Question #1: We have always had a beautiful yard. This winter a ground covering moss has taken over, killing much of the grass. What can I do to get ride of the moss? If I put down a moss killer, will it kill that remaining grass? Most of the area is under trees, but it is creeping out in full sun light.
Answer: Mosses are a group of primitive plant species that form a creeping green mat on home lawns. When conditions are favorable for their growth, mosses can grow to a sizable thickness prohibiting turfgrasses from growing in these areas. Mosses reproduce by spores that are scattered by the wind or rain.
Cause: Mosses are not a very competitive group of plants, therefore, they most commonly occur on neglected lawns. Conditions favoring moss include low fertility (including low soil pH), unadapted grass species, poor drainage, shade, and high humidity. While mosses are most likely to grow in moist, shaded areas, they may also be found in thin turf and full sunlight. Closely mowed turf or non-aggressive species is especially prone to moss invasion.
Control: The first step to controlling moss is to correct the original cause. This may involve: 1) using a species better adapted to the site such as turf-type tall fescue or an adapted ground cover; 2) improving drainage with drain tiles, dry wells, French drains, elevation of depressions, and core aerification of compacted areas; 3) improvement of light conditions through proper pruning of tree canopy; 4) increasing nitrogen fertility when deficiency is present; 5) and improving air circulation when feasible through opening up the landscape. Raise the mowing height and adjust irrigation practices to avoid excessive water. There are no guarantee chemical control methods for moss.
The moss should be raked out of areas prior to renovation; otherwise, dead moss can form an impervious layer over the soil surface. Follow with an application of lawn fertilizer to encourage growth of desirable grasses back into these areas. If sizable bare spots remain after removing the moss it may be necessary to reestablish the spots by seeding or sodding. Remember that moss thrives in a site because it is better adapted to the condition present than other plant materials growing in the site. Unless the conditions favoring moss growth are changed, the moss problem will not likely be cured.
**************************************************************************************************************************************** Question #2: My friend next door told me that I should move my crape myrtle away from the house because it would harm the foundation of my house....is this correct?
Answer: I honestly don't think that most crape myrtles get big enough to develop root systems big enough to damage most foundations. However, it may depend on the cultivar and mature size of the crape myrtle, how close it is planted to the foundation, growing conditions, and how old or what kind of shape the foundation is in currently.
Question #3: Do you have any sights that help with designing home landscapes? I am interested in designing a low mound garden in the front of my home-north side to help with privacy from car headlights. We have sandy soil and plenty of space.
Answer: Sorry we do not have any specific publications about landscape design other than that which Paul has already mentioned, a new publication (E-965) and videotape (VT-873) both titled, "Rock Gardening in Oklahoma." They talk about creating mounds, as well as rock and foliage selection. That may be an option for you. Both should be available from your county extension office.
There are many good books available through most book stores and there are several web sites on the internet that offer excellent tips, ideas and helps. One such site is Better Homes and Gardens - http://www.bhglive.com/index.html
There are also several fact sheet publications available from other Universities which provide sound practical design information. Some of those publications can be found at the following web addresses:
We also have several fact sheets through OSU Cooperative Extension covering many other topics in horticulture including plant material selection, care, and maintenance. These publications can be accessed by visiting our Department homepage at: www.hortla.okstate.edu
******************************************************************************************************************************** Question #4: We are requesting assistance in finding an Oklahoma hearty vine (hopefully) with thorns to
grow in Chain Link fences around our facility. This is for visual blockage as well as to assist with security.
Can you advise?
Answer: I am not aware of any vines that have thorns other than climbing roses and smilax (greenbrier).
I don't know how you would find smilax. I doubt it is commercially available. There are several shrubs though
that may work. Firethorn, trifoliate orange, barberry and hollies (spiny leaves); perhaps some dewberry or
blackberry shrubs/vines would work also. ******************************************************************************************************************************** Question #5: I am looking for solutions to a wet barditch situation, and I thought you might help me learn
if there are any special plants that might help me solve a problem with my barditches.
