Landscaping/Gardening Thread.

[BlackArcher101]

and water trough

[Shin Pad]

I haven't drawn the hitching rail but I will build it. Yeah I'll have to add some sort of water trough for the horses. Probably a prefab galvanized one, and clad it with wood.

[mrkajz44]

So I was able to figure out and buy the trees that fit my needs (wichita junipers), but now I'm wondering about actually planting them. They are only about 3 feet tall or so right now and since I'm planning on planting them next to our fence I'm worried they won't get enough sunlight when they are this small. Once they get taller the fence won't be an issue.

Would it be a bad idea to keep them in their pots over the summer where I can keep them in full sunlight and then plant in the fall? Might be able to get a bit more size out of them before they get tucked behind the fence. I could also move them to slightly bigger pots for the summer too if the thought that the pots we bought them in were too small (this is what I was thinking).

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

So I was able to figure out and buy the trees that fit my needs (wichita junipers), but now I'm wondering about actually planting them. They are only about 3 feet tall or so right now and since I'm planning on planting them next to our fence I'm worried they won't get enough sunlight when they are this small. Once they get taller the fence won't be an issue.

Would it be a bad idea to keep them in their pots over the summer where I can keep them in full sunlight and then plant in the fall? Might be able to get a bit more size out of them before they get tucked behind the fence. I could also move them to slightly bigger pots for the summer too if the thought that the pots we bought them in were too small (this is what I was thinking).

Anything I bought in pots and waited more then a couple days to plant and was left in the sun needed daily (or twice a day) watering or else they'd dry out. If you stay on top of watering I dont see the issue. But dont miss a day when its +20c and sunny or else you'll fry them.

[Fuzz]

Yup, and usually they have outgrown the pot by the time you get them. It may just be better to plant them in the environment they are going to live in now, so they are accustomed to it by fall.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

So I was able to figure out and buy the trees that fit my needs (wichita junipers), but now I'm wondering about actually planting them. They are only about 3 feet tall or so right now and since I'm planning on planting them next to our fence I'm worried they won't get enough sunlight when they are this small. Once they get taller the fence won't be an issue.

Would it be a bad idea to keep them in their pots over the summer where I can keep them in full sunlight and then plant in the fall? Might be able to get a bit more size out of them before they get tucked behind the fence. I could also move them to slightly bigger pots for the summer too if the thought that the pots we bought them in were too small (this is what I was thinking).

I don't think there will be an issue with sunlight. I'd plant them and make sure they're well watered for about a month so they can get established.

[Deviaant]

So I have a sod delivery for today. So uh should I be calling Blue Grass and trying to put my delivery off till tomorrow? Or is this kind of weather ok to lay sod in. I was hoping for light rain this am, that would have been fine to work in. I'm in the ne and it's coming down pretty good right now. Not so sure I want to work in a mud pit.

[Ducay]

Is there a reason you can't take shipment today and lay it this weekend once it dries up a bit? Its likely the same sod, so either it sits at their yard or yours.

You can lay the sod in this weather, just would be a pain keeping the dirt properly prepared and indeed, not a giant mud soup. Plus your feet would be mud paddies in approx 12 seconds.

[Deviaant]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Is there a reason you can't take shipment today and lay it this weekend once it dries up a bit? Its likely the same sod, so either it sits at their yard or yours.

You can lay the sod in this weather, just would be a pain keeping the dirt properly prepared and indeed, not a giant mud soup. Plus your feet would be mud paddies in approx 12 seconds.

Yeah, now that I've had my morning coffee and calmed down a bit yeah. I think you are 100% correct, no reason I can't let it just sit today and install tomorrow when the weather is a little nicer.

[Ozy_Flame]

Anyone have any experience with building a natural/permaculture garden that intended to handle rainwater drainage? I have a low-lying area on my property that runoff from eavesthrough and sump water runs into, and instead of brutalizing the (minimal) grass and top soil that's there, I want it to run into a natural garden bed. Then perhaps the garden could have hearty plants to handle that runoff, such as Winterberry and Arrowood.

Any best practices out there from the CP folks?

[morgin]

Anyone have suggestions on the best place to get bags of topsoil to do lawn repair / top coating? I've tried the Garden Club stuff from Canadian Tire, and the Vigoro stuff from Home Depot, and in both cases what they claim to be top soil is a bag of mostly mulch, what appears to be shredded plastic bits, sticks/twigs, and a bit of dirt. It's ridiculously low quality and doesnt seem like it has been screened at all.

