Should You Fertilize the Lawn With Nitrogen This Spring?

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1 Fayette County Extension March, 2017 Cooperative Extension Service Fayette County Extension 1140 Harry Sykes Way Lexington, KY Phone (859) By The Yard HORTICULTURE NEWSLETTER Should You Fertilize the Lawn With Nitrogen This Spring? Inside this issue: When to Prune 2 Earliest Planting Dates 2 Quick Tips for March 3 Recipe 3 Pest Control: Termites 4 How To Get Rid of Moles 4 The Kentucky Christmas Tree Association s 13th Annual Plant Auction will be held 10:00 a.m., Saturday, April 8th, in the Fayette County Extension Office front parking lot, 1140 Harry Sykes Way, Lexington. A portion of the proceeds will be used to provide one or more scholarships for students majoring in Forestry or related sciences in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the University of Kentucky. A variety of annual, perennials, balled and burlapped landscape trees and shrubs will be for sale. For information, please call At the first sign of green grass in the spring, it is tempting to dust off the fertilizer spreader to apply nitrogen to the lawn. If you applied nitrogen late last fall or winter there s no need to apply nitrogen this spring because the lawn already should be starting to green up. Applying nitrogen now also will make grass less heat and drought tolerant and cause more problems with weeds and diseases. Weeds compete with grass for moisture and nutrients. But if you did not fertilize the lawn last fall, applying nitrogen this spring will be beneficial because it will green the lawn and make it look better for a few weeks. However, spring fertilization causes such fast top growth you have to mow every four to five days in April and May to remove only one-third to one-half of the grass leaves each time. Cutting several inches of top growth at one time creates excess clippings that smother the grass below, or must be bagged and added to landfill debris. Frequent mowing may serve as a reminder that a fall nitrogen application is much better for your lawn and you. Although early spring usually is not the best time to apply nitrogen, it is the right time to apply a pre-emergence herbicide for persistent crabgrass problems. Since a pre-emergence herbicide only is effective before crabgrass germinates be sure to apply it prior to mid-april and before crabgrass germinates and begins to compete with your grass. Pre-emergent herbicides are not compatible with sowing grass seed. If you need to seed your lawn and prevent crabgrass, plan to seed in September. Mid-February through Mid- March is the best time to seed lawns in Spring. Source: A.J. Powell, Jr., University of Kentucky, Extension Turfgrass Specialist

2 B y The Ya rd P a ge 2 When to Prune? Roses TYPE OF PLANT Crape Myrtles Blue/Pink Hydrangeas All other hydrangeas Boxwood, Holly, Taxus, Laurel, & all other evergreens Spring flowering shrubs Summer/Fall flowering shrubs Burning Bush/Privet/Hedges Fruit trees Shade Trees March April TIMING As blooms fade March March-July After they bloom March March-July February-March January-February For more information on pruning trees and shrubs check out these publications: HO-45: Pruning Landscape Trees HO-59: Pruning Landscape Shrubs Fruit Trees Got questions about when to spray your fruit tree, check out ID-21, Disease and Insect Control Programs for Homegrown Fruit in Kentucky Earliest Planting Date for Central Kentucky CROP CENTRAL KY Asparagus (crowns) Mar. 15 Beans (snap) Apr. 25 Beans (lima) May 1 Beets March 15 Broccoli (plants) April 5 B. Sprouts (plants) April 5 Cabbage March 25 Carrots March 20 Cauliflower (plants) April 5 Celery April 5 Chard March 20 Collards March 10 Sweet Corn April 20 Cucumbers May 1 Eggplant (plants) May 10 Kale March 20 Kohlrabi March 20 Lettuce (leaf) March 25 Lettuce 9bibb plants) March 25 Lettuce (head plants) March 25 Muskmelons May 10 Okra May 10 Onions (sets) March 10 Onions (plants) March 25 Onions (seed) March 20 Parsley March 20 Parsnips March 20 Peas March 1 Peppers (plants) May 10 Irish Potatoes March 15 Sweet Potatoes May 10 Pumpkins May 5 Radishes March 10 Rhubarb (crowns) March 10 Rutabaga March 10 Southern Peas May 5 Snow Peas March 1 Spinach March 1 Summer Squash May 10 Tomatoes (plants) May 5 Turnips March 10 Watermelons May 5 Winter Squash May 10

