Month: December 2022

To avoid breaking an ankle while strolling through your yard, holes must be filled in — particularly several ones. Whether they are caused by animals or settling, the remedy would be exactly the same; filling the hole with quality soil to encourage the growth of new grass roots for a healthy lawn.

Dig under the grass in long bob with the spade and set the sod aside; this is reused after the hole is filled, if the grass seems to be healthy.

Mix the potting soil with compost or sand in equal parts in the bucket or wheelbarrow with the trowel.

Put spadefuls of the soil mix to the hole. To fight settling, bring the soil mix about an inch over the surrounding soil.

Put the removed sod back above the filled hole and then pat it in place. Water the sod extensively to establish root growth in the new soil.

Fertilize the lawn to encourage healthy root growth. Natural fertilizers — like compost or grass clippings — may provide the ideal combination of potassium or nitrogen to the soil without needing a soil test. Simply sprinkle it on the sod or new grass seedling to provide nutrients.

See related

Although typically grown in rows to form a hedge, arborvitaes (Thuja occidentalis) can also be grown separately in containers. When grown in pots, compact varieties like “Golden Globe,” “Sunkist” and “Woodwardii” make attractive patio plants or function as focal points in the backyard. Because containers provide little insulation into a plant’s root system, cold winter weather can harm or kill the plant. Bringing your container-grown arborvitae inside or finding other methods to protect its roots will assist the shrub endure the winter.

Making the Go

You should prepare your arborvitae because of its indoor home in late autumn. A sudden change from the bright exterior to a dark garage will confuse the plant and also weaken its increase. Aim to expose your shrub to two to three hours of sun every day by moving it into a shady spot in the backyard or sheltering it under the eave. Once the plant has been in complete shade for a week, it’s prepared to move indoors. During the arborvitae’s transition time, check and treat it for any insects. Before bringing your arborvitae indoors, add a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch into the ground.

Indoor Conditions

The purpose of bringing in your arborvitae inside is to keep the roots from freezing, not to give it a room that is heated. Arborvitae stay semi-dormant during the winter and exposing them to warm temperatures will stir them from this dormancy. The perfect home for your arborvitae is at an unheated garage where it can receive indirect lighting. You do not need to provide direct sunlight, but should avoid placing the plant in total darkness. Water the plant well once you have it indoors. Next, you should only need to water the plant when the soil gets dry to a depth of 2-3 inches. As it’s mostly dormant, the plant will not need much water and watering it too much will encourage dangerous fungal growth.

Returning Outdoors

Just because you did when bringing the plant indoors, gradually get your arborvitae acclimated into the outside world. Once the threat of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures stay above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you can start the process of hardening from the shrub. This simply means gradually exposing your plant to outdoor conditions. Throughout the afternoon, take your plant out to a secure and shady location for two to three hours. Over the following two weeks, increase the total amount of time your arborvitae is outside until it’s outside full time. During this transition, gradually increase the amount of sunlight your arborvitae receives and how much wind it’s exposed to.

Overwintering Options

If your arborvitae’s container is too large to transfer easily or if you don’t have indoor space for it, you will find other techniques to defend the roots during the winter. 1 option is to transplant the shrub into the ground in late autumn or to bury the container using the plant in it. In either circumstance, the surrounding garden soil provides a natural insulation for the arborvitae’s roots. If your area receives only a few days of freezing weather, then it may not be worth the attempt to bury the plant. Rather, when you learn cold weather will hit, move the pot to a protected area and surround the pot with wax or blankets. Irrespective of how you overwinter your own arborvitae, keep the shrub in partly shady conditions and reduce watering to keep the roots from rotting.

See related

The perfect land for grass growing is well drained and fertile with a pH of between 6.5 and 6.8. Occasionally, soil has to be amended because it does not satisfy the perfect conditions to nurture grass development. Amendments can help the top 6 inches of dirt loosen and have a crumbly, loose texture with a neutral pH level. Amending can help dirt include about 5 percent organic matter and a balanced combination of sand, silt and clay.

