Newspaper Page Text
The Millen News, Wednesday, October 21,2009 — Page 3
Farm Home
Ag Line: Annual Bluegrass Control
By Wade Parker
County Extension Coordinator
It is hard to believe that it is
already the middle of fall. As I
write this article, it is very cool
outside and wet. It seems like
we are going to have a long
drawn-out harvest season
ahead of us.
With the onset of fall, comes
annual bluegrass! Annual blue-
grass is the most troublesome
weed we have to deal with in
the yard. Compared to most
turfgrasses, annual bluegrass
has a lighter green color,
coarser leaf texture and pro
duces unsightly seed heads.
Annual bluegrass seed ger
minates in late summer/early
fall once soil temperatures fall
below 70 degrees. Seedlings
mature in fall, overwinter in a
vegetative state, and produce
seed in late spring and early
summer. Annual bluegrass is a
prolific seed producer as indi
vidual plants may produce over
360 viable seeds even when
closely mowed. Seed may lie
dormant in soil for many years
before germinating. Annual
bluegrass flowers and produces
viable seed in spring and at vir
tually any mowing height. An
nual bluegrass grows well un
der short day lengths and cool
conditions, and may out-com-
pete other turf species during
late fall and early spring. An
nual bluegrass often dies from
summer stresses but may sur
vive if irrigated and pests are
adequately controlled, espe
cially perennial biotypes.
Several cultural practices im
prove annual bluegrass control.
• Deep and infrequent irriga
tion encourages turfgrass root
development, which improves
the ability of desired grasses to
compete with annual bluegrass.
• Withhold water until desir
able turfgrass species exhibit
initial drought-stress symp
toms. Overwatering, especially
in shady areas, will pre-dispose
turfgrass to annual bluegrass
invasion.
• Avoid practices that pro
mote soil compaction. Relieve
compaction with regular
aerifications in spring and fall.
• Voids left in turf with ex
posed soil, following
aerifications, may permit an
nual bluegrass invasion during
periods of peak germination.
Time aerfications in early fall
to allow turf to recover before
annual bluegrass germinates.
• Reduce nitrogen fertiliza
tion during peak annual blue
grass germination and during
periods of vigorous growth
(cool weather). High nitrogen
at these times encourages an
nual bluegrass spread and sur
vival into winter and spring.
Fertilizing dormant turfgrasses
when annual bluegrass is ac
tively growing will exacerbate
infestations.
• Lower mowing heights en
courage annual bluegrass inva
sion. Height of cut for lawns
should be no less than 2 inches.
• Mow lawns at least once per
week during periods of vigor
ous growth to prevent scalping.
Scalping thins out turf, enabling
weeds such as annual bluegrass
to establish. While returning
clippings is recommended to
recycle nutrients to the soil, re
moval of clippings may be use
ful when annual bluegrass is
present and producing seed
heads. Removing clippings at
this time will reduce the spread
of viable seed through the lawn.
Chemical Control
Preemergence herbicides
may prevent annual bluegrass
infestation via seed and limit
current infestations from further
spreading. However, preemer
gence herbicides will not eradi
cate established plants and will
not effectively control perennial
biotypes of annual bluegrass
from spreading vegetatively.
Application timing of
preemeergence herbicides for
annual bluegrass control is very
important, and thus herbicides
must be applied in late summer/
early fall before annual blue
grass germination. A second
application can be applied in
spring to control germinating
plants. Fall applied preemer
gence herbicides cannot be
used if reseeding or resodding
is needed to repair areas of
damaged turf within several
months after herbicide applica
tions.
The University of Georgia
Cooperative Extension offers
educationalprograms, assis
tance and materials to all
people without regard to race,
color, national origin, age, sex
or disability.
Applications sought for food, toy drive
By Elizabeth Billips
True Citizen Associate Editor
Congregations of six local
churches are partnering with
non-profit groups to make sure
families and senior citizens
have a happy Christmas.
For the fifth straight year, the
group is taking applications and
raising funds for Christmas in
Burke County.
According to the Rev. Karlton
Howard of Noah’s Ark Baptist
Church, the event is designed to
provide food and toys to those
in need this Christmas holiday.
Last year, more than 500 fami
lies were served.
The program is held in con
junction with the Salvation
Army and Marines’ Toys for
Tots and operated through the
United Way’s clearinghouse to
prevent duplications. Applica
tions will be taken, 10 a.m. - 4
p.m., Wednesday Oct. 21 and 11
a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7at
the CSRA Economic Opportu
nity Authority (EOA) office,
located in the former Blakeney
Elementary School at 518 Col
lege Street in Waynesboro.
Applicants must provide
photo identification, social se
curity numbers for all children
and documentation of family
income and expenses.
Local sponsors include CSRA
EOA, Inc. (EOA), Beyond the
Ark Outreach Ministries, Inc.,
Bark Camp, Green Branch,
Jones Grove, Phillip Grove,
Ways Grove and Noah’s Ark
Baptist churches. For informa
tion the Rev. Howard, at 706-
554-4981.
John Oxendine
QUESTION AND ANSWER COLUMN WITH GEORGIA INSURANCE AND
FIRE COMMISSIONER JOHN OXENDIN
NATURAL GAS
If you should have a gas leak in your home
or business, you should immediately notify City
Hall. The phone number is 982-6100. The gas
you burn in your home or business is colorless
and odorless. If it should leak it would present a
hazard. Because gas is normally odorless, a
special odor is introduced into the gas before it
is distributed by the City. If you have ever
smelled this odor, you will remember what it
smells like. It is similar to odor introduced to
both propane and gasoline but is distinctive to
natural gas. It is similar to the odor of rotten
eggs but not as nauseating.
Just remember that natural gas is safe
unless, for one reason or another it is leaking
into a closed in area; then it is very dangerous.
The City puts enough odorant into its gas
to assure that you will smell the gas long before
it becomes dangerous. When you smell it, how
ever, don’t waste time. Report it immediately to
City Hall.
When you’re between jobs
MOVE YOUR 401 (K)
to someone you know.
Take charge of your future today - by keeping your
retirement savings hard at work and close to home.
Move your 401 (k) into a State Farm® Traditional
IRA. Call me today for help getting started.
STATE FARM
INSURANCE
Billy Valduga
State Farm Agent
Louisville, GA 30434
Bus: 478-625-7929 Toll Free: F
www.billyvalduga.com
8-625-7929
LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, STATE FARM IS THERE.®
Providing Insurance and Financial Services
^ P056061 02/05
Consult your tax or legal advisor for specific advice.
State Farm Insurance Companies
Bloomington, IL • statefarm.com®
Q: I’ve heard that the number
of house fires goes up in the
winter. Is that true, and if so, what
causes these fires?
A: The number of house fires
and fatalities does tend to increase
during the winter months. Two of
the leading causes of house fires
are especially common this time
of year: home heating (particu
larly portable heaters), and cook
ing accidents.
There were four fire fatalities
in Georgia last year in fires caused
by some type of portable
heater. So far in 2009 there have
already been three fatalities in
fires started by a heater, and more
cool weather is on the way. While
portable heaters are safe if used
properly - please read the
manufacturer’s instructions care
fully - they can start fires if placed
too close to beds or other
furniture. Three feet is considered
a safe distance. Also, extension
cords can be dangerous when
used on an electric heater, since
the current draw can overheat the
cord.
Cooking-related fires have
caused eight deaths so far this
year. With the holiday season ap
proaching, much more cooking
will be going on in kitchens
across the state. Many of these
fires are caused by a stove that
has been accidentally left on. If
given enough time, a stove can
heat a pan to the point that the
metal melts.
That’s why home safety ex
perts recommend that you always
set a timer when cooking, so you
never forget to turn off the burn
ers or oven. If a pan does catch
fire, cover it with a lid immedi
ately and turn off the
burner. Don’t attempt to fight a
grease fire with water, as it may
make the fire worse. While cook
ing, consider wearing clothing
with tight-fitting sleeves. Loose
clothing can contact a burner and
ignite.
Finally, your home should have
an adequate number of smoke
alarms. Most fatal fires start be
tween 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., while
the family is asleep. The advance
warning of a smoke alarm may
mean the difference between life
and death. Nine out of 10 fire vic
tims are already dead before the
fire department is even called,
mainly from smoke and toxic
gases.
Please send your insurance
questions to: Insurance Commis
sioner John Oxendine, 716 West
Tower, 2 Martin Luther King Jr.
Drive, Atlanta, GA 30334 or r
call (404) 656-2070 (toll free at
1-800-656-2298), from 8 a.m. to
7 p.m. weekdays, for assistance
with an insurance question.
Visit the website at
www.gainsurance.org.
Joys for Jots
Christmas 2009
Applications will be taken on?
Tuesday, October 27th
Wednesday October 28th
Tuesday, November 3rd
Wednesday November 4th
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
At the JCFEC Resource Center
527 Barney Avenue
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Brine; with you:
A picture LI 3.
All family income anti expenses
AM family members Social Security Numbers
Tni' niDtv iiiGrmalhiii urlo schedule ynur uppoi.nlmein. please
call the Jenkins County Council of" l hurehc* a I
We Can Make
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128 N. Gray Street - Millen
982-5644
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