| Subject | Date Asked |
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| sump pump drainage | 11/14/2009 |
Q: I have a house in which my sup pump will work constantly up until 1 week after a rainfall. I have ...
A: A detention area for the sump discharge does not necessarily have to be on the ground surface. One ...
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| sump pump drainage | 11/13/2009 |
Q: I have a house in which my sup pump will work constantly up until 1 week after a rainfall. I have ...
A: Sounds like the water may be seeping back into the ground and then into your basement again. A 2 ...
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| design with native grasses | 11/4/2009 |
Q: I am designing a Garden in the south west of england, my design must keep "in sync" with the ...
A: For grass,I would suggest the following: English Rye Grass (lolium perenne). This is a hardy and ...
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| Choice - Sunset Red or October Glory | 10/24/2009 |
Q: Mark, I am an avid gardener and have found this site extremely helpful. I was researching October ...
A: The male October Glory and the male Sunset Red do not produce samaras. Sunset Red tends to change ...
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| lime stone | 10/19/2009 |
Q: I live in NW Iowa and have an awesome patio on the south side of my house that was built up with ...
A: The best cleaner to try would be a commercially prepared limestone cleaner. Use an alkaline or ...
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| my crushed granite path turned into mud when compacting | 10/17/2009 |
Q: I and a friend built a 100mm path thick of crushed granite, we done 3 stages. first stage we mixed ...
A: The cement content (which should not exceed ten percent) should be mixed throughout the granite and ...
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| Dwarf Japanese Maple | 10/14/2009 |
Q: I have an eight year old Dwarf Japanese Maple tree that is the fine lacy type. In the fall it is ...
A: You should have this tree evaluated for its value by personal inspection. The tree should be ...
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| Jasmine vine caused damage to my fence | 10/12/2009 |
Q: A neighbor has jasmine vines which have been allowed to overgrow their yard and overtake my fence. ...
A: It is an established fact that vines can damage a fence in various ways,such as twining between the ...
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| spotty lawn surreounded by redwoods | 10/9/2009 |
Q: i live near sacramento, have had trouble getting my lawn to grow in the back for numerous years. ...
A: I would suggest that if you want a true grass,to try fescue. This grass is very shade tolerant. ...
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| Landscape blocks around a tree | 10/5/2009 |
Q: Someone told me that you can't ring a tree with landscape blocks and fill it with soil for flowers ...
A: You should absolutely not place soil over tree roots. This will smother the roots. Up to 4 inches of ...
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| cemented rain gutter | 10/4/2009 |
Q: My daughter had a concrete patio made. Instead of cutting the rain gutter (from roof down side of ...
A: It is possible that water is backing straight up the downspout,overflowing onto the side of the ...
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| Deer eating all my lilies and phlox | 10/3/2009 |
Q: I have a garden in my backyard that backs up to a pond so we have tons of wildlife. Planting flowers ...
A: The most effective deer deterent is a fence. A vertical deer fence needs to be at least 8 feet high. ...
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| re grading a sloped residential lot | 9/25/2009 |
Q: I live in PA and am looking to purchase a home that is a small 1300sf ranch home on a .61 acre lot. ...
A: Construction cost for buildings range typically from 50 to 100 dollars per square foot;much would ...
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| sod steps | 9/23/2009 |
Q: I'm attempting to create flared steps made out of sod on a short slop in my landscape. {Sort of ...
A: I will assume you mean the run as being the top point where you come off the 6 feet long step and ...
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| Swimming Pool-Related Noise Mitigation | 9/23/2009 |
Q: We are bothered by noise from a neighbor's gas-fired pool heater exhaust vents which point in our ...
A: I would suggest some type of acoustic wall and/or an insulated enclosure for the heater.Walls can be ...
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| rain water diversion-drainage | 9/23/2009 |
Q: I buried 20' of 3" pvc to divert rain water to create a wet spot in south facing garden. Created a ...
A: The pipe should also have a proper pitch to it. Perhaps the pitch is too shallow for the water to ...
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| Landscape planting/design question | 9/15/2009 |
Q: We have a planting area started in our retaining wall. Areas are 21’ and 31’ long, 4’ front to ...
