What do I do about the weeds in my lawn?

Your lawn can offer several different types of weeds that need to be controlled; do you know what kind of weeds you have growing in your lawn?

In the lawn there are two types of weeds that you want to control: Broadleaf weeds and grassy weeds. Broadleaf weeds, known as dicotyledons, would be like your clover, dandelion, mallow, etc whereas grassy weeds, monocotyledon,  would be like crabgrass, quack grass, nut grass, and other narrow bladed grasses that you don’t want to grow in your lawn.

Most advertising would have you think that you need to apply a weed and feed to your lawn in order to control most weeds.  However, for best results a weed and feed works best in the fall, about mid-September to late October, when all perennial weeds are out and are getting ready for winter.

Weed and Feeds, simplistically do two things: Kill broadleaf weeds that the chemical comes in contact with and then feeds the lawn.  Read the instructions to fully understand and know how to use these products.  You must have a wet lawn so that the weed killer will “stick” to the wet leaf of the weed and kill it.  Don’t water you lawn for 36-48 hours after applying the product. The weeds that this will kill are weeds that are already leafed out.  A Weed and Feed will not prevent weeds from sprouting unless it contains a pre-emergent chemical.

There are pre-emergent type of weed controls that when applied correctly will prevent weeds from growing.  However, they mostly will NOT kill already growing weeds.  Make sure that you again read, understand, and follow the label directions so that you will not miss-use the chemicals and then have problems where you have applied the chemicals.

Then you do have the liquid spray chemicals that you would mix up in a spray tank or connect to you hose and then apply the liquid mix to the weeds in your lawn.  This is the method I prefer to use in my lawn, because I can spot treat only in the areas that I need too.

Be careful when you use any type of chemicals on your lawn. Always read and follow the instructions.  Wind can carry the chemicals to plants nearby causing damage to them, be careful.  However, when used correctly, herbicides can offer you a nice reward with a beautiful weed free lawn.

Do you have a gardening question?  Ask us!  Leave a comment here or e-mail us your question @ info@successfulgardens.com .   We will answer your gardening question here in the Ask the Gardener column published each Monday, or in our monthly newsletter.  Happy Gardening!

Photo by Laura Leavell

These days many people are taking the organic route by trying to do seemingly everything as earth friendly and natural as possible. Organic Landscaping is coming back. Fifty years ago it was a necessary practice but with the development of pesticides and fertilizers, using organic methods for landscaping became unpopular. No matter what your personal political views are on the rise of organic use in our country, it’s hard to deny that organic landscaping has several benefits. Fewer chemicals in the yard where the kids play is one that caters to me as a health conscious mom. Plus, organic landscaping can be less expensive than inorganic landscaping. You’re not buying chemicals since the big push in organic landscaping is to use elements of the natural world around you for fertilizers, pest control, and general softscape upkeep.

Sometimes the word “Organic” scares me. I see big dollar signs and complicated methods, but with landscaping it is simply a return to the old ways. Use the natural elements of your area to design and promote your landscape. Here are some ways to make your own property organic.

For The Lawn
• Purchase organic fertilizer for your lawn. The initial cost is more, but over time it requires less application which means less expense.
• Practice aeration in your yard. Punching little holes all over the yard is better for grass root growth and will allow friendly bugs like earthworms to move more freely.
• Try top dressing. Create a mixture of half composted material and half sand to spread thinly over your lawn. This is good for lawn rooting and will yield hardier grass.
• Over seeding is the use of more grass seed for your lawn than you need. Use 1 ½ times more grass seed to allow quicker germination, thicker grass, and natural weed control.

For The Plants
• Make use of native plants. Exotic plants require more time and attention and chemicals to thrive.
• Keep soil healthy like nature does by keeping it covered. Use mulch or aground cover plant to keep moisture and nutrients where they should be.
• Grow plants in conditions as near to their natural habitat as possible. Don’t put plants that love the shade in the sunny spot of your yard.
• Grow a “monoculture”. A monoculture is a wide range of plants grown close together instead of a just one plant. This is a natural practice. Trying to grow one single type of plant can require chemicals to flourish. You don’t see wild roses growing in straight lines and beds by themselves out in nature. They are surrounded by other plants and work together to be healthy.
• Practice natural pest control. Allow plants that harbor friendly insect predators like the ladybug to grow in your landscaping. This will reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides to keep your plants looking great.

