Questions, Comments, Tips?

As we get geared up for spring and lawn season, I wanted to remind you all that I welcome your questions, comments, tips and tricks regarding all things lawn, tree, gardening, etc.

I would love to hear some of your thoughts on these subjects. Moreover, I would LOVE to see pictures of what you are doing. Remember Rachel's backyard improvement project?

I think we can all benefit from hearing from the rest of the group (and seeing your triumphs!).

You may not believe me...

But, the time to activate your irrigation system is just around the corner. Seriously. I mean, there is STILL snow on the ground, but companies like Ryan Lawn & Tree typically start activating systems around the middle of March.

If you have an above-ground backflow, you will want to wait to activate your system in April, after the danger of a late freeze has passed.

Consider this the task that will drag spring out from its hiding place kicking and screaming. If we all plan on spring showing up soon, surely we can will it to happen, right?

'Tis the season for Snow Mold

With Gary Lezak ushering in 2010 with plenty of snow in the Kansas City area, we have been presented conditions for a disease called Gray Snow Mold on cool-season lawns. Typically, our winters are not as conducive for this disease, but this year seems to be an exception and we have received plenty of calls of concern. As areas of snow cover begin to melt, you may notice some tan, matted areas on your lawn, often times with an oily appearance. These spots are typically circular in shape and about 6-12" in diameter.

Fortunately, this disease is normally an aesthetic problem on mature stands of grass, however, immature seedlings may be killed, making reseeding necessary. To aid in recovery of mature stands, rake the affected areas and remove the debris. Occasionally seeding may be required here as well. I have attached a link from Penn State University with a slide show of pictures that you can reference, and an additional link from Purdue University with an in depth article about the disease if you would like to know more.

If you think you may have the disease and would like an additional opinion, please call your Ryan Pro today.

Josh Chabon
Turf Manager
Ryan Lawn and Tree

Bug Barrier

Today's post is a little different than normal. I usually like to focus on gardening and lawn care in a way that doesn't explicitly promote Ryan Lawn & Tree's services.

Today I want to share with you an AWESOME new service you can get from RYAN. The technical name is "Perimeter Pest Control," but that is a mouthful, so we'll just call it what it is: a Bug Barrier.

RYAN's Bug Barrier will drastically reduce the number of annoying insects in your home. By treating around the perimeter of your home, we can keep ants, millipedes, centipedes and to some degree, spiders, out of your house. (Bugs already in your house won't be affected.)

I am not very tolerant of bugs in my house (sorry, Grandma!). Needless to say, I am a BIG fan of this program. If you are intrigued, visit Ryan Lawn & Tree to request an estimate.

Spot of Spring

We are still dealing with snow on a semi-regular basis, however, I did have a bright spot of spring on Sunday when I ordered a flat of these:

Photo from Fowler's Nursery

Green leaf begonias with white flowers. If you read Friday's post, you will have some idea of my plants for these little jewels. I can't wait to dig in and experiment again this spring.

Caladiums, Part Two?

These gems are planted beneath my Sycamore tree. I love how the shade from the tree plays up the white in the leaves.

I swear I have blogged about caladiums before, but my handy search tool didn't return any results...so, below is my tribute to caladiums, one of my favorites (perhaps for the second time):

If you are looking for plants to spice up your shady areas, consider caladiums.

Caladiums are often called elephant ears and have large, variegated leaves. They come in several varieties offering a wide variety of colors and sizes. Plan to buy the corms in March to take advantage of a greater selection early in the season. (There's nothing worse than being stuck with the varieties no one else wanted, unless you happen to love those varieties - then maybe you can get them on sale.)

Caladiums should be planted some time in April, once temperatures are consistently warm and the danger of frost has passed.

Try pairing them in mass with white Begonias. The shade will help the white blooms "pop" and create a great compliment to the foliage.

Plant These Ornamental Grasses

A few weeks ago (okay, almost a month ago), I wrote about ornamental grasses in the winter landscape. Some of you wanted to know more about these plants. Today, I present you with some of my favorite ornamental grasses.

Feather Reed Grass, Photo from Colorado State University Extension

Feather Reed Grass
Feather Reed Grass grows in very vertical clumps. The plant blooms in June, and within a few weeks the seed heads turn golden. They retain this color throughout the rest of the growing season.

Carex, Photo from University of Illinois Extension

Carex
This lower growing ornamental grass (though not actually a grass, these plants are commonly grouped with ornamental grasses) looks great when planted in clumps in the shade or at the front of borders. Carex varieties will need ample water.

If you want to see more ornamental grasses in action, the K-State Research and Extension Center in Olathe, KS has several.