Florida State QB Jameis Winston was the second straight redshirt freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.

Rich Graessle/Icon SMI

In light of your outpouring of questions in response to last week's call to action, I figured why wait the extra week for another Mailbag?

Hi Stewart, since you're in need of football-related questions, here's one: Do you think there's a clear preseason Heisman Trophy candidate this year, other than Jameis Winston? Marcus Mariota seems to be a logical choice, but I also think that Auburn's Nick Marshall and perhaps Georgia's Todd Gurley could have stellar seasons. Plus, I just don't think Winston will be as good without the arsenal of receivers he had last year, namely Kelvin Benjamin. -- RJ, Portland, Ore.

Now that we've seen two straight redshirt freshmen (academic sophomores) break through and win the Heisman Trophy, is it inevitable that a true freshman will win the award soon? -- Matt Farrell, New Albany, Ohio

I hate to break it to you, but there's no such thing as a preseason Heisman favorite anymore. We'll keep putting out watch lists, sure, but a player no longer needs preseason recognition to claim the prize. Three of the past five winners -- Cam Newton (2010), Johnny Manziel ('12) and Winston ('13) -- had not played for their team the year before they won the trophy. Alabama's Mark Ingram ('09) was a backup the year before he won. Baylor's Robert Griffin III ('11) had name recognition, but he wasn't on many short lists heading into the season, and he still beat out a guy, Andrew Luck, who was about as overwhelming a preseason frontrunner as you could find.

And repeating is almost impossible. New wide receivers or not, one thing fans can say with near certainty right now is that if Florida State is anything less than 13-0 again entering Heisman weekend this fall, Winston will not hoist a second trophy. Just ask Manziel, whose passing stats all improved considerably in 2013 (save for four extra interceptions), but he ran less, lost twice as many games and, thus, finished a distant fifth in Heisman voting.

ELLIS: Which redshirt freshmen are poised to break out in the 2014 season?

I'm not yet ready to say that a preseason dark horse will start winning the Heisman every year. Mariota, Marshall and Gurley all have excellent chances. Ditto for Ohio State's Braxton Miller, Baylor's Bryce Petty, UCLA's Brett Hundley, Alabama's T.J. Yeldon and Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, among others. But now, more than ever, the Heisman is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately award. Mariota seemed like he had taken command of the race last season, but as soon as Oregon suffered its first loss against Stanford on Nov. 7, he was done. Conversely, Tre Mason did not garner a sniff of consideration until his 304-yard rushing explosion in the SEC title game on Dec. 7. So, in some ways, preseason hype works against a candidate. It gives him an early leg up, but as soon as he suffers a setback, voters knock him off the throne in favor of the latest flavor. It's hard to come back from that.

As for true freshmen, absolutely, one could win soon. That's especially the case given how many are starting and playing major roles for title contenders, as I wrote about in February. However, it's going to take an exceptionally rare talent now that the Heisman is such a quarterback-dominated award. Then-Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson finished in second in 2004 when he rushed for 1,843 yards for a 12-0 team. Would that happen today? Or does the trophy have to go to a quarterback? If the latter, it becomes exponentially more difficult. The idea of a redshirt freshman like Manziel or Winston who had a full year (or more) in a system putting together a Heisman-worthy season is one thing. Yet even the most talented true freshmen starters, like USC's Matt Barkley in '09 or Penn State's Christian Hackenberg last year, generally don't have immediate, overwhelming success. Most likely it will be a running back for a playoff contender. Perhaps LSU's Leonard Fournette?

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Examining the changing Heisman Trophy landscape; more mail

Florida State QB Jameis Winston was the second straight redshirt freshman to win the Heisman Trophy.

Rich Graessle/Icon SMI

In light of your outpouring of questions in response to last week's call to action, I figured why wait the extra week for another Mailbag?

