biodiversity

Questionusing simple wording can you please explain what bio diversity is and how it can be applied to gardening AnswerBIODIVERSITY is the range of living things in an environment, from the smallest microscopic bei

inter relationships

QuestionUsing simple wording and terms could you please explain why inter-relationships between living organisms are important in organic horticulture? AnswerHi Jen ... Sorry for the delay in answering. I hav

Nematode information for Japanese beetles

QuestionDear Mack Jean, Firstly let me say, thank you for being there. It must be very time consuming, and I am grateful for your help. My problem involves Japanese beetles. I have been gardening for ten years and w

soil building

QuestionFirst of all, thank you for your time. I live in Cental Texas, my soil is a couple of different kinds. First I have a sandy loam topsoil with alot of sand in places. Then I have red dirt, the type used to pu

organic composting

QuestionWhile I live in Scotland, UK I would be interested to know about the US organic certification particularly with composting. Is it acceptable to use horticulture materials inclusive of peat, hydrogels,

mold on organic fertilizer

QuestionHi. I have been trying to make my own organic fertilizer. It contains worm castings, guano and humate. After a few days it smells musty and looks like little white mold spots appearing on t

Gardening over grass

QuestionMy husband and I are planning to start an organic garden in our back yard, but right now we have grass there. What steps do we need to take to remove the grass and begin our garden, without having the

composting

QuestionHello, My husband and I have begun taking steps towards composting and we were wondering... once we begin a pile are we not supposed to add anything else to that pile, or can we begin a small pile and then

green bean/wax bean bugs...ARGH!

QuestionQUESTION: I have planted a garden every year for 10 years now and fought the normal pests along the way...and won every time. I am at a loss now because the last 2 years Ive had a strange new bug emerge on m

Miracle grow

QuestionDoes Miracle-grow make an organic for vegatables and where in Missouri can I buy it?? thanks Pete AnswerYes. Scotts Miracle-Gro Miracle-Gro?Organic Choice?All Purpose Plant Food is one of their prod

nettig for blueberries

Questionyears ago I had a netting to cover my blue berries..kept out birds, heavy rain, high winds..think may have been tobacco netting.Cannot find it....do not need huge quantity.....need 30x60 only....do no

supplements

QuestionAre fish emulsion and liquid seaweed good enough for my vegetable garden? the soil has a good base of organic matter and I have been using cow manure up til last year. (ithink i asked this before, but dont h

corn gluten meal

QuestionI understand you can fertilize established plants with cgm and you can not apply it on newly seeded plants, but what restrictions are there on applying it around newly planted vegetables like tomatoes and pe

soil pH

QuestionQUESTION: What is the best way to lower pH? Mine is neutral at 7.5. I want to plant vegetables, raspberries, blackberries,asparagus, blueberries and apples. My zone is 8 so any information you can give me I

Is my organic potting soil really organic?

QuestionIm am on a request to have a completely natural, chemical-free garden. Because of walnut trees, I am forced to do container gardening. Im learning about composting, but ended up buying some Organic Miracle G

sugar as dollarweed killer

QuestionQUESTION: i read that granulated sugar will kill dollarweed. just to sprinkle it on and water it in. it is growing under trees i dont want to kill. will it kill only the dollarweed or other

manure

QuestionIf I get old manure from the farmer next store (cow) and want to use it on flower beds, how do I tell if it is old enough to not burn anything? it looks old and decayed but.............................

Buying compost.

QuestionJust wondering if there are any reliable businesses to buy tested, organic compost in DuPage County, Illinois. Trying to get our yard to be more hospitable to butterflies, hummingbirds, etc... Th

Vegetable Garden

QuestionI have started my first tomato, cucumber, and squash seedlings in peat moss filled with store bought potting mix. After 3 weeks the plants were looking great receiving ample light, heat and moisture. As I am

Sweet Corn

QuestionI planted sweet corn in successive plantings roughly 2 weeks apart. The second planting looks fine. The first is stunted and today I noticed corn silk growing out of the tip of the stalks. What might t