Q & A
As for why they are all the rage these days, I think much of it has to do with the mistaken notion that native plants will grow without any effort on our part. I'm here to tell you that's just not so. Generally ... [... more]
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Questions And Answers
A: By pruning. The technique doesn't work for all shrubs, however, and once you've gone to the tree look, it may be hard, if not impossible to return to the shrub form. For example, take a row of privet. It is a ... [... more]
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Fall Mulching
Mulch helps maintain a more even temperature and also raises the freeze line, which encourages earthworms to work closer to the surface of the soil. Make sure you have cleaned up mulch from summer. Leaving it can ... [... more]
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Winter Composting
Start with a six-inch layer of green materials and alternate with a 6-inch layer of brown materials until the can is full. Sprinkle each layer with water and a handful of blood meal as you proceed to stimulate ... [... more]
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Perfecting Soil
Even adding finished compost temporarily sets off another imbalance, says Roland Meyer, extension soils specialist with University of California at Davis. "You're presenting a whole new food basket for the organisms. ... [... more]
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Compost Cookery
With fallen leaves littering the yard and vegetable plants wasted in the garden, it's not hard to find things to feed your compost pile. But you may be only skimming the surface of what there is to compost. Marion ... [... more]
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Growth On Mulch
A: Fungus grows on mulch occasionally as part of the natural decay process. It tends to appear more often in wet weather and will disappear when conditions no longer favor it or when the mulch breaks down ... [... more]
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Chipper-Shredders
No matter how powerful the machine, it will eventually clog or jam, so when you're shopping for a chipper-shredder, make sure the shredding chamber is easily accessible. Shredders with discharge screens are more ... [... more]
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Spring Q
Tools with large diameter handles can make getting a grip easier and less painful, or you can slip a piece of foam pipe insulation over the existing handle to increase the diameter even more (figure A). Many savvy ... [... more]
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Hot Compost
A: If you add grass clippings or weeds to your compost pile, chances are you'll wind up with a few weed seeds in the pile. The only way to kill them is to get the pile cooking so it reaches an internal temperature ... [... more]
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Courtyard Gardening
Next, figure out how to lay out the plants in the garden. Leave the plants in their containers and move them around before planting them. Dig the planting holes roughly twice as wide as the plant's root ball, but not ... [... more]
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Questions & Answers
A: Poison ivy contains oil that causes an uncomfortable and sometimes unforgettable rash when it comes in contact with human skin; all parts of the plants contain the oil, even the roots. In fact, a plant that has ... [... more]
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