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Organic Gardens/Questions Answered by Expert Long Island Gardener
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Beatle Question | 11/6/2011 |
| Q: I live in Queens County, New York. I am guilty of using a lot of chemicals outside on the yard ... A: Just as you wouldn't take a group of people and call them all "rich", or a collection of houses and ... | |
| Beatle Question | 10/27/2011 |
| Q: I live in Queens County, New York. I am guilty of using a lot of chemicals outside on the yard ... A: Beetles are beneficial. Researchers in England investigated the activity of Ground Beetles at ... | |
| orange tree | 7/27/2011 |
| Q: i have an orange tree for couple of years, about 2 feet tall right now. the tree was dying when I ... A: Orange Trees - no house is a home without at least one. Capital idea, Min my friend. A few things ... | |
| Three questions | 6/5/2011 |
| Q: I have few questions you might be able to answer for me.I live in western Canada near the U.S. ... A: Oh Canadian gardener. Pleased to meet you. Let's get down to business: 1. What you really want to ... | |
| organic gardening; no chances of survival? | 5/22/2011 |
| Q: I planted peppers, eggplants and a nice array of other veggies and spent over 200$ worth of organic ... A: Adry, I feel your pain. Yes, I hear what you're saying. Yes, yes, yes to all of the above -- it is ... | |
| Weed killer for local companies | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: The mayor of our community is looking for an alternative for weed control companies to use. We live ... A: If you are concerned about Weed control in Lawns, start to take mowing very seriously. There's ... | |
| orange peels | 4/27/2011 |
| Q: Can citrus fruit peels such as orange, lemon, lime, etc be composted? They seem to tough and think ... A: It's not the thick skin of citrus that resists decomposition. It's their oils. These repel insects ... | |
| canadian thistles | 4/25/2011 |
| Q: I have a wonderful organic fruit and veggie garden in my back yard. My biggest problem is that my ... A: 95 percent of the lawns in this country are soaking in things like Round-Up and Weed-B-Gon. Who ... | |
| Weed killer for local companies | 4/15/2011 |
| Q: The mayor of our community is looking for an alternative for weed control companies to use. We live ... A: White stone? Consider yourself lucky - imagine you had to live in Las Vegas and walk past ... | |
| Weed killer for local companies | 4/14/2011 |
| Q: The mayor of our community is looking for an alternative for weed control companies to use. We live ... A: Valiant goals, yours - our planet depends on people like you. Glad to help. First, I have to ... | |
| 20 percent vinegar for weeds/grasses in garden | 2/27/2011 |
| Q: Where should I look to buy this vinegar locally? Mostly I have grass and Johnson grass will this ... A: It's official. The U.S. Government has declared that Acetic Acid - Vinegar - works on Weeds. Just a ... | |
| Trial and error? | 1/14/2011 |
| Q: I'm interested in growing blueberries in a pot here in Hawaii and was wondering if you think I ... A: It is certainly acceptable to grow shrubs in pots, so long as the pots are big enough. Given you ... | |
| Trial and error? | 1/13/2011 |
| Q: I'm interested in growing blueberries in a pot here in Hawaii and was wondering if you think I ... A: Blueberries in Hawaii... hmmm. First, lettuce venture over to the Garden Academy website's ... | |
| Safety of Snapshot Herbicide on fruit trees | 12/8/2010 |
| Q: I have the same problem: my husband insists on using pre-emergent (Snapshot, they tell me) on our ... A: Fran. I apologize for being so delayed in my response, but it is a very busy time of year and I am ... | |
| Keeping deer away | 11/5/2010 |
| Q: What can I do to stop deer from eating my plants? A: Deer gardener, As a Bambi-loving Long Islander, I admit that I don’t relate to this problem. Last ... | |
| pear tree | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: Our pear tree's leaves are rolling up. Our neighbor says it is a bug. They have been curled for a ... A: Full grown adult Dysaphis plantaginea is a wee 2.5 millimeters long -- that's just under one-tenth ... | |
| pear tree | 9/14/2010 |
| Q: Our pear tree's leaves are rolling up. Our neighbor says it is a bug. They have been curled for a ... A: Leaf curl has a number of causes, but the holes point to insects -- mostly likely "Apple Aphids". ... | |
| CGM | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: I have read many of your replies in the libraries of questions and thank you for your knowledge and ... A: Planning is important - but it is not quite time to throw in the towel for your old Lawn. It is ... | |
