2002-07-08 P & R Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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.. a chemical herbicide, can. also be used. However, use precaution when applying herbicides. Read the .' iabel carefully and dispose. of the product properly. Consider the amount of turfgrass that you will need to kill before purchasing a herbicide. Most areas are small enough where mechanical measures will suffice; however for those large or hard to get at sites, herbicides provide an option for killing sod. Use proper care when applying herbicides to an area. Herbicides tend to destroy.any plant with which they come in contact with. It takes approximately 10 to 14 days for the turfgrass to die. If green areas remain after the two week waiting period, you can spot apply the herbicide. Wait a couple of days to plant in those areas where you spot applied the herbicide. Make sure the turf is completely eradicated before planting. You can plant directly on the dead turf and seeding will require that you till the area ~efore spreading. Soil Preparation Limited soil preparation is required for establishing a Rain Garden. Incorporation of soil amendments are not needed for most Rain Garden plantings. In fact, the addition of peat moss, black dirt, and fertilizer could be detrimental in some locations. In some areas of your lawn, soil amendments can enrich the soil causing increased weed growth. However, additional soil amendments might be necessary in areas that receive little to no sunlight. A little compost or manure will add needed nutrients to these sites. Remember to spread the compost or manure evenly throughout the shaded area. Downspouts Downspouts should be directed towards your Rain Garden. Elbows can easily be redirected and extensions added to force the runoff water to specific areas of your lawn. Extensions to your downspouts can assist in moving the runoff water further from your house or a structure, and allow you to establish a Rain Garden further into your lawn. ~Ibows and extensions can be purchased at retail home centers or local hardware stores. Planting Before you disturb any ground for planting, make sure that you will.be able to obtain your plants that you have selected. Some native plants can be difficult to obtain so begin by contacting your local garden centers early in the season. To protect the quality of your garden, it is best to purchase local-orgin plants from area nurseries. This is especially true for native plants. The source of the. native plants should not be more than 200 miles from Rochester. Native plants purchased from areas beyond this distance can have a different genetic makeup from the local species even though they look alike. The local plants have a built in balance with their environment and their companion species. When plants are taken out of their native region, they often have difficult time surviving and competing with the local species.3 A listing of local sources is provided on page 18. Detailed planting instructions for your plants can be obtained from the nursery or garden center where you purchased the plants. Here are a few important points when planting a Rain Garden. · Thoroughly soak the containerized plants before taking them out of their pots or cells. Dry roots when planted.tend to repel wElter even when they are soaked after installation. · Native plants are often grown in containers called cell packs and usually form a mass of Interwoven roots in their compartment Gently pry apart the roots in the bottom haN of the root ball. This will assist In stimulating root growth. For la,ger plants In pots, use a knNe to cut the coiled .roots around the edges In two orthree places along the root ball. The knife should not be pressed too deep and should move down the sides of the root ball (Figure 1). This will encourage lateral root growth. If you have a massive root-bound plant, cut a very thin slice of the root mass of the bottom. You can also make an incision up root ball to the crown of the plant The crown Is point where the plant emerges from the soli. · When Installing plants, first dig a w/~e "o/e that Is not too deep. Remember that plants will establISh quicker in large planting holes. The hole should be about twice as wide as the root ball. Within the hole Figure 1 15