Fertilizing the lawn is tricky business because different grasses require different fertilizer. Be cautious of the weed and feed fertilizers that may kill your grass and leave the weed alone. Care and consideration should be given to the choice of fertilizer and talking to a professional may be advisable.
We have St. Augustine grass, tough and rough, that require much water to green up and we fertilize it spring and fall. In our case, we are using only fertilizer--no weed killer. We are using fertilizer containing 30% nitrogen and 3% potash totaling 33% and the remaining 64% is "inert material". It is strongly recommended that the lawn be fertilized on a calm day or the wind will blow the nutrients away and leave the inert material on the ground.
Nitrogen is the primary element found in most fertilizer. Basically, it is used to make the grass grow green; however, too much nitrogen will make the grass grow too quickly and creating work for you. It will become top heavy and the root system will not be able to support such vigorous growth causing stress for the plant and you as well.
Nitrogen is not a food. Grass and plants make their own food (in the form of sugar) through the process of photosynthesis. The various lawn nutrients, including nitrogen, support photosynthesis.
Now, let's go to work. First, we cut the lawn using a rather low setting. Then we measure with a 100 foot tape measure and mark the lawn with pegs.
For 1,000 square feet, we use 3.5 lbs of fertilizer (30-0-3) and we spread it with a hand held spreader that covers a 12 foot wide swath. After the fertilization is complete, we water the lawn. This process will be repeated this fall: acquire fertilizer, cut the lawn and measure it, stake it out, apply fertilizer, and water.
Enjoy a green and healthy lawn, visit my humble blog and leave a message but only your foot prints on the beach. Thank you.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Zinfandel and Zen
On the last day of the A to Z Blog Challenge for April 2013, I am sitting in my summer kitchen snuggled into my stairway patterned quilt. I have picked a handful of the wild small aster like flowers and put them in a pretty vase. The candle is lit and the flame is flickering in the gentle breeze. It is peaceful. On the table is also a bottle of Zinfandel with a "fresh strawberry and hint of sweet white peach." It will be carefully poured into a long stemmed delicate glass. Let me take this moment to raise my glass and salute you: your blogs are awesome! Keep on blogging and so will I.
I also want to say a heartfelt thank you to my technical blog support. Your advice has been well taken. Of course, I would like to say Thank You to all of you who have visited my blog. Finally, I would like to leave you with Loving Kindness:
May you be filled with Loving Kindness
May you be Happy and Peaceful
May you be free from suffering, aches, and pain,
Be well, and filled with Compassion
May you be strong and healthy
May you take care of yourself with Love
May you continue to blog and visit my humble blog
May you leave a message for me and only your foot prints on the Beach.
Namaste
Monday, April 29, 2013
Yoga in the Garden
At the end of a week's intensive gardening,weeding, and writing for the A to Z Blog Challenge, it is time for some serious relaxation Yoga. I found my one and only colorful quilt with a stairway pattern, draped it over a chair, and placed it near the garden in the park.
I plopped myself down, placed my soil covered bare feet slightly apart on the ground and put my arms on the rests with my palms up towards the heaven. Finally, I straighten my back to make my spine longer. I am now ready for my simple Yoga breathing session.
I close my eyes, inhale and let my breath come on down to my core. I hold it and exhale slowly with no strain and no discomfort. I repeat the breathing exercise while trying to still my mind which seems to be impossible.
I keep breathing in, holding, and exhaling.
As I breathe in, I hear the noise of the traffic in the distance; I acknowledge it; hold my breath, and as I exhale I let the noise leave, too.
I breathe in and I hear the Cardinals twitter and chirp. I hold my breath and this time I feel the cat from the tractor store rub her face against my legs. I exhale.
I am aware of my surrounding in the park. I feel calm and refreshed. The Yoga session is over and I am ready to tackle Z for tomorrow's Challenge.
