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1500 questions
21
votes
3 answers
Rats have transferred poison into my compost. Is the compost usable on vegetables?
Delighted to observe that the rat poison we put down was disappearing.
Less delighted to find some weeks later that they had moved it all to a larder in the compost. The poison is Slaymore (as far as I understand it is a standard household rat…
Tea Drinker
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21
votes
1 answer
What is my citrus deficiency, based on leaf appearance? And how to treat?
In the images of my citrus below, you can see the leaves are paling towards the edges. What is the deficiency and how can I fix it? The soil is clay-dominated with some sand and coloured red, geologically ancient (Adelaide Plains, South Australia),…
Lisa
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20
votes
2 answers
Should I remove the dead flower heads from my hydrangea?
Earlier this year, I bought a hydrangea (from Ikea of all places!) and planted it out in the garden. It flowered nicely for a while, but the flowers have pretty much finished now and nearly all of the original leaves have withered.
New leaves are…
Mal Ross
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20
votes
6 answers
Is it possible to grow the corn kernels from commercial popcorn?
It doesn't seem like there's any process that would kill the kernels, as they're just being dried out. So would it be theoretically possible to grow the kernels into full corn plants? Would there be any difference between the kernels found in…
Throsby
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20
votes
1 answer
What is the proper way to prune a Fig Tree?
I have a fig tree that is 5-10 years old. Currently I just remove the dead branches. What is the proper technique for fig pruning?
asalamon74
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20
votes
5 answers
What happens if you plant lettuce in hot weather?
For whatever reason my lettuce (except for the mustard) in my mesclun mix didn't take this year. I'm about ready to rotate in something else, but I'd really like a decent crop of lettuce.
I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be able to plant…
Peter Turner
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20
votes
2 answers
What kind of plant/mushroom is this?
Two days ago I noticed this thing growing semi-covered in my garden near a grapevine:
As you can see, it was light purpalish - light pinkish kind of colour. On touch it was a bit soft, and the diameter of the whole thing was not more than 5-8cm.…
nettle
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20
votes
6 answers
How can I get rid of mint?
I planted mint in my garden a few years ago and it turned out to be a mistake. I should have grown it in a container.
I've been pulling out mint each year but can't get rid of it, so I dug up the wooden barrier surrounding the garden, and found mint…
Reactgular
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20
votes
5 answers
What can I grow in a sealed office environment with no natural light or airflow?
Can ANY plant with green foliage survive in a sealed office environment with fluorescent lighting from 8am to 5:30pm and air conditioning set at 20 C (for the remaining time, there is basically zero light and limited air flow)?
We have a very…
Lisa
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20
votes
3 answers
What is the point of a greenhouse?
How does putting my plants in a greenhouse help them grow? Is it purely to shield them from cold weather, or are there other benefits?
Dan
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20
votes
2 answers
Why don't my radishes swell up?
When I grow radishes, I find that some of them don't swell up to form the globe I expect; instead the root stays thin. These are planted in the same bed and at the same time as radishes that do swell. I believe I'm doing everything right:…
Niall C.
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20
votes
4 answers
How do I grow chilis in limited light?
I have been growing a few varieties of chili pepper (incl. Scotch Bonnets) in my garden since April (Spring). Due to trees, other houses, etc., they only get about 6 hours of direct sunlight a day.
Is this amount of sunlight sufficient? Is there…
Dan
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20
votes
2 answers
Will dumping paint destroy a nearby tree?
One of my neighbors complained that another neighbor killed a tree in front of her home by dumping paint in the soil. (Never mind that his trees are fine and there seems no way the paint could be transported from in front of his house to the soil…
Jon 'links in bio' Ericson
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20
votes
1 answer
How do I start an oak tree from an acorn?
I have a lot of acorns on my lawn from a red oak tree. I would like to start a new tree from an acorn and I was wondering what I can do to ensure success. What should I look for in an acorn, for example, cap on / cap off? How deep should I plant…
uncle brad
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20
votes
3 answers
Is it OK to put moldy fruits and vegetables in the compost heap?
One of my frequent sources of material in my compost heap (I'm just getting into it lately) is kitchen scraps. My wife, bless her, has good intentions for eating more fruits and vegetables, but iffy execution, which means every few weeks, I wind up…
Sean Duggan
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