All Questions
7
votes
2answers
73 views
How do you tell when pumpkins are ready to harvest?
I have several large pumpkins on a vine but am not sure when to pick them.
I have heard they are similar to potatoes in that you wait till the vine starts to die before harvesting.
0
votes
0answers
40 views
Watering while away from home [duplicate]
Most of my plants die when I am away for a week or 2 weeks. Is there any way to water them regularly?
I don't have a water tap on my balcony. And if I move plants inside they die because of a lack of ...
2
votes
1answer
143 views
Do fir trees cause foundation problems?
We have a fir tree planted at the front corner of our house. We recently had foundation problems due to that side of the house sinking. We live in north Texas. The company that fixed our foundation ...
0
votes
0answers
39 views
Good resources for start dates/schedule garden planning [duplicate]
The internet is my only mentor in gardening. I want to try raised bed garden again (4'x4' Mel Bartholomew style). I murdered my last two gardens with a combination of bad planning (overgrowth) and ...
2
votes
1answer
57 views
Water levels for Mint in a window box
I can only grow things in containers as I have no garden and have an active herb garden mostly consisting of some very happy chives and some potted Bay, rosemary and basil.However the window box I ...
5
votes
2answers
74 views
What is the risk of using 4% 2T mixture in a chainsaw that needs 2% 2T?
I accidentally ran a Stihl MS 261 chainsaw on a 4% mixture for 3 tanks instead of the 2% oil to gas mixture it should have had.
Would this have done any damage to the machine should I do anything ...
6
votes
3answers
158 views
How to get rid of bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) once and for all?
I have an allotment in England where I grow vegetables and fruit. One of the biggest problems I am having with it (other than the soil desperately needing fertilising) is the bindweed infestation.
...
4
votes
1answer
153 views
Can anybody identify this house plant?
Can somebody let me know the name of this house plant? My office desk has inherited it and I would like to keep him alive :)
2
votes
1answer
47 views
What are the uses of rice hulls?
I see a lot of rice hulls that are burned after harvest seasons. Is there a good use for it in my garden or it is best suited for large scale farming like rice and corn? Is there a good use for its ...
4
votes
3answers
183 views
How do I kill a butterfly bush so it stays dead?
I have four Butterfly Bushes (Buddleja davidii) in my yard from a previous owner. I believe two are the Black Knight cultivar, but I'm not sure what the other two are.
I spend a lot of time every ...
2
votes
2answers
105 views
Growing Goji berry plant in Ohio
I am entertaining the idea of growing a Goji berry plant in my backyard. I have several fruit trees already and have good soil conditions. The plant would be permanently outdoors and would not be ...
3
votes
1answer
77 views
What climbing vines will cover a 40' high cliff in southern Spain?
We live in southern Spain, and have the problem of trying to disguise a massive cliff wall behind the house. We intend to erect large metal fencing to the cliff, which is 100 feet long by 40 feet ...
7
votes
2answers
117 views
What's the best C:N ratio when vermicomposting?
I know that for 'regular' composting without worms you need a carbon-nitrogen ratio of something between 25:1 and 30:1. Is the same true for vermicomposting? I'm not sure if it matters, but I'm using ...
4
votes
1answer
111 views
Can I replace my lawn mower's blade with any brand blade?
I have a Murray lawn mower (Model 20223X12A). The Tecumseh engine model number is TVS 90 4354K. I measured the blade diagonally and it is about 19.5 inches long. It is just a regular blade.
I wanted ...
2
votes
0answers
32 views
Brown turkey fig dormancy time
We picked up a brown turkey fig tree last summer. We plan in keeping it in a large pot rather then in the ground. We have a small space and understand they have a good sized root system. Plus we live ...
3
votes
2answers
108 views
How can I control erosion and weeds on a rock retaining wall?
I live on a sloped lot in Utah (just north of Salt Lake City, USDA zone 7b) with several rock retaining walls (small boulders 3-5' in diameter). After hard rains I've noticed considerable dirt plumes ...
