Planning

When buying bedding annuals this spring choose properly grown plants with good color. Buy plants that are not too large for their pots with many unopened buds. Plants that bloom in the packs are often root bound. Plants not yet in bloom will actually bloom sooner, become better established and grow faster.

Plan to attract hummingbirds to your garden by planting red or orange flowers. Monarda (beebalm) and Zauschneria (California fuchsia) are good perennials to provide nectar to these small birds.

Planting

Begin to plant seedlings of warm-season vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. You can also start your pumpkin and winter squash seeds now.

Sow beets, beans, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, sweet corn and radishes.

Plant herbs such as thyme, sage, parsley, chives, and basil.

Sod or sow new lawns, and overseed damaged older lawns.

Start planting warm season annuals such as impatiens, marigolds, petunias, sunflowers, zinnia, lobelia, allysum.

Finish planting summer-flowering bulbs such as tuberose, gladiolus, dahlia, and callas.

Plant chervil, coriander, dill, rosemary, and summer savory outside after the last spring frost date for your area. 50% probability of frost free after March 10 2012.

Plant dahlia tubers as soon as the danger of frost is passed. Stake at the time of planting to avoid injury of the tubers.

Plant clematis in locations that receive at lease six hours of sunshine a day. Use organic mulch or ground-covers to shade roots and keep them cool. Plant in rich, well-drained loam.

Hhydrangeas will transplant well into the garden after their flowers fade. When the weather warms, plant in well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Don’t be surprised if the next year’s flowers are a different color than the first year. Blue or pink hydrangea color is dependent on the pH of the soil. Alkaline soil produces pink flowers; acidic soil produces blue flowers. White hydrangeas are not affected by soil pH.

Many gardeners plant annual and perennial flowers to attract hummingbirds. Woody plants can also be added to the garden to provide nectar for these tiny birds. Some common trees visited by hummingbirds are buckeye, horse chestnut, catalpa, apple, crabapple, hawthorn, silk tree, redbud and tulip poplar. Shrubs include azalea, beauty bush, coralberry, honeysuckle, lilac, and red weigela.

Maintenance

Frost tender plants such as citrus, fuchsia, geranium, hibiscus, mandevilla, and bougainvillea can go outdoors when all chance of frost is gone

Start feeding potted plants every two to three weeks with half-strength fertilizer

If plants like citrus, camellias, gardenias, and grapes are chlorotic (yellowing leaves), spray leaves with a foliar fertilizer containing chelated iron.

Mulch soil to save water, smother weeds, keep soil cooler. Spread 1-3 inches of compost, wood shavings or other organic material under shrubs, trees, annuals and vegetables.

Thin vegetables that were sown too thickly, like basil, carrots, green onions or lettuce.

Prune spring-flowering shrubs and trees after bloom is over.

Fertilize everything right now, but do not fees spring-flowering shrubs like azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons until after then have finished flowering; then use an acid based fertilizer. They should also be pruned after blooming.

Now is the time to divide mint, chive, tarragon and creeping thyme

Control lawn weeds now through late May before they get large.

The lawn mower blade should always be sharp so as not to tear the grass. If you sharpen the blade at home, be sure to balance it too.

To determine if soil is ready to work, squeeze a handful into a tight ball, then break the ball apart with your fingers. If the ball of soil readily crumbles in your fingers, the soil is ready to be worked. However, if the soil stays balled it is still too wet to work. Try again in another week.

April is a good time to clean up plants and flower beds. Pick out dead leaves and twogs and prune dean limbs.

Cut flower stalks back to the ground on daffodils, hyacinths, tulips and other spring flowering bulbs as the flowers fade. Do not cut the foliage until it dies naturally. The leaves are necessary  to produce strong bulbs capable of reflowering.

Once new leaf growth begins on trees and shrubs, cut back to green wood any twigs affected by winter kill.
 

Weed and Pest Control

Keep an eye out for aphids and get them before they take over your plants. Use a strong stream of water or safe soap products.

Keep after slugs and snails!

