Night soil?

QuestionHello James! I am concerned about the safety of my garden after reading about the spread of disease in Chinese agricultural fields where human feces is used as fertilizer. I remembered that, about a y

plants growing small

QuestionMy friends, my husband and I have planted a garden last year. We had an abundance of peppers, zucchini, eggplant, pumpkins. Unfortunately, everyone had a problem with tomatoes. This year, we have about

mushrooms

QuestionThere is a single, long, rust colored mushroom coming out in my back yard. If touched powder falls off. Is it poisonous AnswerHi Trevor, Making an identification of a mushroom without seeing it is tough and

Lawn: extensive tree roots

QuestionHello James, We are moving into a new house. There is a small back lawn. My husband was unable to accompany me when I chose the property and I as I am not the gardener, I did not realise that an

Soil fungus?

QuestionQUESTION: I am having a problem with my tomato plants and what I believe to be a soil fungus. I also seem to have developed an allergy to either this fungus or the vegetation in general. My skin has become v

soil type

QuestionWhat is ashy soil? AnswerHi Jo, Ashy soil is soil that was made from volcanic ash. Normally there are distinct layers, the top is usually black from high concentrations of humic compounds, deeper laye

Poplar

QuestionThere is a large poplar tree on my property that puts out a lot of suckers that come up through the lawn. The tree is not that old ans looks healthy so I have been told this is more of an inconveniance than

weird growth on soil

QuestionQUESTION: I have several areas where there is a dark green very hard growth on the soil. A sample was taken to our local Master Gardener site and they said they thought it was Liverwort. This has just

lawn

QuestionMy husband and I bought a house almost 3 years ago that has a very steep hill in the back yard that is mostly shade as our home backs up to a wooded area. We spend the last two years trying to get gras

8+ ph Alkaline soil

QuestionThe soil on our newly purchased land has a high alkaline pH, 8+ on a soil test kit - how can we properly prepare our soil for veggies, flowers, and trees? Neighbors say use Gypsum - Ive read articles t

DIRT LEVEL AGAINST CONCRETE

QuestionBY CODE, HOW MANY INCHES OF CONCRETE FOUNDATION MUST BE SHOWING BETWEEN DIRT LEVEL AND THE START OF THE SIDING? WE HAVE HAD DIRT RUN OFF FOR YEARS WHICH HAS PILED UP AGAINST THE FOUNDATION AND NOW ONLY ABOUT

Plants Died, Replacements Didnt Work

QuestionDear Expert, We live in Northern California. There were 10 Italian cypress trees in a row, in the south side of the backyard, along the wood fence as a screen when we moved into this residence. They are not

MY pyramidal cedars seem to be dying

QuestionI bought 9 4ft high cedars at the first of august on sale I planted as required and watered regularly now I am noticing that they are starting to turn brown in the middle on all the trees is this

difficult soil

QuestionI have a flower bed that I have been planting for about 15 years now. the problem is that the soil in this bed is filled with thin root like strings that make it very difficult to dig and seem to stunt growt

dying tree and hydrated lime

QuestionI have been pumping water out of the crawl space under my house every winter for the past 4 years. Obviously I have a drainage and grade problem but now the front vegetation is dying back. I have

foundation dirt, plants, etc

QuestionHi Jim, I had a small retention wall built around the foundation of my house, and i need to add dirt to this area. Actually I have one on each side of my entrance door. I was quoted $150.00

Bone Meal

QuestionDear Mr. Crowder, It has been recommended to me to use bone meal when planting cacti. I purchased Miracle Grow bone meal for this purpose, however it is noted on the bag that it is for outdoor use. Is th

white fungus in flower bed

Questionwho i can rid of white powder in my soil. it is eating the roots of my plants and it is rotating the stamp and killing all my plants. please i need the solution. AnswerHi Ishrat, Most soil fungi is benefic

Yellowing leaf of gardenia

Questiongardenia leaves QUESTION: Hi Mr.Crowder, Several bottom leaves of my gardenia are yellowing. I did not change the soil & pot for close to a year since I bought the plant. How should I

Is my orchid healthy?

QuestionOrchid roots QUESTION: Hi Mr. Crowder, Im from Singapore. Ive attached an image of my orchid. Are the roots healthy? The lower leaves are shrivelled though. I would mist the roots in the mor