6
votes
1answer
113 views
What to guild with Asparagus
I have been working on applying permacultural techniques of layering in space and time, and most of my gardens work well on this principle but I am having trouble applying it to asparagus. What should ...
2
votes
0answers
75 views
Mexican Avocado tree grown indoors 1½ years old has round spots on leaves
I have a Mexican Avocado tree growing indoors in the winter (we live in the Northeast) outdoors in the summer. It has developed white round spots and the edges to the inside are becoming brown and the ...
3
votes
2answers
82 views
Is My Tree Dead?
The bark is falling off my tree. Is the tree dead? Diseased? Will I have to have it removed? Please see the pics:
Click on any photo for full size
2
votes
1answer
56 views
How to propagate a hedge?
I've got a whole yard of Amur Privet that hasn't been taken care of for quite some time. (I've newly moved in). Over about a year I've cut down an cared for my privets. There are a few low areas and ...
2
votes
1answer
77 views
What gauge wire should I train my bonsai branches with?
I want to train my bonsai branches down to give the appearance of an old, tired tree.It's about 20cm high and the trunk is around 8mm thick and the branches tapper from around 5 to about 3mm.
I want ...
3
votes
1answer
932 views
how far will pine tree roots spread?
I have a very tall pine tree in front of my house. I am about to start work digging up my downstairs floor and re-doing it. I'm just wandering if before I start I should look further into the roots of ...
2
votes
1answer
39 views
Which walnut varieties are best for eating?
It looks like English walnut (Juglans regia) is the tree that produces the walnuts you'd get in the supermarket. Does black walnut (J. nigra) produce nuts that are worth eating?
Are there varieties ...
3
votes
2answers
197 views
Is it possible to grow bulb onions in a container garden?
I have a rather large balcony and love onions. Is it possible to grow bulb onions in a container? What would the minimum dimensions of a container have to be to grow them? Could they be co-planted ...
4
votes
3answers
119 views
Is it safe to make a vegetable garden where there may have been lawn chemicals?
I moved into a new house (built 1979) this past fall and I would like to convert some of the grass area to a vegetable garden. I don't know how the previous owners took care of their lawn, but is ...
1
vote
1answer
39 views
Is a juniper suitable as an indoor bonsai?
I'm keen to have a bonsai by my desk at work. It will be on a window sill, but only have direct sunlight for about an hour a day (in the morning), the rest of the day it will have light reflected at ...
2
votes
2answers
80 views
What does my basil need?
I planted some basil seeds and grew them in aquarium water over the two months or so. They are placed in a rear window but I believe are getting adequate sun. However, the plant is quite leggy being ...
1
vote
1answer
94 views
What is causing these dark spots on my bonsai tree?
My Cussonia bonsai suffers for a couple of months now from an unrecognized pest.
First I thought these are mites, so I bought a powder that you mix with water and spray on the leaves. But ...
2
votes
2answers
98 views
Is it safe to grow vegetable bushes like Tomato and Chili Peppers on an Active Compost?
I have a 2 months old compost and there are still undecomposed greens in it, and I also have propagated some varieties of Capsicum cultivars & Tomato cultivars and they are getting bigger that ...
5
votes
2answers
127 views
How to protect strawberries from “predators”
I'm starting to prepare my gardening year and I'm wondering what the most efficient and organic way is to protect strawberries from birds and slugs.
I'm not at all against sharing a part of my fruit ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
Box-blight or just the effects of winter
I have some small box-trees which start to have some yellow leaves on the top of some branches. Is this the start of box-blight or just the effects of winter. We have some low temperatures (down to -5 ...
2
votes
1answer
62 views
What hardies should I plant early this year?
I'm in zone 7 on the Chessapeake Bay, and depending on the year, it can feel more like zone 8.
This year, I want to push the limit more than ever before. What hardy plants should I start early? I'm ...
5
votes
1answer
135 views
Can someone identify this Bonsai tree?
I was hoping someone would be kind enough to identify this tree for me. I want to properly care for it and I think identifying it would be a good first step. Any help on this would be appreciated, ...
