Lawns
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Q&A: Lawn is Hard Underfoot
Question: My lawn looks fairly healthy
but is very hard under foot. Would aerating help?
Answer: If your soil is composed
of compacted clay, it will feel quite hard. Another factor is the type
of grass; some forms a denser mat than others. If compaction is the problem,
aerating will definitely help loosen the soil and allow water and air to
reach the grass roots, which will improve growth. You can go a step further
and sprinkle screened compost on your lawn with a fertilizer spreader after
you aerate, which will encourage the presence of earthworms and other organisms
that help aerate and loosen the soil. Avoid using chemical weed killers
because they can harm soil life. Mow high to reduce weed growth, and leave
grass clippings on the lawn to contribute organic matter and improve the
health of your lawn.
Question: How can I tell if my lawn requires
dethatching?
Answer:Poorly growing lawns may
need dethatching. Use a knife to dig up a piece of sod. If the dead grass
layer is thicker than 1/2 inch, either rake the thatch out by hand or rent
a dethatching machine.
Question: Why should I be concerned
with pH
Answer: Many lawn grasses grow best
in soil with a pH between 6 and 7. If your pH is slightly below 6, apply
40 pounds of lime per 1000 square feet of lawn to keep the soil in the
proper range.
Question: Should I dispose of my
lawn grass clippings?
Answer: When mowing the lawn, leave
the grass clippings. Clippings can add nutrients (nitrogen) back to the
lawn, while not adding to thatch buildup. Use a mulching mower, if possible,
to make smaller clippings that decompose faster.
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Q&A: Rejuvenating Lavender
Shrub
Question: I have had a beautiful lavender shrub for about ten years
now. Over the past few years, it seems to have flattened and spread out
(perhaps from snow?) Now many of the woody branches are laying on the ground
and seem to have rooted along their length. Is there anything I can do
to bring it back to its original shrubby form? Can I dig up the branches
where they appear to have rooted to form new plants?
Answer: Lavender is almost a woody shrub, especially as it gets
older. From your description it sounds as though you might be able to layer
the branches that are so close to the ground by heaping a bit of compost
and soil over top of the part that is touching the ground and thus encouraging
it to root. Otherwise, tip cuttings root fairly easily in dampened soilless
mix or sand.
In terms of pruning, cutting into the oldest wood can shock the plant
and kill it. A light pruning of the new growth now in late spring will
encourage the subsequent growth to be dense and bushy and thus cover up
the old bare stems.
Regular pruning can help the plant look better over time--a trim or
shearing in late spring along with removal of any winterkill, followed
by a shearing after each bloom flush should help keep plenty of vigorous
new growth
Lilac
Bushes
Question: We will be moving in December
and I would like to take my lilac bush with me. When should I dig it up
and how can I keep it healthy until May when I can plant it again?
Answer: If it is a very large shrub,
it will be nearly impossible to dig it up and move the whole thing. Instead,
you might try digging a sucker and potting that up. If it is a relatively
small shrub, you can try to move the whole plant. Wait until the plant
enters winter dormancy before digging. Be sure to keep the rootball intact
as much as possible, and retain as much soil around the roots as you can.
Pot it up in a large container and water it well. (Note that even a small
shrub will have a relatively large rootball, and that this will be quite
heavy to lug around.) Whether you've potted up a sucker or removed the
whole shrub, you will need to protect the plant from extreme temperatures
over the winter, but also keep the shrub in a cool enough location so it
stays dormant during the winter. You might be able to achieve this by keeping
the pot in an unheated garage or other sheltered location that stays reliably
cool.
Question: I have several lilacs in my yard,
and each year they send up lots of shoots around their bases, and are getting
kind of messy looking. Should I be pruning these off? Is there anything
I can do to prevent them from forming?
Answer: Lilacs naturally sucker,
or send up little runners or shoots. They do this as a method of self renewal.
The recommended annual pruning includes removing any suckers smaller than
a pencil by cutting them at the base. It also includes removing a portion
of the oldest stems by cutting them at the base. This way the plant has
a steady influx of vigorous new wood and will not become tall and gangly.
Mums
Q&A: Mums Blooming Too Early
Question: Help! My mums are already
blooming! Should I cut them back? If I do cut them back will they bloom
again in the fall?
Answer: Mums are typically pinched
back repeatedly, beginning when they are only about four inches high and
continuing until about the fourth of July. This procedure delays their
flowering until fall and at the same time makes them dense and bushy. In
some cases, it is possible to enjoy their spring bloom and then cut them
back and fertilize them to encourage a second flush of bloom in the fall.
Since they have already devoted energy to forming the buds, you might as
well enjoy the blooms now.
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