A: In my opinion the visual appeal would be fine,but the plants may be too crowded in such a narrow ...
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| cheap privacy | 9/14/2009 |
Q: any suggestions for cheap privacy for UP AND OVER a 6ft fence. we were thinking of cumping bamboo? ...
A: Since you live in New York it may be difficult to find a bamboo cold hardy to your area. Im not ...
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| hedge | 9/12/2009 |
Q: I live in Chicago, IL. I would like a hedge to offer privacy and hide about 100 ft. of tru-link ...
A: Since the run of shrubs would be so long,including more than one variety would be desirable to ...
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| Drainage issues in backyard | 9/11/2009 |
Q: I don't know if you can help me with this but my husband and I just bought a house that previously ...
A: Concrete from the work should have been removed from the pool and the bottom should have been ...
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| Driveway Drainage | 9/7/2009 |
Q: I have 150 foot driveway and about 50 feet up the driveway is a center island which splits the ...
A: Ditches would need an outlet to drain to and judging by the pic Im not sure if there is one. I do ...
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| landscape design around a wishing well | 9/4/2009 |
Q: I have a large flat area of grass surrounding a brick, square shaped wishing well. I need help ...
A: Flower beds look good contained in irregular curves and that may be an appropriate shape for this ...
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| Using Lava Rock in Flower Beds | 9/4/2009 |
Q: I recently decided to put black lava rock in my flower beds to avoid cats from coming in and doing ...
A: Lava rock tends to have sharp edges and that could be a problem. If this problem arises,clear the ...
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| staining stone | 8/27/2009 |
Q: i have made a sign by embedding small local stones (3/4-1") in concrete to read "Lake Marion" (a ...
A: Try brick stain or an iron oxide paint on one of the stones to see what results are achieved. Brick ...
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| Creating a natural boundary | 8/18/2009 |
Q: I have a house in Sedona, Arizona (high desert) on a small lot -- where my dining room, kitchen, and ...
A: Here is a list of evergreen privacy hedge plants that are drought tolerant and adapted to a desert ...
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| flowering bushes | 8/17/2009 |
Q: I was wondering what flowering bushes and perrenial flowers you would recogmend planting along with ...
A: Here is a partial list of plants that would compliment your blue spruce and maple: Shrubs: Azalea. ...
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| Tree Root Shielding | 8/17/2009 |
Q: I have a triangular shaped flower garden about 15 feet off the southeast corner of my ranch house. ...
A: A root barrier does not sound like a good idea. Constricting the root growth cannot be good for any ...
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| retaining wall flower beds | 8/16/2009 |
Q: I live in a subdivision, my backyard is extremely boring...I have a 26' x 15' paved patio behind the ...
A: Really doesnt look like you would have much height to get a retaining wall against the house. ...
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| Tree Root Shielding | 8/14/2009 |
Q: I have a triangular shaped flower garden about 15 feet off the southeast corner of my ranch house. ...
A: In my opinion,the tree would be too close to the sewer line. While the autumn maple has a smaller ...
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| Paver Instalation | 7/20/2009 |
Q: I live in MA. and recently installed pavers over my exiting concrete slab and stairs using SRW, a ...
A: Glad to hear it worked out. A less time consuming method would have been the slurry method. With ...
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| Pine trees | 7/16/2009 |
Q: Please help, I have a 50' wall 60' pines (spruce? very tiny, hard needles) all that have been cut up ...
A: Here is a list of shrubs that should meet your requirements: Juniper. Juniperus chinensis ...
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| Drainage | 7/7/2009 |
Q: Our yard has about a 3.5' drop over about 50 feet of space. We also have a high water table and the ...
A: I would suggest installing drainage pipe at the low area. The size of the drainage pipe and the ...
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| limestone as landscape rock | 7/7/2009 |
Q: We recently started a project replacing our landscape bark with limestone and was told this will ...
A: I do not think that the small amount of lime that may leach out of the mulch will affect your trees. ...
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| limestone as landscape rock | 7/6/2009 |
Q: We recently started a project replacing our landscape bark with limestone and was told this will ...
A: Stone mulch absorbs heat and the surrounding soil will get somewhat warmer,but there does not seem ...
