Nick Hoffman
What I would like to talk about this week something that would not usually be
talked about in agronomy. With my experience in construction, I know how the
ground around the construction site takes a tremendous beating. The heavy
equipment, employees working constantly around, and the materials laying on the
ground help cause a breeding ground for troublesome weeds. Many of the weed
present are able to survive in the ground around the site due to the simple fact
that they are able to handle stress better than desired lawn grasses. One reason
for this is that most sites have a high content of clay in the soil due to the
fact that most of the good black topsoil has been removed by the excavating
equipment. After the rain falls, the clayous soils dries up and produces a hard
crust at the top, not allowing the grass (i.e. bluegrass) to emerge through.
With the lack of competion from other plants, weeds such as dandelions
can prosper and survive. When the home is finally done, the dandelion plant has
developed such a rooting system that the plant will still be a problem for the
home owner when he/she is developing their lawn. Another problem that
landscapers encounter is that with the hard clay crust it is hard to allow the
sod to establish a rooting system. A intensive tillage practice must be used it
order to break that crust. Also good black dirt is probaly the best remedy for
the clay concentration. My topic is probaly a little out of the ordinary for an
agriculture course. However, landscaping today is now more of a big business to
some to acheive that lush green lawn.
