Prolonged mild, wet weather tends to bring out mushrooms on lawns, so you can expect to see lots of them poke through lawns during the fall and the spring in the Northwest. Mushrooms are the “fruit” of fungi that live on underground dead or decaying matter, such as rotting tree roots or buried logs. In the soil and under bark, you’ll find a cluster of thin, white threads called mycelium. Because the mushrooms are only the “fruit”, removing them won’t kill the underground mycelium.

Some fungi such as fairy ring fungi can damage lawns, while many others are beneficial because they break down organic matter and release nutrients for other plants. Mushrooms that develop from decaying tree roots or other organic matter are generally harmless to lawns. Still, many people like to get rid of them because of their unsightly appearance, or they worry that children or pets may eat them. 

To get rid of mushrooms, rake or pick them off the lawn, or dig out the buried tree root or logs. The Washington State University Master Gardeners also suggest drenching the area with detergent and water in the early spring. The group advises: poke holes about 6 inches deep, about a foot apart, through the surface, and drench the area daily for a month. Use 1 to 2 quarts of water per square foot, with 1 to 2 tables of liquid detergent per 3 gallons of water. 

Removing excess thatch and aerating the soil to improve water penetration may also help. 

For more information on how to control fairy rings, which are circular or semi circular rings in the lawn, read this Master Gardener handout.

Azaleas are poisonous if ingested.

Some of the most common and ubiquitous Northwest plants such as azaleas are also toxic, especially to children who put all kinds of objects into their mouths.

Poison control experts recommend knowing the botanical names of plants you have in your house and in your yard, labeling them, and supervising children near them. With some plants, just one bite could be dangerous, or only the seed, leaf or bark are toxic. Meanwhile, some plants require ingesting the entire thing to cause serious concerns.

Some of the prettiest plants in the yard are also the most toxic and can cause serious illness or death if ingested, according to the Washington Poison Center. Call the center immediately at 1-800-222-1222  if this happens. The center rates plants on a toxic scale of 1 to 4. Plants that are most toxic include daphne, foxglove, lily-of-the-valley, as well as castor bean, elderberry, periwinkle and yew berry.

lily of the valley

Some plants such as amaryllis, juniper and skunk cabbage rate a “2″ because they may cause minor illnesses such as vomiting or diarrhea if ingested. For other examples of non-toxic and toxic plants, go to the Washington Poison Center list.

Experts provide these tips:

• Know the names of your houseplants and trees and plants in your yard. It’s very difficult for someone to know plant names from a description over the phone.
• Teach kids not to put leaves, stems, nuts, mushrooms and other garden objects into their mouths.
• Never eat a wild berry or mushroom unless you’re certain of its identity.
• Supervise kids near poisonous plants.

An outdoor living Christmas tree decorated for a Mercer Island Ecoyards client

For the past few years, we’ve been coaxing a little slip of a fir tree to grow in a pot in our backyard. We dug up the seedling when it was only about a foot long. It was essentially a weed, which had volunteered in the landscape amid annuals and perennials. We took the seedling and potted it, and over time it has grown several feet in height. In December, we take it indoors to serve as our living Christmas tree. We keep in watered while in the house (read more tips on how to care for living trees). When Christmas is over, we move the potted tree back out on our deck.

The tree isn’t much really, and could rival Charlie Brown’s; it holds about two strings of LED Christmas lights and only a few ornaments. It’s not the ideal 6-foot Noble fir tree that I sometimes secretly covet, but over the years, we’ve come to enjoy the tradition of having a living Christmas tree. We like watching it grow from year to year. It saves us a trip to the Christmas tree lot and we don’t have anything to set out curbside when the holiday season is over. More and more people are opting for living spruces and firs, and then planting the trees on their property afterward.

This season, Ecoyards is offering some new services for the holidays. We’re installing energy-efficient LED lighting on customers’ homes, shrubs and trees. Along with that, we deliver living potted Christmas trees decorated with bulbs and LED lighting.  These trees are then planted in the landscape at the end of the holiday season. Contact us if you’re interested in these services.

We frequently help our holiday lighting customers analyze the cost savings that can be achieved by using LED lights instead of traditional incandescent lighting. The calculations to determine the cost savings are not very complicated, but it is a lot easier with a good conversion calculator handy. Here’s the data you will need to perform this calculation:

1. Total number of bulbs;
2. Wattage of the individual incandescent bulbs to be replaced. (C9s are generally about 8-9 watts; C7s are generally about 6-7 watts; and mini lights are usually between .50 and 1 watt)
3. Amount of time the bulbs will be illuminated; and
4. The average cost of a kilowatt-hour of electricity in your area. ($.07 is an average rate for Seattle residents.)

Step 1: Calculate total watts

Multiple the total number of bulbs by the wattage of 1 bulb. This equals the total watts of the display.