I enjoy a great looking landscape. I’m discovering that a great looking landscape doesn’t always require the use of potentially unhealthy chemicals. Organic landscaping will give you beauty and peace of mind by using natural practices and materials for landscape upkeep and design. Let me know if you’ve had success “going green” with your landscaping!

Photo by Brandon Blinkenberg

This is a guest post by Sarah Skinner.

I love properties with gardens that have winding stone paths, beautiful raised flower beds, or stony steps. These features seem to add so much depth and character to the garden. They are details in landscaping that we call paving and these details bring extra warmth to anyone’s outdoor space.

Hard surfaces are key in landscape design. Paving is one type of hardscaping- any element of landscaping besides the plants- that helps create tone and flow for a property. There are several different types of paving which can be used in landscaping.

• Bricks- available in many colors
• Stones- come in varying colors and sizes
• Concrete- which can come in setts or slab form
• Railroad ties- can be free!
• Wooden blocks- great for steps and garden borders

You can use these paving elements to create different design features in your garden. Some of these include:

• Patios
• Walls
• Steps
• Paths
• Raised beds
• Decks

Paving can easily be the most expensive design element of your landscaping. It’s important to get it right the first time. You can lay down the foundation for your paving ahead of time and live with it for a while to determine if you like the way it flows and its size, then go ahead and finish the paving.

You can easily incorporate your design styles into your paving ventures for your garden. You can use railroad ties and wooden blocks for a laid back look, bricks and stones for a more traditional look, and really any combination for your own eclectic mood. With paving, your imagination really is the limit.

Of course plants look wonderful paired with whatever paving you choose. Pots full of flowers look great placed strategically around a paved surface. Lining the paved walkway with flowers makes the pavement pop and really stand out. Plants with dark leaves and distinctive shapes and colors work best, but you’ll need to water them frequently. Paving can make the plants around it extra hot.

Whatever paving design you choose, it is sure to highlight your property. Paving will reflect your style and make your gardening even more inviting.

As we drive around town in the spring, I like to look at what other people have done with the landscaping of their property- particularly flower beds. We have a new house with basically no landscape design. And, with no money to hire a professional landscape designer, we are left to our own creative devices. Hence the driving around looking for real life examples. Raised flower beds have caught my attention.

Photo provided by ladyheart

Raised flower beds are creative alternatives to the traditional flower beds that lay flush with the ground. Raised flower bed design is extremely versatile and personal. You can raise a bed to waist height if you like or leave it a few inches off of the ground. It all depends on your own gardening needs. And, their design can be customized to compliment your landscaping style. They can be made of brick, stone, concrete, or wood. Here are a few features to raised gardening that make it a desirable option in your landscape design.

• You can create the right conditions for special plants that don’t thrive in your soil.

• A raised bed allows for better drainage and most plants do better in well-drained soil anyway.

• Raised beds make gardening easier for people with joint conditions because they don’t have to do as much bending and kneeling. They also work great for the wheelchair bound.

• They make beautiful, stylish additions to the hardscaping of a property as they add new depth and personalization.

• In small paved spaces, they are often the only means for gardening and displaying plants.

• They’re a great space saver. Without needing to till or cultivate between rows, you can plant rows of flowers closer together and have higher yields.

• The soil won’t wash away.

• You can hand cultivate since you’re dealing with nice top soil that isn’t compacted.

• If a raised bed is built with a wide enough coping, you can have extra seating in your garden.

Raised flower beds are a great alternative for use in landscaping. I love how they soften the contrast between the yard and paving or the wall and yard. It’s great to know your options when building flower beds and designing the landscape of your yard. What’s your favorite part about having a raised flower bed?

When planting your perennial flower garden, it is helpful to take into consideration the different colors of the plants. The color of the flowers will create a specific mood and ambiance in your garden. Here are some of the colors you may be considering for your garden and the perennial flowers and plants that will fit into that color category.

