Sunday, March 12, 2017

Annuals, the star of the garden show!


Annuals are the star of the garden show. 



Place annuals anywhere you want easy to care for plants which will provide season long color. 





Take the time to learn about your annual's requirements and you can add attractive bursts of color which will do well in the sun, shade, climb, trail, are drought tolerant, like moist conditions, prefer the heat, or perform well in the cool season.








Annuals do great as border plants or in containers and can enhance any existing focal point in your yard. In shady areas, brightly colored annuals can be used to brighten your yard. Use cool colors such as grays, blues or violets to a cool, calming effect in bright sunny areas.

For more information on sustainable landscaping, contact your local University of Idaho Extension Office


Saturday, March 4, 2017

Did someone throw up on the lawn? It may be snow mold.

Now that the #snow is melting off the #grass, you may be noticing snow mold. Here is what you need to know to manage it:







Rapid drying and warming will lessen the outbreak of disease.

Remove snow to allow better drainage and remove the mycelial crust on infected turf by raking. This will help recovery of the grass.


Lightly applying a low dose of nitrogen fertilizer in the spring will promote new growth.When applied in the fall, fungicides can be useful in controlling disease, but are not effective when applied in late winter or early spring!

Additionally, for pink snow mold it’s important to maintain low soil pH and balanced soil fertility.

Aeration of your lawn will help remove thatch and allow for oxygen to penetrate the soil and reach the roots. This will help your lawn recover more quickly. This is also a good time to reseed any areas which may need to be reseeded.

For more information, contact your local county extension office!