Don't Move Firewood!

Transporting firewood is one of the 
most common methods for 

introduction of damaging pests 

such as Mountain Pine Beetle, 

Gypsy moth, and Thousand 

Cankers Disease. By “buying it 

where you burn it”, you can play 

an important part in protecting our natural and urban forests.

Mountain Pine Beetle

Gypsy Moth

Thousand Cankers Disease

Some important things to consider before buying firewood 

include :

• Do you know where the wood was cut? 
• Never transport or burn wood from out of state. 
• If available, purchase local firewood. 
• Firewood is often available at the camping location. 
• Leave any unburned wood in place. Do not transport it. 
• Know if the wood is treated, kiln dried or debarked. 
• Know what species of wood you are burning. 

 For more information, contact your local University of Idaho 

Extension Office!

Stay sharp when mowing your lawn with these lawn mower maintenance tips.

To keep your mower in tip-top running condition, have a competent service professional thoroughly inspect your mower at least once a year.

Inspection areas:

Sharpening and balancing the blade [youtube]. A dull blade tears grass and can leave in prone to disease, and an unbalanced blade can cause your mower excess wear and tear.

     Check the air filter. If you are using the mower in dry or dusty conditions, you will need to replace the air filter more often.

                               Check the spark plug. Always ensure that the spark plug is clean and gapped correctly.

    


   


     Check the carburetor and have it adjusted if necessary.






                                Check to oil, and have it changed if needed.  

      Check the wheels, bags, and
belts and replace as needed.

Your lawn mower is likely the most frequently used piece of outdoor power equipment that you own - here's a maintenance calendar that's handy to use. Proper maintenance is extremely important to maximizing efficiency, reducing emissions, preventing costly repairs and extending the life of your lawn mower. By keeping your mower in proper working order, you can help maintain a healthy environment, pocketbook and lawn.

For more information on lawn care, contact your local University of Idaho Extension office! 

Master Gardener Plant Clinics

What is this plant?

Is this a good or bad bug?

Have you ever seen a flower or weed or insect and wanted to know what it is? Or ever had your lawn or favorite plant/tree/bush suddenly start looking sick and wanted to know why?

You may not realize it, but expert help may be right around the corner!  

Starting on April 30, hours are Monday 1-4, Wednesday 1-4, and Friday 9-12.

Plant clinics take place at many locations around the area. Many are held at the County Extension Office while others may be at the local nursery or garden center, or at your community farmers market.

Idaho Master Gardener volunteers are trained to help you in plant and pest ID as well aiding in diagnosing what is wrong with a sick plant, tree, bush or lawn. 

For more information about becoming a Master Gardener volunteer or to contact our Plant Clinic, contact your local University of Idaho Extension office!

The Homeowner: The First and Last Line of Defense on Quality.

When it comes to shopping, my friends all know it takes me a long time to make a decision. I methodically research out what I want. Then I narrow it down to a few items. After I look over my choices carefully, I may go home to get on the internet and look at consumer reviews; I may go from store to store and check out prices. I look for quality and I look to make sure I am getting a product that is worth the money I am spending on it. I want to make sure my investment will last. Sometimes, my shopping experience will last hours, days, or in the case of a car or computer, it could be months.

My yard is no different. When I need yard work done, such as lawn aeration or tree trimming, I am insistent on high quality work. As a homeowner you are the first and the last line of defense when it comes to making sure that a quality job is done, and done correctly! Knowing what to expect in landscape maintenance and being armed with a small amount of knowledge as a consumer can play in your favor.

Always hire a certified professional to do your work. Would you seek medical advice from an individual who was not licensed to practice medicine? Of course not! Why then would you do it with your yard? I recommend that you check into the individual or company before hiring them. Do some homework. How have they been trained? Where is their certification from? Are they insured, licensed, and can they provide you documentation? Are they registered with the Better Business Bureau? If so, what is their rating? Drive around and check on some of their previous work. Is it the kind of quality you would want in your own yard? Ask for references. Ask questions! This is, after all, a job interview for the contractor. Just because they are the cheapest does not mean they should get the job, and just because they slap a business magnet on the side of their pick-up truck does not mean they know what they are doing!  In the following I will be talking with you about what to look for when hiring a contractor to do yard work and how certain procedures should be done. Armed with this knowledge, you will be better able to ensure the work done in your yard is of the quality you deserve for the money you pay.

Lawn Aeration is perhaps one of the best things that you can do for your lawn. Done twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, core aeration combats soil compaction. Soil compaction is a problem in nearly 80% of all landscapes. In addition, aerating your lawn helps combat thatch accumulation and reduces the amount of water you need to apply to your lawn. The reason for this is because when your soil is compacted oxygen and water can’t penetrate into the soil. Fertilizer can’t get penetrate the soil either. As a result, roots are often shallow, and the lawn will need more frequent irrigation. (1, 2, 3, 4)  

Core aeration removes small plugs, about 1-3 inches long from the soil. A single aeration using a machine with 1/2-inch diameter tines removes as much as 10 percent of the thatch if enough passes are made to achieve average 2-inch spacing between holes. Remember the key is 2-inch spacing. This may mean that multiple passes on the lawn are required. This small investment of an extra $10 will pay dividends in the end.   

