Getting a soil test is like cleaning the attic. The subject simply doesn’t come to mind very often. And, quite frankly, we’re not too sorry about that.
So, why think about it now?
Well, the ground isn’t frozen yet. We don’t exactly have hoards of other yard chores to do. The labs won’t be bogged down with farmers’ and other gardeners’ soil test requests. Your county Extension office can help, if you’re not quite sure what to do.
Besides, October is another month when knowing your results could be helpful.
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October isn’t just for planting spring-flowering bulbs. It’s also the month to fertilize established bulb beds. You should base your approach to that on how much phosphorus and potassium your soil already has.
If it already has enough P and K – which is apt to be the case if you’ve fertilized in the past – then you should just apply a nitrogen-heavy product. The only way you’ll know for sure that P and K aren’t needed, however, is from fairly recent soil test results.
Some gardeners swear by blood meal as their nitrogen source for bulbs, often pointing out that it’s done the job for generations. The general recommendation is to apply 2 pounds blood meal per 100 square feet (i.e., 1 teaspoon per square foot).
Other gardeners simply use whatever nitrogen-rich lawn fertilizer they happen to have on hand. Formulas such as 27-3-3 or 30-3-3 can get the job done – IF you cut the application rate to 1 pound per 100 square feet (1 teaspoon per 2 square feet).
Mulching Versus Raking
Sometimes we still see homes with a nice, thick coat of fall leaves on the lawn. Their leafy display can be colorful, but it’s still covering the turf like a big tarp. The major thing it accomplishes is blocking sunlight – i.e., the light that lawns must have to stay alive.
As a rule of thumb, the less green grass you see … the deeper the leaf layer … the longer the lawn’s been covered, the more you need to get rid of that tarp. You’ve basically got two choices for that. And, each of them presents you with another two choices.
The classic is to rake the leaves up. Let the kids play in the pile for awhile, and then re-rake the mangled leaves scattered by the kids’ fun. After that, your two choices will be:
1. Bag the leaves and send them with your trash to help shorten the life of the local landfill. (This is now illegal now in some communities, as is burning.)
2. Use the leaves in making your own compost. Successfully composting in a bin or pile takes some special know-how – which, again, your county Extension office can help you get. Tilling leaves 6 to 8 inches deep into a vegetable garden or annual flower beds can be more work than fun; yet, it can turn leaves into soil-enriching compost by next spring.
Either approach can go really wrong, however, if you incorporate too many leaves at a time, use them whole, and/or include leaves that are matted and wet. (See below.)
Your less classic choice for “getting rid of the tarp” relates to the fact that a good mulching mower is a boon, season-long, but can be your best friend in fall. Regular mowers can require two or more passes to turn garden debris into the bit-size pieces that a mulching mower achieves in a single pass.
Similar research studies at Cornell, Michigan State, Purdue and Rutgers universities came up with some of the more surprising results released recent years. They all concluded that mulching fallen tree leaves into turf will not harm a healthy lawn. Naturally, though, the researchers didn’t let the leaves built up and only mulch-mow once.
True gardeners may believe that letting mulched leaves fall into a lawn is a waste of good organic material. After all, crushed leaves compost more quickly and completely than whole ones do in bin or pile. Besides, you have the option every few weeks through fall to improve your soil by incorporating another 2- to 4-inch layer of any pest-free, mulch-mowed fall garden debris you may have – including leaves.
Just be sure that your mower blade is sharp and its air filter is clean. Check to see the downed leaves aren’t hiding fallen branches, toys or other items that a mower can turn into a deadly missile. Then remember what dead leaves are like and strongly consider wearing a dust mask, as well as ear plugs and safety glasses.
Also to Remember …
* So long as it’s growing, keep mowing your fescue or bluegrass lawn. That helps the turf thicken up, plus ensures your lawn will be close to recommended height over winter.
* Don’t leave dead, broken or diseased branches “in situ” much longer unless you’re willing to accept unnecessarily severe tree damage – at best – if winter brings ice and wind.
* To keep diseases and pests from overwintering and attacking again, clean up and destroy all dead iris and peony foliage. Do the same with rose bed debris and with the foliage/debris from other perennials that had insect or disease problems this year.
* For a neat look, trim dead perennial stalks back to 4-6 inches tall when you’re removing this year’s spent annuals. Trim back dried ornamental grass clumps, too, if they’re next to a building -- they’re extremely flammable.
* If you like, transplant trees and shrubs after their leaves have fallen.
* Rabbits think young, smooth, thin-barked trees look like a winter food cache (which, of course, is one reason humans invented wire screening). During late winter, however, those same trees become susceptible to sunscald and bark cracks. Fortunately, one solution can head off both problems: Put tree wrap on their trunks from ground to first branches.
* If you applied a weed-and-feed lawn product in September, limit yourself to spot treating broadleaf weeds through the remainder of fall. (You can, however, safely apply a Barricade-fertilizer mix in November to prevent next spring’s crabgrass plus provide the meal the lawn needs to emerge from winter early and well.)
* If you’ve delayed making a lawn-wide application of broadleaf weed herbicide this fall, keep waiting until mid-October or later. That way, you’ll not only kill the dandelions -- root at all -- but also get some of next year’s winter annuals (e.g., henbit, chickweed, speedwell).
* Let no plant enter winter dry. If the weather’s dry later, trees and shrubs may need the occasional deep watering during winter, too, when temperatures are above 32 F. Evergreens and new plantings typically are the first to need extra winter moisture.
* Unless you’re growing marginal perennials or hybrid teas, the major reason for winter mulching nowadays is to even out the extremes of winter’s freeze-thaw cycles -- not to prevent plants from seasonally hardening off. So, mulch after we’ve had a freeze or two.
* Fall leaf color in our area typically peaks around the third week in October. Enjoy!
[See the previous week's column.]
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