Ramsey County

June 3, 2009

Howdy!!!!

I am getting quite sick of this cooler weather, almost frost once and someone tried to tell me frost next Friday.  I am quite sure he meant next spring or even sometime later in October.  Deb and I went through all of the effort of covering our newly planted annuals and garden goodies only to see our effort for naught.  Oh, well practice makes perfect.  Many times I have talked about average frost date and this only proves what I have been talking about for a long time, average means anything from an early date to something into June.  We had a slight touch of frost one year in July but do not remember the year.  I would like to make sure you are all listening to the hort. program on radio three days a week but will still include a little information, in my column, as well.  This past week I visited a yard with moss growing in areas that the home owner did not want moss to grow.  The question is “what do I do?”  The thing to do with this area is work the area up and replant grass.  Sounds simple and it really is almost that simple.  The reason moss does take over an area is usually because it is very shady and usually pretty damp.  If we work it and then plant a shade type grass such as perennial ryegrass or creeping red fescue grass, you will find keeping a well established grass will eliminate any potential for other grasses or weeds to get established.

My next question to you is “how dry is your yard”?  Boy, I got to be really careful how I say this but my yard could really use a rain.  This past Tuesday, Deb had a cousin spend the night and the next morning in his patience for me to awake he walked around my backyard.  He thought the backyard looked good but could not get over how dry the lawn was and asked how much rain we had received in the last two weeks.  Upon me telling him that we had 1.56 a week ago,  he called me liar.  We live in area that has a sand based soil structure and with that being said our water does leave much earlier than a clay based soil.  So, I imagine I will have to start watering tonight or tomorrow.

I did not find a time to have a constructive gardening class with all of the activities going on in the community but am starting to plan a garden tour of rural homes.  We have been doing this for three years now and having great success doing it.  We have found many unique landscapes and designs and like each and every year people come away with a few of ideas for their home.  Last year I had an Aunt of Deb’s come along and unfortunately will not be with us this year as Cancer took her life this past week.  She was a great lady and brought a very different perspective to the day.  Lana had mentioned she wanted me to sing at her funeral in pre-plan mode and pick two songs to sing.  I thought about for a very short period of time and came up with “In the Garden”.  This was a very fitting song as she also volunteered her time for gardening at the college.  She will be missed by many.

524 4th Ave NE #5, 2nd Floor Ramsey County Courthouse
Devils Lake  ND  58301
701-662-7027
email - NDSU.Ramsey.Extension@ndsu.edu

Return to Back Home Index
Return to Ramsey Extension Home Page