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Frozen
Mango Fluff

1 pint heavy cream

(1) 30 oz. can Alphonso mango pulp, unsweetened

(1) 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Zest of 1 lime

¼ tsp cardamom powder

1 pinch salt

chopped pistachios, optional

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Pour into loaf pan lined with plastic wrap. Place in freezer and allow to set for 10 hours.

Dip outside of pan in warm water, just to release. Slice and serve immediately. Or freeze directly in bowls or ramekins. Garnish with nuts if desired.

Surface Roots Make it Difficult to Mow

Some tree species seem to be more prone to surface rooting than others: maple, ash, willow, honeylocust and cottonwood are big offenders in my experience. One of the consequences of this behavior is that if such surface-rooting trees are situated in grass, it's common for the tops of their roots to be shaved off by lawnmowers. This repeated wounding typically leads to some root decay (often just superficial, though) and expanded root diameters responding to the wounding can produce quite an unsightly mess on the lawn. Surface roots can also become a trip hazard to pedestrians and are more likely to pop up an adjacent paver or curb edge.

Surface rooting is a multi-faceted problem, as many problems are in understanding trees. Roots growing through the thin organic layer become surface roots because the water (turf grass irrigation) and nutrients (turf grass fertilizer) are there. Compacted soil can cause surface rooting because the roots can't push into the lower soil layers. I have also seen surface roots due to soil erosion. Trees put into small spaces or too close to pavement can generate surface rooting. It's easy to blame the tree not the initial poor design and tree installation.

It is tempting to cut these roots off to make mowing easier, but remember that the roots are growing there for a reason, and cutting them out will simply make the tree's plight worse. After all, destroying a large number of surface roots can easily permanently damage the tree, if not kill it altogether. And roots always grow back. I've had a lot of success with changing the level around surface roots with topsoil and turf, basically burying them just below a new surface. Unfortunately, you can't take that approach in every setting, as level changes may not be possible or suitable on some sites. Other approaches are to apply hardwood mulch, let the grass grow longer or plant a ground cover such as ferns under the canopy. When possible, select trees that are deep-rooted. Some species that generally cause fewer problems include Kentucky coffeetree, buckeye, ginkgo, oaks and elms.

A linden with a bad case of surface roots.

When all else fails, paint the roots green and maybe no one will notice.

Repeated shaving of the roots by lawnmowers is not good for the tree or the aesthetics of the lawn.

Trees not given enough soil to grow may escape to cause damage to sidewalks and hardscapes.

For more information on surface tree roots.

Don't Let Herbicides Keep You in the Weeds

Have you ever sprayed the weeds in your lawn and found out after a few days that the lawn is now checkered with yellow circles? How embarrassing. The key to successfully killing weeds is knowing what type of herbicide to use and the types of weeds you want to get rid of. Are you interested in killing all vegetation or just weeds in the lawn?

There are two main herbicide options - selective vs non-selective. Selective herbicides are designed to kill grassy weeds (monocots) or broadleaf weeds (dicots) but not both. Nonselective herbicides are designed to kill all plants.

Monocots have 'grassy' leaves. Monocot describes single-cotyledon plants such as lawn grass, weed grass, ornamental grass, corn, bamboo, iris, and lilies.

Broadleaf are 'fat' leaves. Dicots are broadleaf plants, which include everything else except the few listed above. Clover, dandelions, creeping Charlie, thistle, are all examples of broadleaf plants.

Glyphosphate, usually sold as Roundup, is a nonselective herbicide. It kills all plants it comes in contact with. On a windy day, drifting spray can unintentionally kill plants nearby.

Weed-B-Gone, for example, is a selective herbicide and will kills weeds in your lawn. It won't harm lawn grasses because it selects for broadleaf plants.

So, you've finally selected a herbicide to kill those pesky weeds. Before you dive in and start spraying, pause to read the label. Doing so is vital to protect yourself, your family and the environment.

The label may seem formidable at first glance, but it's very important to read it thoroughly. It contains legally binding information - approved by the Environmental Protection Agency - on how much product to use for optimal weed control, how to handle the product safely, and when, where and how it should be applied. Remember that federal law governs the use of all pesticides.

Anyone applying pesticides must use them in accordance with the instructions and restrictions on the label.

To kill a mix of grassy and broad leaf weeds, use glyphosate.

To control cover in grass use Weed-B-Gone.

For more information on weed control and understanding Round-up products.

Thanks for reading.
Happy Planting!

Faith

Faith Appelquist

President & Founder