QuestionQUESTION: Hope you are doing well and enjoying your roses!
I've been reading the threads and they continue to provide me with great information. This morning I was watching HGTV and the host mentioned that neem oil is good for your grass? What is that? Also, he said that mixing baking soda with water is good for the grass. Is that true?
I've sent my soil test in but have not received the results back yet. I put lime down about 2 weeks ago. The grass is doing ok, not really green but it's looking ok. I have a nest of Robins in my backyard, hopefully their hourly feedings are taking care of the grubs (though I still see some yellow streaky patches in the back yard). I get plenty of birds so hopefully I won't have a grub problem. However, I am noticing more weeds come up. Is this a good time to put down the Corn gluten meal thing you mentioned before and can that be mixed with sugar?
It's getting hot in MD but I think in a thread you said that we shouldn't be watering everyday. My front yard is slightly sloped, has half shade and half gets full morning sun...how much should I be watering?
As always, thank you!
ANSWER: Neem oil comes from the Neem tree (Azadirachta indica). It is an ANCIENT, highly effective organic insecticide and fungicide. You can read more about Neem at the Neem Foundation website:
http://www.neemfoundation.org/organic%20farming.htm
About.com Gardening's 'Profiles of Some Common Organic Pesticides' by Marie Iannotti describes the pro's and con's of both Neem AND Baking Soda (see the paragraphs on Potassium Bicarbonate, a superior substitute to Sodium Bicarbonate):
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardenproblems/a/OrganicPesticid.htm?iam=dpile_100
You can buy Neem at Planet Natural (http://www.planetnatural.com/site/neem-oil.html) and other Organic Gardening Suppliers.
I don't use Baking Soda for the lawn, although it is very convenient to head to the kitchen and pull it out of the cupboard. Baking Soda is a GREAT product. I have it all over the house -- laundry room, refrigerator, garden shelves (old Baking Soda that has expired goes right there). But if you're a serious Gardener -- YOU qualify for this label, Claudia -- you'll get farther with real Potassium Bicarbonate. It should be sprayed all over Rose Leaves from June 1 to September 30 in my neighborhood, without waiting for any Blackspot or Mildew symptoms to erupt. Yes, it is a pain in the neck.
HGTV is the MacDonald's of Gardening. They have a lot of tips and tricks. But the point there is that it's entertainment, above all else. Weird science gets their highest marks and best ratings. I personally enjoy watching it, but I know what I'm doing and I rarely see anything I can use. They over-simplify -- because they are a TV program and MUST do that. They are non-controversial and are limited to positive messages -- because they have advertisers, and they sell to as many stations as possible who also have advertisers. All fluff, no stuff. Keep that in mind. They CANNOT tell you some of the most important facts you need to know about Gardening and Lawn care.
Weeds will sprout all summer long. Weeds coming up right now are probably annuals. If you apply Corn Gluten Meal now, you won't get any that are already germinating, but you will get the ones that have not sprouted yet. Most important, Mow diligently! You DO NOT WANT THOSE WEEDS TO GO TO SEED! And believe me, they will. You are just beginning to address a lot of these problems. Bear in mind that Old Gardener's Saying: Rome was not built in a day.
A half shade yard probably does not dry out as fast as a full sun yard. Water your sunny section more. Grass is entering a semi-dormant time; it may need a lot less water now. See how it looks. You want to water established when it starts to wilt. New Grass of course needs extra care, but you don't want to over-water that. Water DEEP and LONG but NOT OFTEN. It's a balancing act. You'll get better with experience. That's what it's all about, experience.
Forget the Sugar rumor. This is ridiculous and a waste of money. I can go into the science, and I know that some people THINK it works, some SWEAR ON A STACK OF BIBLES it works, but these well-meaning people also can't spell. Ignore them. Dirt Doctor by the way pushes Molasses -- and this is a legitimate treatment. For the sake of space I can't go into it right now but I'll cover it IF and when you reach that point. Right now there's other things to address. Like digging up Dandelions that may be erupting now. Dandelions love hot weather like this. Get the whole tap root out of the ground and serve it for dinner in salad. Makes delicious wine, too. DO NOT Compost the seeds -- you don't want to risk their potential viability when the Compost is ready to spread. Scary thought.
Good work with your Bird friendly steps. Excellent job with the Lime. Where are the Yellow Streaky Patches -- in shade?
Good to hear from you. rsvp
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: The yellow streaky patches are in the sun, the grass that's in the shade seems to be doing well. When I take a closer look at that grass it looks like it's dead but I cannot easily pull it from the ground and there are not grubs around. The weekds are really getting on my nerves, they stress me out! I'm really trying but I'll be honest in saying that it's hard not to run for the Scotts stuff to take care of the weeds....they're so UGLY!
If I apply too much corn gluten meal...can I burn the lawn? Is it user friendly to apply? I think the hardest thing will be finding a place that sells this.
