Spring Ornamental Tree Care

Ornamental Crabapple trees are among the most popular of the spring-flowering trees. Their fragrant, colorful blossoms last for weeks and provide a source of nectar and pollen for early foragers. As we approach bloom time this spring, here are some things you need to do now to ensure their continued health.

Start by removing tree wrap. Applied in October, tree wrap protects the tree bark from winter sun scald, but now's the time to take it off. Tree wrap left in place through the spring and summer  creates excess moisture between the wrap layer and the bark, inviting insects and disease. It can also constrict growth.

Next, prune away any suckers. When a crabapple tree is under stress, it will begin to propagate itself by producing shoots or suckers, from the root system. These suckers drain energy away from the tree and need to be removed.

Established crabapple trees will benefit from a fertilizer applied in the spring. Fertilome granular Tree and Shrub fertilizer is a good choice. It's effective and easy to apply, especially if the tree is planted in the lawn. You need to water it in, once applied.  Tree spikes are also available and convenient to use.

This is the time to watch for Fire blight. Fire blight is a bacterial disease which can affect crabapple, apple and pear trees. Symptoms include dead branches, light brown to black leaves and a “burnt” look. Fire blight can be spread in the spring by wind, rain or snow and by poor pruning practices.  If you’ve seen infected trees in your neighborhood, you should spray your trees. Fire blight is treated by applying streptomycin when blossoms first open and weekly during the bloom period. Streptomycin can be found in Fertilome Fire Blight Spray.

Finally, it's important to improve the soil your tree is growing in.  Regardless of how long your tree has been in the ground, it will benefit by the application of organic material and humates. These products will help break up compacted soil, increase soil biological activity and improve nutrient uptake, important factors in your tree’s overall health and longevity.  

Selecting the Right Grass Seed for Your Lawn

Winter can take its toll on your lawn. As your grass begins to break dormancy, you may notice brown spots or bare patches. This damage can be caused by a number of factors, including winter kill, dog urine, disease and insect activity.

April is generally a good time to repair and rebuild your lawn and a simple, cost effective way to do this is to apply grass seed.  Whether you're spot seeding or re-seeding the whole lawn, there are two important factors to consider. First, you need to know the type of grass you have, so you can select the right seed. Second, you need to know when’s the best time to apply your grass seed.

Turf grasses are generally divided into two categories: cool season grasses and warm season grasses. Cool season grasses include Kentucky Blue Grass, Perennial Rye Grass and Turf Type Tall Fescue.  Cool season grass seed should be planted as soon as the soil temperature reaches 50° F. As of April 4, 2018 at 0730, the soil temperature is in the low to mid 40°s. While Kentucky Blue grass is the predominate turf grass in our area, many lawns are combinations of Blue grass, Perennial Rye grass and Turf Type Fescue grass.

Warm season grasses include Buffalo grass and Blue Grama. Warm season grasses should be planted when the soil temperature reaches 60° F, generally in May. 

Buffalo grass is a short, dense, sod-forming grass. It generally grows from 4” to 6” high.

Buffalo grass can be sown directly into the ground once the soil temperature has warmed sufficiently. You can also start seeds in trays and then transplant the plugs to the area you’re trying to get started. Buffalo grass does not perform well in higher elevations (above 6,500 feet). If you need a grass that does well at our altitude and up to 9,00', plant Blue Grama. Blue Grama is a drought tolerant native grass. You can direct sow Blue Grama with good success, once the soil temperature is 60° or higher. Blue Grama is the state grass of Colorado.

Choosing the right grass seed is the first step to getting your lawn in shape for the coming season. We carry a wide variety of turf grass seed.  We can help you select the right seed for your particular lawn situation and because we carry grass seed in bulk, you can buy the exact amount of seed you'll need.