2013 lawn care guide - spring planting
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T H E V I L L A G E R E P O R T E R T H E W A U S E O N R E P O R T E R
FARM Safety
&
LAWN
SpringPlanting
Garden
April 2013
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2 Spring Farm Safety/Lawn & Garden/ Planting Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
WIELAND SURVEYING & ENGINEERING, LLC
Brian M. Wieland, P.E., P.S.Licensed Ohio Surveyor & Engineer
14067 County Road 20, West Unity, OH 43570Phone: 419-924-2100 Fax: 419-924-5390
www.wielandsurveying.com
Contact us for all your Engineering & Surveying needs!
SEE US FOR ALL YOUR
GRAIN, FEED, SEED,
AND AGRONOMY NEEDS
Gerald
419-598-8015
Wauseon
419-337-4306
Archbold
419-445-3426
Ridgeville Corners Agronomy
419-267-3315
Liberty Center
419-553-2321
www.geraldgrain.com
GERALD
GRAIN CENTER INC.
TOM MARSHALL
517-320-4481
DEKALB ASGROW BRODBECKS WELLMANS
06331 County Rd. M-50 Montpelier, OHOfce 419-485-5605
TRENT THOMAS
419-553-6478
As temperatures nally go UP thisspring, take a minute to look DOWN at
the ground and investigate the SOIL.
What does the soil look like? How does thesoil feel? Does rain sink into the ground
quickly? Answering these questions duringplanting can pay off later during harvest.
It doesnt matter what kind of land-owner you are - a small farmer, large farm-
er, organic grower or even homeowners
and gardeners - you can easily examineyour soils. Take a quick look and you can
learn a lot, says State Agronomist MarkScarpitti.
The Natural Resources ConservationService (NRCS), the conservation arm of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture, launched
Unlock the Secrets of the Soil in an effortto focus attention on soil health. Accord-
ing to State Conservationist Terry Cosby,Prime farmland makes up 73 percent of
Ohios 11 million acres of cropland. Thats
a heck of a lot of good agricultural landand a huge responsibility. The well-being
of future Ohioans hinges on how well weprotect and improve the foundation of ag-
riculture, healthy soil.To start a soil health assessment, youll
need your eyes, your nose, your hands,
and a garden spade or shovel.LOOKLook for plant residue or a liv-
ing plant canopy or cover. Dig a hole andlook at the soil structure. Healthy soil
looks like chocolate cake with lots of airholes and organic matter. And of course
you should see earthwormsour wonder-
ful soil engineers!SMELLHealthy soil has the distinct
sweet, earthy aroma of geosmin, a by-prod-uct of soil microbes called actinomycetes.
TOUCH--Soil should crumble easilyexposing long straight plant roots. Long
roots reach nutrients and water they need
to grow to produce the food we love to eat.Why should we care about soil health?
Cosby explains that healthy soil actuallyhas a direct impact on many larger issues
that affect life as we know it.Healthy soil can improve and regulate
water, sustain plant and animal life, lterpollutants, cycle nutrients, and supportbuildings. Healthy soils hold more water,
which can make the difference between
crop survival and failure during a drought.Healthy soils also resist runoff and ero-
sion, naturally suppress weeds and pests,
and sustain other natural resources.If your soil looks like it needs attention,
give us a call. Conservation experts in ev-ery Ohio county can help you develop a soil
health improvement plan and introduceyou to conservation programs designed to
off-set a portion of the cost of carrying out
the plan, explains Cosby. Improving soilhealth takes time, so the sooner you start
the process, the sooner youll reap the re-wards provided by healthy soils.
Remember, healthy soils producehealthy crops and a healthy environment.
So grab a spade and dig a little. You can
learn a lot! Visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/
soils/health/
CORN_IN_HEALTHY_SOIL ... The roots of
crops grown in healthy soil reach deeperin the soil. Deep roots help plants survive
drought conditions like last summer.
Dig A Little, Learn A Lot
Crop growers should take extra
precautions to scout their elds this
spring for slugs to try to get control of
these plant feeders before they attack
corn and soybean plants and cause
feeding injury, an Ohio State Univer-
sity Extension entomologist said.
Ron Hammond, who also has an
appointment with the Ohio Agricul-
tural Research and Development
Center, offers his guidance in vid-
eos posted on the Plant ManagementNetwork, a nonprot publisher of sci-
ence-based crop management infor-
mation for growers, consultants and
other applied audiences.
Hammond is a featured speaker
for April on the feeding injury that
gray garden slugs can cause to corn
and soybean crops.
OSU Extension and OARDC are
the statewide outreach and research
arms, respectively, of Ohio State Uni-
versitys College of Food, Agricultural,
and Environmental Sciences.Hammonds presentations are de-
signed to help growers and consul-
tants in the Midwest, Eastern and
Mid-Atlantic regions manage slug
problems in eld crops when using
no-till production, organizers said.
The presentations cover basic biology
of slugs and how it relates to grow-
er practices and an Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) approach to man-
aging slug problems.
The gray garden slug is the most
damaging slug in eld crops across
the county, he said. Its also the No.
1 slug pest problem probably world-
wide.
And this is the one causing prob-
lems in corn and soybeans and other
eld crops, but especially soybeans.The majority of problems with the
gray garden slug come at crop plant-
ing in the spring, Hammond said.