Thanks for dispelling the sugar myth and for your explanation of Potassium Bicarbonate and its use. Does this stuff only treat the leaf diseases like black spot? Or is it also a fungicide for the aphids and other rose bugs? Would the neem oil work best for the rose bugs?
How often do you treat with corn gluten meal (for the grass) and potassium bicorbanote for the roses?
Also, I've already put down lime...would you recommend that I do this again in the fall. I'm thinking of buying more orgrow in the fall, put down more seed and lime more, but I don't know if lime and seeds mix well together or if the lime would prevent the seed from germinating? I guess a lot will depend on my soil test. What happens if the Ph is raied too much?
Yes, I agree that it will take time to get results and to improve my soil. I would love to see results overnight but I know it will probably take a season or two to start to see the results. It's the same thing with gaining weight, we don't gain it all overnight but we want to lose it all overnight when we decide to make the change. I'll do my best to be patient!
ANSWER: Any chance those yellow patches were damaged by the calling cards of a friendly visiting dog, Claudia?
A quick burst of some chemical that was overapplied in a few small spots by accident?
Don't rule out Grubs so quick. Checking under yellowed turf is a waste of time -- the Grubs have already killed that Grass. Instead, look under part of the area nearby that is still green and healthy. Grubs live underground and dine on roots. If microbes in the soil have been wiped out by chemicals, the Grubs grow out of control. And you have a Grub problem. There should be only a few Grubs under your patch. The birds and squirrels will get to them sooner or later. Grubs make Baby Birds and Baby Squirrels big and strong.
Have you filled your Birdbath today?
How's your Birdfeeder? Got one yet?
If you have several, or more, please let me know. Meantime, don't forget to put Milky Spore Disease blue container on your shopping list when you got to Home Depot.
Are you still squeamish about MSD?
It does have a creepy name. Trust me, there is nothing creepy about this product. It is perfectly safe. User friendly, child safe, pet sensitive, gentle, and bright Green.
Give me your zipcode and I will get a list for you of Corn Gluten Meal based preemergents in your community that you can drive to and pick up tomorrow. You won't need this again however until August. That's when the annual weed seeds begin to sprout.
Meantime, it would behoove you to put down a bag of White and/or Red Clover to boost your soil. A compost or aged manure mulch over your lawn will be incorporated by your Earthworm populations through the summer. Let me know when you're ready to make Compost Tea -- not to drink, but to pour on your soil and jack up the micropopulation.
Fungicides are Fungus killers. Chemical pesticides also kill Fungi and Insects, good and bad. Ditto, chemical fungicides and herbicides (weedkillers). If you play your cards right, you can manage the bad guys on your real estate without turning it into a Superfund Site or making the birdfood poisonous. Corn Gluten Meal is a protein that halts the production chemicals that seeds make to germinate. So even though we can eat Corn (and be healthy), this form of Corn is murder on Weeds. Don't give them too much credit at Iowa State -- they stumbled on this totally by accident while researching ways to keep Cornmeal from spoiling while in storage. You can see how that would be a big issue in Iowa. Remember that Penicillin was also discovered by accident -- and also that it's a bacteria-killing Fungus.
Imagine how sick we would get if we could not inject that Fungus into our veins for innoculation. ALL the 'mycin' antibiotics ARE Fungi. Good Fungi are all around us. Our soil is packed with them. And we like it that way.
Potassium Bicarb is your weapon against Rose diseases caused by Fungi and Mold. Powdery Mildew and Blackspot are not able to germinate on a leaf where the pH is too high. It's as simple as that. It raises the pH of a acidic Rose leaf and makes it hostile to Fungi. Cornmeal (not the Corn Meal Gluten; this is the Cornmeal you make corn muffins out of, I hope was clear about that) seems to me to interrupt the traveling Fungus Spores that splash off the soil and land on the leaves overhead. These do not kill bugs or anything else that moves. You have to re-apply the Potassium Bicarb frequently -- you'll figure out how often from the way the Rose fares, how healthy it is through the Summer.
Lime does not stop seed from germinating. If it did, we would be putting down Lime instead of Corn Gluten Meal. Lime does not do anything except raise the pH. It is not caustic and pelletized Lime is a nice, slow release version.
Neem will kill bugs. I prefer the Ladybug method, but it's your call. If you enjoy spraying stuff like this around then do the Neem thing. If you miss a few tainted bugs, and the bugs survive but are treated a non fatal dose, a bird that comes along and tastes it will not get sick. Neem is Organic. So is Lime.
Orgrow is a great idea. If you used pelletized Lime, you won't get any benefits from Liming again. Concentrate on building organic matter into your soil and raising the biomass with things like Compost Tea and other activites.
