Question: What type of soil should I layer on top of my asparagus bed? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Community Education Assistant Asparagus crowns should be planted in a pre-dug furrow and covered with light, sandy (and therefore well-draining) soil so that water doesn’t accumulate at the roots and shoots can easily penetrate the surface. If the […]
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Question: In the spring, I bought three hollyhocks from a reputable greenhouse and planted them near my deck. They were all the same size, and had a well-developed root system when I planted them. The tag that came with them said that each of them was a perennial. The one that bloomed was labeled alcea […]
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Question: I picked pods from a Hosta plant last fall. I planted the seeds in early February. I have been taking care of them indoors but also have some outdoors in a container that are equally as small. I wanted to know – why are these plants still so small? Is there something I can […]
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Question: I have just purchased a home and it already has four small raised beds in the front yard. I am new to home gardening, but I would love to get these ready for next planting/growing season. Is there anything special that I should be doing now in order to prepare for the spring (which […]
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Question: Hello, I am looking for an expert to come to my house and tell me what is wrong with both my raised beds and flower gardens. I’ve been trying to have raised beds for six years and am at my whits end. I’ve built a hügelkultur, pulled it all out, added new soil, kept […]
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Question: I was recently blessed with a load of wood chips. Mostly pine, but there is also some cherry. I will be using this material in my garden. My online search does not give an answer re: how long it takes for the “cyanide” to break down in the wilted cherry leaves/fruit/stems. I have chickens […]
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Question: My cats use feline pine cat litter (pine pellets that break down slowly into sawdust). I’m wondering, if we separate out the feces, if it’s safe to use the sawdust that has some cat urine in it in the base of a Hugelkultur mound. Are there zoonotic diseases that we should be worried about? […]
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Question: When using the solarization method, do you need to clear the dead grass and roots before planting in the area? Answer: Katherine Garland, Horticulturist If you have live roots in that area, I would highly recommend keeping the cover on until those are completely killed off or make the effort to remove them by […]
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Question: We are overwhelmed with zucchini and summer squash! Can I freeze either or both for winter use in soups, etc? If so, how do I prepare them — just cut up or dice and put in freezer bags, or otherwise? Answer: Rebecca Long, Sustainable Agriculture and Horticulture Professional You can definitely freeze zucchini and […]
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Question: I have transplanted flocks which had powdery mildew in its first garden to the second garden. In their second garden powdery mildew returned the following summer. I want to plan something different there next year. Do I need to do something to the soil to rid it of the powdery mildew fungus? Answer: Caragh […]
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