Show#5
Dr.
Rick discusses organic matter and your soil.
Dr. Rick has new research and
ideas for fertilizing trees and shrubs.
There has been quite a lot of research lately on planting
woody trees and shrubs in the South. For years, we have
always felt that adding a little (or a lot) of organic matter
to the soil was a good idea. It just feels like the right
thing to do. Well, unfortunately that's not the case. You
see, when we add organic matter to the planting hole, we
create a rich, nutrient filled environment for the root
system. It's sort of like putting the tree or shrub in a
larger pot. For the first several years the plant does well.
However, once the roots hit the side of that planting hole,
they meet this wall of heavy clay and they just don't grow
into it. As a result, they become stunted and are much less
able to handle the heat, drought and other stresses of our
part of the country. So, from now on, no more organic matter
in the planting hole. It creates an artificial environment
for the root system that does more harm than good. Instead,
dig a very wide hole. A $10 hole for your $2 plant. Now
the hole doesn't have to be real deep. Most roots grow horizontally,
in the top 12" of soil. But it does need to be wide. You
want to break up that heavy clay and encourage the roots
to venture out into the native soil. If you still feel the
need to add organic matter, try a different approach. Spread
it out evenly throughout the entire planting bed and till
it in. What we are trying to do is encourage the roots to
grow quickly and establish themselves before the heat of
the summer starts to beat them up. Finally, it is critical
that we mulch our woody shrubs and trees if we plant them
this time of the year. Mulch is the unsung hero of the Southern
Garden. 3-5" of good horticulture mulch. What exactly does
that mean? It means a mulch of different size particles
that doesn't compress or float away when it rains. Black
plastic, and pebbles are some of the worst choices. Black
plastic creates an anaerobic swamp under it. It encourages
roots to grow on top of the soil which is deadly when temperatures
start to climb. Pebbles actually serve as heat sinks as
they warm up and then tend to draw moisture out of the ground.
(SHOW) If you have a chipper/shredder, the material that
comes out of it as you chop up twigs and tree limbs is a
wonderful mulch. It may not be as attractive as say pine
straw but it really works well to insulate the soil and
keep down weeds. Try top dressing this mulch with something
a bit more aesthetic to give your landscape a great look
as well as provide a mulch that really does what it is suppose
to.
It's time to plant tomatoes - we've got some ideas and tips.
Gardening and Kids
Dividing Seedlings
Often times the plants you buy can and should be divided
and you will end up with more plants.
Dr. Rick has an interesting way
to combat weeds with a Wick Herbicide Applicator and he
shows you how to make one.
Did you know that a mature weed could produce thousands
of weed seeds over its lifetime? That's why it is critical
to nip em in the bud. As your annuals and perennials begin
to grow it gets tougher and tougher to spray near them for
fear that some of your weed killer will drift onto your
favorites and kill them. Here's a handy, inexpensive tool
to use knock out those annoying weeds that grow in and among
your favorite plants. You'll need a stick of 1" PVC, 2 elbows
and 2 caps, one that you glue on and the other should be
a screw type. You'll also need a small kitchen sponge and
some wire or rubber bands.
Cut the pipe so that one piece is as long as the distance
from the ground to your waist. I'm about 6' tall so the
long section or me is about 3'. Cut 2 other short sections
about 6" long. Now you're going to glue the 6" pieces on
opposite ends of the long one facing opposite directions.
(SHOW) Glue the solid cap onto one end and the screw-type
cap on the other. Now cut several slices on the outside
edge through the section with the solid cap. Try using a
hacksaw. Three or four cuts should be plenty. Now, wrap
the sponge around this section and tightly tie it on with
wire or rubber bands. You've now got a great implement to
disperse your favorite weed killer. Just unscrew the cap
at the other end and pour in the non-selective herbicide
of your choice. Make sure you follow the directions as how
much chemical to use to water. You do not have to make it
more concentrated than the directions state. That just wastes
your chemical. You see, the sponge becomes soaked with the
mixture and you can dab or swipe it across weeds without
injuring any others that are very close by.
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