Regardless of what the groundhog says, spring is right around the corner and it’s time to think about spring weed control.  With the mild winter, we’ve had, it’s time to apply pre-emergent for your yard. You have about a six-week window to apply pre-emergents, from the first of February to the middle of March.  There are three factors that will determine when a seed will germinate: soil temperature, moisture, and sunlight. The pre-emergent must be applied and active BEFORE that magic moment of germination occurs.

At J&N, we’ve got several products we recommend for weed control:

Synthetic Pre-Emergents

Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed and Grass Stopper – Contain dimension pre-emergent, which provides superior control of crabgrass as well as control or suppression of other listed weeds when applied before they germinate. It also provides post-emergent control of crabgrass only and is effective on crabgrass up to four weeks after it has germinated and emerged. Do not apply this product later than four weeks after crabgrass has germinated. The12# bag covers 3,000 sq ft and the 35# bag that covers 10,000 square feet.

A-Vert Plus Lawn Food 18-0-12 –  Contains Gallery and Team, pre-emergent herbicides for control of annual grasses and broadleaf weeds in established home lawns. Apply only twice per year for effective dandelion and crabgrass control. A 12lb bag covers up to 2,000 square feet.

Weed Free Zone – Controls over 80 of the toughest-to-control broadleaf weeds including Clover, Ground Ivy, Spurge, Chickweed, Dandelion, Henbit, Oxalis, Poison Ivy, Purslane, Shepherds Purse, Thistle, Virginia Buttonweed, Wild Onion and many others listed on the label. Formulated for cooler weather, it’s a great first application of the season pre-emergent.

Organic Pre-Emergent

Corn Gluten Meal – An all-natural option for weed control is corn gluten meal. It is available in both granulated and powder form and it is applied at a rate of 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

The key to success with these products is to apply the correct amount to your lawn.  Follow the label directions and know the square footage of your lawn.

Onion sets and seed potatoes arrive mid-January at J&N Feed and Seed. Planting seed potatoes and onions are at the top of everyone’s gardening list this time of year. As everyone in North Texas knows, our late January and February weather can be a gamble— temps can be spring-like one day and fall below freezing the next.  But, the weather extremes should not deter gardeners from planting during these months.  Potatoes are top of the list for planting this time of year.

Other good go-to cold weather vegetables are root produce such as turnips, beets, and carrots as well as hardy leafy greens like spinach, cabbage, kale, and chard. Bulb veggies (onions and garlic), as well as asparagus crowns, can also be planted at this time.

Preparing and Planting Potatoes 

When purchasing seed potatoes, look for certified seed potatoes. These are seeding potatoes that have not been treated with growth retardants to prevent sprouting. Conventional potatoes in grocery markets are typically treated with retardants.

After you have planned and prepared a garden spot with well-drained, loose soil, the seed potatoes can be prepped for planting:

Cut each seed potato into quarters (sulfur dust can be applied to the fresh cut ends) and let the potato quarters set out overnight or longer until cut sides callus over.  Seed potato quarters are then ready to plant— for a good rule of thumb, potato quarters should be planted 3” to 4” deep and spaced 12” to 15” apart. To provide plants plenty of growing room, make sure rows are spaced 24” to 36” apart.

Caring for Potato Plants

Potatoes need consistent moisture, so water regularly when tubers start to form.  Before the potato plants bloom, hilling should be done when the plant is about 6 inches tall. Hoe the dirt up around the base of the plant in order to cover the root as well as to support the plant. Bury the plant base in loose soil. Hilling will keep the potato plants from getting sunburned, in which case they turn green and will taste bitter.  You will need to hill potatoes every couple of weeks to protect your crop.

When the potato plants have bloomed, new potatoes are ready for harvest.  For larger potatoes, harvest only after plant tops has fallen over. For more information on planting seed potatoes, visit the Texas A&M website.

Other Cool Weather Vegetable Plantings

Lettuce, spinach, and cabbage can be planted at this time either by seeds or plant starts. For reference, these vegetables can be planted in February with seed or starter plants.

Stop by J&N for your seed potatoes, onion sets, and other cool-weather vegetables.

Deploy Spartan Mosquito Pro Tech for season-long mosquito control!

It’s time to map out your sandbur control plan for your pasture and lawn. Here’s a good rule of thumb to follow: if you had a sandbur problem last year and were unable to control it, there is a good probability it will be back this year. The way to control sandbur that is already established is to use pre-emergent herbicides. This must be done in early spring before the soil temperature reaches 52 degrees Fahrenheit and seeds germinate. A second application should be put down in June. At J&N Feed and Seed, we recommend Prowl H20 pre-emergent and ECGrow for the control and prevention of sandbur.

Like all pre-emergents, Prowl H20 must be applied before the sandbur emerges. In southern Oklahoma and northern Texas, the most common application time is February or early March before the grasses break dormancy.  Rainfall must occur within two weeks of application or efficacy will be reduced dramatically. Please note, there is a 60-day haying restriction and a 45-day grazing restriction when using Prowl H2O.

If you miss your window for applying the pre-emergent for sandbur control, come see us for post-emergent solutions to your sandbur problem. Let our educated experts help map out your pasture-management plan today.

Never cap your crape myrtle trees. Above – the wrong way. Below – leave them as trees.

A touchy topic is pruning crape myrtle trees.  Do you prune them? When and how much?