Michal

The winter is a good time to examine your garden in order to view its structure.  The structure or ‘bones’ of the garden are important to keep in mind when planning changes or additions to your garden.  This is the time of year when you can easily see if you have it or if you don’t.

The structures of the garden are the architectural elements such as trees, hedges, evergreen shrubs, walks, fountains, arbors, benches, and art.  During the winter if you look at your yard and it just looks dead…you should probably add some structure.  Or perhaps there are just a few bare spots in the garden and you may only need to make a couple of tweaks.  Often people think a garden needs to be formal; full of evergreen hedges and intersecting walks to accomplish this.  Indeed that is one way to do it but it is certainly possible to create structure without it being formal.  Curved walkway, informal masses of plants or texture, even color can be used to structure space.

The addition of art into your landscape might be a good start especially for those bare spots.  Here are some ideas to inspire you then let your imagination take over.

   Arlene

Planning

If you are buying bare-root trees, look for ones with large root systems in relation to top growth. It is not necessary to purchase a very large tree to get a quality plant.

Planting

Dig, divide, and replant crowded summer and fall flowering perennials like Agapanthus, Garden Phlox, Astilbe, Aster, Bleeding Heart, Coral Bells, Daylilies, and Shasta Daisies. Perennials perform best in well-drained soil with plenty of humus. Astilbe, Hosta, and Bleeding Heart bloom in the shade.

Plant spring-flowering annuals such as Forget-me-nots, Dianthus, Englich Daisy, Sweet William, and Viola.

Set out nursery plants of warm-season edibles.

Wait until the end of the month to set out frost tender plants.

Repot house plants that have grown too large for their containers. Cut back leggy plants to encourage compact growth. Root cuttings in moist media to increase your supply of plants.

Bluebells are good for naturalizing in the same manner as Daffodils but prefer a shadier location and will bloom even where they get no direct sun.

Accurate information on the longevity of flower seeds is hard to find. Based on limited observations, the following should be considered as short-life (one year) seeds: Aster, Candytuft, Columbine, Ornamental Onion, Phlox, Salvia, Strawflower, and Vinca. Some common flower seeds viable for more than one year if stored properly are Alyssum, Calendula, Centaurea, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Marigold, Nasturtium, Petunia, Salpiglosis, Scabiosa, Schizanthus, Sweet Pea, Verbena, Viola and Zinnia.

Maintenance

Fertilize plants that are starting to grow actively like annual flowers, berries, citrus, roses and established trees and shrubs with a balanced fertilizer like 15-15-15 or a 5-5-5.

Early spring is the right time for two special turf treatments, if needed: vertical cutting or thinning to remove thatch and aeration or coring to reduce soil compaction.

Wait until later in the month to fertilize lawns.

  Michal

  Slug and snail control
Snails and slugs have been the bane of gardeners for generations. And while over time, many methods  have  been developed to control these slimy pests, some methods work better than others.  The goal in creating this “Definitive Guide” was to show all the different ways to kill snails and slugs, or simply control them.  You can choose which method, or combination of methods, will work best for you in your particular garden or situation.  The snail and slug control methods listed below are not in any particular order, but all of these methods are organic, except one, (and you’ll see its drawbacks when you read it). The basic fact is that all these methods work to varying degrees, and will make it easy to implement something quickly. Won’t it be nice to have healthy, uneaten plants once again!

Quick Identification First
Before we get started, let’s take a quick look at the difference between slugs and snails which is probably apparent to you, but let’s take a quick look anyway. It is always easier to get rid of a pest when you understand it, its habits, and its lifecycle.

