Garden Talk - Good gardening for the lawn and grapevines

One lawn care practice that many homeowners neglect is core aeration.

Properly done, core aeration removes three-inch-long soil plugs from the entire lawn. This procedure relieves soil compaction, cuts through thatch buildup and enhances the flow of water and nutrients.

Turf specialists advise that every lawn requires core aeration yearly. However, areas of heavy use or heavy clay soil should be aerated twice a year. The recommended times for aeration are September and April. This timing allows lawns to recover from the initially damaging work of aeration and flourish subsequently. Choose a time when the soil is reasonably moist.

One practice that should be avoided is spike aeration. For aeration to be effective, the aim is to remove soil plugs, not merely to poke holes in the soil.

Power aerators are very expensive pieces of equipment. Only homeowners with large lawns and large budgets will want to invest in such a pricey item. Fortunately, core aerators are readily available for rental. Some homeowners may want to turn the whole project over to a reputable lawn care company.

For gardeners fortunate enough to have grapes ripening, knowing how to time harvest is important. Watch for color change, and touch to feel the slight lessening of firmness that signals maturity. Finally, taste a sampling. When the grapes are ready, harvest clusters using a knife or hand shears.

Store harvested grapes in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator. They should keep up to two months with very cool and humid conditions.

If grapes did not ripen evenly, here are some possible causes to consider when planning for next year. There might have been a potassium deficiency, moisture stress, or 2,4-D damage.

However, the most common cause is over-cropping, or too many clusters on the vine. Grapevines must be pruned in late winter. Iowa growers are advised to leave no more than 60 buds on a grapevine.