Yellow

The color yellow is perceived by the eye before the other colors. The members of this family attract and dominate the garden. You will want to plan groupings of yellow or gold as deliberate focal points. This will help to emphasize the features of your garden. You can also use yellow discreetly in order to make a surprise impact among a quieter planting. The color yellow is both warm and cheerful. It is reminiscent of the sun as it comes from behind a cloud. The following perennials have a yellow flower:

*Alyssum *Butterfly Weed *Columbine

*Coreopsis *Corydalis *Cushion Spurge

*Daylily *Evening Primrose *False Sunflower

*Gallardia *Geum *Golden Marguerite

*Iris *Lamiastrum *Leopard Bane

*Ligularia *Lupine *Marsh Marigold

*Mum *Poppy *Potentilla

*Rudbeckia *Sedum *Solidago

*Sunrose *Trollius *Yarrow

Blues

The color blue is stimulating, but it can be restful at times. In the distance, blue flowers will draw the eye after them and push the boundaries of the garden outward. At twilight, blue can seem to glow. The color blue will give your garden a cool feeling. The following perennials have a blue flower:

*Ajuga *Aster *Aubretia

*Balloon Flower *Blue Eyed Grass *Blue Flax

*Brunnera *Campanula *Catmint

*Columbine *Delphinium * Forget-Me-Not

*Geranium *Globe Thistle *Iris

*Jacobs Ladder *Lavender *Lungwort

*Lupine *Monkshood *Mt. Bluets

*Russian Sage *Salvia *Spiderwort

*Veronica *Vinca *Viola

Pinks

The color pink is soft, gentle and luxurious. It evokes an atmosphere that is peaceful. Sunlight can bleach the delicate tints to a washed-out paleness unless deeper tones of pink are used to add strength. However, in the evening light, the pale pastel pinks will appear luminous. The pink flowers will form a gentle and restful background to or between a more definite area of color such as the strong complementary blues and yellows or violets and oranges which paint distinct pictures. The pinks also help where related colors such as vivid and warm reds, oranges and yellow focus the eye and demand attention. The following perennials have a pink flower:

*Arabis *Aster *Astilbe

*Aubretia *Baby’s Breath *Beebalm

*Bergenia *Bleeding Heart *Butterfly Weed

*Canterbury Bells *Centaurea *Columbine

*Coral Bells *Coreopsis *Cupid’s Dart

*Daylily *Delphinium *Dianthus

*English Daisy *Filipendula *Forget-Me-Not

*Foxglove *Geranium *Hollyhock

*Iris *Japanese Anemone *Jo-Pye Weed

*Jupiters Beard *Lamb’s Ear *Lamium

*Liatris *Linaria *Lungwort

*Lupine *Lythrum *Miss Willmott Potentilla

*Mum *Obedient Plant *Oenothera

*Painted Daisy *Pasque Flower *Penstemon

*Peony *Phlox *Pink Panda Strawberry

*Poppy *Primula *Prunella

*Purple Coneflower *Salvia *Seapinks

*Sedum *Soapwort *Spider Wort

*Sunrose *Thalictrum *Thyme

*Toad Flax *Turtlehead *Veronica

*Yarrow

White

The color white helps to create a cool and restful mood in the garden. White gives a feeling of space. The neighboring colors will seem to glow more and be deeper. White flowers can separate the hues that contrast without altering their appearance of color. White can also make the color associations more pleasing and acceptable to the eye. Bright white will lighten up a shady area.

White flowers are an excellent choice for an evening garden during the summer. As the darkness begins to creep in, the white and pale pastels will remain distinguishable until all of the light is done. A border that is mixed with clumps of white will be given direction and coherence when the white clumps are repeated at regular intervals. The following perennials have a white flower or white variegated edge:

*Arabis *Astilbe *Aubretia

*Baby’s Breath *Bishops Weed *Bleeding Heart

*Boltonia *Bugbane *Campanula

*Candytuft *Columbine *Delphinium

*Dianthus *English Daisy *Forget-Me-Not

*Gooseneck *Hosta *Lamium

*Liatris *Lily *Lily of the Valley

*Lungwort *Lupine *Obedient Plant

*Phlox *Poppy *Sandwort

*Sedum *Shasta Daisy *Snowdrop Anemone

*Snow-in Summer *Sweet Woodruff *Thrift

*Veronica *Vinca *White Coneflower

*Yarrow

As you can see there are many different choices available for a perennial garden that will keep coming back year after year. While I have listed many varieties, this list is not inclusive. What are some of your favorite perennials and how will you use them in your garden this year?