The Plant Man column
for publication week of 02/27/05 - 03/05/05
(657 words)
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The Plant Man
by Steve Jones
www.landsteward.org


Get lawn and garden ready for spring!


It happens every year. I tear the last "February" page from my desk
calendar and suddenly feel a touch of spring fever when I realize the
first day of March is finally here!

As winter begins to slip away, it's time once again to get outside and
start spring-cleaning our landscape. Yes, these are chores, but they
hardly feel chore-like to me because I am anticipating the wonderful
colors and fragrances that will soon appear where now there are just
bare limbs and dry grass.

Here are a few reminders to get you started on your outdoor "to do"
list...

Lawn
Rake away all the thatch that has accumulated since the fall. Thatch
is that tangle of dried up dead grass and weeds that intertwines with
the live grass. If left alone, thatch can prevent nutrients and water
reaching the roots of your lawn, so you need to remove it now as the
grass begins to sprout again. If you plan on seeding your lawn, it is
essential to remove all the thatch, otherwise the grass seed will
simply sit on the thatch and not put down roots in the soil.

If your lawn already needs a mowing, set the mower blades at their
highest setting, just to trim off the top. This is a good time to
spread fertilizer on your lawn if you think it needs a feeding. If
you're having moss problems, you can buy a combination fertilizer and
moss killer at your local garden center.

Wherever possible, I prefer to find organic solutions to lawn and soil
problems, and turn to chemicals only as a last resort. There are some
excellent organic products available that can aerate and condition
your soil, which in turn can lead to healthier plants and even fewer
weeds. If you want some product information, send me an e-mail at


Trees and shrubs
Take a walk around your landscape and examine trees and shrubs for any
limbs or branches that have been broken or damaged over the winter.
Trim branches without collars very close to the trunk. Trim branches
with collars or other natural projections at the collar edge.

Compost and manure
Once the soil is dry enough, you can dig in some compost or manure.
You can speed up the decomposition process in your compost pile by
turning it with a fork every couple of weeks. Add lawn clippings and
eggshells to your compost heap. However, do not add lawn clippings if
you have treated your lawn with chemicals to get rid of weeds or
pests.

Weeding
Okay... this one IS pretty much a chore, even for real enthusiasts!
However, this is a good time to get down on your knees and remove as
many weeds as possible before they have the opportunity to flower and
then seed. Get rid of a small number of weeds now to prevent a much
larger number of weeds later! Need an incentive? Then consider this:
some weeds can produce as many as 10,000 seeds each. Remember, too,
that weeding is much easier if you do it when the soil is wet.

Aphids
As the new spring growth begins to appear, check carefully for aphids.
Lift the leaves and examine the underside where aphids will
congregate. If you find you have an aphid problem and want
information on various means of controlling them, you can find some
excellent information at http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/gh-aphid.html
a web site put up by the National Sustainable Agriculture Information
Service. You can click on a direct link when you go to my web site
www.landsteward.org and find this column under The Plant Man heading.

Get started on your landscape spring cleaning now!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send your questions about trees, shrubs
and landscaping to and for resources and
additional information, or to subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed
newsletter, visit www.landsteward.org