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Gardening and Landscaping Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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2 answers

Nothing will grow where tree was

Back in the spring we cut down a fruitless mulberry and hired someone to come grind the stump. When they were leaving they informed me that they poured a chemical into the hole where the remaining roots were to keep it finish killing the tree and…
Shane
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Insect infestation on my pepper plant, what do I do?

I have spotted that one - and only one - of my peppers plants has a number of small black flies of some type hanging around the soil. And while writing this I've just spotted that one (and only one!) of the leaves has what I guess might be aphids on…
DMA57361
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Garden Hoses: how safe are they?

After noticing that some garden hoses carry a warning, "Not to be used for drinking water", I recently switched to one labelled "non-toxic". Does this only mean that the hose is lead-free, or also that it is free of the other chemicals in PVC that…
Mancuniensis
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How can I tell if my lawn needs to be dethatched?

I understand that a lawn may need to be dethatched periodically so the roots of the grass can reach into the soil (instead of into the thatch layer). How do I tell if my thatch layer is getting too thick? (Preferably before the lawn starts to look…
myron-semack
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What is the functional difference between cow manure and sheep manure?

I know that they come from different sources, but is there a reason to prefer one over the other? Are they appropriate for different tasks?
Chris Cudmore
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How should I use corrugated cardboard for mulch?

I tend to have a lot of corrugated cardboard boxes laying around, due to getting various things shipped to my house. I have heard of using cardboard for a mulching material, but I'm not sure exactly how to do it (maybe I'm overthinking things). …
baka
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Why is it a problem to use manure as a fertilizing amendment over the long term?

I had my soil tested last fall. As part of the submission I checked the box that said I use manure as a soil amendment / fertilizer. In the results from the lab, they included a note that said that manure is a good source of many necessary…
bstpierre
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How often should I harvest herbs?

I have a few herbs growing hydroponically (basil, chives, cilantro) that are about 4 weeks old. Right now they are about 4-5" tall and have a health glow and smell to them. The herbs are being held at a continuous temperature, light, and nutrient…
WienerDog
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Starting tomato from seed

We are wanting to grow tomato plants from seed this year. We've not done this before, so we have some questions. How big should the containers be that we start the seeds in? How long should they be in the containers before they get transferred…
David Oneill
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Should I insulate my compost heap?

I understand that compost heaps have an ideal temperature for the bacteria to decompose the material into compost. Living in the changeable Great Britain, the weather can be windy, rainy, sunny and dry within a single day. Given this changeability,…
Paul Turner
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Why won't my venus fly trap eat?

Today I finally caught my Venus Fly Trap in the act, or rather caught this snap of the bug relaxing on the trap. The plant just won't eat. It may have been on a local store shelf for a while (instruction sheet says source is http://flytraplady.com/…
Erik Olson
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What is the right way to pick peppers so the plant keeps producing?

Does it matter where on the stalk you cut or remove the fruit off the plant so that you don't suck away its future earning potential? Let's take the photo here, of a Cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum), where the chilli is now ripe and ready to burn up…
Eight Days of Malaise
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What do purple tomato leaves mean?

Sometimes the leaves of the tomato seedlings we grow in pots gain a purplish shade on the bottom; the plants themselves (don't know if this is a coincidence) also seem to turn out stockier, shorter, and thicker in the end, and curl a bit. Does the…
Vervious
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How do I go about planning the layout of a sprinkler network for my lawn?

There are several great questions and helpful guides on lawns and lawn-repair on this site. Since it's the lawn laying season now, I've started thinking about laying a sprinkler network prior to sodding because it's easier to do so now than after…
Lorem Ipsum
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How to fill low spots over existing grass in my yard?

I read this question and it made me think of what I need to do this weekend. But I have these questions: If I've got a few holes - maybe a place where a bush was dug out and the ground eventually settled and every time I mow over it I scalp the…
Peter Turner
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