During the spring/summer part of the year, much of the bottom part of the two barditchs are
continually wet. There never is any standing water, but the water table is very near (or at) the
surface a lot of the time. It is very difficulty to mow without getting stuck or creating deep tire tracks.
I am looking for something that would be low maintenance, look nice as neighbors drive by, and which
would sop up the water and/or require no mowing and low maintenance attention. The surrounding soil is
basically sandy and was part of an area with dense scrub oaks, other native trees and thick understory.
Your comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Answer: There are many possibilities. Here is a list of some possible plants. Ornamental grasses
The tolerance that some of the grasses show to a diverse range of conditions is no better demonstrated than by some of those mentioned here, which will grow in ordinary, even rather dry soils but also with their feet in water. The following plants will all tolerate wet soil, and those marked with an asterisk will grow in water: Arundo donax* - Giant reed, grows 10-25 feet tall, considered very weedy in some areas. Carex elata 'Aurea'* - Sedge, may need some shade Carex grayi* - Gray sedge does well in full sun but resents drying out. Carex riparia 'Variegata' - may need some shade Carex trifida Chasmanthium latifolium - Northern sea oats Eriophorum angustifolium* - Narrow-leaved cotton grass, may struggle in our heat Glyceria maixma 'Variegata'* - variegated manna grass, needs constant moisture Juncus effusus and varieties* - close to 300 rushes available. may need some shade Molinia caerulea and varieties - moor grass, resents dry alkaline conditions Phalaris arundinacea varieties* - ribbon grass, light shade or half day sun Phragmites australis and varieties* - common reed, tolerates extreme soil conditions Spartina pectinata - prairie cord grass, quite drought tolerant and heat tolerant if moisture sufficient Typha species and varieties* - cattails, 15 species, some are aggressive naturalizers.
Ground covers for moist, poorly drained soils
Green and Gold, Chrysogonum virginianum
Spotted dead nettle, Lamium maculatum 'Variegatum'
Yellow-root, Xanthorhiza simplicissima
Chameleon plant, Houttuynia cordata 'Chamaeleon'
Horsetail, Equisetum hyemale
Creeping Jenny, Lysimachia nummularia
Shrubs for wet soils
Spicebush, Lindera benzoin
Speckled Alder, Alnus rugosa
sweet shrub, Calycanthus florida
Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis
Ninebark, Clethra acuminata
Summersweet, Clethra alnifolia
Virginia sweetspire, Itea virginica - excellent fall color, prefers acid soils
Devilwood, Osmanthus americana
Inkberry, Ilex glabra
Northern bayberry, Myrica pensylvanica
Red-osier dogwood, Cornus sericea - not as heat tolerant as others
Perennials for wet sites
Swamp sunflower, Helianthus simulans
Japanese iris, Iris kaempferi
Cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis
Rose mallow, Hibiscus moscheutos
Texas star hibiscus, Hibiscus coccineus
Canna, Canna X generalis ************************************************************************************************************************************ Question #6: We moved this past year. Our landscape has a lot of English Ivy. We love it and want to maintain it, but everyone tells me that it will get out of control if you are not careful. How is the best way to prune it properly and still enjoy it?
Answer: English ivy is easy to keep under control if you don't ignore it for too long. How often you prune will depend on the vigor of the plants. Growth can be somewhat controlled by the management of fertilizer used. To reduce growth, limit or avoid excess use of nitrogen fertilizer.
If the vine is growing on buildings or trees, more severe pruning may be necessary annually to keep it in check. If it is allowed to develop large stems that grow high into a tree or on buildings, more effort and care will be needed to remove it or bring it back into check. If it is growing as a groundcover, the foliage can be mowed with the lawn mower set at the highest possible cutting height. Be sure not to injure the crown or main trunk of the plant when you mow. The best time to prune is before spring growth begins in late winter or early spring, but if necessary you can prune just about any time of year. ************************************************************************************************************************************* Question #7: I am interested in getting an greenhouse licence. How do I do this?