That is when the eggs have hatched
and the juvenile slug starts to grow
and reaches a size to start heavy
feeding.
And if the crop is there, they start
feeding on it, he said. And if the
crop isnt there yet, theyll wait for the
crop and feed on it.
In Ohio, Hammond said, this
tends to occur between early and lateMay.
In soybean, for example, because
its typically planted later in spring
after corn and typically emerges af-
ter juveniles hatch, it is often fed on
early in its growth stage, especially
during germination, which can cause
a complete stand loss before growers
even realize they have a problem, he
said.
General IPM recommendations
Hammond suggests include:
Using tillage in those elds if
possible.
Planting elds with potential
problems early.
Using practices to encourage
quicker growth such as row cleaners
or strip tillage. Monitoring spring slug popula-
tions and injury and applying mol-
luscicide when necessary. A video on
sampling for slug eggs is available at
http://go.osu.edu/slugeggs.
GRAY GARDEN SLUG ... The graygarden slug is the most damaging
slug in eld crops across the county,he said. Its also the No. 1 slug pest
problem probably worldwide.
Entomologist Offers Guidance On ControllingSlugs in No-till Soybean, Corn Fields
How To Prevent Soil ErosionHomeowners who spend
time tending to their land-
scape are increasingly look-ing eco-friendly ways to
maintain their lawns andgardens. Homeowners who
once relied on potentiallyharmful pesticides to craft a
lush lawn now prefer ways
that dont leave such a sig-
nicant carbon footprint.Preventing soil erosion
is one way to incorporate
conservation into lawn andgarden care. Conservation
is one of many environmen-
tal practices aimed at pre-serving the planets natural
resources, which includesoil. Preventing soil ero-
sion is easy and can be ac-complished in a number of
ways.DONT OVERWATER.
Some may assume that
keeping soil as damp aspossible keeps it healthy.
However, overwatering thesoil can cause runoff that
washes the soil away. In-stead of overwatering, keepthe soil moist but dont
overdo it. If youre havingtrouble keeping soil moist,
consider laying down some
mulch, which helps retainmoisture and deliver nutri-
ents to the soil.PLANT TREES AND
SHRUBS. Trees and shrubsare friends to soil, provid-
ing shelter while their roots
keep the soil in place andprevent it from easily blow-
ing away on a windy day.CREATE RUNOFF BAR-
RIERS. Runoff barriers areedges that can be made of
brick, stone or other mate-
rials that help reduce run-off. Many homeowners in-
stall runoff barriers alongsidewalks and driveways
to ensure the soil does not
spill out onto the pavement.CONSIDER LEAVING
SOME GRASS AROUND
THE GARDEN. Many ho-meowners dont view their
weekend gardening asfarming, however, similar
principles apply. One such
principle is conservation
tillage, which means leav-
ing a portion of vegetation
in the ground instead ofstripping everything away
before planting. For homegardeners, consider leav-
ing a small amount of grassaround the garden to keep
the soil within the gardens
boundaries.
NOFZIGER FARM SERVICE
NOFZIGER TRUCKING LLC
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419-335-9136
Co. Rd. BWauseon, Ohio
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OWNER
800-272-4097
419-298-2566
06018 STATE ROUTE 62 Miles East of
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419-636-2249 800-838-2457
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Wednesday, April 24th, 2013 Spring Farm Safety/Lawn & Garden/ Planting 3
255 Co. Rd. RNapoleon, Ohio 43545www.casindustries.com
Phone: 419-599-5180Fax: 419-592-5180
Email:[email protected]
Hellers Crop Service
County Road 15, Pioneer, Ohio
Ph. 419-737-2706
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FARM MACHINERY AUCTIONS 2ND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH
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3649 Co. Rd. 24, Archbold, Ohio 43502
(419) 445-2070 Toll Free: 1-800-364-2870 Fax (419) 445-2090
E-mail: [email protected] www.yoderandfreyfarm.com
Though farming wasonce big business in the
United States, by 2012 lessthan 1 percent of Americans
were professional farm-
ers. Many challenges facetodays farmers, many of
which are largely unknownto the general public.
Many people have anoutdated view of a farm as
a small, family-owned and
operated parcel of landwhere livestock is raised in
open pens and crops arehand-harvested when ripe.
The reality is that mod-ern-day farms have had
to overhaul operations to
meet demand and remaincompetitively priced while
adapting to the ever-chang-ing ways technology inl-
trates all parts of life. Each
of these factors present ob-stacles for todays farmers.
TECHNOLOGY - Ruralfarming communities are
expected to make an effortto integrate modern tech-
nology into an industrythat has been around for
centuries. But such a tran-
sition in rural areas, wherecommunications systems
may not be as up-to-date asthose in urban areas, is not
always so easy.DECREASE IN FARM-
ING AS AN OCCUPATION
- The United States Envi-ronmental Protection Agen-
cy says that only about960,000 Americans claim
farming as their principaloccupation. As that gure
has dwindled, the averageage of farmers continues to
rise, as the Bureau of LaborStatistics notes that rough-
ly 40 percent of the farm-
ers in this country are 55years old or older. This has
led to concerns about thelong-term health of family
farms throughout the Unit-ed States.
