Posts Tagged ‘lawn’

Arborist Answers Reader Question About Dying Trees, Lawn and Concrete

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Laura from Bartlett, Il writes in:

“We have huge evergreens around our house. Recently they have started to brown and look like they are dying. We had this problem at our other house too. We called Chemlawn out and he said it was from our concrete. We had to go out and buy….This is where I forgot. If it was an acid to put in the dirt or an akaline. It was a powder mixed in the soil. It helped and revived our shrub. I think this is what we need again but, I can’t remember what it was we bought. Can you help?”

Bainbridge, WA arborist, Katy Krokower, has the following insights on this question:

Hi Laura,

I’d like to start the answer to your question by gently scolding you for calling a lawn company to address your tree issues. I will step down from the soap box to say that this is not an uncommon reaction, especially when large beloved trees start declining.  People want an answer quickly and often they already have a lawn or landscape care service to ply with their concerns.

An arborist, particularly those who are ISA certified, can better help diagnose tree problems. Unlike most lawn care companies who focus solely on lawn issues (ie, they look down, not up) an arborist not only evaluates a tree from tip to roots but will question you about the trees history, ask about any activity in the surrounding area (including lawn care) and be able to give you a health or vigor assessment of what is going on with the tree at the time of their site visit. Their opinion will be based on more round information than an opinion based solely on one facet of an area affecting your tree.

That said, sometimes the conclusion is that you do have a soil issues that once remedied may help improve the vigor of your trees. If that is the case, a soil test (of which there are a variety of types) can help you determine what nutrients or diseases are present in your soil. However, I’ll say it again: if you don’t start by taking into account the whole picture of how the tree is, improving your soil may not take care of your tree issues.

To find out if there is a qualified certified arborist in your area check the ISA directory . Also, check your yellow pages to see if anyone has a ISA logo. I encourage you to treat your trees like valuable assets and don’t compromise when looking for experienced mature tree care.

Best of luck, Katy

Need help from a Seattle/Bainbridge arborist? Contact Katy here.

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Arborist and Garden Coach Discuss Gardening Around Established Trees

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

Barbara from Lancaster, CA writes:

“We just purchased a house with a beautiful, very old birch (weeping) tree in the front yard. A large area around the tree is raised due to roots and many years of growing. We\’d like to keep the tree as it is huge. It was probably planted when the house was built. That was 1965. We need to roto-till the entire yard to put down a new lawn. What should we do about the raised tree area? We could put a large, very large circular brick wall around it but then could we put dirt over the roots near the surface to plant some small shrubs, flowers? What to do, what to do?”

Hi Barbara, Katy here,

How great is is that you have purchased a piece of history and are interested in preserving it!?!

I’m not sure why you are rototilling to make a new lawn- perhaps drainage problems you’re trying to remedy? In any event, keep that rototiller out of the “drip line” of the tree. The drip line is area directly located under the outer circumference of the tree branches. This is where the tiny rootlets are located that take up water and nutrients for the tree. A tree can be significantly and sometimes unpredictably damaged once these roots have been disturbed. Furthermore, knowing how a specific roots connect to the upper parts of a tree is little understood – you might end up damaging an area connected to a branch that you’d really like to save.

Building a retaining wall to with the intention to add a bunch of new soil is also isn’t great for a tree. However, covering the surface roots with 2″ to 4″ of compost or mulch will help keep roots cooler and reduce the effect of soil compaction. Too much more soil than that can actually cause the roots to smother. Your surface roots might also be pointing to your type of soil – clayey? Not well drained? The tree might just be trying to get it’s light and air from a easier place than in heavy compacted or dense dirt.

People do install plants under trees and getting the right plant for the right place will help them succeed. But often one or the other wins, no matter how much love is given. If you do plant it is most important to take care not to water the tree trunk as you’re watering the new plants. A constantly wet trunk can becomes a thriving fungus community fast.

Good luck!

_______

Barbara, thanks for writing in. Robin here. I just had to chime in on this as well. So often clients believe rototilling is the answer to renovating a lawn space, when often it isn’t necessary. You may just need to have it thatched, aerated, limed, composted, seeded and then properly mowed and watered. Tearing all of it out and starting over doesn’t always solve on-going lawn issues. But, as Katy hinted at, we aren’t quite sure why you’re planning to till, so it’s difficult for us to know for certain. If you do till in that area and you hit some bigger roots that have expanded out of the “zone” Katy indicated, be sure to stop the tiller and use a sterile saw to cut the root clean on the side that connects it to the tree. This will help the tree help itself in the long run. If you leave the roots torn up, it may be harder for the tree to recover.

Katy also hinted at knowing your soil. I highly recommend you order a soil test to know what kind of soil you’re working with, what pH you have and what its nutrient situation is. This will help you choose the right course of action for preparing your soil to keep both your lawn and your trees (and anything else) happy. University of Massachusetts at Amherst has a soil testing lab that is relatively inexpensive and very comprehensive. You’ll find details here.

Thanks for writing in and have fun in the garden.

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Garden Coach Answers Question About Weedy Lawn Renovation

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Alex from Warwick, RI writes:

“I have a very large that has unfortunately gone to waste. Is there anything I can do about the fact that there are more weeds and crabgrass than grass?”

