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Bonneville Seattle is raising funds for the construction of a second Fisher House at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma and we need your help.Ciscoe Morris: Fertilize your lawn, yank out that ivy
on June 22, 2012 @ 12:53 pm (Updated: 7:30 am - 6/23/12 )
 Ciscoe says it's not too late to plant tomatoes. Just remember to use plenty of fertilizer - it's going to get warmer outside. |
Even though it's raining this weekend, master gardender Ciscoe Morris says it's a great time to make sure lawns are in tip-top shape, to cut back ivy, and to plant some tomatoes.
"This is a good time to fertilize your lawn, if you're going to water it this summer. The grass actually does a lot better than when you let it go dormant, so you don't get as many dandelions, you don't get clover taking over," says Ciscoe.
According to Ciscoe, it's enough to water once a week, less if it's cool outside. If you don't water it, you should skip the fertilizer.
"If you're not going to water, it will force the grass to grow like crazy and then if all of a sudden it doesn't get any water, that'll have a real detrimental effect," says Ciscoe.
If there are sun breaks this weekend or next week, Ciscoe says you should also take care of moss or weeds that have taken over the garden.
"I use straight white vinegar from the grocery store. It's got to be a hot sunny day, and don't forget it will kill the grass," says Ciscoe.
Use a spray bottle to get vinegar on weeds. After the weeds have died, make sure to put a little grass seed and some lawn fertilizer where the weeds used to be. Ciscoe says this will make grass bounce back fast.
Ciscoe also says it you should keep an eye on any ivy. It can take over a garden and spread to nearby forests and hurt trees.
"The problem is that the birds eat the berries, and they drop them in the forest and things, and then ivy grows up the trees," says Ciscoe.
When ivy grows up trees, it blocks light to plants below and to the trees themselves. In the winter, ivy weighs down trees and can cause them to bend and break. Worst of all, ivy attracts rats that can hide under the big clumps of vegetation.
Ivy can be hard to remove, so Ciscoe recommends renting tools and hiring someone from the Millionaire Club to do the work.
Finally, Ciscoe says there's hope for people who want to plant tomatoes. Many nurseries have big tomato plants that are already in bloom. Even with the rain, Ciscoe thinks that buying a cherry tomato plant will be perfect, since it guarantees a large crop.
"Don't forget to put a handful of bone meal and a cup of good organic tomato food in the hole. Work that in and plant that tomato. I guarantee, the fourth of July, summer starts here," says Ciscoe.
Jillian Raftery is a social media captain for the Dori Monson Show. She loves the neighborly vibe of the Pacific Northwest and spends as much time as possible outdoors.
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