New England Gardener

Question:
Hi,
I live in Portland Maine. My front lawn is a mess. I have 3 arborvite trees that look healthy, and juniper that look anemic, yellowish. I probably cut them back too much year before last to get the round shape back. Also, one of the two has invaded my small lawn. The grass is 50% gone. How do I remove the invader from the lawn and bring the shrubs and lawn back to health?

Answer:
Hi Allison
You may want to hire a team, or set out with grit and determination, on your own. The lawn soil has to be weeded and softened using an iron rake. The roots of the creeping juniper need to be allowed to go where they want, or pulled out and clipped back. Once you soften the soil, grass seed may be applied. This is the highest sun angle of the year, so watering must be thorough each morning. The dead tips of the juniper may be showing signs of life, if so leave them alone, in not, clip them back. This season is much kinder on our lawns and gardens thanks to not to much rain, and plenty of warmth.

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Young Maple Leaf May 2, 2010

I was kind of hoping with the early bloom this year, maybe we can catch the winter moth sleeping. Perhaps the leaves could bloom so fast, the moths might sleep through the action. On inspection today, Sunday May 2, 2010, we see the moths are hard at work, eating our young maple and oak (and many other) leaves. I could not see any pests on the leaf, but I did see a steady stream of tiny green caterpillars climbing up this weeping cherry tree.
What can we do? Not much. Here is some more information from the Univerisity of Massachusetts Extension. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment.

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Earth Day is time to get dirty, in order to get clean. Cleaning the earth includes the soil, the water, and the air. April 22, 2010 is our 40th annual day of action toward a cleaner planet. We have come a long way since April of 1970. Would we swim in Boston Harbor or Lake Erie 40 years ago? Could we breath clean air in Los Angeles or Denver 40 years ago? The answer is no. But today we have substantially cleaner air and water.
I believe the spirit of Earth Day is one of a succession of United States Citizen’s efforts to live on a cleaner planet, much more healthy for life.

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The fun of Bird watching is trying to find and identify as many birds and bird calls as possible. Many of us do the same thing with plants, shrubs, and trees. The difference is that birds are always bouncing and flying, trees and plants just sit there. So we have more time to examine the tree or shrub. Even though, with these pretty flowers just sitting there, I still have trouble identifying them. That’s why we have friends.. it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. I am grateful to know plenty of gardening veterans who mentor me in my flora ways. Take this, April 12, 2010 Nashua NH photo, for example.. Very pretty, but what are they? Dolores Ahern of South Dennis Massachusetts, is one of my go to people for help identifying plants and trees. I am able to I.D, the pretty yellow and red on the left as a McCafe Tree, but Dolores had to help with the others.

This from Dolores:
Hi Tim,
The yellow flower appears to be Doronicum orientale or Leopard’s Bane.
The white flowering tree is probably flowering pear and the purple shrub is PJM rhododendron.
How far ahead do you estimate we are for seasonal bloom? A week? 2 weeks?
Everything is early down here. We have to watch out for a frost or we’ll lose stuff.
Hope all is well.
Dolores
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I HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF MOSS AROUND MY LAWN AND GARDENS.
I AM IN A SHADY LOCATION WHICH MAY NOT HELP.
CAN YOU HELP?
THANK YOU
AL

Hi Al
Sounds like you may want to get someone to thin out the branches that create the shadows on your lawn. You need more sunshine and a breeze. The moss can then be tilled into soil and you can plant ’shady area’ grass seed.
I also found these answers from Dr. Google.
Found this web site http://turfgrass.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000014.html
Two items you can try. Dawn Ultra dish soap at 2-3ounces per gallon of water or an iron sulphate at 6 ounces per gallon of water. watch it turn color within hours.
Hay,
What about Copper Sulfate. If you are trying to control Spanish Moss or Ball Moss or others for that matter find some Copper Sulfate and spray moss after a rain for best results and then it will be dead. Now getting it off. Wish for real high winds. I’ve never tried soap but thanks for the hint I will experiment.
Burlap_Etc
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Have you ever seen plants blossom so quickly? Record 2010 March rainfall, now record warmth in April is the recipe for the fastest spring blooming I have ever seen. That means most of us are likely behind on our garden chores.. OK almost all of us, how about show of hands by those who are up to date?

I am running around between work outs and bill paying with pruners, a rake, and a large barrel. My goal is to take a load a day to the Green Connection town compost pile just a mile from my house. Just about every plant, bush, and tree in the yard can use at least a little prune. Some growth needs a heavy prune. Sometimes my hand clippers just don’t cut it. Like with this rose bush. That’s why I break out the Bolt Cutters. These thick Hybrid Tea thorny canes clearly are suffering black rot. This is typical, and does not mean the rose is dead. I believe these were impacted by the salty wind of many Nor’Easters this winter. The roses on the other side of the house were not as badly rotted, and now have five leaf sprouts growing three inches in three days!
The best way to cut these canes back, is to make the cut below the black rot, just above any new budding leave or branch. You may cut the rose right at the ground, if it is healthy the root will send new shoots up very quickly. I used bolt cutters because this cane is so tough. You also want heavy duty leather garden gloves, these thorns are crazy sharp and grabby. A few other chores are listed below.
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