Photo Credit: Gerald Holmes, Strawberry Center, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Bugwood.org Fall is upon us! The beauty of the leaves is one of the favorite sights of the season. Once the leaves fall from their trees, a new chore can be added to the list – leaf raking! This can be back-breaking work if done by hand. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2017, leaves and other yard debris account for more than 13 percent of the nation’s solid waste—a whopping 35 million tons a year! Creatively and judiciously managing leaves by mulch mowing can save time and money in your fertilization effort, save your back, and keep leaves out of the landfill. Here are some simple guidelines and strategies to help you mulch mow your leaves.
Mulch mowing is just what it sounds like - chopping leaves into small pieces until it turns into a mulch like material that is returned to the lawn. Leaf debris naturally composts, allowing nutrients to return to the soil. Successfully mulching leaves into the lawn requires frequent mowing in the fall and possibly several passes during one mowing session. It is important to chop leaves adequately until they’re about the size of a dime so the leaf debris breaks down quickly. Specialized mulching mowers are available, and these mower types will also be beneficial year-round to mulch grass leaves into the lawn. According to K-State Extension, “mowing during the leaf season is not based on grass growth but on the rate at which leaves fall and collect on the lawn. Mow a thin layer, approximately 1” each time. This thin layer is chopped by the mower and then filters through the leaf blades where it works its way down to the soil.” Research has shown that a total of six inches of leaves can be successfully shredded and composted into the lawn and thus returned to the soil without causing damage. If you determine that your trees deliver more than 6 inches of leaves, it is best to mulch mow then bag. This can be done by first mowing without a bag and then mowing a second time with a bag in place. The second pass will enable leaves to be sucked up into the bag and take-up considerably less space thus allowing you to decrease the volume of leaves two to four-fold. The chopped leaves can be used as mulch for flower gardens and trees to help conserve moisture. Just remember not to use more than 2-3” of mulch around plants and steer clear of the crowns of plants to deter voles and rot. The leftover leaves can also be used in the compost pile. Another reason to utilize leaves in your landscape, according to the National Wildlife Federation, is that “Removing leaves also eliminates vital wildlife habitat. Critters ranging from turtles and toads to birds, mammals and invertebrates rely on leaf litter for food, shelter and nesting material. Many moth and butterfly caterpillars overwinter in fallen leaves before emerging in spring.” Leaves should not be dumped into local streams as the extra organic matter can lead to excessive nutrients into our bodies of water thus causing potential algae issues and lower water quality. Leaves that are left on the street can also clog storm drains which can result in flooding. For questions regarding Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District programs and/or technical assistance on water or soil questions, visit http://warrenswcd.com or call, 513-695-1337. Additional Resources:
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In the last few years we have experienced record rainfall events. While rainfall (otherwise known as stormwater) is a natural occurrence, unfortunately our environment is not always in a “natural” state. In other words, we have developed areas such as roads, sidewalks, roof tops, parking lots and other impervious surfaces where stormwater does not have a chance to soak down into our soil. This stormwater becomes runoff and picks up pollutants from our lawns and streets (examples - vehicle emissions, oil residue, grass clippings, pesticides, leaves, and pet waste) and enters our lakes and streams by way of storm drains thus causing water pollution and impairments within our local bodies of water. Stormwater runoff is the number one threat to our water quality according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. How can we help? Below are some simple management ideas that could be implemented within the landscape to help store and clean some of this stormwater thus lessening the amount of water entering our stormwater sewer systems. Utilizing Rain Barrels Rain barrels connect to downspouts to collect rain water. The collected water can then be used to water gardens, and be used as grey water for washing outdoor items. Water collected from rain barrels is not for human consumption, however. Some of the other benefits of rain barrels include:
Creating a Rain Garden Rain gardens are a unique feature that can be added to the landscape and is disguised as a flower garden. They have many benefits that include: providing wildlife habitat, providing nectar and pollen sources for pollinators, transforming rainfall runoff into a resource rather than a nuisance, and improving storm water quality as it is infiltrated and redistributed through soils. Rain gardens are purposefully located to maximize the amount of stormwater runoff that flows into the garden rather than off the property. It is important to note that it is not just a garden bed. Garden size, depth, slope, soil amendments and drainage all need to be considered before putting a shovel into the ground. Plants that thrive in your landscape and in southwest Ohio should be considered. Native plants are good choices because they tend to offer more benefits to pollinators and have better survivability in native soils. To help prepare your rain garden’s site, check out the following resources:
Before putting any of these water management strategies into place, please check local ordinances to make sure you understand what is allowable. For more questions regarding rain barrels and rain gardens, contact us! 513-695-1337. Soil tests are an essential part of farming and gardening because they can help determine plant nutrient needs and plant selection decisions thus helping to keep money in your pocket. Testing soil has often been compared to visiting a doctor for a health check-up. Physicians use tests to help them prescribe medications and the same should be done for our soil. Having too much of one nutrient can affect our crops badly and affect the productivity, on the other hand not having enough nutrients to sustain plants can be detrimental to the crop. Whether you are a wanting to grow a small vegetable garden or a thousand acres of corn; soil testing is a good thing to give you a basis on where to start. Testing soil helps to keep the soil healthy by measuring what is exactly in the soil. Soil labs then give recommendations on what to apply to ensure excess nutrients are not available to escape into groundwater, streams and lakes where they contribute to environmental problems (i.e. algal blooms, hypoxia, etc.). A big water quality issue in the State of Ohio that is affecting not only lake Erie but inland lakes such as Buckeye Lake, Grand Lake St. Marys and even Caesar Creek is excess phosphorus. It is important that phosphorus is not added if the soil does not need it. In many parts of the country fertilizer companies are not including phosphorus in their mixes to ensure phosphorus is not over applied. Soil sampling can be done any time of the year but it is best not to take samples in high rain events. One test can be taken for an area if there are no major topography changes or the area has not been treated differently in the past (I.e. pasture in one area of the field and crops in the other area). It is recommended that a separate test be taken in that area that was managed differently so that results are not skewed. It is also recommended to lump no more than 20 acres together in one test.