Hi Stewart, since you're in need of football-related questions, here's one: Do you think there's a clear preseason Heisman Trophy candidate this year, other than Jameis Winston? Marcus Mariota seems to be a logical choice, but I also think that Auburn's Nick Marshall and perhaps Georgia's Todd Gurley could have stellar seasons. Plus, I just don't think Winston will be as good without the arsenal of receivers he had last year, namely Kelvin Benjamin. -- RJ, Portland, Ore.

Now that we've seen two straight redshirt freshmen (academic sophomores) break through and win the Heisman Trophy, is it inevitable that a true freshman will win the award soon? -- Matt Farrell, New Albany, Ohio

I hate to break it to you, but there's no such thing as a preseason Heisman favorite anymore. We'll keep putting out watch lists, sure, but a player no longer needs preseason recognition to claim the prize. Three of the past five winners -- Cam Newton (2010), Johnny Manziel ('12) and Winston ('13) -- had not played for their team the year before they won the trophy. Alabama's Mark Ingram ('09) was a backup the year before he won. Baylor's Robert Griffin III ('11) had name recognition, but he wasn't on many short lists heading into the season, and he still beat out a guy, Andrew Luck, who was about as overwhelming a preseason frontrunner as you could find.

And repeating is almost impossible. New wide receivers or not, one thing fans can say with near certainty right now is that if Florida State is anything less than 13-0 again entering Heisman weekend this fall, Winston will not hoist a second trophy. Just ask Manziel, whose passing stats all improved considerably in 2013 (save for four extra interceptions), but he ran less, lost twice as many games and, thus, finished a distant fifth in Heisman voting.

ELLIS: Which redshirt freshmen are poised to break out in the 2014 season?

I'm not yet ready to say that a preseason dark horse will start winning the Heisman every year. Mariota, Marshall and Gurley all have excellent chances. Ditto for Ohio State's Braxton Miller, Baylor's Bryce Petty, UCLA's Brett Hundley, Alabama's T.J. Yeldon and Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon, among others. But now, more than ever, the Heisman is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately award. Mariota seemed like he had taken command of the race last season, but as soon as Oregon suffered its first loss against Stanford on Nov. 7, he was done. Conversely, Tre Mason did not garner a sniff of consideration until his 304-yard rushing explosion in the SEC title game on Dec. 7. So, in some ways, preseason hype works against a candidate. It gives him an early leg up, but as soon as he suffers a setback, voters knock him off the throne in favor of the latest flavor. It's hard to come back from that.

As for true freshmen, absolutely, one could win soon. That's especially the case given how many are starting and playing major roles for title contenders, as I wrote about in February. However, it's going to take an exceptionally rare talent now that the Heisman is such a quarterback-dominated award. Then-Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson finished in second in 2004 when he rushed for 1,843 yards for a 12-0 team. Would that happen today? Or does the trophy have to go to a quarterback? If the latter, it becomes exponentially more difficult. The idea of a redshirt freshman like Manziel or Winston who had a full year (or more) in a system putting together a Heisman-worthy season is one thing. Yet even the most talented true freshmen starters, like USC's Matt Barkley in '09 or Penn State's Christian Hackenberg last year, generally don't have immediate, overwhelming success. Most likely it will be a running back for a playoff contender. Perhaps LSU's Leonard Fournette?

Excerpt from:
Stewart Mandel: Examining the changing Heisman Trophy landscape; more mail

Gardeners repeatedly refer to the space between the sidewalk and the curb as the hell strip. More kindly, one might call it a parking strip. It is the generally the most neglected and abused area of the landscape.

This front-and-center spot is subject to foot traffic, paw traffic, trash and dog waste, and perhaps bicycle and skateboard activity, too.

The strip offers vegetation a restricted root zone filled with poor, contaminated and compacted soil. It is typically poor draining, lacking in nutrients and packed with weeds and weed seeds. It gets too much or too little water and is surrounded by hard surfaces that intensify summer heat. Water easily runs off because compaction prevents it from soaking into the ground.