E N V I R O N M E N T A L
CONCERNS - Many farm-ers have come under scruti-
ny for how farming impactsthe environment. A growing
emphasis on sustainabilityand conservation has led
many people to protest cer-
tain farming practices.Climate change is an-
other environmental issuefarmers must deal with.
Strong storms and severe
droughts have made farm-ing even more challenging.
FINANCIAL FALL-OUT
- The ongoing recession of
the last half-decade hasalso affected farmers. In No-
vember of 2012, the UnitedStates Bureau of Labor Sta-
tistics indicated that the
unemployment rate withinthe agriculture, forestry,
shing, and hunting indus-tries was at 13.6 percent,
far higher than the national
unemployment rate.Further complicating
matters is competition fromcorporations and interna-
tional food producers whohave made it difcult for
family farmers to turn a sig-
nicant prot.Though it can be easy
for those who do not work
in the agricultural industryto overlook the struggles
facing todays agriculturalprofessionals, a greater un-
derstanding of those strug-gles and the challenges that
lay ahead can benet the
industry and its employeesdown the road.
Challenges Facing Farmers Today & Tomorrow
FARMING INTO THE FUTURE ... Greater public aware-
ness of agricultural challenges could help the industry inthe future.
Farm Safety For Just Kids has rebranded with a newwebsite that features new resources. In addition to thenew look, the distribution of materials has changed. Farmsafety educational materials will be available to downloadas PDFs for free.
As we looked at rebranding, we realized it was theperfect opportunity to also evaluate the delivery processof our materials, said Tracy Schlater, marketing director.Offering resources online eliminates two main obstaclesof cost and convenience for the volunteers and teachersusing our materials.
Initially, resources for tractor, ATV, livestock, andchemical safety topics will be available online and moreadded in the future. Resources available include lessonplans, activities, background information, fact sheets,and Power Point presentations, among others. Chemi-cal and ATV resources are available in both English andSpanish. In addition, one page fact sheets covering a vari-ety of other topics will be available as well.
Offering materials online goes a step further in ad-vancing Farm Safety For Just Kids mission to protect
rural farm youth and families by getting information outto more people. A supply of printed resources is still avail-able. To order hard copy resources while supplies last,
call 800-423-5437.Agriculture and farm safety have changed a lot overthe past 25 years, said Tracy Schlater, marketing di-rector. It was time for the organization to reect thatchange. Visit farmsafetyforjustkids.org and check it out.
Website Helps TeachKids About Farm Safety
Planting Corn During Optimal Time One Key In Getting Corn Planting Off To Good StartCOLUMBUS, Ohio Growers who want
to get their corn crop out to a good start this
year should make sure they get it plantedduring the optimal corn planting time,
which in some parts of Ohio typically starts
as early this week, an Ohio State UniversityExtension expert said.
Getting corn planted in southern Ohiobetween April 10 and May 10 and in north-
ern Ohio between April 15 and May 10 -- the
optimal planting times for corn in Ohio -- isjust one of several key measures growers
can take to better ensure they avoid irre-versible mistakes that could result in low-
er yield potential, said Peter Thomison, anOSU Extension agronomist.
OSU Extension is the statewide outreach
arm of Ohio State Universitys College ofFood, Agricultural, and Environmental Sci-
ences.We encourage planting at the recom-
mended times because this is historicallywhen you get the best yields, Thomison
said. Planting later than these times his-
torically has resulted in yield loss, in somecases a 30-bushel-per-acre reduction in
yield.Growers historically could see a loss of
a bushel to a bushel and a half in yield lossfor each late planted day.
But some growers may be hesitant toplant early this year based on experiences
many growers had with planting delays anddrought the past two years, he said. For
example, wet weather conditions caused
planting delays for many growers in 2011,but many were still able to produce good
and, in some cases, better crops.And for some growers who planted early
in 2012, their crops were at critical develop-
ment stages when drought conditions wereat their most severe, with numerous 100 de-
gree or higher days in early July when cropswere pollinating and at their most sensitive
point, Thomison said. That compares togrowers who, because of planting delays,
got their crops in later and had better crops.
As a result, some growers may be a littlegun shy at planting early this year or may be
more careful and not plant as early as theytypically would because of what happened
the last two years, he said. Its human na-ture to reect on whats transpired in the
past couple of years versus the historical
perspective because of concerns many mayhave that were experiencing more weather
extremes.But the generic recommendations are
that if growers have elds that have goodsoil conditions, are dry and suitable for
planting, with warming temperatures overthe next week to 10 days, it behooves them
to start planting, Thomison said.Mistakes made during crop establish-
ment are usually irreversible and can put a
ceiling on a crops yield potential before theplants have even emerged, he said. Follow-
ing these recommendations can help grow-ers minimize their risk.
In addition to planting at the proper
time, Thomison said growers can minimizerisk by:
Performing tillage operations only whennecessary and under the right soil condi-
tions. It is important to avoid working withwet soil and to reduce secondary tillage
passes which could cause shallow compac-
tion and reduce crop yields. The best timeof year for a deeper tillage is during the late
summer and into fall on dry soil, and onlywhen a compacted zone has been identied.
Adjusting seeding depth according tosoil conditions. Corn should be planted be-
tween 1.5 to 2 inches deep, which provides
protection against frost and allows for ade-quate root development. Seed depth should
be adjusted for weather and soil conditions. Adjusting seeding rates by eld. For ex-
ample, high-yield potential sites with highsoil-fertility levels and water-holding capac-
ity can benet from higher seeding rates,
while lower seeding rates work better withdroughty soils or in late-planted crops.