I THINK I covered everything you asked. If not let me know. Keep in touch and thanks for writing!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: It's funny you asked about dog urine because I did pick up a stray dog. It turns out the dog belonged to a vet, and with the reward I went out and bought the corn meal gluten. Is there anything to prevent dog urine streaks on the lawn? Ok, here are some follow-up questions for you:
1. Corn Gluten Meal (CGM)does not kill currently established weeds匢've put down the CGM but I have weeds already growing, what product is good for established weeds. My zip code is 20706, I bought the CGM for $50 for a 50lb bag?but I bought it from a nursery that is known to be expensive so if you can send me other local stores that sell this stuff that would be great, maybe I can get it cheaper . The CGM I bought is a Cock-a-DOO brand that also carries an organic fertilizer.
2. My Home Depot did not have MSD卛f I find it somewhere else is it too late to put that down? I'll have to search in google to see if I can find it. Do you have a favorite online store where you purchase your organic supplies?
3. White or Red Clover?so if I plant this clover in the areas of patches and wait until fall when I can seed, it is going to look weird to see patches of clover growing throughout my front lawn throughout the summer? Just wanted to make sure I understand this white/red clover concept of cover crop, is it essential I do this?
4. Is potassium bicarbonate the same thing as cornmeal, do you just sprinkle this directly or dilute with water? Which is the best thing to apply to kill bugs on roses and to prevent black spots and the yellowing of rose leaves? Is Potassium Bicorbonate sold at stores like Home Depot?
Thanks for your patience with me...as I start to get the hang of it, I will be asking fewer questions. HOpefully by next season I will have a schedule for applying these organic products. Oh, one last question, should the spreading of grass clippings be done only when you have a weed free lawn?
Answer1. Dogs are one of those toys that comes with side effects, and brown spots in the lawn is one major side effect. Best option is to get your dog to GO in the same (unobtrusive) place every time Nature calls. You can try pouring water over any marked territory if you see it in time, to dilute the urine, but this is just one of those things that science has not yet solved. Some Grasses are more dog-resistant than others, but I think you have enough to worry about. They aren't THAT dog-resistant. And no, you cannot feed a dog anything to weaken the urine. It happens. Sorry, but right now, this is state of the art.
2. Corn Gluten Meal as an 'organic' product commands a higher price because it can, unfortunately. But the more places that sell it, the more competitive they will become. There are LOTS of retailers in your state. Here are some websites you can plug into to find:
St Gabriel Laboratories 'Pre-merge': http://www.milkyspore.com/storefinder.asp
(type in your state)
Preen (not all their products are organic -- just their CGM based preemergent weedkiller): http://www.preen.com/newpreen/dealers_city.jsp?state=MD
Blue Seal Feeds Safe'n' Simple: http://www.blueseal.com/
(click on Dealer Locator)
There are others, but they don't have dealers in your state or they are mail order only.
3. Another Home Depot might carry Milky Spore Disease -- they do sell it in New York. Blue container. The only place I've ever purchased it. Check the retailer with the CGM for the MSD. S/he will know where to get it if they don't have it now.
4. 'patches of clover' weird? Clover used to be a regular staple in lawns years ago. In this case, you're not just improving the soil, you're elbowing out weeds and weed seeds to keep them off your Lawn. Cover Crops as a rule are not Lawn Quality and not intended to stand on their own as Turfgrasses. If you prefer, you can spend a few thousand dollars doing a short term soil correction. Or you can do the Cover Crop. You mow it and keep it from setting seed.
5. Potassium Bicarb is NOT Cornmeal. It's NOT Baking Soda. It's an ingredient you find in Baking Soda and fire extinguishers. See the Organic Materials Review Institute web page on KHCO3:
http://www.omri.org/Potassium_bicarbonate_crops.html
which states that the 'Bicarbonate ion has been identified as the probable cause of growth inhibition in some bacteria and fungi. The bicarbonate causes the collapse of hyphal walls and shrinkage of conidia (different parts of the fungus). In addition, pH elevation may also play a significant role. Recommended to be used with a coating polymer to help provide uniform coverage of leaf surfaces.'
Products that use it as a key ingredient: Kaligreen (Arysta LifeScience Corp):
http://www.arysta-na.com/
and
MilStop Broad Spectrum Foliar Fungicide (BioWorks, Inc):
http://www.bioworksbiocontrol.com/
You can find BioWorks retailers here:
http://www.bioworksbiocontrol.com/wheretobuy/mapdh.html
Call in advance before going on any long trips to pick any of this up.
These are THE most effective Fungicides that money can buy. They work on Blackspot, Mildew, anything else called a 'Fungi' or 'Mold'. To kill bugs on Roses, get yourself some Ladybugs. It's Aphids Season -- get them asap.
Nice to hear from you again. Hope this covers your list.
Grass Clippings that contain WEED SEEDS should be composted to kill the seeds, not spread on the Lawn. Do you have a compost pile?
