Nitrogen

Mulch has many benefits around plant beds, foundation shrubs and other gardening locations in the yard. However, nuisance fungi occasionally grow on mulch applied to landscape plants and trees. In landscape beds and gardens, mulch helps control weeds, prevents extreme soil temperature fluctuation, decreases water evaporation and improves drainage.   Mulch also reduces mower and string trimmer damage by suppressing vegetation near shrubs and trees. As it decomposes, mulch produces organic materials to improve soil and otherwise benefit plants.

It sounds like science fiction, but it could turn out to be science fact. Alltech, a global animal health company based in Nicholasville, Inter-County Energy Cooperative and its power supplier, East Kentucky Power Cooperative, have joined a research project to study using algae to capture the carbon dioxide that is produced when coal is burned to make electricity for homes or businesses. Instead of releasing power plant emissions into the atmosphere, they can be used as food to grow algae as a source of oils, proteins and carbohydrates, which will soon yield valuable byproducts, such as feed stock for animals and biofuels that will run your car. Inter-County’s power supplier is conducting an ongoing experiment to explore this idea at its Dale Station generating plant in rural Clark County, in partnership with Alltech.

Although the first day of summer is not too long passed, it is the time to begin formulating plans for stockpiling tall fescue for grazing in the late fall and winter. This is not a new strategy but one that takes on new meaning as we come to appreciate the new value of hay in a cow-calf operation. Minimizing the number of hay feeding days and the amount of hay needed to get through the winter can have major impacts on an operation's bottom line. Many cattlemen have taken advantage of stockpiling fescue as an annual management practice for years; however the current production cost of stored forages emphasize that a greater percentage of producers need to adopt stockpiling as a method to reduce costs.

Drought and excessive heat damaged many Kentucky lawns last summer, and continued dry conditions into the fall left homeowners with little chance of repairing them. But the next couple of weeks provide a chance for another try at getting the lawn back into shape. Lawns with south and west facing slopes and those on heavy soils sustained the most damage from the hot, dry weather. These areas just couldn't get re-established in the fall, but it is an option this spring. Now, until the first of April, is a good time to get new grass stands established.

Now is the time to start improving your pasture and hay fields. A little work and money now can pay off in better livestock gains and better milk production. Clover in your pasture increases the productivity to where livestock gain or milk better, more pasture is available to take hay from and more livestock can be run per acre. Adding clovers to pasture is the cheapest and easiest way to increase your livestock profits. The easiest way to add clover to your fields is by overseeding.

BURNSIDE, Ky.- East Kentucky Power Cooperative has announced plans to invest nearly $324 million in its John Sherman Cooper Station in Pulaski County. The cooperative plans to install pollution-reduction equipment to ensure environmental compliance and the future of the plant. "East Kentucky Power Cooperative provides power to more than 1 million Kentuckians, and Cooper Station is critical to making that happen," said Robert Marshall, president and CEO of EKPC. "This will be an investment in the long-term viability of Cooper Station and in the environmental well-being of Kentucky.

Farmers need to be in gear now to get their pasture and hay fields improved. Adding clover to our grass fields has a lot of economic benefits. I have producers tell me it is too expensive to sow clover. Well these folks forget to look past the purchase price. You need to look at the bottom line which is net returns for the dollars and labor you spend. Clover in your pasture increases the productivity to where cattle gain better, more pasture is available to take hay from and more cattle can be run per acre.

Our pasture and/or hay fields are in need of clovers. The past two years took a toll on clovers in many fields as a result of extremes in weather. In addition, fewer new fall seedings were made because of unsatisfactory soil and weather conditions. Although there are no guarantees we will have ideal weather conditions this year. I am optimistic the situation will be better this year. Research and farmer experience has clearly shown if we establish legumes in the grass pasture/hay fields, we can increase yield, improve quality, improve summer production and take advantage of these legumes to convert nitrogen from the atmosphere thus eliminating the need for applying nitrogen fertilizer to grass-clover fields.

Renovating hay and pasture fields will make you money. If you have a low producing grass pasture or hay field, following some simple renovation techniques will increase its productivity. These practices include planting a legume such as red clover, controlling pests and adding lime and fertilizer. Adding legumes to pasture and hay fields has several benefits including higher yields, improved quality, nitrogen fixation, and more summer growth. Seeding legumes increases the total forage yield per acre.

Kentucky is noted for its grass pastures and horses. Both are important to our commonwealth. Pastures supply nutrients, provide hoof support for exercise, control erosion, and make our commonwealth even more picturesque. Horses provide a lot of pleasure, whether to someone riding for pleasure or as a winner in the show ring or at a racetrack, or grazing in your pasture. Well-managed pastures can supply a significant percentage of a horse's daily nutrient needs. Pasture forage plants can easily be reduced or destroyed because horses graze closer than cattle and tend to repeatedly graze the same areas.