Planting a mix of early-, mid- and full-season hybrids between elds, which reduc-
es damage from diseases and environmen-
tal stress at different growths stages. Usingthis method also spreads out harvest time
and workload. Planting full-season hybrids rst, fol-
lowed alternately with early-season and
mid-season hybrids, which allows the late-season hybrids to get the most benet from
maximum heat unit accumulation, Thomi-son said.
13773 Co. Rd. 3-75
Edon, OH 43518
Phone: (419) 630-7090
Fax: (419) 272-2742
WeB
uyStan
dingGr
eenA
lfalfa
!
BY FLORIAN CHIRRA
EXTENSION EDUCATOR
Soil temperature and moisture
are important factors in corn seed
germination and emergence. Theold rule of thumb for temperature is
when morning soil temperature at a2 inch soil depth is 50 F its time to
plant. Under ideal soil temperatureand moisture conditions corn should
emerge in 7 to 10 days. Yield reduc-
tions resulting from mudding theseed in are often much greater than
those resulting from a slight planting
delay. Planting before the soil tem-perature is warm enough for germi-nation greatly increases the potential
for stand failure. Note, soil tempera-
ture can vary depending upon soiltexture, soil color, soil drainage and
surface residue.According to Dr. Peter Thomison,
Corn Specialist at Ohio State Univer-sity the recommended time for plant-
ing corn in northern Ohio is April 15
to May 10. Another measurement isGrowing Degree Days. Growing De-
gree Days are a measurement of the
growth and development of plantsand insects during the growing sea-
son. Development does not occur atthis time unless the temperature is
above a minimum threshold valueof 50oF. Approximately 100 to 150
Growing Degree Days are required for
corn to emerge. In central Ohio thatoccurs around the end of April rst
of May. Realize corn germinates veryslowly when soil temperature is less
than 50oF leading to uneven stands.
So usually after April 25 plantingwhen soil conditions allow is usually
safe. After May 10 corn yields beginto quickly decline. The latest prac-
tical date to plant corn is June 15thhere in Northern Ohio which will re-
sult in a 50% yield reduction.One of the many lessons learned
from the 2012 season was the impor-
tance of waiting for soil temperatureto reach 50oF before planting corn.
The abnormal, early warm weather inMarch in 2012 and higher than nor-
mal growing degree accumulations
enticed some farmers to plant cornin early April, disregarding the soil
temperature. This resulted in chill-ing injury to seeds and uneven emer-
gence and stand loss. Planting depthis another important consideration in
planting corn.
Corn should be planted between1-1/2 to 2 inches deep to provide
for frost protection and adequateroot development, according to Dr.
Thomison. Seeding depth should be
monitored regularly during the plant-ing operation and adjusted for vary-
ing weather and soil conditions. Ir-regular, especially shallow planting
depths contribute to uneven plantemergence, which can reduce yields.
Mistakes made during crop establish-ment are usually irreversible, and
can put a ceiling on a crops yield
potential before the plants have evenemerged.
Soil Temperature & Moisture Are Crucial For Corn Emergence
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4 Spring Farm Safety/Lawn & Garden/ Planting Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
Celebrating 24 Years In Business
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Through Mid June
Its Spring Planting Time ...
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It only makes sense to turn a little patch of your prop-erty into a personal supply of organic food.
Quality and cost-control are the top reasons to do it-- and avid gardeners will tell you that there is a special
kind of joy in planting, growing, picking and serving the
freshest produce possible.Today, approximately 30 percent of residential homes
in North America cultivate a vegetable patch and most willtell you that the growing season can be full of surprises.
Sometimes, the winter will leave much more moisture in
the ground than the year before, but other times, droughtwill hamper your harvest and so will heat, insects, weeds
and plant disease.Insects and disease can be a serious problem when
growing vegetables, says Reinie Drygala, Products Man-ager for PureSpray Green, a leading name in innovative
garden products. If uncontrolled, they will destroy yourprized collection of vegetables and owers. The question is
how do you effectively deal with these pests and still use
a product that you can feel good about when it comes toyour impact on the environment?
Our researchers experimented tirelessly to produce ahorticultural spray oil for year-round control of insects
and disease, Drygala continued. The resulting Pure-
Spray Green is an all-in-one formula for use in organicgardening and allows gardeners to feel good about spray-
ing it on owers, fruits, vegetables, shrubs and trees.The sister brand Clear Choice is also a breakthrough in
herbicide technology for controlling weeds on lawns andwalkways.
Here are a few more quick tips to refresh your start-up
skills in the vegetable patch:CLEAN UP: Clear your patch by removing grass, rocks,
or other debris.TILL THE SOIL: Add at least 6 centimetres of new veg-
etable garden soil to provide nutrients, improve drainage,and to promote strong root growth.
PLANT AT THE RIGHT TIME: Early season vegetablesinclude broccoli, carrots, lettuce, peas, and spinach. By
early June, you can plant the warm-weather vegetableslike corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.
PREVENT WEEDS: Put a layer of mulch around the
plantsCONTROL PESTS AND DISEASE: keep an organic-
approved spray handy for insect and disease control. In-formation at: www.todaysclearchoice.com.
