SUPPLY
LAWN & GARDEN
Gardentalk
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tips
fertilize
In the summer months, it is best to
use a slow release fertilizer with a
3-1-2 ratio. If your turfgrass looks
yellow, you may need to apply iron.
mow
Try to mow at the highest
recommended setting for your
lawn. This will help shade your grass
from the sun and encourage deeper
root growth.
watch
Keep an eye out for damage to your
lawn, whether it be from insects or
disease. It is important to catch these
problems early and treat them as
soon as possible.
mulch
Mulching reduces the time and
water needed to keep plants healthy.
Simply cover the base of plants
with organic material to help keep
moisture in the soil.
i
t’s definitely warming up, and your lawns and gardens need
special attention during these hot summer months. With
the opening of the new store, United Ag has greatly expanded its lawn and garden section. We are fully equipped to help
you tackle any problem you may have.
Stop by and see what we have to offer. You can also visit with one
of our knowledgeable staff to help you best prepare your lawn to
survive South Texas summers.
Get rid of
C
the crazy
razy ants have earned their reputation as an invasive species and are bothering areas worldwide, including South
Texas. They are so named because of their frantic movements and erratice behavior.
These pests prove to be difficult to control. Their versatiliy
makes them harder to eradicate than most ant species because
they live in moist and dry climates, indoor and outdoors, and
travel farther from their nests. However, there are options available
to get rid of crazy ants.
The first step is to attempt to locate the colony. This can be hard to
do with the crazy ants’ erratic movements. Putting out peanut
butter can encourage the ants to form a trail to the colony.
Next, you should treat all existing
mounds. Demon is a good insecticide to use on outdoor mounds,
and can be found at United Ag.
Use dusting methods to treat
indoor colonies.
Remember that crazy
ants can build nests in
rotting wood or trees and in
the soil under landscape timbers, wood,
etc. Removing debris and limiting food
production can help prevent crazy ants.
LEGAL CORNER FEATURE
Passing it down
Farm is a legacy, but keeping it in
the family isn’t always easy
s
By John M. Merck
ince 2006 U.S. farmland values
have increased by approximately
20%, and even more in some
areas of the country. In fact, farmland values are now at a record high. While most
would think higher land prices are a windfall for landowners, it presents a unique
problem for farm families who wish to pass
down the family farm or ranch to their
children in a fair and efficient manner.
Most husbands and wives involved in
agriculture have common goals regarding
the distribution of their estates: 1) keep
the farm/ranch in the family; 2) treat all
of their children equally; 3) provide the
surviving spouse with sufficient resources
to live on after the death of the first spouse;
and 4) avoid conflict within the family.
These goals are not difficult to attain if
either all children or none of the children
will continue in farming or ranching.
However, it becomes a challenge if only
some children wish to continue Mom and
Dad’s tradition in agriculture, while the
others have no interest.
In farm families, land and equipment
usually represent the largest portion of
assets in the estate. Liquid assets are most
often used to acquire the infrastructure
(land and equipment) required to continue
operating the farm in a profitable manner.
Where the farm families’ estate contains an
equal amount of liquid assets and farming
assets, the solution, is simple – you offset
the value of the land a beneficiary receives
against the liquid assets the other receives .
Unfortunately, this is seld