Using Milorganite® As A Deer Repellant

Source(s): Michael T. Mengak


A growing human population is leading to increased land development. Many home owners maintain gardens and landscapes around their homes. Often, wildlife and humans come into contact with each other, resulting in damage to human property. Often in these cases, intensive deer management is needed.

Milorganite40LbBag

Introduction

White-tailed deer provide aesthetic and economic value, but deer can cause a variety of negative economic impacts. Deer can damage personal property, agronomic crops, landscape plantings, and food plots, and they serve as a host for diseases common to livestock and humans. Unlike some nuisance animals (fire ants, termites or rats, for example), deer cannot be casually eliminated when conflicts arise. Landowners are often expected to carry the entire burden of support for this public resource. Deer damage control can be a difficult social and political problem as well as a biological and logistical one. Scare devices, repellents and shooting are all considered effective strategies to control deer damage.

Many homeowners would like an inexpensive but effective control method to safety reduce deer damage. Repellents are often used intensively around orchards, gardens, ornamental plants and agronomic crops. New repellents continue to enter the market, but their effectiveness varies. Success is determined based on the reduction of damage, not total elimination. Repellents generally rely on fear, pain, taste or conditioned avoidance to change deer behavior. Three methods used to deliver repellents: incorporated into the plant (systemic delivery), spread throughout an area (area delivery), and applied to the plant (contact delivery). The effect of repellents varies depending on several factors including deer density, alternate food sources and changes in plant palatability. Milorganite® has been suggested as an area repellent for use in the spring and summer in Georgia to control deer damage. We tested the effectiveness of Milorganite® on ornamental plants. The specific objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Milorganite® as a temporary deer repellent when applied to established ornamental plants during the summer.

About Milorganite®

In 1913, the legislature in Wisconsin passed an act to create a sewage commission responsible for cleaning up the waterways. During the same year, a chemist in Birmingham, England, was conducting experiments with the biosludge in sewage. The Milwaukee Sewage Commission adopted this new process for use on December 31, 1919. Jones island, on the shore of Lake Michigan, was chosen as the site of the world’s first large-scale activated sludge treatment plant, the Jones Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. The main purpose of the Jones Island plant was to produce clean water, but they were faced with the problem of disposing of the biosolids left from the activated sludge process. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) established a fellowship at the University of Wisconsin College of Agriculture to investigate uses of activated sludge as fertilizer. O. J. Noer was the primary investigator. After experimenting with field crops and vegetables, Noer focused on the use of the organic fertilizer on lawns. Based on his research, Noer concluded that the organic, slow release fertilizer can be safely applied to plants, without the risk of burning, while providing long-lasting results. The trade name, Milorganite®, was derived from MILwaukee ORGAnic NITrogEn. This product is often used for soil amendment purposes rather than as a fertilizer because of the low Nitrogen-Phosphorus- Potassium (N-P-K) values of 6-2-0. The cost 40-pound bag usually runs from $7.00 to $10.00. Milorganite® is commercially sold by fertilizer dealers throughout the United States.

Methods

Research was conducted on the Berry College campus north Georgia. Deer density in the area was estimated by Georgia Department of Natural Resources to be 35-50 deer per square mile. The campus contained two research sites: Campus site and Oak Hill Garden site. At the Campus site, test plants were small and we counted the number of terminal buds prior to planting. Then, at approximately seven-day intervals, we again counted the number of buds to determine the extent of deer damage. The difference in number of buds was an index of deer damage. At the Oak Hill Garden site, the chrysanthemums were larger with abundant buds so we counted those bud bites at approximately seven-day intervals. A bud bite was recorded if the flower bud was removed from the stalk. All bites were assumed to be due to deer. We also measured the mean plant height for each plant at each site.

Campus Site

Chrysanthemums (C. morifolium var. Sunny Linda) were planted in three plots at the Campus site. The plots were separated by about 400 yards. Each plot contained a row of 10 control and 10 treatment plants 1 foot apart. Rows of the control and the treatment plants were separated by 9 feet. Prior to planting, all terminal buds were counted, and plants were assigned to respective locations based on the number of terminal buds. Thus the total initial numbers of available terminal buds were similar for each plot. The treatment plants received an application of Milorganite® equal to 0.25 pounds (4 oz) per plant. Milorganite® was applied the same day of planting to minimize any pre-test damage done by deer. After planting, the number of existing terminal buds/blooms and plant height to the highest terminal bud (in inches) was recorded for 35 days. Milorganite® was weighed and spread by hand around each plant.

Oak Hill Garden Site

The Oak Hill Garden site was planted with approximately 1,000 chrysanthemums among three plots within established formal garden areas. Each plot contained 20 control and 20 treatment plants. Spacing between mums was similar to the Campus site. However, because of the orientation of the formal gardens, distance between respective control and treatment plants was 30 feet at two of the plots and 60 feet at the third site. The treatment plants received application rate of 4 ounces per plant of Milorganite®. Because of the level of plant maturity, we counted the number of bites to terminal flower buds and measured plant height to the tallest terminal bud (inches) for each plant during a 28-day period.

