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I've recently provided information on turfgrass selection for fall seeding. With fall planting time at hand, hopefully many of us have already prepared the ground, acquired seed and either have planted or are ready to plant. Now I'd like to cover some tips for successful seed establishment.
The two keys to successful lawn seeding are proper rates and even dispersal. Evenness is best achieved by adjusting the seeder to a low setting and making several passes to ensure even distribution. Seeding a little on the heavy side with close overlapping is better than missing areas altogether, especially for the bunch-type tall fescue which does not spread. Multiple seeder passes in opposite directions should help avoid this problem.
A more serious error in seeding is using the improper rate. While bags of seed often do not detail rates like fertilizer bags do, stores where seed is purchased usually have this information, as do turf specialists, county agents, and extension publications. For tall fescue, shoot for around 6 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet for new areas and about half as much for overseeding. I've recently seen cases where a 50-pound bag of tall fescue seed was used to seed a 2,000 square foot lawn. This not only wastes money, it creates a stand so dense that it may be more prone to disease and other pest problems next year. The best way to avoid such a mistake is to determine the square footage of the yard first, and then calculate the amount of seed. Using too little seed can also be detrimental and result in clumpy turf that is not as visually pleasing.
Following seed dispersal, establishing good seed to soil contact is essential to good germination rates. This can be achieved through light hand raking, power raking over seeded areas, or simply through watering, be it rainfall or irrigation. Water is the most risky delivery option for seed since, if it in excess, it may wash seed from where it was originally placed. Following the heavy rains we had last week, be sure to watch for seeded areas not performing as you would expect. Washout, especially on slopes, was certainly a possibility and bare spots may have to be reseeded. Once seed sprouts, try to minimize how much traffic (foot, mower, dog, etc.) seeded areas receive until the seedlings are a little more robust and are ready to be mowed. Begin mowing once seedlings reach 3-4 inches tall. (MF)
Late September through October is an excellent time to plant spring-flowering bulbs such as crocus, tulips and daffodils. These plants need to develop roots in the fall and must meet a chilling requirement over the winter in order to bloom in the spring.
Choose a planting site that has full sun to partial shade. The ideal soil would be a sandy loam but even poor soils can be used if organic material such as peat moss, compost, or aged bark is mixed in. For example, a heavy clay can be amended by mixing in one-third to one-half organic material. Soil pH should be between 6.0 to 7.0.
Bulbs need good aeration as well as good drainage for proper development. It is best if the bulbs are given 12 inches of prepared soil. If one-third organic material were added, this would require mixing 4 inches of organic material with 8 inches of soil. Incorporate about 3 pounds of a complete fertilizer such as a 5-10-5 per 100 square feet during preparation.
Planting depths vary depending on the size of the bulbs. For example, tulips and hyacinths are set about 6 inches deep, and daffodils are put 6 to 8 inches deep. Smaller bulbs are planted shallower. As a rule of thumb, bulbs are planted two to three times as deep as their width. Planting depth is the distance from the bottom of the bulb to the top of the soil.
Large bulbs are normally spaced 4 to 6 inches apart, and small bulbs about 1 to 2 inches. Planting in clumps or irregular masses produces a better display than planting singly.
After placing the bulbs at the proper depth, replace half the soil and water. This will settle the soil around the bulbs and provide good bulb/soil contact. Add the remaining soil and water again. Although there will be no top growth in the fall, the roots are developing so the soil needs to be kept moist but not wet. Mulch can added after the soil has frozen to prevent small bulbs from being heaved out of the soil by alternate freezing and thawing. (WU)
If established bulb beds have been fertilized in the past, there is often plenty of phosphorus and potassium present in the soil. However, it is best to take a soil test to be sure. If the soil needs phosphorus and potassium, use a complete fertilizer (such as 10- 10-10, 9-9-6, etc.) at the rate of 2.5 pounds per 100 square feet. This would equal 1 rounded teaspoon per square foot. If phosphorus and potassium are not needed, blood meal makes an excellent fertilizer. It should be applied at the rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet or 1 teaspoon per square foot. Turf fertilizers such as a 27-3-3 or 30-3-3 can also be used but the rate would have to be cut to 1 pound per 100 square feet. (WU)
Many people with houseplants move some of them outside for the summer to give them better growing conditions and help them recover from the stress of an indoor environment. However, as fall approaches and night temperatures approach 50 degrees F, it is time to think about bringing these plants inside for the winter.
Houseplants that have been kept outdoors are accustomed to receiving much more sunlight than they do in an indoor environment. Research done in Florida in the late 1970s revealed that tropical plants grown under high light conditions produce "sun leaves" while those grown under low light conditions have "shade leaves." These leaf types differ structurally in that sun leaves have less chlorophyll (the substance that plants use to convert sunlight to energy), and the chlorophyll that is present is located deeper inside the leaf. Sun leaves also tend to be thick, small and numerous while shade leaves are thinner, larger and fewer in number. When plants are moved from one light condition to another they need time to adjust. This process is known as acclimatization. If they are forced to acclimatize too quickly, they will drop their sun leaves and produce a new set of shade leaves. If the acclimatization process is slower and less drastic, the plant can convert their sun leaves to the shade leaves that do better under low light. If going from shade to sun, this process is reversed.
So how do we help our houseplants acclimatize to the lower light levels we find inside? Houseplants brought in from outside should be started out in an area of the home that receives plenty of light and then gradually moved to their permanent, darker location. This process should take four to eight weeks depending on the degree of difference in light levels between the initial and final location of the plant.
Understanding plant processes allows us to anticipate potential problems. Acclimatization gives our houseplants a greater chance of retaining leaves and avoiding the stress of completely replacing them. (WU)
Contributors:
Ward Upham, Extension Associate; Matt Fagerness, Turfgrass
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