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10 Tips For Effective Fertilizing

March 23, 2012 by yardloverblog

Lawn

Using fertilizer correctly grows healthier plants, saves money, and is environmentally responsible. Follow these 10 tips for success:

  1. Apply water soluble fertilizers only when plants are actively growing. Nutrients must be taken up quickly by plant roots or they will simply be washed away.
  2. Slow-release fertilizers and compost can be applied any time, since nutrients remain in the soil and are available to plants over a long period of time as needed.
  3. Avoid excessive feeding; this can lead to rapid over-growth that attracts pests, but doesn’t help the plant’s health or appearance.  Also, excess fertilizer ends up in streams and lakes where it will pollute the water.
  4. Mix as directed on the package. Too strong a solution can “burn” plant roots, and also end up washing away into waterways.
  5. Do not use lawn fertilizer on flowers; the high nitrogen content may encourage the growth of foliage at the expense of blooms.
  6. Don’t feed trees, shrubs, and perennials with a fast-acting fertilizer in autumn. Plants are preparing to go dormant for winter, and should not be encouraged to put out new growth.
  7. Have your soil tested every few years. You can use a home Soil Test Kit  or send a soil sample to a testing lab. Your local cooperative extension office can recommend a lab.
  8. Make sure the soil pH is appropriate for the plants you are growing. Most plants prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of around 6.8. The soil’s pH affects how available the nutrients in a fertilizer are to plants.
  9. Avoid fertilizing lawns during very hot weather, when they are essentially dormant.
  10. Remember that with fertilizer, more isn’t necessarily better.

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First Days of Spring

March 21, 2012 by yardloverblog

Catkins in Colwick Country Park A reminder tha...

For many of us,

spring has paid no attention to the calendar this year; arriving early and allowing summer to show up now and then too.

It makes gardeners itchy to get outside and plant, but we have to remember that there is still plenty of time for cold weather to return. We have to be patient.

While we’re waiting, I found this old post about getting ready for the season.

Read here…… Planning For Spring in the Garden

Hopefully  you can find some things to give you a little fix, until you are sure spring is here to stay.

Posted in Garden Tools & Supplies, Gardening Resources, March | Leave a Comment »

Outsmarting Weeds

March 20, 2012 by yardloverblog

I think I’ve found the solution I’ve needed to stop the relentless, ongoing chore of weeding my landscape. The problem with weeding is that it’s never done, and if you fall behind, or go on vacation or just have SOMETHING to do besides pull weeds, all of a sudden you’re over run. And then those weeds mature, go to seed, and start on next years crop! This year, I’m going to try Monterey Weed Impede pre-emergent weed control.

Pre-emergent weed control has 2 advantages:

  1. First, you save yourself the endless chore of weeding as they emerge, you prevent them from ever coming up.
  2. Second, by not allowing those weeds to emerge and set seed, you reduce next year’s crop of weedy pests.

Advantages:

  • Easy to apply- just attach it to the garden hose
  • Prevents grasses and broadleaf weeds in ornamental beds, along walkways, and around trees & shrubs
  • No mixing or measuring, don’t need a sprayer
  • Lasts 3-4 months

NOW is the time to spray Weed Impede. You are probably preparing your planting beds, maybe spreading some mulch, getting ready to plant. Right now, before the first little crabgrass or chickweed appears, spray Weed Empede.  Stop them from coming up, stop them from crowding out your real plants, stop them from hogging up all the water and fertilizer, and above all, stop them from producing next year’s seeds!

Here’s the Product Information:

  • 30 Oz. Ready to Spray
  • Covers 1250 Sq Ft.
  • Active Ingredient:  3% Surflan
  • Not for use around food crops

And here’s where you can find it: Monterey Weed Impede

Posted in Weed Control | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Sustainable Cedar Planters

March 9, 2012 by yardloverblog

Susquehanna Cedar Planter Box

I wasn’t necessarily going to show you products today, but I was looking at these, and they are so good in so many ways that I couldn’t resist.

These Cedar planters are responsibly made here in the USA. They are crafted from sustainable Western Red Cedar. Western Red Cedar is perfect for planters because it lasts beautifully in outdoor conditions. It doesn’t need to be finished it will weather to a lovely gray patina. And the nature of this wood is such that, when you plant the container, the wood swells gently, sealing the planter so that you don’t even need a liner. The bottom has a drain hole, and is made from  rot-proof 100% recycled plastic.

I KNOW! How can one planter have so much going for it!Let’s recap:

  • Made in the USA
  • Made from sustainable wood
  • Plastic bottom is 100% recycled material
  • No maintenance-Weathers beautifully outdoors
  • Seals itself naturally when you plant

So the only question is….. which style do you need?

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Technology At Work For Your Lawn

March 8, 2012 by yardloverblog

The approach of spring leads many of us to look at our lawns and think Uh-Oh. Well, maybe that’s just me, but I do know that many of you will be seeding to fill in bare spots or just thicken up your lawn.

Perhaps the most critical part of the job is also the most time-consuming – keeping it watered. You have to keep those seeds and tiny plants moist. If they dry up they either won’t sprout at all, or they will germinate and quickly wither and die.

