Gardening & Landscaping Stack Exchange
Gardening & Landscaping Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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7 answers

Do tomatoes really need support to grow?

I am new to gardening and I am starting out with tomatoes. I keep reading that tomatoes need support like a stake or a cage. However is there a reason why they can't just grow on the ground like pumpkins or watermelons? Do wild tomatoes grow with…
cspirou
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3 answers

Making a yard that's settled more level?

My yard was installed when the prior owners built our house a dozen years ago. They did a decent job with the landscaping and yard. The problem is that some areas of the yard have settled and I'd like to "fill" those areas in without redoing too…
BQ.
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3 answers

How can I revive a tree that's been stripped of bark?

I've got what I think is a cedar tree in my backyard that is missing most of its bark on one side from the ground to about 4' up. (Thanks to my puppy who is a shredding machine.) The branches next to the bare area of the trunk are slowly turning…
Doresoom
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8 answers

How do I compost a large pile of branches and heavy shrub clippings?

This Spring, I pruned all my shrubs and pulled out a few pine stumps. My first thought was just to pile them all up on their own. I have never had good luck trying to compost such material with the rest of my compost. But I'm concerned that these…
Fatmuemoo
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Why did my carrots split in a way that looks like legs?

This is the first year I've grown carrots. What gave them legs? I have a theory that the seedlings merged together. I don't know if that is just silly or if carrots just naturally grow like this.
Fatmuemoo
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34
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7 answers

Ants in my garden: good or bad?

While weeding my garden I found a bunch of ant nests (red ants and small black ants). My first inclination was to destroy the nest and send them packing, but I didn't know if they might aerate the soil, or keep worse pests at bay. Are they of any…
agent-j
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11 answers

Why do people paint some tree trunks white at the bottom?

I've seen trees with the lower trunks painted white in a number of places around the world but have never found a definite answer to why this is done. Some suggestions that I've heard are to make them more visible at night time so people don't walk…
Guy
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4 answers

How can I tell if a plant given to me is patented?

Sometimes, I receive an unlabeled plant start from a friend, and they do not know if it is patented. If I want to grow and sell a plant in question, is it okay to just take the chance, or is there a way to find patents?
J. Musser
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12 answers

What are some low maintenance plant choices for apartment (indoor) living?

I'm not an expert on plants, but would like to add some plant life to my apartment. I'm looking for good choices that: don't require direct sunlight require minimal watering survive for at least a few months at a time have low risk of attracting…
DuckMaestro
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34
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8 answers

My lettuce is flowering - does that mean it has bolted?

I planted a batch of "zesty blend" lettuce seeds. They seem to be doing fine, but suddenly they started flowering: Have they bolted? They look healthy otherwise. Still edible?
Caffeine Coma
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4 answers

Can aloe be grown indoors, in an office with artificial light only?

I came across a very beautiful aloe in a shop a few days ago, which I would like to plant in my office next to my computer. However, there is no natural light (sunlight) and only fluorescent light, which hangs 2 m (6 ft) above the table, is…
lamwaiman1988
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How long does it take for the compost to ripen?

I’ve got a compost bin (a big plastic box with air holes) that’s used by two or three families. We have been putting kitchen scraps and stuff into the composter for about a year now (mostly vegetables). The composter does not stink, it gives a nice…
zoul
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5 answers

Is it wise to reuse potting soil?

The potting soil in question is in medium to large sized pots that had/have tomatoes or small fruit trees in them.
Vervious
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4 answers

How do I grow a usable vegetable garden indoors?

I'm from a very rural area and love to garden, however, for work I just moved into an apartment in the city. I miss being able to grow vegetables and so I attempted to start some leaf lettuce indoors, however, almost every plant died quickly. I'm…
JToland
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1 answer

Can my lawn be saved or is it time to dig it up and re-sod?

The majority of the grass in my backyard has turned brown and/or died after what we believe was a chinch bug onslaught that went untreated for way too long. It is St. Augustine grass in South Florida. I finally treated the whole backyard with…
Michael Moussa
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