I plopped myself down, placed my soil covered bare feet slightly apart on the ground and put my arms on the rests with my palms up towards the heaven. Finally, I straighten my back to make my spine longer. I am now ready for my simple Yoga breathing session.
I close my eyes, inhale and let my breath come on down to my core. I hold it and exhale slowly with no strain and no discomfort. I repeat the breathing exercise while trying to still my mind which seems to be impossible.
I keep breathing in, holding, and exhaling.
As I breathe in, I hear the noise of the traffic in the distance; I acknowledge it; hold my breath, and as I exhale I let the noise leave, too.
I breathe in and I hear the Cardinals twitter and chirp. I hold my breath and this time I feel the cat from the tractor store rub her face against my legs. I exhale.
I am aware of my surrounding in the park. I feel calm and refreshed. The Yoga session is over and I am ready to tackle Z for tomorrow's Challenge.
Thank you for visiting my humble blog,
leave a message but leave only your foot prints on the beach.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Xeriscaping
Saturday has finally arrived and I am on X for the Challenge. I am so excited! Lately, I've been grinning and acting giddy. During the summer time, my husband and I do it together every Thursday and Sunday morning. I am so happy! Individually, we do it every day. I know for sure that you will join us in Xeriscaping, won't you? Together we will conserve a lot of water.
The concept of Xeriscape was developed to conserve water in times of drought and in regions of limited water availability. I had to smile when I realized what Xeriscaping entailed because it is something that we have practiced for a long time on the Back Forty. We didn't know that there was a name for it--Xeriscaping.
Xeriscape derives from the Greek "Xeros," meaning dry and "scape" is view or scene. Xeriscaping in Florida and elsewhere for that matter is common sense measure that will help to conserve water, reducing the use of lawn grass, and using indigenous low maintenance plants. For this purpose, mulching is practiced extensively by using various types of barks in various colors and using mulch from compost piles.
You may have seen these landscapes that contain natural material such as rocks and gravel, yucca and sword plants, and drought resistant trees, accented by lawn furniture, sculptures, and bird baths. The irony of such a landscape in a development is that the community associations frown on such settings because they do not conform with their standards. These landscapes are unique, different, and handsome when well maintained.
Water conservation is mandatory in NE Florida. During Daylight Savings Time, residents are required to only use their irrigation systems twice a week. Those with even house numbers water their lawns on Thursdays and Sundays e.g. and avoid watering in the middle of the day due to extreme evaporation. There is an exception to this rule: if you have a garden, you may water as needed.
What I have done in the Park is creating "islands" around trees surrounded by azaleas and Shefflera plants, even Bougainvillea, using mulch from the compost pile and pine straw. I find it rather attractive and it does cut down on using the gasoline driven lawn mower and tractor.
Now that Saturday is here, let's go out and have some fun. Let's support the wild life and be kind to the environment. Imagine what an impact all of us will have. Thank you for visiting my humble blog. I hope you will leave a message and only your foot prints on the beach.
The concept of Xeriscape was developed to conserve water in times of drought and in regions of limited water availability. I had to smile when I realized what Xeriscaping entailed because it is something that we have practiced for a long time on the Back Forty. We didn't know that there was a name for it--Xeriscaping.
Xeriscape derives from the Greek "Xeros," meaning dry and "scape" is view or scene. Xeriscaping in Florida and elsewhere for that matter is common sense measure that will help to conserve water, reducing the use of lawn grass, and using indigenous low maintenance plants. For this purpose, mulching is practiced extensively by using various types of barks in various colors and using mulch from compost piles.
You may have seen these landscapes that contain natural material such as rocks and gravel, yucca and sword plants, and drought resistant trees, accented by lawn furniture, sculptures, and bird baths. The irony of such a landscape in a development is that the community associations frown on such settings because they do not conform with their standards. These landscapes are unique, different, and handsome when well maintained.
