Ramsey County
|
Ramsey County |
|
Back Home |
Howdy!!!!
What a beautiful week!!!!!!!!
This column will change every week. Every other week, I plan to write about things that can and will affect both rural and urban communities. One week will feature farming issues and the next week will feature lawn and garden care. I will still include other information pertinent to the time of season but my column will be more specific in nature. This week’s column will talk about horticulture things that affect yards throughout the county and surrounding areas.
My mother called last night and said they harvested their first DRY wheat of the year (October 5 ?????). This harvest has been one of many challenges. The weather should be very favorable for harvest this week. I have heard of yields in the 500-1200 pounds per acre on edible beans, 5-15 bushels soybeans and of course no reports of corn yields. We did find a field of wheat last week that was severely affected by the frost on August 20. This field was planted June 2 and will not be harvested for the crop.
The weird weather this summer and fall, not only affected the crops differently from neighbor to neighbor, but also affected the gardener as well. Deb and I live with my mother-in-law and the weather report on T.V. one morning had a report of 26 degrees from Devils Lake and our indoor/outdoor thermometer read 41 degrees. I do know that thermometers can vary but there was no visual frost in our neighborhood that morning.
I had many phone calls last week, asking the question “Should I pick my apples before the frost”. The key word in this question is “frost”. Apples generally sweeten after a frost of 30-34 degrees, however, with temperatures in the high teens and low 20’s apples should not be left out on the tree. A comparison would be, you buying a bag of apples at the local grocery store and putting them in your fridge at temperatures of 20 degrees. I think we would all agree that scenario would not make for tasty apples. The problem with this whole picture is temperatures vary, for many different reasons, thus making a prediction on frost or freeze very difficult.
Fall Lawn Care!!!!!!
As the cooler temperatures of fall approach it is time to
consider applying lawn fertilizer and trying again to control weeds.
Lawn fertilizer can be applied any time from early September to the early part of October. Fertilizing too late into the fall can stimulate late season growth and increase the chance of snow mold damage next spring. The rate of fertilizer application should not exceed 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet of lawn area. This would be 4 pounds of a (25-4-4) fertilizer or 6 pounds of a (18-24-6) fertilizer. You may consider using a winterizing or complete fertilizer such as (18-24-6) if you want to improve the root system of your lawn or have a soil, which is low in phosphorus.
The fall conditions also allow the weeds to continue their active growth. The more actively growing a weed is, the more effective the weed control. Using one of the many different lawn weed killers can control most broad-leaved weeds such as Dandelions, Clover, Chickweed and Creeping Charlie. Don't water or cut your lawn for a few days after applying of the weed killer. The chemical needs time to be absorbed down into the plant from the leaves. If crab grass has been a problem this year, your best alternative is to apply a crab grass killer with your fertilizer next spring. Crab grass is an annual grass, which must grow each year from seed.
Early fall is also a good time to aerate or de-thatch your lawn. Lawns that have been sodded, in the last few years, can benefit from a yearly aeration. Older lawns where the soil has become compacted, can also be improved by aeration. If the thatch layer is greater than 1/2" deep, de-thatching or power raking is recommended.
If your lawn is thin or you are planting a new lawn, September 15 is the cut off date for planting. Lawn grass needs a certain period of time to become established well enough to survive the winter. Sodding can be done until October 1.
Mushrooms in your
Lawns!!!!!
Have you had problems with mushrooms or toadstools on your
lawn? They are quite common following prolonged wet weather and often disappear
as soon as the soil begins to dry or when the grass is mowed. Mushrooms that
grow individually or in clumps usually develop from buried organic matter such
as pieces of construction lumber, logs, or tree stumps.
Mushrooms with this growth habit are usually harmless to grasses, but are objectionable because they are unsightly and the fruiting bodies occur repeatedly. Some of the mushrooms are foul-smelling and more importantly some of them are poisonous. If you are not sure that a mushroom is safe to eat, don't eat it.
These fungi are difficult to control until all wood or other organic matter upon which they grow has been completely decayed. In some cases it may be practical to dig up the pieces of rotting wood or other debris. It is usually best to break or mow off the mushrooms or puffballs and let the fungus go ahead and complete decay of the material.
524 4th Ave #5, 2nd Floor Ramsey County Courthouse
Devils Lake ND 58301
701-662-7027
email - ramsey@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Return to Back Home Index
Return to Ramsey Extension Home Page