A homes mailbox is often located on the parking strip. If there is no sidewalk the mailbox exists in the spot where the driveway and road meet. The mailbox is surrounded by many of the same difficulties that beset the parking strip heat radiating from the pavement, contaminated and compacted soil, weeds, and exhaust fumes.

It would be easier to ignore a small area with so many problems rather than deal with it. However, the strip is usually the first part of our landscapes people see as they approach our homes. It can diminish or enhance curb appeal. However, the problem is readily solved with a small, specialized garden.

To develop a parking strip garden, create one or more short paths as a walk-through for people to get from the street to the sidewalk. When people park on the street they look for that access. Mulch, stepping stones and gravel all work well for the surface of the paths. You might also try plants like thyme or Ajuga (bugleweed) that can withstand light foot traffic.

Choose plants that are consistent with your landscape as well as the neighborhood street scape. (Homeowners associations restrictions may be a consideration.) Plan to use low-growing plant material so you can see cars, adults, children and pets as you back out of your driveway.

Small evergreen juniper and cypress shrubs make good anchors for the garden. The intense heat that radiates from cement and pavement makes tough, heat- and drought-tolerant plants a necessity. Carex, catmint (nepeta), dianthus, lirope, mondo grass, phlox, prostrate rosemary, santolina, various sedums and thyme are plants worth considering for the challenging spot. Stella DOro daylilies are an attractive groundcover if you dont have a deer problem. Ajuga offers a number of leaf color options for a shady location.

Keep in mind that your garden soil must be improved before you plant. If you dont have irrigation you will need to get water to your plants while they establish and during drought.

Mulch should end just below curb level so it does not wash into the street. Dense ground cover, gravel or a combination are alternatives to mulch.

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Gardening | Some cures for the parking strip between yard and road

By Dan Moran dmoran@stmedianetwork.com @NewsSunDanMoran April 7, 2014 8:14PM

Items like television sets, computers and cellphones can be disposed of free of charge on the south side of the Waukegan Public Works facility, located on McAcree Road between Sunset and Grand avenues. | Dan Moran/Sun-Times Media

storyidforme: 64497906 tmspicid: 23137197 fileheaderid: 11267393

Updated: April 8, 2014 2:27AM

As spring-cleaning season begins in Waukegan, city officials are launching an awareness campaign to make sure yard waste isnt slipped into trash bins and televisions arent dumped just about anywhere.

Under the terms of a five-year, $4.5 million contract with Advance Disposal that was approved in December, residents now have options that include per-bag curbside disposal of landscape waste like grass clippings and a drive-up collection bin for unwanted electronics at the Waukegan Public Works facility, 1700 N. McAree Road.

Residents can even drop off up to four tires per year free of charge at the McAree complex under a provision in the contract that allows the city to recycle up to 20,000 tires annually.

I never knew we had so many tires in this town, Public Works director Tom Hagerty said on Friday, April 4, eyeing a four-foot-high pile that had accumulated in recent days. We finally have an outlet for it.

Both Hagerty and Mayor Wayne Motley said the contract with Advance and the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County is paying dividends in more ways than one, with the city no longer liable for recycling disposal fees.

We used to pay for (crews) to take our recycling, now were getting paid, said Hagerty, estimating that Waukegan will bring in around $5,000 per quarter. We used to pay about a nickel a pound, now we get paid 3 or 4 cents a pound.

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Waukegan launches new yard waste disposal plan

Yard and garden tips for busy urbanites

While gardening still ranks as one of the top ten most popular U.S. hobbies, it takes time, and many Portlanders face long commutes or lead busy lives that require thoughtful planning and careful plant choices. How to create a low-maintenance, attractive yard or garden so you still have time remaining for other hobbies and leisure activities is a topic well explore here.

Many easy-care plants to choose from

Whether your yard is bare, or already established with plants and vegetation, here are some low-maintenance shrub species to consider. Evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium) is very robust and ever-reliable. Theres also Red-flowering currant, an attractive plant that's a magnet for hummingbirds, and snowberry, featuring tiny bell-like flowers in spring and white berries in winter. By the way, these are native plants helpful for pollinators and the environment.

