Moody's Nursery & Garden Center 

GREEN THUMB NOTES

Rob's Notes

Your Landscape

Protect Your Investment! For most families, the home is the largest investment they will make. With todays decline in Realestate values, how do you keep the value of your house as high as possible and maintain the best return on investment? Consider updating your Landscape. Updating your Landscape is one of the Top Five things that you can do to maintain your homes value without breaking the bugit. Landscape improvements are often the least expensive projects, and provide the greatest return on investment.

Consider curb appeal. Just trimming foundation plantings and adding fresh Bark Mulch will improve your homes curb appeal.

From simple maintenance, to entire landscape renovations Moodys Nursery can help with planning and implimenting your landscape. A well planned

landscape will add value and enjoyment to your home.

For more comprehensive projects such as Walkways, Patios, Landscape Renovations, and Irrigation, consider Moody's Excavation Services. We can get the hard work done economically to make your project easy.

Your Lawn

Renovating your lawn doesn't have to be a nightmare. The best way to start, is to visit Moody's Nursery for a Soil Test Kit. The Kit is Free at Moody's, The cost of the soil test is $12.00. Just take soil samples from several random locations on your lawn, then mail the sample to: Maine Soil Testing Service, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, Maine 04469-5722. They will analize the nutrient and lime requirements for your lawn and return a detailed report so you'll know just what you need.

Renovating your lawn is often a Done In A Day Project. We like those. By filling in the low spots with Moody's 50/50 Top Soil Mix, then using an overseeder, it's a snap.

Start by going over the lawn in two directions with the over seeder, but do not apply seed yet. Rake up and remove the thatch left by the overseeder.

Now is the time to apply Lime and fertilizer to the soil test specifications. If you did not opt for a soil test, then typically, 50 to 100 lbs of lime per 1,000 sq. ft. is a good start. Moody's highly recommends fertilizing with an Organic fertilizer at this time.

Now apply the Grass Seed. Be sure to use a quality Seed. The cheaper the seed, the more you need. 5 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. will do it. Quality Grass Seed has a higher percentage of Kentucky Bluegrass in it, a higher germination rate, and fewer weed seeds. (Beware of Kentucky 31. This is not a turf grass. Neither is Annual Bluegrass.) Rake the seed in. A leaf rake is the easiest way. Be sure to roll with a lawn roller after seeding. This step is important and most often skipped. Rolling the lawn ensures seed to soil contact for the most successful germination.

Renovating the Lawn may be the best time to consider adding an irrigation system, because the last step in seeding a lawn is Water, Water, Water. Moody's highly recommends at the very least, using garden hose timers, to turn the sprinklers on 3 times per day while the seed is germinating. Seed needs to remain moist through out the germination process, until the new plants have established a root system. Under ideal conditions, Kentucky Blue Grass takes 30 days to germinate. Most grass seed mixes contain annual rye grass seed. Annual Rye grass germinates in 5 days. The purpose of the annual rye grass is to stabilize the soil, and provide shade for other emerging grasses. The Annual Rye dies over the winter, and the second year, the Kentucky Blue Grass is free to fill in. So don't stop watering when you seed the first green fuzz of Annual Rye, the Kentucky Bluegrass has yet to come up. 

Much debate surrounds the use of hay. The seeds contained in hay are typically barnyard grasses. The crown of the barnyard grass is much higher than the crown of the Kentucky Bluegrass plant. Therefore, the barnyard grasses mow out of the new lawn. The same is true with straw. When water is adequately available, hay or straw is not required.

The first mowing should be done when the new grass reaches 6 inches in height, and should be mowed to a height of 3 inches. Collecting the clippings is optional. The least amount of traffic on a new lawn the better.

Fertilizing the lawn 45 days after seeding is desirable. Phosphorus is the fertilizer ingredient that promotes root growth. It is also the most mobile in the soil and has become a pollutant in our lakes and streams. A second feeding with an organic based fertilizer such as Turf Tone, or Pro-Grow will minimize the leaching of Phosphorus, and feed your soil as well as your lawn. Organic fertilizers typically have less nitrogen in them which is preferred for a new lawn. Hitting a new lawn with alot of nitrogen causes rapid plant growth, and the new plant root system may not be able to sustain high plant growth with an undeveloped root system. This usually becomes evident in warmer weather.

Now that your new lawn is up and growing, typical maintenance is all that is required to keep your lawn beautiful. Follow the guide below for easy maintenance.

1. Fertilize: Fertilize with an organic based fertilizer. Apply no more than 2 lbs of nitrogen per application, and no more than 5 lbs per year. For best results, apply the first application in Early Spring, a Second in Late Spring, a Third in Summer (not during hot dry weather) a Fourth in Early Fall and a Fifth in Late Fall. Do not apply when grass leaves are wet, and water the lawn immediately after fertilizing.

2. Lime: The bacteria that change and release nitrogen from organic matter and fertilizers operate best when the soil pH is 5.5 to 7.0. This is why Lime is so important. The fertilizer is not available to the grass plants

if the pH is not correct. To start, 50 to 100 lbs of lime per 1000 sq. ft. is typically required to sufficiently alter pH. Once the pH has been adjusted, it can be maintained in sandy soils with a light application of lime every 2 years, and every 5 years in clay soil. Lime can be applied anytime however, late fall and winter are best.

3. Water: Lawns require 1 inch of water per week for optimum

health. For best results deep watering works best. Frequent watering at short intervals promotes a shallow root system that is not healthy for the lawn. Once or twice a week is preferred.

