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Backyard Cuttings

By JUDY STARK
Published February 3, 2007

FERTILIZER LETS YOU FEED YOUR YARD LIKE A PRO

New in the fertilizer section: Dynamite from Sarasota-based Florikan, producer of horticultural products. This is the consumer version of the commercial fertilizer known as Nutricote. You apply the fertilizer only once every nine months, and the coated granules gradually release their nutrients into the soil. There are blends for cool, mild and warm regions, so the nutrients are released according to the length of the growing season. Dynamite, which contains major and minor elements, uses ammoniacal and nitrate nitrogen rather than urea-based nitrogen, which can burn plants and pollute groundwater. A one-pound canister is $4.97. There are three formulas: flowers and vegetables; all-purpose; and magnesium sulfate/epsom salts. Dynamite is available at Home Depot, Wal-Mart and some Lowe's stores.

A 'greener' peat pot replacement

Keep an eye out at the garden centers for the Fiber Grow line of pots made from coir, a biodegradable fiber created from plentiful and renewable coconut husks. They are said to be a greener alternative to traditional peat pots. Harvesting peat disturbs the bogs that clean and hold fresh water, nourish young plant and animal life, and act as a "carbon sink" to hold harmful greenhouse gases.

Folding cart fits many functions

The Fold-A-Cart is a collapsible, lightweight yard cart, easier to maneuver and balance than a wheelbarrow. The home and garden model holds 200 pounds or six cubic feet; it's $139.95. A professional size (nine cubic feet, 400 pounds) is $219.95. It folds down to just 20 percent of its expanded size. Use the cart around the garden; at the marina; at the campsite. You could even bathe the dog in the tough flat-bottomed rubberized tub. Learn more and order at www.foldatools.com or at home and garden centers, including Home Depot.

Go online to learn about natives

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin has revamped its Native Plant Information Network. Go to www.wildflower.org and find a gold mine of information on more than 6,000 native plant species; 17,000 images; a Q&A with Mr. Smarty Plants; bibliographies; and lots more.

Compiled by Homes and Garden editor Judy Stark

[Last modified February 2, 2007, 19:29:05]