lawn

June Gardening To-Do List

June 8, 2017 by Western Gardens

Welcome gardening friends! So glad you stopped by!

Do you love to work in your yard, but aren’t sure of all the things you should be doing? Then you’re in luck! We’ve put together a list of things to do in June!

You may not need to do everything on this list. For example, if you don’t have a cherry tree, you won’t need to worry about treating for Cherry Fruit Flies. Just pick what applies to your yard and plan out when you will do it all throughout the month!

June Gardening To-Do List

➺Plant shrubs, trees and evergreens

➺Fertilize vegetables every 4 weeks with a slow-release fertilizer, and
fertilize roses

➺Watch For Insects show a sample in a clear plastic bag to a garden expert if you suspect a problem

➺Fertilize Lawns and apply iron sulfate if needed (to green up your grass)

➺Watch For Insects like grasshoppers, potato bettle, squash bug & spider mites. If you suspect a problem, take a sample in a clear plastic bag to a garden expert.

➺Thin Out fruit trees for a better yield

➺Control Powdery Mildew on apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines,
grapes, peas, roses & euonymous

➺Treat For Cherry Fruit Fly when cherries begin to turn pink, unless already
using fruit tree spray

➺Control Peach Twig Borer once a month with spinosad

➺Watch For Slugs & Snails control with bait or other techniques

➺Adjust Sprinklers if needed, for increasing heat

➺Move And Replant Bulbs if the foliage has died down

➺Watch For Lawn Insects and treat as necessary

➺Prune & Fertilize flowering shrubs

➺Watch For Signs Of Lawn Disease take a sample to a garden expert if you
suspect a problem

➺Control tobacco budworm on geraniums & petunias

➺Control Weeds before they set & disperse seed

➺Plant Outside
Until June 15th: carrots & endive
Until July 1st: cauliflower, parsley, swiss chard, rutabaga
Until July 15th: beets & broccoli
Until Sept 1st: radishes

*This is not an exhaustive list. If we’ve overlooked something important, feel free to leave a comment and we will add it to the list!

If you’re local to the Salt Lake area, come in to any of our locations with questions or samples!

How To Reseed Bare Patches in a Lawn

May 21, 2016 by Heather Leister

Welcome, thanks for stopping by!

Have you ever had bare patches in your lawn that you weren’t quite sure what to do with? I’m here to help! I’ve put together a list of easy instructions to help get your lawn back in shape.

I’ve decided that lawns, like people, have unique personalities. I’ve had lawns that were resilient, with turf that endured kids and a dog, yet still came back lush and full each spring.

Our current lawn is the exact opposite. It’s moody, and reactive, affected by the slightest change in the environment. We’ve reseeded every year, but our lawn is stubborn and resistant, always leaving just enough bare patches that we must repeat the practice the following year.

If you’re dealing with a stubborn, angsty lawn with bare patches, I’ve put together my best tips for reseeding it!

How To Reseed Bare Patches In A Lawn:

The best time to reseed and repair bare spots in the lawn is in the spring, when the ground temperature is approximately 52 degrees.
Before you lay down any seeds, make sure that fungi, grubs, or other pests aren’t the cause of your bare patches. If they are, then address those problems first.
After determining that the area is free from pests, use a spade to dig approximately 6” into the dirt where you you want to seed. Break up the soil and dirt clumps.
Mix a quality topsoil into the area. This will improve the soil quality and give the seeds a healthy head start.
Rake the soil and dirt together, then tamp it down so that the repair area is level with the rest of the lawn.
Apply your grass seed in a thin layer over the area. Seed may be applied on its own, or in combination with a fertilizer (do NOT use a pre-emergent fertilizer, it will prevent your seeds from germinating). You may also consider a lawn patch product that combines seed, fertilizer, and mulch in one.
If you apply seed on its own, cover it with mulch to retain moisture and protect it from birds. Straw is an excellent, inexpensive choice.
Water the area well.
Continue to water the area regularly, once or twice daily. You will want to keep the area moist, but not drenched.
After the new grass is well established, apply fertilizer. When grass is approximately ⅓ higher than your normal mowing height, include the area in your lawn mowing routine.
Monitor the area for the rest of the season to ensure no further problems.

Have you ever had to reseed bare patches in your lawn? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Images:
Barefeet in Grass: Public Domain Pictures
Lawnmower & Grass: Pixabay
Topsoil on Grass: YouTube

How to Water Your Lawn

May 24, 2014 by Becky

Have you ever wondered how to water your lawn correctly? Think you’re watering too much? Not enough? Not at the right time of day? Or maybe you’ve never even thought about it! We’ve put together some pointers for you to cut out the guessing and save you water and money this summer! Because who doesn’t want to go green and save some green?!

Climate and soil and sprinklers are different everywhere you go. When people ask us how long to water their lawn, it would be great to have a tidy, pat answer to give. But because there is so much variation even within the same area, the answer usually starts with, “It depends.” It depends on how well your soil drains, how much water your sprinklers put out, what time of day you water, and even how long your grass is! Even though there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer for everyone, it isn’t hard to determine how much water to give your grass.

How Much Water Does My Lawn Need?
Lawns in the Salt Lake area need about 2 inches of water per week (not per watering). An easy way to see how much water your lawn is getting in a watering cycle is to place some straight-sided containers around your lawn. Empty tuna cans work great. Check them after the watering cycle and measure how much water is in them.

How Often Should I Water My Lawn?
If your lawn is planted in loam or clay soil, it’s best to water twice a week with one inch applied at each watering. Sandy and gravel soils won’t hold an inch of water in one watering, so they need to be watered a little more often (every other day works well with about 0.6″ applied each time).

When Should I water My Lawn?
Early Morning is the best time to water. Watering in the evening or late at night is not a good time because the lawn remains wet overnight and is more susceptible to fungus, and makes snails and slugs harder to control. Never water during the heat of the day—most of that water will just evaporate.

What Else Can I do to Save Water?
Set your lawnmower height as high as you can stand it. The longer the grass, the more shaded the soil will be, and the more moisture it will retain. Shorter grass doesn’t shade the soil as well and the heat of the summer sun will evaporate all the moisture you just worked to get in there.

For more specific questions about your lawn or soil type, stop by one of our locations (Salt Lake, Sandy or West Valley) and talk to one of our helpful plant pros!