Results

Campus Site

The average number of terminal buds for each plant across the three plots prior to planting was 72.10(treatment) and 72.23(control). The average plant height for all plants was also similar(7.5-8.0 inches). Throughout the 35-day trial, the number of terminal buds that remained on the Milorganite® treated plants significantly exceeded the controls. The presence of a greater number of terminal buds at days 21 and 28 compared to the numbers recorded immediately prior to the opportunity to grow due to limited browsing damage. Average plant height was consistently and significantly higher for the Milorganite® treated mums as compared to respective controls following the initial planting.

Oak Hill Garden Site

The average number of terminal bites was consistently greater on the untreated control plants than on the Milorganite treated plants over the 28 day observation period. While damage recorded as the removal of terminal buds (terminal bud bites) occurred for both treatment and controls, plants treated with Milorganite® had fewer average terminal bud bites. Because of the maturity of the chrysanthemums used at these sites, changes in height would be expected to be more of a function of degree of deer damage as compared to plant growth. While number of terminal bud bites was lower (meaning more buds were unbrowsed) for the treated mums throughout the 28-day trial, average plant height decreased on days 7 and 14 before returning to heights similar to the controls.

Conclusions

From these results, we concluded that Milorganite® has potential as a deer repellent for ornamental plants. Though the repellent did not eliminate deer damage, it reduced the overall impact. The effectiveness of a repellent is highly dependent on climatic conditions, deer density, and resource availability. High deer densities and low resource availability may reduce the efficacy of Milorganite® as a repellent. Reduction of plant damage may further be improved if Milorganite® is reapplied when deer damage is initially observed. Further research involving different application rates and different plant varieties will prove useful in determining the deer’s tolerance level to Milorganite®.


Center Publication Number: 193

Using Milorganite® to Temporarily Repel White-Tailed Deer From Food Plots

Source(s): Michael T. Mengak

 


Wildlife managers use food plots to increase a property’s value to wildlife. These plantings provide supplemental forage to wildlife during periods when native vegetation is less abundant or lacks nutritional quality. Because deer often prefer fertilized food plot plants to naturally available plants, however, over-browsing can damage food plots before they become sufficiently established.

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Deer over-browsing reduces overall production of food plots and often leads preferred plants being replaced by less desirable invasive plants. Managers often blame poor seed or soil quality for food plot failures when deer over-browsing during establishment is the real reason for less desirable results. The only way to ensure that vigorous food plots are available to wildlife during critical periods is to prevent deer over-browsing during establishment. This is particularly true when considering summer food plots because many summer annuals become damaged and die when deer browse during early vegetative growth. Therefore, when deer are abundant on a property, managers are wise to protect summer food plots from browsing until they are adequately established to withstand browsing damage.

Repellents are often used to deter deer damage to orchards, gardens, ornamental plants and agronomic crops. Repellents generally rely on fear, pain, taste or conditioned avoidance to discourage deer browsing. Odor and/or taste-based repellents may be applied to individual plants (systematic and contact deliveries) or spread throughout an area that contains multiple plants (area delivery). New repellents continue to enter the commercial market, but their efficacy varies depending on several factors including deer density, available food resources and seasonal changes in plant palatability. Milorganite® has been suggested as an area delivery repellent for use in the spring and summer in Georgia to control deer damage to multiple plantings.

We tested the efficacy of Milorganite® as an area delivered repellent to temporarily reduce deer damage to soybeans (Glycine max) planted as supplemental summer forage for wildlife. The specific objective of this study was to determine if Milorganite® treatments would provide newly germinated soybean plants with protection from deer browsing until they were sufficiently established to survive damage.

About Milorganite®

In 1913, the Wisconsin legislature passed an act to create a sewage commission responsible for cleaning up the waterways. During the same year, a chemist in Birmingham, England, conducted the first experiments to focus on purifying wastewater containing biosludge from human sewage. The Milwaukee Sewage Commission adopted this new process for use on December 31, 1919. The world’s first large scale wastewater treatment plant was constructed on Jones Island, near the shore of Lake Michigan.

The purpose of the Jones Island facility was to produce clean water from water containing human sewage. Although they achieved this task, they soon realized the difficulty of disposing of large amounts of biosolids, a product of the water purification process. To help solve the problem of biosolid disposal, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District established a fellowship at the University of Wisconsin College of Agriculture to study the value of biosolid sludge as a fertilizer product. Professor O. J. Noer was the primary investigator. After experimenting with field crops and vegetables, Dr. Noer focused on the value of this organic fertilizer to residential lawns. Based on his research, Dr. Noer concluded that processed biosolid sludge was an effective organic, slow release fertilizer that could be safely applied to a variety of plants.