| organic gardening | 8/15/2010 |
| Q: I am wanting to garden completely organic. The only thing I don't know is how to get rid of the ... A: Bugaboos around the garden are so easy to eliminate, I don't know why everyone doesn't do things ... | |
| Pest biting through pole bean stems | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: Something is biting through my pole bean stems 2-3 inches above ground. I think it's mice since it ... A: Very sorry to hear about the nasty surprise these varmints left for you. It is truly disappointing ... | |
| Sugar and Charlotte Brunkhorst | 7/23/2010 |
| Q: I ran across this site a few months ago when I was looking for lawn fertilizers. Charlotte ... A: Sugar Fertilizer: Irving, Texas gardener Charlotte Brunkhorst never stopped championing this idea. ... | |
| watermelons | 6/17/2010 |
| Q: Im growing watermelons.Do you recommend putting something underheath the melons to help protect ... A: A.M., my mysterious friend, there is no other way to say this. To grow Watermelons, you have to ... | |
| sunflowers | 6/8/2010 |
| Q: I recently planted two sunflowers outdoors that I started indoors from seed. something demolished ... A: I appreciate your commitment to chemical-free gardening, Anne. If the weather was cooler -- right ... | |
| sunflowers | 6/7/2010 |
| Q: I recently planted two sunflowers outdoors that I started indoors from seed. something demolished ... A: We all know the feeling - a seedling that's hatched, just getting off the ground, leaves sprout, it ... | |
| Green Bean Plants not doing well | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: I have 3 raised beds in my garden area and this is the second year that I have planted green beans ... A: Raised beds are an effective way to address poor drainage. But overwatering won't be solved any way ... | |
| Soil Acidity | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: I live on Long Island's South Shore (Woodmere) and am planning on growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and a ... A: All that "trouble and expense" -- What about all that other work you're about to do? Tomatoes, ... | |
| lawn weed pre-emergents | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: Two part(1)What is the best organic weed pre-emergent control method for southern states (spec e. ... A: I apologize for not responding to this more promptly, but unfortunately, Sandy, you've got 2 ... | |
| grass in the flowerbeds | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: I have always used the grass b gone by ortho and it seems that it isnt available anymore. Can you ... A: Bermudagrass is one of the most death-defying onerous mega-headaches on the 21st century gardening ... | |
| grass in the flowerbeds | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I have always used the grass b gone by ortho and it seems that it isnt available anymore. Can you ... A: Sue, this is the Organic Gardening Department. I would not be caught dead with a bottle of Grass B ... | |
| Steer Manure On Fruit Trees | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: I Have A Couple Of Fruit Trees That I Wanted To Put On Bigger Pots And My Question Was Can I Mix In ... A: Your natural 0.7-0.3-0.4 fertilizer -- Steer Manure -- would be an excellent idea, except for one ... | |
| lowering PH | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: Can I use dusting wettable sulphur to lower the PH of my soil for blueberries? Has it got chemicals ... A: Very sorry, Mary Jo, for making you wait all this time. I though this question was taken care of. ... | |
| lowering PH | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: Can I use dusting wettable sulphur to lower the PH of my soil for blueberries? Has it got chemicals ... A: Dusting "wettable" garden Sulfur is 90 percent Sulfur mixed with 10 percent Bentonite -- a type of ... | |
| Mulching over fallen leaves | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: I have large areas of plants and shrubs. Over the years I have used a mulch which has been treated ... A: There are 2 keys to successful mulching: (1) the right material, and (2) the right thickness. Weeds ... | |
| manure cropping | 10/14/2009 |
| Q: i am a student who is doing a science project on if manure is a good fertilizer or not. Do you think ... A: Boy have YOU come to the right place for a question like that! Do I have an opinion on this? You ... | |
| science fair project | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: I want to do a science fair project on organic fertilizers(cow manure) versus compost versus ? does ... A: Great Science Fair topic, Catherine. First, if you are going to use Manure to grow anything, it ... | |