Step 2: Enter data into conversion calculator

Enter the product of the formula in Step 1 into the “Watts” field in this calculator: http://mhi-inc.com/Converter/watt_calculator.htm. Next, enter the total amount of time the lights will be illuminated in the “Time” section of the calculator. (Note that the time can be in seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, or years.)

This calculator will calculate the total kilowatt-hours consumed by this lighting display.

Step 3: Determine cost of electricity

Multiple the total kilowatt-hours the display will consume (as determined by the calculator in Step 2) and multiply it by the average cost of a kilowatt hour of electricity in your area.

Step 4: Determine to cost to operate Christmas lights using LEDs

Repeat steps 1-3. The average LED holiday style light is between .05 and .07 watts.

Step 5: Calculate the savings

Subtract the cost of operating the LED lights from the cost of operating the incandescent lights. This is the total cost savings you can expect by switching to LEDs.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are a relatively new lighting product. Many people may own LED flashlights or other similar LED lights. However, LED lighting is quickly becoming a popular choice for holiday lighting in the Seattle area. Here are the top 10 reasons to replace your old incandescent holiday lights with LEDs:

1. Added safety – Lamps always remain cool to the touch. Because holiday lighting is often used in close proximately to combustible materials (dry evergreen trees) this feature can greatly reduce the risk of holiday fires.

2. Solid-state reliability. No longer will you have to worry about one lamp ruing your whole string.

3. Longevity – L.E.D. lamps are rated for up to 200,000 hours of use while standard incandescent lights typically last for only 2,000 hours.

4. No glass bulbs to break. LED lights are encased in an nearly indestructible epoxy casing.

5. No filaments to burn out. Unlike incandescent bulbs there is not filament to burn out so they last much longer and won’t be damage or ruined if you drop them or step on them.

6. Extreme energy efficiency, uses only 10% of the electricity required to power traditional incandescent. For a typical household this will mean a cost savings of $20.00 or more during the standard 30 day holiday season.

7. Nearly indestructible, solid epoxy lenses. High-quality LED lights can withstand the force of a tractor-trailer without breaking.

8. Rust proof, Zinc-coated lamp contacts. The lamp components will not rust when used outdoors or in moist environments.

9. Uses standard house current (120 VAC, 60 Hz). No need for an electrician or expensive power converters.

10. No transformer required. Allows for simple installation and use.

For these reasons, Ecoyards uses commercial-grade UL approved and ENERGY STAR qualified LED holiday lighting for all of our professional-lighting installations throughout the Seattle-area. Our turn-key operation provides the design, lights, and labor so the customer can enjoy an energy-efficient, safe holiday.

We’ve gotten a fair amount of rain and wind in the Puget Sound recently, and even some snow in the mountains. It may not seem like it, but there’s still plenty to do in the garden.

1. This month is a great time to mulch the vegetable garden. Mulch will help prevent erosion, keep weeds at bay and insulate your plants during the cold weather.

2. Divide perennials such as shasta daisies, asters and rudbeckia (black-eyed Susans).

rudbeckia

3. Fertilize lawns late in the month to keep it green through the winter.

4. There’s still time to plant spring bulbs, such as tulips, daffodils and hyacinths.

5. Cut raspberry canes.

6. Continue to plant or transplant perennials, shrubs and trees. Winter months provide ideal conditions for planting new shrubs and trees.

7. Rake leaves and add them to your compost pile, or use them to mulch your landscape beds. Leaves could be piled two to three inches high; over time, they’ll break down and add nutrients to the soil. Avoid using leaves of trees with diseases, or broadleaf evergreens such as rhododendron and laurel (since they take a long time to break down).

8. Avoid heavily pruning roses now. Wait until late February for major pruning. Protect roses by removing leaves, or letting the roses form seeds, or hips.

It’s officially autumn in the Northwest. The air is cooler. The sun is setting earlier. Rains are falling more frequently. There’s still much to do in the garden in the month of October.

1. Plant hardy spring bulbs, such as daffodils, tulips, crocuses and hyacinths. They need several months of winter chill to have good springtime blooms. Try to get them in the ground before Thanksgiving.

2. Time to clean up the summer vegetable garden. Discard dying tomato, squash and other vegetable plants. Clear the area of pots, plastic bags, stakes and other items that can harbor pests and other problems. Keep your garden plot sanitized to prevent diseases and other problems next year.

crimson clover

3. Consider planting a cover crop, like crimson clover (pictured left) or vetch. These green manures help suppress weeds and adds nitrogen and organic matter to the soil.

4. While you’re at it, it’s a good time for general yard maintenance. Clear yard debris such as fallen leaves and twigs to prevent them from smothering plants, grass, or clogging storm drains. Clear jammed gutters.

5. If you were able to hit some of the September plant sales at local nurseries, now is a good time to put those trees and shrubs in the ground. In fact, you can continue to add plants to your landscape all winter long.

