Why I Oughta...

This is day three and post number three of spreading municipal biosolids on our parkway turf in early March - as both a slow-release fertilizer and a soil amendment.    Over the weekend, I started by picking up and dumping about 12 gallons of granular (or close to granular) biosolids from the Downers Grove Sanitary District on our parkway .  They have a station across town where you can scoop-up and take-home your own batches of biosolids.  I say (close to granular) because it has more of a topsoil consistency than a true granular fertilizer or commercial biosolids product like Milorganite.   Yesterday, I posted a photo showing the application of even more biosolids to the parkway section across our driveway .   Today is showing the addition of 12-or-so more gallons to the main parkway.  My first application went down by the street.  This one was dumped closer to the sidewalk.  See below for photos showing the material dumped out followed by photos showing it after being raked in.  Pos

A few days ago, I shared some photos of the initial application of municipal biosolids to our parkway - the part of the parkway that is closest to the driveway.  I mentioned that I would need a few more trips of 10-12 gallons of material to finish the parkway.  This past weekend, I made a stop at the biosolids station and filled up my 2+ buckets.  I brought the material home and spread it on the smaller section of parkway that is on the other side of the driveway.  This is the IB2DWs parkway area.  See below for a look at the material after I raked it in: This section of grass is particularly rough to deal with and be successful with grass.  It is not-so-great soil that also sees A LOT of road debris and gets filled up with those tiny Locust leaves each Fall.  My neighbor's section is irrigated (I think), so his does better than mine.   Looking at these photos - including another one below - I'm thinking that I could put a second application on top of this one to try to help i

I wrote about how I was seeing some Wild Onions appear and looked at the soil temperature tool to find out that the soil temp currently in my Zone 5b is higher than the historical averages.    I also showed how I was seeing the Daffodils emerge this past week, too.  Those seem normal.  Or close to their history in my garden diary. But, an Allium showing up this early? Last year (2022), I was documenting the tips of Allium bulbs emerging in early April .  This year?  See below for a look at some of them that sit on the side of the hosue at the feet of the SugarTyme Crabapple Trees: Now, these were planted in 2021, so last Spring (2022), was their first shot at growth.  Perhaps they were just delayed.   I'll have to get out and have a better look around to see if other Allium bulbs are emerging early, too. 

Yesterday, I posted an update showing that I had spread 120 pounds of pelletized lawn lime on the back yard and gardens and mentioned that I was going to next turn to the application of pre-emergent.  But, I failed to even reference MY OWN PLAN .  In that plan - which I also published last week - I talked about how I wanted to add some biosolids to the parkway.  Just like with the Lime, I wanted to try to beat a storm that was coming.  So, I went out and picked up two five gallon buckets full of the stuff from the Village.  See below - the buckets are NOT QUITE FULL, as I didn't want to risk them tipping over/spilling and getting the smelly stuff all over my car.   I intend to try to spread a layer of these biosolids all across the parkway.  Why?  A couple of reasons.  First....I've never had a lot of luck with the grass down here.  I'm not sure if it is road salt-related.  Or, the soil conditions?  Or both?  So, I figure I'll begin to amend the soil and see if I can

Documenting with this photo of the pelletized lawn lime below that I threw down 120 pounds of lime in the backyard.  Both the lawn and the beds.   Yesterday, I shared a photo showing the Wild Onions were back and this is my attempt at systematically treating the soil to make it less hospitable for Wild Onions.   We are/were supposed to get a good-sized storm this weekend, so I wanted to get this down ahead of it so it could begin to be watered in and start to break down.   This is the first step in the lawn program, but I'm watching the soil temp and GDD tools to figure out when I need to move with the pre-emergent crabgrass granules.  

Just two days ago, I published my 2023 lawn care (feeding, amending, treating) schedule (or plan) that included a mix of synthetic and organic fertilizers as well as some amendments, insecticides and herbicides.  In that post - and the photo/post a day earlier , I talked about how part of my approach is focused on (once again) wild onions.  My first application of the year is going to be lawn lime and I'm going to try to get it down this Weekend.   Why?  Well...because my enemy is back.  Already.  Wild Onions are popping up on the first of March.  Here, below is a photo of a little spot in one of my beds showing the tips of these bulbs have arrived. I've posted about my approach to Wild Onion removal, treatment and remediation over the years.  Here's a few posts - one that outlines my process , another post that looks at the correlation to soil temperatures and their appearance , and a look at the pros/cons of yanking them vs treating them .  Speaking of soil temperatures

The patch of yellow Daffodils are back and are certainly a sign of Spring in our backyard.  These sit under the canopy of a large Red Oak on the south side and were Spring ephemeral flower bulbs that I inherited from the previous property owners.  Without any help at all, they keep coming back year-after-year.  They flowered just once - in 2021 - but maybe they'll bloom again this year.  Here's how they look right now - tips of green foliage peeking through the mulch: