Sprout it From the Rooftops - Women's Lifestyle Magazine of Greater Kalamazoo

April is an amazing month in West Michigan. We all emerge from our homes and become reacquainted with our neighbors as the sounds of lawn mowers once again fill the air on a spring evening. The lush green grass grows so fast it seems you can watch it lengthen. Tulips and daffodils push their way out of the soil and the once dormant stems of forsythia, lilacs and magnolia seem to swell with pride as their buds pop open. Easter celebrations and Arbor Day tree plantings symbolize a new beginning. “Sprout” it from the rooftops; spring is finally here!

April is a good month for soil preparation, top dressing planting beds with compost and refreshing mulched landscape areas. Consider application of pre-emergence weed control in landscape beds as the soil warms up. Most weed seed will germinate when soil temperatures get to around 60 F. The same applies to your lawn, as this is the month to avoid crabgrass by applying pre-emergence controls. Try corn gluten, an organic weed seed suppressant and

natural nitrogen source, for your lawn and landscape beds.

Remember that after a long cold winter, the deer and rabbits will find the emerging new vegetation a wonderful salad buffet and taste treat. Oh, deer! Use natural repellent sprays on emerging vegetation like tulips and hosta before they are “deerly” departed. Many good repellents use garlic and herbal oils as well as other smelly and bitter tastes to make the sprouting buffet less attractive. I also like to use Milorganite as a fertilizer at the base, as it will also double as a helpful repellent to foraging creatures.

If you’re doing some tree planting or tree care to celebrate Arbor Day this month, make sure to do it right. Tree planting depth is an important consideration when planting. Trees planted too deep or trees that have a “volcano” of mulch mounded at the base do not establish well and suffer in future years. Important considerations for your tree include : good taper at the base, root collar health at the soil level, water, footing, and roots that are allowed to spread and work their way into the upper profile of the soil to seek out nutrients.

As you “sprout” it from the rooftops, remember that even though April days are nice and warm, the overnight temperatures can drop to below freezing. We often get a few “zinger” overnight frosts in April and our last frost date is usually not until mid-May. Some plants, like pansies, can handle light frosts, but other tender vegetation and sprouts may need to be protected from time to time. Watch the forecasts and harden off tender plants gradually before planting outdoors. Container gardening affords you this opportunity by giving you the flexibility to move plants inside on the occasional frosty night.

Want to really sprout it from the roof?

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), green roofs, or rooftop gardens continue to rise in popularity. Green roofs can be installed on a variety of buildings including private residences. From a simple, hardy groundcover to a rooftop park fit with trees, urban rooftop installations have a heap of benefits:

Reduced energy use. By acting as an insulator, buildings reduce the energy needed to heat and cool.
Reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Less energy means less greenhouse gases, and vegetation naturally removes air pollutants.
Improved health. Green roofs’ insulation properties will reduce heat transfer through the building, and may reduce stress associated with heat waves.
Enhanced storm water management and water quality. Vegetation naturally filters pollutants from rainfall, thereby producing cleaner runoff and reducing runoff.
Improved quality of life. The aesthetic value alone is worth installing a green roof. Fauna is known to reduce stress, clean air, and provide habitats.
Big-picture savings. Although installing a green roof may be slightly more expensive than a normal roof, lifetime savings surpasses the initial cost.