The trade name, Milorganite®, was chosen for the product. The name was derived from MILwaukee ORGAnic NITrogEn. Today, this product is often used for soil amendment purposes rather than a fertilizer because of the low Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (6-2-0) components. Milorganite® is relatively inexpensive when compared to other commercially available fertilizers and is distributed by fertilizer dealers throughout the United States.

Methods

Our research was conducted on five properties in the Piedmont Physiographic Region of north Georgia. We did not estimate deer population density but believed deer density on each property ranged from 30-50+ deer per square mile. We did not measure composition of native plant communities or abundance of individual plant species but did recognize that differences might have existed. On each property, we selected two 0.2- hectare plots (control/treatment) separated by 15-300 meters of natural vegetation based on various site characteristics. Before planting soybeans, we applied fertilizer and lime to each plot according to the soil test recommendations provided by the University of Georgia Soil Test Laboratory, Athens, Ga.

Each plot was plowed and smoothed before we used a no-till drill to plant 60 pounds/acre of soybean seeds. When soybean plants began to emerge from the seedbed, we used the seed spreader on a tractor to broadcast 240 pounds per acre of Milorganite® to each plot. Once soybean plants were sufficiently emerged (about 1 inch tall) in a plot, we randomly selected 100 plants from each of five rows (500 plants) as a sub-sample to include in bi-weekly monitoring. We monitored the estimated amount of deer browsing damage to the subsample of soybean plants at each plot. We observed each of the 500 plants on each plot. If the plant had any evidence of browsing or if the plant was completely gone, we scored it as “browsed.” Otherwise, we scored it as “unbrowsed.” We collected data for up to 37 days after first plant emergence.

Results

We observed location related (i.e., property) differences in percentage of soybean plants browsed during the 37-day monitoring period. The mean percentage of plants browsed among the five treatment and control sites 3 days after emergence was 23.9 percent and 54.4 percent, respectively. The treatment sites on days 6, 12, 20 and 30 had an average percentage of plants browsed of 33.3 percent, 40.2 percent, 59.2 percent and 80.2 percent, respectively. On the same days, the control sites (no Milorganite®) had an average percentage of browsed plants of 81.7 percent, 96.6 percent, 99.6 percent and 100 percent, respectively.

Conclusions

We concluded that Milorganite®, when broadcast over newly emerging soybeans, is an effective temporary deer repellent, which reduces negative effects of deer browsing and benefits wildlife food plot establishment. The repellent does not eliminate deer damage, however, and efficacy varies by location. Although we did not measure environmental differences among locations, we believe weather, deer density and alternative food source availability likely influence locationspecific efficacy. Extreme weather conditions coupled with high deer densities and low resource availability may reduce the efficacy of Milorganite® as a repellent. Reduction of deer damage may further increase if Milorganite® is reapplied at day 14, as suggested by the figures 3 and 4. Further research involving different application rates will prove useful in determining the deers’ tolerance level to Milorganite®. Our results suggest that landowners, farmers and sportsmen may be able to establish large-seeded legumes like soybeans in a food plot if Milorganite® is applied at planting but before damage begins. Once the plants are established, further treatment with a repellent is not necessary and soybeans are an excellent food for deer.

Individuals needing more information are encouraged to contact the author by email at mmengak@warnell.uga.edu or by phone (706-583-8096).


Resource(s):
Deer Tolerant Ornamental Plants
Center Publication Number: 199

Using Wood Chips

Source(s): Gary R Peiffer


Powerful tornadoes and thunderstorms often rake across Georgia in the spring. Trees fall, limbs are snapped and landscapes are devastated. After a storm, homeowners, landscapers and tree companies are faced with mounds of wood chips that must be used on site or taken to a local composting facility.

Using Wood Chips

Homeowners may have questions about using chips in their landscape. Here is a collection of pointers from Dr. Kim Coder, Extension Forest Resources Specialist:

  • The use of chips as mulch for shrubs and trees is absolutely their best use. Chips conserve moisture, prevent weeds and grass growing in the root area and keep the plant roots cool.
  • The appropriate thickness of the layer of chips depends on the proportion of “fuses” in the mix. If you hold a double handful of the chip mix in a breeze and let it sift through your fingers, the fines (small pieces of leaves and needles) blow several feet away. The heavy, coarse chips fall to the ground quickly.
  • If there is a high proportion of fines, the chip layer should be 2 inches thick.
  • If the mix is mostly coarse chips, the layer can be up to 4 inches thick.

Homeowners may be worried about the chips poisoning their plants. In scientific terms, this is called “allelopathy”. You are probably aware that black walnut trees prevent many plants from growing underneath their canopy. But walnut chips exhibit very little allelopathy. In fact there is rarely a reason for a homeowner to be concerned with this problem. Only in unusual circumstances do wood chips inhibit woody plant growth. If a chip pile is rained on a few times before it is spread, all of the tannins from oak trees (which might harm willows and shallow-rooted trees) will be washed out.