Alex, thanks for your question. And, of course there are lots of options to having a space filled with weeds and crabgrass. The potential for change is always available; it’s just a matter of what you’re willing to put into the project to renovate and then care for your garden spaces over time. Here are some ideas:

  • Redesign the weed patch into a veggie garden
  • Create a zen garden with gravel and stones that require minimal care
  • Rejuvenate a space with native plantings

If your hope is to return a neglected lawn space from weeds and crabgrass back into a lawn space, I suggest you seek out a lawn specialist in your area who can come to your location and evaluate the opportunities. Likely, there are options for seeding with eco-turf seed blends that would create a meadow-like space rather than a manicured lawn. These require less watering, less mowing and less fertilizer applications to maintain. Plus, a few weeds in them doesn’t show the way it does in a traditional lawn. Remember “lawn” doesn’t occur in nature. It is a manufactured concept created by man. Hence, it requires a lot to maintain it perfectly. That being said, a well manicured lawn can exist with minimal chemical applications. It’s all a matter of finding the right caretaker in your area to help you find the perfect seed blend and program for your particular space.

This person should consider quite a few variables rather than just offer to spread a weed ‘n feed product to remedy the issue or rip everything up and just start over. It is critical to consider why the existing lawn isn’t working and ask questions like:

  • Is it too shady for lawn?
  • Is it too wet or too dry for lawn?
  • Is the lawn being mowed properly?
  • Is there a pest issue?
  • Is the soil in proper shape for lawn?
  • Is this even the right place for lawn?
  • Is the lawn seeded with the right seed for your site?

And, depending on the site and situation, there are likely other issues to address. So, get yourself a local horticulturist who provides lawn evaluations, and take it from there. You may find yourself ready to do something entirely different. Heck, that zen rock and gravel garden may sound pretty good after all this. Taking care of a rock is pretty darn easy!

Best of luck & thanks again for writing in!

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Gardening in 2009 — A New Year with New(er) Garden Ideas

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008

Looking for innovative ideas and options for your garden for 2009? Here are Five simple ones to consider:

  1. More Edibles:
    Properly Divided & Planted Cauliflower

    Properly Divided & Planted Cauliflower

    Yep, the buzz is humming. Buy local. Buy organic. Grow your own. And why not? Growing food is easy. Even if you’ve never grown a bite of food, there are so many simple ways to get started. You don’t need to purchase seed for everything. Each year higher end nurseries and local plant sales are offering more and more edible plant starts, cycling them in at just the right time for you to set them out in your garden. And even easier: put in a few herbs. Many add fragrant, low maintenance evergreen interest to your garden as well as saving you several bucks on fresh herbs at the grocery store!

  2. Less Lawn: Sure, we Seattle horties say it every year — reduce your lawn to reduce dependence on water, pesticides and the mower. Each year I get more and more requests to find alternatives to traditional grassy spaces. This spring may be the perfect time for you to start seeding your lawn with self-fertilizing, low-mow, low-water eco-turf meadow seed blends. Or better yet, get out there now to sheet mulch your lawn so it’s gone by spring. Need help? Get in touch!
  3. Goats:
    Goats Clearing Weeds in Seattle

    Goats Clearing Weeds in Seattle

    Tired of hand weeding and using a machete to clear through blackberries and other overgrown brambles? Consider hiring a goat herder (and her herd) to do the clearing for you! The trend to bring in ruminants to clear out weeds and poop out fertilizer and aerate soil with cloven hooves has been growing, especially among parks and public utilities. 2009 is the year more homeowners are likely to bring the goats back into urban settings to do the heavy clearing for them!

  4. Container Gardening:
    Decorative and 100% Edible!

    Decorative and 100% Edible!

    Sure, there’s nothing new about planting in containers, but they sure do look good. And, they’re easy to manage. Plus, you can always take your container garden with you! And, adding edibles to containers makes for a super-simple kitchen garden for anyone. Whether you live in a tiny apartment or on a farm, big containers with mixed edibles is a great way to decorate and have a snack right outside your door!

  5. Gardening Families Hiring Garden Coaches: Each year I get more and more calls and emails from families who want to start gardening. I’m not one to draw graphs, but I know this one would have an upward arrow. Gardening industry pollsters have been telling this industry for years that there is a decline in gardening interest as Baby-boomers age & downsize. They tell us that Gen-Xers/Yers just aren’t interested in doing for themselves and would rather pay to hire out gardening “work” so they can “play”. Well, I disagree. Families call all the time, often inspired by their children’s inquiries about the garden and food. Some are Baby-boomers retirees with time on their hands and a new or re-found interest in their gardens. Sure, these folks may have the money to hire out their gardening “work”, but they’re interested in learning about getting their hands dirty. They want to grow food or start a compost bin or just come together as a family in their garden to create a space they can truly call their own. And, a garden coach offers them the guidance to take ownership and have fun in their gardens.
Harvesting Her Own Raspberries

Harvesting Her Own Raspberries

Today, it’s difficult not to be concerned about holding onto our homes and our jobs. The news bombards us with depressing stats on everything we’re losing or may lose in the months ahead. Our connection to the planet, our opportunity to use our bodies to feed our bodies, our families, these are all the things an economic downturn cannot take from us. With a little help, a bit of rain, a flash of sunlight and a small seed, we have the power to build a stronger future, better families, and a beautiful planet.

I could go on & on with other topics like adjusting gardens to deal with climate change, reducing fertilization, increasing composting, adding mid-winter interest plantings, planting more trees, wearing more sunscreen, doing more plant sharing/dig ‘n split parties, inviting more bees and birds into the garden, building more coldframes/greenhouses, attending more garden tours, using herbs for medicinals, converting the White House lawn to a Victory Garden, and on and on, but I leave you with this and invite you to suggest ideas of your own for the year ahead.

If you’re ready to start a garden coaching program in the greater Seattle area, please get in touch. If you’re interested in reading more in-depth articles on any of these topics, or others, please let me know.

Happy New Year!

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Posted in Container Garden, Edible Gardens, Food, Food for Thought, Garden Maintenance, Gardening, Localvore, garden coach, garden mentor, gardening with children | No Comments »