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Soil Issues/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| poor drainage around young oak tree | 2/2/2012 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: Houston drought in the summer and a couple of heavy rainfalls this winter is taking a toll on our ... A: The two best ways are to either build a soil rise a few feet away from the trunk to divert water ... | ||
| dying spike plant | 1/26/2012 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I bought a large potted spike plant this summer, brought it inside for fall/winter and it is turning ... A: Place the plant in front of a window, preferably a southern window to give it as much light as ... | ||
| Draining pooled water | 11/24/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: have a question i'm hoping you as an expert can help me with. during flood conditions (1+ inch rain ... A: Think about this...if the area was absolutely full of water, where would any additional water flow? ... | ||
| soil microbes | 11/11/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: What minimal sized patch of soil would I need to provide 3 cats for urinating, so that the microbes ... A: I'd be comfortable with a 10' by 10' area. You'll need to check your pH and lime when the pH falls ... | ||
| Planting Flower Bulbs | 11/8/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: My question is about planting bulbs. Today (Tuesday) I finished digging about 400 holes to plant ... A: My preference would be to fill the holes at planting. One reason is your soil will be drier and ... | ||
| Bulbs and Weed Killer | 11/2/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: My mother (in Pa.) has an area where she would like to plant some spring flowering bulbs. There are ... A: It depends. At 90 degrees in the sun, about a day. With cloudy skies and a soil temperature in the ... | ||
| Bulbs and Weed Killer | 11/2/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: My mother (in Pa.) has an area where she would like to plant some spring flowering bulbs. There are ... A: I would apply first. In the process of planting, you will cut some of the weed roots. These might ... | ||
| Soil Question | 10/31/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: Can Horse Manure cause soil to compact? The Reason I'm asking is because I got some horse manure and ... A: As organic matter decomposes into smaller and smaller particles it may slow water movement through ... | ||
| Birds Nest Fungus | 9/21/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I recently had my front yard landscaped. The landscaper put all new mulch in the new beds. We had ... A: It's a nuisance but it will not hurt your plants. It is quite common on decomposing trees and ... | ||
| arborvitae problem | 9/11/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: We planted arborvitae 2 years ago, ten at my mother in laws home and ten at our home about 15 min. ... A: If they are indeed seeds (actually they are cones), large quantities are often produced when plants ... | ||
| soil | 8/31/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: We have a beautiful bank in our back yard with Crepmytles & Lantana growing on part of it to the ... A: Lantana and Crape Mrytles both need a minimum of 8 hours sun so I'm going to assume that both sides ... | ||
| Construction - Trees | 8/31/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: Crowder: I recently had to have a septic system replaced, and the drain field was elevated by 18". ... A: Covering the root zone of any tree with as little as 2" of soil can kill it. The root zone is about ... | ||
| Roots in my soil. | 8/30/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I have a vegetable garden for the last 6-7 years, this year all my plants did horrible, I thought it ... A: There are a number of fungi that form small balls of mycelium (roots) in the soil, especially under ... | ||
| soil amendment - Mn | 8/28/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I live in New Mexico where the soil pH in my garden is high, ranges from 7.9-8.2 and I have a high ... A: As far as I know, there's no difference in chelated Manganese products, but I'm sure the makers may ... | ||
| soil amendment - Mn | 8/26/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I live in New Mexico where the soil pH in my garden is high, ranges from 7.9-8.2 and I have a high ... A: There are chelated manganese products available. Your local independent garden center should be able ... | ||
| Receding Soil | 8/25/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: My house was built with a slope all around the house I guess for better drainage. The house is now ... A: You didn't say what kind of grass you have. If you need to add several inches of soil, I'd rent a ... | ||
| Veggie garden stunted growth | 8/21/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I have a vegetable garden that I cant quite figure out. I planted yellow squash, zucchini, potatoes, ... A: I think water is the main issue. First, remove the mulch. We don't want anything to interfere with ... | ||
| can i throw worms into my potted plants? | 8/14/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: i recently picked up an interest in growing plants and was very surprised to see that most of my ... A: Yes you can except they probably will not survive in the cactus containers. Normally the soil ... | ||
| Rhubarb plant | 8/2/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I know this isn't a soil question but you have been so helpful in the past. My 6 month old rhubarb ... A: I had a great vacation. Stayed a week on the Gulf Coast celebrating my 35th anniversary. The heat ... | ||
| What will grow in my strange soil?! | 7/19/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I have a mound in my front yard that is prone to weeds. Its is overcome with dandelions and other ... A: I need a little more information! On a sunny day, how many hours of sun will this mound get? Are you ... | ||
| Soil around foundation of garage | 7/16/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: Jim, We are looking at purchasing a new/old home. One we have looked at has a brick garage. It's ... A: You can probably do it yourself. If the walls are exposed brick/block, you'll need a cleaner, caulk ... | ||
