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A. Compaction due to foot
and paw traffic is easy to fix. Aeration is the first step. Get
out the long-handled spading fork and plunge it into the soil every
few inches. You don’t need to pull soil out; just rock the
spade back and forth. Then get some compost, and with the rake turned
tines up, smooth it into the holes. Water. You can spray some Hasta
Gro, John’s Special Formula, liquid seaweed, or similar product
for an extra boost.
Producer’s note: I’d always had foot traffic
baldness near the patio and around the beds to the gate. On top
of that, last year I faced a muddy, compacted mess when I had work
done to the outside of the house. As the guys were hauling heavy
equipment, roofing materials, etc. around the perimeter, we got
the February rains that didn’t stop. When the work was finished,
and the rain was over (for the next four months), I thought I’d
never repair the rock-hard earth without tilling and bringing in
all new soil. One afternoon I just got out the spade and dug in.
I added some home-made compost, and then spread one small bag of
dried molasses after hearing about its great benefits on CTG. I
added a few plugs of grass, but didn’t do the whole area,
and sprayed grass and mud with John’s Formula. Bingo! In a
month, the muddy mess was under control. Over a year later, it’s
the thickest grass I’ve ever had in that area. It may be my
imagination, but it seems to me that I can tell exactly where I
spread the molasses (the yard smelled like cookies for a few days,
too).
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|  Butterfly
Bush
(Buddleja Davidii)
Butterfly bush is a must for gardeners wishing to
attract butterflies. These shrubs produce gangly shoots that end
in beautiful bloom spikes that
are wonderfully fragrant and keep on coming all summer long. The
blooms make great cut flowers, if you can talk the butterflies out
of them. Plant Buddleja in full to part sun and plan on trimming
back the spent bloom shoots once or twice during the summer as bloom
cycles fade to encourage a new flush of growth and blooms. Several
varieties are available offering an array of bloom colors including
white, lavender, violet, purple and yellow. Mites can be a problem
in hot dry locations during the summer months.
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- As the hot weather goes into full force, you can still plant
summer flowers if you give them a little extra care, especially
extra water. With larger plants, however, check the soil before
watering to make sure they need it. When you do give them the
hose, water deeply. Let the water bubble up. Go to another area,
then come back and water again until it bubbles.
- Producer note: If I simply must move a plant in the
heat, or even plant something that gets full sun, I cover it with
row cover or shade cloth clothespinned to stakes—like a
little tent. I leave it on a few days until the plant is settled
enough for the roots to catch up with the transpiration. Works
wonders!
- If fruit trees show signs of scale, knock them out with an oil
spray.
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