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1500 questions
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How can I grow herbs in my kitchen?

I am attempting to grow some herbs in my kitchen and I was wondering how frequently I should water them? Also my kitchen isn't the warmest so I am attempting to keep them near the radiator, is there anything else I can also do, e.g. insulate them or…
hmmmm
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How much fertilizer do I need for my vegetable garden?

Today I received the results for my garden soil test, which show that I have only 5 ppm of nitrogen. So my research (here, and elsewhere) has suggested that the best way to (organically) raise the nitrogen level is to add some blood meal. But how…
Flimzy
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How to crop rotate garlic?

I'm trying to come up with a suitable crop rotation regimen for garlic. What are the plants suitable for planting on the "garlic space" the second and third year of rotation? In particular I am interested in garlic-hemp (the one without psychedelic…
potato
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Do seeds require light indoors to germinate?

In general, do most seeds require/do better with bright light when germinating indoors? I am trying to germinate a variety of seeds indoors (basil, chives, spinach, pepper) and am curious if no lighting (just warmth) is sufficient or if it would be…
WienerDog
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9
votes
3 answers

London garden lawn and tree positioning

I have a west facing garden in London. The back of the garden gets sun from about 8/9am and the kitchen patio (you can just see the drainage at the bottom of the picture) gets sun from about 11am. The whole garden then gets sun apart from the left…
Joe
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9
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3 answers

What is this pungent plant with spikes of purple flowers?

This plant is flowering in our garden. The leaves are gray/green. It has small spikes of purple flowers all over, which are a few inches tall. It has a peculiarly rich smell which I rather love, but my son and wife think it stinks. She described it…
Aaron Brick
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9
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1 answer

How do I determine the proper way to drain a yard?

I have an issue with a small area of my lot collecting a couple inches of water pretty much any time it rains. It takes it a few days before the water finally evaporates or soaks into the yard. I have been trying to figure out the best way to deal…
Kellenjb
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9
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How I can persuade an olive tree to flower?

I have an olive tree that was a mail order gift about four years ago. Unusually for mail-order florist "living plant" deliveries, this one has survived more than a few months! It came with two olives on it to prove that it was an olive tree, but I…
winwaed
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9
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Are lichens healthy for trees?

I've always thought lichens were neutral to tree health, and I think they are attractive, but someone recently told me to get rid of them, because they will cause rot and harbor disease. Do they really do that? Is that why so many trees have hollow…
J. Musser
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9
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3 answers

Can I transplant the cucumbers in these pictures?

I have two cucumber plants in pots (pics below) the one in the terracotta pots is a type of slicing cucumber and the cream colored pot is pickling cukes. Neither are burpless. I read that moving and transplanting cucumbers can do a lot of damage…
Christy B.
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9
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3 answers

What can I plant to attract butterflies and other pollinators in Minnesota?

A lot of plants can pollinate themselves. Fruits: Tomatoes, Strawberries Vegetables: Peppers, Eggplant, Snap Beans, Lima Beans, Lettuce, Endive, Peas, Cabbage, Broccoli, Beets, Kohlrabi Other: Chicory, Oats, Wheat, Barley, Dill, Lentils Some…
9
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1 answer

Bee-attracting tall shrub with cones of tiny cream-white flowers in Colorado?

We live at 7000 feet and have a volunteer shrub that is over 6 feet tall. The flowers are about 1/4"-3/8"; cream/white colored; with 5 wee petals and a pale yellow, spikey center. Also, the flowers are clumped in cones of about 8 rows. The flowers…
RJo
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9
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What are my options for renting small amounts of land for outdoor gardening in an urban setting?

I live in a small apartment with small balconies. If I'm going to grow some veggies, I need more space! I tried my local community garden, but it has a 3 year waiting list.. Are there any other options out there for renting land on a small scale…
Shawn
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9
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1 answer

Is there a way to compost these spruce needles?

I have a pile of about 4 bushels of spruce needles, and want to use them. Is there a way to compost them to use on garden plants? Do I have to add lime or ashes or other alkaline material? I know I will have to add a lot of nitrogen.
J. Musser
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9
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Can I plant peas, green beans and lettuce this early?

The weather this year has been exceptionally mild here in northern Illinois, and I am thinking of planting my peas, green beans and lettuce in the next couple weeks. This is probably a full four weeks earlier than normal, but honestly, I don't think…
Dave Nay
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