• Description
  Adults are soft-bodied, land-dwelling mollusks. Snails have coiled shells on their backs and are 1 to 1-1/2 inches (2.5 to 4 cm) long. Slugs are without shells. Garden slugs are 1/8 to 1 inch (3 to 25 mm) long (longer when stretched out); banana slugs may be up to 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long. Most slugs and snails are dark or light gray, tan, green, or black; some have darker spots or patterns. They leave a characteristic slimy trail of mucus behind them. Eggs are clear, oval, or round, and are laid in jelly-like masses.
• Plants Affected
  Any tender plant or shrub.
• Damage
  Both slugs and snails feed mostly on decaying plant material. They also eat soft, succulent plant tissue and rasp large holes in foliage, stems, fruit, and even bulbs. They can completely demolish seedlings and severely damage young shoots and plants. Snails, and sometimes slugs, can climb into trees and shrubs to feed. Both have higher numbers and cause most damage in wet years, and in regions with moist conditions, or high rainfall.
• Life Cycle
  Adults lay egg masses in moist soil, or under rocks or containers, or garden debris. Eggs hatch in 2 to 4 weeks. Slugs grow for 5 months up to 2 years before reaching maturity; snails take 2 years to reach maturity.

1. Hand Picking
Hand-picking and disposing of slugs and snails (including stomping on, throwing in the street, dropping in a bucket of salt water, etc.) does work, because if you gather up all the adults before they reproduce, things will get dramatically better, because the tiny ones you miss, don’t do the most damage.

You can do this by day, or go out at night with a flashlight and gather slugs by hand and drop in soapy water in a container they can’t climb out of.

2. Beer or Yeast & Honey Mixture
Snails and slugs are attracted to the scent of stale beer or a mixture of yeast and honey.

• Put out a saucer filled with stale beer, or the yeast and honey mixture (listed below)
• Sink it into the ground so the top of the saucer is at ground level
• Slugs and snails will get into the mixture and drown.

Keep in mind this will only reliably kill slugs if the trap is deep enough so that slugs can’t reach over the top to get out. So in the case of slugs, use a deeper trap like a yogurt container, or a deep plastic cup. Something that is too deep for a slug to climb out of, so it drowns in the beer.

Check the container daily to make sure a frog or something else hasn’t accidentally fallen in, and also empty and refill every couple of days.

Yeast & Honey Mixture:
Now, if you normally don’t have beer around, a very effective alternative is boiling some yeast and honey in water. The proportions aren’t very critical, just mix some up.

Once that is made, continue as above. Bury a dish up to the rim in your garden and fill it with this mixture. You’d be amazed at how well this works. The snails and slugs will glide right in and drown themselves. We’ve also heard old grape juice works well, but we have never tried that.

3. Dry Dog or Cat Food
Another good food to lure snails and slugs away from your plants is to use dry dog or cat food.

• Get a tin foil pie pan and cut a few notches along the rim so that when you set it on the ground you have created a few “doors” for the snails to come in
• Pour some dry cat or dog food where you want the snails to come
• Put the tin foil pan upside down and weight it down with a rock
• Next morning, you can scoop up the snails, put them in a bag, and toss it in the trash

4. Copper Deterrents
Snails and slugs cannot tolerate copper; it gives them a slight electrical shock on contact. Knowing this is great, but keep in mind that it creates a barrier only. It won’t kill them; it will only keep them out of an area that doesn’t already have a problem.

This can be very helpful for raised beds, trees, containers, flower pots, and other areas in your yard or garden.

After you have applied the copper to the desired area, finish by bending the exposed vertical strands outward. (see pictures)

Examples Where Copper Works Well:
Tree trunks: Apply a copper band around the base
Flower pots: Apply a copper band around flower pots and they will not cross it
For cold-frames or raised beds: Attach copper flashing to the frames
Greenhouse benches: Attach 3 inch (7.5 cm) wide copper bands around edges   Now obviously, putting a copper barrier around an entire garden is not going to be practical, but it is an excellent method for protecting very sensitive seedling beds or small containers.  Copper screen or copper flashing can surround a raised bed, or for small planters, copper foil (such as Snail-Barr) can be used to wrap the entire container. Shrubs can have a band of copper around the lower trunk.  In order for the copper to continue to work, it needs to be cleaned periodically with vinegar or it will tarnish and no longer work.

