Danny Lipford

Landscape Lasagna

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 16:10:50 +0000

Creating great soil is like making good lasagna according to Florida landscaper Rachel DeToro. It’s all about layers. Not pasta and cheese. Organic material on top of organic material. Rachel’s recipe starts with mushroom compost on the bottom, followed by a layer of pine bark mulch (finely grounded). For the next layer, Rachel uses seaweed (rinsed to remove salt) though she says leaves or clippings work equally well if seaweed isn’t available to you. Finally, another layer of compost and the soil is ready to cultivate and plant. To protect the soil and retain moisture, top the bed off with a layer of pine straw or leaf mulch.

Ashes for Plants

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 01:24:41 +0000

The potassium in wood ashes encourages strong stems in plants while the phosphorus in the ashes encourages root growth. Soils low in potassium often benefits from wood ash but be careful with acid-loving plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons and azaleas. To use wood ash safely, add a small amount to your compost pile. Here the wood ash will help maintain a neutral condition, which is the best environment to help microorganisms break down organic materials. Sprinkle ashes on each layer of compost as the pile is built up and allow the ash to dissolve in the compost. Also, be sure not to use any pressure-treated wood ashes.

Compost Bin

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 16:30:38 +0000

Even the most novice gardeners know the benefits of using compost in their gardens, but nobody wants to look at a compost pile. One solution is a pre-fab compost bin made of plastic. Most of these units are compact in size and have removable lids that allow you to add material to the compost. The design should allow plenty of air and water to get into the mix, so the organic material can properly decompose. The only real work included here is occasionally stirring or rotating the compost.

Fertilizer Selection

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 16:17:12 +0000

Choosing the right fertilizer for your lawn can be a confusing proposition. The Turf Expert Dr. Trey Rogers tells us it doesn’t actually have to be that way. According to Trey, your local garden center usually selects only what you need in your area for that given time of year. The numbers that you see on the packaging give you an indication of what you are getting. They represent the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In the fall you want a product with all three numbers roughly equal. In spring you’ll want the first number (nitrogen) to be larger in comparison because your lawn will need more nitrogen to put on new growth and green up. Often products with identical percentages have different prices. In these cases the cost difference is usually about longevity. The more expensive product should last longer in the lawn.

Fertilizer Application

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 15:46:30 +0000

Dr. Trey Rogers, Briggs and Stratton Yard Doctor, gives us some great tips for applying fertilizer.

If possible, use a broadcast spreader instead of a drop spreader. This minimizes the chances of leaving lines in the lawns.
Follow the directions on the bags as far as the amount you use. More is not better.
Try to apply fertilizer before a good rain to insure that it gets into the ground.

Mulch

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:35:13 +0000

As a gardener, mulch can be one of your greatest allies. This often-neglected stuff maintains soil moisture and temperature while blocking the growth of weeds around plants you do not want. While there are lots of types of mulch you can use, there are some you may want to avoid. Saw dust or wood chips (from a saw mill or cabinet shop) that have not rotted or decomposed may rob nitrogen from your soil and therefore your plants. Some mulch, like oak leaves and pine straw, will add acid to your soil (this may be good or bad depending on your soil’s pH). Finally, if you’re looking for a deal, don’t buy mulch by the bag. Find a nursery or landscaper who will sell it by the truckload and pick it up or have it delivered.

Seed Feed

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 18:13:00 +0000

To keep seedlings healthy and growing feed them gelatin. Any flavor is okay as long as it’s sweetened with sugar - not artificial sweeteners. The gelatin contains the nutrient nitrogen, which helps plants form green leaves. The sugar actually feeds beneficial microbes already in the soil that help young plants defend against disease causing organisms. Fill the flats with seed-starting mix, sow the seeds and use an old saltshaker to lightly sprinkle the gelatin powder over the seedlings. Press the seeds and gelatin in and cover with a thin layer of your starting mix. Mist the soil and cover with wet paper towels. Simply place the flats in a warm area (somewhere around 65 to 75-degrees). Keep the towels moist by occasionally misting them and check the flats daily for sprouts. As soon as you see growth, remove the paper towels. After the plants take off, feed them liquid fertilizer with a teaspoon of gelatin powder mixed into each gallon.

Soil Evaluation

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 16:25:28 +0000

The fist step to getting the soil in your garden right is figuring out what you have. There are three types of soil: clay, sand and loam. Clay is comprised of very fine particles that pack together very tightly allowing very little water to drain out and making it difficult for roots to dig in. If you squeeze this soil in your fist it will create a hard sticky ball. To modify it, add organic material that will loosen the particles up and add nutrients to the soil (humus for example.) Sand is very loose and granular so it holds little water and few nutrients. It will sift right through your hands when you try to compress it. Sand needs organic material that will help it absorb moisture and contribute nutrients (compost should do the trick.) Loam is the gardener’s dream soil because it is the perfect blend of sand, clay and organic matter. It is typically dark in color and will compress but not form a hard mass. For good measure you can still add organic material to boost the nutrient levels.

Home Brew

Tue, 02 May 2006 18:17:28 +0000

Dissolve an aspirin in a cup of tea for a perfect “perk” for your plants. All soil has a Ph rating ranging from 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral, and this cup of tea is great for plants such as camellias, azaleas and orchids because it will raise the level of acidity in the soil giving the plants exactly what they need. For plants whose soil may be too acidic try throwing broken eggshells into a large container and then fill it with water. Let it sit for about a week, then discard the eggshells and feed the water to your plants.

Soil Sifter

Wed, 29 Mar 2006 17:47:22 +0000

Few of us are blessed with the perfect soil for our lawns and gardens. If yours is the rocky variety, here’s a great solution. Take a section of metal hardware cloth (available at home centers with ½” or ¼” holes) and cut a section slightly larger than your wheelbarrow. Attach the metal cloth to a 2×2 board with staples on one side. Stretch the metal cloth over the wheelbarrow so that the 2×2 is tight against one side and staple another 2×2 opposite the first. The two boards will keep the hardware cloth stretched out so you can shovel in rocky soil, sifting out the rocks. This trick also works with granulated fertilizer to screen out the lumps before they go into your spreader.