Use caution before spreading pine chips under pine trees. The chips are strongly attractive to the black turpentine beetle and moderately attractive to the Southern Pine Beetle. It is best to use pine chips under hardwood trees and shrubs. Use hardwood chips under pine trees.

Suggested uses for wood chips:

  • Mulch
  • Parking areas
  • Nature trails
  • Dog runs
  • Playgrounds
  • Soil amendment (if piled in one place to rot for two years)

Resource(s):

Composting and Mulching

Center Publication Number: 21

Carpenter Bees

Source(s): Maxcy P. Nolan, Former Extension Entomologist, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.


The carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica (Linnaeus), normally attracts quite a bit of attention in Georgia in late spring and early summer. Since it closely resembles the bumble bee, is quite large and attacks wood around homes, it can become an important household and structural pest.

APPEARANCE

Adult carpenter bees are large, one inch or slightly longer, robust insects. They are blackish in color and possess yellowish hairs mostly on the thorax. The abdomen is shiny black and is bare of hairs on top. This helps distinguish carpenter bees from bumble bees which are similar in size and coloration but bumble bees have yellowish hairs on top of their abdomen.

Carpenter bee eggs, larvae and pupae are seldom seen since they are out of sight in cells within galleries constructed in wood. When wood containing carpenter bees is opened to expose the immature, larvae are legless, white grubs and pupae resemble adults.

DAMAGE

Carpenter bees burrow into the exposed dry wood of buildings, telephone poles, fence posts, etc. causing an unsightly appearance to the wood and structural weakness. They usually choose wood that is soft and easy to work. They seem to particularly prefer California redwood, cypress, cedar, white pine and southern yellow pine. Other woods, even seasoned hardwoods, may be attacked if they have been softened by being unprotected and exposed to the weather for extended periods of time. Bare wood is preferred. Carpenter bees usually avoid well-painted wood and wood with bark on it. Wood with a stain or light coat of paint can be attacked. Also, wood that has been lightly pressure treated with metallic salts for above ground use, such as for decks, could become infested.

Female carpenter bees use their mandibles to bore 1/2 inch round holes into wood. About one inch of gallery is constructed every 6 days. Galleries normally run with the grain for 4 to 12 inches or even further when old galleries are extended.

Female carpenter bees seldom sting but when disturbed or handled they can inflict a painful sting. Male carpenter bees cannot sting but they often become aggressive and frighten people when they fly about their heads.

BIOLOGY AND HABITS

In the late spring and early summer, adult carpenter bees emerge from protected overwintering sites such as old nest galleries. These fertilized females soon begin boring into susceptible wood. After a gallery has been constructed, an egg is deposited with a mass of pollen and nectar. Then the egg with provisions is sealed off with a plug of wood pulp and saliva. The process is continued at the rate of one cell each day until approximately six cells are constructed. Adults then soon die. The larval period extends 30-45 days and the pupal period 14 days. Development form egg to adult requires 5 to 7 weeks or longer depending on temperatures.

CONTROL

There are at least three methods that could be used to control carpenter bees: 1. Aerosol treatments of insecticides applied directly to adult carpenter bees. 2. Residual surface and gallery treatments with insecticides and 3. Preventive treatments such as painting wood with thick coats of oil based or latex paints.

1. Aerosol insecticide sprays labeled for use to control flying insects and bees can be applied directly to carpenter bees. Care should be taken to prevent being stung. The oil based carrier and the insecticide will kill carpenter bees if applied directly to them. A few aerosols are available which have long range capabilities. These could be effective and safer to use than conventional aerosol sprays.

2. Residual applications of insecticides such as permethrin and cyfluthrin sprays can be applied to outdoor wooden surfaces which are being attacked by carpenter bees. An unsightly insecticide deposit could occur on treated wood so care should be taken. Nests or galleries can be treated directly with these insecticides or with others such as carbaryl or deltamethrin dusts that are labeled for carpenter bee control. Carpenter bees will be controlled when they contact the residual insecticide deposit.

Several days following treatment, after carpenter bee activity has ceased, holes can be plugged with dowel rods, plastic wood or with other suitable materials. If carpenter bees continue to attack the wood, additional residual insecticide treatments may be required at weekly or twice weekly intervals.

3. Wood which has been recently painted with oil based or latex paint will not normally be attacked by carpenter bees. Pressure treated wood is often resistant to attacks until it has weather for several years.

If you are looking for organic controls, there are only a couple of options which you can use. Boric acid can be used to control carpenter bees by placing this powder in the area or in the holes they make. Secondly, spraying pyrethrins can be effective, these chemicals are derived from chrysanthemums and are generally not considered to be dangerous.

