MEMBERS ONLY
Earthkind Methodologies ...
EarthKind™
by James Kocian, Ellis County Master Gardener
|
What is EarthKind? EarthKind goals are to reduce the volume of water, fertilizers, pesticides used in the landscape, and the volume of yard wastes entering landfills. EarthKind employs the latest scientifically-sound, research-based information and techniques of plant selection and culture to avoid pest problems before they occur. We recommend using pesticides only as a last resort. If a pesticide becomes absolutely necessary, then select the most EarthKind or environmentally responsible product available.
|
|
Landscape Development Developing a landscape for homes and businesses can pose unique challenges. Careful attention to improving environmental conditions through soil preparation, proper after-planting care, and efficient irrigation practices are essential. There are no hard and fast rules, since conditions vary from location to location. But by following some basic EarthKind principles, your chances for success will be greatly increased. It’s been proven, through national research that the EarthKind method works. Try the EarthKind soil preparation on your next landscape or garden project and prove to yourself that it works.
|
|
Site selection Full sun is very important for many ornamentals and vegetables. Good air movement over leaf surfaces will aid greatly in prevention of foliar diseases. Adequate drainage to insure water doesn’t collect or stand in the planting area. Construction of raised beds and addition of organic matter are extremely important for proper root growth and will provide necessary drainage. Of great importance in your site selection is plant selection. Always consider the mature growth habits of the plants you select. Too often we select the wrong plant for our location just because it looks good there when it’s planted. Then greatly outgrows the location when it becomes mature. All plants have a guide showing it’s mature height and width.
|
|
Soil Preparation Soil testing is advised to ensure plants get nutrients they need; it helps to avoid the expense, effort and possible contamination, which results from unnecessary fertilizer applications. Historically most people appear to spend more of their landscape budget on plants rather than soil preparation, when just the opposite is what should be the case. Proper soil preparation will lead to healthier, more vigorous plant growth and the need for less water and increased drought resistance. The EarthKind method is really very simple. One new ingredient needed for our Ellis County heavy clay soil is ‘expanded shale’. Expanded shale is a gravel size rock that has been super heated to make it “pop” creating air cavities within it. Expanded shale aerates our clay soil giving the plant roots needed oxygen, makes it easier to work and helps it drain better. Best of all, it only has to be added one time. Begin by tilling in 3” of expanded shale. After the expanded shale is mixed into the native soil, till in 3” of well finished compost. Now rake the planting bed to form a raised bed, where the middle is high and tapers down to the front and back.
|
|
Plant Selection We recommend using native and adapted plants; those that will grow and perform well in our Ellis County heat and dry conditions without a lot of care. These can be found on our website (www.ecmga.com). You should also consider adding EarthKind roses into your landscape. EarthKind roses are beautiful, hardy, heat and drought tolerant, disease resistant and come in many colors and forms. EarthKind are varieties anyone can grow with little care. Below you will find a list of nationally proven EarthKind roses.
|
|
Maintenance After planting the landscape you need to mulch the beds with 3” of native tree trimmings. These are usually readily available and are free in many cities. If not, a good hardwood mulch can also be used. Check the mulch depth twice a year and maintain the mulch at 3 inches. The mulch will break down creating new compost fertilizer for your plants. Mulch will keep the roots cooler in summer; helps retain moisture in the soil and also help reduce the unwanted weeds in your landscape. Once your plants are established they will require much less water.
|
|
EarthKind Roses EarthKind is an important designation given to select roses by the Texas A&M University Agriculture program. EarthKind roses have been through rigorous statewide testing and evaluation by a team of horticultural experts and found to possess the high level of landscape performance coupled with outstanding disease and insect tolerance/resistance, required for this special designation. EarthKind roses are among the finest, most thoroughly tested, and environmentally responsible plants for the use in Texas landscapes. These roses do very well in almost any soil type. EarthKind roses are certainly not immune to pest problems. However, their tolerance to pests is so great that, as long as you do not mind a few leaflets dropping occasionally, they rarely require the use of chemical pesticides.
|
|
Fertilization and Irrigation: Roses also like high levels of fertility, especially nitrogen. The EarthKind bed preparation should be all that these roses require. However, if you decide your roses need to be fertilized, supplement in March, June and lightly in late August. For the March and June feedings, utilize fertilizers in which at least half of the nitrogen is in the “slow release” or “slowly available” form. In late August, apply fertilizers in which the nitrogen is readily available. During the first year your roses will need supplemental water. Once they become established, only infrequent watering is required. These are Texas tough roses. In areas of the state plagued by salty irrigation water, it is very important to drip irrigate roses. Remember not to sprinkle irrigate during the evening hours or at night; fungi will walk fifty miles to infect wet leaves at night! |
|
EarthKind roses to try in your yard: Belinda’s Dream Marie Daly Caldwell Pink Mme. Antoine Mari Carefree Beauty Mutabilis Climbing Pinkie New Dawn Ducher Perle d’Or Duchesse de Brabant Sea Foam Elsie Poulsen Spice Georgetown Tea The Fairy
|