Well, I'm not sure what the heck that white stuff is out there but it is thick and sticky. We managed to get about two or three inches of snow here in uptown. And of course this morning there were wrecks everywhere. Why is it that Oklahomans try to drive in wet conditions the same way they do in dry conditions? I was going to an appointment this morning and everybody in town was passing me. I didn't think I was going that slow, but then I never do. Apparently the speed limit signs (and line markings, and stop signs and lights and the rest of the road rules) are just a suggestion nowadays. My poor plants are so confused. I have a couple of clematis that were about to start climbing on the trellis that are now covered with snow, my plum tree had just finished blooming and was putting on leaves, it has probably changed its mind now. Of course, the temps are going to be in the 40's today and the 50's tomorrow so the snow will be gone by this afternoon.
I was out this morning driving to a job interview at Satterlee's nursery. They need a designer and I need a job. So all of you keep the prayers going and if you're on my reference list (Susan!) answer your phone and tell them how wonderful I am. Lie if you have to. Actually it was kind of funny. Out of the 13 people on my reference list they knew about half of them. Hopefully Saterlee's and I will make a good fit. I know I would like to work somewhere that has the kind of reputation that they have. Plus they are small enough that I can really get to know the people that I would be working with and they have a reputation of being fair and loyal to their employees, something you don't find everywhere these days.
In case you haven't heard the brou-ha-ha, or if you have but haven't seen what it's all about this is the link to the new ad for the Australian Board of Tourism. England tried to keep it off their tv stations (because "bloody" is risque in Great Britain, the same people that gave us Benny Hill and Monty Python) and now Canada is trying to keep it off the airwaves because it promotes drinking (one of the scenes is in a bar talking about beer). I can't quite figure that out. I have known a few Canadians and none of them had a problem with drinking. I personally think the commercial is a hoot. Anyway, the link to the commercial is http://www.wherethebloodyhellareyou.com/. Makes me want to go there, of course, I've always wanted to go there.
I have my CADD class tonight. This is the most amazing program. Sometimes I wish I understood what I was doing. Of course, I wish that about most of the things in my life.
Speaking of understanding, this blog thing is rather bazaar. So far besides the nice comments I get from Susan and Shelly and the helpful comments on my computer illiteracy that I get from Kay and Shelly and Jim, and of course Susan, I've gotten comments from people in Singapore and Germany. I'm not sure why anybody reads this. I do give good plant advice, you just have to sift through so much other stuff to get it. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy my ramblings and if you do have any plant questions, ask them and I'll try to give a coherent answer.
Speaking of trying to help with plant problems, here is the maintenance schedule for April.
April
Control cedar-apple rust. When the orange jelly galls are
visible on juniper (cedar), begin treating apple and
crabapple trees with a fungicide. Treat hawthorns accordingly.
Fire blight bacterial disease can be controlled at this time.
Plant disease-resistant varieties to avoid diseases.
Diplodia tip blight fungicide applications at bud break.
Control of powdery mildew disease can be done with
early detection and regular treatment. Many new plant
cultivars are resistant.
Most bedding plants, summer flowering bulbs, and annual
flower seeds can be planted after danger of frost.
This happens around mid-April in most of Oklahoma.
Let spring flowering bulb (daffodil, tulip, etc.) foliage
remain as long as possible before removing it.
Fungicides for leaf spot diseases can be applied.
Warm-season grass lawns can be established beginning
in late April from sprigs, plugs, or sod.
Warm-season grasses can be fertilized three to five times
per season using one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000
sq. ft. in each application. Apply one pound in April, May,
June, August and September for a high quality lawn.
Water in nitrate fertilizers.
Mowing of warm-season lawns can begin now. Cutting
height for bermuda and zoysia should be 1 to 1 1/2 inches
high. Mow buffalo at 3 inches high.
Damage from Spring Dead Spot Disease (SDS) becomes
visible in bermudagrass. Perform practices that
promote grass recovery. Do not spray fungicides at this
time for SDS control.
Be alert for both insect pests and predators. Some pests
can be hand picked without using a pesticide. Do not
spray if predators such as lady beetles are present. Spray
only when there are too few predators to be effective.
Remove any winter-damaged branches or plants that
have not begun to grow by late April.
Clean out water garden and prepare for season. Divide
and repot water garden plants.
Begin feeding fish when water temperatures are over
50 degreeso F.
posted by Wayne @ 9:51 AM
5 Comments:
I'll certainly be praying for your Satterlee's interview to turn into an excellent career opportunity!
I have a real problem with speeders...especially in bad road/weather conditions. Ask anyone that ever rides with me and they will verify that I don't speed. It frustrates my passengers at times. I spent too many years doing ICU nursing and there is a huge difference in injuries sustained at higher speeds. Also, I'm always interested in saving gas, especially at the current prices.
I do have a question. Last season we put down weed barrier fabric in our flower beds and grass and weeds grew through it like we had fertilized them. Did we do something wrong? We also covered the weed barrier fabric with thick mulch...and weeds and grass grew like crazy. What gives?
Shelly
Grasses, especially bermuda seem to love weed barrier fabric. I don't know whether it just holds the moisture in or what but I have stopped using it for anything but going under rock patios and then only to hold the sand above the drainage rock. A think layer of mulch smothers out the weaker weeds and any stronger weeds and grass that aren't already in the soil tend to root in the mulch where they are easy to pull out. I haven't found any easy way to get bermuda grass out of the beds except for Round-Up and a grass killer that Ortho makes, neither of which I particularly like using. The good news is, once you get the weed barrier out of the bed and get the weeds and grasses pulled out of the bed, the ones that come back are fairly easy to control.
I hope you get the Satterlee job. I really like Johnny. He was one of my newsletter sponsors for a long time. I've been working with his son and daughter-in-law on housing.
I hope he calls for a reference. I think you'd be a great fit there.
Thanks for the info. and I only wish I had spoken with you prior to our installing the landscape fabric. Well, now we know. : ) And, yes, it is Bermuda grass that is enjoying the landscape fabric as its new homestead spot. We'll plan on removing it once the temps get above freezing for a few days.
We really try not to use herbicides, pesticides, etc. if we can avoid it. It may be time to go to work with a hoe and shovel as part of our regular routine.
Thanks so much,
Shelly
We had plenty of that white stuff around here, too, this morning. Good thing I brought some of the potted plants back in.
Definitely prayers and good thoughts towards Satterlee's.
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