FOR RELEASE THE WEEK OF AUGUST 26, 2001:
I would like to apply xeriscape principles to my lawn in Boise. Do you have any information specifically applicable to Idaho climate and environment? What about Buffalograss? Will it survive here? Thank you for your help. David and Betty Turner, Boise
University of Idaho Extension educator Susan Bell recommends several grasses that will help you conserve water in your drought-tolerant landscape or "xeriscape."
Tall fescue has the potential to put down a 6-foot-deep root system. Consequently, it is very useful in xeriscapes that are watered deeply and infrequently--about once a week on clay soils. Tall fescue outcompetes weeds, does not suffer from insect or disease problems and needs fertilizing only once a year in the fall. Bell says it's so wear-tolerant that it's used on football fields. She recommends the dwarf, narrow-bladed varieties Bonsai and Dura-turf.
Buffalograss is very xeric or drought-tolerant. Once established, it will stay alive with just a nice, deep dose of water once a month. Unlike tall fescue, Buffalograss is a warm-season grass that will turn brown at the first hint of frost and stay brown until all danger of frost has passed. "That makes for a yucky looking lawn in the fall and early spring when cool-season grasses like tall fescue are green and lush," she says.
It can take up to three years to establish a solid turf of Buffalograss from seed. For this reason, plugs of grass are often used to hurry up the process. Left unmowed, the female plants will produce bur-like seeds that Bell says are no fun to walk on with bare feet. But if you're gardening on a hillside and crave the look of soft, cascading waves of green meadow dotted with wildflowers, unmowed Buffalograss is well worth considering.
Zoysia is another very xeric grass that is often advertised in gardening magazines. Like Buffalograss, it is a warm-season grass that is established using plugs.
"No matter which grass you choose, keep in mind that another way to conserve water in the landscape is to reduce the amount of grass that you maintain," Bell advises. For example, you might remove the grass that's growing in narrow areas--strips less than 10 feet wide--between houses. And, instead of growing grass right up to the edges of sidewalks and driveways, consider making an island of grass by replacing the edge areas with drought-tolerant herbaceous and woody perennials.
"There's nothing harder on grass roots than the radiating heat that comes from cement," Bell says. "Often the grasses die out and the crabgrass moves in. Why fight Mother Nature? Make some beautiful islands of grass that need less mowing and maintenance and take advantage of the many colorful flowering xeric perennials that are available."
I suspect my 4-month-old grandchild may have a hearing problem. What are the signs?
Children younger than 4 months who have hearing losses may not startle, move, cry or react in any way to unexpected loud noises, says Diane Demarest, coordinator of the University of Idaho's Parents as Teachers demonstration project. They may not awaken to loud noises or freely imitate sound. If you try to soothe them by voice alone, they may not respond. Or, they may not turn their heads to sources of sound or voices.
Demarest cautions that this quick checklist isn't a substitute for an ear examination or hearing test. Some children can have hearing losses in the absence of all of these signs. Bring your concerns to the pediatrician's attention. "Early diagnosis is important to good speech and language development," she says.
An estimated 1.3 million American children under 3 have a hearing loss. Some incidences of hearing loss are temporary--due to earwax or fluid--and can be reversed with medical treatment or minor surgery. Others--such as losses attributable to nerve deafness--are permanent but usually leave children with some usable hearing. Early diagnosis and fitting with hearing aids, paired with an early start on special educational services, helps maximize the child's existing hearing, Demarest says.
I just got back from seeing my dentist. Even though I brush and floss, I still get cavities. Is there anything else I can to prevent cavities?
Try drinking black tea, says Martha Raidl, University of Idaho Extension nutrition specialist. A recent study found that people who sipped a cup or two of black tea each day not only decreased the amount of plaque that built up on their teeth but also controlled the growth of bacteria.
The study, conducted at the University of Illinois, found that compounds in black tea called polyphenols stopped the growth of cavity-causing bacteria and interfered with the bacteria's ability to stick to teeth.
To be effective the tea must be truly "black"--that is, without sugar, milk, honey or other additives. If you don't like drinking black tea, Raidl suggests rinsing with it for one minute.
[READERS: Do you have a question about your home, yard or garden? Send it to HomeWise, University of Idaho Ag Communications, Moscow, ID 83844-2332 or e-mail it to homewise@uidaho.edu. Mention of proprietary products or firms does not constitute endorsement by University of Idaho Extension or imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.]