LAWN University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Horticulture Depot Edited by James Morgan & Teresa Myler FEBRUARY 2012 morganjl@uga.edu Apply a pre-emergence weed killer such as atrazine in mid-february to prevent summer weeds from germiniating and also kill winter weeds that are actively growing. If the shade from a tree has caused grass to grow thinly, now is the time to prune out lower limbs to allow more sunlight on the grass. Consider covering the grown under them with mulch. It is a good time to aerate and dethatch you lawn. It allows fertilizer, pesticides and water to move easily through the soil. ORNAMENTALS Prune bush roses including knockout roses at this time. Wait until June to prune climbing roses. Prune deciduous shrubs to remove dead wood, crossing branches, or to rejuvenate them. If they have become too large for the space, cut them back to about 18 inches tall. Do not prune boxwoods, junipers, pines or cedars. They do not recover well. Scout shrubs especially camellias and pittosporums for scale insects and control with a dormant oil. FRUIT & VEGETABLES For home grown fresh fruits, plant a fruit tree this month. Contact your local County Extension Agent for a list of varieties grown in Georgia. Prune fruit trees and grapes in late February or early March after the worst of the winter cold is passed, but before the spring growth begins. Cut out dead wood and dispose of pruning. Prune the tall sprouts from the center of your blueberry bushes now. Leave any branches that are within picking distance. If you are planning to plant blueberries, do not fertilize with a synthetic fertilizer like 10-10-10 for the first year. FLOWERS Pinch off early buds developing pansies and snapdragons to encourage plants to branch off and form more Fertilize spring-flowering bulbs with 10-10-10 or 13-13-13 once the leaves have emerged. Late February is a good time to plant strawberries if you did not get to it in October.
Test the Soil in Sleeping Garden Plots Now UGA Contributing Editor Michael Wheeler Backyard gardens have stopped producing, and everything has been bitten by a couple of hard, fall frosts. There s not much to do in the garden this time of year, but you can get ahead of the game for next year s vegetable garden by taking a soil sample now. Taking the time to gather a soil sample from your garden spot will help you plan and make changes to your garden s fertility. The results and recommendations of a soil sample will insure all the hard work and effort that goes into developing a garden will not be in vain. Soil ph is the "gatekeeper One of the best pieces of information a soil sample report reveals is the soil s ph. In a way, soil ph is the gatekeeper of the nutrients in the soil. When the ph is low, or on the acidic side, nutrients are not available to be used by the plants even if you add fertilizer. When the ph is where it needs to be (in the 6.0-6.5pH range) the nutrients that are put on the ground, such as compost or fertilizer, are easily absorbed by the plants and put to use. Lime is often called a poor man s "fertilizer because you tend to see a growth response from plants as the ph goes up and nutrients become more available for use. Collect a variety of samples The information in a soil test report is only as good as how the sample was gathered. Taking a sample in a garden plot is fairly straightforward. You will need a clean, plastic bucket and a garden trowel or spade. Start at one corner of the garden and take a thin slice of soil about 6 inches deep. Move along the garden in a straight line 15 to 20 feet away and remove another thin slice of soil. Add that to the bucket and mix the soil from the two spots together. Work along the garden in the same way until you reach the other end. Move over 4 to 6 feet and take a sample every 15 to 20 feet. Continue to work your way through the garden in a serpentine pattern until the entire area is covered. Take soil to your Extension office When finished, you should have taken samples from about 10 to 15 sites in the garden. Be thorough when taking the samples, so the entire garden is equally represented. Mix the soil in the bucket and let it air dry overnight. Dry samples on a flat surface lined with clean white paper. Take care to avoid contamination. Bring about a pint to your local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office. Soil samples cost $8, and results are usually ready in about 10 days. Soil reports can be delivered via regular mail or e-mail. For more information, contact James Morgan at the Dougherty County Extension office at 229-436-7216