Water conservation is mandatory in NE Florida. During Daylight Savings Time, residents are required to only use their irrigation systems twice a week. Those with even house numbers water their lawns on Thursdays and Sundays e.g. and avoid watering in the middle of the day due to extreme evaporation. There is an exception to this rule: if you have a garden, you may water as needed.
What I have done in the Park is creating "islands" around trees surrounded by azaleas and Shefflera plants, even Bougainvillea, using mulch from the compost pile and pine straw. I find it rather attractive and it does cut down on using the gasoline driven lawn mower and tractor.
Now that Saturday is here, let's go out and have some fun. Let's support the wild life and be kind to the environment. Imagine what an impact all of us will have. Thank you for visiting my humble blog. I hope you will leave a message and only your foot prints on the beach.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Weed be Gone
It would be so easy for me to get a large bottle or can of weed killer and go around and spray the weeds on the Back Forty and in Park. The weeds would be gone in a few days. This would, however, result in absolutely no ground cover on my property--nothing to hold the sand in place. My lawn is made up of such a variety of weeds and very little of actual grass. The beauty of it is that the lawn looks very green and healthy when cut. It blends in with the rest of the neighborhood.
Instead, I crawl around on all fours and weed by hand under the citrus trees like I did yesterday. The roots are near the surface so I can't till the dirt too deep, but I do ever so gently pull the stubborn dollar weed that grow with a vengeance, not only under the citrus trees but everywhere.
I use the shovel to dig up pretty blue flowers with their roots leaving the lawn uneven with small indentations. I am multitasking by weeding and aerating. Then there are some miniature asters (my definition) that are easy to pull along with some clustered flowers with small light purple blooms. These flowered weeds do serve a purpose by attracting bees and insects for pollination in my garden.
There is one problem that I have with hand-weeding. I am wearing out garden gloves in no time. I mostly use the right hand for weeding and I always develop a large gash at the top of my middle finger. I am puzzled why my thumb is intact and so are the rest of my fingers. It is only the right middle finger. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much.
As I mentioned, I have often entertained the idea of using weed killer, but I have this sign prominently placed in the Park. It reminds me that it is my mission to protect the wild life by providing a safe place for winged messengers, beneficial bugs and other flying critters as well as the four footed friends that come for water and shelter--a safe place for them to raise their young in an environment free of pesticides and herbicides.
Instead, I crawl around on all fours and weed by hand under the citrus trees like I did yesterday. The roots are near the surface so I can't till the dirt too deep, but I do ever so gently pull the stubborn dollar weed that grow with a vengeance, not only under the citrus trees but everywhere.
I use the shovel to dig up pretty blue flowers with their roots leaving the lawn uneven with small indentations. I am multitasking by weeding and aerating. Then there are some miniature asters (my definition) that are easy to pull along with some clustered flowers with small light purple blooms. These flowered weeds do serve a purpose by attracting bees and insects for pollination in my garden.
There is one problem that I have with hand-weeding. I am wearing out garden gloves in no time. I mostly use the right hand for weeding and I always develop a large gash at the top of my middle finger. I am puzzled why my thumb is intact and so are the rest of my fingers. It is only the right middle finger. Maybe I shouldn't use it so much.
As I mentioned, I have often entertained the idea of using weed killer, but I have this sign prominently placed in the Park. It reminds me that it is my mission to protect the wild life by providing a safe place for winged messengers, beneficial bugs and other flying critters as well as the four footed friends that come for water and shelter--a safe place for them to raise their young in an environment free of pesticides and herbicides.
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Tomorrow is for X in the Challenge and I am looking forward to write about gardening using that letter and illustrate with an explicit picture. See you tomorrow!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Various Vines
In certain areas, like the Back Forty and Park, the vines sprout up spontaneously and grow very quickly. The Virginia Creepers make its appearance along tree trunks and the Honey Suckle makes its appearance known by its fragrance. The Morning Glory also climbs on an anything it can grab. There are other vines that are simply considered as weeds.