You might also like to try Hairy manzanita (Arcostaphylos), including kinnikinnick, a charming ground cover featuring small white or pink flowers in the spring. False solomon seal, a perennial (i.e., a plant that lives for more than two years), has arching green leaves and clusters of fragrant small flowers in the spring, and is another winner. Choose a partially shady spot for this interesting plant.

Other easy-care plant choices: Oceanspray, with its foamy white flower clusters, the sweetly fragrant Nootka Rose, Thimbleberry, and Yarrow. For a low-maintenance plant with summer color, try the lovely, long-blooming Meadow Checkermallow. Other choices: goldenrod, a late summer bloomer, and tall Oregon grape, an early blooming sun-lover. Note: some of these plants are most easily obtained at native plant nurseries.

Rosemary and lavender are both easy to grow and attractive; butterflies frequent them often, so feel free to include them in your yard or garden. Ceanothus (Blue Blossom) is another nice alternative.

Additional plant selections that dont require much water: California poppy, Golden Aster, Wallflower and Yellow Lupine. For those seeking attractive, low-maintenance containerized plants for the yard or patio, consider native plants or succulents.

Tree choices

How about easy-care tree choices? If your yard or garden has ample room for a new tree to grow to maturity meaning, both above, and below ground - here's a few possibilities.

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Gardening for busy urbanites

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal Yard waste pickup will begin the week of April 21 in the city.

According to City Clerk Richelle Pasceri, city crews will collect yard waste at the curb on the first and third full weeks of the month through September but pickup will be on the third week only in July and August.

Weeks to mark on the calendar include those beginning April 21, May 5, May 19, June 2, June 16, July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 1 and Sept. 15.

Yard waste includes prunings, brush/hedge trimmings, thatch from raking, old flower and vegetable plants, leaves and mulch. Yard waste should be placed in containers or kraft paper bags and the filled containers should not weigh more than 40 pounds. Containers and bags should be placed at the street line or curb by 7 a.m. on whatever day refuse and recycling are to be collected.

Items including grass, pet waste, plastic, tree stumps, railroad ties, landscape timer and construction stones should not be treated as yard waste.

For more information, visit http://www.curbsidelockport.com.

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Yard waste pickup begins April 21 in city

Question: I saved several poinsettia plants from Christmas and would like to add them to the landscape. How much sun is needed and what other care is best?

Answer: It is hard to discard good-looking poinsettias that can give repeat performances next December. Find them a sunny-to-filtered-sun location. They grow in the sands but seem to do best when these sites are improved with liberal additions of organic matter. After planting, cut the poinsettias back to within 12 to 18 inches of the ground. Then keep them moist and apply a slow-release fertilizer every 3 to 4 months or as instructed on the label.

Allow the plants to make a foot of new growth, then remove the top 4 inches of each shoot. Continue to allow similar growth and repeat the pruning through the end of August. Also, look for mites and caterpillars throughout the growing seasons and control as needed.

Q: I have two dwarf schefflera plants with the variegated foliage. When is the best time to trim these plants?

A: Gardeners are planting lots of these attractive scheffleras with small palmate leaves that form dense shrubs 6 feet tall and wide in the sunny-to-shady spots of home landscapes. Like most tropicals, they continue growth year-round during the warmer weather and there is no special time to do the trimming. You be the judge and trim them as needed.

It's probably best to avoid shearing the plants and instead selectively remove the longer shoots back to branch angles or areas along the stems just above persistent leaves. If you wish, the cuttings can be easily rooted in vermiculite to grow more plants for the landscape.

Q. I pruned my hibiscus hedge last spring and never saw a bloom all year. I have two other leggy hibiscus plants that have been in bloom all year. Should I prune them, and, if so, when will they rebloom?

A. No blooms for a year is certainly a disappointment but not uncommon. Much of the recovery time needed depends on the severity of the pruning and the care afterward. Some gardeners do selective pruning with hibiscus by taking out or shortening the older stems. They leave a portion of the younger shoots that are starting to bloom. This way the plant is always producing some color.

