On Sat, 18 Aug 2007 07:49:07 -0700, "
wrote:

Hello Everyone,

We recently bought a home and of course like any home there are
projects and chores to do.
One such project I seek to do this fall is my front yard. It has a
large tree in front(think its a fruitless mulberry)and some crepe
myrtles and I think grape vines.
The grass in front is almost none existent and so here is what I plan
on doing.
1. tear away all the grape vines as they have over grown over the
crepe myrtles, the house and actually managed to grow unto the large
tree. The vines actually look sickly.
2. cut back the myrtles because a, they seem way over grown and are
touching our roof, b) they seem to need it.
3. Cut back the branches damaged by the worm webs , feed fertilizer to
the tree and put herbicide to kill off the webs and prevent return of
them next spring. Any suggestions on the type of Herbicide to use?
4. Turn over the soil in the front yard and plant some kind of ground
cover.
5. Before planting some kind of ground cover I want to improve the
soil conditions. What should I do to prepare for my spring planting of
ground cover? Compost? if so what kind? Top soil?
6. If I turn over the soil will I need to aerate the soil too?
7. What type of ground cover should I use? I had read about clover as
it is less needy of water, airation and cutting. However, it was not
clear in this article if it would do well under shady conditions
because of the tree.

I know this is a lot , but I figure I have fall and winter to do this.
Thanks everyone,
Anita
1. good idea, but "tear away" sounds rather brutal--if you wait for
the leaves to drop, then cut as much vine as possible, you won't
notice the remaining vines as much and won't destroy tree branches by
pulling too hard on them as you drag out the vine. THose tendrils on
the grape are quite stubborn and you will break branches out of the
tree if you pull hard wnough to remove the grape.
2. definitely remove branches as needed to get them off the house, but
further pruning should be limited to dead wood and the whips that cut
throught het middle of the plant and rub against other branches, IMO.
You will always see crapes that have been topped and skeletonized, and
they tolerate this metter than some plants, but I think they make much
nicer trees than bushes. If you do go for topping, you will shorten
the lives of the trees.
3. web worms only eat the leaves; the branches will come back next
year if you don't cut them. Reach up with a long pole to puncture the
webs as much as possible; this will allow predators to get at the
worms and reduce their numbers. They will naturally run their course
without causing much damage to the tree otherwise (except in extreme
cases).
4. It's not clear where the trees are in relation to the front yard,
but be aware that most tree roots exist in the top few inches of soil.
If you till the tree's root zone, it will suffer to some degree. At a
minimum, preserve an area around the trunk that gets a 3" deep layer
of wood chips or other mulch. Ideally, this mulch zone should be one
foot in radius for ever inch of trunk diameter at breast height.
e.g., if the tree trunk is 12 inches across 4 feet above grade, you
should have mulch extending 12 feet out from the trunk in every
direction.
5. compost yes! always! any kind.
6. turning it over will aerate it, unless you do it with a backhoe or
when it's saturated.
7. Mulch.

Keith Babberney
ISA Certified Arborist #TX-0236AT