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| pavers-bedding sand | 7/6/2009 |
Q: I am installing a concrete brick walkway. I have done the excavating and installed 3" of compacted ...
A: A 4 inch base would be better and you should have at least a 2 inch layer of sand. Use a coarse sand ...
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| covering existing lawn with river rock | 7/4/2009 |
Q: I have a very large spruce tree in my front yard. Since the grass around this tree is struggling to ...
A: The smaller size rocks will have relatively less space between them than larger rocks and so less ...
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| covering existing lawn with river rock | 7/4/2009 |
Q: I have a very large spruce tree in my front yard. Since the grass around this tree is struggling to ...
A: There is no need to remove the sod. The sod will retain the soil and prevent erosion. Use a fabric ...
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| plant privacy | 6/14/2009 |
Q: I live in a condo that is 2 levels. The upper level has a balcony/deck that is very close to my ...
A: The following plants will provide screening and will meet your height requirements. These plants ...
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| Paver Instalation | 6/12/2009 |
Q: I live in MA. and recently installed pavers over my exiting concrete slab and stairs using SRW, a ...
A: A dry mix swept into the joints will not obtain the hardness necessary to make it impermeable and ...
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| retaining wall | 6/11/2009 |
Q: We did a two retaining wall at the entrance of my driveway dont know what to put in it we ...
A: Not knowing exactly what the space is being used for or what you may desire for the space,I can only ...
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| Paver Instalation | 6/10/2009 |
Q: I live in MA. and recently installed pavers over my exiting concrete slab and stairs using SRW, a ...
A: You should not use sand or dust between the pavers. You should set the pavers in mortar. Setting ...
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| Surface Drains | 6/5/2009 |
Q: Mark- I just had surface drains installed in my property (catch basins with drain pipes that run to ...
A: A catch basin insert (I do not know if they are made for residential basins) may work but it also ...
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| Drainage with river rock | 5/28/2009 |
Q: I live in Southern Ontario Canada. Recently we had an interlocking stone patio built in our ...
A: Actually the fence boards being 2 inches above the soil still doesnt give them good protection ...
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| Drainage with river rock | 5/28/2009 |
Q: I live in Southern Ontario Canada. Recently we had an interlocking stone patio built in our ...
A: I do not understand why you placed landscape cloth under the rocks. That will impede drainage. The ...
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| A mound in the yard | 5/25/2009 |
Q: I have a mound that is about 9 ft. long in the center of my yard. It gradually rises about 6 inches ...
A: Ground cover can be an alternative to grass because it requires less maintenance. It does not ...
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| tree ideas | 5/19/2009 |
Q: I need a suggestion for a tree to plant in front of house facing west that is not too big. It is ...
A: I would suggest Green Ash (fraxinus pennsylvanica). This tree is used as a street tree and so has a ...
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| Re-graded for drainage - now what to landscape over it? | 5/11/2009 |
Q: I recently improved the grade against the back of my house to reduce some leakage in my basement, by ...
A: What you have done may solve your problem. Impermeable aprons are pretty good when alot of water is ...
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| Re-graded for drainage - now what to landscape over it? | 5/11/2009 |
Q: I recently improved the grade against the back of my house to reduce some leakage in my basement, by ...
A: I would not recommend placing any kind of organic mulch near your house wall. Organic mulch can ...
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| Norfolk Island Pine | 5/9/2009 |
Q: I have a Norfolk island pine located in my back yard surrounded by a patio and two feet away from my ...
A: At fifteen feet tall,two feet is much too close to the house for this tree to be. The root spread ...
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| mulch | 4/23/2009 |
Q: Every year I mulch the landscape and every year it all blows away. Is there a type of ground ivy or ...
A: Here are some options: Use about a 3 to 4 inch thick layer of mulch and water it regularly. The ...
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| fencing property | 4/20/2009 |
Q: I need help on fencing .I have a large corner lot in a small NJ town and one side borders a 2 lane ...
A: Vibration from traffic that is transmitted through the ground is a bit different than noise ...
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| building a raised bed against/close to a fence | 4/20/2009 |
Q: I have a fenced in lawn and the fence encloses most of the lawn except a strip ~90 inches wide by ...
A: Consider using an EPDM rubber sheet on the face of the fence that will be holding the soil. You will ...