Mulching will help hold moisture in, but straw comes with it’s own set of problems. It’s a pain to spread, may contain weed seeds, and may block sunlight. In fact, it can also block some of your painstakingly applied water from reaching seedlings.

Take a look at ENCAP’s Lawn Starter Mulch Kit. It’s a granular mulch plus starter fertilizer and can be applied with a spreader or sprinkled right out of the bag. It contains everything you need to help your seed germinate and gives it an optimal environment to establish.

ENCAP’s Seeding Mulch Kit uses their patented Advanced Soil Technology™ (AST™) that improves soil structure by creating millions of microscopic “spaces” in your soil. Those tiny air pockets are vital to healthy soil and deep root systems.

Here is how ENCAP describes it:

“The AST™ technology is a combination of proprietary polymers called water soluble polyacrlymides (WSPAM) which are impregnated into and coated onto our products. When activated by moisture, the polymers are released from the product and begin to engage the soil where they provide many benefits including:

Improved soil structure and soil aggregates
Improved seed establishment
Better water infiltration
Improved root mass
Reduced soil loss from erosion
Resistance to soil crusting”

You know what- seeding a lawn is hard work. This sounds like a solution that will not only make it a little easier, but will also give you better results-more germination, deeper roots, healthier soil. Want to give it a try?

ENCAP Lawn Starter Mulch & Fertlizer

Posted in Fertilizers, Lawn Care | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Protect Seedlings From Damping Off Disease

March 2, 2012 by yardloverblog

Sunflower seedlings, just three days after ger...

If you have been starting seeds indoors for any length of time, you may have had experience with “damping off”. This fungal infection causes the seedlings to shrivel at the soil line and die, usually very suddenly. There’s not much you can do to save them at that point, but you can take some measures to prevent damping off, and give you stronger healthier seedlings in general.

  • Use sterile planting medium.
  • Resist the temptation to use garden soil, or re-use potting soil. You may be introducing pathogens at the plant’s most vulnerable time.
  • Give your seedlings plenty of light, direct sun if possible.
  • Provide ventilation. A fan will help, but at least make sure your seeds are in an area where air flows freely.
  • Thin crowded seedlings. This will strengthen them in general since they won’t be fighting for available resources, and allow better air circulation as well.
  • Don’t over-water. Water from the bottom, and keep the growing medium moist, not soaking.

If you had a problem with damping off, don’t despair. Throw out the diseased seedlings and planting mix and start again. This is one good reason to use individual “plugs” rather than a large seed bed. It would make it easier to remove just the infected plugs without disturbing healthy growth. In any case, you’ve got plenty of time, and looking at the list above, you can probably figure out where you need to improve conditions.

Happy seed starting!

Jiffy Carefree Greenhouse

Need Supplies?

Jiffy Carefree Greenhouse

has 72 Individual cells

Posted in Seeds & Bulbs | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

Customer Question-Getting Rid of Bermudagrass

February 28, 2012 by yardloverblog

P question

A customer wants to know how to kill Bermudagrass in his lawn.

His question: The yard is about 1.5 acres with spots of Bermuda that vary from 2 sq.ft to much larger. It is spreading so I need to be aggressive. My question is can I improve my chance of success by treating more than one time in the spring? Maybe for March April and May? How do I decide when to start? Thanks for any info you can give me.

Cynodon dactylon

First, a little background on Bermudagrass:

Bermudagrass is grown as lawn turf in some areas, because it withstands heat, drought and heavy traffic.  It spreads by both seed and underground stolons. This makes it a desirable lawn in some situations. But it is also an invasive weed, that seems to just show up in lawns where it is NOT welcome, and then it’s tough to get rid of.

Think about it. It’s the middle of a hot, dry summer. Your lawn is struggling. It’s a perfect opportunity for Bermuda, which thrives in tough conditions, to gain a foothold. The more the Bermuda grows, the more stress it places on your lawn.  It’s the start of a takeover!

Since the Bermuda grass is spreading underground, you won’t get rid of it by pulling, or by just killing the top. Any little piece of underground stolon can pop up and continue the growth. That’s why most gardeners use a systemic herbicide that will spread to all parts of the weed, even the ones you can’t spray because they’re underground.

Now, a few effective and recommended bermudagrass treatments:

Ornamec Over the Top- This product is extremely effective at killing Bermudagrass. It is primarily for use around ornamentals but can also be applied on a Fescue lawn. It is NOT recommended for Bluegrass lawns. Apply in the spring, then follow up with a 2nd application a month later.

GreenLight Com-Pleet Weed Killer. The active ingredient it glyphosate, a chemical found in many herbicides used to treat bermudagrass and other tough weeds. Be aware that glyphosate is non-selective, meaning that it will kill most plants it comes in contact with, including your lawn. Spray should be controlled as much as possible to the weed only. In some cases, you may be willing to lose a little of your lawn to resolve the problem.

Bayer Advanced Bermudagrass Control.  This one is safe on all northern turf types, including fescue, bluegrass and perennial rye, so it’s a good choice if you are using it in those types of lawns. It may have to be re-applied numerous times to be fully effective.


Posted in Lawn Care, Weed Control | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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