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Q: I am having a hell of time with my horse tails in my garden beds. Last year I only had a few, and I dug them out, this year they are all over the place in between my perennials. Please help!!! I am sure you must have a solution.
A: Horsetails or mare's tail infestations are a battle to get under control. Their roots are extensive and you'll never pull the whole root out, you will only pull some of it out and the rest will remain under the soil ready to branch out and multiply the problem.
You have only 2 real effective options.
Smothering them is not an option as they'll grow underground until they find and opening. They store a lot of sugar within their root system and can travel quite a distance looking for light.
Your first option although not an organic or natural means is still safe when used as recommended. Creeping buttercup killer is a product made by Later's and when sprayed thoroughly on the horsetail it will kill off all above ground growth. 2 to 3 applications within spring and early summer should dramatically have your problem under control. You can spray around perennials and shrubs and hedging. Just try to direct the spray to the horsetail only as it will burn your perennials.
Option 2 is a little more labour intensive. The best tool for this job is a scuffle hoe. It's a straight edge hoe that just cuts weeds off just below the soil surface. You can quickly cover a large area as you're simply pushing the hoe under the soil surface. If you were to do this once every 2 weeks in March and April, once every week in May and June, your problem will be for the most part solved. Horsetail like any plant needs sunlight. If it doesn't get sunlight to recharge its batteries (reload the sugars within its root system) then it will have no energy to grow. Basically anytime you see a sprout growing, chop it off and you will win the war.
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Q: The crows have dug up our lawn.I understand theres is a spray available....... What is it and when should it be done. before or after re seeding some areas? and can we do this ourselves. thank you for you advice.
A: The crows are after the chafer beetle larvae. A very large grub and quite a crow and raccoon delicacy. They're ripping through your turf to get to them. It may be too late to do anything about them now. In fact the crows will have probably eliminated the majority of them from your lawn. To prevent the problem in the future consider a mid-summer application of Nematodes. A microscopic worm looking thing that when released (5 million of them per package) they will search out and destroy any larvae from newly hatched eggs.
The European Chafer completes a life cycle in one year. Eggs hatch around mid-July, and the grubs molt twice over 8 weeks. The mature grubs are well adapted to cool moist conditions and feed all fall. During the winter they dig down during periods of freezing conditions, but otherwise remain within 5 cm of the surface. They feed in the spring until April when they become pupae. Adults emerge in late May, fly to nearby deciduous trees to mate and feed, and subsequently females deposit up to 50 eggs each. I hope all this info helps. You can use a grub out insecticide on your lawn to control most other lawn grubs. That can be done at any time. You now have to pack your lawn down, level with some fresh soil and sand, and re-seed with a quality west coast lawn seed. I would suggest the Art Knapp brand, "first impression" as it is a medium blade lawn that will match most existing lawns. That as well can be done now through June.
Q: This year we hired a fellow to do the 'bull' work for us in the yard. He took it upon himself to kill the moss and applied some kind of awful stuff which turned all the moss black. He assured me it would disappear in no time. Then he applied another treatment. Now, not only the moss but most of the grass is black - our yard looks like a war zone. I'm sick about it. It was some kind of sulfur compound he applied. By the way, the very day he applied the first treatment, I heard you on CKNW discussing this very thing and you said there is no need to apply moss killer; to aerate, sand and feed the grass for a healthy lawn. Too late! What should I do (besides fire the hired help!)?
A: Controlling moss in lawns.
Moss is an ongoing problem in Metro Vancouver and Island lawns due to the fact that we receive so much rainfall on a continual basis particularly though the winter months. Moisture filtering through our lawns and soil slowly assists in lowering the soil ph which is detrimental to a healthy lawn. Moist conditions and low ph make for perfect conditions for moss to thrive. Organic Lime is essential on an annual basis at any time of the year as part of the moss control process. Lime will correct the low ph of the soil.
The next step and usually applied in the spring months is a moss control product. Use a moss control product containing the safe to use Ferrous Sulphate (iron) to kill moss. After it turns black and dies the moss will dehydrate and pull away from the lawn making it easy to rake out. Once the dead moss is removed you should immediately fertilize the lawn area as now that the moss is no longer competing for the space the lawn roots will start to send out new growth. Having nutrition available will assist in the healthy recovery of the lawn. Additionally aerating the lawn and top dressing with a course sand every second or third year will help to strengthen a lawn and reduce annual moss infestation.
Q: How do I get rid of black moss on the leaves on my Camelia and other shrubs.
A: The mossy looking black growth is actually sooty mold. This mold grows on the excretion of insects, (usually aphid derived) left behind usually on the upper sides of leaves. Firstly, you should ensure that you've eliminated the insect otherwise the problem will simply continue. Often the black sooty mold will wear off over time by rain and the elements. You can also spray a solution of dish detergent mixed with water over as much of the plant as you can and with a soft brush or broom try to wipe/brush off some of the mold. This will be very beneficial to the plant. Keep an eye out for insects like aphids or scale through the pre-summer growing months and eliminate to ensure the problem is kept in check. A natural product like Safer's Trounce is a great means of killing off most insects that might attack a Camellia.
Home Grown Always The Best!
Why would you want to grow your own vegetables and herbs?
*Cost- whether you start from seed or from started plants, your home grown veggies will cost less than the produce you buy at the supermarket. Having said that it is important to chose which veggies to grow in the space you havejust because you can grow a multitude of... [read more]
Success in the Shade
Thinking beyond Hostas and Ferns
Some of my favourite places in my garden are the shady ones. There is a sense of peacefulness and calm in the coolness under the trees. In part that sense of calm has been brought about by accepting the limitations and adaptations that are necessary to achieve any degree of gardening success in shady areas. [read more]
Treat Yourself to a Little
Pot of Herbs
It's one of the easiest and most rewarding spring projects you can do.
By Steve Whysall, Vancouver Sun April 23, 2010
Vegetable gardening is huge, but so is interest in growing herbs, especially in a pot by the kitchen door. [read more]
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MOSS CONTROL QUESTIONS
PLANTS THAT ATTRACT HUMMINGBIRDS
Abelia grandiflora 3-6 ft. Abelia is a very durable and adaptable shrub with dense, glossy
dark green foliage. It produces hundreds of 1 funnel shaped flowers from early summer until the first frost.
Aster novae-angliae 12-24 Asters grow into a dense mound of light green foliage. In May and through June, the plant will become covered with soft, 1 1/2 white, purple, pink or red flowers.
Azalea Rhododendron 1-8 ft. Azaleas must be grown in an acid soil, with a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. The buds for next years blooms will be formed this year, so it important that the faded blooms are removed
Bearded Iris Iris germanica 6-48 Bearded Iris are a rhizomous type of Iris should be planted fertile, well drained soil where they will receive 5-8 hours of sun each day. They are available in almost every color imaginable.
Bee Balm Monarda didyma 2-4 ft. Like other members of the Mint Family, Bee Balm can become invasive. The plant should be divided every 3 years to keep it tidy. Stimulate a second flowering in the same year by cutting the bright crimson flowers right after they bloom
Bougainvillea 2-15 ft. Bougainvilles produce some of the showiest display of colors of all vines. Most cultivars have an upright growth habit, but there are many shrubby varieties and creeping types as well
Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii 6-15 ft. The Butterfly Bush is a fast growing, profuse blooming, deciduous shrub that will grow in almost any type of soil. Prune hard in early spring and remove spent flowers promptly.
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