WATER: Keep seedlings moist by watering regularly.HARVEST: Your bounty should grow quickly from
seedlings to a full harvest in less than 60 days.
GARDENING TIPVegetable gardens make great additions to any home
garden, but home gardeners should know that not all veg-etables should be planted year-round. Vegetables vary as
to their optimal growing conditions, which often hinge on
climate. For example, tomatoes are popular among homegardeners. For the best tomatoes, the soil should be warm
and the sun above should be hot. Some vegetables, how-ever, actually prefer colder climates. Cauliower often
thrives with colder soil and steady rainfall. When plantingvegetables in a home garden, homeowners should always
consider seasonal changes. Such changes enable garden-ers to have fresh vegetables almost year-round.
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Cultivate Your Own Bounty Of Vegetables
HELP CONTROL COST ... Planting your own vegetables
can help you to make you grocery budget stretch a littlefurther.
Can Pools & Lawns Cohabitate Peacefully?The backyard has become a go-to destination for warm
weather recreation. As the staycation has grown in
popularity, more effort has been put forth in making thebackyard a place where all members of the household can
enjoy themselves. That means merging interests into onespace. A pool may be competing for acreage along with
a decorative patch of lawn. Some homeowners wonder iflawns and pools can be successful alongside each other.
Many question if chlorinated pool water poses any ill
effects on the grass in the backyard. In addition to splash-out of water during fun times in the pool, water also will
be tracked across the lawn from children and adults exit-ing the pool or will ood the grass when it is necessary
to clean and backwash the lter. Will you be left witha dried-out patch of chlorine-burnt lawn? Probably not.
Healthy chlorine levels in a pool are kept so that the
pool water is generally on par with the chlorine levels con-tained in regular tap water. You wouldnt hesitate turn-
ing on the hose to water your lawn, so you shouldnt beoverly concerned about pool water splashing out of the
pool, particularly if you are stringent about maintaining
the proper pH levels and chlorine levels. Also, soil canwithstand chlorine at high acid levels and is pretty resil-
ient about self-correcting. Furthermore, grass blades areselective about which nutrients they absorb, so excess
chlorine likely will not penetrate the grass blades.Chlorine also dissipates in the sun. Therefore, while
the levels may be elevated upon just hitting the grass,over a short while the chlorine will essentially be used upand pose no additional threat to the surrounding lawn.
Some people have actually said that watering yourlawn with pool water can be an eco-friendly way of curb-
ing water usage. Therefore, it may be safely used on lawnsand most owering plants. It is unadvisable to water veg-
etable gardens with pool water because of any trace levels
of other chemicals that may be found in the pool water.
Homeowners still concerned about exposing theirlawns to pool water can create a buffer zone around the
pool. Inground pools are traditionally bordered by con-
crete or patio blocks. Place stone or mulch around theperimeter of an above-ground pool to catch any splashes
and to create a barrier between the pool and the lawn.Also, direct backwashed water through a long tube and
have it ow it to an area away from the lawn.
Pool owners who want to have vibrant grass likelydont need to worry about chlorine damaging their lawns.
In fact, the lawns may ourish with the extra watering.
POOL WATER REFRESHING ... In most cases, pool waterwill not damage lawns because the chlorine level is not
high enough.
Few things are antici-pated more in spring than
the arrival of new leaves onthe trees and budding ow-
ers in the garden. A land-scape awash with fresh col-
ors can brighten the spiritand make anyone want to
head outdoors.There are many different
plants that begin to showtheir colors in the spring.
A number of perennials,
annuals and trees begin toower or show new sprouts
come the springtime. Hereare some plants that can
be planted for springtimeenjoyment.
ANNUALS
Looking for rst signs of
color? Look no further than
these wonderful annuals.*Alyssum: Starting in
April, this cascading boun-
ty of tiny owers offers a
sweet aroma that attractsbutteries.
*Dianthus: These vivid
owers also attract butter-ies and are often a cottage
garden staple.
*Gypsophila: Also
known as babys breath,these delicate owers can
serve as ller in any land-
scape. Pink and white vari-eties are available.
*Impatiens: One of thebest-known plants for the
garden, these annuals
come in scores of colorsand can generally tolerate
full sun to full shade.
*Larkspur: Belonging tothe buttercup family, these
owers bloom in shades of
white to violet.*Pansy: These owers
are some of the earliestspring bloomers, arriving
alongside spring bulbs like
tulips.
*Petunias: Petunias puton a show of color through
the entire season, making
them a popular beddingower.
PERENNIALSThese plants will come
back year after year and of-
fer spring shows.*Cherry blossom: The
owers that sprout oncherry trees are some of the
rst signs of spring. Their
pink or white buds are of-ten a spectacle, so much so
that towns and cities hold
cherry blossom festivals.*Columbine: These
beautiful blooms attractbutteries and can be a
nice part of a garden bed.*Jacobs ladder: Varie-
gated foliage that is dap-
pled with violet-coloredowers can add a sweet
smell and visual interest to
the garden.*Primrose: These ow-
ers come in a variety ofshades, making them ver-
satile in any garden. They
also tend to attract butter-ies and hummingbirds.
*Sweet violet: These
fragrant owers are ed-ible as well as attractive.
