explanation of terms

QuestionWe are trying to grow impatiens from seed. We find instructions such as: fed from the time when the cotyledons are fully expanded to time of transplant at a rate of 50 to 75ppm nitrogen with a fertilizer su

Fertilizing plants

QuestionVisiting garden centers and home improvement centers we seem to be able to find mainly high phosphores fertilizers (15-30-15, 10-15-10) or balanced fertilizers. We are raising annual plants from seed indoor

Espoma plant tone or flower tone for annuals/begonias ?

QuestionRick, you answered a question for me recently on fertilizers and recommended either espomas plant tone or flower tone... I have visited espomas webpage and read about it .. it sounds just right.. what shoul

Prepaer soil for planting a fruit trees

QuestionHi Rick, I leave in Oacklieght, Melbourne. Id like to plant lemon, avocado and apricot trees. I bought a bag of chicken manure at the Banner Warehouse yesterday and salesmen told to dig a wide hole and empt

New landscaping bed preparation

QuestionHello, Im doing new landscaping at my house and have a question on preparing the bed. I ripped out all of the existing stuff and want to reshape the bed a little and build it up higher. I have a

doggy fertilizer

QuestionHello Rick- Thank you in advance for your time, I really appreciate it. I understand this might be an unusual question. We have two dogs that go a lot. I regularily scoop up the piles and bury them in our

Fertilizing acid loving plants

QuestionAfter fertilizing two shrubs, one a Niko Blue Hydrangea, and the other a PJM Rhododendrum, with Miracle Gros fertilizer for Acid loving plants, all the leaves (and flowers) died. According to the box, I was

seedling fertilizers

QuestionI am looking for an online source of seedling fertilizers (e.g. retailer). We are growing seeds indoor under flourecent lights and have sofar used the commercial 15-30-15 miracle grow diluted to seedlings st

Fertilizing Leyland Cyprus

Question Hi, I planted some Leyland Cyprus tress last fall. I used root stimulator when I set them out and again this spring. My question is. What type of fertilizer would be the best to use and wh

Lawn fertilizer and vegetables

QuestionGrand Rapids, MI (Calvin College) Dear Rick, For my intro biology class, I am supposed to determine how a lawn fertilizer with a 29-3-4 formula would affect each of the following garden vegetables if the fer

ash as a fertilizer

QuestionAn aquaintence of mine has begun using ordinary ash, which he gets out of his wood burning stove, as a fertilizer. He is using it on both on his grass and on his garden. Have you ever heard of such an applic

Chicken Manure

QuestionI live in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and would like to try using fresh chicken manure now on azaleas, hydrangeas, pansies and other shade plants. Is it advisable to do this in November and what are the pluses

High nitrogen content

QuestionI recently purchased a high nitrogen fertilizer and was going to put this on my evergreens (arbovite, pines, yews, junipers) and trees (oak, hickory)and ground cover (ivy, purple wintercreeper). Then my land

What Fertilizer to Use

QuestionI purchased a home on 1.5 acres that is on a well/septic system. My well goes down approximately 420 feet. What kind(s) of fertilizer can I use on my lawn that wont get into my well system? Also,

garden plants

QuestionMy bedding plants, such as panseys and petunias, have been in for a few weeks (hey, its already summer in Gulfport/Biloxi Miss) and they are growing like crazy ... but they are all going leggy or into vines

Roof garden fertilizer

QuestionI live in NYC and have 7 or 8 large pots and window boxes on the roof outside. I put in all new dirt last year mixed with some peat. I will be planting morning glories, impatiens and other easy t

Is Epsom Salts a good fertilizer for vegetables.

QuestionHi Bryan, I live in a suburb of Phoenix, Az. where the temp is now running in the 90s daily. I should have planted my garden in Jan., but didnt and finally p

Help

QuestionHi. I have dug up a small wild Spruce Tree and also a small wild White Burch tree for planting on my yard. The soil that they came out from was very moist soil (near a ditch) Id say 1/2 clay and

Citrus Trees

QuestionHi I have a problem with both a lemon tree and orange tree that I have at the opposite ends of my garden. Even though the trees are about 6 or 7 years old they are only about 1.5 meters high. My main problem

EVERGREEN - FERTILIZERS

QuestionHi Rick I have a large number of Hemlocks, I not sure why I purchased these but they are not easy to maintain. I use them to block a neighbors house but they dont grow very good, First, can you