Cooperative Extension Service Barren County 1463 West Main Street Glasgow, KY 42728 (270) 651 3818 Fax: (270) 651 3744 www.ca.uky.edu/ces The calendar says spring is here. The clocks have sprung forward. Now it is time to put the long, cold, wet, winter behind us. It is time to work in those gardens, yards, and fields. Planting season is here now. spring lawn fertility and tuning up your fences. Flyers describing upcoming educational opportunities. If you have ever considered becoming an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, you will find information on how your dream can become a reality. If you want to learn more contact the office. In late April we will see the first Barren County Farm, Home, & Garden Expo, information is included in this edition. As you enter into the 2018 crop season remember all the services the Barren County Cooperative Extension Service offers. Soil testing, plant pathology, pest identification, management advice are just some of the things that we would be happy to help you with. Inside this edition of Farm & Garden you ll find articles on Finally, blackberry season is just around the corner, and you ll find a recipe to use those fresh berries. Hope you enjoy this edition of Farm & Garden.
Page 2 Spring Lawn Fertility by Brad Lee & P. Andy Rideout Lawns provide great benefits in urban settings by controlling erosion, filtering runoff before it reaches our streams and groundwater, and by moderating temperatures during the hot summers. Every homeowner has their own expectations of how nice their lawn should be. Some homeowners spend considerable resources to ensure a weed free, thick, healthy lawn with multiple applications of weed control products and many opt for irrigation and consequently, annual water costs. Many of us however, choose to maintain our lawns with minimal inputs. Less fertilizer, less pesticide use, and reduced water needs. When choosing a low maintenance lawn management plan, we must also accept the fact that our lawn will most likely not be that same dark green, uniform stand of grass as seen with higher maintenance lawns. Proper fertilizer applications are important to provide the needed nutrients for the grass to remain healthy. To maintain good quality turf with minimum weeds, some nitrogen is required every year. Tall fescue needs 1.0-1.5 lbs. of nitrogen per thousand square feet yearly. The best time to apply the nitrogen is from mid-october through late December. This timing allows the turf to develop a better root system to withstand the upcoming hot summer. Applying nitrogen in late fall also helps the turf recover faster and promotes an earlier green-up in the spring. Low maintenance lawns without regular irrigation should not require any nitrogen in the spring. So, what about the other nutrients like phosphorus or potassium? It is always best to get a soil sample to identify the need for other nutrients. Excess nutrients have many other consequences that extend beyond our own lawns. Brad Lee with the University of Kentucky explains this very well: Excess phosphorus (P) can lead to algal blooms and subsequent degradation of Kentucky s surface waters. In addition, these algal blooms have the potential to negatively impact much of Kentucky s drinking water supplies. A recent analysis of 25 years of soil test P data from every county in Kentucky demonstrated that the average P levels in home lawns and gardens are considerably higher than agricultural soils. In addition, while agricultural soil P levels have been declining since 1990, the P levels in home lawns and gardens have been increasing at an alarming rate. These results indicate that homeowners continue applying unneeded P to their soils. It is imperative that homeowners test their soils prior to applying fertilizer. The soil test results will explain how much (if any) P is needed. Testing the soil for its fertility and applying fertilizer based on those soil test results will be less expensive for the homeowner and much better for Kentucky s lakes, rivers and streams. The best practice you can do for your low maintenance lawn includes a soil sample to determine what nutrients are needed and plan to apply nitrogen in the fall. Other good low maintenance practices include: keeping a sharp blade, mowing at the proper height, and applying pre-emergent if crabgrass has typically been a problem. As always, your local University of Kentucky Extension Office can help you determine the best plan for your lawn.
Page 3 Tuning Up Your Fences Grass is up and spring is right around the corner, and now is the time for producers to be getting ready for spring and summer grazing. The winter can take a toll on fencing, and producers may need to mend or even replace some fencing. Here are a few things to think about as you begin your spring chores. Studies show that most problems start at the braces. Failing braces are one of the main reasons for premature fence problems. Corner braces need to be substantial and well-constructed. A rule of thumb is that posts should be in the ground as deep as the wire is high. We all know that will be very difficult here in Kentucky. More often than not you are going to encounter rock. Nevertheless, all efforts should be made in order to get brace posts as deep as possible. The cross member of the brace should be at least 2/3 of the diameter of the posts. Wire for securing the brace should be galvanized coated. Some producers use steel pipe, these make excellent cross members. However, care should be taken to ensure that the metal pipe does not short out electrified fence. On the subject of electrified fence, insulators should be checked. Broken or cracked insulators should be replaced to prevent dead shorts. Insulators come in many shapes, types, and colors. Be sure to select the type that best suits your needs. When it comes to the energizer or fence box, the area of most common failure is grounding. Grounding according to the manufacture s recommendation may seem extreme and costly, but without proper grounding your fence charger will not preform to your expectations. At least 2-6 foot ground rods 6 feet apart are needed. Please remember that during dry periods the soil around the ground rods may dry out preventing proper grounding. A tip for remedying this problem is to drill a 1/8 hole in the side of a 5 gallon bucket near the bottom. Fill the bucket with water and allow it to drain out in the area near each ground rod. The tiny hole will allow the water to drain slowly to moisten the soil around the rod and restoring proper grounding. Keeping extra fuses on hand will allow for quick repairs in the event of a lightening strike. We all realize that lightening is no friend to fence chargers, but there are products available to help lessen the damage that lightening can cause. If you have any specific questions about fencing or fencing options feel free to contact the Barren County Cooperative Extension Office to discuss options.
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Page 6 Would you like to be an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer? To help you decide if you should apply for the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program, ask yourself these questions: Do I want to learn more about plant care and gardening? Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in my community? Am I eager to participate in a practical and intensive training program? Do I have enough time to attend the training and complete my volunteer work? Classes will begin September 4 and end before Christmas. These classes are held Tuesday morning each week 9a.m. to noon. There is a charge of $75.00 to cover the costs of the program. To get your name on the interested list call (270) 651-3818.
Page 7 The first Barren County Farm, Home and Garden Expo will be held on April 27-28, 2018 at the Glasgow National Guard Armory. Are you a farmer? Gardener? Homeowner? Then come on out to the first Barren County Farm, Home, & Garden Expo. Plenty of information and fun for the entire family. Give us a call at the Extension Office if you are interested in being a vendor. Space is still available.
Page 8 Plate it Up Kentucky Proud Recipe Like the Barren County Cooperative Extension Service Facebook page to stay connected on all the latest classes and programs offered! Check out our website at: https://barren.ca.uky.edu/ April 18 & May 16