Marianne’s Responses
Is it best to till the soil before building a raised vegetable garden bed?
Posted by Anise | April 3, 2014I just relocated here Murfreesboro, TN and want to built a raised vegetable garden, do I have to till the ground under the frame?
Should I protect my vegetable garden from pesticides if it is planted near a commercial corn field?
Posted by Stacy Tucker | April 3, 2014I would like to plant a vegetable garden this year, but we moved to a new home and the only place to put a small garden is within 5-10 ft. of a corn field. Should I be concerned about the chemical overspray from the field to my vegetable garden? Would this be unsafe for our health?
Growing plumeria from a cutting in Florida
Posted by Alice Oliveri | April 3, 2014My friend gave me two cuttings from her frangipani plants. I am wondering how deep the root system is as I don't want to plant it to close to the house if it has a deep root system. Do you think they will do okay in the Ocala/Gainesville, Florida area?
Why isn’t my hydrangea bush blooming?
Posted by Joan Farrenkopf | April 3, 2014I have a hydrangea bush which is about 7 years old. Every year the leaves look very healthy on it, but it doesn't produce flowers! 2 years ago I finally got 1 flower and last year it produced 2 flowers only. It does get a lot of sun and I tried shading it a little in the afternoon, last year. ...
When and how to prune a cornus stolonifera
Posted by Ruth Kaplan-Kramer | April 2, 2014I have a yellow-twig dogwood that looks more like a tree than a shrub. I would like to cut it back but I'm not sure where to make the cuts. I believe this is the right time of year to prune it. I want to cut back the height and width because it is too big for its location.
Cabbage and cut worm identification and elminiation
Posted by Stan Weimer | April 2, 2014For the last two years all my broad leaf vegetables get a tiny caterpillar worm destroying the above ground leaves. It's identifiable in the beginning stages with a light brown spot that grows in size until the whole leaf is destroyed. What is it & what procedure should I take to eliminate this from happening every season? Thanks, Stan
What compost and sand blend should I use to plant a new lawn in the Northwest?
Posted by tnatripp | April 1, 2014We divided our front yard with a rockery because it was pretty steep and the grass died every year because of drainage. We live in Enumclaw and I'm wondering what your thoughts are for materials for planting new grass. We will be over seeding about half and adding new lawn on the other half. I've been looking at the compost/sand ...
Best soil for flower gardens, and when to plant flowers and herbs in Kentucky
Posted by lisa kindall | March 30, 2014I recently moved to western Kentucky - Murray - from the frigid north of Minnesota. I moved into a house that has a fairly large patch of un-sodded lawn that gets a nice amount of sun. I am excited to plant a flower garden after living with so much snow and ice. 1. when should I prepare the soil? 2. ...
How much room do hydrangea bushes need?
Posted by Marybeth Brown | March 29, 2014I am creating a planting area along the house where I would like to plant hydrangeas. How wide should it be?
Suggestions for heat and cold resistant potted trees for an apartment in Seattle
Posted by lindadike | March 29, 2014Hello Marianne, Our daughter and son-in-law just purchased a condo in downtown Seattle with a fairly large lanai for city property. As a house warming gift we would like to purchase a large colorful pot and was wondering what your suggestion would be for a tree that would stay rather small or a shrub or other plantings that would make ...
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