Professional pest control operators can be especially helpful when carpenter bees are a problem. They are trained and equipped to handle carpenter bee infestations in even the most difficult to treat areas.


Center Publication Number: 23

Virginia Buttonweed, can be Difficult to Control in Lawn and Landscape

Source(s): Jacob G Price


Virginia buttonweed is a low-growing, spreading weed that is difficult to control in lawn and landscape situations. It commonly grows in moist sites, such as woods and marshes, but can be especially troublesome in turfgrass areas.

 

Virginia Buttonweed Description:

A spreading perennial weed with slightly hairy, branched stems. Leaves are opposite and lance shaped. Opposite leaves are joined across the stem by a membrane. Virginia buttonweed has white tubular flowers with four lobes that are found at each leaf axil along the stem. This plant produces a green fruit that is elliptical, hairy and ridged and is also found at each leaf axil. Virginia buttonweed reproduces by seed as well as root and stem pieces. Leaves often turn mottled yellow in summer as a result of a virus.

Virginia Buttonweed Control in Turf:

Cultural:

If only a few plants are present, spot treat with Roundup or physically remove by digging. Remove all plant parts and soil, and replace with weed-free soil.

Post emergence:

Most herbicides only offer fair control(70-79%) and repeat applications are usually needed. Products containing 2,4-D, MCPP and dicamba, such as Weed-B-Gon and Weed Stop, are available at most garden centers and nurseries for use on bermuda, zoysia, centipede and fescue lawns. In centipedegrass and St. Augustine grass, premergence applications of atrazine (Bonus S) will help to control Virginia buttonweed plants that arise from seed, but will not effectively control plants that regrow from the roots. Always read the label when using herbicides and follow all ‘Directions for Use’ instructions. Refer to labels for specific rates for each type of grass. Be sure to keep these products away from nearby ornamental plants and do not re-seed or re-sod for at least 3 weeks. Virginia buttonweed flourishes in wet conditions; therefore, try to control excess water. Provide good drainage to areas infested with this weed.

Pre-emergence:

At this time, no pre-emergence controls have been effective.

Virginia Buttonweed Control in Ornamentals:

Roundup (glyphosate) provides good control(80-89%). Take special care to prevent drift of Roundup to nearby desirable plants and turf.


Resource(s):

Georgia Turf
Weed Management

Center Publication Number: 96

Care of Young Shade and Street Trees

Source(s): Kim D. Coder, Professor of Community Forestry, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia


Young trees in the landscape, less than three to five years old, require special care to insure establishment and rapid growth. Proper early care helps young trees develop an adequate root system and a strong supportive branch structure. The time and expense invested to train a young tree is much less than treating problems as the tree matures.

young_tree

Young trees may require staking, wrapping and corrective pruning. Proper mulching and control of competition can speed growth. In addition, trees require plenty of available water and essential elements for good growth. Young trees need protection from construction activities, lawn mowers and weed eaters, vandals, and pests.

Pruning

Young street and shade trees require proper pruning. Early pruning improves overall structure and corrects branch defects. Early pruning eliminates problems which become severe in middle and old age. Pruning shade and street trees develops and maintains a central dominant leader. Double or co-dominant leaders (forks) should be removed. Select the main leader early and maintain strong side branches. These side branches become the major limbs supporting the weight of the tree later in life. Remove dead, diseased and broken branches. Prune out deformed and crossing branches.

Many side branches should occur singly (alternately) on shade and street trees. However, trees such as ash and maple frequently have major branches occurring in pairs across the main stem. They can be pruned alternately up to 12 to 18 feet. Select and maintain major side branches spaced 24 to 36 inches apart on alternating sides of the stem. Also, select branches with wide angles of attachment, 60 to 90 degrees between the trunk and the branch. remove all waterspouts and basal sprouts.

Staking

Most established young trees can stand alone against wind and not be staked. Young trees with excessively long new shoots or those exposed to windy sites may require staking to remain upright. Stake young trees that are susceptible to blowing over. Anchorage staking holds the roots or root ball stationary until roots become anchored. Use two or three short stakes for anchorage. Extend stakes 12 to 18 inches above the ground. Loop one tie strap loosely around each stake and around the tree trunk. Low attachment prevents root ball dislodgement yet allows the top to move. Staking is temporary. Be sure to check ties frequently.

Support staking aids trees whose trunks are not strong enough to stand upright or fail to return upright. Support the top about six inches above the lowest level at which the trunk can be held and remain upright. This allows top flexibility while providing support. Support the trunk so it can flex without rubbing against the stakes or ties. This must not damage tender bark or girdle the expanding trunk. Support staking holds the tree upright until it can stand alone.