5. Scratchy Things
Scratchy things such as crushed eggshells, sandpaper, cinders, wood ashes, and diatomaceous earth (this will need replacing if it gets wet), work well as a barrier. Again, this method will not kill the snails and slugs, but it will slow them down.  Another scratchy material they don’t like to cross is sandpaper. You can make sandpaper collars to put around your plants if you have the inclination.  Cut doughnuts from sheets of sandpaper, or use used sandpaper discs from orbital sanders. Cut a slit to the center of each circle, and slip the collars around the stems, laying the sandpaper discs on the ground.

6. Natural Predators
Possums, chickens, ducks, turtles, tortoises, rats, some birds, and snakes, will prey on snails and slugs. Most people that have chickens and ducks hardly ever see a slug or a snail.

7. Predatory Snails
A predatory snail called a Decollate snail (Rumina decollata) will feed on young snails and may be worth a try, but they also may nibble on young plants.  It takes a little time to get an established group of Decollate snails, but many people have been pleased with the results.  These snails are semi-tropical and don’t thrive in temperate or cold gardens; and in some places where they would thrive, they are banned as potentially invasive species. They are however, physically attractive snails, and when they do the work effectively for some gardeners, they should be encouraged to keep doing so.  If you want to try these, make sure to avoid any kind of snail bait, organic or other, because it will affect these snails too.

8. Organic Baits
Two of the best organic snail and slug bait products on the market are Sluggo and Escar-Go which contain iron phosphate. They are safe to use around pets, humans, fish, birds, beneficial insects, and mammals.  For several other organisms, including earthworms and certain ground beetles, no harmful effects are known. You can also safely use iron phosphate around food crops, ornamentals, lawns, gardens, greenhouses, and berry gardens up to the day of harvest.

Iron phosphate is an organic compound that is found naturally in the soil, and if the bait is not consumed by a slug or snail, the material breaks down into fertilizer for your soil. Iron phosphate is not volatile, and does not readily dissolve in water, which minimizes its dispersal beyond where it is applied.  It is applied to the soil as a pellet that also contains bait to attract snails and slugs. When the pests eat the pellets, the iron phosphate interferes with calcium metabolism in their gut, causing the snails and slugs to stop eating almost immediately. They die 3 to 6 days later.

Iron phosphate is more effective than Metaldehyde-based chemical products (such as used by Ortho) because Metaldehyde ceases to work when it gets rained on, or if you water the garden, whereas iron phosphate remains active even with repeat wettings, for up to 2 weeks.  Some people will argue that Sluggo and Escar-Go are not as cheap as Metaldehyde-based products, but this isn’t necessarily true, because iron phosphate remains active longer, so it requires less to be used to kill more slugs, so in fact it is cost-effective.

What works best is to kill the adult slug and snail population early in the year before they lay their eggs. If you do that, you will be slug and snail free for the rest of the year without further applications.  The best time for long-term control is to treat the whole garden in the dampness of autumn. That way, in the spring, there will be very few adult slugs and snails to lay their eggs. Another application is useful in late winter or early spring, and again 1 month later. Three applications a year can do the trick.

How to Apply:
Iron phosphate products are used the same as other bait materials. Simply scatter the granules over the soil’s surface, (do not place in piles), where snails and slugs feed.  If the ground is dry, wet it before applying bait. The soil should be moist but with little or no standing water.  Once the slugs have eaten the bait, they immediately stop eating and crawl back under the plants to die. Iron phosphate is slower acting than the synthetic metaldehyde, but is active on the soil surface longer that other baits, and when ingested, the slug stops damaging your plants, which is the whole idea.

Some Basic Facts:
Sluggo and Escar-Go have a powerful lure that slugs and snails find irresistible. Repeated studies have shown that slugs and snails will eat these baits before they will eat nearby plants.  Iron phosphate disposes of snails and slugs without mess. You may not see the dead slugs and snails in your garden because they often crawl away to secluded places to die. But you will notice that your plants are no longer being eaten.