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| water | 4/13/2009 |
Q: I just bought a house and have water that is standing in back yard. I think we have an underground ...
A: Here are some courses of action you might be able to take: If the problem is groundwater,then ...
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| Beautify concrete steps and landing | 4/10/2009 |
Q: I hope you can help me with my question. At the entry to our home we have three concrete steps ...
A: There are a number of ways to enhance the appearance of existing concrete. Methods include the ...
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| weeds | 4/8/2009 |
Q: I have shrubs that I planted in a rock garden and I put that weed screen on the bottom so weeds ...
A: I would suggest that you weed by hand and use mulch and you might want to experiment with ...
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| leveling and weed block | 4/5/2009 |
Q: I am currently leveling off an area in my yard in preparation for a flagstone patio (12'x 15')with ...
A: Do not place the weed barrier below the soil. Weeds will simply grow on top of the barrier. Lay the ...
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| water drainage problem | 3/30/2009 |
Q: We have just rented a home, and our only problem is that when it rains water pools in the center of ...
A: Install a catch basin. This is a box with a grate over it. Its mounted at the low point of the area ...
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| installing pressure treated fence posts in ground | 3/30/2009 |
Q: Would like to install six foot privacy fence. I have installed several pressure treated posts in the ...
A: Do not let the posts contact bare soil,by for instance,direct burial into the ground. Either mount ...
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| Planting bushes/shrubs | 3/29/2009 |
Q: How do you plant a shrub/bush that was purchased and is wrapped in burlap and tied with rope? Do you ...
A: Remove the top one third of the burlap. Completely remove all non-biodegradeable material. Dig a ...
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| Mulberry Trees | 3/25/2009 |
Q: I have two giant fruitless Mulberry trees in my front yard. They are messy, but provide a lot of ...
A: You might want to consider replacing those mulberrys. There are other trees such as mesquite that ...
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| landscaping design | 3/25/2009 |
Q: What type of bushes design would you suggest to cover up a ugly propane tank that is an eye sore?
A: The shrubs on the following list have proven to be good for your purpose: Lilac(Syringa) Grows to 6 ...
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| shrubs next to basement wall | 3/24/2009 |
Q: I live in TN. I have a basement to my home. I don't know what types of shrubs to plant near my ...
A: Here is a list of plants that do well as foundation plantings. Check to see if they will grow in ...
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| flooded yard | 3/24/2009 |
Q: My house sits on about an acre. Behind my house is a wheat field (not being used now) that is ...
A: The perforated drainage pipe has holes on one side. The pipe is layed so that the holes are facing ...
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| English Ivy | 3/22/2009 |
Q: How far apart do I plant English Ivy so it can climb up a brick wall? Not from brick wall but side ...
A: You really should reconsider planting English Ivy. This plant is much too vigorous for a wall plant. ...
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| Plant Beds on a wood deck | 3/9/2009 |
Q: We'd like to build 2-3 plants beds on our enormous wood deck. Our backyard is well shaded by trees ...
A: Keep air space between the bottom of the planters and the decking by supporting the planters on at ...
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| flowers on berm | 3/9/2009 |
Q: I have a troublesome berm. I want it to be vibrant with colorful plants, either perennials or ...
A: As I mentioned before,consider using a low growing ground cover and use mulch. There is no way to ...
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| flowers on berm | 3/8/2009 |
Q: I have a troublesome berm. I want it to be vibrant with colorful plants, either perennials or ...
A: A low growing ground cover may provide some control and mulch is a good weed control measure. You ...
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| Redwood Trees In Palo Alto Ca. | 3/7/2009 |
Q: I have three mature redwood trees in my front yard, and put river rock around them, to keep the ...
A: The rock is not good for the tree roots and the weight of the rocks may also compact the soil around ...
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| corner lot with too much grass | 3/6/2009 |
Q: I have a raised ranch in MA. My home is on the bend of a street. so my land looks like a pie ...
A: You might want to look into a rain harvesting system. This would reduce or eliminate the amount of ...
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| Stacked stone wall | 3/4/2009 |
Q: I live in a rural setting in a center hall colonial home. I am looking to create a front foundation ...