Wrapping

Newly-planted thin bark trees such as red maple or cherries may benefit from wrapping the trunks at planting. Thin barked trees planted on hot sites are very susceptible to sunscald. Commercial tree wraps or plastic tree guards will protect young trees. Spring planted trees can be susceptible to sunburn. The high temperatures from the summer sun may kill the cambium. Tree wraps insulate the cambium.

Young trees may require protection from sunscald. Sunscald occurs when the cambium of thin barked trees heats up during sunny fall or winter days. Colder temperatures that follow warm periods kill cambium cells in the trunk. Long vertical scars run down the trunk from near the lower most branches to the soil line. Injury usually occurs on the southwest side of the trunk. Thin bark maples and cherries, 4 to 5 inches in diameter, may require wrapping in fall to prevent sunscald.

Tree wraps also protect young trees from girdling by rodents. Start at the base of the trunk and wrap up to the lowermost limbs. Overlap each layer one-half inch. Wrap in the fall and leave the tree wrap on throughout the winter and early spring. Tree wrap is temporary and no longer needed once the tree develops corky bark.

Fertilization

Young trees growing in turf areas that are regularly fertilized do not usually require additional fertilization. Trees showing poor growth require a soil test to determine if essential elements are in short supply. When nitrogen is required, fertilize trees by applying 3 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of area per year. Make two or three applications, one each in April, June and October(optional) at 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. Water each site after applying the fertilizer. Fertilizing trees with a turfgrass or groundcover understory requires multiple applications at light rates to avoid injury to the turfgrass or groundcover plants.

Mulching

Mulches aid in the establishment and growth of young trees. They conserve moisture by reducing evaporation from the soil surface. Mulches reduce erosion and water run-off. Mulches reduce competition and compaction. Mulches can effectively reduce summer soil temperatures to create a more favorable root environment. Organic mulches break down and add essential elements to the soil. Do not mulch wet sites, as mulch materials keep soils overly moist by retaining too much soil water.

To improve growth, mulch young trees out beyond the edge of the canopy. Use three to four inches of an organic mulch. Mulches eliminate the need for groundcovers and turfgrasses beneath young trees, thereby reducing competition for essential elements and moisture. Mulching prevents serious injuries to young tree trunks because there is no need to mow or use string-trimmers beneath trees.

Appropriate mulches include pine bark, pine straw and wood chips. Organic mulches more effectively insulate the soil than inorganic or rock mulches. Pull all mulches back from the trunk four to six inches to prevent diseases from invading the trunk. Rodents may live and burrow in loose mulches, so be alert for these pests.

Improving Growth

You can improve young tree growth by following a few basic cultural practices. First, eliminate competition from turfgrasses and groundcovers underneath young trees. Second, mulch beneath the canopy and out beyond the edge of the foliage to improve the root zone environment. Third, surface apply fertilizers directly to the mulched area. Fourth, water during periods of drought. Fifth, keep lawn mowers and string-trimmers away from tree trunks. These steps will improve growth, even on slow-growing trees.


Resource(s):

Center Publication Number: 224

Volcano Mulching

Source(s): Chris Starbuck, Woody Ornamental Horticulture, Cooperative Extension, University of Missouri.


Mulching is one of the most important cultural practices to help new trees and shrubs get established and keep them healthy. Mulch conserves soil moisture, moderates soil temperature, reduces competition from roots of weeds and turf and generally facilitates penetration of water to the roots of woody plants. However, as the old saying goes, “too much of a good thing, is not a good thing.”

Mulching1

A common mulching practice now being used by some landscapers is to place mulch in a 2- to 3-foot diameter circle and 8 to 12 inches deep around newly-planted trees and shrubs. The mulch material is simply piled up and around the trunk to form a “volcano.” Although it may be said that a mulch volcano is generally better than no mulch at all, volcano-mulching can have serious negative effects on plant health. First, when mulch is placed more than about 4 inches deep, roots tend to “migrate” up into the mulch during rainy periods or when the area is irrigated. This is partly due to (temporarily) favorable root growth conditions in the mulch and partly to the suffocation of deep roots due to mulch-induced water-logging of the underlying soil. Then, when drought conditions occur, volcano-mulched plants may come under severe stress because many roots are growing in the mulch material which has considerably less water-holding capacity than real soil.

Another problem sometimes associated with mulch volcanoes that can kill new trees is the “umbrella” effect. The surfaces of mulch volcanoes around shrubs and trees can become hydrophobic due to fungal activity and act very effectively as umbrellas, shedding water to the surrounding area. This is more common in high carbon mulches like ground wood, wood chips or sawdust, but it can also occur in bark mulches. It should be kept firmly in mind that until a newly-planted tree can grow roots out of the original soil ball and into the surrounding soil, the tree is absolutely dependent on moisture in the original ball. If the soil ball is kept dry by a mulch umbrella/volcano, the tree will suffer severe drought stress during the establishment period.

