Lonestar Landscaping

LANDSCAPING WITH LARRY

SPRING AT LAST, SPRING AT LAST. THANK GOD ALMIGHTY IT'S SPRING AT LAST....
This is my favorite time of year. Tree's are budding, colors start blooming. Birds are singing, bee's are buzzing. If only it would rain.....let us pray.

Spring means it's time to fertilize. If it has been over 2 months since the last time you fertilized (granule) or 2 weeks since you fertilized with a liquid fertilizer, it's time to fertilize your winter annuals. If they are dark green and not blooming, dont fertilize. if they seem pale in color, an application of liquid fertilizer will help them. Otherwise, a slow release fertilizer should be fine for your beds.

This is a good time to fertilize your lawn, as well. Wait until you have mowed your yard at least twice, to assure your grass is growing. Use a walk behind spreader on wheels. For years extension educators have reccomended a 3-1-2 ratio for lawns. Whichever you choose, you want Nitrogen to be the dominant number. I'ts best to use a slow release fertilizer as this will feed your lawn more consistantly over a 3-4 month period.

You will need to know how many pounds of fertilizer you will need. This is determined by what type of grass you have. If you have St. Augustine, you will want to apply 2-3 lbs of fertilizer per 1,000 sq. ft. If you have common Bermuda grass, you will want to apply 2-3 lbs of fertilizer, as well, per 1,000 sq. ft. If you have hybrid Bermuda, you will want to apply 3-4 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. and if you have Buffalo grass you will only need 1-2 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. Zoysia grass requires 2-3 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. All these need to be applied 2-3 times a year except hybrid Bermuda, which should be applied 2-4 times a year and Buffola grass, which only needs 1-2 applications per year.
Feel free to have soil tests performed periodically, every 3-4 years, to be sure to maintain proper balances. Your local county extension agent can help you with this. Do not fertilize before a heavy rain (let us pray) as this can cause nutrients to run off into rivers, creeks, streams, and storm sewars, causing, among other things, a threat to the lives of fish. Remember, it's their home too.
SLUGS AND SNAILS AND PLANTS AND PAILS.....

Some thing else to keep in mind, slugs and snails are a big problem this time of year, destrowing leaves and plants. I recomend using selected baits. Pay close attention to label directions. A great ally in this fight are toads. Welcome them with open arms. Interesting fact: slugs and snails are amazingly attracted to the smell of beer, and here I thought my grandfather was the only one who had that attraction. If you poor beer into bowls and place them in your beds, at various places, the snails and slugs will crawl into the bowls, at which time, the beer will wash off the slime on there undersides and they cannot craw out again, and you thought beer was just a breakfast drink. Im a tea-totaller myself. This is a good way to trap and keep track of their population. Than you can tell your friends that you're a professional snail trapper. Boy, I should be doing stand-up... Anyway, if you have any questions or comments feel free to contact me at. Don't forget to pray for rain.