I don't need a cubic yard of the stuff, and I don't want a dirt pile dumped in front of my house so the local garden centre delivery options don't seem viable. There must be a way to buy ~20 bags of 25L top soil that is decent quality.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Anyone have any experience with building a natural/permaculture garden that intended to handle rainwater drainage? I have a low-lying area on my property that runoff from eavesthrough and sump water runs into, and instead of brutalizing the (minimal) grass and top soil that's there, I want it to run into a natural garden bed. Then perhaps the garden could have hearty plants to handle that runoff, such as Winterberry and Arrowood.

Any best practices out there from the CP folks?

There are a couple demonstration ones throughout the city & some instructions on their website.
https://www.calgary.ca/UEP/Water/Pag...n-Calgary.aspx

[Torture]

Taking out the sidewalk from my deck to garage so that I can re-grade the backyard (slopes toward the house) and replace it in a more practical spot/more attractive pathway.

Figured it was a small enough job that a sledgehammer would do rather than renting a jackhammer. Got about a third done in a few hours yesterday. So sore today though!
Also, beer has never tasted so good.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9H9osrQ6EPNRjaYx5

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by morgin

Anyone have suggestions on the best place to get bags of topsoil to do lawn repair / top coating? I've tried the Garden Club stuff from Canadian Tire, and the Vigoro stuff from Home Depot, and in both cases what they claim to be top soil is a bag of mostly mulch, what appears to be shredded plastic bits, sticks/twigs, and a bit of dirt. It's ridiculously low quality and doesnt seem like it has been screened at all.

I don't need a cubic yard of the stuff, and I don't want a dirt pile dumped in front of my house so the local garden centre delivery options don't seem viable. There must be a way to buy ~20 bags of 25L top soil that is decent quality.

Bluegrass Nursery. You can go to the bulk bin area and pay by the 5 gallon bucket(just for measuring), or if you want 1/4 yard, they just dump it on the ground and you can load it yourself. Bring some bins or a tarp or something if you don't have a truck. If you, do they can just dump it in(if you don't have a cap). Way cheaper, too. Recommend the garden mix, but you can take a look at the bulk area before buying, they have a few types. 1/4 yard isn't all that much.

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by morgin

Anyone have suggestions on the best place to get bags of topsoil to do lawn repair / top coating? I've tried the Garden Club stuff from Canadian Tire, and the Vigoro stuff from Home Depot, and in both cases what they claim to be top soil is a bag of mostly mulch, what appears to be shredded plastic bits, sticks/twigs, and a bit of dirt. It's ridiculously low quality and doesnt seem like it has been screened at all.

I don't need a cubic yard of the stuff, and I don't want a dirt pile dumped in front of my house so the local garden centre delivery options don't seem viable. There must be a way to buy ~20 bags of 25L top soil that is decent quality.

haha thank you for confirming that I didn't just have bad luck with those Home Depot "soil" bags. I'm barely exaggerating when I estimate they're about 50% randomly sized bits of wood by volume. each bag will usually have a couple pieces of nice 4 inch long chunk of branch just to make sure you're getting your money's worth.

I've had much better results with the Sea Soil brand at Golden Acre. it's supposedly made from fish compost but doesn't have any type of odor. I remember it being considerably more expensive than Vigoro, but I suppose that's the price of not dressing your lawn with soil bag wood.

[jroc]

I was going to start my first project at my new house of laying down some paving stones and a fire pit. If I'm only digging down 4-5 inches, should I be getting utility lines located? I'm also doing this over a previous garden plot so I'm super certain that it should be safe.

I just created the ticket to get the locates this morning, but I'm super antsy and just want to get started!

[Torture]

Originally Posted by jroc

I was going to start my first project at my new house of laying down some paving stones and a fire pit. If I'm only digging down 4-5 inches, should I be getting utility lines located? I'm also doing this over a previous garden plot so I'm super certain that it should be safe.

Yes.

[MoneyGuy]

There is a lot of winter kill on lawns this year. I have a modest amount and I’m seeing lawns with far more. Overseeing, here we come.

[Ironhorse]

I have a mature rose bush that has overgrown and is nearly dead (but not quite). My amateurish attempts to trim it last year did not help. Can anyone recommend a good rose bush pruner /whisperer to save it?

[foshizzle11]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

I have a mature rose bush that has overgrown and is nearly dead (but not quite). My amateurish attempts to trim it last year did not help. Can anyone recommend a good rose bush pruner /whisperer to save it?

You could trim it down a lot and then over the course of this summer provide water and fertilizer and next year it will likely come back strong.