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 Post subject: Rain affects...........
PostPosted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:09 am 
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Location: Clute,TEXAS
I applied some corn meal to my back yard right before I went out of town for a week. During the time I was gone, it apparently rained tremendously here on the coast with my mother saying that she had gotten 2" in one day and that it had rained all week.

Ok, with that said, do I need to put more corn meal on the lawn since it might have just washed away?

Also, I am about to order some things and was thinking about ordering some beneficial nematodes for the lawn also, to get things going. Will the drenched lawn affect them? Do I need to wait for the lawn to dry out some?


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 09, 2006 8:13 pm 
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First, because it is most important, beneficial nematodes need a drenched soil to really take hold. I like to apply them DURING a drenching rain, especially if more rain is expected.

The corn meal probably did NOT wash away. It never stays yellow very long because the soil microbes start to decompose it almost immediately. Then it turns gray and brown. Once the microbes start to eat it, it and it's value, become one with the soil, so to speak. The microbes don't wash away, they live there.

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PostPosted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 2:09 am 
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Thanks, that is what I needed to know.

It is getting hot now and kind of drying the soil out now but when the next good rain arrives I will get the nematodes out. :D


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:26 pm 
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I read in another forum, too, that you had lawn issues.

Things you can do for a great lawn:

Mulch all bare soil with at least 3-4" of mulch, being careful not to pile it up on the trunks of trees.

Rent an aerator, the kind that takes out four-inch (deep) plugs out of your lawn. Take care not to damage roots of trees and shrubs. After you have aerated the lawn, spread about half an inch of good-composted animal manure over the entire lawn. The fall is probably the very best time to do this. However, you can do it just about any time. Although the jury might still be out on this one: the only time you might not want to do it is in the spring (to avoid covering new growth).

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 4:31 pm 
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I am probably going to order some nematodes this week. It rained alot today and there is a pretty good chance that it will rain off and on for the next week.

I have tried to rent an aerator but there is not one for 75 miles around. At least one small enough for a small yard, like a walk behind. I do believe that I might need to aerate the yard though. The biggest evidence of it is that when it rains enough to cause any kind of runoff......my yard causes consistent, tremendous runoff while the neighbors yards runoff dries out in about 15-20 minutes. Mine lasts for hours. This leads me to believe that my soil is too compacted and not absorbing enough water.

But, on the other side, when it does rain alot, like today it rained 2.5-3 inches, the soil is very soft and spongy. I would think that was good but again, I have tremendous amounts of runoff while my neighbors yards just soak it up.

Anyone one, in the Houston area, know where I can rent an aerator?


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 8:14 pm 
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In the Dallas area, one can rent an aerator from Home Depot. I would think that you could do the same in your area as well. It is my understanding that you can rent it by the hour or the day. Go for the full day, it is worth it. It is not an easy job, even for a person who has been regularly lifting weights about four years! Besides, who needs a heat stroke? :roll:

Note: In case they do not tell you, there are detachable weights on the aerator. Have them show you how to remove them before trying to lift it in and out of the truck or trailer (even if you have ramps), then, of course, how to replace them once you have it on the ground.

After you have aerated your lawn, it would be most helpful to apply half an inch of good-composted animal manure: not just "compost,” but composted animal manure. To make sure it is good (and not contaminated with Picloram), get a peanut plant, then make a tea from the compost, and use it on the plant. If the plant dies, the compost is bad.

Did I mention that a final dressing of composted animal manure is imperative? <g>

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The Laws of Ecology:
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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:45 am 
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I have ordered a BF/SF nematode mix. It should come in on Wednesday, two days from now.

One thing that I noticed on the site that I ordered from was their indications that I might have grubs. Although there are a few spots that I can easily pull clumps of grass up, in sheets, the thing that struck me the most was that the site said IF YOU FIND THAT RACOONS AND OPOSSUMS HAVE BEEN DIGGING YOUR FLOWERBEDS AND YARD UP, YOU HAVE GRUBS! This could not have been more exact! I have live traps set out all over the place because these varmits have devasted my flowerbeds 5 times now in a space of about 3 weeks!

The weather is supposed to still be raining then (it has been raining off and on for 2 weeks, mostly on) so, I assume, I can apply them directly to my lawn.

I hope this works. It will go a looooong way towards helping my lawn. I hope. :(


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