Other possible problems associated with mulch volcanoes include: the promotion of fungal canker diseases caused by the presense of constant moisture around the lower trunk; stress from poor gas exchange by the cells in the bark that results in bark decay; and damage from termites and rodents that may make take up residence in the volcano.

When deciding on the best approach for mulching trees and shrubs in the landscape, go for a walk in the woods to see how Mother Nature does it. Trees in their native habitats rarely have individual mulch rings. Plants tend to share a large common soil volume that is nicely mulched by decomposing leaves that are releasing minerals to the soil. Also, the mulch layer is rarely more than 2 inches thick and never in the form of a volcano


Center Publication Number: 219

Care of Poinsettias

Source(s):

  • Nancy Doubrava, HGIC Information Specialist, Clemson University.
  • Bob Polomski, Extension Consumer Horticulturist.

The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is the most popular flowering plant sold in the United States with more than 70 million sold nationwide each year. When South Carolinian Joel Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, introduced the poinsettia to the U.S. in 1825, it’s doubtful he had any idea how popular this plant would become.

pink

Plant breeders have produced cultivars with many other colors besides the traditional red bracts, or modified leaves. Plants are available with white, pink, peach, yellow, marbled and speckled bracts. The actual flowers of the poinsettia plant are the small, yellow blossoms in the center of the colorful bracts.

KEEP YOUR POINSETTIA BEAUTIFUL

To help your poinsettia thrive in your home during the holiday season, follow these tips:

Light: Set your poinsettia in a bright location so that it receives at least 6 hours of bright, indirect sunlight each day. Putting it in direct sunlight may fade the color of the bracts. If direct sun cannot be avoided, filter the sunlight with a light shade or sheer curtain.

Temperature: Excess heat will cause the leaves to yellow and fall off and the flower bracts to fade early. The daytime temperature should not exceed 70 °F. Do not put your poinsettia near drafts, excessive heat or dry air from appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts. Chilling injury is also a problem and can cause premature leaf drop if the temperature drops below 50 °F.

Water and Fertilizer: Poinsettias require moderately moist soil. Water them thoroughly when the soil surface feels dry to the touch. Never let the potting mixture completely dry out and never let the plant sit in standing water. When watering, always take the plant out of its decorative pot cover. Water until water seeps out of the drainage hole and the soil is completely saturated. Do not fertilize a poinsettia when it is in bloom.

CARE AFTER THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Around March to April, when the colorful bracts fade, prune the plant back to about 8 inches in height. Although the plant will look bare after pruning, eventually new growth will emerge from the nodes up and down the stem. Keep the plant near a sunny window and continue to water it regularly during its growing period. You can take the plant outdoors once the night temperature remains above 50 °F. Fertilize the plant every two to three weeks during the spring, summer and fall with a well-balanced complete fertilizer such as 10-10-10.

In early June, transplant the poinsettia into a container 2 to 4 inches bigger than the original pot. Use a soil mix containing a considerable amount of organic matter, such as compost, leaf mold or peat moss. Pinch back the shoot tips or prune back the branches. Do not pinch back after September 1. When night temperatures become cool, 55 to 60 °F, bring the plant indoors to a sunny location.

REFLOWERING A POINSETTIA

Poinsettia plants can be brought back into flower next year, although this procedure is somewhat demanding. Poinsettia is a short-day plant, which means it needs a continuous long dark period each night to form its colorful bracts. Starting the first week of October (for an eight- to 10-week period) the plant must be kept in total darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. Keep the plant in darkness by moving it to a closet or covering it with a large box. During this period, the plant must also receive six to eight hours of bright sunlight daily. Depending on the response time of the particular cultivar, the plant will come into full bloom during November or December.

PROBLEMS

Pests that attack poinsettias are also common to many other plants. The most common insect pest is the whitefly. Other pests of poinsettia include mealybugs, soft scales and spider mites. Root rotting fungi can occur in overwatered or poorly drained soils. Several factors can cause premature leaf drop, such as temperatures dropping below 50 °F, poor light or poor nutrition. Keep the delicate colorful bracts well-protected from wind and cold rain.


Center Publication Number: 158

Water Lawns Wisely

Source(s): Clint Waltz, Extension Turfgrass Specialist, The University of Georgia


Just like trees, shrubs, pets and even humans, turf grasses need water to survive. The perception that turf is a water consumer is correct, but we’re all water consumers.

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The forgotten benefits

Often forgotten are the environmental benefits of a healthy turf. Grass prevents soil erosion, filters rainwater, traps airborne dust and soot and acts as a noise abatement. Imagine how much louder our lives would be without turf to absorb the polluting sounds of the fast-paced world.

Lawns can act as air conditioners, too. The surface temperature of an actively growing turf grass may be 20 degrees (Fahrenheit) cooler than a dormant turf. As a result, the surroundings are cooler, too, so it costs less to cool buildings.
Don’t forget that grass is a plant. So, through photosynthesis, it converts carbon dioxide to oxygen — which we all require.