3 B y The Ya rd P a ge 3 Quick Tips for March Sow grass seed. First half of the month is ideal but you can seed all month with good results. Turf type tall fescue is your best choice. Dwarf varieties equal less mowing. Feed bulbs a balanced fertilizer now to promote nice blooms next year. Do not cut leaves down after flowering. They provide food for the plant. Let them die naturally. Vegetable gardens are awakening. Only work soil when crumbly. Squeeze a handful of soil into a ball. Drop it from waist height. If it crumbles easily soil is dry enough to work. If not wait for drier times as wet soils form hard clods. Remove old stems from rhubarb and asparagus. Fertilize with nitrogen, compost or rotted manure. Time to plant cool crops in the garden. These include: asparagus, beets, cabbage plants, carrots, chard, collards, kale, lettuce seed and plants, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, and turnips. Repot houseplants. Increase pot size gradually. Plants may be fed a weak fertilizer solution (one quarter strength) Plant pansies and other cold tolerant flowers. Use sunny days to begin bed clean up. Be careful not to tread on emerging plants. Cut back perennials and ornamental grasses. Most grasses can be divided at this time. Grasses are very woody and may require an ax. Prune and fertilize brambles and blueberries. Clean out birdhouses or if you don t have any, now is the perfect time to hang a few. Don t forget to register for Gardener s Toolbox Classes, For a complete class descriptions and registrations information visit our website at: or call to have a packet mailed to you. Don t forget to spring ahead on March 13th for Daylight Savings! First day of Spring is Monday, March 20th!

4 B y The Ya rd P a ge 4 Pest Patrol: Time to Think About Termites Springtime, with its warmer temperatures and more abundant rainfall, is typically when many winged termites emerge inside homes and other structures. Termites swarm from the colony to disburse, fall to the ground, find mates, and start new colonies in the soil. From now through May, you might see swarms of winged termites, called swarmers, inside your home, signaling an infestation that can cause extensive and costly damage. Since swarmers are attracted to light, you often see them, or their shed wings, around windows, doors and light fixtures. We also see winged ants in the springtime. By examining the insect you can learn whether it s a termite or an ant. Termites have straight antennae; ants have elbowed antennae. Also, termites have uniform waists; ants have constricted waists between body regions. Termites have two pair of wings of equal size. Ants also have two pair of wings, but the forewings are longer than the hind wings. Other signs of a termite infestation are pencil-thin mud tubes on inside and outside surfaces such as foundation walls, piers, sills and floor joists. Termites make these mud tunnels to travel between underground colonies and your home. Another sign of an infestation is damaged wood hollowed out along the grain with dried bits of mud or soil lining the feeding galleries. Termite feeding, and resulting damage, can remain undetected in exposed wood because the outer surface usually is left intact. You can reduce the risk of a termite attack by following these suggestions: Store wood off of the ground. Keep moisture from accumulating near the foundation. Reduce humidity in crawl spaces. Store firewood, lumber or other wood debris away from the foundation. Don t store wood in the crawl space. Sparingly use decorative wood chips and mulch. Consider having your home treated by a professional pest control firm. Many infestations result from direct contact between structural wood and the soil, which gives termites access to food, moisture, shelter and provides a hidden entry into your home. Make sure to have at least six inches between the ground level and wood siding, porch steps, latticework, door or window frames, posts and similar wooden elements. Contrary to popular belief, pressure-treated wood isn t immune to infestation because termites will enter through cut ends or cracks and build tunnels over the surface to susceptible wood above Since termites are attracted to moisture, they are more likely to enter a structure when soil next to the foundation consistently is moist. So, divert water away from the foundation with properly functioning gutters, downspouts, and splash blocks. Repair leaking faucets, water pipes and air conditioning units. Adjust the soil grade next to the foundation so that surface water drains away from the building, and adjust lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems to minimize water pooling near the foundation. Reduce humidity in crawl spaces by providing adequate ventilation. Don t allow shrubbery and other vegetation to grow over vents; it will inhibit cross-ventilation. You can reduce crawl space moisture by installing four to six milliliter polyethylene sheeting over about 75 percent of the soil surface. Firewood, lumber and other wood debris stored against the foundation or in crawl spaces, attract termites and provide a food source. This practice also gives termites a hidden entry into the home and allows them to bypass any existing termiticide soil barrier. Cellulose-containing materials including mulch and wood chips attract termites. Use these materials Continues on Page 5

