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QUESTION: Marty from Santa Rosa asks; "Hello I read a post on your site about adding soil to parts of a lawn. I need to do this too but I don't want to get "interfacial soil tension" problems like you mentioned. If I airate my lawn and then apply a thin layer of soil, is this good for growing a better/thicker lawn ? The reason why I ask is that I have bad soil with a lot of sand and small rocks in areas and I want to inexpensively over the years add good soil slowly without removing my existing lawn. Is the process of adding soil gently to a lawn even worth it ?"
ANSWER: Yes, it is worth it, but it's going to take some work and patience on your part. The best thing to do, short of redoing your entire lawn from scratch, is to aerate your lawn twice a year and apply a "top dressing". This should be done in spring (now), and again in early fall, say October when the days are shorter and temperatures begin to cool. These conditions will help minimize any stress to your lawn during the process.
Water your lawn well, a day or two before you aerate, so the aerating machine can penetrate your soil an inch or two and bring up a nice "plug" or "core".
Next, rake up and remove as much of the soil plugs and thatch as possible. This is very important because, as you begin watering again, you don't want these "cores" of poor soil to dissolve and fill in the holes you just made in your lawn. You want the holes in your lawn to be filled in with the new organic mater in the top dressing. This way, your lawn's root system can begin to take advantage of the beneficial bacteria and microorganisms that are in the product. Also, organic matter is much softer than the compacted poor soil you just removed. The holes in the lawn give the roots a little area to "relax" and expand. This will help the entire surface of the lawn to absorb water and fertilizer, minimizing runoff.
After you diligently rake up and remove all the plugs, fertilize your lawn as you normally would. Then spread a thin layer of top dressing over the entire surface of your lawn. What I recommend using is a product called "Soil Booster". Be careful not to completely bury and suffocate your lawn, while keeping in mind that you do want enough Soil Booster applied so that when you rake it in all directions repeatedly there is enough to fall into the holes. When you finish raking in the Soil Booster, you should still see plenty of it on the lawn surface, but the blades of the lawn should be predominately showing through. You'll have to experiment a little in a small area until you get the hang of it.
Finally, water thoroughly, this will continue the gradual process of working the top dressing down into the lawn's root system.
As you can see, this could easily be an all day (or weekend) project depending upon the size of your lawn, but after repeating this process a few seasons, you will see great results!

 
QUESTION: Tony from Cloverdale asks; "This winter we've had some frost damage to various plants in our yard. How can we be sure they are dead before we pull them out and what is the best way to revive the ones we think are still alive?"
ANSWER: Generally speaking, the chances are good that most of your frost damaged plants will come back if they have any green leaves at all. To check, look into the interior of the plant near the base and along the stems. If you do not find any green leaves then lightly scratch the stem with your fingernail and if you see bright green just under the bark then there is still hope. The best thing to do is to be patient and wait until our heavy frost danger is over, (usually in April or May) and prune out the dead wood to just above the upper most green leaves. In other words, the plant will tell you where to prune if you pay attention and observe closely. Then give newly pruned plants a mild fertilizing to stimulate new growth. The old dead foliage on the upper portion of the plant is acting as a canopy to protect the interior of the plant. This is one reason not to remove it until after the heavy frost danger has passed. The other reason not to prune too early is that pruning acts to encourage new vegetative growth that will be tender and susceptible to further frost damage. Remember, the key words are patience and observation!
 
QUESTION: Sally from Santa Rosa writes; "I am getting antsy to start my vegetable garden. Is it too early for tomatoes and zucchini for example? If not, what kind of veggies can I start now?"
ANSWER: Yes, it's too early to put your summer crops in now. The soil is far too cold and wet. If you try to push the envelope this early things will just sit and be prone to frost and root rot. If they should survive, they will be stunted and far behind the plants you wait to put in when the soil and weather warms up. You'll wait and wait, only to be disappointed that you wasted so much time and just have to replant. You can start seeds now in a greenhouse but be sure to close the doors at night and open them again during the heat of the day to assure good ventilation. When your soil is dry enough to work, go ahead and add your amendments. This will allow air circulation in the soil, helping it to warm up and dry out as the days get longer and warmer. As far as to what you can start now, you can start your cool weather crops such as lettuce, broccoli, chard, cauliflower and many more. Call your local Nursery for others. Let us know if we can be of any further help.
 
