| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| mushrooms in mulch | 11/20/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: All of a sudden I have these strange looking mushrooms coming out of my mulch. They look like white ...
A: Pets don't normally bother them because the smell is so much more intense to them. Most of the ...
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| white bead-like structures in soil | 11/16/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have small (approx. 0.5 - 0.75 mm) white bead-like structures that are spreading in the soil of my ...
A: Quite often soil fungi form a ball of Mycelium (roots). Usually this is associated with periods of ...
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| mold on soil | 11/11/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I am purchasing a mobile home and upon inspection we noticed a 10 foot diameter area of white mold ...
A: I'd loosen the soil surface and spray the area with a 20% bleach/80% water solution. If the area ...
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| tree's | 11/6/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: What type of tree's grow best in Memphis soil
A: Easy to grow shade trees include: oak, maple, birch, bald cypress, elm, ginkgo, tulip poplar, dawn ...
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| sow grass | 11/5/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: When is it to late to sow grass in Tennessee
A: Unless we get an unusually early cold spell, I consider the absolute last date to plant fescue in ...
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| Mushrooms in a soil | 11/4/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: When I water my plant these mushrooms always grow in a soil.This problem started few month ago.Could ...
A: They are stinkhorn mushrooms. They're not harming anything. The grow where there is decomposing ...
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| Shredded leaves | 11/1/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Crowder, Very soon, thanks to Mother Nature and my leaf shredder, I will have a large amount of ...
A: Use them in the garden. There may be some slight change in pH, but you should be monitoring you pH ...
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| drainage behind a new retaining wall | 10/30/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Last year, we installed a retaining wall to correct some erosion issues in our back yard. We ...
A: Re-grading may indeed solve your problem if the gravel hasn't filled up with soil. You did not say, ...
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| White & Green mold under surface of outdoor soil | 10/13/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Moved to Arizona in December. Have created several flower beds and planted a couple pygmy palms ...
A: When building flower beds, you do not want to remove or replace soil or add a different textured ...
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| Grading | 10/12/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I'm wanting to buy a home that reported "The driveway has settled 2 inches away from the house; ...
A: There's not much I can tell you without a visual inspection. I'd want to talk to the home inspector ...
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| FUNGUS | 10/6/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: There is a thick white mushroom-cap like textured fungus spreading/growing around the base of my ...
A: The cap part you see is just the reproductive structure, most of the fungus is underground. These ...
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| Soil preferences for perennials | 10/1/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I've recently taken an interest in attempting a perennial garden & have been doing a lot of reading. ...
A: Perennials that like excellent drainage, never grow where it is wet and perennials that naturally ...
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| Soil Test Levels and Results | 9/26/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I'm in the Midwest, and need recommendations as to when, what, and how to correct my soil test ...
A: I choose a soil amendment based on the soil to be improved. If it's clay, I want a mostly a coarse ...
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| Soil Test Levels and Results | 9/25/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I'm in the Midwest, and need recommendations as to when, what, and how to correct my soil test ...
A: When it gets a little cooler, I'd lift and divide the perennials that are doing well. Then I'd cover ...
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| SOD IS DYING.... AGAIN! | 9/21/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Well, I thought this was going to be a breeze.. but no way!! I just got a dog.. I live in a mobile ...
A: Your soil has compacted and soured under the plastic put down for the pavers. You will need to till ...
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| New Lawn | 9/18/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I want to start a new lawn, i have 1000 sq ft of empty space, the soil is hard and there are no ...
A: your plan is good...except for the top soil thing. Apply the top soil before the second tilling and ...
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| Soil Fungus | 9/17/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Suddenly this summer the soil in my flower bed is covered with what, I think, is a fungus. It is ...
A: It is a fungus and spraying with the correct fungicide will help. Most of these slime molds don't ...
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| Fall fertilizer | 9/15/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: James, I live in the norther prarie region, zone 2. When is the proper time to apply fall ...
A: Nitrate nitrogen is quickly available to plants in cold or warm soil. You can apply it anytime. ...
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| oily sand | 9/14/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Recently I have transplanted moonbeams and some rose of sharon trees. My problem is the only source ...
A: When you plant, mix at least 1/3 ground pine bark with your soil. We want to incorporate some coarse ...
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| Soil test report & new sod project | 9/9/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: We had new sod put in 2 years ago and it never took. Bare, bald looking, no amount of further ...
A: Your pH is fine, I would check it every year and keep it in the 6.2 to 6.8 range, but I don't see a ...
