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YOUR LANDSCAPE ? WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW COULD KILL MILLIONS

That’s right. As a homeowner, you are responsible for millions of living organisms. You’re the ?Jack Bauer? of the show ?24? protecting millions of innocent lives! Grass plants, ornamentals, trees, annual flowers & shrubs. Your decisions also affect insect & biotic populations. Most importantly, you are in control of how your landscape affects you & your family personally. The best way to make the most of your living investment is knowledge & of course, action!

Let’s get started!
?Da Lawn?
We’ll start with the lawn. It is very important to have a thick, healthy lawn. Why? My daughter plays soccer & I shudder everytime she gets knocked down. (I never cheer when she knocks some one else down.) When kids play on your lawn, or when elderly residents walk in it, a thick lawn protects their skin & joints. A thick lawn also prevents weeds from coming up, reducing the need for pesticides. So, what can we do in the spring to get there?

First, write down your thoughts about last years’ turf. What improvements would you like to have seen? Then ?spring? into action. If you have a lawn contractor, discuss fertilization options with him/her. Are they applying 2-3 pounds of Nitrogen per year? Nitrogen has a direct relationship to the color of the lawn. If the lawn is not thick & green, ask them to do a soil test, or you can do one using the easy instuctions on the website. (Cost $15.00 plus postage) Do they use slow release or fast release fertilizer? Quick release fertilizers give the lawn a quick greenup & are cheaper, but they lose their color after 2-4 weeks. If you are getting 3 applications per year, with normal release fert, you get 4 weeks of food & rapid growth followed by 4 weeks of partial starvation. Using slow release feeds gradually, & keeps the lawn growing at a more regular pace. Ask your contractor if he likes double cutting & bagging grass clippings, if he says yes, I might give you a $5.00 gift certificate to Caribou Coffee. When he says no, tell him that using slow release will cut down on rapid flush growth, & cut down the need for a lot of extra labor. Everybody wins!

There is bound to be some winter salt or plow damage too. These areas need to be seeded or sodded right away. I recommend bringing black dirt in if needed & if using seed, use blends, such as kentucky bluegrass & perennial rye for sunny areas, & fine fescue, perennial rye & bluegrass for shady areas. If seeding, expect weeds. Crabgrass control can not actually be applied to these areas unless you use Siduron (Tupersan), but broadleaf controls can be often used after the seeded area is mowed twice. Seed or Sod, water a couple of times per day for short periods of time.

?Da Shrubs?
Shrubs need little care in the spring, but make certain that the leaves left over the winter are removed. If you had roses in your own garden, & did the ?Minnesota Tip? , make certain the leaves & covering are removed so the plants do not heat up under their protection. Clear any areas where bulbs might’ve been planted.

?Da Garden?
If you have a personal garden, ’tis the season to till it up. Consider doing a soil test yourself for best results. Here’s a little secret: Why does Miracle Grow grow 700 pound pumpkins? I know you do not actually want a 700 pound pumpkin this fall, but if you want to give your garden every chance of providing pleasure or juicy tomatoes, then the secret is this: Most fertilizers carry 3 ingredients. Even if you ask the U of M, they will say. ?Buy a 10-10-10?! This is the standard response for anyone in the industry, & it usually works Ok. BUT, there’re 16 minerals needed for every plant to survive. Miracle Grow gives all 16! They might not actually be needed, but if just 1 or 2 are missing or weak your plants will suffer.

?Da Trees?
Make sure that the tree wrap is removed from trees, look for split trunks or damage that might’ve happened from the early snow storm or from wind damage. If you know you have Ash Trees, which almost virtually everyone has, there is a terrible menace out there this year. The Emerald Ash Borer. Once it is on a property, can kill all the ash trees on a property in 1-3 years. There is more. There are links on www.Townhome.Pro.

?Da Water?
Irrigation system startups need to include replacing broken heads, & resetting the direction of heads so they cover the lawn, making sure they do not blow over the freshly washed car & into the bedroom window. If you do not have a system, I would be very happyto recommend a professional, or design one myself..

Finally, work with your contractor. It is in his/her best interest to have a wonderful, living landscape too. If your association does a lot of work itself, or if you are just curious, call or write a Master Gardener volunteer. It is free, & the link is on your website that is just being created; www.Townhome.Pro.