Answer: The organization you need to contact about starting a business would be the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture in Oklahoma City. 405-521-3864 or visit their web site at: http://www.state.ok.us/~okag/
Another contact you may want to have is Dr. Mike Schnelle. He is the Extension Specialist here at OSU in Commercial Greenhouse and Nursery Production. He often offers greenhouse workshops and training and works closely with the industry in Oklahoma. His phone number is 405-744-7361.********************************************************************************************************************************** Question #8: Can you please tell me what is summer oil? On the television show Oklahoma Gardening there was a recipe to treat roses and it include summer oil, but I am unsure what it is?
Answer: Summer oil: An oil used on plants when foliage is present (also called foliar oils). As with dormant oil, the term now refers to the time an application is made rather than to the properties of the oil.
Horticultural oils are usually highly refined petroleum oils combined with an emulsifying agent.
Advantages of oils include safety, effectiveness and limited effects on beneficial insects. Do not use oils on certain sensitive plants. Plants under drought stress may have increased risk of injury. Recently, improvements in refining have produced oils with increased safety to plants and thus expanded their potential uses. Summer or foliar treatments are now possible for a variety of pests during the growing season. Oils also can be mixed with other insecticides, providing a broader spectrum and greater persistence of control. Spider mites, whiteflies and young stages of scales are common pests that can be controlled by oils during the growing season.
******************************************************************************************************************************** Question #9: We have recently bought 18 acres of land. It was cleared years ago, but there are lots of small Black Jack, cottonwood, and cedar trees springing up. We would like to know the best way to kill them. If you cut a cedar tree off it will not grow back, but we're not sure about the other varieties. Could we cut the others off at ground level and paint them with a tree killer? We would like to get the job done the simpliest and most effective way. Thanks in advance for your help.
Answer: Most deciduous trees will not return if they are cut back to the ground while they are still very young. However, if you have some that are older and persistent you can treat the freshly cut wounds with an appropriate herbicide. The type and formulation you use really depends on how you plan to use the property. If it will be used for grazing/pasture or similar use I would suggest you contact your county extension office for chemical recommendations.
For home use, there are several brush killers available, usually containing broadleaf type herbicides, and they usually have listed on the label a stump treatment application recommendation. Products containing glyphosate, such as Roundup Brush Killer and Roundup Weed and Grass Killer Super Concentrate, also have labels listing such application methods. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS!
*********************************************************************************************************************************** Question #10: Help. My yard is about 1/3rd "nutgrass". Unfortunately, I do not know the official name. The rest of my yard is a mixture of bermudagrass and fescue. What can I use to get rid of the "nutgrass"?
Answer: I also have nut grass in a newly built a raised rose bed and a raised vegetable garden. We removed the sod about four inches deep used the bagged top soil with peat moss. In the rose bed after I planted the roses we put approximately two inches of bagged mulch and the nut grass came up through the soil and mulch. I pull the "nut grass" every week BUT it keeps coming back because I haven't pulled the nut out. Any suggestions? If I need to start over with my roses my using some strong spray I can do that, I don't have a problem planting new roses. I welcome all suggestions and ideas.
You are dealing with a difficult weed! Actually there are two types - yellow and purple nutsedge. It is sometimes helpful to know which one it is. However, there is no easy answer, but I believe it can be controlled with much persistence.
For turfgrass areas - Encouraging healthy turf areas will help to some degree. Proper watering, mowing, and fertilizing practices should be followed to encourage strong turf grass growth. Areas mixed with bermudagrass and tall fescue are difficult to manage properly so that both are happy. Bermudagrass grows best in full sun areas and does not tolerate shade. Tall fescue will grow in both sun and shade but does require more attention. If your lawn area is all sun, I would suggest just using bermudagrass. If you have shady areas then use bermudagrass in the sun and tall fescue in the shade. However, if really heavy shade, even tall fescue will struggle, thus it is best to use shade loving groundcovers or mulch the area with a decorative bark. For more info on turf establishment and care and maintenance see fact sheets F-6419 and F-6420
Chemical control:
Image is labeled for use on bermudagrass but not tall fescue and works on both purple and yellow nutsedge. There are many nutsedge types, but the most common are yellow and purple nutsedge. It is best to apply when plants are young, in the 3 to 4 leaflet stage, and repeat applications will probably be necessary.
