Flower beds after landscape rock removal

QuestionAfter 12 years weve removed the landscape rock and cloth from the flower/shrub beds. The soil is like cement and the roots of the established plants that we want to keep are on the surface. How d

Soil mold

QuestionHello James, I have written you before about this issue and tried the things you told me to do but nothing has worked. I kept getting a white mold growing on top of the soil in my houseplant pots. My house i

dying plants

QuestionI have several annual flower beds and all do fine except one. For the past few years any annuals I have planted there have slowly died. It starts with one plant and then moves on to others. I know there is n

acid soil what to plant

QuestionI have a black walnut tree and need some advice on what is best to plant under and around it. I know the soil is acidic and then there is the walnut falling factor in the fall. Help Thank You An

Recently Planted Trees

QuestionI live in Southern California, and have recently planted 10 carolina trees along the side of my property. They are about 8 feet tall, and are planted on ground that is surrounded by a two foot retaining wall

Clay soil question

QuestionI have noticed when I mow our lawn the soil is very hard. I have heard we have Clay Soil here on Long Island. My grass is ok, I do not use fertilizer or anything due to laziness, but I am wonderi

Honeybees and outdoor flea control

QuestionWe have a very small enclosed yard in Southern California that is infested with fleas. I recently adopted a 6 week old chihuahua mix puppy (2 1/2 pounds in weight). I really need to de-flea the b

plants will not grow in this area

QuestionHi, We have an area on one side of our house that will not let us grow anything. We planted Japanese evergreen(I think that is what they were called) last year and they all died. This year we planted lamium

Mushroom fungi growing on potted plant soil

QuestionI recently moved a giant split leaf Philodendron outdoors, into a dappled shade garden. Last week I checked it and the soil is solidly covered with small, whitish mushroom fungi. NASTY! Can I tre

potatoe problem

Question Dear James ,we have had extremely wet weather on lifting my early and second early potatoes they are covered in white nodules approx 1 mm in dia they rub off easily . does not seem to affect the skin thank

Help Me Improve My Soil Issue

QuestionI think my front lawn have the worse soil in my subdivison.I dont understand why my lawn is so dry and not healthy.I water my lawn everyday but it is not really working.I need some help to make it rich and h

creating well draining soil in a raised bed

QuestionQUESTION: I am going to construct a raised bed for perennials. Before deciding how high I want to make the bed,Id like to know approximately how far the roots extend down into the soifor a typical perennial

Bringing in Topsoil on top of brown clay

QuestionQUESTION: I was curious if it would be worth the money to bring in topsoil for my land. I have have about 1 acre of land. I have been told that there is no need to bring topsoil in, Then others tell me to br

Tree Roots

QuestionI recently purchased a home. The back yard seems to have had a one time a number of trees. The previous owners must have had them removed and some of the stumps grounded down. The issues I have is that my ba

amend subsoil

QuestionAfter having numerous tree stumps removed I am left with lovely subsoil in my side yard. While at a chain garden store I ran across two lilac bushes, one common purple and the other some sort of French Lilac

Preparing clay for flower/shrub bed

QuestionI removed a large area of grass in my backyard in preparation for planting a garden in the round if you will. After removing the grass I am left with brown clay. Aside from tilling this area up (southern ex

Soil Preparation

QuestionQUESTION: We live in northest PA. My plot is now a weed infested lawn. I want to plant an organic vegetable garden and am willing to begin composting. We also have some hedge and tree roots to deal with. W

sandy soil

QuestionWhat will grow in sandy soil? Its dry and it seems like there is no.....majic in it. AnswerHiJessica, Just about anything if...you give it enough food and water. Mix some organic matter with the sand

Soil & Moss

QuestionHi James! I live in Los Angeles, and am finding that the soil in my flower beds get a sort of mossy grass-like coverage in them (almost has a dichondra feel, but finer). Is there anything bad about thi

soil fungus/mold

QuestionSame problem in MA as man in TN 7/5/07. I sprayed the yellow mound with my hose last week & the black powder came out. Today there are 3 more yellow mounds & the black powder from the 1st bursted mound is AL