“Parents are not interested in justice. They are interested in quiet.” – Bill Cosby
“We had a quicksand box in our backyard. I was an only child, eventually.” -- Steven Wright
“Adults are obsolete children.” – Dr. Seuss
“The most important time you can spend in the garden is the time you spend not gardening.” – Paul James
“You have to live life to love life, and you have to love life to live life. It’s a vicious circle.” -- Unknown
”In spite of the cost of living, it’s still popular.” – Kathleen Norris
THE GARDENER GUY’S Q&A

When I do personal appearances, the format is a simple Q&A. It’s more like a cheesy nightclub act than a traditional gardening lecture. But I like hearing what concerns gardeners most, and I like interacting with the audience. So here’s the online version of my live act. And by the way, the questions are pulled from emails you provide, so keep them coming. Just go to the “Comments / Contact Us” tab. I’ll update this page weekly.


Archive Q and A
June 2010 Q&A

Attention Everybody

I’m getting swamped with questions, and that’s great. And yes, I read each and every one of them. But there’s no way I can possibly answer them all. That would be a full-time job, and I’ve got other projects on my plate. Sure, I could hire someone else to answer them for me, but I refuse to do that, and I say shame on those who do. Fact is, I don’t have a staff. I’m just me, sitting here in my little office at home surrounded by books and giant insects under glass and clutter. My buddy Brian, the website manager (who doubles as my business manager and videographer, and is also a captain for JetBlue) lives in Memphis, and he’s got a full plate as well.

So if I don’t answer your question, it’s likely due to one of the following:

I’ve already answered it, which is why you should read the archives;

You failed to tell me where you live (and preferably which USDA Zone you live in so I don’t have to look it up);

You could have easily done a search and found the answer yourself;

You gave me the common name of the plant, which could actually be peculiar to your area or the name given to half a dozen other plants;

In the case of plant problems, you didn’t give me enough information. Making plant diagnoses from afar is tricky, so please provide as many details as possible, including soil type and pH, amount of sun/shade the plant receives, and so on. In the case of pest and disease problems, describe the damage done or symptoms and include a photo if possible;

Your question required an immediate response (as in, seriously, “I’m going to the nursery tomorrow and need to know what to buy”);

Your question just didn’t grab me;

Or your attitude pissed me off.

And frankly, there are some questions that would require such a lengthy response that I can’t possible answer them. For example, I’ve received several questions from folks who basically want me to design their entire property or help them plan an outdoor wedding.

Okay, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, here are the answers to this month’s questions.
Why Don’t You Update the Website More Often?

Because I’m too damned busy, that’s why. Since January, I’ve been in 19 cities and flown nearly 50 legs. I’ve been writing my book. I’ve done dozens of radio, television, and print interviews. And I’ve been gardening as much as possible. I also continue to teach Tae Kwon Do, I cook six nights a week when I’m home, and I try to make time for my family and friends.

Here’s my take on the matter: This website is like a monthly magazine, one you get for free. And for the foreseeable future, that’s the way it’s going to be.
Why Don’t You Have a Search Engine?

Good question. The simple answer is cost. But I’m working on it.
Soil Test Kits

A guy named Clay (seriously) wants to know if off-the-shelf soil test kits are worth buying, and the answer is yes. There’s no way they’ll give you results as accurate as a bona-fide lab test, but they’ll at least give you an approximate reading for NPK and pH. Plus, they’re pretty cheap. However, you can often get a lab test for free (or for less than ten bucks) from you local Cooperative Extension Service or Master Gardeners organization.
My Martin Guitars

I love non-gardening questions, and Thom wonders whether one of the guitars he saw me playing on my show was a Martin D-18 or a D-28.

Good eye, Thom. You’re obviously a picker, and apparently a Martin fan as well. I’ve actually shown several of my guitars on the show over the years, including an ’83 Ovation Country Artist, a Gibson ES-335 Dot Reissue, and a ’74 Fender Stratocaster. The Martin you saw was an HD-28, but I also have the Andy Griffith signature model D-18. Only 311 of them were made, and it’s definitely the favorite in my collection.
One-Straw Revolution Back in Print!

Thanks so much to Grace in California for letting me know that the book, “The One-Straw Revolution” by Masanobu Fukuoka, is back in print and available at www.nybooks.com/books/imprints/classics/the-one-straw-revolution
Martin HD-28
My Cousin Vinny

Vinny, who lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY (where my best friend also lives), read on this site about my theory that the surest way to get sick while on the road is to touch the hotel remote control. So he was kind enough to send me a bag full of remote-control covers (I never knew they existed!), which I now use everywhere I go. He also sent me a bunch of fishing lures, which unfortunately I haven’t had time to use.

Anyway, Vinny wants to move a fairly large azalea, and he’s wondering how to go about it.

Well, Vinny, thanks again for the goodies. Now let’s deal with your azalea. Truth is, the best time to move an azalea is early spring or fall. If you consider the weather in your area to be early spring, then grab a shovel and start digging the new planting hole first. Estimate the size as best you can, realizing that you’re going to be digging up a pretty big rootball judging from the size of the azalea in the photo you sent me. And keep in mind that bigger is always better. The point in digging the new planting hole first is that you want to quickly move the newly dug plant from its old home to its new home so that the roots don’t dry out. Azalea roots are shallow, and they dry out quickly, so you might even consider wrapping the rootball in moist burlap or newspapers as soon as you get it out of the ground.

Since your azalea appears to be healthy, I’m going to assume that your soil pH is on the acidic side. But you might want to verify that. Azaleas need a pH of between 4.5 and 6.0. Soil sulfur is the best way to acidify the soil if the pH is on the high side.