The field should be walked in a zig-zag pattern, with a subsample taken every few feet. For small areas such as vegetable garden, 5-10 subsamples are sufficient and 10-15 subsamples for larger areas such as lawns and fields. Subsample depths should be taken at the following:
Ohio’s native plants provide many wonderful benefits to pollinators, Ohio’s economy, and the health of Ohio’s ecosystems. We can see many of these common natives right here in Warren County! Black Gum Tree Black Gum Tree (Nyssa sylvatica), otherwise known as black gum, black tupelo or sour gum, is a native for most parts of Ohio. This tree has a wonderful glossy dark green foliage in the summer and turns to a bright orange-red in the autumn. At maturity, this tree has a oval shape and can reach heights of 60’ with a width of 25’. The black tupelo strongly prefers moist, well-drained, acidic soils but adapts to average, alkaline soils. This tree need full sun to partial sun to grow well. Reference: http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/tupelo Photo credit: Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org Sassafras Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is an aromatic, native tree found in wooded areas of Ohio. It is part of the Lauraceae family that includes such genera as spicebush (another great native) and avocado. This tree prefers moist, well-drained, soils and can reach a size of 30-50' in height and 25-40' in width. The leaves are uniquely shaped and can range from three lobed, mitten shaped to unlobed. Reference: https://bygl.osu.edu/node/739 Photo credit: Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org White Snakeroot White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is a herbaceous perennial plant that is often considered a weed because of its toxicity to animals and humans. It is part of the sunflower family and is identified by the white disk flowers that appear in late summer and early fall. It has an interesting history as it was known to cause “milk sickness”. Milk from cows who had ingested this plant would contain high levels of the toxin tremetol. Numerous early settlers, including Abraham Lincoln’s mother, became afflicted and/or died from milk sickness in the Midwest. Reference: https://u.osu.edu/dassler.1/2014/09/14/eupatorium-rugosum/ https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/white-snakeroot Photo credit: David Stephens, Bugwood.org Canadian Wild Ginger Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a perennial, low growing plant (4-8" high) that blooms in April, May and June and is typically found in shady areas. This is a colony forming (you will typically find more than one in the same location) plant that produces a pair of large, velvety, heart-shaped leaves. A ginger plant produces one flower at the base of the two leaves which can be dark red-brown to green-brown color. This plant is becoming more popular with gardeners as a low maintenance groundcover for shade areas. This plant attracts butterflies and is a larval host to the pipeline swallowtail butterfly. Reference: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=asca https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/wild-ginger/ Photo credit: Karan A. Rawlins, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis or cardinal flower is a native wildflower that grows in marshes, streambanks and low wooded areas. Cardinal flower has extremely showy red blossoms that grow on a spike. This plant is a must if you want to attract butterflies and hummingbirds as the color is irresistible to these creatures! Cardinal flowers can be grown in full sun or very light shade. The plants require moisture for good growth and they can be planted on the edge of a pond or marsh area. Reference: https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/lobelia_cardinalis.shtml Photo credit: David Stephens, Bugwood.org As the arboreal leaves turn vibrant reds and oranges, some of us may be noticing a browning in our backyard gardens as tomato and pepper plants are coming to the end of their season. Depending on the weather, October can be an ideal time in Ohio to keep giving your garden a little bit more love and attention. And set your gaze on next season's success!
Fall garden basics:
Gardening is a wonderful way to connect with the outdoors and provide local sustenance, And by following conservation gardening techniques, you can maximize your garden yield while working in harmony with the local environment! |
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Warren County SWCD Staff BlogA blog to keep you informed on all the latest news at Warren County SWCD and in the conservation world. Archives
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