A: Its more convenient to place the stone first. When the stone is placed first you can judge the ...
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| What to add to driveway | 2/28/2009 |
Q: I live in Michigan. We have a problem with flooding in our driveway. It is a dirt drive, about ...
A: You might want to consider using soil cement. This paving is formed by mixing portland cement with ...
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| Raising garden | 2/27/2009 |
Q: I'm new at gardening, and attempted to build a low wall for my garden with rough flat pieces of ...
A: You cannot add two feet of soil to your existing plants. That would smother the roots and kill the ...
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| Raising garden | 2/26/2009 |
Q: I'm new at gardening, and attempted to build a low wall for my garden with rough flat pieces of ...
A: If you are going to raise the soil level by 2 feet,then you will have to remove the existing plants ...
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| mulch | 2/26/2009 |
Q: I've heard that pine bark and redwood mulch next to a house attracts insects. If this is true, what ...
A: I would not use any type of mulch near the house. It appears that any type of mulch used near the ...
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| low retaining wall | 2/26/2009 |
Q: My house is on a small city lot (37.5x100). The house probably sits about 8 feet above the street. ...
A: Use heavy railroad tie type timbers,at least 8" X 8". Do not use "trex" and do not use any wood in ...
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| Drainage Ditch | 2/24/2009 |
Q: My husband and I are trying to sell our house. We have a drainage ditch that runs through our back ...
A: I would suggest ornamental grass. These grasses range from 2 feet tall,up to 16 feet in height and ...
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| new patio and snow | 2/13/2009 |
Q: I put in a 16/20 brickpaver patio this past summer and it came out real nice.However the syracuse ...
A: Sounds like frost heave (when water freezes under the surface of the paving and then expands,causing ...
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| Puddles on the sides of the house | 2/10/2009 |
Q: Whenever we get heavy rains (which is about 4x year only :)), I notice that on certain sides of our ...
A: I would suggest installing a sheet of heavy plastic held down with concrete ...
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| Yard drainage | 2/8/2009 |
Q: My dad's house has a breezeway & garage at one end that sits lower than the rest of the house. For ...
A: Yes,the basin has to be installed under the blacktop,but if you use a one cubic foot basin that is ...
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| Yard drainage | 2/8/2009 |
Q: My dad's house has a breezeway & garage at one end that sits lower than the rest of the house. For ...
A: Install a catch basin in front of the garage. This is a box (typically made of plastic) with outlet ...
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| Small decorative tree | 2/5/2009 |
Q: I am looking for a flowering tree to plant in my front yard in western (but not coastal Oregon). I ...
A: Here are several species of dogwood that would fit your requirements: Japanese Cornelian Cherry ...
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| Landscaping | 2/2/2009 |
Q: We have a small formal garden in the backyard. There is a fountain that is in front of a brick wall ...
A: I would suggest a wall trellis using the plants listed in the table I have included instead of the ...
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| Small Dog Resistant Front Yard Ideas | 1/24/2009 |
Q: We reside in Northern California where summer highs can reach 100 and winter lows dip into the 40s; ...
A: I would suggest a fenced dog run. The fence can be either chain link or solid wood,depending on ...
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| Trees Suitable for Garden Wall | 12/18/2008 |
Q: I am designing a very large rectangular garden 100 meters x 40 meters. I want to plant trees around ...
A: For a windbreak use a combination of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. On the side of the ...
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| Wooden fence rail length | 12/9/2008 |
Q: Is there a rule-of-thumb for rail length for a 2-rail post-and-rail wood fence? Rails of my ...
A: The main problem with using only two rails and with using long rails is warpage. Longer rails tend ...
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| slab vs. basement in michigan | 12/5/2008 |
Q: we're considering purchasing a foreclosed property in michigan. It is well/septic. The concern isn't ...
A: The water table fluctuates seasonally and can vary from site to site. The county tables are very ...
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| need a fast growing bush | 11/24/2008 |
Q: I Have 2 windows at the end of my house facing west. Sun in the afternoon is horribly hot. I'm in ...
A: I would suggest crape myrtle ( Lagerstroemia). This is a tree like deciduous (sheds leaves in fall) ...
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| Drainage Issues | 11/23/2008 |
Q: We have a big problem and are not sure where to go for help. During the fall, winter and spring ...
