Question: What would be a good ground cover companion for lilac? Our lilacs are on the west side of the house so there is only partial sun. Right now the area is beset by Dame’s rocket, goutweed, and sunchokes. I’m trying to weed them out and will need to replace them. What might be best? […]
Read more
Question: Bishop’s weed is a battle here. What can be done? The entire property is bordered with it and it tries to creep into lawn and other areas. I try to pull it, weed wack, mow and do some occasional chemical spray. I would like to come up with a game plan to fight it […]
Read more
Question: I have a pest(s) that not only eating my tulips bulbs but other perennials. They even have eaten one of my tomato plants recently. I also noticed that whatever is in my back yard its “stripping” the bark from my cedar trees and has made a giant nest on the top of one of […]
Read more
Question: I have a pine tree that I planted 20 years ago. What would make it die and turn orange in a weeks time? Everyone says salt from the roads but why don’t the other trees in the area turn that quickly? Or at all? It was beautiful and lush on Mother’s Day. I had […]
Read more
Question: I have a newly constructed house that’s surrounded by bulldozed land with a 15% – 20% grade that is mostly gravel and clay. I want to plant a cover crop to enrich the soil and prevent erosion while I plan what to do with the property. I’m thinking of buckwheat which will die back […]
Read more
Question: I have four creeping Phlox plants that were planted in the spring of 2023 and grew well. They looked good this spring until about 7-10 days ago when all four almost died overnight. The middle of the plants appear dead. There is some very little life at the very edges. These plants are in […]
Read more
Question: I grow vegetables in a field via direct seeding or transplants. I have noticed that when I try to plant I have a lot of clumps. When I squeeze the clumps, they break down easily into small granules. I need to add additional soil to to my growing area. My choices are loam, compost […]
Read more
Question: I’m conditioning hay bales for planting. They have had three doses of Urea @ 1/2 C./bale, and 3 doses of Urea @ 1/4 C./bale. Bales are now on day ten. They are well watered. Today, I saw one source that recommended 2 C./lime/bale. So, I added that before checking to see what other sites […]
Read more
Question: Is it safe to grow milkweed over a septic drain field? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Home Horticulture Outreach Professional As much as we love milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) for its attractiveness to pollinators (not to mention monarch butterflies), I believe I would hold off on growing it over your leach field. As you probably know from your question, […]
Read more
Question: I am in charge of watering a newly established native bush and tree garden. I know that I should water if we do not receive 1 inch of rain per week. I have been trying to understand your native plant bulletins, but they are not all that easy. Many note that I should add […]
Read more