QUESTION: Karrine from Wisconsin asks; "I have recently seen your website on the internet while searching for a source for a "Meyer" lemon tree. I noticed your web page informs me that you have several varieties of citrus trees available. As previously stated, I am searching for a "Meyer" lemon tree, I live in Wisconsin and am considering it for an indoor/outdoor potted plant. I would appreciate it if you would be of assistance in returning information regarding availability, sizes, prices and of course, shipping and costs thereof. It would also be helpful if you would include agricultural and care information too. Thank you for your assistance and I look forward to hearing from you soon."
ANSWER: I don't know much about the climate in Wisconson other than that you have severe winters, but I think trying to grow a Meyer lemon is a worth while try if you're willing to make the effort. Meyer lemons are one of the easiest and most rewarding of all citrus to grow. They are also amongst the hardiest (cold tolerant) and require less heat than most citrus need to produce. My bet is that you may have a reasonable amount of success in your short growing season provided you follow these tips. Although the Meyer is easy to grow let us not forget it is still a citrus. Firstly, plant it in a container that you can manage so you can place it in a warm sunny location during the growing season and move it into a protected, but light location where the temperature will not drop below the mid 30's as soon as the nights start getting chilly. It will have to remain in this location for the duration of winter. I realize this may not be as easy as it sounds, but in your area it is imperative you do so, because all citrus are somewhat tender. When planting, be sure to use a top quality acidic potting soil that is high in organic matter. Citrus want to be kept moist but not wet, so you'll need to water it frequently. Meyer lemons need to be fed with an acid fertilizer about every four to six weeks during the growing season. This keeps them producing. Unfortunately we do not ship plants due to their bulk and weight, as well as agricultural considerations. I hope these guidelines are helpful in your endeavor to grow a Meyer lemon in your area. Thank you for visiting our site.
 
QUESTION: Karen from Santa Rosa asks; "During the last heat wave many of the plants in my garden suffered, especially one of my young hydrangeas. Many have some scorched leaves and almost all of my hydrangea's leaves are just fried to a crisp and starting to drop off. Will it die or do you think it has a chance to come back? I'm at a loss as to what to do other than water heavily. Is there anything else I can do?"
ANSWER: Yes, there are a few things one can do. Firstly, if you hear that there's a heat wave on the way, as we were warned by the weatherman (yes, they were right on this time), be sure to water heavily ahead of time so plants have some moisture reserve going into the excessive heat. To keep up on the watering during the heat wave it's best to water heavily in the morning then several light waterings during the course of the day to keep plenty of moisture readily available for your plants. In areas out of direct sun lightly, spray the foliage with the hose, this puts moisture right where the plant needs it (and don't be afraid to include yourself, even if your neighbor is looking!). I know this is hard to do because of the time requirement, especially during the week when we're at work, but don't ignore your garden when you get home. If you have an automatic time clock to run your sprinkler system you can increase your watering frequencies - this makes it much simpler. Once the damage is done, all you can do is give things a deep watering then keep up on your regular watering schedule. Once things are showing signs of recovering you might give them a light fertilizing. With plants that have really suffered and defoliated as your hydrangea has, give it one good watering but then give it water sparingly so you don't over water and rot the roots, especially on a newly planted or young plant. Remember that plants loose moisture through their leaves, this is called "transpiration". If a plant no longer has leaves it will use very little water until it leaf's out again, so watch it closely and increase the water you give it as more leaves appear. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised how well your garden, including your young hydrangea, recovers - provided you follow these simple instructions. Good Luck and pay attention to the weatherman during the summer!
 