4. Mowing: 3 inches is the preferred mowing height for Kentucky Bluegrass. It is only necessary to collect clippings when grass clippings are long enough to sit on top of the lawn. They will shade the underlying grass, and have the potential to burn. Keep the lawn mower blade sharp to provide a clean cut.

5. Weeds: A properly maintained lawn has little to fear from weeds. Weeds are the primary reason for lawn renovation. To control crab grass, a preemergent crabgrass cotrol is recommended. Beware that preemergents prevent seed germination, and will prevent grass seed from germinating should you decide to seed later. Postemergent weed and feed products should be used sparingly and the directions on the bag should be followed. If proper maintenance practices are followed, weed control will not be an issue and existing weed problems can be reversed. It does take time.

How To Dig The Perfect Hole

What does a hole have to do with anything? One of the first things we have to teach our new landscapers is How To Dig A Hole.

If you have any doubts as to how critical hole digging is, ask Bill Thompson. He was trained under the watchful eye of Robert W. Moody Sr. If you doubt watchful, Bill will explain that, and I believe he will smile as he explaines. As for myself, when on a jobsite, I can explain why you don't sit in a wheelbarrow when you're tired, why you look busy on the job, even if you're not, and why you don't eat until lunchtime. I think Bill enjoyed watching me learn 1 or 2 of those.

So, back to the hole. The perfect hole for a plant is unique to the plant. The hole diameter should be two times the diameter of the plant root structure, and perfectly round if you please. The Perfect Hole must be deep enough for the plant, but shallow enough as to keep the plant out of the ground 3 to 4 inches after planting, to allow for Bark Mulch. When planting a balled and burlapped tree, adjust the depth of the hole for the root flair. The root flair may have been covered with soil during cultivation and harvest. The best way to find the root flair is by spraying water on the top of the rootball and use your fingers to remove the soil to the top layer of roots. I have found root flairs as deep as 12 inches into the top of a root ball. The worst way, is with a shovel. If the burlap needs to remain on the tree for planting purposes, probing with a piece of wire to find the root flair is acceptable. When planting a potted plant, scarify the sides of the root structure to stop roots from circling and girdling the rootball. Prune larger roots if necessary. An interesting side note is that several years ago, we were asked to remove two plants that were planted side by side and of the same species. One plant looked fine, the other was much smaller and noticeably struggling. After digging the two plants up, the weaker plant had girdled roots. The bottom of the hole must be flat and tamped solid to prevent settling. Try not to dig deeper than necessary, but if you do, shim with some soil and tamp with your feet. The sides should be at a 90 degrees to the bottom. But why you ask?

Amend your soil with compost (25%-50%) and back fill. Now comes the fun part, Turn the hose on and poke the hose into the soil between the side of the hole and the root structure of the plant, all the way around. On a balled and burlapped tree, if you're not wet to the elbow, you're not watering deep enough. The purpose of this excercise is to settle the soil around the root structure of the plant, preventing air pockets. Let the soil drain, add some soil to fill the hole and tamp lightly with your foot. Do not mound soil around the base of the plant. Do not mound bark mulch up around the base of the plant. We've all seen it done, but that doesn't make it right. The perfect hole allows for a generous backfill of amended soil, for soil settling in a predictable manner and prevents frost heaving in winter.

When planting trees, asses the rootball. If the root ball is SOLID, we recommend removing the basket after the tree is in the hole. If the rootball is not solid, then DO NOT. ALWAYS remove the burlap and string from around the trunk once the rootball is supported with backfill soil. 

How do you remove the basket? Position the tree near the edge of the hole, and gently lay it on its side. With bolt cutters remove the bottom third of the basket leaving the top of the basket intact, string, burlap and all, while planting. With the tree laying on its side, GENTLY, roll the tree into the hole straightening it up as it rolls into the hole, in one smooth motion. Use the remaining string and basket to position the tree straight, and in the center of the hole. Avoid using the trunk for leverage. The tree must be able to stand straight and tall on its own before backfilling. If the rootball is solid, remove the remaining basket and backfill and water as described above. The benefits of a large diameter hole will be appreciated at this step. If the rootball is not solid, then backfill 3/4 of the hole to support the rootball, remove only the top loops of the basket, the string and burlap. Water and backfill as described above.

To GUY or not to GUY. The latest research indicates that trees left to sway in the wind develop stronger root systems. That being said, trees most often tip over during extreme weather events of high wind and soaking rain. A middle of the road approach is to loosly guy the tree promoting swaying yet preventing tip over during extreme events. ALWAYS use a chafe guard. Running the guy wire or rope through an old piece of garden hose to protect the tree trunk works best.

To AMEND or not to AMEND your soil. That is the newest controversy.

Moody's Nursery, since 1935, has recommended soil amending. Experience  has taught us that amending planting soil gets plants off to a better start and provides nutrients while the plant begins to establish a root system.  You have made the investment in a plant, please give it the best start that you can. We recommend a 25% to 50% mix of commercially prepaired compost to parent soil for amending. Equal parts of peatmoss, commercial cow manure, or compost, and parent soil will also work.  

Plant Them High and They'll Get By. Plant them Low They're Gonna Go.

Water Weekly, Water Deeply.

Follow these two rules for successful planting. Lack of water and planting too deep are the two main causes of plant mortality.

These planting techniques were established by Charles Moody, a graduate of the University of Maine at Orono in Forestry.