Testing Soil

Grab a handful of dirt, and roll it into a ball. Press the ball of dirt into a ribbon-shaped strip between the fingers and thumb.

Hold the ribbon from the atmosphere. The soil is considered sandy if it won’t ribbon; the dirt is considered clayey if the ribbon stays together for 2 or more inches.

Take 1 tablespoon of dried dirt from six to eight areas. Put the soil in a bowl and mix it until it’s well combined. Add a few drops of vinegar. Notice that the soil pH is above 7.5 if the dirt fizzes.

Take 1 tablespoon of moist soil from six to eight areas. Put the soil in a bowl, and mix it until it’s well combined. Add a pinch of baking soda. If it fizzes, note that the soil has a pH less than 5.0.

Applying Amendments

Till 12 cubic yards of topsoil and 12 cubic yards of organic matter each 1,000 square feet to the upper 4 to 6 inches of sandy soil. Till 12 cubic yards of organic matter each 1,000 square feet in to the very best 4 to 6 inches of clay soil.

Spread 20 pounds of dolomitic lime per 1,000 square feet in a crisscross application pattern for soil with a pH lower than 4.9. Apply 50 pounds of iron sulfate per 1,000 square feet in a crisscross application pattern for soil with a pH higher than 7.5.

Till the amendments to the top 6 inches of the soil.

Mix four parts cottonseed meal, 1 component phosphate, one-half part lime, two parts greensand and one component gypsum. Implement 3 pounds of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet. Till the fertilizer to a thickness of 4 to 6 inches.

See related

As fast fruit manufacturers requiring minimum room, strawberries are excellent for home gardens. This berry favorite has many culinary uses and a high vitamin C content. Studies by John Reganold of Washington State University have discovered that organically grown strawberries offer you several advantages, such as fewer pesticides used, much healthier land, 10 percent more vitamin C and greater antioxidant levels and, in some instances, better taste compared to chemically grown strawberries. Variety selection is vital to successful organic strawberry production.

Disease-Free Certification

When selecting strawberry varieties to grow organically, the first step is to be certain you plant certified disease-free stock. This certification helps to ensure that young strawberry crops are free of any potentially threatening insect or disease pests and confirms their cultivar. By planting certified disease-free strawberries, threat of future pest problems is reduced. When purchasing disease-free varieties, gardeners should request that sellers offer certification tags for evidence of authenticity.

Disease Resistant

Like many fruit and vegetable crops, strawberries can suffer from plant diseases and other pest infestations, which in traditional non-organic agriculture have been prevented and treated using manufactured chemical solutions. Growing disease-resistant strawberries lessens the risk of the difficulties in your natural strawberry patch. As an instance, that the “Sequioa” strawberry, known for its large fruit and excellent flavor, is immune to the typical Verticillium wilt, as are “Earliglow,” “Guardian,” “Surecrop” and “Tribute.” Red stele is just another serious fungal problem that afflicts strawberries and immune varieties include “Midway,” “Redchief,” “Delite” and “Lateglow.” A few leaf spot and leaf scorch resistant varieties are “Albritten,” “Allstar,” “Atlas,” “Hood” and “Jewel.”

Flavor

Organic growers shouldn’t miss strawberry varieties also renowned for their great flavor. The “Douglas” cultivar produces large tasty fruit, as does the “Pajaro” variety. The medium-sized “Irvine” and bigger “Camarosa” varieties both have received excellent ratings due to their taste. “Chandler” is the conventional amount grown in California — America’s largest strawberry producer — and produces incredibly well-flavored fruit. The “Honeoye” variety has a distinctive flavor, which a few strawberry enthusiasts love but others find less enjoyable. Other cultivars receiving high marks for taste include “Earliglow” and “Jewel.”

Neighborhood

Selecting local strawberry varieties that are either native or adapted for cultivation in your area is important for growing your own organic produce. These varieties will already have a level of resistance to diseases common in your area, which decreases the need for pesticide use and typically makes strawberry crops easier to take care of. To ascertain the strawberry varieties best adapted for your individual area, consult experts in the local nursery or extension workplace to get their recommendations.

See related