Monthly Archives: September 2018

Fixing low spots in a lawn is not a one size fits all


After a rain it seems like all the imperfections show up in our lawns. Fixing them usually requires patience and the remedy varies depending upon soil type, time of year and grass species. Repair options can be gradual. This is … Continue reading

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Solving plant problems requires knowing what the enemy is


A couple weeks ago somebody brought me a Ziploc bag full of blueish gray bugs with orange stripes and spots on them. He told me they were killing his crape myrtles. Many of the leaves were falling prematurely. He also … Continue reading

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Evening primrose is a stunning native wildflower


Everyone has seen those tall weeds with long narrow leaves and covered with cup-shaped yellow flowers. Sometimes they can grow to be five feet tall. For foragers and herbalists, it has a bounty of uses. The plant in question is … Continue reading

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Four o’clock flowers are beautiful and hard to remove


When I was in graduate school I lived in a hillside apartment that had beautiful four o’clock flowers in the front yard. They came in different colors, mostly bright pink to magenta, and they self-seeded themselves every year. I liked … Continue reading

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