These plants can self-plant, so unless a garden-
er wants them to spread,
they should be kept con-tained.
SIGNS OF SPRING GARDEN TIME
SPRING IS HERE ... Cher-ry blossoms are one of the
earlier signs spring has ar-
rived.
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Wednesday, April 24th, 2013 Spring Farm Safety/Lawn & Garden/ Planting 5
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ERIC RICHER
EXTENSION EDUCATOR,
OSU EXTENSION FULTON COUNTY
Spring is the season many of us thinkabout our lawns and landscape and be-gin to provide critical care to make surethey stay healthy throughout the sum-mer. Were beginning to get the calls in
the Extension ofce about how and whento fertilize lawns, so I want to identify twokey fertilizing times for this spring. Firstof all, I want to review the 3 numbers thatmake up the fertilizer analysis on everybag of fertilizer that is sold. Those 3 num-bers represent the percentage of Nitrogen,Phosphorus and Potassiumor N, P andKthat are present in the bag of fertilizerbased on weight. You may see numberslike 15-15-15, 28-0-3 or 32-0-4, just toname a couple. For instance, a bag of 28-0-3 will have 28% nitrogen, 0% phospho-rus and 3% potassium as K20. Though allthree nutrients are important for healthyturf, nitrogen will cause the greatest re-sponse by visibly increasing the green.Because of this, some turf fertilizer recom-mendations are given based on pounds ofnitrogen per 1,000 square feet of area.
When fertilizing those lawns that havebeen established for at least one year orlonger, the rst application that can bemade is in late March or April. Depend-ing on when Easter falls, this applicationis sometimes referred to as the Easter ap-plication. We usually like to wait until theground temperature is at least 45-50 de-grees and the grass is just starting to greenup. Another way to determine if this rstapplication is being done at the right timeis to coordinate the rst lawn fertilizer ap-plication with the time when forsythias areblooming. Forsythias are the deciduousshrubs that have the brilliant yellow ow-ers rst thing in the spring. Forsythia isMother Natures way of determining whenground temperatures are adequate forgrowth. In Fulton County, you still have
adequate time to get this application doneas we are having a delayed spring this year.During this rst application, it is rec-
ommended to apply a fertilizer that has ananalysis ratio of approximately 3-4 timesthe nitrogen as it does the potassium. Itis suggested that phosphorus be left out ofthe fertilizer in the spring to avoid leachingor runoff from heavy spring rains. So youmight purchase fertilizer that has an ap-proximate analysis of 19-0-5 or 32-0-10 orin general, be called early spring fertilizer.In many cases, this fertilizer will also havesome form of crabgrass preventer to pre-
vent germination of crabgrass weed seedthat can be unsightly later in the summer.I would suggest that the formulation of ni-trogen that is in the fertilizer be at least50% slow release to extend the benetover 6-8 weeks. Be sure to read the labelinstructions for application rate for yourspecic fertilizer spreader. Target rate ofnitrogen is to 1 lb per 1,000 square feet.
The second application of fertilizer thisspring should be in late May or early June,often referred to as the Memorial Day ap-plication. Again, it is suggested that youpurchase a fertilizer that is absent thephosphorus. You will want to apply a fer-tilizer that has 2-3 times the nitrogen aspotassium and still with at least 50% slowrelease nitrogen. You may notice retailfertilizers with an approximate analysisof 19-0-8 or 25-0-11 that are suitable forthis time of year. For this application it isrecommended to get a fertilizer that is im-pregnated with a product that will protect
your lawn against summer grubs. Grubscan weaken healthy root systems and area good food source for moles. Target rateof nitrogen should again be to 1 lb per1,000 square feet.
While this article is written to empha-
size the rst two spring fertilizer applica-tions in turf, it should be noted that somehomeowners and professional lawn carecompanies may fertilize additional timesthroughout the year. An additional lb ofnitrogen per 1,000 square feet may be ap-plied in July (July 4th holiday) and againin September (Labor Day holiday). Theseapplications can be made based on per-sonal preference but are optional and de-pendent on weather variables. However,the often overlooked yet most importantapplication of fertilizer in turf is the latefall (between Halloween and Thanksgiving)
approximately 1-1.5 lbs of nitrogen per1,000 square feet. This application helpsturf overwinter and get a rapid start inspring. Above all, the best way to deter-mine how much fertilizer a particular lawn
needs is to conduct a soil test with recom-mendations.
COMMERCIAL NEW
APPLICATOR SCHOOL:OSU Extension Fulton County will be
hosting a new applicator training schoolfor Commercial Core, Industrial Vegeta-tion and Turf on Tuesday, April 30th, righthere at the Robert Fulton Ag Center inWauseon. Registration can be found onour website at fulton.osu.edu or by calling419-337-9210.
The extreme heat and drought of 2012was hard on lawns and gardens. Manygardeners are facing a blank slate of baresoil, masses of dead patches that wereonce lawn or a bit of grass interspersed ina sea of weeds, says gardening expert Me-linda Myers.
Myers recommends following thesesteps to improve lawns this season.
Start this spring to renovate or improveyour weather-worn lawn. Remember thatwater is critical to get newly seeded andsodded lawns to survive. So be preparedto help nature along with the recovery ef-fort.
Evaluate the damage. Then use thecheck list below to nd the best course ofaction to aid the ailing lawn.
