The 1st day of spring was the final insult of a very cold and windy March.
Last week, I went home early during the beginnings of the snowfall; I looked up from my book and felt I was being watched. It was then that I noticed a “puffed up” Robin, sitting on a fence post near my window, staring at me all warm inside the house. He promptly flew off as another gust of heavy snow fell from the skies. Of the three “Nor-Easters” that hit the New England states, the last was the only significant snowfall for Maryland this year. Mother Nature is fickle.
Lawn Care
Scheduling: We lost 7 work days to the weather. We will be working long hours this month and next to catch up. We are only efficient in our service scheduling if we can service you and your neighbors in the same day. If we haven’t performed your 1st service yet, please be patient – the ground temperatures have remained cold and pre-emergent crabgrass control will still be effective.
Odd Grasses: Patches of white could be Nimblewill or Bermuda or Zoysia. If you don’t like them call the office to discuss solutions. Pale green patches that either grow fast or put out short white seed heads are Annual Bluegrass, that are not controllable with normal lawn care.
Broadleaf Weeds: We will start to apply control for weeds next week when it becomes warmer; please be patient – with daytime temperatures above 55 degrees and night-time above 45 degrees we will start to get better results.
Edging Pavement: Please delay mechanical edging until later in the summer. Edging in the spring can cause crabgrass barrier breakdown. Easy with the string trimmers also, beating down the lawn edge every week will cause crabgrass breakthrough and summer weeds.
Moles: We have calls this time of year about mole activity. They are tunneling in soft soils looking for earthworms. The best organic product we have found is Molexit, a granular product that pushes them back into the woods. You can order this product online.
Plant Care
Winter Damage: Some plants were damaged by the cold winter. Mostly winter burn this time. It is best to wait a few more weeks to see what will recover, before taking drastic steps. Most of the Cherry Laurels and hollies will recover, but the Crape Myrtles may have severe damage.
Pruning: If you have not been able (like me) to prune your roses or butterfly bushes, now is the time. The next 2 weeks is also the best time to do corrective pruning on your evergreen shrubs. The old wood of hollies, yews and boxwoods are best pruned in early spring. Junipers, pines and arborvitae do not do well by heavy pruning. No, you can’t use electric trimmers to cut stems that are the size of a pencil or larger. Bypass loppers or hand pruners made by Felco are the best. Electric trimmers are meant to cut new growth only. Be sure you know what plants you have before starting the job! Be sure your cuts are made flush to the trunk; do not leave stubs that will not heal properly. When in doubt contact an expert: Bartlett Tree Experts (410.526.6655) offers free consultations.
Feeding: Now is the time to fertilize your bulbs, perennials and spring flowering shrubs. I have seen some folks dump handfuls of granular fertilizer around their plants. Be careful! You can cause damage this way; use balanced slow released fertilizers that are formulated for what you are feeding.
Mulch: All the landscapers are out applying mulch with their spring cleanups. A good layer of mulch is helpful to prevent weeds; however, too much mulch is not a good thing. Excess mulch causes root problems and plant decline, if piled up on the trunks of your trees and shrubs.
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Recipe from Angel: Classic Carrot Cake from Scratch
Ingredients
- 2 c. granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 c. grated carrots
- 1 c. chopped walnuts
- 1 c. raisins
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsps. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 2 tsps. ground cinnamon
- 2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
- 1/2 c. pineapple (can be from a can or freshly diced)
Ingredients
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees
- Prepare two 8 inch round baking pans
- Beat the sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in mixer until it is light yellow
- In a separate bowl sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly and gently add in the dry ingredients. Mix until JUST combined
- Remove bowl from mixer and fold in raisins, nuts, carrots and pineapple
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
- Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack
- Cover in cream cheese frosting
If you see something out of the ordinary, please feel free to contact us for advice. That’s what we are here for!
Please contact us if you have topics you would like to discuss in future newsletters. Email me at group187@lawndoctor.com
Thank you for your business
Tony Richardson
Lawn Doctor
