MOSS: YOUR YARD'S SHADY CHARACTER

Last week I spent four great days at the annual Home and Yard Show at the Interstate Fairgrounds, meeting many of you and answering your gardening questions. It was quite interesting that the same questions kept popping up -- moss problems, is it time to prune roses, will the cold weather affect emerging plants? Today, we'll take a closer look at a few of these concerns.

Moss: This is the green, soft stuff found on the forest floor. It helps create the forest's earthy, rich feel and fragrance.

The same can be said of certain areas of our gardens. In the deep shade, moss can be a very attractive feature ... if only it would stay put. When it starts to ramble through the lawn, over the sidewalks and into the flowerbeds, this earthy plant soon loses favor among homeowners. Artificial turf isn't the answer, either. It grows on that, too! Moss is a shallow-rooted plant that flourishes in moist areas. It usually takes hold on soil with little oxygen, (compacted and/or saturated soils). Hmmm ... sound like your yard? Iron will kill moss, but if cultural conditions are not changed, the moss will grow right back. Most moss outbreaks thrive in shaded areas of bluegrass lawn. We need to ask ourselves, who's the intruder in this picture - the bluegrass that needs sun to grow well or the moss that loves shade? Get rid of the bluegrass, it simply cannot compete with moss. If there's enough filtered light in the area, try growing fescue, a more shade-tolerant grass. If the area is too shady, rather than grass use a groundcover such as pachysandra, vinca minor or ajuga. If you don't like groundcovers, how about a patchwork of moss on a blanket of good, old-fashioned soil. Thinning trees and/or shrubs without destroying their aesthetic value may also help filter more light into the area. Watering practices must also be monitored closely. As a general rule, shady areas require less water, but this is not always the case. Large canopied trees can form an umbrella over understory plants, robbing them of rainfall. At the same time, the massive underground root system robs the plants of water from below. In either case, water understory plants deeply and infrequently, allowing the top two inches to dry out between waterings. Since moss is shallow-rooted, it will not survive in dry soil. Open the soil to air by poking dozens of holes. This doesn't mean walking over the area in golf shoes. That's not good enough. We need to open up the soil to the depth of three to four inches if possible. Rent a core aerator or drill holes with a spading fork. Turn the soil over if possible. Fluff it. A tip for those of you with moss growing on your indoor-outdoor carpet: Try a solution of vinegar and water and a scrub brush. Vinegar works wonders on moss-laden carpet. When to prune roses: Though the last few weeks have been cold, the earlier warm weather has sent the roses into a growing frenzy. New growth is popping out all over. My advice would be to pull all needles, leaves and what-have-you away from the plants. Leave the mounded soil over the bud union. Once night temperatures stay above 28 degrees, prune. Prune hybrid teas one foot from the top of the bud union, lower if necessary. Florabundas can be left as high as two feet. Rejuvenate climbers by removing the oldest canes to the graft and nipping the ends of the remaining canes. Old roses and miniatures simply require a good cleaning and tidying. Remove all criss-crossing canes and canes moving toward the center of the plants. When can we prune trees and shrubs? Anytime. Always make the right pruning cuts and remember: If you prune too severely or make the wrong cuts on spring-flowering plants, you will remove this year's blossoms. The recommendation is to wait until after the plants have finished blooming, then prune. To all you procrastinators out there who didn't get your tulip bulbs planted last fall, do it now. Even if it means planting them in a trench near the house to be dug and replanted later after the ground has thawed. As for getting outside and working in the garden now? The horticulturist in me says "too early" while the spirit says "go for it." There is compromise in everything we do. Right?

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