Dr' Teri Hamlin

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Landscape Management Practices
Mulching, Watering, Staking, Fertilization, Weed
Control

• Presented by
• Dr. Teri Hamlin
• Georgia Department of Education
• Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office
• July 2001

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MulchA trees best friend

• Insulates soil
• Retains moisture
• Keeps weeds out
• Prevents soil compaction
• Reduces lawn mower / weedeater damage
• Adds an aesthetic touch

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Mulch
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Mulch

• Max depth of 2-4
• Do not touch the trunk
• Mulch too deep can lead to
• trunk crown rot
• poor root ball aeration

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Type of Mulch

• Bark
• Pine Straw
• Grass Clippings
• Leaves
• Rock
• Synthetic Materials

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Ground Cloth under Mulch ???
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IrrigationHow much ? How often?

• During establishment
• Minimum of 1 of water per week
• Water between 9 p.m. - 9 a.m.

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Types of Irrigation

• Sprinkler
• Micro Sprinkler
• Drip Irrigation

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Drip Irrigation
Uses 30-50 less water Efficient and effective
application Fewer pest problems Fewer weeds No
wind effects Easily automated Economic to install
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Drip Irrigation
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Time Clock
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XeriscapeWater Management Practices
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Staking

• Good - quality trees do not require staking
• When to stake
• Windy Location
• Top Heavy
• Plants 8 or taller
• Weak Trunks
• Small Root Ball
• Evergreens

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Types of Staking

• Support weak trunk

Root ball anchorage
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Staking
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Staking

• Rubber straps are nicely suited for attaching
  stakes to trunks
• Wire threaded through hose can girdle plant if
  left to long
• Never leave a plant staked for more than one
  growing season

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Trunk Protection

• Little protection against insect disease
• Some sun scald protection for thin bark plants
• Uneven wraps w/exposed bark temp difference in
  trunk tissue
• Products
• Paper Wrap
• Burlap
• Plastic
• White Latex Paint

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Trunk Wraps

• If used, wrap from the bottom of the tree toward
  the top overlapping material
• Use electrical tape or flexible adhesive versus
  string

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Fertilizer

• Nitrogen
• Phosphorus
• Potassium

Landscape plants needs should be based on Soil
Sample
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Forms of Slow-release Nitrogen
Ammoniacal nitrogen IBDU (Isobutylene
diurea) Sulfur-coated urea Ureaformaldehyde
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General Recommendation
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Types of Fertilizer

• Sources
• Inorganic
• Organic
• Formation
• Dry / Granular
• Liquid
• Slow-release

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How to Apply Fertilizer
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Fertilizer Burn
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When to Fertilize

• Main Meal
• Slow Release ( 1 time per year)
• General Purpose (2-3 x per growing season)
• Dessert
• During active growth (Spring-Summer)
• Liquid
• Soil drench
• Foliage Spray

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Weed Management

• Mechanical
• Chemical
• Pre-emergent Herbicide
• Surflan, Treflan, Ronstar, Balan
• Post-emergent Herbicide
• Selective
• Kills grasses in shrubs flowers (Poast)
• Kills broadleaf weeds in lawns (MSMA, Trimec)
• Non-Selective (Round up)