| Organic Lawn & Weeds | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: We currently are using a lawn service for fertilizing and weed control that is chemical based, but I ... A: One of the things the pesticides industry has been very effective at is to present Lawn care almost ... | |
| corn gluten safety | 6/1/2009 |
| Q: having read one of your previous answers, what exactly does this mean regarding use of corn gluten ... A: Great points, Carol. I figure that for every question I get, maybe 100 people in the world will ... | |
| Getting rid of biting bugs organically | 5/31/2009 |
| Q: We have a huge bug problem in our backyard. I can hardly send my kids out to play because when they ... A: Government stats count 63 species of Mosquito in the borders of the Garden State, which boasts not ... | |
| Getting rid of biting bugs organically | 5/29/2009 |
| Q: We have a huge bug problem in our backyard. I can hardly send my kids out to play because when they ... A: Let's start with the Mosquitoes. The Canadian Wildlife Federation's Wild About Gardening website ... | |
| Getting rid of biting bugs organically | 5/28/2009 |
| Q: We have a huge bug problem in our backyard. I can hardly send my kids out to play because when they ... A: Any idea what bugs these are? There are a lot of things you can do right now, but only chemicals ... | |
| garden shower and garden friendly soap | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: We live near the beach and will be building an outdoor shower in our backyard with a drywell. What ... A: It's the bubbles and foam in shampoo, soap, dishwashing liquid etc that are said to have the ... | |
| Buying compost. | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: Just wondering if there are any reliable businesses to buy tested, organic compost in DuPage County, ... A: First, there's Coast of Maine products, including an organic compost, is carried by Whole Foods ... | |
| Is my organic potting soil really organic? | 3/4/2009 |
| Q: I'm am on a request to have a completely natural, chemical-free garden. Because of walnut trees, I ... A: Let the buyer beware, but that's what happens when you purchase "organic" from a multinational ... | |
| green bean/wax bean bugs...ARGH! | 2/12/2009 |
| Q: I have planted a garden every year for 10 years now and fought the normal pests along the way...and ... A: Let's start with the Aphids on Snow Peas. Aphids are the favorite food of all Ladybug species. ... | |
| green bean/wax bean bugs...ARGH! | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: I have planted a garden every year for 10 years now and fought the normal pests along the way...and ... A: Your biggest mistake: No crop rotation. There's a reason crop rotation works. Few pests can get a ... | |
| mold on organic fertilizer | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I have been trying to make my own organic fertilizer. It contains worm castings, guano and humate. ... A: Taken literally, organic 'fertilizer' is a bit of an oxymoron. Traditional fertilizer tries to send ... | |
| COMPOST | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: I WANT TO MAKE A COMPOST PILE AND HAVE ACCESS TO A CITY ZOO, WHAT ANIMAL WASTE WOULD BE BEST? ALSO, ... A: Whether you're scooping Moose Manure or Pachyderm Poop, it's always good to enrich your Soil with ... | |
| biodiversity | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: using simple wording can you please explain what bio diversity is and how it can be applied to ... A: BIODIVERSITY is the range of living things in an environment, from the smallest microscopic being to ... | |
| organic garden | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: I had a soil analysis done and everything was optimum or better! Wow! Anyway, I'd like to know if ... A: Nitrogen being one of the more fleeting elements, Liquid Seaweed (typically around 0.1-0.0-1.0) and ... | |
| seaweed, insect control | 9/6/2008 |
| Q: 1. I heard about using fresh seaweed for fertilizing- can i use it for perennials and evergreens in ... A: Q #1: Your concerns about Seaweed probably surround the p.r. about heavy metals and contaminants ... | |
| sugar as a shrub killer | 9/4/2008 |
| Q: i am trying to get rid of a trumpet vine. my landscaper wanted to use roundup but i have outdoor ... A: It's very heartening to know there are still people out there who keep their focus and are willing ... | |
| sugar as a shrub killer | 8/28/2008 |
