Question: I have a black plastic tumbler-style composter. Is it safe to keep outdoors in the winter? It has a lot of “debris” inside that isn’t quite ready for spreading in the garden…can I keep all of that in the composter over the winter? Is there a risk of freezing and the plastic cracking? Should […]
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Question: I planted a Japanese Maple / Acer in the summer. In early October, I noticed that the leaves were drying out on the end and curling in. It lost most of its leaves without ever turning red or orange by late October. How can I revive it or is this normal for a younger […]
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Question: Is there any way to safely compost without attracting bears? I live in an area known to have bear traffic and am looking for advice on ways to compost without drawing their attention. Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional I don’t have any direct experience with the problem (our bears went after the […]
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Question: I am planning a new home flower and vegetable garden and am wondering if it would be better to use rainwater rather than city water? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional Neither is bad, but the answer depends on which plants you want to grow, what your budget/available workload is, and your perspective. […]
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Question: I received my soil test back recently. I’ve had problems growing lettuce, carrots, kale, cabbage, etc. They start nicely, turn woody, and do not grow. The soil test indicates that there is above optimum organic matter. Why do you think my garden is not growing well? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional The […]
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Question: It is now mid-October. Is it too late to transplant perennials or plant shrubs or trees? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional At this point, it’s probably better to wait until spring. Transplants typically need about 4-6 weeks to reestablish their root systems, and if that doesn’t happen before the ground freezes the […]
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Question: When is the best time to prune beach roses? We have a row of one and two-year-old bushes which have put out a lot of suckers and tall new growth. We are hoping for a wild-looking hedge. Also, the hips all turn black a short time after turning red. Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture […]
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Question: How do I kill off artillery fungus? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional The solution to artillery fungus (Sphaerobolus spp.) is to remove the source of the ongoing infection–typically, mulch, compost, old wood shingle siding, any kind of decaying organic material. I would prune out heavily affected plant material (removing the deposits usually do more damage […]
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Question: I am looking to start a flower garden and wanting advice on size, seed and what to plant. Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional The UNH Extension has a great resource for homeowners on controlling crabgrass, including a nice summation of the corn gluten situation: Now that our growing season is winding down, this […]
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Question: What are the current thoughts on using corn gluten to discourage crab grass? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional The UNH Extension has a great resource for homeowners on controlling crabgrass, including a nice summation of the corn gluten situation: “Some gardeners swear by the use of corn gluten as an organic pre-emergent herbicide, […]
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