September Landscape To-do List

Lime The Lawns:

If your soil has a low ph (very acidic) soil*, now would be a good time to start thinking about liming your lawns. You should wait until it starts raining more regularly and aerate if possible. Lime (calcium carbonate) does not move through the soil profile with ease. In this ara it requires copious amounts of water to get it to penatrate.
*You can purchase a soil tester at any nursery or home improvement store.

Slugs and Snails:

Timing is 90% of the battle to rid the garden of these pests. To have the greatest effect on the slug and snail population, get rid of the adults prior to laying eggs in autumn.
Several well known methods are available: I.  Dealine with methaldahyde kills them but is not good around pets or children.    II.  Sluggo with Iron phosphate will get them but is no where near as efective as Dealine, and then there is III. Coffee grounds both new and  used (dried). They will kill them as dead as a door nail without danger to pets and children - completely organic!! A 3# can of inexpensive coffee will cover 500 - 1000 sq ft.

Plant, Plant, Plant!!!

Planting bushes, trees, bulbs and shrubs is best at this time of the year. The cool weather puts less stress on plants and the soil is warm enought to help develope roots.

http://www.classicgardencreations.com/

Lawns 911!!! Pet Poisonous Cocoa Bean Mulch

If your dog likes to spend sunny days lazing in the garden, his treat-seeking nose may lead him to one danger in particular: sweet-smelling cocoa bean mulch.
Many gardeners are familiar with the use of cocoa bean shells, a by-product of chocolate production, in landscaping. It’s especially popular for its attractive odor and color and eventual degradation into organic fertilizer. But many pet parents don’t realize that cocoa mulch, if eaten in large quantities by mischievous dogs, can be toxic.
“Dogs are attracted to the fertilizer’s sweet smell,” says Dr. Steven Hansen, ASPCA Chief Operating Officer, “but like chocolate, cocoa bean mulch can be too much for our canine companions.”
Ingestion of large amounts of cocoa bean mulch may cause a variety of clinical signs, including:

• vomiting
• diarrhea
• elevated heart rate
• hyperactivity
• muscle tremors
• neurological disturbances

Dr. Hansen recommends that the gardeners among us consider using a nontoxic alternative, such as shredded pine, cedar or hemlock bark, to beautify their yards. These will keep your pooch and your garden happy and healthy.
If you suspect your dog has ingested cocoa bean mulch, please contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. For more potential pet hazards living on your lawn, check out our Guide to Pet-Safe Gardening.

Watering Tips for August

Now that we have had some continuous dry weather, it's time to think about how to  keep things green with some watering tips.

Keeping the ground moist is important to avoid getting dry spots in the lawns.
Some 'experts' say 15minutes a day is sufficient.
There are some contributing factors to consider before agreeing with that opinion:

1. What type of sprinklers do you have? a 1/2 gal per hour sprinkler or a 10 gal per minute sprinkler?
2. Are the nozzles distributing equally?
3. Is there a high spot ?
4. Is 1/2 of the flat and the other 1/2 on a slope?
5. How much slope does the lawn have?

  There is no magic number. 15 minutes will not cut it unless you are on a very large water volume system.

Here are a few thoughts:

 1.  Clay:  when it gets dry is very hard to get wet again. Do not let it dry out!
Watering more often with smaller amounts of water is the best method, especially on a slope. When the soil starts to crack, you're too late.

2.   If  your system seems to be keeping the lawn nice during the warm sunny days, and we experience a 105 F day, hit the manual start one extra time in the middle of the day and let it go through the cycle.  You will get more evaporation, but your lawn shouldn't dry out or be stressed.

3.  The best time to have your watering system come on is in the early morning, timed in such a way as to finish the complete cycle just before the 1st person needs to take a shower. Early AM lets the water sink into the soil profile. Late PM does the same but there is a greater potential of getting fungal diseases.