| Q: i am trying to get rid of a trumpet vine. my landscaper wanted to use roundup but i have outdoor ... A: I apologize for missing the Sugar reference reply - totally overlooked it, intending to mention it ... | |
| sugar as a shrub killer | 8/23/2008 |
| Q: i am trying to get rid of a trumpet vine. my landscaper wanted to use roundup but i have outdoor ... A: For starters, let's teach your landscaper something about Round-Up. Researchers tested Glyphosate ... | |
| Layng sod in san diego | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: In a article i read you said that a certain type of sod grass is needed for San Diego. I want to ... A: San Diego is beautiful. But you knew that. I won't bore you with my larger than life memories of ... | |
| soil | 8/9/2008 |
| Q: I'm looking to increase the nutrients in our organic garden. There are no manures available anyway, ... A: 'Organic matter' is a big universe, the source of the nutrients you are looking for. Buckwheat is a ... | |
| crop rotation | 8/1/2008 |
| Q: Why is it necessary to rotate crops on a farm when in nature the same plants keep coming up year ... A: Good question. Monocultures like Lawns -- just like a field, right? Wrong. Those plants come up ... | |
| brown patch | 7/28/2008 |
| Q: I have used the solution of cornmeal to stop the brown patch and it seems to be working and I've ... A: Mid-Summer is Siesta time for Cool Season Grass. Stop watering and let it rest. Dead areas MUST be ... | |
| Pet urine | 7/14/2008 |
| Q: I planted a plunking plant, it was growing great until we saw it slowing in growth and the leaves ... A: I don't know what a Plunking Plant is, but I know Dogs and Plunkings don't mix. Fencing it off was ... | |
| Thinning grass | 7/1/2008 |
| Q: I have recently bought a new house with a garden that has not been taken care of for many years. My ... A: Step 1: Get a soil test. Yes, I know, you're thinking, What a WASTE of money! Who needs to know ... | |
| Holes in green beans | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: It looks as if some pest is boring little holes in the green beans of a neighbor of mine. I have ... A: Those master sleuths called SLUGS are munching as we speak, making a nice big fat juicy dinner out ... | |
| Arp Rosemary | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I live in a Zone 6B area of Ontario, Canada. I am growing an Arp Rosemary perennial as I have done ... A: Rosemary officinalis 'ARP' takes its name from the Zone 6 Texas town where an herbalist first found ... | |
| Arp Rosemary | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: Can this be grown in Nassau County and survive the winter ? Also whay is the zone for Long Island ... A: Perennials die back, then re-grow new stems the following year. But Rosemary is less a Perennial, ... | |
| Arp Rosemary | 5/11/2008 |
| Q: Can this be grown in Nassau County and survive the winter ? Also whay is the zone for Long Island ... A: Long Island is Zone 7 -- a little warmer in certain areas than others. This is where microclimates ... | |
| Corn gluten | 4/27/2008 |
| Q: Enjoy reading your answers, very helpful. Corn gluten sounds like a great idea. I do however, have ... A: I hate to say it, but I most definitely do believe the 'Genetically Modified Seeds' work of the ... | |
| dandelions | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: I inherited a chemical-free lawn in Merrick, LI. It is FULL of dandelions that are now in bloom. ... A: Too late for the Corn Gluten Meal, yes. Congratulations, neighbor, on finding a house on Long ... | |
| Organic Lawn Care for Texas Gulf Coast | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: Can I use your methods in the Texas Gulf Coast? Or can you tell me how to alter them? Or direct ... A: The Scientific Method is universal, my friend. What we have here is a phenomenon driven by the ... | |
| Bermuda grass in new soil | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: I am preparing to lay a new Tall Fescue sod lawn on soil that previously had alot of bermuda grass. ... A: By selecting Tall Fescue, you have picked a Grass that is at the center of some heavy research into ... | |
| Organic soil | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: Soil labeled organic, what does that mean as far as content? I am concerned about genetically ... A: The Institute of Science in Society is right up your alley: ... | |
| still insist organic methods | 2/20/2008 |
| Q: I posted a thread on gardenweb.com and tried to see what advice I could get. Here is what I wrote: ... A: What a valiant effort you have made in the face of such a formidable opponent, my friend. But I ... | |
| Hydrangeas | 1/3/2008 |
