Hi Gardeners
Well the snow has
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.
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| Iris reticulata |
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.
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| 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.
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.
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| 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
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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….
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