| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| plants that replenish soil nutrients? | 7/9/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: i'm an avid gardener, and i made myself a large garden that usually provides abundant food and the ...
A: Your plants may be stunted from the rain and never recovered. There are a number of plants like ...
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| Large area of backyard to muddy for many months of the year we can't use it!!! | 7/8/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: We have a large 6 x 6 metre shed in our backyard and as a result it shades most of the grassed area ...
A: I think ground cover is your best option. The location is not good for grass. I'd lay landscape ...
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| grass seems to be dying despite watering schedule | 7/8/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I live in Southern Oregon and have somewhat of a clay soil base below my lawn. I also have part of ...
A: You didn't tell me what kind of grass you have. If it's a cool season grass like fescue, bluegrass, ...
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| Killing weeds through river rock | 7/7/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: My sister has river rock surrounding her pool and back deck. Just spent three days pulling weeds. Do ...
A: Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide you can spray over the rock and kill anything there. If ...
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| new soil won't absorb water | 7/5/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: We just enlarged a planter (for bamboo) with castle wall blocks. Since my local landscaper was out ...
A: Here are a couple of options... 1. Till coarse bark into the top 4-6" of soil. I'd add about 2" on ...
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| Soil killing my flowers | 6/29/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I think my soil is killing my flowers in one of my garden beds. How much soil should I remove in ...
A: soil doesn't kill plants. They may die from toxins in the soil, fungal diseases, insects, improper ...
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| soil around my rhubarb | 6/18/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I've been told the soil my rhubarb has too much nitrogen and that's why my plants won't turn red. ...
A: Fertilize with a zero nitrogen fertilizer, if you need to fertilize at all. Use commercial ...
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| grading | 6/14/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have dampness in my basement and looking to solve it with grading. I am having difficulty finding ...
A: Grading can be tricky. You need to be real sure where the water is now going to go. Getting it off ...
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| grading | 6/14/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have dampness in my basement and looking to solve it with grading. I am having difficulty finding ...
A: If you are using clay to divert surface water, then pure clay or a clay/soil blend should work. ...
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| silver soil bugs | 6/13/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: except all of a sudden there are these lil tiny tiny sliver/gray bugs all through out the soil. I ...
A: You can drench the soil with pyrethrum, an organic insecticide, to get rid of them. Mix it at label ...
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| Chemical smell in garden soil. | 6/13/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: When I purchased my home, about seven years ago, I created a series of three circular raised beds of ...
A: If the stump is still green, it will rob the surrounding soil of nitrogen as it decomposes. You'll ...
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| Gardenia Fertilizer | 6/12/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Good morning James. I live in the Los Angeles area & the soil in my yard is clay. We dug large ...
A: Before you adjust the pH, you should have it tested. Most garden centers will do that quickly and ...
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| mothballs | 6/12/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I use mothballs around the outside edge of my garden. How far away should I place it so that it ...
A: I'd stay a foot away from your garden. However, I've never seen mothballs labeled for garden use, ...
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| RE: Red Clay | 6/10/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: James, We are building a new home here in South Carolina. Our soil is a beautiful sandy and brown ...
A: The clay may have been a necessity to be able to pour a slab and driveway. Clay is not bad. It ...
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| red tips | 6/9/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I live in the Piney Woods of Southeast Texas and I am trying to grow red tips. However, the leaves ...
A: Your nursery is wise. They're in the rose family and get a nasty leaf spot disease. They are a very ...
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| How to identify grub damage | 6/9/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I'm not sure if you can assist with this, but I am guessing my issue has something to do with soil, ...
A: Usually an infected plant is not worth the cost of saving it, unless it has some sentimental value. ...
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| How to identify grub damage | 6/8/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I'm not sure if you can assist with this, but I am guessing my issue has something to do with soil, ...
A: I don't think it's grub damage. Dig out a square foot of soil. If you find 15 or more grubs in that ...
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| Planting Grass in Rock Filled Soil | 5/30/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have an area of land approximately 12,000 sq feet that was recently cleared of brush, etc. ...
A: I'd want a minimum of 8". The soil needs to be the same type soil you have, except without the ...
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| raised planting bed | 5/29/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I would like to build a raised planting bed around an existing red maple tree. Will it hurt the ...
A: Depends...on the size of the tree. On a mature tree, adding a 3'-6' wide bed will not hurt the tree. ...
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| st. augustine too high??? | 5/28/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I keep my st. aug (raleigh) cut at the highest level my mower will cut. I have been fighting gray ...
A: Worry about weeds later. You can always get them out. You want to encourage tillering, the side ...
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| soil around a dead oak | 5/28/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: The soil seemed wonderful and easy to till, sandy and loamy and initially all the vegetable plants ...