A: Drywells sound like they might be useful in this situation. The drywells may require pumping. The ...
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| securing R.R. ties used in a retaining wall | 11/23/2008 |
Q: I have started to build a retaining wall and the highest part will be about 6' high. It is now only ...
A: This is why a do it yourselfer should never construct a retaining wall over 4 feet high. Any wall ...
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| flooded yard | 11/18/2008 |
Q: My house sits on about an acre. Behind my house is a wheat field (not being used now) that is ...
A: You need to install drainage ditches. You should have a peculation test (test to measure at what ...
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| English Ivy | 11/12/2008 |
Q: Can English Ivy kill a tree if the ivy grows up the tree? I live in Northwest Arkansas and was told ...
A: Opinions are divided as to whether english ivy can kill a tree,but english ivy can cause structural ...
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| patio | 11/10/2008 |
Q: I just purchased a house at which the previous owner installed slate around the trees and plant ...
A: Using the slate you already have sounds like an excellent idea. slate is best layed on a mortar ...
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| rock patio over a brick paver patio | 10/22/2008 |
Q: What prepartion do I need to do & how do I do it: I have a brick paver patio & want to install some ...
A: Installing the rocks over the pavers would not be recommended because you will then not have good ...
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| Weeds in Rock yard? | 10/19/2008 |
Q: I hope you can help. I had a hard time finding the right category to ask in. We just bought a ...
A: There are numerous kinds of mulch materials you could use such as wood chips,pine needles,peanut ...
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| help with design for walkway | 10/18/2008 |
Q: http://www.picturehosting.com/gallery.php?u=beacu&g=entrance-to-basement I have pictures of this in ...
A: I would recommend a segmental block retaining wall. These blocks are made of solid concrete and ...
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| Sidewalk Slope | 10/16/2008 |
Q: I have a new sidewalk & steps going down a hill. The plan called for "Steps = 4'6" rise approx. ...
A: I could tell alot more from the plan,but this side walk looks slipppery and what is up with the ...
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| Sidewalk Slope | 10/16/2008 |
Q: I have a new sidewalk & steps going down a hill. The plan called for "Steps = 4'6" rise approx. ...
A: perhaps you could take out the side walk and install steps at the top of the hill. you did not say ...
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| Patio over V-Shaped Back yard | 10/8/2008 |
Q: Sir, recently i moved to new house. However the builder did not give good back yard. There slop away ...
A: Judging from the photo,this site looks relatively flat. You could use pavers or concrete. give the ...
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| Red Apple ground cover | 10/5/2008 |
Q: I have been told that if you p0lant red apple ground cover on banks that you can expect it to only ...
A: I am not very familiar with the ice plant species. As a group they are called ice plants but this ...
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| Red Apple ground cover | 10/4/2008 |
Q: I have been told that if you p0lant red apple ground cover on banks that you can expect it to only ...
A: twelve years is a long life span for ground cover and yes,if you want ground cover of this type,you ...
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| planting around trees | 9/30/2008 |
Q: We have an established willow tree and would like to plant some annuals or perrenials around it. ...
A: Willow tree roots go out a long way,so you cant avoid the roots. Any drought and shade tolerant ...
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| steepness of berm | 9/28/2008 |
Q: We are constructing a concrete retainer wall for a fire pit area in our yard, the walls are 48" tall ...
A: The steepness of the berm should not exceed the angle of repose of the soil. The angle of ...
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| walkway | 9/28/2008 |
Q: I have a blacktop walkway in my yard. I would like to cover it with brick. Could I cover it with a ...
A: If you put the bricks over the walkway you will not have adequate drainage and that will result in ...
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| Bedding sand type for patio pavers | 9/14/2008 |
Q: We are DIY homeowners installing a paver patio using manufactured stone pavers ranging from 12x12 to ...
A: There is a good chance that the masonry sand you have layed under the pavers will not drain ...
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| Sloped Lake Lot | 9/12/2008 |
Q: Mark, We live in central Alabama and bought a lake cabin for summer fun. The lot was overgrown ...
A: Doesnt sound like a BobCat could be used on a slope that steep. Some type of hand held brush ...
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