| white fungus on crab apple tree | 7/12/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: Crowder, We just noticed a lot of white fuzzy growth/fungus on our crab apple tree. We have ... A: Crabapples are prone to leaf diseases and are especially hard hit in areas of prolonged high ... | ||
| hard to grow on soil... | 7/8/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I live REALLY close to the beach, you only have to dig a few inches down to hit sand. We have some ... A: If you are in the south, St. Augustine would be my choice for a lawn grass. In colder climates, I'd ... | ||
| Asian Jasmine Cover | 7/5/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: My yard man just planted some ground cover around a horrible tree I have....grass never grew around ... A: if he cut through the fabric to plant the 4" pots in the soil below, everything will be fine. The ... | ||
| residue | 6/28/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I dont have a photo because my husband turned the soil over after seeing it, but my question is ... A: I suspect they were fungi. Probably slime molds. They're harmless and your husband did the right ... | ||
| coffee grinds | 6/27/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I have been told that adding coffee grinds to the soil around our sago palm is helpful. What are ... A: Here are the facts: 1. Coffee grounds are very acidic. Your plant may or may not appreciate a pH ... | ||
| soil errosion | 6/27/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: Behind my house they are building a complex. According to the plans the elevation of the complex ... A: There is no way to know what effect it will have. In most cases, you must accept the flow of water ... | ||
| No tomatoes | 6/26/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I along with most of my neighbors in Cordova, TN (Memphis) are having the same issue with our ... A: Tomatoes and peppers often don't set many (or any) fruit when night temperatures are above 75 or day ... | ||
| Soil fungus/spores in garden | 6/20/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: We live in the Phoenix area and have several raised vegetable gardens. We are having a problem with ... A: Your description sounds like early blight. It is a fungal disease but easily controlled with ... | ||
| Severe Lawn Problem | 6/20/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: We have tried for over 10 years to grow a nice stand of grass in our front yard. We have added ... A: Grasses perform best in full sun (8 or more hours). They need good drainage and do best with little ... | ||
| whipworm in soil | 6/6/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: My dog is recovering from whipworm. The veterinarian said the only way to rid my yard of whipworm is ... A: To my knowledge, there is not a product labeled to control whipworms in the yard and removing the ... | ||
| MOLD ON ROCK MULCH | 6/6/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I read an answer about white, mold on wood mulch and you suggested rock mulch, which I have, but I ... A: When you see it, just blast it apart with a water hose. It's no threat to your plants, just a ... | ||
| all vegetable plants dying | 6/3/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: For the first time in 12 years, our entire vegetable garden is not growing. The plants (squash, ... A: First, have you soil pH tested, it should be near 6.5. Next, watering (over and under) can give you ... | ||
| Growing Plumeria (Frangipani) | 6/3/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I live in central Florida and have tried repeatedly to grow Plumeria from cuttings in containers. ... A: I've had the best results using aquatic soil. It's either ground lava rock or baked clay and it ... | ||
| Extra Dirt and Gravel | 5/23/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I don't know if you would have the answer to this question, but I thought that I'd give it a shot. ... A: Your closest landfill should have no problem taking soil and gravel. If you know of anyone in the ... | ||
| compost | 5/10/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: Can I spread cow manure or mushroon compost on my lawn? A: Yes you can but...compost is a great soil amendment to help improve the texture of your soil. It is ... | ||
| Your cat solution? | 4/26/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: How do I get the sprinkler hooked into a motion detector. I do not have an automatic sprinkler ... A: Contech makes a sprinkler with a built-in motion detector you attach to a hose. I've seen them for ... | ||
| vegetable gardening | 4/15/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I have a 35' x 17' vegetable garden that my wife and I take care of. We grow a few different kinds ... A: First check your pH. It should be as close to 6.5 as possible. If you need to raise it, 40 lbs of ... | ||
| weeds | 4/9/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I don't know if you can answer this question but here goes. Every spring we weedwack the hill behind ... A: Dry grass is less likely to bog down your string trimmer and is easier to cut. It's also safer for ... | ||
| Neutralizing ammonia in soil | 4/9/2011 | James L. Crowder |
| Q: I have a problem with cats peeing in my garden. First of all, can I neutralize the ammonia, (which ... A: Ammonia is quickly converted to plant food so ammonia is not the problem. The problem is the pH. ... | ||
James L. Crowder
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer questions about soils, soil amendments, drainage and proper planting. I can answer questions about insects and diseases, weed control, etc. I have extensive background in homeowner labeled pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.) and their proper use. I can also answer questions about the growing requirements of specific plants.
Experience
I have 40 years experience in the lawn and garden business split fairly evenly between the retail nursery business and wholesale distribution of consumer lawn and garden products. From 1990 to 2000 I co-hosted a weekly call-in talk radio program in Memphis, TN.
Organizations
Garden Writers Association
Publications
Green Thumb Magazine - out of print
Education/Credentials
40 years of learning everday.
Awards and Honors
Past president of the Memphis Horticultural Society.
Past president of the Memphis Bonsai Society.
Memphis Horticultural Society 2008 Horticultural Excellence Award
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