If the lawn is more than 60 percentweeds or bare soil, its probably time tostart over. Use this opportunity to createa great foundation for growing a healthylawn. Kill off the existing vegetation, addseveral inches of organic matter such ascompost or peat moss and a low nitrogenslow release fertilizer into the top 6 to 8inches of soil, and rake smooth.
Select more drought tolerant grasseslike rhizomatous (turf-type) tall fescues,buffalo grass, and Habiturf native lawnmix. Make sure the grass is suited to
the climate and plant according to the la-bel. Then sow the seeds, lightly rake andmulch or lay sod. Water often enough tokeep the soil moist until the seeds sproutor the sod roots into the soil below. Thenwater thoroughly when the top few inchesof soil are crumbly, but slightly moist toencourage deep roots.
Fertilize new, existing and stressedlawns with a low nitrogen slow releasefertilizer like Milorganite. It wont harmstressed lawns, young seedlings or newlylaid sod. It will encourage slow steadygrowth. Southern lawns can be fertilizedin April and again in early June. In thenorth fertilize around Memorial Day. Andif 2013 turns into another hot dry sum-mer, it wont burn the lawn.
Mow high to encourage deeply rootedgrass that is more drought tolerant and
pest resistant. And mow often, removingonly a third of the total height. Be sureto leave these short clippings on the lawn.
They return moisture, nutrients, and or-ganic matter to the soil.
Repair small dead and bare patches asneeded. Use a lawn patch kit, grass seedand mulch. For small spots, loosen thesoil surface, sprinkle grass seed and light-ly rake. Or mix a handful of grass seed ina bucket of topsoil. Sprinkle the mix overthe soil surface.
Do a bit more soil preparation whenrenovating larger dead areas in the lawn.Remove or kill any weeds that have lledin these areas. Till two inches of compost,peat moss or other organic matter into thetop six inches of soil. Sow seed, rake andmulch or lay sod.
Overseed thin and sparse lawn. First,core aerate the lawn to improve soil con-ditions and increase seed-to-soil contact.Spread grass seed over the aerated lawnand water as needed. Or rent a slit seed-er or hire a professional with this type ofequipment. These machines slice throughthe soil and drop the grass seed in place,increasing the seed-to-soil contact whichis needed for good germination.
Core aerate lawns that have more thanone half an inch of thatch, those growing incompacted soils, or before overseeding. Byremoving plugs of soil you break throughthe thatch and create channels for waterand fertilizer to reach the grass roots.
Spot treat weeds on lawns that need
minimal repair. Wait at least until fall totreat new and overseeded lawns. Spottreating minimizes the use of chemicalsand reduces the stress on already stressedlawns. As always read and follow label di-rections carefully.
Proper maintenance and a bit of coop-eration from nature will help transform alawn from an eyesore to an asset in thelandscape.
Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author
& columnist Melinda Myers has more than
30 years of horticulture experience and haswritten over 20 gardening books, including
Cant Miss Small Space Gardening and TheLawn Guide Midwest Series. She hosts
the nationally syndicated Melindas Gar-den Moment segments, is a columnist and
contributing editor for Birds & Blooms mag-
azine and has a column in Gardening How-to magazine. Myers has a masters degree
in horticulture, is a certied arborist andwas a horticulture instructor with tenure.
Her web site is www.melindamyers.com
Lawn Renewal & RenovationTips To Create A Perfect Lawn
GARDENING EXPERT MELINDA MYERS SHARES
SIMPLE STEPS FOR INVIGORATING LAWNS
HELP THICKEN YOUR LAWN ... A little work and attention to lawn now will help to havelush, green grass between you tows this summer.
Spring Turf Fertilizing Tips
Ohio State Strawberry Workshop Is May 16PIKETON, Ohio Straw-
berry growers can learn
about new productionmethods and techniquesduring an Ohio State Uni-versity strawberry plasti-culture workshop May 16.
The workshop will beheld from 6 to 9 p.m. atthe Ohio State UniversitySouth Centers in Piketon,1864 Shyville Road. Regis-tration is $5. The centersare part of Ohio States Col-lege of Food, Agricultural,and Environmental Scienc-es (CFAES).
The workshop will fea-ture Brad Bergefurd, a hor-ticulturist with Ohio StateUniversity Extension andthe Ohio Agricultural Re-
search and DevelopmentCenter (OARDC). Bergefurdwill discuss the plasticul-ture production method,in which strawberries are
planted in September andgrow over the winter us-
ing plastic to keep the soilwarm and suppress weedgrowth, which results inlarger, sweeter berries dur-ing an earlier growing pe-riod, he said.
OSU Extension andOARDC are CFAESs out-reach and research arms,respectively.
Thanks to the relativelynew production method,Ohio consumers now canhave access to locally grownstrawberries as early as therst week of May and aslate as October.
In addition to touringthe plasticulture trials,participants will also learn
about:
Variety evaluations, in-cluding day-neutral (sum-
mer-bearing) strawberries. The use of white andblack plastic mulch to mod-ify soil temperature.
Winter row cover man-agement study results forfreeze and frost protection.
Drip irrigation. Fertigation manage-
ment, with row covers, bedshaping, plastic laying andtransplanting equipmenton display.
Registration includesthe program, handoutsand refreshments. ContactCharissa McGlothin at 740-289-2071, ext. 132, to reg-ister. The deadline to regis-ter is May 14.
