Melinda Myers, LLC
real estate »
MEL DRYMAN
Raised in Detroit, Experienced in Arizona
Your Professional
& Dedicated
ARIZONA REALTOR
Mobile: (480) 239-8686
mel.dryman@azmoves.com
Each Office Independently Owned and Operated
2117430
Need a Lender You Can Trust?
Jump Start Next Year’s
Garden This Fall
Ilene Lubin:
248-556-6275
-ÊÊ£ÎnxÎ{Î
ÕLJëiÀÌ}>}i°VV
ÜÜÜ°ÕL°Ã«iÀÌ}>}i°VV
We’re Making a Complicated Process
SIMPLE Again!
Loan Products Available:
ÛiÌ>ÊUÊÊUÊ6ÊUÊ,ÕÀ>Ê iÛi«iÌÊ
ÕLÊUÊÓäÎÊUÊ ÛiÌ>Ê,i >LÊ>ÃÊ
"i/iÊ ÃiÊ ÃÌÀÕVÌÊ>Ã
FREE Home Buyers Seminar Every Wednesday, 6-7:30pm
-ÊÊnnäÈÓx
33200 Woodward Avenue | Birmingham
N 1-4
E
OP AY
ND
U
S
25775 Franklin Park Drive I Village of Franklin - $1,095,000
Susan Goldman Properties
248-709-1075
2123250
B\\gpfliZfdgXepkfgf]d`e[n`k_flii\X[\ij%
8;M<IK@J<N@K?LJ:8CC)+/%*,(%,('.
M`j`kk_\A<N@J?E<NJ%Zfd
42 September 8 • 2016
Using a power edger to edge around the border of the garden makes larger jobs
easier.
N
ow’s the time to start that
carefully. Start your soil preparation
new garden you’ve always
after the required waiting period has
wanted. Cool, usually drier,
passed.
fall weather makes it easier on the gar-
The next step, a very important one,
dener and better on the plants. Plus, the is soil improvement. It is easier to repair
garden to-do list is often a bit shorter
and improve the soil before you plant.
this time of year.
Plus, time spent now yields
Start by locating the
years of good results. Add two
placement, size and shape of
to four inches of organic matter
this new garden. Use a rope
like aged manure, peat moss or
or hose to outline the area.
leaf compost to the top 8 to 12
Avoid tight corners or creat-
inches of soil. These materials
ing narrow grass borders that
improve the drainage in heavy
will be difficult to mow or
clay soil and increase the water
require hand trimming.
holding ability in fast draining
Melinda
Once satisfied with the
sandy or rocky soils.
Myers
layout, take a soil test and
Check the labeling on the
decide how to kill the existing Special to the bag when purchasing these
Jewish News
lawn and weeds as needed.
products. Make sure the prod-
A soil test will tell you how
uct you select is USDA and
much and what type of fertilizer you
STA-certified like Hsu leaf compost
will need for the plants you are grow-
(HsuGrowingSupply.com). USDA
ing. Testing now means you’ll have the
BioPreferred-certified products are
information in hand when it is time to
derived from plants and other renewal
fertilize in spring.
products, providing an alternative to
Next, edge the bed. Use a shovel to
petroleum-based goods. Look for U.S.
dig a V shaped trench around the bor-
Composting Council’s STA-certified
der of the garden. Or rent or borrow a
compost that is a renewable, consistent,
power edger to make larger jobs easier.
high-quality product made from locally
Once the edging is complete, remove available organic material.
healthy grass with a sod cutter and use
Once you mix in the organic matter,
it to fill bare spots in the lawn. Or create rake the garden level and smooth. Your
a planting berm or simply add it to the
garden is ready to plant. Fill it with
compost pile. Just place it green side
spring flowering bulbs, perennials, trees
down and wait for it to decompose.
and shrubs. Or cover with shredded
Another method for clearing the
leaves or other organic mulch to sup-
grass is to cover the area with card-
press weeds and prevent soil erosion.
board topped with several inches of
Use the winter to plan the garden so
organic mulch and wait for the grass
you will be ready to plant once spring
and cardboard to decompose. With this arrives.
method, you may want to finish the soil
In either case, your efforts this fall
preparation and begin planting next
reduce your workload next spring and
spring after the grass and cardboard
shorten the time to more beauty in the
have broken down completely.
landscape.
For quicker results and control of
Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author and
perennial weeds try a total vegetation
columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years
killer. These products kill the top and
of horticulture experience and is a contributing
roots of the good and bad plants they
editor for Birds & Blooms magazine.
touch. Read and follow label directions
*