Green | Environmental Conference

Johnson County Community College and Ryan Lawn & Tree are sponsoring an environmental conference in January 2010. Speakers from around the country will be on hand to discuss the affect of lawn and landscape maintenance practices on water quality.

For more information, visit www.ryanlawn.com/green.

If you have an opinion about our environment, I invite you to attend. The event will feature an open forum before lunch to allow attendees the chance to discuss environmental issues.

E-mail me at tarapatty at ryanlawn dot com for more information.

Irrigation Winterization

If you live in the Midwest, it is time to start thinking about winterizing your irrigation system.

If you have an above-ground backflow, it is important to schedule your appointment sooner rather than later to avoid damage from a surprise, early freeze.

"Winterizing" your system involves blowing all the water out of the system to prevent breaks due to freezing and thawing.

If you water the old-fashioned way, like I do, it is important to drain all hoses and store them in the garage for winter.*

*Winter is never the reason I have had a hose fail. My problem is that I keep a spray attachment on the end of the hose and I am absentminded. TWICE, I have left the water on without realizing it. This makes the pressure in the hose build up, until the hose itself splits. Broken hose = annoyed husband.

It's Time to Order Bulbs

"Ronaldo'"
Photo from White Flower Farm

It's not too early to order your spring-flowering bulbs. (I usually plant mine in October.) This year, I am getting Tulips and Hyacinths.

Things to consider before planting:

Site: Will the flowers do better in full sun, shade or a mixture of both.

Planting Depth: Planting bulbs at the wrong depth will prevent them from coming up properly next spring.

Bloom Time: Select bulbs that have a variety of bloom times. I am going to plant a bed of early, mid and late blooming tulips to prolong my enjoyment.

(I REALLY love tulips. Martha said she planted tulips every two years at Turkey Hill. I treat them as an annual, because as much as I hope, they just don't come back the second year.)

Finally, don't err and plant the bulbs upside down. I don't *think* I have ever done this, but every year as I am planting I have to get reassurance from Tom that I am planting the bulbs properly. It is a weird anxiety of mine.

If you aren't ordering bulbs online, be sure to go to gardening centers early. The best varieties will sell out quickly.

Pansy Comeback

It is Pansy time again in the Midwest. Temperatures have cooled off enough for these little gems to thrive. (A good friend in Virginia planted some a few weeks ago.)

Pansies do best in full sun. In the spring, it is okay to plant them in partial shade to insulate them a little against climbing temperatures. However, in the fall, it is probably best to plant them in full sun.

During a mild winter, it is possible pansies will survive to make an appearance again in spring. However, a hard frost will do them in. (Pansies are grown as a perennial in some places, just not the Midwest or the South. They don't do well if it gets too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer.)

If you need more than mums this fall, give them a try.

SweeTango Apple

To continue the trend of posting about produce, I picked up a new apple variety at the store last night. It is called "SweeTango." It was developed by the University of Minnesota, who previously released the "HoneyCrisp" variety.

"SweeTango" started a touch tart, but overall was very sweet. "SweeTango" is a cross between the "HoneyCrisp" and "Zestar" varieties. It reminded me of "Pink Lady." I enjoy the overall sweetness of the "HoneyCrisp" better than this latest release, but I encourage all of you to pick up a "SweeTango" and give it a try.

Pumpkin Shortage

The cool, wet weather during the growing season has led to a shortage of pumpkins this year. Prices for carving pumpkins will likely go up, and you may have to give up traditional pumpkin pie as the shortage crosses over to a scarcity of canned pumpkin.

I learned this tonight after a bit of Internet searching. I was excited to make some cranberry pumpkin muffins to kick off the fall season and had trouble finding canned pumpkin. One grocery store posted a sign noting pumpkin will be back in stock October 7. The second store I visited said they were told they wouldn't have pumpkin until November.

One thing is for sure: if you are a fan of pumpkin pie and other pumpkin-based desserts, buy pumpkin when you see it. It may not last long!

P.S. Those of you who planted pumpkins in your home garden are smiling now.

You've Seeded, Now What?

If you've recently seeded your lawn, there are certain care practices that will ensure a good stand of grass.

Watering:
The most important is watering. Be sure to keep the ground continually moist the first 3 weeks after seeding. After that, water every other day until you mow the first time. After that, just make sure your lawn gets 1 inch of water per week.

Mowing:
Mow your new grass once it has reached a height of 2-3 inches.

Fertilizing:
You put down a starter fertilizer with your seed. Consider fertilizing again 4-6 weeks after seeding for the best lawn next spring.

Weeds:
The processes involved in seeding churn the soil, which means weed seeds that were laying low are disturbed and may germinate. This is normal. If you want to treat, wait until you have mowed your new grass 2-3 times.

I hope this answers some of your questions about what to do once new grass seed is in the ground. If you have additional questions, send them to tarapatty at ryanlawn dot com.

'Shrooms in the Lawn

Photo from Flickr.

Mushrooms are not a threat to your lawn, but when environmental conditions are right, they may pop up from time to time.

They usually won't stick around long, but to keep up appearances, you can kick them over.

Mushrooms have popped up on this blog a lot lately. Just to recap: Mushrooms in your lawn are okay. Mushrooms on your tree should be checked out by a professional.

Suspicious Mounds in Your Lawn

Photo Credit: A co-worker of Jim Sullivan, the author of the humorous blog post referenced below.

Late summer is when Cicada Killer Wasps emerge from their underground burrows to feed on, well, cicadas, naturally.

When they burrow out, they leave a six to eight inch diameter horseshoe-shaped pile of dirt around the nest entrance.