Pennant provides temporary suppression of yellow nutsedge if applied before nutsedge emerges (preemergence). Pennant pre-emergent herbicide is for use on bermudagrass and zoysiagrass and not cool-season grasses.
Basagran will control yellow nutsedge and can be used on both bermuda and tall fescue grasses.
Manage is an excellent nutsedge herbicide with very good turfgrass safety on both bermuda and tall fescue. It is effective on yellow and purple nutsedges. Should be applied in the 3 to 8 leaf stage and repeat applications will probably be necessary.
The rose bed - there is very little registered for use in non-turf or non-crop (landscape) areas. Manage can be used in landscape areas such as this one. It is usually used as a spot treatment. Roundup can also be used if you take care to avoid contact with rose bushes. If you choose to remove the roses and start all over again, both Roundup and Manage could still be used.
The vegetable garden - There is no chemical other than Roundup that is labeled for use in and around the vegetable garden for control of nutsedge. The best approach is to begin spraying with Roundup when the nutsedge begins to emerge and continue with repeat applications throughout the growing season until you have literally exhausted the nutgrass.
Bermudagrass establishes best when there is good seed to soil contact. Dragging something across the lawn area or raking the area to knock the seed down into the soil is beneficial. Ideally it would be good to even lightly till the area first, this can be done with a power rake or tiller. Light daily waterings is a must. Watering once a day for 30 minutes may not be adequate. Depending on weather and how much water your sprinklers put out at any given time, several short waterings per day may be more effective at keeping the area moist. Again, see fact sheet F-6419 for more information on establishing grass.
***************************************************************************************************************** Question #11: I had read on a Colorado website that planting of shrubs near the foundation of a home was not advised due to the lifting of a home foundation in cold weather. Do you think planting shrubs about 3 feet from a home foundation in OK could cause excessive dryness and draw moisture away from the homes foundation, leading to a cracking and shifting downward in the hot summer months?
Answer: I guess that is possible even here in Oklahoma if they are not managed properly. If the plants are planted far enough away from the home to give them adequate room to grow naturally and the planting areas are maintained with a good mulch to conserve moisture and moderate temperatures then I don't see foundation plantings being a problem. I imagine it would also depend on the type of shrub used.
***************************************************************************************************************** Question #12: When is the best time to plant elephant ears? I have a spot that is partially shaded; will they grow in this spot? The directions indicated that they need lots of water. I'd like to know exactly how much water and what other flowers or plants would be able to tolerate the same water conditions so I can add some color to the same area.
Answer: Elephant ears are tropical plants and should be planted way after any danger of frosts and after soil temperatures have warmed up to at least 65 degrees F. So, I would not plant them until mid-May. They do best in shade to semi-shade with ample moisture and should be protected from wind. Other plants that would do well in a similar area would be caladiums, coleus, and begonias. About 1" inch of water should be applied weekly or as needed to keep the ground moist, but not wet or soggy. Good drainage is important or they will rot. During the heat of the summer more than 1" per week may be needed.
**************************************************************************************************************** Question #13: I was told I need Potassium in my soil.What does this do for my plants? What is the best way to get this in my soil?
Answer: Potassium is used by the plant to support most of the enzymatic functions of the plant. It increases vigor and resistance to disease. It stimulates production of strong, stiff stalks and improves quality of crop yield.
The most common way to add potassium is by additions of fertilizer to the area. You should be able to purchase potassium chloride (KCl) which is formulated as 0-0-60 and you get just what you need. Or you can purchase any complete fertilizer which also contains nitrogen and phosphorus. If you already have plenty of phosphorus in your soil then I would look for a blend that is low in phosphorus and higher in potassium and nitrogen. Such a fertilizer may have a ratio of 4-1-3 (20-5-10) or 3-1-2 (15-5-10) or something similar. If possible the fertilizer should be worked into the top 6 inches of soil. However, in the case of established plantings such as lawns and some flower beds, surface applications work fine. As we get closer to the fall, avoid large applications of nitrogen to tree and shrub plantings.