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6 Spring Farm Safety/Lawn & Garden/ Planting Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
SUPERIOR FARMSUPPLY, INC.
107 State Route 107 Montpelier, Ohio
419-485-8351
A water feature in the
backyard is not only an at-
tractive way to add dimen-sion and visual interest to
the entertaining space, itcan also be a tranquil, re-
laxing place to which to re-tire. A pond lled with ma-
rine plants or sh can be a
welcome respite in the yard.For those who havent
done major excavation orbuilt something similar in
the yard before, it pays to
become educated before
digging the rst hole. In or-der to ensure the sh pond
goes in correctly, there area few things the do-it-your-
selfer needs to know.DETERMINE SIZE.
Many rst-time pond build-
ers simply make their pondstoo small. If sh or a lot of
aquatic plants are planned,be sure to size it large
enough to accommodate
growth. Err on the larger
size -- some dirt can alwaysbe added back if it seems
too large. A koi pond shouldbe at least four feet deep at
its deepest point. One canvary the depths of the pond
by creating shelfs of dirt or
rock.DETERMINE LOCA-
TION. The best place to puta pond is close to the house
so that it can be enjoyedwhen someone is outdoors
or inside. Also take into
consideration rain run-off.This may contain chemicals
from fertilizers and pesti-cides that can contaminate
pond life. Avoid locating it
too close to trees, otherwisea lot of time will be spent
cleaning out leaves and oth-er debris. If the pond will be
growing only plants, be sureit gets a few hours of steady
sun a day. For a pond con-
taining only sh, shade willbe adequate.
PLAN ON WATER CIR-
CULATION. Although circu-
lation is not a must, it canhelp aerate the water and
clean out debris, if a lter
is used. Plus, moving wateris less susceptible to insect
larvae growth like that ofmosquitoes. Figure a water-
fall or water jet into the de-sign and a skimmer that will
suck out the water. Be surethe skimmer is positionedso that the level of the pond
water meets halfway up theskimmer box. If a water-
fall will be used, graduallyslope the pond away from
the waterfall to direct water
toward the skimmer. Checkmunicipal building codes to
see if a permit will be need-
ed for the pond and the req-uisite plumbing/electrical
work. There may be regula-
tions as to how deeply thepower line must be buried
and other requirements.PURCHASE THE COR-
RECT LINER SIZE. Be sure
to purchase the right sizeliner for the pond. Measure
the maximum length andwidth of the pond. Double
the depth of the pond andadd it to these measure-
ments. Add a foot or two for
overlap and this will giveyou the pond liner size.
PAY ATTENTION TO
ROCKS AND GRAVEL. Too
much gravel at the bottomof the pond may cause nox-
ious gases to build up that
can gradually kill off marinelife. Only put about 2 inches
of gravel. Also, keep in mindthat some rocks are better
left out of the pond design.
Limestone can affect the pHof the pond water making
it very acidic. Try to makethe pond look as natural
as possible, hiding pipes
and electrical switches withplants and other landscap-
ing items.Fill and get started. Be
sure to include some aquat-ic plants because those will
help create the right mix
of nutrients into the waterthat can feed sh and other
plant life. There is also pre-packaged pond bacteria to
prime the pond lter. Letthe lter run a day or two
before adding any sh to
ensure that the water con-dition is right.
How To Build A Fish Pond The Right Way
A PEACEFUL ADDITION ... A pond full of sh can be a nice addition to a persons back-
yard landscape.
How To Cultivate A Herb GardenMany people cultivate gardens both inside and outside
of their homes with a focus on adding aesthetic appeal to
their property. But a garden that boasts plants that are
edible and pleasing to the eye is a possibility as well.Planting an herb garden is a creative way to enjoy the
sights, smells and tastes of a wide variety of plants. Usingfresh-harvested herbs in culinary endeavors imparts a
taste that dried spices cannot match. Whats more, freshherbs are often easy to cultivate.
Herbs are versatile, capable of lending great avor tofoods while also playing different roles in personal health
and beauty. Herbs can be grown to perfume homes and
bodies. There are herbs that are also purported to helpwith ailments, from upset stomachs to anxiety.
When planting an herb garden, you may want to payparticular attention to the types of avors and smells you
like in your home and cooking. This will help you to nar-
row down the types of herbs you will plant. Many would-be herb gardeners tend to start small to see what luck
they have when cultivating herbs. Fortunately, herbs can
grow well in containers indoors, provided the soil is ame-nable and there is plenty of sunlight.
Herbs will grow best in well-prepared soil. Make sure
that it is rich in organic matter and drains well. Also,for plants like parsley, be sure to have deep pots or dig
deeply in the garden to establish long taproots.Until the weather warms up, you may want to begin
herb cultivation indoors and then transfer plants out-side during the summer. Basil, for instance, is a tropical
plant that does well in warm conditions. Therefore, it willneed to be kept away from drafts and get several hours
of direct sunshine a day. Place most herb planters in a
south-facing window of a home to ensure they get amplesunlight and to allow the soil to dry adequately between
waterings.With many herbs, leaf production will diminish on any
stems that ower. It is essential to pinch off owers that
form to encourage the herb plant to continue producingleaves, which are the parts of the plant most associated
with seasoning and aroma.