Usually, the wasps nest in already disturbed soil, or loose, sandy soil and are not a problem in thick, well-maintained lawns. That said, female wasps are solitary and non-aggressive--while they can sting, they rarely do. Male cicada killers are more aggressive than their female counterparts, but are unable to sting.

If you want to learn more about these creatures, you have to check out this hilarious blog post by a man in Massachusetts who observes a population at his office every year.

Mums

We are transitioning into the last cycle of gardening in the Midwest--the fall garden. Mums are out at local supermarkets and pansies are once again in the greenhouses.

As for my fall garden, I will mostly be busy preparing for next spring. I am going to plant tulips, hyacinths, and, if I have time, daffodils. I am still turning the idea of Irises over in my head.

I wouldn't count out the possibility of one or two pots of mums with some decorative gourds for the front porch, though.

Flower Market and Organic Farmer's Market in Leawood

Photo courtesy of Ian Britton.

A new mixed use development in Leawood, features a Flower Market on Thursdays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. In addition to the flower market, the event includes story time and gardening classes for little ones.

Because the flower market is outdoors, September 24 will be the last date in 2009. If you make it out in the next two weeks, let me know. I am anxious to visit, but I'm not sure if I will make it this year with my work schedule.

If you enjoy farmer's markets, you should check out Park Place on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. They have a KC Organics Farmer's market featuring organic vegetables, baked goods, bread, honey, fair trade coffee, etc. This event just started August 5 and will run through October 14. I will sneak down there for a preview and let you know what I find.

Visit www.kcorganics.com for more information about the organization.

P.S. Be sure to visit the Paciugo Gelato when you are finished browsing. I was there last weekend and it was delicious!

Evergreens Losing Needles

As time marches on and 2009 comes to a close, you may notice some suspicious activity on your evergreens. The inner needles will yellow and fall off. This is...wait for it...normal.

It is sometimes referred to as "3-year needle drop" implying that the 3-year-old needles are the ones yellowing and dropping off. This is a misnomer, as it is just as common for trees to lose their two-year-old or even four or five-year-old needles, depending on the species.

Bottom line: Unless the needles at the tip of the branches are yellowing or browning, it is highly likely that your tree is just doing it's thing, and there is not cause for concern.

Lawn Diagnosis: Tree Removal

The bare spot above is from a residential lawn. It is a large, circular patch. What is the cause?

In this case, the homeowner had a large tree removed and then had the stump ground. Unfortunately, the stump was not ground deep enough, so when grass was planted over top, it didn't have enough soil to thrive.

How could you diagnose this problem in your own yard (especially if you bought the house after the tree and stump were removed)? Dig down a little and see what you find. Is it good soil, or fibrous organic matter? Sometimes, you may even find that the stump is just a few inches below the soil, preventing the grass from rooting well.

Anytime you have an unexplained bare spot, dig around and see what you find. This will help you determine what to do to get the grass growing again.

Mushrooms on Your Tree?

If you have mushrooms coming out the side of your tree, it is a sign of decay. (These "mushrooms" are actually called shelf fungus.) Trees with decay are hazardous--an emergency waiting to happen.

What does this mean for your tree? You need to have it evaluated by a professional arborist. There is a good chance it will need to be removed. The International Society of Arboriculture has a certification program that can help narrow your search for a qualified tree professional. You can search for an ISA Certified Arborist here.

Tree removals can be expensive. However, the cost isn't going to go down much if the tree fails and falls on your house. (We can all recall a time after a bad storm when we have seen huge trees completely uprooted--it happens.)

Take care of your home by looking over your trees and looking for signs of decline. And if you have a picture of weird things going on with your tree, send them my way: tarapatty at ryanlawn dot com

Is it Fall?

This maple probably won't live many more years. Notice the early leaf drop and yellow leaves.

It is officially September and the weather is cooling off. To top it all off, football games have commenced. These events likely leave many of us thinking Fall is here.

Not so fast. It is still too early for healthy trees to begin turning. If you have driven past a tree full of yellowish leaves and taken it as a harbinger of the season, you are mistaken. If you have trees in your lawn that are already starting to turn, give them a closer look. They may be suffering from disease or insect problems, or they may simply be getting old.

Early leaf drop/turn is a sign of a tree in decline.

Summer Squash

Today we picked the last yellow squash out of our garden. To celebrate, I made a squash quiche using a recipe from Southern Living. It was delicious!

If we decide to make this dish again next summer, I am thinking about sealing the crust with cream cheese instead of mustard. Tom thinks adding sausage would be good as well.

If you have yellow squash or zucchini, give this dish a try!

Italian Squash Pie:

Ingredients

• 1 (8-ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 1/2 pounds yellow squash (about 4 cups), thinly sliced*
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
• Garnishes: fresh oregano sprigs, sliced yellow squash

Preparation

Unroll crescent rolls; press dough on bottom and up sides of a 10-inch tart pan, pressing to seal perforations.

Bake at 375° for 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Gently press crust down with a wooden spoon. Spread crust with mustard, and set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash, onion, and garlic; sauté 7 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and next 5 ingredients.

Whisk together eggs and milk in a large bowl; stir in cheese and vegetable mixture. Pour over crust.

Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Garnish, if desired.

*1 1/2 pounds zucchini may be substituted for yellow squash.

Southern Living, AUGUST 2002

Borer Emerges

If you have been following us for awhile, then you read Heather's previous posts (here and here) about the locust borer we found in the larval stage.

Last week, the mature borer emerged. One of our arborists took a picture for me. (I am NOT a big fan of insects.)

It was fun to watch the borer transition from being a tiny white "worm" to what you see above.