Quotation of the Week: "There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly." — Buckminster Fuller

Basic Lawn Care

A well maintained yard (including lawns) can add 15% to your home's value. Lawns help muffle noise, moderate temperatures, reduce dust and pollen, control erosion, improve soil, improve air quality by reducing CO2 levels, cushion the legs, and, though some may disagree, help keep dirt out of the home. Maintaining a healthy, vigorously growing lawn is the best way to prevent a severe disease outbreak in a turfgrass. A 5,000 square foot lawn contains about four million turfgrass plants, each requiring optimum amounts of water and fertilizer, the right mowing regime, and an aerated, well-drained soil. About 75 to 85% of common lawn diseases can be avoided altogether just by optimizing these practices to avoid stressed grass, which is much more susceptible to disease outbreaks than healthy grass. Proper Watering: Water as infrequently as possible, but make sure you water enough. Watering infrequently but deeply will encourage the roots of the turf to go deep. Water for as long as possible to get deep soil penetration (up to 30 minutes). It may be necessary to cycle irrigate if runoff occurs after just a short time. To cycle irrigate, water until runoff occurs, then stop and wait for the water to penetrate (usually 1 to 2 hours), then repeat. Water as early as possible - first thing in the morning. Do not water between 4 pm and 4 am. Do not water areas in the shade as frequently as the areas of your lawn that receive full sun. Fertilizing Fertilization timing, amount, and type depend on the turf you have and your soil type. Unless your soil is very nutrient-poor, fertilize sparingly, as you can actually over-stimulate plant growth, making the lawn more susceptible to dry conditions and disease. Our professionals can help advise you on the best fertilizers to use. Mowing It's very tempting to set the lawn mower very low so that you don't have to mow as often. Don't do it. If your lawn looks like astroturf, you are mowing it much too short. Lawns mowed at 2-3" tend to have deeper roots, fewer weed problems, and look much better. On any given mowing, you should be removing about 1/3 of the grass blade. If you are mowing regularly, let grass clippings stay on the lawn; they will readily decompose and return nutrients to the soil. If you have just inherited a meadow, and don't have a mulching mower, you can get the same effect by remowing several times, thus slicing up the long clippings that are lying on top. Spot care If there are brown spots in your lawn and you have ruled out fungus and insects, it could be a simple case of the soil being too compacted. Try aerating the area; if it is very bad (dead turf) remove the turf, turn over the soil and amend with a good soil amendment. We recommend Whitney Farms Planting Compost. If you reseed, lightly cover with a good organic topper such as Kellogg's Topper. The seeds must be kept moist continuously for the first two weeks or they will die.

Geraniums

Just a note here: What most gardeners know as a "geranium" is probably a plant of the genus pelargonium and not the genus geranium (more commonly known as cranesbills). We are using the term 'geranium' here in deference to the common usage. There are four main types of garden geraniums: zonal geraniums, Martha Washington geraniums, the scented-leaf geraniums, and ivy geraniums.

	Zonal geraniums (pelargonium hortorum): The most popular garden geranium, getting their name from the "zoned" leaf markings. They have clusters of individual flowers held on long stems above the foliage. There are many cultivars, with wide range of brilliant flower color and attractive leaves. Most will grow about 3 ft. tall.
	Martha Washington geraniums (pelargonium domesticum): The group known as the 'orchid of geraniums.' Flowers are orchid-like blooms; colors may be white, pink, red, purple, or mixed colors. These geraniums require cool (50 to 60°F) night temperatures in order to bloom. They may stop flowering in the heat of the summer but will resume once the weather cools in the fall.
	Scented-leaf geraniums (pelargonium - various species and hybrids): Grown for their beautifully scented foliage. They vary in shape, size, flower color and growth habit. Foliage fragrances include rose, chocolate, mint, apple, lemon, lime, ginger and nutmeg.
	Ivy geraniums (pelargonium peltatum): Named for the ivy-shaped foliage and trailing growth habit; the flower colors are more pastel than zonals. They are ideal for hanging baskets, and may also be used in window boxes, or as ground covers in a protected location. They like moderate temperatures. If the temperatures are between 65 and 80 degrees F, put them in full sun. When the temperature is higher than that, move them to an area with partial sun.

For planting geraniums in flower beds, work in a complete fertilizer like Whitney Farms Smart Start before planting. In mid-summer fertilize again with a water-soluble fertilizer such as Miracle Gro. Space plants 10 to 12 inches apart. Water well after planting, but don't overwater. For planting in containers, use Miracle Gro Potting Mix, and top-dress with Cocoa Mulch to provide continuing nutrients. Water thoroughly when the soil is dry to the touch (so water comes through the drainage holes). Geraniums of all sorts are a great addition to your home and garden. Try a few this year for your window boxes, hanging baskets, and flowerbeds.

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What You'll Need: 4 cups fresh pineapple cubes (1/2-inch) 2 cups peeled, diced ripe mangos (about 2 medium) 1-1/2 cups sliced banana (about 2 medium) 3/4 cup orange sections (about 2 medium) 2 tbs. dark brown sugar 2 tbs. fresh lime juice 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted Step by Step: Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing gently to blend. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Sprinkle with coconut. Yield:  8 servings