Gardening with Peter Bowden

CRABGRASS, UNLIKE MOST LAWN WEEDS, GROWS FROM SEED THAT THE MOTHER PLANT PRODUCED THE PREVIOUS SUMMER.

The mother plant dies completely over the winter never to be seen again. In early spring (starting soon since the season is running a little behind this year) the seeds germinate and start to grow. Crabgrass preventer is an agent that dissolves and forms a thin barrier on the surface of the soil. ANY seeds that try to sprout and push a root through that barrier are killed by crabgrass preventer. This barrier is very fragile and, if applied too early, heavy rain and the passage of time breaks the barrier down and it won’t work. There is no advantage to putting crabgrass preventer on very early since it doesn't kill the seed until the seed is actually sprouting.

The best time to apply crabgrass preventer is at the end of the forsythias’ flowering cycle...just as the flowers are falling to the ground. This is the same time you'll see the lilac flowers just starting to open.

Spring weather can be fickle, but if you use the forsythia and lilac as your guide, your crabgrass preventer will always go on at the right time.

Remember that crabgrass preventer forms a thin film on the surface of the soil so make sure that all your raking is done before you apply it. If you rake afterward, you will scratch up the barrier and crabgrass will be able to grow. And, if you didn’t have crabgrass last year there are no seeds present to grow in your lawn this year, so you can skip this process.

If you want to use an organic crabgrass preventer, there's Corn Gluten. You'll need to apply corn gluten twice a year and the effectiveness increases with each application. After a couple of years, you won't get crabgrass in your lawn. As an added bonus, any dandelion seeds that blow onto your lawn won't sprout. More and more people are enjoying the benefits of corn gluten weed preventer.

THANKS FOR THE READ. SS

springspring into action

Small Steps to Creating Healthy Habits

BY MEGHAN LEMERY FRITZ,

LCSW-R

Meghan Fritz is a psychotherapist practicing at Fritz, Stanger & Associates Email meghanlfritz@gmail.com

This past year has left us all feeling depleted, defeated, and in a constant state of change.

I think it’s fair to say many of us were surviving not thriving. When we are depleted, and exhausted healthy habits tend to be hard to stick to. We use food, alcohol, TV and other forms of escape to get through our days and this leaves us feeling more tired, more depressed and more hopeless. As we enter a new season full of warmer days, more sunlight and the possibility of hope in a new normal we may find it hard to let go of unhealthy habits that got us through the year. One of the easiest ways to work on letting go of unhealthy habits is to create new, healthier ones. If the habit is the end-of-the-day-cocktail that has turned into several, make it a point to exercise for 30 minutes before you have that drink. If the habit is eating comfort food every night to dull the anxiety, eat a bowl of vegetables and some high protein food before you go for the comfort food. If you have used television and social media as a crutch or have become obsessed with following the news for hours each evening, do a quick mindfulness meditation before you zone out. The key to dropping unwanted habits is to keep adding a healthy one. This is a less cold-turkey way to make doable changes that set you up for success and keep you motivated. Some people thrive by going cold turkey on unhealthy habits and if you are one of those people that is a wonderful quality! I do think however, most of us do better by making small changes daily and taking our time to get used to new healthy habits. A year of pandemic living has made self-care seem like a luxury instead of a necessity. It’s going to take time, patience and lots of compassion to process what we have all been through emotionally, physically and spiritually. Don’t overwhelm yourself with all of the things you need to work on. Keep adding healthy habits and slowly but surely the unhealthy habits will fall away. If you feel like this past year has left you in a dark place emotionally, get some help. Do not suffer alone. Working with a therapist can help you have a solid plan in place to improve your mental health, heal and experience more joy in everyday life.

YOU ARE WORTH IT!

For more information visit www.fritzstanger.com