1
vote
1answer
91 views
Fixing wheel tracks on lawn
Ok, I had 60yo oak taken down on my back yard. Not sure how to do it properly without damage but guys drove bucket truck and:
Got stuck - there is 1+ft holes in a ground below topsoil
While driving ...
3
votes
1answer
103 views
Can I plant a tree into a concrete foundation to break it?
Apparently, what used to be a foundation for a small house is now part of our backyard. The house is long gone, but the concrete foundation has been there for as long as anyone can remember. Is there ...
0
votes
2answers
182 views
How do I fill in dead patches in my lawn?
When my sod was about a month old, we (accidentally) didn't water it for about it a month, causing it to go dormant. Over several months, most of the grass came back, but now it has several large bald ...
3
votes
0answers
108 views
Sub-irrigation planter bucket setup
After doing some research around sub-irrigation I think I've come up with a cheap method of creating a SIP pot (the 20L pails are expensive in Aus)
9.3L Bucket
~40cm length of 2" Corrugated Drain ...
2
votes
2answers
149 views
Advice on planting a bed of wildflowers on a hillside in zone 7?
I know almost nothing about gardening and landscaping so I can really use some advice. In our backyard we had a hillside that was covered with ivy and weeds for years. I finally had it cleared this ...
2
votes
1answer
181 views
When does a queen palm need trimming?
Recently moved into a new house which has a couple of Queen Palms and have never had to take care of palms before. Questions: Do these palms need trimming? If so, how much trimming do they need and ...
1
vote
1answer
44 views
Sequoia Browning
I have a small sequoia tree which I got from the San Francisco airport as a seedling. I planted it in January 2012 and it has been growing (slowly) and seemed healthy - it is about a foot tall and is ...
4
votes
1answer
80 views
Timeline for first organic garden in New England (Massachusetts)?
I am looking to start my first garden, and I'd like it to be organic. I have read a lot of articles which have all instructed me to start small the first year by planting easy plants like tomatoes, ...
1
vote
2answers
136 views
What's wrong with my chili bush?
I've had a chili bush I grew from seed for about a year now, and it's finally growing into something resembling an actual bush (rather than just a seedling) and it was going great until the last few ...
1
vote
1answer
63 views
Can we save a dying chili pepper plant by grafting?
I have a dying Jalapeno plant and I want to save the fruits that are already growing, can I use grafting procedure to save it from dying using a well grown Jalapeno plant.
1
vote
1answer
32 views
What is a suitable depth for planting bulb?
It always puzzle me when the website said we should put the bulb under soil about 2-3 bulb height.
For example, a nice post about planting Hyacinth recommends putting the bulb beneath the soil 5cm ...
2
votes
1answer
130 views
What is the best light spectrum for growing chili peppers?
Natural light is best for plants during all growth phases, but I'll be growing indoors, It's a good idea to have a basic understanding of the light spectrum and how it affects plant growth, in order ...
2
votes
1answer
59 views
Should I cut leafless stem off of plant?
I have a ( Indoor ) plant that has been drooping lately and its stems are long and touch the floor. I'm not sure if the stems are supposed to be stiff, or if that is just the way the plant is supposed ...
1
vote
1answer
106 views
Rock salt to kill weeds
I wanted to sprinkle rock salt around pool to kill weeds. Then put decorative stone on top. Will the rock salt affect my pool liner. I don't want to have the rock salt kill the weeds and destroy my ...
1
vote
2answers
43 views
Flowers to sustain long-duration of absence during winter and summer?
During xmess and summer, one needs to work elsewhere about 2-3 months. Flowers should not die during that time. What kind of flowers should one have and how should one keep them not to die? A lot of ...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
How can I make sure my seedlings don't die in summer?
I did a bad thing: I planted several punnets of seedlings in mid-summer.
It's been 5 days and many look like they're already dead. They are (or were) a small daisy-like ground cover. It's been hot ...
4
votes
1answer
65 views
Leafiest Tropical Tree
I currently live in tropical country Philippines and I would like to plant or graft the most leafiest tree serving 2 purpose; first to have a better shade, like I said we live in a tropical climate ...
