weed and grass killer

QuestionI am starting a new garden space. If I use the solution of vinegar, salt and dish soap to kill the grass and weeds will it sterilize the ground? AnswerHi Pat, I would leave out the salt. The vin

Turning pale

Question Pale Hi James, The attached pic is from my garden. The right side of the plant in the pic started turning pale a few months ago. It used to be the same color you see in the left part of the pic. Wha

from curb to sidewalk...lawn and weeds overfertilized?

QuestionCan you give me the contact info for the closest, cheapest Soil Test. I live in Suffolk County on Long Island in New York. I put down new soil and seed last fall in area between sidewalk and street. &n

Motor oil saturated

QuestionWe recently moved into our house. We uncovered an unpleasant discovery. I am in the processing of removing soil that was saturated by motor oil. My question is, where or how do I get rid of the contaminated

Clay Soil

QuestionIve removed about a foot of yellow, gummy clay soil. Am going to till compost into the soil and top with the remainder of the compost. Is this the best way to break up this terrible clay issue? Thanks. Answ

Poor Drainage Area

QuestionHello James, We have an area that has poor drainage when it rains or in the early spring, then come late spring- fall, it is very dry with clay soil. My husband doesnt want to get into the work for a

Planting japanese maple in clay soil

QuestionQUESTION: Hi... I planted a japanese maple on the eastern side of our home in Georgia clay and made the hole 2-3 wide and the top of the root ball about even if an inch lower than the surrounding soil.

Dying White Ash tree

QuestionMy 20 yr-old White Ash was hit by a power tool when my fence was installed 4 years ago. About half of the tree bark near the ground was peeled off, the area that was hit by the power tool.That area is now ba

bush beans in peat

QuestionWe built a new garden and added a lot of peat. The bush beans are three inches tall and are curled up and rather dry looking. Could the soil be too acidic? Or could this be an insect problem? &nb

over watering

QuestionHi. I have a young privet hedge that I planted in the ground about eighteen months ago, after growing them in pots for about a year. I have given it plenty of care by watering every day. I have noticed the l

madagascar palm

Questionfor the past week the leaves started falling off in excess, usually I see 4-5 a week, now about 10 a day, this plant has 3 trunks and about 6 tall, soil is very alkaline, soil is moist. any suggestions Answ

christmas trees

Questionhi james, we are about to plant 20 acres of land with christmas trees but there isnt much soil on the land as it was a landfill site up to a few years ago, what can you suggest please, and what is the best t

Drainage behind retaining wall

QuestionA couple of months ago we had our backyard completely landscaped. It is a Large sloping property and it needed to be tiered twice. The landscaper only put a little drainage behind part of the lar

Small bugs in orchid medium

QuestionI just brought home a new orchid that looks very healthy and is loaded with buds. While inspecting the sphagnum that it was potted in I discovered very tiny whitish colored bugs living there. I dont think th

soil

QuestionQUESTION: Last fall I put cayenne pepper on my flower bed to keep the squirels from digging my crocus bulbs.. Now I have lost 2 seperate plantings of impatients in that bed. What can I do t

Oil in soil

Question25 years ago local heating oil company sprung a leak in their hose while delivering oil to me. Have planted grass 6-10 times since. Nothing seems to take. Affected area has now spread out over 250 sq ft. Kil

Killing a yuka

QuestionIn your opinion would spreading table salt be effective in killing yukas. I have several of these around and about my garden here in Southern Spain, and I want to kill them. This for me is both personal and

fine roots in soil

QuestionI have a fine root problem in my soil it prevents moisture from getting to the roots of my plants.I dig it up,but it comes back.How can I get rid of this problem? AnswerHi Anthony, I suspect what you are se

No lawn growth

QuestionI have tried to get my lawn to grow for 2 years now. We do have lawn in about 85% of the yard. But the other 15% no matter what I do grass will not grow. I have added to soil, re-seeded, and fertilized. What

soil issue

QuestionHi Jim, My sister has a raised vegetable garden and it hasnt been doing well for the past couple of years so she took the soil in to be tested. She was told it has a blight and was told to add sulfur to the