Iron phosphate controls in hard-to-reach areas. because it actually lure snails and slugs from their hiding places, which provides control in any area that slugs frequent, even in mulched beds.  The only thing beneficial that would be harmed by iron phosphate would be predatory, snail-eating, decollate snails (mentioned above in number 8). If a garden does have these predatory snails, do not use iron phosphate or any other bait.

9. Chemical Baits
Methaldyhde-based baits – A word of caution if you have been using a pelleted form of snail bait; it can be dangerous around pets as it looks like food to them. The finer granule type is much safer – but please be careful and read the label and use as directed.
Slug and snail baits with Metaldehyde are sufficiently toxic that such baits are not recommended for use around edible vegetables, and can be harmful to dogs, cats, and fish.  Baits with Metaldehyde work differently than the organic ones with iron phosphate, and since we have already given great detail about how iron phosphate works above, let’s look at Metaldehyde.

Metaldehyde poison dehydrates the snail or slug rather rapidly if it eats the poison. That is a good thing, but slugs and snails can recover from Metaldehyde poisoning if there is rainfall, or access to wet locations, where they will not fully dehydrate and die.   A slug can lose half its body weight and shrink to a third its size from Metaldehyde poisoning, or by covering it in salt, but if it can get itself to wet soil fast enough, or if it rains, it will recover.   Because Metaldehyde by itself sometimes isn’t as effective as it could be, some products like Ortho Plus include carbaryl to increase its toxicity. Carbaryl kills beneficial insects and therefore should be used with caution.  Another drawback is that after being dampened, Metaldehyde products no longer work, so that means every time you water, or it rains, you will need to re-apply it.  Many chemical-based baits do work, but be careful how and where you apply them.

10. Coffee Grounds
The alleged method of slug control using old coffee grounds, we think, amounts to gardening folklore because we have found it doesn’t work very well.   If, however, you are a person who uses this method and swears by it, by all means continue! No sense in stopping something that works for you.

11. Spray with Vinegar and Water
Mix equal parts vinegar and water. We have never tried this, but many people have sworn that spraying this mixture on snails and slugs solves the problem for them.

12. Herbal Repellent
Putting mint or sage in your mulch is reported to do a good job of repelling them. We have never tried this, but many people have sworn by using this mixture to repel slugs and snails. It won’t kill them; apparently it just acts as a barrier.

13. Ammonia

Another method found very useful is 1 part ammonia to 4 parts water in a spray bottle. We have read that the ammonia is not harmful to the plants and have found no ill effect in using it on plants. It literally dissolves the slug or snail when sprayed on the critter. There is some satisfaction in this method when you discover a precious plant chewed to pieces and the culprit is dissolving before your eyes. It is very easy to carry a spray bottle with the rest of your garden supplies and I have found it to be effective. Another recipe calls for mixing in a hand-sprayer bottle 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) ammonia, 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) Murphy’s oil soap, and 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water. The soap helps the tonic from running off of their bodies. It is safe to over-spray any area where activity is seen. Something to keep in mind is that ammonia is not bad for your garden.

14. Cornmeal

A method that works on Banana Slugs: Gather up some glass jars and put a tablespoon (15 ml) or two or three of cornmeal in each one. Lay them on their sides near the plants where the slugs are dining, making sure to provide easy entrances to the jars. They crawl inside, chow down, and die. Empty the residual mess into the trash in the morning.

Michal

Planning

Shop: Buy early flowering shrubs such as Daphne, Azalea, Camellia, and early Rhodys.

Order perennial plants and bulbs now for cut flowers in the summer. Daisy, Dahlia, Cosmos, Aster, Lily

Planting

Set out summer flowering bulbs like Amaryllis, Calla, Canna, Dahlias, Gladiolus, Lily, Tuberous Begonia.

Plant bare-root vegetables such as Artichoke, Asparagus, Horseradish, and Rhubarb

Plant spring flowering perennials. Choose from Bleeding Heart, Coral Bells, Campanula, and perennial Dianthus.

Plant bare-root ornamentals such as roses, shade trees and vines.

Handle seed packets carefully. Rubbing the outsides to determine how many seeds are inside can break the protective seed coats, thereby reducing germination.

