JOHN CRETTI LATE SUMMER GARDENING

Gardening with an ALTITUDE - Late summer reminders

John Cretti - Horticulturist

Protect Tree Trunks

Careless mowing and trimming practices can damage your valuable trees. Getting too close to the trunk with a lawn mower or weed whacker can nick off pieces of bark and create wounds. Additionally, weed trimmers with their nylon string can scar and cause injury to the lower trunk. You can prevent this unnecessary scaring by placing guards around the trunk.

Use Vinegar to Kill Weedy Clump Grasses

A non-toxic method for killing spots of clump grasses in the lawn is to spot-spray with undiluted vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with vinegar (five to ten percent acidity) and direct spray directly to the center of the clump grass. It will burn the grass and shallow roots. Be prepared for a brown, dead spot in your lawn.  Once dead, dig out the dead clump and replant with new grass seed or sod.

Keep Earwigs at Bay

Clean up around areas that provide refuge, such as overgrown ground covers, weeds, piles of leaves, and other debris. Among the most natural controls for earwigs are predators like toads and birds. They love to feast on these critters. One of my favorite ways of trapping earwigs is to place moistened rolled newspaper in areas where earwigs are known to thrive. In the morning, dispose of the papers and the insects-in-hiding.

Wash evergreens.

This is a good time to hose down foundation plantings of pfitzers, junipers and other evergreens in your landscape. Use a forceful spray of water to knock off infestations of spider mites and get rid of the dead foliage. You can even mix up a homemade soap spray to cleanse the foliage of dust and other particulate pollution.

Mushrooms in Lawns

Afternoon rain showers will make mushrooms and toadstools pop up in your lawn. Be wary of misinformation that suggests you spray your lawn with a fungicide to eliminate these fungi. You don’t need to worry about these mushrooms spreading a fatal lawn disease. Merely mowing or breaking off the mushrooms with a rake is an effective way of ridding the lawn of these growths. Lawn mushrooms and toadstools thrive on thatch accumulations and other organic debris in the lawn and soil.  Core aeration of the lawn is helpful to increase air circulation and reduce excessive mushroom growth.

For more timely garden tips please refer to my book: MONTH-BY-MONTH ROCKY MOUNTAIN Garden Guide (Cool Springs Press). This book highlights what to do each month to have a healthy and beautiful garden all year.