Sedges (Carex spp.) are becoming popular groundcovers with gardeners! Most demand a moist, well drained soil. Two native forms, Appalachian sedge (Carex appalachica) and Pennsylvania sedge (C. pensylvanica) excel in dry woodland shade in the eastern U.S. and Canada (USDA hardiness 3-8). Their fine textured grassy foliage and a fountain-like growing habit make them excellent […]
Archive for the ‘Lawn Care’ Category
Two Native Sedges Excel In Dry Shade
Posted by Hugh on December 14th, 2012
Posted in Carex (Sedges), Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Ground cover, Heat Tolerance, Landscape ideas, Mowing, Native Plant, Perennials, Planting tips, Southern Appalachian Region, watering tips, winter hardiness 
Comments Off on Two Native Sedges Excel In Dry ShadeYellow Nutsedge Control Is In Your Hands
Posted by Hugh on July 21st, 2012
Yellow nutsedge, aka “nutgrass” (Cyperus esculentus) is a nasty weed found in lawn and garden areas. It is a sedge, and not a grass, and methods of eliminating it vary. Yellow nutsedge is easily identified by its yellow to light green glossy leaves and the triangular shape of the stem. It grows most actively during […]
Posted in Garden Maintenance, Nutsedge Control, Root suckering, Southern Appalachian Region, Weed control, Weeds, Weeds Comments Off on Yellow Nutsedge Control Is In Your HandsJapanese Beetle Traps – Useful Monitoring Tool
Posted by Hugh on June 4th, 2012
A decade ago garden centers sold thousands of Japanese beetle traps until somebody questioned why anyone would want to lure this summer pest into their garden. Yes, the traps do work and may catch hundreds per week. You also attract hundreds more to feed on your plants’ flowers and leaves and, later in the year, the larvae will feed in […]
Posted in Crabapple, Insect (Pest) Problems, Japanese beetles, Lawn Care, Roses, Southern Appalachian Region, Uncategorized Comments Off on Japanese Beetle Traps – Useful Monitoring Tool‘Fireworks’ Pennisetum
Posted by Hugh on April 23rd, 2012
Fountain grasses are popular annual grasses that thrive in Southern Appalachian gardens (USDA zones 6 and 7). The new cultivar ‘Fireworks’ is totally spectacular. The mid-vein of the grass blade is burgundy red and edged in hot pink. Fireworks displays three seasons of awesome foliage color before dying off in the fall. Red plume foxtail flowers bloom […]
Posted in acidic soil, Deer resistant, Disease resistant, Fertilizing plants, Fountain Grass (Pennisetum), Irrigation, Ornamental Grasses, Southern Appalachian Region, Summer flowering, Summer heat tolerant, watering tips Comments Off on ‘Fireworks’ PennisetumAll About Crabgrass
Posted by Hugh on March 8th, 2012
Crabgrass is an annual grassy weed which dies out around the first autumn frost. Seeds dropped last summer germinate when the soil warms up from early spring through summer. When spring soil temperatures reach 55-60 degrees (the forsythia shrub is blooming), apply a pre-emergent crabgrass preventative. These herbicides are very effective applied in late winter […]
Posted in acidic soil, alkaline soil, Crabgrass control, Lawn Care, Mowing, plant nutrition, seeding lawn, Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on All About CrabgrassGalinsoga -The Gardener’s Weed
Posted by Hugh on July 13th, 2011
Thirty plus years ago a gardening friend passed along this tidbit: “galinsoga (Galinsoga parviflora) is the gardener’s weed”. Galinsoga grows only in cultivated soils such as in your vegetable and/or flower garden from part shade to full sun. It prefers moist soil but grows almost anywhere, even between cracks in a sidewalk. Its thin leaves may wilt […]
Posted in Broadleaf weeds, Flowers, Fruits & Vegetables, Herbicide management, mulching, Pests, Southern Appalachian Region, Uncategorized, Weeds Comments Off on Galinsoga -The Gardener’s WeedJuly Lawn Care
Posted by Hugh on June 28th, 2011
Around July 4th it’s time for a second (and last) application of crabgrass preventative. The herbicide which you applied in late winter is likely worn off. The basic herbicide preventative product tradenames (and active ingredients) are: Barricade® (prodiamine), Dimension® (dithiopyr), Echelon® (prodiamine + sulfentrazone), Pendulum® (pendimethalin), and Ronstar® (oxadiazon). Irrigate (1/2 inch water or 1 1/2 hours watering with an […]
Posted in Crabgrass control, Irrigation, Japanese beetles, Lawn Care, Mowing, Southern Appalachian Region Comments Off on July Lawn CareWild Onion or Wild Garlic?
Posted by Hugh on April 5th, 2011
Often called “wild onion”, many gardens (including mine) from late winter into spring in eastern Tennessee, western NC and southwest VA are instead plagued by wild garlic (Allium vineale). Wild garlic forms a rounded blade (stem) while wild onion (A. canadense) has a flattened blade. When freshly cut, the hollow stem of wild garlic is easily visible. Both lawn weeds […]
Posted in Broadleaf weeds, Lawn Care, Mowing, Southern Appalachian Region, Wild garlic Comments Off on Wild Onion or Wild Garlic?Act Now for Crabgrass-free Lawn This Summer
Posted by Hugh on March 9th, 2011
What grows there? Hopefully, it’s not crabgrass this summer. Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) is an annual weed grass that devour lawns, shrub beds and flower gardens. There are lots of effective crabgrass preventatives sold at garden shops, hardware stores, and farm supply centers. There are numerous trademarked products. It is important to read and understand package instructions. […]
Posted in Crabgrass control, Garden Problems, Lawn Care, Southern Appalachian Region 
Tags: Lawn Care Comments Off on Act Now for Crabgrass-free Lawn This Summer