A: the soil may be deficient, but it would have little to do with the oak. Oaks however, tend to grow ...
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| st. augustine too high??? | 5/27/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I keep my st. aug (raleigh) cut at the highest level my mower will cut. I have been fighting gray ...
A: I'm not that concerned about the height, although taller grass dries slower than short grass. Bag ...
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| What is this weird tubular thing? | 5/27/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I came out to my garden one morning and found this soft, weird tubular thing pushing up out of the ...
A: It's a mushroom, probably a dog stinkhorn. They are slimy and smelly. The part you see is just the ...
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| Soil for typical christmas tree | 5/27/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have a small christmas tree in a pot, which needs repotting into a larger one, what kind of soil ...
A: It's possible. Many plants are field grown and then dug and potted. But plants used as Christmas ...
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| moisture | 5/26/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Rest assured this is not a homework question. If you think the question is so Fundamental, I do not ...
A: I volunteer my time to answer questions for people who have problems. You don't have a problem. You ...
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| ground cover | 5/24/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I live in northern california.I have what I think is vinca minor growing on a slope doing great in ...
A: Euonymus coloratus looks similar and likes the sun. It can be semi-evergreen in some climates. ...
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| dog urine spots on lawn | 5/24/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: We have bare spots on the lawn of our rental property from the former tenets dogs....how should I ...
A: First check your pH. It should be around 6.5 and add lime if it's too low, sulphur if it's too high. ...
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| soil issues | 5/16/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: my husband has been working really hard on our lawn. and now we have a flea problem. we were told to ...
A: Hydrated lime is not labeled as an insecticide so I don't know why anyone would suggest it. It may ...
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| iron is soil killing grass & plants | 5/15/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Savannah GA. Just found out that my yard has iron in the soil that was brought in at time of ...
A: Lime is the cheapest and best fix, but you still need more. Apply another 40 lbs. per 1000 sq. ft. ...
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| soil issues | 5/14/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: my husband has been working really hard on our lawn. and now we have a flea problem. we were told to ...
A: Hydrated lime changes the pH rapidly. If he used 40-50 lbs per 1000 square feet or less, just water ...
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| Blob on my sets!!!! | 5/12/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Reently I planted some onion sets. They are doing well except one a.m. while inspecting, found some ...
A: You have to be very careful with soap and oil sprays on veggies. It is very easy to fry the foliage. ...
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| browning of cedars | 5/11/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: My area of the country is renowned for granite outcroppings. Indeed, our cellar floor is bedrock ...
A: Check you pH. Junipers and true cedars should be fine in the 5.5 to 6.5 range. Adjust the pH to ...
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| Soil for typical christmas tree | 5/10/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have a small christmas tree in a pot, which needs repotting into a larger one, what kind of soil ...
A: Take a look at the soil in the container. You want to match the soil type it is currently growing ...
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| Blob on my sets!!!! | 5/8/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Reently I planted some onion sets. They are doing well except one a.m. while inspecting, found some ...
A: It sounds like neck rot, a fungal disease. It's usually associated with too much nitrogen, so be ...
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| Soil & my corn crop | 5/5/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I live in Cent. Texas where soil is sandy. I have had good luck with hybrid sweet corn in the past ...
A: A light dose of a high nitrogen fertilizer when it's past the 3-leaf stage will really make it jump. ...
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| Acidic soil under pines vs oaks | 5/5/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: It is my understanding that the fallen needles (leaves) of a pine tree are in the pH range of 6.2 ...
A: It's not as simple as it sounds. The pH of the foliage is dependant on the pH of the soil and the ...
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| Potting | 5/3/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have several large pots (whiskey barrels, etc.). Is it o.k. to keep the soil in from year to ...
A: I replace the soil in my containers every other year. At the beginning of the second year, I add in ...
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| Otto Luykin laurels | 5/2/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I had 5 of these laurels, planted in Fall 08. Zone 6, clay, alkaline soil in my area. This Spring, ...
A: I would expect some leaf drop of the oldest, internal leaves as the new growth emerges. If the new ...
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| Treating Cat Contaminated Soil | 4/30/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: I have read many of your solutions pertaining to treating cat contaminated soil, the use of hydrated ...
A: I don't think spraying will work. Five lbs. in a gallon of water poured over a small area may work, ...
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| could it be clay soil that's killing my trees and plants | 4/30/2009 | James L. Crowder |
Q: Crowder, I live in Davenport, IA (52807) in a relatively new subdivision, the front yard (north ...
A: Lift the plant and keep the roots wrapped in wet newspaper if you can't plant immediately, but try ...
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