By HERB LAWRENCE
Copley News Service
Some people love to tinker in
the yard, while others would just
as soon let the grass die as water
it. Fighting those ever-present
weeds and making sure the garden
looks good can be frustrating
chores.
But a house or condominium
would look much poorer without
the softening of landscaping. Hav-
ing adequate landscaping is a vital
necessity, and one has to learn to
deal with the problems of taking
care of plants and ground covers.
One landscaping expert says a
garden doesn’t have to be a prob-
lem for either new or existing
housing if the job is handled logi-
cally and in a simple fashion.
That expert is Joe Taylor, a
vice president of a major home
builder.
One of Taylor's jobs is to over-
see the installation of lawns,
shrubs and trees at model com-
plexes and at homes where
landscaping is included.
Nurseries are a big help in
landscaping, Taylor said. “They
can give you some good specific
advice. Don’t hesitate to ask nur-
serymen what to do.
“That’s their business, and they
can solve a lot of problems for
you,” he said.
The best period of the year to
start something new in a garden is
normally spring or thé time just
before spring blows in.
Installing covering
Copley News Service photo
“That’s the key growth period
and it’s best to begin then,” he
said.
Proper landscaping for every
house or condominium and the up-
keep of that landscaping makes
good sense, Taylor said.
“It makes the dwelling look bet-
ter to other people, should make it
more pleasant for you while living
there and make the property more
valuable in a resale,” he said.
Lawns in front and back are
still in, he said. But they may not
be in the future.
Using ground covers such as ice
plants also is a good idea in a
landscaping plan. Many ground
covers need little maintenance
and care.
Taylor also likes to include
trees in his landscaping, but cau-
tions that the roots of a tree can
cause problems to a driveway or
sidewalk. Trees have to be planted
far enough away from concrete
covers so they won't expand and
crack a driveway or sidewalk.
Such roots also could play havoc
on home foundations.
“So you can’t plant that close-
ly,” he said.
The location of the trees must
be planned properly, he said. “You
should consult a nursery on the lo-
cations when you buy the baby
trees,” he said.
Before any landscaping is put
in, Taylor said, the owner of a
home should have the soil tested.
“I think this is essential,” he
said. “The test will tell you what
nutrients the soil needs.”
The cost of such a test is nomi-
nal, and it can be performed by
most nurseries.
Some of his other tips:
— Make sure you plant young
trees in large enough holes. Nur-
series can advise on proper size. If
the holes aren’t large enough for
the roots, the tree isn’t going to do
well.
— Don’t put plants in natural
drainage channels set up in the
grading of the property.
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By DONALD GRAND
Copley News Service
Spending a few hours outdoors
can make your lawn green and
your shrubs and flowers more
beautiful for the whole family to
enjoy.
Here is a basic plan from Scotts,
a maker of lawn-care products, to
give you the most enjoyment from
your lawn and garden.
— Cleanup. Rake up any debris.
It can smother new growth.
— Fertilize your lawn in the
early spring. Every lawn needs
this. There simply is not enough
natural nitrogen and other nu-
trients in soil to meet the needs of
a thick green lawn. Use a con-
trolled-release fertilizer that will
give the lawn a steady, controlled
feeding for six to eight weeks.
Make a second application in late
spring. :
— Seed if needed. Early spring
is a fine time to do this, before
weeds have a chance to fill in the
gaps and bare patches. But don’t
waste money by just throwing
down seeds. Slice or scratch up the
ground first so the grass seeds
have a place to lodge. Fertilize the
same day you seed with a fertiliz-
‘er for starting new seedlings.
Once the seed germinates, keep
the ground continuously moist.
— Fertilize shrubs and trees.
Early spring also is a good time to
surface feed with a dry, granular
fertilizer so your plants can take
full advantage of the coming
growing season. No need to dig up,
just spread the material on the
soil surface as directed. i
— Mowing. For your existing
lawn, mow as soon as the grass
starts to grow again and the
weather is nice. Cut off a half inch
or so. This will let more sunlight
into the crown of the grass plants
to stimulate growth.
If you have seeded a new lawn
or reseeded bare spots, mow as
soon as there is anything to cut.
Mowing height should be 1% to 2
inches.
— Coping with dandelions and
other weeds. An excellent time to
broadleaf weeds is when they are
in bloom, and the best way to go
after them is with weed control
absorbed through the leaves. This
coincides with the time that lawns
are in need of late spring feeding,
so home owners can do both jobs
at once by using a combination
product that feeds as it weeds.
1. More free time 6.
2. A lower water bill
3. A greener, healthier lawn 7
4. A protected home value
5. Easy installation
. and servicing 10.
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