Spring Gardening Check List

We all get impatient to get those seeds in the ground and get started. However it is important to take the time to make sure all aspects of the garden have been taken into account.

Last winter the garden was supposed to be put to bed with fertilizers giving them time to break down over the winter. If that wasn't done, you still need to add the fertilizers but they need to be well aged and organically broken down.

The next important step is to review the watering practice last year. Sprinklers often cause powdery mildew issues and weeds throughout the garden. Soakers, drips and flood can be better options and now is the time to see if there is a way to engineer those different processes.

Tilling the garden to create soil with lots of macro pores (nice word for airspace) creates the environment the seeds will germinate in well. This is part of the reason for the composted materials added at this time. I also include worm castings due to the high biological microorganisms (if is fresh) and the fact that what comes out of a worm is better than what goes in.

Soil temperature is important too. Seeds do not germinate until soils have reached enough heat. So checking that temperature will give you a better idea of when to plant.

How we plant will effect the rest of the season so take a little bit of time to plan the design and final harvest from the garden. This includes trellis for beans and even squash.

Planning is everything, with a good garden plan it will help insure you stick out the process for your own fresh food this year.

Spraying Horticulture Oil when trees are dormant.

We use the term "Dormant" oil when describing the Horticulture Oil sprayed in the spring to suffocate aphid eggs and scale.

This is a very important application in that it is organic, and does not harm beneficial insects.

Every spring I get the question, "my tree is in bud - isn't it too late to spray dormant oil".

Twenty years ago...yes, today...no!

We still use that term "dormant" because it is far more practical to layer the bark with the oil when leaves are not in the way; however the new Supreme Oils are safe to spray over buds and leaves.
Article on newer refined oils we use.

The other question is rain, "will the rain ruin the oil application."

The oil is distributed with water as the carrier so a light rain is  not going to have an effect.

I strongly encourage using the organic oils and even warranty the tree if you have done a oil application and a systemic drench because these applications are so much more environmentally sound.

Boise area browned evergreens

Why are my evergreens brown and are they dead?

You may have evergreen trees that look like a blow torch was waved over them. This is from the sudden deep freeze we had around Thanksgiving last year. Normally these trees would be very cold hardy but they need a slower cold process to harden off for winter and last fall they did not get that.
Here is an article from the Extension office in Utah about the situation.

So are they dead and should you replace them?
Trees never do anything fast, so we should never had a fast reaction. Give them time and see if they recover. I am doing deep root feedings (Normally done in the fall) on these damaged trees. An interesting observation is that the trees I have been deep root feeding for two or more years did not show any damage. Healthy trees have a better ability to withstand strange weather changes and environments.

Cost to do a deep root is around $8 a tree with a $44 minimum.

Picking up leaves frozen to the ground

How to get frozen leaves off your lawn

The quick freeze caught many of us with leaves now frozen to the ground. So how do we get these leaves peeled off the grass to pick them up?

A steel (not plastic) rake can do it, but it really is hard work. A mechanical option that works well is to use a de-thatching attachment on your lawn mower.

These come in many different designs ranging from metal prongs mounted on the front or back of the mower.

 This one attaches to the front of mower

 

 like this

 

And the other option is to remove the mower blade and replace it with a dethatching blade like this.

 

 

I prefer the blade option, because the prongs in the front will clog up with leaves and have to be cleared out, whereas the blade with the springs does a good job of tearing the leaves up so they will break down faster in mulching and is less likely to clog.

 

Both methods will do two jobs at once for you, not only are you breaking free the frozen leaves, but you are dethatching the lawn at the same time as shown in this video.

 

The main problem a DIY Homeowner will have is the surprising amount of material being gathered, filling your bagging system within one or two passes. A way to speed up this process is to either get the trailer or pickup you are using to haul off the material as close as possible, or, buy a dozen small tarps and put them all around the lawn so you do not have as far to walk to dump your bag.

 

A quick note on throwing away or burning leaves, leaves are one of the highest nutrient compost you can put into your lawn or put around your trees. If possible, take the mulched leaves and use them as ground cover in your tree wells. At the very least you should compost them and incorporate them into your garden. This includes Maples, Willow and most Oak leaves. Be careful not to use Black Walnut in that these trees produce the toxin juglone which can harm plants (see link).

This is a fun video discussing leaf composting.

Winter Yard Check List

A quick Yard check up list for this early winter.

 

1. Have you wrapped or covered the trunks of your younger trees to prevent sun scald

 



2. Remove the snow and wrap your evergreens so they will not break under the extreme snow loads



3. When the weather breaks (which we usually see windows of warmer weather) be ready to prune your shrubs and trees while they are dormant. Keep in mind though, you do not want to prune when the branches are frozen and the cell structure shatters.

4. Do NOT throw away those leaves, they are the best mulch you can build for your garden.

5. Keep up the worm farm even in this weather, this will be your jump start for great soil next year.

Fall Applications

TREE FEED time for Evergreens

Brown needles on the inside can be normal but when they get this severe and clear out to the outside you're going to have to change some practices.

The first thing is WATER in the fall and spring - water as late as you can and as early in that evergreens still transpire and grow through the winter, often going dormant in the heat and pushing root growth in the cooler temperatures. In their natural environment they would have three feet of snow slowly releasing water and nutrients but here in the Idaho desert we tell them good luck and turn the water off. So do a deep soak as late and early as your watering situation allows.

The next is I deep root feed (which is not a fertilizer as much as a soil amendment) in the fall for evergreens because they are going into a stressful time of neglect in the winter and my trees show the fact that it works.

So water and a deep root feed in the fall.




The next thing to keep in  mind is to not prune too early in the fall and end up getting some new growth push that get's nipped by the first freeze especially with shrubs.

As you know, I prune in the winter when trees are dormant, then do the dormant oil spray to protect the wounds.

And don't forget to get fresh soil amendments for your garden now.

So fall leading into winter is a busy time.

ALL plant growers must watch this documentary!!

WHAT PLANTS TALK ABOUT is a video anyone growing plants must watch. It opens your eyes to the real world of how plants work underground and how they use scents to communicate with pest predators and other plants.

The most important part of the video is the underground networking of how fungi works in our plant root system and it is explained in a very observable way that helps growers understand the relationship plants have with what is growing around them.

Trees of course are my main focus and a break through understanding of how smaller trees under a canopy can not only survive but thrive, is very important for tree people to understand.

Great stuff and only 45 minutes of your time but WELL worth it!

http://video.pbs.org/video/2338524490/

http://www.netflix.com/WiPlayer?movieid=70279447&trkid=13462100&tctx=-99%2C-99%2C290b6007-70fe-4472-a618-1c1d8fc30e84-992321