tells us whether this product is recommended for the November application. Research has shown the last fertilizer application for cool season bluegrass and tall fescue lawns should be fed with a high nitrogen quick release form of fertilizer. So if the product stamped with winterizer contains an analysis similar to 27-3-3, 30-0-3, or 30-0-0, then proceed with the application. Unfortunately, I have seen some winterizer products that contain higher amounts of phosphorus and potassium which do not follow current research. Are they still okay to apply? Probably, but the benefit from the November application is a push of nitrogen to send the grass into dormancy stocked with energy for early spring green up. THE BEST ANIMAL MANURE FOR COMPOST Question: This fall I vacationed in Mackinac Island and got to thinking–what’s the best animal manure I can use to heat up my compost bin? Should it be fresh? Answer: The best animal manure to use would be that which you catch fresh before it hits the ground! Let me know when you go collecting so I can grab some popcorn and a drink to watch. This would be entertaining to watch. On a serious note, the reason to add animal manure to a compost bin is because of the nitrogen (greens) that provides the food for the microbes to feed upon and break down the carbon (browns). Fresh manure is high in salts and we often say it is too hot to apply
directly to soil or plants. As it dries and water leaches out the salts, it’s more desirable for the soil. But in composting which is a breakdown and leaching process either would be good to use. Fresh would require less while dry would need more for the same bang. My take for composting is use the supply you are given. Experienced as a farm boy, I think you would prefer to work with dried as fresher does have more of an aroma. POTENTIAL DAMAGE FROM TREE LIMBS Question: I have tree limbs hanging on my roof, and I am worried about them tearing it up. But it’s not the right time of the year to prune live tree limbs. Should I chance it and wait until late winter? Answer: I sense a theme in my answers. It depends. It depends on your level of risk. You are right, it is ideal to prune shade trees in late winter. But all rules, as they say, are meant to be broken. Sometimes the risk outweighs the benefit. Pruning can start once the tree is dormant, after leaf drop in the fall. So at this point I would go ahead and start the process and put your mind at ease about the roof. Human and structural safety always trumps the ideal time when it comes to tree trimming.
What’s Happening at ... Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center 1401 NW Park Road, Blue Springs, MO 64015 816-228-3766 For more information email burr.oak@mdc.mo.gov Late Autumn Wild Edibles Discovery Hike Nov 14 ∙ Tuesday ∙ 1–3 PM Registration required (adults) It’s November! Can there still be wild edible plants out there? Let’s discover what delicious gifts of nature we can still find before the snow begins to fly. Soaring Eagles Nov 18 ∙ Saturday ∙ 1–2 PM No registration required (all ages) Some bald eagles stay in Missouri yearround, but many more come to our state during the cold winter months to find food. Find out more about this powerful force in nature and discover where to see bald eagles in the wild. Missouri, Wild & Wonderful with Matt Miles Nov 18 ∙ Saturday ∙ 3–4 PM No registration required (all ages)
Don’t miss out on the chance to meet this amazing photographer and have him sign your own personal copy of his book! (available for purchase in the nature shop) From bluebirds and black bears to copperheads and white-tailed deer: from tall-grass prairies and vistas atop the Ozark Plateau to lowland swamps and the depths of clear streams–Missouri, Wild and Wonderful displays the work of award winning wildlife photographer Matt Miles. Whooo Knows about Owls? Nov 25 ∙ Saturday ∙ 1–2 PM No registration required (all ages) Winter is coming and many of Missouri’s owls will be out hunting after dark over snowy fields and forests. Learn more about these remarkable nocturnal predators and their important role in the ecosystem.
Dennis Patton is the horticulture agent for Johnson County K-State Research and Extension. For free information fact sheets, visit www.johnson.ksu.edu, or call the Extension office at 913-715-7000.
We’re here to help with...
Landscape Design & Installation Services Call our expert Landscape Designers ready to help you with your next project!
7130 Troost, Kansas City, Mo. www.soilservice.com Garden Center • 816-444-3403 Nursery • 816-333-3232
The Kansas City Gardener | November 2017
7