Homeowners are busy outdoors in the spring, summer, and fall. But many believe when temperatures drop and plant growth stops, their job is done. The opposite is true. Winter lawn care requires taking special steps to help your lawn and plants get the most out of a long, restful sleep. The more you do for […]
Broomsedge, which is actually a native grass and not a sedge, has become more prevalent in many pastures in the eastern United States in recent years. This is undesirable, because this plant provides relatively little nutritional value to livestock. Even worse, it competes with desirable plants for nutrients, water, sunlight, and space. Reasons for Encroachment […]
Harmful insects and mites have no place inside, or outside, your home. Flies and cockroaches carry diseases, mosquitoes and ticks feed on blood, and aphids, ants and armyworms ruin lawns and plantscapes. Compare-N-Save Indoor/Outdoor Insecticide protects your home and surroundings. As the name suggests, it can be applied both inside and outside. It works […]
Weeds are the bane of your lawn’s existence. Weeds aren’t just unattractive to look at; they are thieves that steal nutrients from your grass. To eradicate them, you can continuously battle by spot spraying and pulling or, decide on a total kill and start fresh. Grab Some RM18 When you’re ready to say goodbye to […]
Spring is in the air. Warm days outnumber the cool ones. Soon your lawn will need more than the passing glance it has received all winter. A lush, green, healthy lawn or garden doesn’t just happen. It takes hard work, tried and true techniques and help from some of our favorite products. Test Your Soil. […]
When choosing a seed for your livestock’s forage-based diet, look no further than Prine. Ragan & Massey’s Prine™ Tetraploid is the most commercially available ryegrass variety developed by the outstanding University of Florida ryegrass breeding program. This high-yield, rust- and disease-resistant tetraploid variety withstands cold temperatures to improve forage yields.
A winter pasture, full of annual forages such as small grains and annual ryegrass, benefits small farms with easy-to-grow, highly-nutritious forage while saving money, time and effort. It is no wonder that more and more farmers across the United States are adopting winter grazing habits for cattle, sheep, horses and goats. Planting a winter pasture […]
Millions of dollars worth of hay are sold in the United States each year. Successful hay transactions result mostly from application of “common sense,” but discussion of some points that should be considered is provided in this article.
When you mow your lawn, you keep it healthy. Lawns that are mowed correctly groom the turf to be thick enough to crowd out weeds and more drought tolerant. But, mow it incorrectly, or with bad habits, and you could be paving the way for your lawn to suffer.
I saw another dandelion yesterday. That makes 123 for the year, and it’s April.
Hay is the most commonly used stored feed on livestock farms in the USA, with a total annual value of billions of dollars. Most hay (especially hay intended for use with beef cattle herds) is packaged in large round bales and stored for several months before it is fed. Round balers are popular because they […]
It’s been a long, cold winter, and we’re dreaming of spring in the most delicious ways. Whether you are prepping your spring garden or counting down until the opening day of your farmer’s market, if you’re like us here at Ragan & Massey, you’ll want to enjoy spring’s bounty throughout the entire season. Freezing or […]
With some honest assessment, anyone can follow these steps to success. Here’s a SMART example of a hunter trying to boost the quail population on his small farm and getting marvelous results. Follow the acronym to see how it worked.
Forage programs vary greatly, even on adjacent farms. Reasons include that soils and other resources vary, the objectives and inclinations of producers may not be the same, and the species, classes, and breeds of livestock differ from one farm to another. However, despite diversity regarding the details, forage producers who have the most profitable forage […]
We’re sure you’ve heard and read about other seed companies touting their seeds as “pre-inoculated” or “coated.” Inoculants, strains of naturally-occurring soil bacterial that improve nitrogen availability to a plant as it grows, can be beneficial; however, more and more of these “coatings” advertised by seed companies are really just corn starch or talc with […]
Interest in growing clovers as companion species to forage grasses has increased in recent years. Reasons include that in many situations they can extend the growing season and/or increase total forage yield of pastures.
Snout Nosed Beatles. Emerald Ash Borers. Lacy Bugs. No matter how elaborate the names, the fact of the matter remains: bugs are bugs. And they can wreak havoc on your home, your landscaping, and your sanity.
Every environment is actually a number of environments. Where there’s an inside, there’s an outside. Where there’s a lawn, there are probably trees or shrubs. Where there are ants, well, there might be fire ants. No insecticide is perfectly suited for all environments and pests, which is why Ragan & Massey offers Compare-N-Save®, a comprehensive […]
Every rural property has its own specific needs when it comes to weed management. The weed treatment used by a gardening enthusiast might not work for a larger cow/calf operation or a property with row crops. It is safe to say that most properties need some sort of fence weed control, weed killer for lawns […]