Updates:

We hope everyone is having a great February and start to the year. As you know, we have been busy with a few projects around the neighborhood and want an update. Firstly Trail Cleanup, Our contractor has done a fantastic job clearing the space between the two Bridges, and we’re looking forward to organizing a fun neighbor workday soon to tackle some of the spots his equipment couldn’t quite reach. The work has opened up the space. Please take a walk and check it out. Secondly, our picnic tables at the park needed some light refurbishment and a group of volunteers flipped and repaired some of the board and now our tables look new again. Thank you, Donn Gray, Michael Clennan, Don Mitchell & Dwayne Free.  Also, the exposed wiring and broken lights at the front entrance were repaired, and a new light and photocell were added.  Look below for some before and after pictures.

Trail Cleanup Work Day:

Trail Before:

Trail After:

Picnic Tables:

Entrance Lights Old: 

Entrance Lights New:

Landscape Tips:

Do not be fooled by these warm days as winter is not over and here are just a few highlights to help with your landscape needs this time of year.

• Hard to believe but the window for applying pre-emergent (crabgrass preventative) is upon us. February and March are the time when lawns need pre-emergent spring to keep crabgrass and other weeds from germinating. If you have a lawn service, it is likely they have already applied. If you are a do-it-yourself kind of gardener, then now is the time. Apply pre-emergent with some fertilizer if you have a cool season, fescue lawn to enable the lawn to green up nicely when temperatures do come around. If you have a warm season lawn like Bermuda or Zoysia apply a pre-emergent with NO fertilizer.  
• This is a suitable time of year to do a soil sample and have evaluated by UGA Extension Service. This test reveals any deficiencies that need correction to have a lush, healthy lawn. The Extension Service has sample bags and methods for gathering a representative sample of your soil to give the best results. You can call your local University of Georgia Extension office at 1-800-ASKUGA-1 to get details on how to order sample bags and get sample results.
• It is time to cut back the ornamental grasses.  Giving your ornamental grasses a crew cut is the thing to do this time of year. This gets the plant ready for spring flush and eliminates the messiness of the dead. Cutting grasses back to 12-18” anytime in February or March is good timing.
  • Pine straw or hardwood mulch installation in your landscape beds is good for plant health and just makes your landscape look nicer. Make sure not to install more than 3” of any type mulch and keep the mulch from the base of your plants to prevent disease or rot.

A helpful website is Walter Reeves a Georgia Gardener-https://www.walterreeves.com/

We hope these ideas are helpful to an early spring.