot you use will accommodate the length of the stems.  If left unwrapped asparagus stems bump together and break up the tips.


Bring water to boil in the pot and add a little salt- about a teaspoon.  Add the asparagus bundles.  Cook uncovered for 6-8 minutes or until the stalk part is softened.  Remove by hooking the string with a fork or use tongs. 


Boiled asparagus is usually served with a cheese sauce.


Cheese Sauce

        * 2 Tablespoons butter
        * 2 Tablespoons flour
        * 1 cup milk
* 1 cup of water- use the water the asparagus boiled in for best taste
        * 1/4 cup grated Gruyère or sharp cheddar cheese
        * salt and pepper to taste


In a saucepan melt the butter and stir in the flour.  Turn heat to low and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes.  Add milk and water gradually, stirring constantly.  Simmer, stirring frequently until sauce is thick.  Stir in the cheese, and seasoning.  Pour hot over cooked asparagus.  Will make about 4 servings.


Asparagus steamed in the microwave


Peel asparagus.   Wrap several stems in a two-3 layers of soaked and wrung out white paper towel.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes, test stems for softness, microwave for additional minutes at a time until soft enough.


Skillet fried asparagus

       
        * 2 pounds of asparagus stalks
        * 8 tablespoons butter
        * 3 tablespoons soy sauce
        * 1 tablespoon lemon juice
        * salt and pepper to taste


Peel asparagus and slice very thinly, diagonal slices work best; slices should not be more than a 1/4 inch thick.  Par-boil slices by putting them in a colander and dipping them into boiling water for 1 minute.  Drain.


Heat butter in a frying pan with soy sauce and lemon juice.  When bubbling add asparagus slices and stir and toss until they are crisp and the butter lightly browned.

Will serve 4-6.


April showers are not supposed to involve snow. And I’m not fond of snow rainbows either.
Kim Willis
 “He who has a garden and a library wants for nothing” ― Cicero

© Kim Willis - no parts of this newsletter may be used without permission.

And So On….

Find Michigan garden events/classes here:
(This is the Lapeer County Gardeners facebook page)

Newsletter/blog information

If you have a comment or opinion you’d like to share, send it to me or you can comment directly on the blog. Please state that you want to have the item published in my weekly blog if you email me. You must give your full name and what you say must be polite and not attack any individual. I am very open to ideas and opinions that don’t match mine, but I do reserve the right to publish what I want. Contact me at KimWillis151@gmail.com

I write this because I love to share with other gardeners some of the things I come across in my research each week. It keeps me engaged with people and horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If you are on my mailing list and at any time you don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who would like to receive a notification by email when a new blog is published have them send their email address to me.  KimWillis151@gmail.com


No comments:

Post a Comment