6. Now’s a great time to pull weeds from your landscape beds and then cover the beds with a layer of nutrient-rich mulch/compost.

7. October is the best time of year to aerate, top-dress, and over-seed your lawn so that it will be in tip-top shape next spring.

October to November is a great time to plant spring hardy bulbs such as tulips, crocus, daffodils, bulb irises and hyacinths, which provide explosive color during the otherwise dreary months of March and April.

These bulbs need several cold winter months to produce good roots. If you plant too late, in January or February, the bulbs won’t have enough time to produce a strong root system.

Buy the largest bulbs — solid, plump, firm — you can find to get the best blooms. Skip the bulbs in the bargain basement bin, and also avoid ones with soft spots, blemishes or mold. Once purchased, try to plant the bulbs as soon as you can. Otherwise, store them loosely in paper bags in your refrigerator or a cool and dry place.
Make sure you plant the bulbs in a location with good drainage. Most bulbs can’t tolerate wet feet and will rot. Add organic matter (compost or aged manure) to clay soils to improve drainage. Most spring bulbs require at least 5-6 hours of sun. Avoid planting them under large trees, where they won’t get enough sunlight.

Plant according to the size of the bulb. Generally, this means digging a hole about two to three times as deep as the bulb is wide. For small bulbs such as crocuses and snowdrops, dig a hole about 4-6 inches deep. Meanwhile, larger bulbs such as tulips, hyacinths and daffodils will need to be planted about 8 inches deep. Follow the directions on the package if available.

Mix good fertilizer (10-10-10 or bulb fertilizer) into the hole when you plant. A bit of bonemeal or blood meal, which are high in phosphorous, will also help the bulb develop good roots. Fertilize again in the spring when the shoots break through the ground, but don’t fertilize once they have started flowering. After the bulbs are in the ground, soak with water to allow the soil to settle.

In March, we wrote that the Woodland Park Zoo had to cancel the sale of the highly coveted popular Zoo Doo, or compost made from piles of poop from zoo animals, because tests found the piles were contaminated with an herbicide called chlorpyralid. Zoo officials traced the problem to some of the feeds they had been using and officials say they’ve curbed the problem by switching feeds and using a smaller supplier, according to this King 5 report. 

Gardeners who were disappointed by the lack of Zoo Doo earlier this year should be happy to learn that the zoo is making the prized poop available in a drawing this month. There’s less of it to go around, so the lottery will be even more competitive. The zoo is also making available “bedspread,” a composted mulch that’s much like Zoo Doo but contains higher amounts of wood and sawdust. Zoo officials say bedspread is an excellent fertile mulch for perennial beds and woody landscapes such as native gardens, rose beds, shrubs, tree rings or pathways.

To enter the drawing, send an entry card to the zoo from Sept. 11 to 25. The cards will be drawn at random and selected until supplies run out. If you’re selected, the zoo will contact you to pick up your compost piles between Oct. 9 and 25. Here’s how to enter: send one postcard per person (no phone calls) to Zoo Doo, Woodland Park Zoo, 601 N. 59th St., Seattle, WA  98103.  Include your name, day & evening phone numbers, whether you want Zoo Doo or Bedspread, how much you want (from a garbage bag to a pick-up truck load) and when you would like to pick it up. For more information, call the poop line at 206-625-POOP or visit at www.zoo.org.

Fall is the perfect time of year to plant trees, shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses in the Pacific Northwest. Soils are warm — not too wet or too dry. Rains during this season help keep plants watered, requiring less of your attention. Plants also suffer less stress when you transplant them during the cooler autumn season. 

Check out the free seminars held at Seattle nurseries this month to help you get motivated in your garden through the fall and winter months.

The first seminar, “Fall into Lazy Gardening,” takes place Saturday, Sept. 12, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Molbak’s, 13625 NE 175th St, Woodinville (425) 483-5000. Learn what to plant this year for less maintenance and more color all year long. Replace fussy, high water-use plants with better behaved trees, shrubs and perennials. Next summer you’ll use less water and enjoy more leisure time. 

“Shrink Your Lawn, Grow Your Garden” takes place Saturday, Sept. 19, 10 to 11 a.m. at Swansons Nursery, 9701 15th Ave NW, Seattle (206) 782-2543. Tired of spending time, money and effort to maintain your lawn? Want to add color to your landscape and invite wildlife into your yard? Learn how to convert some or all of your lawn into a beautiful landscape featuring native plants and attractive perennials. You’ll be amazed how your newly converted landscape will be packed with birds and keep pests in check.

“Jazz Up Your Garden with a Fall Makeover ” takes place Saturday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Sky Nursery, 18528 Aurora Ave N. (206) 546-4851. Learn how to have beauty every month of the year. This seminar will include garden design, plant selection and proper planting techniques. Fall is a great time to renovate your garden.