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Let’s answer some more
of your great emailed gardening questions!
Our first Local 12
emailer asks, “I thought I heard you say fall was the best time to spray for
weeds in the lawn. Is that true?”
-That’s correct!
Weeds are more
susceptible to weed killers this time of the year, than any other. As they
begin to shut down for the winter, they are sending food to be stored in the
roots. By spraying with weed killers now, they absorb and send that
chemical through the foliage and into the roots, giving you a better weed
kill, especially for those harder to control weeds. Use a broadleaf weed
killer with multiple chemicals such as Bonide’s Weed Beater, BK 32, or Weed
Beater Ultra, which works great with temperatures as low as 45 degrees.
Our next emailer asks,
“I have a poinsettia I kept from last year. What is the procedure for
getting them to turn colors for the holiday?”
Poinsettias are light
sensitive plants, so when the days get shorter and the nights get longer,
they react by having their upper leaves turn colors, followed by a small
yellow flower. So, make sure your poinsettia has a great growing location
inside the house, but here’s the main point…give your poinsettia 10-12 hours
of sunlight, and 12-14 hours of complete darkness. Complete darkness.
Covering with a black plastic bag, cardboard box, or taking it in and out of
a closet every night will work. When your poinsettia has started turning
colors, solidly, stop the process and enjoy the plant’s great colors.
I continue to get emails
concerning whether or not it’s too late to plant new trees and shrubs this
time of the year. And the answer…absolutely not! Fall is for Planting.
Fall is thee best time to plant most trees, shrubs, evergreens, spring
flowering bulbs, grass seed…perennials. It’s also a great time for
transplanting plants in your yard, if needed. It’s cooler, we have natural
rainfall to help watering, and more roots are developed in the fall than any
other time of the year. Fall is for planting…get out and get planting! |