When plantings are given a major pruning, the time to first blooms can be months to over a year. After pruning, give these plantings a light feeding with a blossom-booster product to encourage some growth. Too-heavy or frequent feedings can keep the plants producing only stems and leaves. Another feeding can be applied in June and August. Water during the dry times, but avoid overwatering that could encourage just foliage.

Q. My azaleas had black-and-yellow spots on the leaves fall through winter and the plants are thinning. Two appear to be dying. How can I help the plants?

More here:
Poinsettias can stay in landscape with care

FARGO If yards could communicate, the question would not be Does this landscape make me look fat? but rather Do these shrubs make me look old and overgrown?

The grounds at Windsor Castle may look great, but the queens legion of gardeners meticulously pampers and primps the centuries-old landscaping. Aging yards arent always so pretty.

A slow drive through older neighborhoods provides a good example of the expected longevity of an average home landscape. Plantings installed during the 1950s through the 1980s show that after 30 or more years, action is usually needed.

Its important to address front yard landscapes that have outlived their expiration date so they dont detract from interesting homes in established neighborhoods.

If an aging front yard landscape needs a redo, try a 12-step process.

1. Take a hard, objective look at the landscape.

Photos as viewed from the street help us see our front yard as it appears to passersby. Look especially for evergreens, both pyramidal and spreading, that are sparse, bare at the base and unsightly by most standards.

Were shrubs or trees planted too closely to the home or to each other? Is the home still the focal point of the yard, or are overgrown plants the first impression given to viewers? Give an honest self-evaluation.

2. Decide what can stay and what should go.

Deciduous (leafy) shrubs that are leggy can be rejuvenated by pruning. Cut back branches to 6 inches above ground level in spring before the shrubs leaf out. New growth sprouts below the cuts, so dont go half-way with the pruning. Grit your teeth, and cut back all the way.

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Growing Together: Renovating an aging landscape is a gift to the neighborhood

Xeriscaping is a term that was invented by a city of Denver employee in the 1980s to describe landscaping that reduces or completely eliminates the need for irrigation. /David Grasso-Ortega

AMARILLO, TEXAS -- We all love deep green grass, but unfortunately here in theHigh Plains, lack of water makes that nearly impossible without a substantial amount of irrigation. If youre looking to save water while still enjoying your lawn, here are some tips that youll definitely need to keep in mind.

Water is a precious commodity in the plains, and it can also be very expensive if you go over the standard amount of usage included in your water bill. Using native plants is one way to reduce water, and they can be considered xeriscaping, as they dont require any additional water.

Xeriscaping is a term that was invented by a City of Denver employee in the 1980s to describe landscaping that reduces or completely eliminates the need for irrigation.

If youre wanting to save water, I would go with the Xeriscaping, said Neal Hinders ofCanyons Edge Native Xeriscape Plants. Xeriscaping is just basically landscaping to reduce the amount of water that youre using whether youre cutting out the amount of turf grass that you havethats probably the number one thing that we can do to reduce the cool season turf grass and go with the natives like Buffalo grass or blue grama.

If you want a green grass year around, theres also artificial turf. Youll probably notice that theyre green even when its the middle of winter. Mike Wilson ofFuture Lawns of the High Plainssaid that once you install the artificial turf, all of the work of keeping up a lawn goes away.

We supply an artificial turf thats made entirely in the United States, Wilson said. Once the produce is installed, you no longer water, which is the key to life. You no longer have to mow or fertilize. All of those activities go away."

For now, the city has some programs to promote xeriscaping or the use of native plants for businesses. A residential program may come in the future, but for now, the city is trying to promote its water saving campaign at http://water.amarillo.gov/.

I would like to emphasize the use of drought tolerant landscaping and xeriscaping landscaping, not especially for people to cover their whole yard with these types of landscaping, but to highlight that there can be regular areas of their lawn and have one or two spots that dont need watering, Emmett Autrey, the Director of Utilities for the City of Amarillo, said.