What do you do with the cores after you have had the lawn aerated? That really is a personal decision. Some people do not like the little plugs being left on their lawn, although there may be benefits to allowing them to disintegrate into the lawn again.

If you do decide to remove them, they are great for the compost bin. Other options may be to power rake the lawn after aeration, watering, or simply running a lawn mower over the lawn after you aerate (although this practice will cause the blades on your lawn mower to dull). Once you have aerated your lawn if you need to reseed, this is the optimum time to do it. The best part of reseeding now is there is no need to top dress the lawn, as the lawn seeds will have nice little holes in which to germinate!

Another type of aeration being marketed by many lawn care companies these days as a replacement for core aeration is liquid aeration. While different ingredients make up this popular lawn service, the main ingredients seem to be liquid humates (organic matter) and sodium lauryl sulfate (soap). These are nothing more than snake oil remedies and are no substitution for the real deal of removing the plugs from your lawn by core aerating. There is no scientific research which has shown chemical aeration to be effective. You may as well throw dirty dish water out on your lawn. (5) (Cultural and Chemical Controls of Thatch and Their Influence on Rootzone Nutrients in a Bentgrass Green
Lloyd M. Callahan, William L. Sanders, John M. Parham, Cynthia A. Harper, Lori D. Lester and Ellen R. McDonald
Crop Science  

1998 38: 1: 181-187
doi:10.2135/cropsci1998.0011183X003800010030x)
The thing to remember from all of this is that you want to have your lawn aerated twice a year; in the spring, and again in the fall. The plugs removed should be 2-3 inches long, and on 2 inch centers, which may require multiple passes on your lawn. If you have further questions, please call your local University of Idaho Extension Office

TreePruning is something I take seriously. It is a science which should not be left to a novice and is far more than could be covered in one article. For me, spotting a bad tree pruning job is as easy as spotting a bad haircut. The only difference is a bad hair cut grows back and has no adverse side effects on your health. However, a pruning job can have enormous effects on the health of a tree, either for good, or for bad. When you hire an arborist, make sure they are ISA certified, licensed, and insured. To find an ISA certified arborist, visit http://preview.tinyurl.com/d44d9rp

The key points for a good pruning job really come back to structurally pruning the tree correctly when the tree is young. Improper or lack of pruning when the tree is young can greatly increase the likelihood of tree failure when the tree is older. Cuts on branches larger than 4 inches increase the possibility of decay and disease. If possible, prune trees when the branches are smaller than 4 inches in diameter.

When pruning trees, it is important to prune the branch back to the branch collar. Don’t leave stubs, or what I call “hangars” where you can hang your coat. Leaving these nubs will cause decay and disease to move into your tree. 

The last key component to pruning is to always remove a smaller branch back to the parent branch, never the other way around. When you remove a parent branch, unless the wood is dead, you greatly increase the risk of beginning the downward spiral of death and decay in the tree. While this is great for your tree-trimming company who will have to come back year after year to remove an ever increasing amount of dead wood from the canopy of the tree, it is hard on your pocketbook; more importantly, your tree's life is shortened! By knowing some pruning basics, you can ensure that you are hiring a professional who knows what they are doing, and will extend the value and life of your landscape. 
For more information, contact your local University of Idaho Extension Office. Our Master Gardeners Turf/Tree Team will be glad to assist you.

1. Carrow, R. N., B. J. Johnson, and R. E. Bums. 1987. Thatch and quality of Tifway bermudagrass turf in relation to fertility and cultivation. Agronomy Journal, 79: 524-530. 

2.  Dunn, J. H., D. D. Minner, B. F. Fresenburh, S. S. Bughrara, and C. H. Hohnstrater. 1995. Influence of core aerification, topdressing, and nitrogen on mat, roots, and quality of "Meyer" zoysiagrass. Agronomy Journal, 87: 891-894.

3.  Erusha, K. S., R. C. Shearman, and D. M. Bishop. 1989. Thatch prevention and control. Turfgrass Bulletin, 10(2): 10-11(Carrow et a1., 1987; Erusha et a1., 1989; Dunn et a1., 1995; Lederboer and Skogley, 1967; Shildrick, 1985; White and Dickens, 1984)

4.  Murray, J.J., & Juska, F.V. (1977). Effect of management practices on thatch accumulation, turf quality, and leaf spot damage in common Kentucky bluegrass [Poa pratensis]. Agronomy Journal, (3), 365-369.

5. Lloyd M. Callahan, William L. Sanders, John M. Parham, Cynthia A. Harper, Lori D. Lester and Ellen R. McDonald. Cultural and Chemical Controls of Thatch and Their Influence on Rootzone Nutrients in a Bentgrass Green. Crop Science, 1998 38: 1: 181-187

doi:10.2135/cropsci1998.0011183X003800010030x

Or I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll dry your ground out!

