WEST CENTRAL TRIBUNE — WILLMAR, MINN.
SPRING HOME & GARDEN 2021
Lawn damage, boulevard trees, and seeding lawns FIELDING QUESTIONS
BY DON KINZLER
Q: Can you help me figure out what’s causing damage to to my lawn? (See photo on page 12.) My neighbor thinks the culprits are voles. If so, what is the treatment? — Enrique G. A: Your neighbor is right; the winding trails in the lawn are classic vole damage. Voles are short-tailed brown or grayish field mice. They don’t run as fast as gray house mice, and they rarely, if ever, come indoors. Voles thrive under winter snow, where they feed on grass, making winding channels through the turf. The grass usually fills in and recovers by early summer. Rake the areas well, and sprinkle grass seed if damage is widespread. How can we prevent vole damage in
the future? In the fall, mow lawns shorter than the summer height. Trim edges and along fences where longer grass grows. Rodent baits can be placed in PVC pipes laid horizontally on the ground in areas of high vole traffic or damage. These bait stations can also be placed around the lawn’s perimeter during summer, where voles frequently hide. Rodent traps are another option, effectively baited with peanut butter or peanuts. Commercial vole repellents receive mixed reviews, working in some cases, not in others. Fertilizing the lawn in late autumn with granular fertilizer is being investigated as a vole deterrent, based on anecdotal evidence that voles avoid the caustic nature of the granules. Q: What are the best boulevard trees to plant? Three out of four of the trees I planted last year here in Fargo died. — Kay Z.
A: In any city, the first step is to contact the local forestry department, or other city administration, to check their recommendations or requirements. Many cities have a certain list of trees from which to choose, which ensures that only adapted trees are planted, and can help avoid overplanting the same species, which caused past problems. Such lists recommended for Upper Midwest boulevards frequently include the following, all of which are well-adapted to North Dakota and Minnesota: Ohio buckeye; Prairie Horizon alder; Dakota Pinnacle birch; hackberry; Northern Acclaim honeylocust; Kentucky coffee tree; Amur chokecherry; ironwood; bur oak; Prairie Stature oak; Japanese tree lilac and its cultivars; linden cultivars; Prairie Expedition elm; and black walnut.
FIELDING QUESTIONS: Page 12
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021 | 11
BUILT-INS From Page 10
Permanent built-ins also can be costly. The home remodeling resource Fixr.com notes that built-in entertainment center installations can cost between $8,000 and $9,500. Built-in seating and bookshelves are not as costly, but such projects still cost more than simply buying premade furniture. Some buyers also may see built-ins as limiting what they can do with a space. That can be a major disadvantage as more professionals work from home and seek multi-functional spaces in their homes. Built-ins can dramatically change the look of a room and provide some much-needed storage space. But it’s imperative that homeowners give ample thought to built-ins before deciding to install them in their homes. • Metro Services