It is important to first determine what you want the vines to accomplish in the landscape. Are they going to be permanent or something fast growing for one season? Perennial vines usually are started from transplants or cuttings. They are slow growing and require trellis for support when large enough to provide shade.
Bougainvillea with its large cluster of red, pink, and even orange blossom is a great example of a perennial vine that grows best in full sun in the South. In a cooler climate, it is more commonly used as a houseplant but put outside in the summer.
Another perennial is the Clematis with many hues and is considered the most beautiful of northern climbers. It blooms on previous year's wood and does best in light, loamy, and well-drained soil. It is recommended that it be pruned after finishing blooming.
Annual vines are fast growing and offer good solutions for immediate shade for one summer. Morning Glory is an example of an annual vine that seems to reseed itself to return in the spring along fences and stumps. Some consider this a weed. It grows in any soil and blooms early in the morning.
I found that there is a Nasturtium vine with fragrant flowers. The flowers are edible and used as decorations on ice creams and other desserts. I read that this vine grows in poor soil and thrives on neglect which is good news for this gardener. At first chance, I plan to get some Nasturtium seeds to see how well they will grow around some stumps on the Back Forty.
It is important to first determine what you want the vines to accomplish in the landscape. Are they going to be permanent or something fast growing for one season? Perennial vines usually are started from transplants or cuttings. They are slow growing and require trellis for support when large enough to provide shade.
Bougainvillea with its large cluster of red, pink, and even orange blossom is a great example of a perennial vine that grows best in full sun in the South. In a cooler climate, it is more commonly used as a houseplant but put outside in the summer.
Another perennial is the Clematis with many hues and is considered the most beautiful of northern climbers. It blooms on previous year's wood and does best in light, loamy, and well-drained soil. It is recommended that it be pruned after finishing blooming.
Annual vines are fast growing and offer good solutions for immediate shade for one summer. Morning Glory is an example of an annual vine that seems to reseed itself to return in the spring along fences and stumps. Some consider this a weed. It grows in any soil and blooms early in the morning.
I found that there is a Nasturtium vine with fragrant flowers. The flowers are edible and used as decorations on ice creams and other desserts. I read that this vine grows in poor soil and thrives on neglect which is good news for this gardener. At first chance, I plan to get some Nasturtium seeds to see how well they will grow around some stumps on the Back Forty.
Thank you for visiting my humble blog. Please, leave a message.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Umbrella Plants
Different garden books give different definitions of the Umbrella Plant. One source claims that it is related to the Shefflerea and the other claims that it bears no resemblance to the Shefflera. It is related instead to the ancient Egyptian papyrus and is also called Nile Grass. This plant has feathery top growth and stiff stems grow from a clump with palmlike leaves radiating from the stems (Better Homes and Gardens).
Let's go with Miracle-Gro's information on the upright Umbrella Tree and the Shefflera. Both are fast growing plants with coarse leaves. They are both used as "architectural accents." I have several hardy Sheffleras in the Park. They are doing very well and they are a welcome addition to the landscape with its lush and dense greenery.
You will instantly recognize the Umbrella Plant as you walk through almost any lobby in an office building. You will also find them in a hospital setting or doctor's office. They require little care but provide a lot of green both inside and outside.
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Let's go with Miracle-Gro's information on the upright Umbrella Tree and the Shefflera. Both are fast growing plants with coarse leaves. They are both used as "architectural accents." I have several hardy Sheffleras in the Park. They are doing very well and they are a welcome addition to the landscape with its lush and dense greenery.You will instantly recognize the Umbrella Plant as you walk through almost any lobby in an office building. You will also find them in a hospital setting or doctor's office. They require little care but provide a lot of green both inside and outside.
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EXTRA...................................EXTRA.............................EXTRA
I am so excited! On Saturday, I get to write my blog using the letter X.
I would love for it to be group participation.
Please, join me!
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