Mason County 800 U.S Highway 68 Maysville, KY (606) Fax: (606) extension.ca.uky.edu

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1 Mason County Newsletter Cooperative Extension Service Mason County 800 U.S Highway 68 (606) Fax: (606) extension.ca.uky.edu Letter from the Horticulture agent: Hello Gardeners, Its time to start preparing your gardens, at this point some may even have some cole crops planted. It is suggested to take a soil sample of your garden in the fall, but you can still take a sample in the spring. A soil sample will cost $6.50, the results will tell you if you need lime and how much fertilizer to apply. For more information please stop by the Extension office. Do you like to garden but don t have the space? The Mason County Public Library has raised beds available that can be used as your own garden! If you are interested please stop by the library and pick up an application. Sincerely, Macy Fawns Mason County Office 800 U.S. 68

2 Spring Weed Control In Your Lawn by Andrew Rideout Thick, lush lawns are beautiful, but weed pressures are sure to emerge this spring. Spring and summer annuals as well as perennial weeds not only distort a picturesque lawn, but also thin your lawn and rob nutrients from our preferred fescue. Proper weed identification and good planning will keep the majority of your weeds at bay this year. In Kentucky, we have several spring germinating weeds that are fairly easy to identify. Dandelion, henbit, chickweed, and purple deadnettle are some of the most common early weeds. Later, as the soil temperatures warm up, crabgrass and goose grass show up, often with a vengeance. Identification is key to control. There are three basic types of weeds in our lawns; broadleaf weeds, grass-like weeds, and sedges. Just like the name implies, broadleaf weeds have broad leaves while grass like weeds have blades similar to fescue. Sedges are identified by a strong, protruding midrib creating a triangular blade. Knowing what weed you have and a little about its life cycle will help tremendously with determining the best control. Typically with any lawn weed, control products are either pre-emergent or post-emergent. Most broadleaf weeds are best controlled post-emergently with a common herbicide 2,4- Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, or 2,4-D for short. 2,4-D can be purchased in a concentrated liquid formulation, or an easier to use granular product in combination with a fertilizer. When applying a granular post-emergent herbicide, it is important to ensure the granular particles adhere to the leaf of the target weed. Applying the herbicide in the early morning when the lawn is damp is often the best time. Pre-emergent herbicides are used to prevent the germination of many weeds but we apply it in lawns to target crabgrass and goose grass. Some weeds may have already germinated at this point in the year. Pre-emergents work by forming a layer just below the soil surface. As the weed germinates, it will come into contact with the herbicide and growth will stop before the weed reaches the surface. Homeowners most often utilize the granular formulation for easier application.

3 Properly timed applications of pre-emergent herbicides are most critical for best control. If the target weed has already germinated, it is too late to control with a pre-emergent. Crab grass and goose grass germinate as the soil temperature warms up and forsythia blooms are a good sign that the soil is getting warm enough for crabgrass to germinate. When the forsythia blooms, apply the pre-emergence pesticide within the following 2 weeks. Always follow the label with any control product. Proper weed identification and proper herbicide selection and application will help keep your lawn healthy. If you need help with weed identification or weed control, contact your local Extension Office and they can help direct you to the best resources.

4 Upcoming Horticulture Events April 3: Pruning Fruit Trees Class 4:00 PM April 3: Grafting Class 6:00 PM, limited space call to register April 4: Mason County Mason Gardener Association meeting, 6:00 p.m. April 4: Landscape Design Class 7:00 p.m. April 7: Pruning Fruit Trees, Fleming County Public Library, 10:00 a.m. April 10: GAP Training (Farmer s Market, used for sampling ) 6:00 p.m. April 12: KDA will be at the Extension Office to certify Scales (farmers market) Please have your scales at the office by April 11th. April 13: Homebased Microprocessor Workshop at Lewis County Extension 9:30-3:30 April 13: Buffalo Trace Beekeeper Association meeting 7:00 p.m. April 20: Straw Bale Gardening (call to register) 6:00 p.m. April 24: Growing & Cooking Through the Calendar : Pawpaw's 3:30 & 5:30 p.m. call to register April 28th: Arbor Day (Free seedlings available at the Extension office) May 1: Rain Barrel Class: 6:00 p.m. Limited to 15, call to register ($55.00 each) * All Events will be held at the Mason County Extension Office, unless otherwise noted. Straw Bale Gardening April 20 at 6 PM To Register Please Call Mason County Extension Office 800 US 68 (606) Mason County Horticulture Like us on Facebook!

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