| Q: Is there a product that is OMRI registered that will lower the pH of my soil to affect a change in ... A: I was going to reject your question because I do not have a complete and current list of the entire ... | |
| How to get rid of cabbage worms/Japanese beetles | 1/2/2008 |
| Q: I live in eastern NC where summers are ho=t and long and winters are mild and short. I grow a ... A: You've asked two very different questions that I think need to be addressed in depth. And I'm ... | |
| How to get rid of cabbage worms/Japanese beetles | 12/30/2007 |
| Q: I live in eastern NC where summers are ho=t and long and winters are mild and short. I grow a ... A: Jay, LOSE the Ortho. ESPECIALLY since you're EATING these vegetables. Ortho's bad enough to use on ... | |
| Pest control | 7/24/2007 |
| Q: I have a shady yard. How can I get rid of the ticks and mosquitos? A: A common problem. Very different pests. Both evil. Mosquitoes were an issue during recent past ... | |
| organic weed control | 7/19/2007 |
| Q: Weeds are overtaking my yard. What can you recommend to eliminate them without destroying the ... A: About 15 years ago, researchers at Iowa State discovered that Corn Meal Gluten is such an effective ... | |
| Pest problem | 7/6/2007 |
| Q: Something is eating the leaves off my green beans. My garden is totally fenced in. the green beans ... A: Slugs or Japanese Beetles? They love to sneak out at night and dine on vegetables. Go outside with ... | |
| organic weed control | 6/25/2007 |
| Q: Weeds are overtaking my yard. What can you recommend to eliminate them without destroying the ... A: This largely depends on where you live. I live on the North Shore of Long Island, New York. ... | |
| Worms in acid soils? | 6/20/2007 |
| Q: The soil of my land is of old volcanic origin, in some places rather reddish brown, in others just ... A: I have a followup message for you from a fellow reader, my friend: Questioner: Pat Tyler Country: ... | |
| weed and pest control | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I'm looking for organic ways to take care of slugs, catepillars, and weeds for both vegetable ... A: A copper strip will form a barrier that Slugs cannot cross without being shocked. It works rain or ... | |
| vegan organic | 5/3/2007 |
| Q: I would like to plant a small kitchen garden and wish to know how best to feed it without the ... A: Good question. Let me see if I understand you correctly. You don't want to use any animal derived ... | |
| Killing bremuda grass!!!! | 3/29/2007 |
| Q: Will vinegar kill weeds in the garden (Bermuda grass...ect)? A: 95 percent of the lawns in this country are soaking in things like Round-Up and Weed-B-Gone. To rid ... | |
| organic conversion | 2/28/2007 |
| Q: I inherited my father's home on Long Island. He owned a split level mid-50s house settled on apx 1/2 ... A: First things first: Get yourself a Soil Test. Not one of those do-it-yourself kits at Home Depot ... | |
| Flea Control | 2/16/2007 |
| Q: yes this is out of doors.I have three small dogs and a cat who acts like a dog which of course means ... A: Cutting-edge Flea control centers on a new technology based on a new area called Insect Growth ... | |
| Flea Control | 2/7/2007 |
| Q: I have three small dogs and a cat who acts like a dog which of course means I sometimes have a flea ... A: Long Island Gardener at your service, Cydra. You didn't mention whether you have a private residence ... | |
| lawn fungus | 7/8/2006 |
| Q: I noticed another question from someone who thinks they have a lawn fungus and I was hoping you ... A: My first Organics question - and I had to print this one because it is just so funny. Some people ... | |
Organic Gardens
Answers by Expert:
Long Island Gardener
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
There is NO EXCUSE today for a gardener to use chemicals. Perfect Lawns? Pristine Roses? Immaculate Flowers all Summer long? If you live in the Northeast/Atlantic Coast, I'll guide you down the non-toxic road to Organica - and you will not believe how easy it can be. Yes, it can be complicated, but backing off from Ortho and Scotts is not as hard as you think. Your neighbors won't believe their eyes. I have intelligent answers on soil care, bug killing, weed control and fungus-freedom!
Experience
I have college credits in horticulture and botany, and 30 years of gardening for personal pleasure. Plus I am a volunteer docent at the local botanical gardens. But a person's real gardening skills are learned from trial and error. I am strict about not using chemicals in the garden. Always have been. Always will be.
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