Greetings!
Don't cut your perennials back too early. Wait until a hard killing frost to cut them back. This gives your plants every last moment to photosynthesize and continue to send energy into strengthening their root systems for winter.
Take a visit out to the MN Landscape Arboretum in the coming days. I was out there on October 6 for my daughter's school field trip and the combination of glorious weather and fall colors from the maple trees and grasses was invigorating.
Past newsletters are now archived and available for viewing. |
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Eradicating a Common Weed |
Quackgrass is an unwanted perennial (meaning it comes back year after year) weed that is tough to eradicate from your lawn. It reproduces by seed or by underground rhizomes. If you are mowing frequently, it often won't get to seed, but will spread via its rhizomes. Quackgrass will die back for the winter, only to have the rhizomes appear again in the spring. Quackgrass is aggressive and can quickly dominate a lawn.
 | | Use a non-selective herbicide to remove quackgrass. |
What makes quackgrass even more difficult than other perennial weeds is the method to control it. You will need a non-selective herbicide that contains glyphosate to control it chemically. A non-selective herbicide will kill all plant material it comes into contact with. Products like Round Up or Kleen Up are examples of non-selective herbicides.
You can spot spray or paint on the glyphosate to smaller patches of quackgrass. Applying the solution
when the plants are actively growing, and thoroughly wet the patch beforehand. Fall or spring are good times to attack this problem.
If quackgrass has consumed the lawn, it may make sense to apply the herbicide to the entire lawn. Do note what other plants, like shrubs and trees, are in the area. The roots of shrubs and trees will also absorb the non-selective herbicide and could kill or damage these plants.
It is best to start controlling this weed when its young and the problem is a small portion of the lawn.
For More Information: |
| What's Blooming? Showy Mt. Ash |
 | | Vibrant red fruit clusters and compound leaves of Showy Mt. Ash |
Showy Mountain Ash, Sorbus decora, is a nice accent and/or shade tree that can be used in smaller landscapes. What makes it showy is its clusters of white flowers in spring followed by bright scarlet berries lasting into winter. Its leaves turn red and orange in fall.
Showy mountain ash will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines.
It is best planted where it will receive full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. |
I welcome your feedback on the newsletter. If there are topics you want to learn more about, please email me at nancy.dahl@integra.net.
Sincerely,
Nancy Thorman Dahl, CLP
Cattail Design LLC
Creative Designs for Land and Lakeshore | |
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Money-Saving Tip |
 | | Preserve your basil now to add to your favorite Italian sauce in the winter. |
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Save money at the grocery store this winter by preserving your garden herbs now. Herbs such as basil, chervil, chives, cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic chives, mint, parsley, tarragon and thyme can be made into a paste and frozen in ice cube trays.
Cut your herb of choice, rinse, and remove the leaves from the plants, discarding the stems. For every packed cup of leaves you have, add ¾ cup of water and blend in a food processor or blender. Freeze the paste in ice cube trays and then store the cubes in freezer bags. Simply grab one or two out when preparing a recipe calling for herbs and add to the pot.
Excerpt from GardenMinnesota.com Tips and Clips newsletter. |
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