Admirable Landscapes

To leave or not to leave

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 02:51:33 +0000

Should you rake the leaves or leave em? That is the question. I believe leaves should be mowed or raked off the lawn. Leaves can smother it. On sidewalks and drains they should be raked because of slip hazards. In Flower beds they can be left as mulch or raked up to look good. Some leaves harbor insects or can cause rot and mold. In the right situation they can be left and insulate plants, and even deter weeds. You must answer the question for your best interest.

Simple Pruning Rules

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:17:03 +0000

A good rule is to prune no more than one third of the plant.

It is always good to thin out any dead wood.

Prune branches growing across the center.

Have sharp and clean pruners.

Know the plant and pruning needs.

Moss Control in Lawns

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:55:41 +0000

Moss grows in the Pacific Northwest. Moss can be treated with a Ferrous sulfate product, which turns it back and “kills” it.

Other things that can help with moss control is to test the soil, test the pH. A soil test may indicate a need for lime which helps with acidic lawns. If the lawn is wet, aerating can also help. If there are thick dense trees, pruning and thinning may help with more sunlight getting to the lawn. A “Turface” soil modifier can also help with lawn drainage. They use this product on football and baseball fields. Be careful with moss control products. The iron which is an active ingredient in moss control can stain sidewalks. They sell non staining products. Remember to always read the label on the bag and follow the instructions.

Some gardeners thatch out the moss and reseed. Some gardeners are content with the “moss application” aerating and fertilizing to thicken up the lawn. Each lawn situation is different.

Tip Of the Month November 2011 Lawn Equipment

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:42:17 +0000

November is a great month to winterize your lawn equipment. If your no longer using the lawn mower, drain or run the gas out of it. Leaving gas in power equipment is not good. In a month or so that gas can turn to a “varnish” damaging the equipment. It’s not good for the carburator. This little tip can save you some trouble when you try to start the equipment this spring.

Tip of the Month-October 2011

John Knoernschild — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:25:56 +0000

October is a great month in the Pacific Northwest for over seeding, planting, fertilizing and raking leaves.

Remember to not let the leaves smother your. rake em, suck them up with the lawn mower. Leaves in the bed act as a weed deterrent and break down and feed the trees. On the other hand they house insects and are not good in piling up around the trunks of trees. It is good to keep tree rot to a minimum. Leaves also clog water drains, and can be slippery on the sidewalks. One can also compost them.

Love em or Leave em.

Tip of Month- September 2011

John Knoernschild — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:07:19 +0000

In Portland Oregon It rains for most of the year. In June, July, and August it is much sunnier. It is good to get all the sunny day projects done because the rain and leaves start falling in October. If you want to rototil a lawn or want to deal with dry dirt and soil, This is the time to wrap things up. The dirt can easily turn to mud when the rains come. When the rain comes, that is a good time to plant, but better prepared for the ground. Soil is also lighter and not as wet in the rain. This allows more soil amendments.

There is topsoil which as no nutrients. There is compost which is good for mixing with soils. And there is 2-way, three, 5 way, etc. These are blends of sand, soils, compost, etc.

Clay compacts, sand is good for drainage, and compost is good for nutrients.

Hope this is helpful.

Removing The Weeds of Life

admin — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 04:58:09 +0000

From The Garden Samurai…

We all have weeds in our life…Goambarimasu, in Japanese means Endure, persevere and do your best.

mom always said Gambarimasu. She was a World War II survivor by her wits. I encourage to to overcome the weeds of life.

Find me on Facebook, You Tube and Twitter.

Tip Of The Month: March 2011

admin — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 04:57:15 +0000

March is a good time to fertilize the lawn. Over seed bare spots and Get ready for Spring. Remember to use a stater fertilizer with grass seed as to not burn it. Something with not to high of nitrogen.

A key point to remember is that it needs to be above sixty degrees in the Pacific Northwest for seed germination.

Happy Gardening

Tip Of The Month: April 2010

admin — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 02:33:48 +0000

This is a good time to test soil pH, aerate and lime the lawn.

One can aerate the lawn any time. In the summer when point to remember is to make sure the lawn is well watered so one can have a good plug. When the ground is hard the aerator doesn’t work as well.

Lime adjusts soil ph. And soils can be tested for nutrient deficiencies.

Some people like to rake up the unsightly plugs; while others chop them up with the lawn mower as a top dressing.

Aeration helps grass roots to grow deeper and also with lawn drainage.