|
February 23, 2005 |
|
Good
Neighbors, Good Fences...
Although it is a cold wintery day,
signs of spring are everywhere. Kevin and I had lunch with our
six-year-old
son Jake today and as we were leaving the school I noticed
several daffodils up and ready to bloom. A couple of warm days
and the nondescript backdrop of the school will be brightened up
by a splash of bright yellow. Isn't that exciting?
As I type
this week's newsletter, our neighbors
Ben and Emily are putting up a
new cedar fence. Ben and Emily are the
type of neighbors you are excited to have. They've
proven to be able
gardeners and the fence is another
tangible example of their
interest in improving the value of
their property. The fence is serving a dual purpose.
First, Sophie, the newest
member of their family
(and a golden retriever)
is now the size of a small horse,
needs a place to run around.
Second, the fence also adds a different
look and feel to their landscape. I love it when people
understand the importance of outside improvements.
The Johnson County Home & Garden Show is this weekend
from Friday through Sunday at the
Overland Park Convention Center. A good time to meander through
the aisles to get ideas for planting
and landscaping. The weather is supposed
to warm up so it will be a good time to get out and about.
~
Shelly
This One's A Cut Above...
When we started Savvygardener.com one of the things we wanted
to provide was information that was truly useful to area
gardeners based on our weather, our climate, our everything.
A great example of this is one of our most
popular and informative articles -
The Shrub Pruning Calendar.
A Savvygardener.com exclusive, this is the Kansas City area
gardener's definitive guide to when, and when not, to
prune a wide variety of shrubs. Check it out! We'll bet it
answers some questions and clears up a lot of mystery.
Early Bloomers...
With some of the coldest weather behind us,
you may soon see adventurous bulbs pushing through the ground -
especially snow drops, crocus, and early daffodils. Keep an eye
out! Matted leaves and dead grass left over from fall may create
a barrier to these upstarts. Help them a little by gently raking
away any debris and allowing the foliage and flowers to break
through the soil more easily.
Paper Or Plastic?
Bagworms are evident when you see those funny little brown
bags hanging from Junipers and many other trees and shrubs. It's
actually the bagworm eggs that are over-wintering in those
sacks. In late May and early June, these eggs will hatch and the
very tiny caterpillars start feeding. Start your control
measures now by removing the brown bags and disposing of them.
This is a very effective, chemical-free way to reduce the damage
they might otherwise cause later this year.
A Clean Start...
Here's another important tip for seed starters. Make sure
you thoroughly wash last year's plastic seed-starting
containers. Believe me it makes a difference! And if your
seedlings have had disease problems in the past, you'll need to
use a mixture containing 10 percent household bleach and water to
really sterilize the containers.
Begonias, By Golly...
Savvygardeners who want to have tuberous begonias for
summer-long flowering in pots, beds, or hanging baskets outside
should start the tubers indoors during late February or early
March. Sprout the tubers by placing them, hollow side up, fairly
close together in shallow, well-drained pans. Use a mix of equal
parts perlite, sphagnum, peat moss, and vermiculite; or chopped
sphagnum moss and perlite. This should be kept damp (not soggy)
in a shady window with a temperature in the lower 60s.
Transplant the tubers to pots or baskets when growth starts,
normally within 3 weeks. Place them outside only after all
threat of frost has passed.
Source
Cold Season
Seeding For Cool Season Grass...
OK, we've said it many times before: "The best time to
overseed cool-season grasses (such as tall fescue and Kentucky
bluegrass) is September." This is because the turf has more
time to mature before crabgrass germination in the spring and the
heat stress of summer. That being said, wintertime dormant
seeding is sometimes appropriate to help fill in bare spots.
(Dormant seeding is not recommended for large areas due to the
possibility of erosion occurring before the seed becomes mature
enough to hold the soil.)
Dormant
overseeding is done during the winter (December through February)
when it is too cold for germination to take place. As with any
seeding program, it is vital that good seed-soil contact is
achieved. There are several methods that are commonly used in
dormant seeding.
- One method is to
seed when there has been a light snowfall of up to an inch over
unfrozen soil (light enough that bare spots can still be
seen). Spread seed by hand on areas that need thickening up.
As the snow melts it brings the seed into good contact with the
soil where it will germinate in the spring.
- Another method is
dependent on the surface of the soil being moist followed by
some freezing weather. As moist soil freezes and thaws, small
pockets are formed on the wet, bare soil which are perfect for
catching and holding seed. As the soil dries, the pockets
collapse and cover the seed.
- Verticutting can
also be used as long as the soil is not frozen.
The idea
here is to get the grass seed germinating in the spring as early
as possible. Keep in mind that there are some limitations on
what herbicides can be used for weed control. Tupersan (siduron)
can be used as a crabgrass preventer on new seedings but is
relatively short-lived. Other pre-emergence herbicides require
that the turf be well established before application. Turf that
has been mowed several times is usually considered mature enough
for herbicide application.
Source
Finally... "The more help a man
has in his garden, the less it belongs to him." ~
William M. Davies |