The best time to prune is late winter, February – March.  The goal is to enhance the trees natural form, don’t force it to grow in a small space or prune it into an artificial shape.  Crape myrtles naturally grow as small upright or vase shaped trees with multiple trunks. A well pruned crape myrtle will have the trunks grow upward and outward. Additionally, the branches should fan out rather than growing inward into the center of the tree.

To determine if your crape myrtle needs to be pruned, examine the direction in which the trunks and branches grow. Starting at ground level, follow the trunks upward to where they begin to branch. Focus on the interior of the tree rather than the outer edges. Branches that grow into the center of the tree, crossing over other branches or trunks, should be removed.

To remove a branch, follow it back to where it joins a larger branch or trunk. Take a close look at the point where the branch joins the trunk. You will notice at the point where the two join the branch is swollen or enlarged. This area is known as the branch collar. Using a pruning saw, remove the branch by cutting just above the branch collar rather than flush with the trunk. If the branch was removed at the correct place the branch collar left behind will extend out a centimeter or two from the trunk.

The wrong way to prune.

A misconception that crape myrtles need to be severely cut back in late winter or early spring in order to flower well in summer has led to the unhealthy practice of topping these plants. If necessary, crape myrtles can be reduced in height without being topped.

Topping (buck horning or de-horning) or “crape murder” involves cutting stems back at an arbitrarily chosen height rather than pruning back to a bud, side branch, or main stem. Topping trees and shrubs is harmful in many ways and regarded as an unacceptable practice by trained horticulturists and arborists.   Research shows that stem decay significantly increases when topping cuts are made, and that more dead branches also occur within the canopy.  The trees are more prone to disease as well with topping.

It’s pruning season, right?  That depends on what we are talking about. Read our Tree Pruning Tips and find out what and when to prune!

It IS the season to prune hardwood trees such as black walnut, red oak, and white oak.  If you are ready to get out there and prune, but all means, get at it!  Here are some pruning tips:

• Start at the top and work down. Assist the central leader by assuring its tip or apical bud is taller (higher) than any other leaders or branches that are competing for dominance. Totally remove or at least tip-prune any competitive leaders.
• Remove no more than one-third of the tree canopy in any single year season. The key to a healthy root system is a healthy crown. If you remove too much of the tree’s ability to make food, root growth will suffer and set the stage for reduced crown growth the following year, which will lead to reduced root growth.
• Do not prune flat to the stem. Instead, make an angled cut just outside of the branch collar (the donut-shaped growth surrounding the branches’ attachment to the tree) so that the wound is about the same diameter as the branch. Do not leave stubs.

Crape Myrtle Trees – don’t murder them! 

The best time to prune Crape Myrtle trees is late winter, February – March.  The goal is to enhance the tree’s natural form, don’t force it to grow in a small space or prune it into an artificial shape. Crape myrtles naturally grow as small upright or vase-shaped trees with multiple trunks. A well-pruned crape myrtle will have the trunks grow upward and outward, with branches fanning out rather than growing inward into the center of the tree.

The wrong way to prune. A misconception that Crape Myrtles need to be severely cut back in late winter or early spring in order to flower well in summer has led to the unhealthy practice of topping these plants. If necessary, Crape Myrtles can be reduced in height without being topped.

Topping (buck horning or dehorning) or “crape murder” involves cutting stems back at an arbitrarily chosen height rather than pruning back to a bud, side branch, or main stem. Topping trees and shrubs are harmful in many ways and regarded as an unacceptable practice by trained horticulturists and arborists.   Research shows that stem decay significantly increases when topping cuts are made and that more dead branches also occur within the canopy.  The trees are more prone to disease as well with topping.

Fruit Trees – NOT YET! 

WAIT…until the last hard freeze.  We need to wait until winter is almost over and spring is fast approaching. Since our average first frost-free day in Texas is around March 15, this month can be thought of as our early spring month. The best time to prune is late January through February.

Plants that bloom in early spring with the appearance of new leaves should be pruned after they flower. Those that bloom later in the spring or summer should be pruned during the dormant season in January or February.

Have any questions about our tree pruning tips?  Let us know.  We are here to help.

January Garden Tips

It may be chilly outside at this time of the year, but winter is a perfect time for a number of outdoor chores. Just consider how much better outdoor chores like soil preparation, planting, transplanting, and pruning can be done without toiling in hot summer temperatures.

If you need to move a plant to a different spot in the landscape, this is the month to accomplish this job. Most plants move best when they are fully dormant as a result of prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. Remove some of the top growth to compensate for the inevitable loss of some of the roots. Once the plant is moved, water thoroughly, apply root stimulator, and a few inches of mulch over the root area.

January is a great month to accomplish pruning of fruit trees. Annual pruning keeps the harvest within reach, thins crowded branches, allowing more light to penetrate developing fruit and stimulates new growth for next year’s crop. Shade trees can also be pruned at this time.

Fruit trees and vines can be planted at this time as the ground usually does not freeze here in north Texas. You can also prepare the soil for new flower, rose or shrub beds by mixing plenty of organic material like compost or a flower or shrub mix. This way the soil is ready for immediate planting when temperatures get a little warmer.

Fertilize pansies to keep them actively growing. Houseplants can be fertilized with reduced rates of water-soluble fertilizer this month. Do not over-water your houseplants.

Birds of all kinds appreciate a constant source of seed, suet and water during the winter and you will enjoy the activity they create in your backyard. Just remember once you start feeding, you should keep it up through the winter.