Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 23, 1995 TAG: 9504270005
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: D-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Unfortunately, some consumers pay good money to fertilize their lawn and then put the grass clippings they've collected in plastic bags on the curb for refuse collection. This has contributed to the rapid filling of landfills around the country and to the decision by some local governments to no longer accept grass clippings or to charge to take them.
There are more acceptable ways to handle grass clippings.
One alternative is to leave the clippings on the lawn. Mulching mowers have been designed for this purpose, but it requires that the lawn be mowed frequently when the grass is growing rapidly so that their collection is not necessary. This solution also helps save on fertilizing, because grass clippings can contain as much as 4 percent nitrogen, one-half percent phosphorus and about 2 percent potassium, in addition to smaller amounts of other essential nutrients. Clippings should not contribute much to thatch accumulation. This solution may be the only recommendation for lawns that have weedkillers applied, making the clippings potentially risky for the other solutions.
Grass clippings that are not contaminated with weedkillers can be spread thinly as organic mulch around landscape plants, flowers and vegetables. This way, the clippings will increase the organic matter in the flower or garden soil when tilled in after the growing season.
Home composting of herbicide-free grass clippings is a great option, since the end product can be used to improve the clay soils in this area. Grass clippings contain a large amount of water and are high in nitrogen, the nutrient that is needed to make the compost pile heat up and work. In a typical compost pile, a 2- to 3-inch layer of grass clippings can be thoroughly mixed with about twice as much nutrient-poor, carbon-rich materials such as shredded leaves or chipped woody wastes, plus a small amount of native soil.
This ``stuff'' is dampened and the basic ingredient layers are repeated. Then the pile is checked regularly for dampness, watered if needed and turned with a pitchfork or similar tool.
Consumers with questions about how to handle clippings or other yard waste are invited to call the local extension office under local government phone listings.
Q: Do you know of anything that will kill crown vetch and hairy vetch growing among perennial plants like juniper? D.J., Huddleston
A: There is no recommendation for a plant killer that will eliminate unwanted established leafy plants growing among established desired leafy plants, a category of plants that does include needled evergreens (your junipers). The only thing I can suggest is persistent hand removal of your vetches, especially before they flower and make seeds.
Q: I noticed a couple of limbs that had started to decay on my two Norway maples. I found borers in the wood that looked like small grubs. What can I do to stop this? C.S.G., Roanoke
A: Remove the two decayed maple limbs plus any other branch portions anywhere in the trees that appear to be dead or in a state of decline. Boring insects generally are drawn to weak or dead plants, so actually the decline of a shade tree often should be blamed for a problem, not the borers that might follow.
Also, grub-like insects in decaying wood are likely part of the natural decay process. The answer to this problem is to keep all landscape plants vigorous and free from injuries.
Send short questions about your lawn, garden, plants, or insects to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010-2491. We need your mail, but this column can't reply to all letters. Those of wide appeal will be answered each week.
by CNB