Once you’ve dug up the azalea, stick it in its new hole, leaving roughly one-quarter of the rootball above grade. Pack the soil around the rootball gently, and water well. Apply a three-inch layer of mulch (bark, pine needles, pecan shells, etc.) and make sure the rootball doesn’t dry out, especially during the summer months and, just as importantly during the winter as well.

If you want to prune the top growth a bit, that’s fine. In fact, azaleas should be pruned (and fertilized) right after they flower.

So there you have it, Vinny. Have fun, and good luck.
Organic Food for Nectarines

Dan’s in California (Zone 9/10), and he wants to know if I can recommend a good organic fertilizer for his nectarine tree. Well of course I can, Dan, but what I’m wondering is whether you have enough chilling hours in your area for the nectarine to even produce fruit? You don’t mention whether the tree is new or established, or whether it actually has produced fruit in the past.

Regardless, however, the best fertilizer is compost. Homemade is best, store-bought is okay. Nectarines (and peaches) need the usual nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, and they need micronutrients as well, especially boron. Compost has all these and more. However, because the nutrients in compost aren’t as water-soluble as those found in synthetic fertilizers, you should apply the compost early in the growing season. A one- to two-inch layer applied to the soil surface and extending beyond the outermost branches a few feet is ideal. Do this once a year and your nectarines should be peachy.
A Mess in Michigan

Melissa has a familiar problem – a tree producing so many white fuzzy balls that it looks as though a late spring snowstorm has hit her Michigan garden.

That tree, Melissa, is a female cottonwood, a notorious member of the Poplar family. Specifically, it’s Populus deltoides. Cottonwoods are native to the U.S. and Canada, and were planted because of their rapid growth and ability to survive hot summer droughts.

At my old house, a neighbor had an 80-foot cottonwood, and the cottony masses it produced would clog my mower, my air conditioner, and generally make a mess of my yard. I ask him if he would consider cutting it down, and even offered to pay half the cost, but he said he liked the tree. Besides, the prevailing winds were such that the bulk of the cotton wound up in my yard, not his.

So, although I hate to suggest removing a tree, there’s really nothing else you can do to solve the problem. Sorry.
Aspens in Texas?

Michael wants to know if he can grow the quaking aspen trees he’s seen growing in Colorado at his place in Texas, and the answer is no. Aspens are also members of the Poplar family (see question above), and are perhaps the most widely distributed tree in America, but they can’t take the heat in Texas. And when it comes to August in San Antonio, neither can I.

There are other poplars that will grow in Texas, but all are fast-growing (which means they succumb to wind damage due to brittle wood), and most are prone to all sorts of other problems. So consider another tree, or move to Colorado.
Armadillos and Voles

Johnny, who apparently lives in the south, has armadillos invading his container plants, and Walter, a savvy gardener in New York, has voles destroying everything in his garden. Well guys, although you live a couple of thousand miles apart, the solution to both your problems is Chase, a granulated form of castor oil. It’s relatively cheap, and a little goes a long way. Johnny, you need to either establish a perimeter around your property with the stuff or apply it directly to the container plantings. And Walter, you need to broadcast it evenly over your entire property. You’ll have to reapply within 60 to 90 days, perhaps even more frequently if you get a lot of rain. Chase is primarily recommended as a gopher and mole repellent, and in my experience it works great. However, the packaging also lists armadillos and voles as target pests.
More on Moles

I got a two-and-a-half page email from someone who has done considerable research on how best to get rid of moles. His conclusion? Trapping is the only truly effective means of dealing with the subterranean insectivores. And I agree, actually. However, I have had success with granulated castor oil, as mentioned above. And I know others who’ve had success with products aimed at destroying grubs in the lawn, such as Milky Spore (Bacillus popilliae) and nematodes, although admittedly, when grubs aren’t around, moles will eat earthworms, millipedes, centipedes, and spiders.

The fact is, there are dozens of home remedies and a ton of anecdotal stories about how to deal with moles. And some people swear by them. Unfortunately, there’s not all that much real research to back up their claims.

So for me, the bottom line is this: moles don’t do any real harm. In fact, they eat a number of critters that harm plants. Sure, their tunnels can be unsightly, but is that really such a big deal?

And by the way, another promising control that’s currently available is a concoction made from fox and bobcat urine. How they actually bottle the stuff is anybody’s guess. But I will tell you that my boys and I use to pee outside all the time (and I still do), and even when our neighbors had moles in their yards, we didn’t have any in ours. That’s anecdotal as well, but it’s also a lot of fun.
Dirt Turds?

Pam recently aerated her Minnesota lawn, and is wondering what in the world to do with all the “dirt turds” (her term, not mine, but I love it) that the aerator left behind.

Just leave them alone, Pam, and in no time they’ll disintegrate. One good rain usually does the trick.
Horticultural Vinegar

Several people, including Phil in New York and Ken in Wisconsin, want to know where to find horticultural vinegar.

Well, guys, it’s available from several sources, but nearly all of them are online. Amazon has it. Gardens Alive sells it too.

Horticultural vinegar is typically 20% acetic acid, although stronger concentrations are available. It’s an all-natural herbicide, one I’ve used for years. It works best on warm (hot) days, and on young weeds. Grassy weeds may require more than one application. It doesn’t translocate, meaning it isn’t taken up by the vascular system of the weed, so it doesn’t kill the roots. It’s also non-selective, which means it’ll kill anything and everything green, including your prized plants. And although it’s all-natural, it will burn the skin and eyes, so be careful when applying it.