5 B y The Ya rd P a ge 5 Pest Patrol: Time to Think About Termites, continued sparingly, especially when you have other conditions conducive to termite problems. Never allow mulch to touch wood siding, door frames or window frames. Consider using crushed stone or pea gravel instead. These materials are less attractive to termites and can reduce other pests such as millipedes, pillbugs, earwings and crickets. The best way to prevent termite infestations is to have your home treated by a professional pest control firm. There are two general categories of termite treatment, liquids and baits. Liquid treatments are intended to provide an effective, long-lasting chemical barrier, which termites cannot breach, around and beneath your home. Termite baits are installed in plastic stations below the ground in the yard and occasionally indoors. Foraging termites consume the bait and share it with their nest-mates, resulting in a gradual decline in termite numbers. The firm should be licensed by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Membership in the Kentucky Pest Control Association and/or National Pest Control Association suggests the company is an established firm with access to the technical and training information necessary to correctly do the job. Consider calling at least two to three companies and asking for references. Avoid pest control firms that pressure you into immediately signing a contract with specials or scare tactics. Termiticides are extensively tested for adverse effects. Based on current research, registered termiticides present no significant hazard to humans, pets or the environment when applied according to label directions. For more information on termites and other pests, contact the Fayette County Cooperative Extension Service. Source: Mike Potter, University of Kentucky, Entomology What should you look for when choosing a pest control firm? How Do I Get Rid of These Moles? There have been several calls into our office recently about moles. These little nuisances can cause a great deal of damage in our lawns by creating runways and pushing up mounds of soil to the surface. Moles dig in search of earthworms and grubs, they do not eat seeds or bulbs. The easiest way to control this animal is with a bait containing the chemical Talprid. One common bait containing this chemical is called TomCat and it is shaped like an earthworm. It is used by placing the bait in an active tunnel. (Always remember to read the package instructions carefully before using any chemicals.) Moles may actually be a secondary problem. It may be that there is such a high grub population that the moles are being attracted to your lawn. Check for grubs by pulling on dead patches of lawn. If the patch comes up like a carpet, grubs have eaten the root system. If you think you may have a grub or lawn problem, contact our office for more information. Source: Madison Co. Horticulure Newsletter

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7 VEGETABLE GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS: The Early Spring Crops Tuesday, March 28th, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. at Northside Branch Public Library 1733 Russell Cave Rd. Free but must RSVP Limited seats available! Please call to RSVP There are many great reasons to grow some of your own food. We will teach the very basic concepts of growing vegetables. This class will focus on the early spring crops that can be planted and harvested before the main spring planting window. It is far easier than you might think. Participants will receive a copy of our vegetable growing guide and a packet of seeds. Class will be led by Fayette County Horticulture Technician, Carrie Spry.