QUESTION: Tim from Healdsburg asks; " Since it's its been raining off and on for the past few weeks my beautiful roses have developed some purplish-black spots as well as some orange-ish power or dust on the leaves. Can you tell me what this is, if it's harmful and what to do about it if it is harmful."
ANSWER: Unfortunately roses are prone to some insect and disease problems and your roses have two out of three of the most common funguses roses are susceptible to. The first one, with the purplish-black spots on the leaves is called "black spot". The other that looks like an orange powder is called "rust". What you should also watch out for is the third one, which is a white power-like substance that covers the stems, leaves and buds. This is called "powdery mildew". I mention this one because where there is rust and black spot there is also usually powdery mildew. All three can spread very fast and can cause significant damage to most roses. They should be arrested as soon as you spot them. There are different approaches to remedy this. Probably the easiest, once you have infestation, is to spray with a fungicide specific to roses. There are many to choose from and some are less toxic to people and pets than others, so do your homework when shopping and be sure to read the label and follow directions before application. You should be able to get some help from a qualified nursery person at your neighborhood nursery. To help prevent fungus on newly planted roses, choose a location that has plenty of sun and good air circulation. Keep them away from lawn sprinklers as fungus is encouraged and spread by overhead watering. Roses are heavy feeders and heavy drinkers, so keep them well fertilized and water them deeply to induce vigor and they will be less vulnerable to pest problems.

 
QUESTION: John from Sebastopol asks; "Why can't I raise big luscious bell peppers like my neighbors? Mine are always small and shriveled."
ANSWER: There are numerous factors as to why you don't have the success with bell peppers that your neighbors do. Since it sounds like you live next door I assume your soil and climate are the same, so lets talk about basic cultural needs of bell peppers. Firstly, check with your neighbors to find out how they amended their soil and do the same to yours. Also, there are many varieties of bell peppers, so be sure to check on which varieties they are having the most success with. Don't give bell peppers too much water, especially when newly planted. They will turn yellow and often shrivel. Keep them moist but not wet. After they have been in a few weeks, and look like they are adapting to their new environment, give them a light shot of fertilizer that is balanced and doesn't have too high a nitrogen content - something mild like a 5-10-10 with trace elements including iron, sulfur etc. After they respond to your first feeding (probably in a few weeks or so), give them one more slightly stronger application of fertilizer. This should serve them through the season. Remember bell peppers need full sun in Sebastopol, and keep an eye out for small holes appearing in their leaves, this will be snails, slugs and or earwigs.
 
QUESTION: Karen from Santa Rosa asks: " My newly planted bare root peach tree started to leaf out earlier this spring and now I notice that all the new young leaves are kind of withering and turning brown. Can you advise me on why they are doing this and what I can do to fix it?"
ANSWER: It sounds like your peach tree has root rot. This is caused by to much water in winter, particularly in heavy clay soils which much of Santa Rosa has. What happens is that the tree appears to begin leafing out normally but as the new leaves begin to demand water when the weather warms up the roots are not there to supply the moister need to sustain the new growth because they have rotted away during the winter. It's like cutting small branches from say a flowering quince or flowering plum for example. They are cut, put into a vase of water and continue to bloom and sometimes even start to leaf out a bit and then that's it, they die and get tossed. The young branch appeared to do fine for a while until it needed a root system to sustain It's existence. Unfortunately there is nothing one can do to save the tree at this point. Next time plant the tree a little above grade on a slight mound and don't ad more than 1/3rd compost to your native soil when back filling.
 

QUESTION: Jim from Windsor asks; "One of the saleswomen at your nursery told me that if I wanted to add top soil to my newly to be planted lawn area that I need to add no more than a couple inches at a time and rototill it into my native dirt thoroughly and then repeat the process until I have added the amount I desire. I want to add about 6" to 8" of top soil to my heavy clay dirt so it's going to be quite a task to do this process three or four times. Why can't I just add "Top soil" to the top of my dirt and plant my new lawn in all the good top soil?"
ANSWER: It's kind of like painting your house. The more time and effort you take to do the prep work the better the job is going to come out and last. When you import a soil different than your native soil you must "blend" it with your native soil so the lawns roots will grow deep down into your native soil without a dramatic change in earth. If you just plunk down some top soil on top of your existing soil and plant your lawn it may do fine for a few months or so but eventually the roots will grow down into the native soil and stop as if they hit asphalt. This is called "interfacial soil tension". They will then grow laterally and soon exhaust there limited root zone (the topsoil you imported). As you can see it's just a matter of time until you are going to have to start over and really scrape all that old flaking paint off, clean the surface and prime it before you paint, just like you should have done the first time.
 
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