The spring clean-up was very successful, with dumpsters placed at both the Marriott Park and the Slaterville Park for April 20-21, 2013. Thanks to the city and the garbage service for this great service. Another successful fall clean-up was held October 12-13 with dumpsters at both parks. This is a complimentary service in cooperation with Waste Management. Advice for Our Times We were reminded in the March 2013 issue of The Pioneer Post that preparation time for our gardens was at hand. Once the snow melted, its time for action. 1. Prune trees and shrubs as needed. 2. Cut perennials, be kind to cold sensitive perennials. 3. Clean up your yard, plants, and trees as soil thaws. 4. When warm enough, plant pansies and hardy perennials in a prepared area. 5. When planting, be aware of soil quality, plant size, and sunlight requirements. The August issue of The Pioneer Post gave residents important advice. Trees are a great asset In the community as they moderate climate extremes, conserve energy, clean the air, reduce noise, create beauty, support wildlife, and soften the landscape. Wonderful trees are sometimes planted In the wrong place. One problem is when wrong trees are planted In the park strip between the sidewalk and road, This can create liability for property owners when tree roots lift and damage the sidewalk, curb, gutter, or a driveway, if these are damaged the property owner is responsible for the cost of tree removal and repair. Tail trees along streets may interfere with overhead power lines. We should check with the USU Extension Service or an arborist about the most appropriate trees for areas of your property. Trees that may be appropriate for park strip planting include, Flowering Cherry, Flowering Plum, Globe Norway Maple, Paperback Maple, and Sentinel Crab Apple. Weber Basin hosted a free Learning Garden Fair on June 1, 2013, from 8:00 a.m until 2:00 p.m. it was held at the Weber Basin Learning Garden, 2837 E. Highway 193 in Layton. Experts were there to answer questions. You could buy plants and get garden ideas. There were free hot dogs and drinks. They hosted multiple classes and programs during the spring and summer. Many of our trees have suffered a lot of stress, and have been damaged or died, due to the cold, harsh winter and the hot, dry summer of the past year. These valuable assets need good care. Some advice for fall care: 1. Deep soak trees to a depth of 10-12" unless there is a 1-2" soaking rain. 2. Prune for dead or diseased branches and for structure. 3. Remove grass growing close to the tree, to avoid damage to the trunk when mowing or trimming. 4. Wrap trees which need some protection from the sun during winter months. 5. Treat iron chlorosis with chelated iron or injections of iron and reduce watering, if ground is very wet. \Spring is a better time to use iron, as it is not taken into the soil as well In the fall. Parks Volunteers spread compost at the Community Gardens at City Hall on May 18, 2013. Unfortunately only three volunteers came to help Sandra Saunders and DeAnn Hufstetler at this big job. 14