8 Join The Arboretum for a fun-filled hands-on gardening program! June 12th - June 16th 9am 5pm Ages 8-12 The Arboretum at 500 Alumni Drive Cost: $110 or $100 for Friends of The Arboretum Register by May 24th (Camp size limited to 15 participants) Call (859) or Jackie.gallimore@uky.edu

9 2017 GARDENER S TOOLBOX - REGISTRATION FORM Name: Phone: E-ail: Address: City: State: Zip: TOTAL Amount Enclosed $ IMPORTANT REMINDERS! Sign up early for classes to avoid being turned away because class is full. ALL classes are PRE-REGISTRATION only. If you need to cancel, you must do so 2 weeks prior to the class time to receive a refund or credit for a different class. If handouts and/or plants are not picked up 3 days after class, items will be donated. Please make check payable to: Fayette County Master Gardener Association Mail To: Gardener s Toolbox ~ Fayette County Extension Office (new address) 1140 Harry Sykes Way Lexington, KY ~ 2017 GARDENER S TOOLBOX CLASSES ~ Class and Cost Class and Cost 3/7: Unusual Annuals From Seeds, Cost: 3:00 p.m. 3/9: Veggie Gardens for Beginner-Early Crops, Cost: 6:00 p.m. Southern States Cooperative, 2570 Palumbo Drive 3/16: Potatoes, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 3/21: Onions and Leeks, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 3/27: A Glimpse of a Lunatic's Garden, Cost: 6:00 p.m. 3/28: Veggie Gardens for Beginners, Early Crops, Cost:: 6:30 p.m., Northside Branch Public Library, 1733 Russel Cave Road 4/4: Sunflowers, Cost: 3:00 p.m. 4/13: Primocane Blackberry, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 4/18: Dahlias, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 4/20: Coral Bells, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 4/27: Veggie Gardening for Beginners, Cost: 6:30 p.m., Beaumont Public Library, 3080 Fieldstone Way, Lexington NEW CLASS: 5/4: Growing Great Tomatoes, Cost: 6:00 p.m., West Sixth Street Brewing, 501 West Sixth Street 5/2: Growing Great Tomatoes, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 5/4: Veggie Gardening for Beginners, Cost: Free, 6:30 p.m. 5/11: Hardy Hibiscus, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 5/16: Hens & Chicks, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 6/8: Elephant Ears, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 6/15: Perennials CLASS for Shade FULL Gardens, Cost: 3:00 p.m. 6/20: Veggie Gardening for Beginners Part II, Cost:: 6:30 p.m. 6/29: Oyster Mushrooms, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 7/6: Making Perennials Work, Cost: 3:00 p.m. 7/13: Fall Vegetable Garden, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 7/18: Weed Management, Cost: 6:30 p.m..8/3: Renovating Lawns, Cost: Free 6:30 p.m. 8/10: Crape Myrtle, Cost: 3:00 p.m 8/22: Hydrangeas, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 9/7: Autumn Crocus, Colchicums, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 9/14: Saving Flower Seeds, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 9/19: Peonies, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 10/5: Storing Winter Bulbs, Cost: 3:00 p.m. 10/12: Minor Bulbs, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 10/17: Daffodils, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 11/2: Lilies, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 11/7: Stump the Hort. Agent, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 11/16: My Favorite Garden Tools, Cost: 6:30 p.m. 12/5: Holiday Greens, Cost: 3:00 p.m.

10 NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID Fayette County Cooperative Extension 1140 Harry Sykes Way Lexington, KY Lexington, KY PERMIT 112 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Newsletter Enclosed Fayette County By the Yard Jamie Dockery County Extension Agent for Horticulture Cooperative Extension Service Fayette County Extension Service 1140 Harry Sykes Way Lexington, KY (859) UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND KENTUCKY COUNTIES, COOPERATING Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, contact Tim West, UK College of Agriculture, ; Terry Allen or Patty Bender, UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity, ; or the USDA, Director Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W Whitten Bldg., 14th & Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC ( ).