Gardening and Landscaping Stack Exchange
Gardening and Landscaping Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
45
votes
6 answers

Crop rotation theory v. practice

Every guide to growing vegetables will have an early section on rotating roots, brassicas and legumes. There might even be a little diagram with neat evenly spaced and sized areas marked out for each group. It always sounds so simple in theory. But…
Tea Drinker
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5 answers

When should I pile more dirt onto a growing potato plant?

I've heard that I should be piling dirt onto my potato plants as they grow so that I end up with little mounds. My potato plants have started to poke through the surface. Should I totally cover them? By how much? What is the purpose of this,…
lukecyca
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2 answers

Does unused compost keep on getting better and better?

We have a compost bin to which I've been adding kitchen scraps (and some garden waste) over several years. I have never used the resulting compost (mainly because I have a ready supply of horse manure which is easier to work with). Why we still add…
Tea Drinker
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42
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5 answers

How do I encourage lawn seeds to germinate successfully?

I'm trying to repair some patches in my lawn with grass seeds, but I can't seem to get the seeds to germinate. Is there anything that can be done to encourage germination? In addition, the weather has been really changeable of late, so it's wet and…
Paul Turner
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41
votes
9 answers

How should I speed up the decomposition of sickly sweet smelling giant compost heap?

I have created a monster of a compost heap on my property (3 meters, by 2 meters, by almost 2 meters tall) next to an old granite rock wall. Anyway, I mostly put all my grass clippings (primary offended of volume of material) as well as leaves and…
Larian LeQuella
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40
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4 answers

How do I know when and how much to aerate my lawn?

I have a section of my lawn which seems prone to standing water, grass that doesn't grow very quickly, and seems very hard-packed. I think it's probably in desperate need of aeration. What is the proper way to know when and how much to aerate? Also,…
JYelton
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39
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9 answers

Is rain water better than tap water for plants?

Is it better to water your plants with rain water collected in water butts? I mean is that better than water straight from the tap? And is it just a matter of temperature (presumably plants don't like to be soaked with very cold water (as mains tap…
Tea Drinker
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39
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16 answers

Is it possible to kill a large area of weeds organically/naturally?

We've got a ~4500sq/ft back yard that's probably 90% weeds. Is there an organic/natural way to kill off all the weeds so we can start from scratch? With kids and dogs and a swimming pool right beside the area, I'd really rather not spray a ton of…
Shpigford
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39
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6 answers

How do I work with soil that has a high clay content?

The clay content in my garden soil is rather high. Tilling it is a royal pain, especially if there is even the slightest hint of moisture in the soil. It just turns into big sticky clumps instead of nice fine dirt. Needless to say, this is less than…
gnovice
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17 answers

What is the best organic way to defeat slugs?

Most of the seedlings I have planted out this year have been eaten by slugs within a day. I have my final two runner bean plants that need to go out. How can I prevent these from being the next feast for the slugs? I don't want to use chemicals so…
Mongus Pong
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37
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10 answers

What is an effective organic pesticide to use against aphids or cabbage loopers?

I have a vegetable garden that bugs just love. Since my family is going to eat these vegetables (and I'd prefer that the bugs do not), what organic pesticide is most effective? The main culprits are aphids and cabbage loopers (or inch worms) though…
Michael Todd
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37
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9 answers

What's the best mulch material for a vegetable garden?

I want to lay mulch down around my already established plants to help retain moisture and discourage weeds. Is there a recommended material for this? Or at least some materials I should know to avoid? Update: The choices I'm looking at right now…
Shane
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36
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9 answers

What are some natural ways of killing ground ivy (creeping charlie)?

We have ground ivy (creeping charlie) that is trying to take over our back yard. We are against using pesticides, as we have a young son. Are there natural/organic ways of beating it (other than just painstakingly pulling it all out)?
David Oneill
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36
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7 answers

What is a good grass replacement plant?

I don't like mowing my lawn. Is there a grass replacement plant which: looks like grass, one can step on it, does not need mowing?
asalamon74
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35
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7 answers

Are household LED bulbs suitable as supplemental light for plants?

I live at a fairly northerly latitude where we have limited hours of daylight during the winter. Low-wattage (5-8W) white LED bulbs seem to be becoming more common as a household light source. Do these LED bulbs provide suitable light for growing…
Ben Mordue
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