Gardeners who want tuberous Begonias for summer-long flowering in pots, beds or baskets outside should start the tubers indoors during late February or early March. Place outside only after the threat of frost has passed.

Begonia, Marigold, and Petunia seeds can be started indoors now. Sprinkle the small seeds sparingly onto moist soil and gently press them in.

Maintenance

Fertilize spring-blooming flowers and fall-planted annuals and perennials. Wait to feed Azaleas, Camellias, and Rhododendrons until after bloom; use an acid based fertilizer

Finish pruning cane berries, deciduous fruit trees, grapes, roses, and wisteria by mid February.

Fertilize deciduous fruit trees two to three weeks before they flower. Feed other mature trees and shrubs as new growth appears.

Wait to prune spring-flowering deciduous ornamental such as forsythia and quince, and spring-flowering shrubs until after they flower.

Prune roses and most other deciduous shrubs.

Watch for signs of growth in early spring bulbs. When foliage is 1 inch high, gradually start removing mulch. Cloudy days are best so to not burn tender foliage

Check stored bulbs, tubers and corms. Discard any that are soft or diseased.

Repair, paint or stain outdoor furniture, and other items in preparation for outdoor gardening and recreational use.

Avoid walking on grass or groundcovers while they are frozen. The frozen leaves are brittle and easily damaged.

Weed and Pest Control

Apply dormant oil or spray neem oil on deciduous plants whose buds are still closed.

Horticultural oil kills over-wintering insects; lime sulfur or fixed copper spray controls many diseases.

Continue slug and snail control by removing their hiding places; clean up leaf litter.

As weeds germinate, hand-pull or apply a pre-emergence or weed killer.

For weed control in bulb or seedling beds apply a two inch layer of mulch.

For Fun

During the cold days of late winter and early spring try forcing branches of native trees such as dogwood, spicebush, serviceberry, and redbud which will flower indoors. Also try Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and Mountain Laurel.

Branches of Forsythia, Pussy Willow, Quince, Spirea, and Dogwood can also be forced for indoor bloom. Make long slanted cuts when collecting branches and place the stems in a vase of water. Change the water every four days. They should bloom in about three weeks.

For something unique to force for winter flower arrangements, consider Red Maple, Buckeye, Birch, Larch, or Oak branches. They will soon unfurl either flowers, foliage, catkins, or red leaves that gradually turn to green.

Michal

As we move into fall we start to think about closing down our gardens for the winter, but now is the time to start planning and preparing for the next growing season. If you wish to add color to your garden, planting perennials in the fall allows the roots of those plants to develop and will result in a stronger plant. The soil is still warm from summer so there is little if any shock to the plant. Fall and winter rains assure that you don’t have to worry about the plant getting adequate water.

Many bulbs should be planted in the fall. They can be planted with the perennials to avoid perennial root disturbance. They will intermingle without a problem. You might also consider planting some annual seeds in the fall. Some varieties, such as larkspur and poppies, benefit from fall planting. You will be happy you did this when spring comes.

Nurseries are interested in getting rid of their stock before winter comes. You will likely be able now to find some good prices on many plants. It is true that the selection is not as plentiful as in the spring, but the likelihood of survival is greater.

Fall is also the perfect time for aerating your lawn, thatching, fertilizing, and over seeding. If all of that is too much to tackle, at least fertilize your lawn areas. Fall lawn fertilizing is important. It feeds the roots, allowing the grass to winter more successfully and start out on a healthy path in the spring.

As always, it is important to weed and mulch. Keep up with this now and there will be less work to do next spring, and your garden will look good all winter!

Aphids are a common garden pest.  They do damage by sucking the plants they infest and by excreting sticky honeydew.   The following are tips to prevent and control aphids.

Avoid over fertilizing: Aphids prefer tender new growth that appears in profusion with over fertilized plants.  Use slow release fertilizer.

Monitor: Check your plants once a week.  If you see ants climbing up a plant they are most likely harvesting the aphids’ honeydew.  Putting sticky tape around the trunk of plants can stop ants.