Plan Now For Lush, Green Turfgrass This Summer By Becky Griffin, UGA On cold winter days, you may dream of summer and the return of cookouts or flag football games on soft, springy lawns. Or you may just long to sit and admire your beautiful turfgrass with a cold, sweet tea in hand. There are several steps you can take now, in the cold of winter, to help you enjoy a beautiful lawn in the summer. Because of past droughts and resulting legislation, outdoor water use will continue to be an issue in Georgia. Water usage is something every homeowner must seriously consider and plan for. How much water did you use last summer to keep your lawn green? If the water regulations tighten, how will you irrigate your lawn? By planning ahead you will be able to support a lush lawn by making wise use of limited water resources. A few simple things can make a big difference in your water bill and our state's water usage. First, rake up the leaves leftover from the fall. Leaves can trap moisture and block out sunlight. Both are bad for turfgrass, especially cool-season grasses like tall fescue. Moisture trapped between the leaves and grass encourages disease. Blocking sunlight is detrimental for grasses. The warm-season grasses are actually active after we think they are dormant for the season. They still need sunlight and good airflow. If you don't want to take the time to rake the leaves, shred them with a lawn mower. Keeping grass as healthy as possible prepares it for summer stresses like heat and drought. Next, get a soil test. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offers soil testing for a small fee. The soil is tested for fertility and ph. Information from a soil test will help you develop an efficient liming and fertilization program that will result in the healthiest lawn possible. Contact your local UGA Extension office for more information on soil tests. Now, take a look at your lawn mower. Replace the oil and clean or replace the oil filter. Check all nuts and bolts to make sure they haven't become loose. Most importantly, sharpen mower blades. Dull mower blades actually tear grass leaves and injure the plant. Next, inspect your irrigation system. Hopefully, the system has been shut down and the water has been drained out and turned off. Replace broken irrigation heads and position the heads so they don't water the sidewalk or road. Now you are ready to test and calibrate your system come spring. Simple things like raking leaves, testing soil, performing mower maintenance and inspecting your irrigation system can make a big difference for your lawn this summer. For more information on managing turfgrass in Georgia, see the UGA turfgrass website at www.georgiaturf.com or check with your local Extension Agent at 1-800-ASK-UGA-1.
Mistletoe May Help Sweethearts, But It Hurts Host Trees By Paul Pugliese (University of Georgia) Mistletoe is often used postmortem to lure unsuspecting sweethearts to a Christmastime kiss. For the other 364 days of the year, it is actually considered an infectious parasite that kills trees. If you see green leaves in the top of deciduous trees, it might be mistletoe. Mistletoe is an evergreen, parasitic plant found on a wide host of trees, including alder, birch, cottonwood, maple, oak, hickory and elm. Mistletoe gets water and nutrients from the host tree, but it is not totally dependent. Leaves of mistletoe contain chlorophyll and are capable of making their own food from carbon dioxide and water. Birds feed on mistletoe berries and deposit them on new trees in their droppings. This is how mistletoe spreads from tree to tree. When the seeds germinate, they grow through the bark and into the vascular system of the host where it obtains water and minerals. Mistletoe can be particularly stressful to trees during drought conditions. Trees that are heavily infested by mistletoe for several years may lose vigor, become stunted or even killed. This is especially true if the tree is already subjected to drought stress, harsh winter conditions, construction injury, diseases, insects or other conditions that further weaken the tree. Mistletoe grows slowly at first and may take years to produce seeds. Healthy trees can tolerate small mistletoe infestations, but individual branches might be compromised and susceptible to wind or snow breakage. Simply removing mistletoe will provide some protection from spreading. However, if you remove only the mistletoe, it will probably regrow. To effectively control mistletoe, prune the tree one to two feet beyond the point of attachment. If the mistletoe is located on a main limb or trunk, remove the top of the mistletoe and wrap the cut with an opaque plastic to prevent sunlight. Since mistletoe requires light, it will die within a couple of years. It might be necessary to repeat this treatment, especially if the wrapping becomes detached or the mistletoe is not completely killed. Learning for Life The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating; Cooperative Extension offers educational programs, assistance, and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Organization committed to a diverse workforce
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