Choose and plant appropriately

Many inputs are needed to maintain a healthy turf, but proper water management is the most important. For best water conservation, choose and plant the right grass.

Different types of grasses are better adapted for particular climates. Properly matching the grass with the climate minimizes its water requirements. Georgians are fortunate to have a diversity of climates and an array of turf species to choose from.
Likewise, plan to establish a new lawn at the right time. Trying to plant a lawn just as the climate gets its toughest takes more water and money. Work with nature, not against it.

Water wisely

Once the lawn is actively growing, water wisely. Most turf grasses grown in Georgia need about 1 inch of water per week to maintain normal growth and color. Base their watering on need, not on the day of the week.
Watch for signs of moisture stress, such as wilt, leaf blades rolling or the turf’s failure to bounce back from foot traffic. The right time to irrigate is when you first see signs of stress.

Water, though, with the idea of watering deeply but not often. Light, frequent irrigations lead to shallow, weak root systems that require more money and effort.

Turf roots will “mine” for water. As the soil surface dries, roots explore greater soil depths in search of moisture. Allowing the turf grass a little moisture stress can actually increase rooting depths and, in the long run, save water.
Typically, you should apply one-half to 1 inch of water at a time, depending on the soil.
Pay attention. Avoid watering so much that the soil becomes saturated and water runs off the soil surface. If the water doesn’t make it to the turf’s root zone, it’s of little use to the plant.

Don’t water the pavement, either. Many have tried, and adding water doesn’t cause the asphalt or concrete to grow.
Watering is most efficient in the early morning, when losses from evaporation are less. Research shows that water losses at night are 50 percent less than in midday irrigation. Once again, the plant can use only water in the root zone. Water vapor can’t help the grass at all.

Get help, if you need it

For further help with turf topics, consult your local county agent of the UGA Extension Service. Turf can be a valuable asset to the landscape and the environment, but it’s up to us to properly manage water resources.
Turf grasses don’t waste water. People do.


Resource(s):

Lawns in Georgia

Center Publication Number: 151

Watering Lawns

Source(s): Gil Landry, PhD., Coordinator – UGA Center for Urban Agriculture, The University of Georgia.


Proper watering of turfgrasses is essential to producing an attractive, healthy lawn.

Many factors influence the amount and frequency of water needed for a home lawn. Soil type, type of grass, management level, frequency of rain, temperatures, wind and humidity all affect the amount of water needed. High level maintenance and hot, windy days tend to increase the demand for water, while low level maintenance and cool, cloudy days tend to decrease the demand for water.

The best time to apply water is just before wilt occurs. Most grasses appear a dull bluish green, the leaf blades begin to fold or roll, and footprints remain after walking over the area when the grass is under water stress. If dry conditions continue, the grass wilts. Begin irrigation on that portion of the lawn which first exhibits these signs.

Apply enough water to soak the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. This is usually equivalent to about one inch of rainfall. For most sprinklers, this means leaving the sprinkler in one spot for 2 to 3 hours. Do not apply until runoff occurs. If water is being applied faster than the soil can absorb it, either move the sprinkler to a new location or turn it off and allow the existing moisture to soak into the soil. To test your sprinkler output, place seven open-top tin cans under the sprinkler.

Prior to sunrise is considered the best time to water because of less wind and lower temperature. Research indicates water losses at night through irrigation are 50 percent less than during midday irrigation. Studies also indicate that irrigating after dew develops on a turf will not increase disease problems. However, irrigating prior to dew formation or after the dew has dried from the morning sun and/or wind extends the period of free surface moisture and may enhance disease development.

Irrigation is one maintenance practice often done wrong. Light, frequent waterings produce shallow, weak root systems. The shallow root system prevents efficient use of plant nutrients and soil moisture. Roots grow only where the soil is moist; they do not seek out water.

The key to success in irrigating home lawns is to condition the grass to get by on as little extra water as possible. The best way to do this is to develop a deep rooted grass. Listed below are several simple rules which will help develop a deep rooted turfgrass which is more able to withstand drought conditions.

  • Select a grass which is well adapted to your locations.
  • Water as infrequently as possible. At the first sign of wilt, irrigate, not before.
  • Apply enough moisture to drench the soil 6 to 8 inches deep.
  • If the soil becomes compacted or crusted, loosen it so that water can penetrate to the proper depth.
  • Raise the height of cut during stress periods, and mow more frequently.
  • Use a sprinkler that gives a good even distribution of water at about 1/4 to 1/3 inch per hour.
  • Fertilize lightly in the summer months.

For more information refer to Cooperative Extension Leaflet No. 399, Turfgrass Water Management.


Resource(s):
Lawns in Georgia

Center Publication Number: 133