March
13, 2002
The Nose
Knows...
We still have seven days until spring arrives but if you were
out enjoying the weather on Wednesday you probably felt a lot
like I did - spring must already be here! Not only because
the weather is warmer but because when I walk around my yard
there are so many signs. Bulbs everywhere, the grass is
starting to green up and some spring flowering shrubs are
starting to bloom. I wish that I could capture that special
smell of spring. Many people have tried but few have
succeeded. Why you might ask? It is because they have
left out a very important ingredient - the essence of dirt.
Ah yes, that great smell of dirt that finds its way to your nose.
You don't even have to be close to the ground to smell it.
You can step outside and catch a strong whiff of it in the air.
Now that is a smell worth remembering! Romantic don't you
think?
Thanks to all of you Savvygardeners who braved the very cold
conditions Saturday and ventured out to The
Kelly Gallery. Kelly did a terrific job fixing up The
Barn so that it was warm and cozy inside. She has added
several new pieces to her collection of garden ornaments as well
as home decorating accessories so if you didn't get a chance to
visit on Saturday you will want to stop by soon. Great
prices on beautiful pieces!
I am going to be a guest on The Gard'n Wise Guys gardening show
this Sunday the 17th from 7:00 - 8:00 AM so tune in to WDAF 61
Country on your AM dial to listen to some great gardening advice.
Also don't forget that Family
Tree Nursery is having their Grand Spring Opening this
weekend. Kevin and I will be there Sunday from 11- 3 PM.
We will be in one of the greenhouses so look for us!
~
Shelly
St.
Patrick Was A Gardener, Wasn't He?
While it's traditional to plant potatoes on St. Patrick's Day
Savvygardeners should be aware of two assumptions made in setting
this date. First, that your soil is consistently 45 degrees
or higher. The recent warm-up means sunny locations should
be ready.
The second
assumption is that the soil is dry enough to be worked.
Working in overly moist soil can make a mess that will be hard to
correct later. How can you tell? Grab a handful of
soil and squeeze. If it holds together like clay it's too
wet. If it crumbles like a cupcake it's ready for
planting.
Watch the
weather and your soil closely. You really want to get those
'taters planted between now and the end of March.
The Old
Heave Ho...
Temperatures have been on the rise and a well deserved thaw
in the soil may be a permanent thing soon. Scout around
your garden for signs of recent heaving - the
forcing of shallow-rooted plants out of the soil due to the
freezing and thawing of the ground. Don't tamp the plants
or the surrounding soil as this may overly compact the soil.
Simply give them a gentle push back into place.
Time For
Tomatoes?
A quick check of our Seed
Starting Calendar reveals that it's time to start seeds for
those warm-weather vegetables like tomatoes and peppers.
Tomatoes can be found in many, many gardens. Why not
yours? If you need some help getting started just read Seed
Starting Tomatoes written for us by the good folks at Earl
May Garden Centers.
Come Join
the Party!
Presenting
Family Tree Nursery's 7th Annual
Open House and Spring Flower Show "Garden
Party"
March 15th - 17th in the greenhouses at the Overland Park
Garden Center, 8424 Farley.
Savvygardener.com's Kevin and Shelly Marsh will be
on hand Sunday the 17th from 11- 3PM.
Don't Miss Out!
|
Gettin'
Wiggly With It...
Here's something to look out for. According to K-State
Research & Extension if you have mounds of soil in your lawn
that make it hard to mow, nightcrawlers may be the cause. A
telling characteristic of these bumps is their random spacing rather than a "run"
that is characteristic of mole digging.
Nightcrawlers
are large worms usually 4 to 8 inches long or longer. They belong
to a group of earthworms known as deep-burrowers. The
deep-burrowers build large, vertical, permanent burrows that may
reach as deep as 5 or 6 feet. Nightcrawlers pull plant
material down into their burrows which can be fed on later.
The bumps you see on top of the ground are called "middens"
and are a mixture of plant residues and castings. The burrows can have a significant positive
effect on soil by opening up channels for water and air to
penetrate. Roots also like these channels due to the ease
of penetration and the nutrients found in the casting material
lining the burrow.
So,
nightcrawlers actually help the soil but may make it difficult to
mow. Getting rid of the middens will be difficult.
Rolling the lawn while the middens are soft may help temporarily,
but mounds will be rebuilt when nightcrawlers become active
again. Also, there are no pesticides labeled specifically for nightcrawler
control.
Savvygardeners
will want to protect these nightcrawlers due to their positive
effect on soils. Pesticides that have no effect on
nightcrawlers include diazinon, Dylox (Proxol), and
Oftanol. Dursban and malathion may be slightly toxic while
Sevin, Benomyl, copper sulfate, and the arsenicals (MSMA, DSMA) are
extremely toxic. Avoid using the latter group while
nightcrawlers are active.
Source
Gardeners
Helping Gardeners
That's
The New SavvyChat!
Kansas
City's Best On-line Gardening Forum
See
For Yourself!
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What's
Hot On The Hotline...
Warm weather and late-winter precipitation have many
Savvygardeners thinking about lawns. Hotline calls indicate
a need to know more about fertilizers and herbicides. Our
experts take on those topics in this
week's What's
Hot on the Hotline...
Now Cut
That Out...
So, you think it's too early to cut the grass? Not the ornamental
grass! In early spring before new growth begins you should
remove the previous year's foliage to promote earlier and more
healthy growth. Use hand clippers, a weed whacker or other
power equipment to cut your grasses back to within 3 to 5 inches
of the ground. While you're at it take a look at the
centers of the plant clumps. If the center of the clump
shows little or no growth, it should be divided. Separate
and replant the vigorous growth on the outer edge of the clump.
Stand back and watch them grow!
Source
Finally... "flower
arrangement:
just two yellow daffodils,
the first to bloom" ~
L.A. Davidson, The Shape of the Tree |