Spray with water:  Spraying aphids with water can dislodge them from the infested plant and knock them off where they will be less likely to re-infest.

Natural predators:  There are natural predators such as lady beetles, lacewings, syrphid flies, and various parasitic wasps.  Lady beetles are often available commercially, however they tend to disperse in a few days.

Insecticidal soap:  A mixture of two tablespoons of mild dish soap with luke warm water in a spray bottle is effective in cleaning aphids from plants.  The soap dissolves the aphids waxy protective coating and causes them to dehydrate.  Also mixing three tablespoons of vegetable or horticultural oil with luke warn water and a few drops of dish soap can be effective to clog the aphids breathing spiracles.  Spray once a week and alternate between methods.

These methods only take care of mature aphids, not those in eggs.  Repeated applications should eventually rid your plants of the little pests.

Michal

This is the perfect time to get your lawn ready for the long winter.  I offer the following list of winter preparation activities for you to consider.  If you take the time now to do most of them, you will be happy with your healthy lawn next spring and summer.

Thatch:  Thatching removes the layer of dead grass that prevents the water and nutrients from getting to the roots of the lawn.  Rent a thatcher for this task, or just use a stiff rake and remove the buildup.

Aerate:  Aeration allows nutrients, water, and oxygen to get to the roots of the lawn.  You can rent an aeration machine to make this project quick and simple.  During this process, plugs of soil are pushed up and deposited on top of the lawn.  These plugs need to be raked up after aerating.

Over-seed:  Go to the local garden center or home store and buy lawn seed.  2-3 pounds per 1000 square feet of lawn should be enough to over-seed most lawns.  Your local garden center will also stock for the type of lawn seed that grows in your area.

Top-dress:  If your lawn is growing in poor soil, top-dressing is the best way to improve your lawn and soil at the same time.  Choose your top-dressing product based on the existing conditions.  Choose peat moss or compost if you don’t have drainage issues.  Choose sand if you do have drainage problems.  Top-dress with ½ inch of selected material every year will improve lawn health and soil conditions.

Fertilize:  Your local home and garden center is a good source for advice on appropriate fertilizer for your lawn.  They will have a variety of winterizing fertilizers to choose from.

When these tasks are complete, and the fall rains come, you can feel sure that your lawn will build healthy roots during the winter for a healthy lawn next spring.

Arlene

Seattle gardening and landscape maintenance begins with proper watering. When trying to determine the frequency and duration of watering periods, always consider the soil conditions, the weather conditions and the plant itself. Healthy plant roots need oxygen as well as water. In clay soils, water can drain very slowly and deprive the plant of the oxygen its roots need. During the summer, the heat and lack of rain can dry out your plants. Windy conditions can also dry out plants, thereby requiring more water than expected. New plants require substantially more water than established plants.

It is best to think of watering in two ways. You can either sprinkle or flood (soak). Different plants like different watering techniques. The best time to water is early morning. This helps to prevent disease by allowing plants to dry completely before the cooler evening temperatures arrive.

Established lawns (2 years old or older) need 1” of water per week. This is normally accomplished in our region naturally from November 15^th through March 15^th. Lawn roots are relatively shallow but you want to promote deep rooting. Lawns also dry out quickly, so it is best for an established lawn to be sprinkled 3 times a week. Set your irrigation clocks to make sure your lawn is receiving 1” of water per week.

Established trees (2 years after installation) require water monitoring. When established trees need water they prefer a complete soaking. If the soil is not damp at a 6” depth, your tree needs watering. Water until the soil is wet to that 6” depth. During hot weather, soaking the root ball once every week is usually sufficient.

Established shrub beds need .5” of water per week. This is normally accomplished in our region naturally from November 15^th through March 15^th. Maintaining a 2” layer of mulch helps to keep the water from evaporating too quickly and thereby reduces water usage. Sprinkling is generally fine for most plants. Set your clocks to make sure your beds are receiving .5” of water per week.