Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 19, 1992 TAG: 9201200253
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: John Arbogast
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
MOSS MAY SIGNAL SOIL PROBLEM
Q: I have a few problems getting grass to grow. I have a corner lot on which there are five large sugar maples. I have planted red fescue and had it come up only to die out when the elms produced leaves. I also find that there is a large growth of moss. I've spread some fertilizer. What, if anything, can I do to get grass to thrive and kill off the moss? R.W.L., RoanokeA: Normally, it is difficult to grow a good stand of grass under trees because of the competition that exists in that situation for moisture, nutrients, sunlight and room for root growth.
However, your mention of the moss that's thriving under the trees means that other conditions likely also exist that will prevent grass from growing. So, consider this: in addition to excessive shade, moss can also occur as a result of poor drainage, either within the soil or on the surface; acid soil (need for lime); soil compaction (often a problem near tree trunks); and/or excessively heavy soil.
Consider all these possibilities before making plans for seeding again early this spring. Your work should start now by taking a soil test to see if acid soil under those trees is really a problem and if lime will in fact be needed before grass can thrive.
Your work may also include going over the areas two or three times with a core aerification machine just prior to seeding to help alleviate soil compaction and possibly help improve soil drainage; removing some lower limbs from the trees or thinning crowded branch areas to allow better sunlight penetration to the turf (do not have the trees topped or turned into big "hat racks," though); and arranging for ways to water the turf when it gets hot. Also be sure to select a quality seed type or mixture for those areas. Creeping red fescue that you mentioned is usually used as part of a shady grass seed mix rather than by itself.
To remove the moss before your early spring seeding, use a rake or a hoe to pull the stuff up. According to information a few years ago from Dr. John Hall, extension agronomist for turfgrass management at Virginia Tech, moss can be controlled with sprays of ferrous sulfate at four to seven ounces per 1,000 square feet or by ferrous ammonium sulfate at 10 ounces per 1,000 square feet to kill it before removal. Keep in mind that if the underlying causes of the moss are not corrected, the stuff may likely occur again.
Q: We purchased a Black Tartarian and a Bing cherry tree, a Burbank and a Methley plum tree and a Yellow Delicious and a Red Delicious apple tree this past fall from a nursery. They are very small. I'd like to know what type of special care they need and when to start treatment. J.T., Salem
A: Here are the things you should be doing these first two years to get your fruit trees off to a good start:
Apply an organic mulch (2 1/2 inches thick) or cultivate the soil lightly around each tree in the area, extending a little beyond the spread of the branches to eliminate weed and grass growth competition for the first two seasons; be sure to pull the mulch (if used) back 6 inches away from the trunks in the fall to prevent rodents from burrowing there and feeding on the tree bark during the winter.
Water the new trees about once a week during dry periods during the growing seasons.
Fertilize the young trees after they become established and growth begins this spring with one-half cup of nitrate of soda (16-0-0) per tree applied in a circle around the tree, about 8 to 10 inches from the trunk in two applications a month apart.
Prune the young fruit trees this spring and again late in the next winter to train them into a strong framework that will support fruiting in years to come; for specifics on fruit pruning, contact your local Roanoke County Extension Office located in Salem at 387-6113; pruning in future years will be to enhance fruiting and to allow sprays to reach all the fruiting parts.
Set up a fruit tree spray schedule to protect the leaves of your young trees from the first signs of color in the spring until at least August, utilizing one of the all-purpose fruit sprays for home gardeners available on the garden department market according to specific directions given on the product label; even in this time of minimizing sprays, we must realize that it is just about impossible to grow healthy fruit trees in our hot, humid climate without a spray schedule; after your trees are old enough to bear fruit, you may need to observe the trees more frequently during the growing seasons and modify your spray program according to label directions.
Got a question about your garden, plants, lawn, or insects? Write to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491.
Gardener's checklist
Jobs for second half of January:
Poinsettias that lose their leaves and become masses of fading color on top of bare stems at this time can be handled in one of two ways: 1) Reduce the amount of water given the poinsettia until you are giving it only enough to keep the stem(s) from shriveling; at that time, the plant should be placed in a cool 45-50 degree F. location with some light, such as a basement window, for its resting period; then, in April the rest can be ended; repot the poinsettia, cut it back to about 6 inches, place it in a location of bright light and room temperatures, and the new growth cycle begins. 2) Discard the plant when it looks scraggly and plan to get a new one next December.
> At this time of year when the days are still short and the sun is not yet strong, it's a good idea to dust the leaves of your indoor plants. Don't worry about special cleaners or waxes for the leaves. Use a soft cloth dampened with clear water.
John Arbogast is the agriculture extension agent for Roanoke