Question: I had a quite a lot of moss growing in my raised beds. I’m sure the heavy rain didn’t help. I am going to get the soil tested. What is the best course of action for the moss—remove it or dig it under? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional You’re absolutely right that […]
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Question: I have been using landscape cloth to reduce the weeds in my garden. I have been reading that this material is not good and that there are better alternatives but I haven’t seen what the alternatives are. Are there better alternatives and if so, what do you recommend? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach […]
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Question: I have recently discovered what I believe to be jumping worms in my compost pile. I am very concerned about my plants and soil. How much damage can I expect and is there anything I can’t do to mitigate? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional The Asian jumping worm is rapidly becoming quite a headache for […]
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Question: I’d like to put in a Redbud tree. The tree in question is now in a large pot, but the branches are devoid of leaves. I’ve always understood autumn is a great time to plant perennial shrubs and small trees. So… is it too late to plant this tree – there is a week […]
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Question: What are the best native ornamental grasses to plant on a septic drainage field in zone 5a/4b? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional As you may know, leach fields are specially engineered structures and care must be taken with anything planted on top of them, as deep root systems can clog, damage, or otherwise […]
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Question: Kousa dogwood trunk has peeling yellow spots and bark. I read that this can happen when temps drop. Should I be concerned about anything else possibly causing this? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) tends to develop this peeling, patchwork pattern to the bark as it matures–in fact, many […]
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Question: I have 1,000′ of rocky shore and would like to plant flowering, ground-cover seeds on the spots with soil. Native plants would be best. There are birches and spruce growing in spots. Answer: Lynne Holland, Horticulture Professional Planting 1000 ft of shoreline is no small project and native plants are the best way to […]
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Question: I have several nine bark shrubs planted beneath large pine trees. I usually rake up the pine needles around them in the fall, leaving compacted dirt. The dirt produces weeds throughout the summer. I was wondering if it would be okay to leave the pine needles as mulch around them, thus inhibiting weed growth. […]
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Question: I have tried to reseed the bare spots in my lawn with little success. I looked online at winter seeding a lawn (Dec.-Feb.) and it shows a germination rate of up to 75% in the spring. Is this something that would work in our zone? If so, what seed mix/manufacturer would you recommend? Answer: […]
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Question: I grow Juliet tomatoes each year primarily for fresh eating and freezing for sauce. This year I planted late due to weather. Of interest, I use no chemicals/sprays etc, only addition is bone meal. My question is…what is causing black spots and are they safe to freeze/ process? Should I treat the soil in […]
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