Or I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll dry your ground out

One of the trademarks of living in Idaho seems to be wind. Learning how to adapt can be challenging to any newcomer. Unless you are from, say, Chicago? In any case, being aware of how wind affects your landscape can help in protecting them during our often dry, windy fall and winter seasons.

Drying winds strip plants, turf, and the soil of much needed moisture. As the wind blows it wicks the moisture out of the plant, and the soil. As the low humidity and wind blow, plants can’t replenish the water they lose through their leaves, or needles. This is one reason you may have a brown cast on the edge of your evergreen needles.

On perennial shrubs, such as roses or lilacs, damage to terminal growing points can occur.

There are several things to keep in mind about your landscape if you live in these windy areas.

1. Fall and winter watering is not an option. Failure to water your plants is the most common cause of plant stress I see in landscapes. And just because your landscape is mature, does not mean you can stop watering it. You don’t stop drinking water just because you've matured, do you?

2. Mulch can help retain moisture in the soil. Yes, I know, it’s windy and the wind blows your mulch all the way to Kansas. Well, I am sure the people of Kansas appreciate your contribution to their fine state. Really though, mulching can make a big difference in how much water your soils will hold.

3. Add organic matter to your soil. Incorporating 2-3 inches of plant based organic matter at a depth of 4-6 inches will help hold in water if you have sandy soil, or help water drain if you have clayey soil. Either way, adding organic matter such as composted plant material will benefit your plants. Just be careful if you use animal manure as compost as these contain salts and heavy metals that build up in the soil over time, and can increase the risk of food borne pathogens if used improperly in vegetable gardens.

For more information on fall or winter watering, visit your county Extension office.

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

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!

Don't get burned this winter, wrap your trees!

Growing up as a ginger (redhead) there were several things I learned early on we just part of living with red hair. 

Besides freckles, there was the need to always wear sunscreen. This was reinforced a few weeks ago when I was on the big island of Hawaii and decided to take a hike from South Point to Papakolea Beach, the green sand beach. 

I’ve done plenty of hikes before, conquering some of Colorado’s peaks and this was a three-mile hike so it sounded simple enough to me. I set out with my backpack full of flip flops, swimming trunks, a towel and a bottle of water, but no sun screen. I’ve done much longer hikes in my day and thought this would be fairly simple.

What I had not accounted for was the latitude! I was, after all, at the southernmost point in the United States and the sun was intense! There are no trees, and the wind blows incessantly. In fact, if it was not for the fact the ocean was right three on one side, the rest of the view could easily be mistaken for southern Idaho. Red clay, grasses, and low growing shrubbery in a dry climate and basalt rock. Oh, and it was very windy! About halfway there, I was wishing that I had brought sunscreen.

So, you’re probably thinking “cool travelogue man, what’s your point?” Bear with me, because it relates to plants.

Plants need protection from the sun too! Especially young trees. One of the more common issues people contact me about with their trees is what I call Southwest Winter Burn, or sunscald. This is caused by some pretty simple physics. The easiest way to understand it is to stick a can of soda in the freezer and forget about it. What happens is the sun is warmest in winter when it is on the southwest horizon. As the sun’s heat warms up the tree’s trunk, sap starts flowing. Since sap is a liquid, the sun sets, temperatures drop below freezing and the freezing liquid expands, bursting cells and trunks. Much like that can of soda in your freezer you forgot about.

Young trees are especially prone to this. Trees with thin bark are even more prone to this. This includes Acer (maples), Betula (birch), Fraxinus (ash), Gleditsia (honeylocust), Malus (apples), Prunus (apricot, cherry, peach, plum), and others.

There are a few ways to help minimize bark damage in the winter. The first method is to eliminate drought stress. If your irrigation was shut off in September or October, your tree has not had water for several months now. They are likely to be drought stressed going into the winter. Fall and winter watering is critical for tree and plant survival. This may mean you need to drag hose and water with municipal water. Just don’t forget to disconnect the hose from the faucet once you are done watering. Usually once a month with temperatures above 45˚ you should be taking the hose out and allowing the water to soak deeply into the soil. Turn the hose on a low trickle in the morning and shut it off before the sun sets. If it is windy where you live, you need to water more frequently. Evergreens suffering from drought stress will show brown tips. Just like me on my three-mile hike on a sunny, windy trail, trees in these situations will need more water.

The next two things involve sunscreen. Although not like lotion or SPF factors, trees and plants need protection from the sun in one of two ways:

1. Apply a one to one diluted white interior latex based paint to the trunk.

2. Wrap the tree with tree wrap available at most nursery or landscape garden centers. If you do this, be sure to remove the wrapping in the spring. Trees breathe through “lenticels” on the trunk. Trunks also need to expand as they grow. The other thing that you risk if you forget to remove the wrap is that it makes a great place for disease, decay, insects, fungus and other unwanted things to live along the trunk of the tree you are trying to protect.

For more information in tree care, contact your local University of Idaho Extension Office.