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| too much acid killing hydrangea | 9/6/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Help -- I went gaga trying to get blue Hydrangea blooms by pouring leftover coffee and tea juice ...
A: The coffee and tea are not the culprits. A week is not enough time for a plant to show any effects ...
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| Sandy Soil Repels Water | 9/5/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I live in coastal NC with very sand soil in my yard. I was planting sod recently and when I applied ...
A: Most often this is caused by dust and very small soil particles that coat water droplets. Once the ...
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| Planting Redwood trees | 9/4/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I am getting ready to plant redwood trees in my back yord. I dug the holes and was planning on ...
A: Do not remove the existing soil. Loosen it and mix 1/3 new soil or organic matter with your soil ...
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| garden soil | 9/3/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have a 1st year vegetable garden near a walnut tree. My tomatoes started rotting before they were ...
A: Your neighbor is right. Walnut trees contain a substance called juglone. It is secreted by the ...
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| water pipe | 9/2/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have attached a photo of the hill behind our house. As you can see, the water from the pipe ...
A: I'd use flex pipe. Attach it to your pipe with a clamp and cover the whole thing with soil. You ...
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| Herbicide Sprayed on Apple Tree Branches | 9/2/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have a neighbor who is none to nice. He has severely oversprayed his property fence line with ...
A: One of the first statements on a pesticide label is "It is a violation of Federal Law to use this ...
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| soil fungus | 9/1/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: parts of my lawn are are dying when i took up some samples the soil smells like mushrooms please ...
A: I don't know which fungicides are approved for use where you live. In the United States, I'd use ...
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| container soil | 8/30/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Every year we have a reasonable number of hanging baskets and clay pots of all sizes and I seem to ...
A: As a retailer and grower, I like Fafard soils. They perform well for me. Fafard Container Mix is ...
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| Can a drainage ditch effect the flow of a natural spring? | 8/26/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Can a new drainage ditch effect the flow of an underground spring? I have a large rain water pipe ...
A: Yes it could, but there are a lot of variables here that probably only an on site engineer can ...
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| Crab Grass | 8/26/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: At the beginning of July we had new top soil and sod put in. Since the install I have been under ...
A: Crabgrass seed is everywhere. You can fill a container with potting soil and if there is any ...
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| Soil fungus | 8/24/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: We have black eyed Susans in each corner of our garden. In one corner especially, the leaves on the ...
A: It sounds like Botrytis. It is a fungal problem, but you may not be using the right product. Look ...
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| soil | 8/24/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I live in Wyoming and my back yard is six ft deep in a sandy soil that almost repels water. I have ...
A: I'd use a turf type, fine bladed fescue. There are dozens of varieties available. Go to your ...
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| soil | 8/23/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I've been reading our answers to soil problems, and hope you can help me here - soil's soil, no ...
A: There is a "world" (no pun intended) of difference between soil types. Most importantly are the pH ...
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| Soil Issues | 8/22/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I recently moved to a house in Oakland, CA that has a yard. The house itself was redone in the past ...
A: Only a comprehensive soil analysis would reveal any toxins in the soil. It would be a costly test ...
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| using recycled paper as planters | 8/20/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: im not sure if your the one to ask, but recently i have been coming up with different ways to ...
A: I see no problem with it. Generally, the ink is considered not hazardous to the environment. Make ...
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| garden lime and pickling lime | 8/19/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Is the garden lime (powder type) the same as pickling lime?
A: It is not the same. Hydrated or pickling lime changes the pH rapidly and generally is only used in ...
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| Potting Soil | 8/16/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have 4 Fittonias, (2 combo Pileas-Moon Valley & Purple Waffle) in each pot, a Purple Passion, and ...
A: Look at the soil they are currently in. Try to match that soil. If it's a peat moss based soil ...
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| soil | 8/13/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I cannot find a reason for my crepe myrtles not blooming. I tested my pH and it read between 5.5 & ...
A: The pH is perfect. Crapes bloom based on the photo period. As soon as the plant gets enough hours ...
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| araucaria | 8/9/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have one specie of ARAUCARIA in a pot for 6 years, suddenly the tips are brown, loosing slowly its ...
A: You can repot it now. Your new container should be no more than 2" wider than the one you have. ...
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| garden soil | 8/7/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have a flower garden that has good top soil (store bought) and some humus in it. Last year my ...
A: I suspect the layer of loose top soil is holding too much water in the winter causing crown rot. ...
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