Remember, you can mix and match these methods. You dont need non-native green grass all over your yard. You could for instance mix xeriscaping, artificial turf and traditional green grass in other areas. In other words, any effort to reduce water consumption will help you and your wallet.

The rest is here:
Landscape lovers have more options than heavy watering

Tuesday, April 1, 2014 - 11:41am

Tuesday, April 1st, 2014 I past by my neighbors house today that always has a beautiful yard all year long! Yes, they are the envy of the rest of the neighborhood. The man and wife who live there always seem to be one or two steps ahead of the changing seasons in preparing and growing and protecting the plants and yard. That got me thinking about checking in with my plant and yard friend Daphne Richards, a County Agriculture & Horticulture expert. She now is Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for Horticulture. She is originally from Lorena, Texas. She studied botany at the University of Texas (hook 'em), then taught biology and physical science to some amazing ninth graders in La Joya, Texas.She just received an award that recognizes AgriLife Extension faculty and staff members who provide outstanding performance in education or to the agency. She was presented this award Jan. 8th during the agencys Centennial Conference in College Station. She worked 9 years in El Paso County as an Extension agent and 4 years in Travis County and now for Texas A&M. This lady knows her horticulture and plants!

I thought this would be a perfect time to share her April advice for planting and yard maintenance for the Borderland in today's "Weather Talk". I wrote Daphne a quick Face Book message and here is her reply;

Howdy! It's early April, and I know most people are itching to get those tomatoes in the ground. But they'll still need protection if there's an odd late-season frosty night. But also, protection from the wind! We used large, barrel-shaped tomato cages and wrapped them in a large clear plastic bag. Cut straight across the bottom of the bag, so that the top and bottom are both open. Then slide the trash bag down around the tomato cage and secure it with gardening twine to keep the bag from tearing and blowing away. This trick also helps to keep the birds from getting to the fruit. The following is more planting and yard maintenance advice for April advice was written by Daphne Richards for me and NewsChannel 9 in our Weather Wise Almanac & Handbook a few years back. I know you will enjoy her April planting and yard care words of wisdom!

The following is more planting and yard maintenance advice for April advice was written by Daphne Richards for me and NewsChannel 9 in our Weather Wise Almanac & Handbook a few years back. I know you will enjoy her April planting and yard care words of wisdom;

Seeds of warm season annuals, such as marigold and zinnia, can be sown directly into out door beds. Make sure to keep the seeded area moist until the seed germinate. Mulching will help to retain soil moisture and will discourage weed growth. Dont forget to thin out seedlings once they have three to five sets of leaves crowding of too many plants causes them to be spindly and weak stemmed.

Any warm-season vegetable seedlings, such as tomatoes and peppers, which were sown indoors, may be planted out during the second week of April. Be sure to acclimate these plants to their new environment slowly by first placing them in an area free from sunlight and wind. After a few days, move the seedlings to an area of partial shade. Next, move them into full sun for a few more days and then plant them into the garden. Be sure to protect new additions to the garden from our harsh spring winds.

Fertilize roses with a complete fertilizer (one containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) just as you begin to notice new growth. Fertilize again in four to six weeks with ammonium sulfate. Roses that are susceptible to be sprayed with a general fungicide to help prevent this disease- follow the directions on the product label.

Apply a high nitrogen fertilizer to warm season turf grasses such as Bermuda, Saint Augustine and Zoysia. If you use a weed-and-feed fertilizer, be careful not to apply it in all areas where you have trees, shrubs and other non-grass plants. The weed-killing chemicals in these fertilizers will damage and may even kill other plants in your landscape. If you did not fertilize them last month, fertilize non-native trees and shrubs with a good, all purpose, complete fertilizer.

Keep a close eye on irrigation of trees, shrubs and perennials in your landscape-as temperatures begin to warm up, more water will be required than was applied during the winter months.

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April Borderland Planting and Yard Care Tips